As someone who considers themselves a veteran of this game, (my new account cannot tell you I've been on this game since 2011-2012), this is truly unfortunate.
This game has been through quite a lot, and the community itself has been tossed through hoops. We've lost general chat, we went through the hacking ordeal, and now we face a new challenge, and it's present in the face of the Game Master themselves.
To not consult your own staff team about your decision? Idiotic.
To not allow them to post the progress on the patch? Idiotic.
To not allow them any sort of voice in whatever is going on in your head? Oh, did I say idiotic?
Sure, we can sit here and play devil's advocate and pretend this is all sunshine and rainbows and that maybe, 0.000001% of this system will work, but it won't. This is not a matter of opinion, if I'm being quite frank. You have upset an entire community, new and old. People who haven't been on the game in months, or even years, are now upset at you. People who still play the game are mad at you.
You know, if you accomplished one nice thing through this, it was bringing together the community to protest on the matter of your foolish decision. This is the most I've seen the community band together in a long, long time. It actually brought a smile to my face despite the situation. So for that, I give you a thumbs up. For the rest of this? Lol, you better not be expecting a pat on the back, buddy.
I've been on the game many, many years. This game was my childhood. I've made memories on here I will never forget. I made friendships here that will last a lifetime. I've met people from this game in real life, and I've made and formed relationships with people I thought was unlikely. Due to the decline in activity on the game, it's been a struggle to see it as active as it once was. However now, whatever hope was left stranded, you have butchered. You have thrown the community a flotation device amidst the mast sea, and right when people were starting to grab on, you yanked back and laughed in their faces as if to show them a lesson for something they didn't do wrong. The community is now drowning thanks to your endeavors. Congrats.
I'm disappointed, and everyone likely covered the fact that this idea is heinous and ridiculous, but I'm here to say it over, and over, and over again until it sticks in your head. I hope you're happy Raz, because I think you just opened a can of worms you won't be able to close. Whether or not you did it willingly, I guess we will never know.