Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[League of Legends mastery point exploit fixed, banhammer incoming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/league-of-legends-mastery-point-exploit-fixed-banhammer-incomin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/league-of-legends-mastery-point-exploit-fixed-banhammer-incomin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/league-of-legends-mastery-point-exploit-fixed-banhammer-incomin/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- League of Legends
We all know that League of Legends breeds a fairly competitive community, but unfortunately there are players out there who don't let little things like rules and common decency get in the way of their desire to win. A number of such players were recently found to be taking advantage of an exploit that allowed them to place more mastery points in a given talent than they would legally be able to, thereby giving them an incredibly unfair advantage.

Riot Games' Lead Community Manager, Tamat, stopped by the forums today to let everyone know that "that's bull****" and that it's not going to be tolerated. The post goes on to state that a fix for the exploit has been implemented, and the studio is about to lay the smack down on the guilty parties. Tamat says that the studio has "comprehensive logs and data" that have been used to identify the players who used the exploit. Riot is "going to be taking firm action against their accounts." May all the exploiters meet a swift and terrible demise at the hands of Riot's banhammer. For the full details on the matter, head on over to the official post on the League of Legends forums.

MassivelyLeague of Legends mastery point exploit fixed, banhammer incoming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanhammerbansdotae-sportesportexploitexploitsf2pfantasyfree-to-playleagueleague-of-legendslolmobariotriot-gamestamatMon, 07 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online nukes over a thousand botters from orbit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/eve-online-nukes-over-a-thousand-botters-from-orbit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/eve-online-nukes-over-a-thousand-botters-from-orbit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/eve-online-nukes-over-a-thousand-botters-from-orbit/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- EVE Online
Look upon CCP's works, ye botters, and despair! EVE Online players recently noticed "by virtue of reading various shady forums" that the CCP team has suspended or banned a large number of botters. CCP Sreegs stopped by the official site today to respond to some of the community reactions to the mass bot-nuking. Many fans seem to believe that the bannings are a publicitity stunt to drum up interest in the upcoming Fanfest. CCP Sreegs responds that, of course, this isn't the case. He notes that during CCP's recent periods of turbulence, there was no team responsible for "handling the technology responsible for nuking botters," but now that there's a full team once more, "[CCP has] now thrown the switch again and turned on the catching bad guys machine."

Other players are crying out that the current three-strike system is too soft-hearted. Sreegs respectfully disagrees, citing the fact that, of all players that go on to receive two strikes, only something like 3% go on to earn a third. But what's to stop these problem players from transferring their characters to a new account and carrying on as usual? Sreegs also announced that a new system is being put in place that will indefinitely revoke the character transfer privileges of any suspended players, no matter how many strikes they have against them. For the full story as well as a bit of insight as to how CCP deals with botters and cheaters, just click on through the link below.

MassivelyEVE Online nukes over a thousand botters from orbit originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-botsanti-bottinganti-hackanti-hackingbanbanningbansbotsbottersbottingccpccp-gamesccp-sreegseveeve-onlinefeaturedinternet-spaceshipssandboxsci-fisecurityspreadsheets-onlinesuspensionsuspensionsThu, 01 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: When does a clever loophole become a bannable exploit?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/the-daily-grind-when-does-a-clever-loophole-become-a-bannable-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/the-daily-grind-when-does-a-clever-loophole-become-a-bannable-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/the-daily-grind-when-does-a-clever-loophole-become-a-bannable-e/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

SWTOR's Ilum
Trouble has been brewing this week over a Star Wars: The Old Republic "exploit" in which people use seemingly legitimate (but perhaps unintended) game mechanics to tip the balance of the game in their favor. Of course, this is nothing new to veteran MMO players, who have seen hundreds, even thousands, of such loopholes and bugs spackled and patched since first MMO came online. Entire World of Warcraft guilds have been banned, however temporarily, for "exploiting" poorly coded raid AI, for example.

I've always felt that it's the game company's responsibility to counter loopholes before anyone takes advantage of them; the onus should be on the developer, not the player, to set the rules of the game using hardcoded mechanics. The players can't be expected to suss out the game-designers' intent, after all. Other gamers believe that "exploiters" really ought to know better and deserve whatever punishments the game's GMs mete out. What do you think? When does a clever loophole become a bannable exploit?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: When does a clever loophole become a bannable exploit? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbannedbanningbrianna-royce-tdgbugcheatingexploitexploitersexploitsgamemastergmguildsloopholeloopholesopinionstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortdgthe-daily-grindtorWorld-of-WarcraftwowSat, 07 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Over one percent of League of Legends players have been banned]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/over-one-percent-of-league-of-legends-players-have-been-banned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/over-one-percent-of-league-of-legends-players-have-been-banned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/over-one-percent-of-league-of-legends-players-have-been-banned/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

League of Legends ban title image
Handling antisocial behaviour has always been a problem for online game developers, and MOBAs like League of Legends certainly get the worst of it. The inherently team-based nature and slippery slope gameplay in MOBAs makes it very easy for one antisocial player to ruin a game and cause your team to lose. The problem is normally tackled head-on with a report tool and a suite of hired GMs, but what do you do if your game is free-to-play and has over 15 million registered players? It would be impractical to hire thousands of GMs to police a community of that size, so Riot Games came up with an alternative in the Tribunal system.

The Tribunal allows players who have played enough games to reach level 30 to vote on whether to take action against a reported player. Once enough votes are tallied, either the player is pardoned automatically or his case is submitted to a smaller GM team to await punishment. The system went live earlier this year, and Riot has now revealed how incredibly successful the system has been with the publication of some very interesting banning statistics. The biggest shocker is that a whopping 1.4% of LoL's over 15 million players have been banned with the system, a workload that far exceeds the capacity of a traditional GM team. Ninety-four percent of players submitted to the Tribunal are punished, with about 50% of them never reoffending.

Skip past the cut for an image showing these and other statistics, and stay tuned to our weekly Not So Massively column every Monday for more LoL news and updates.

Continue reading Over one percent of League of Legends players have been banned

MassivelyOver one percent of League of Legends players have been banned originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningbansfree-to-playgraphimageleague-of-legendslolmobanewspictureplayer-developmentriotriot-gamesstatisticstribunalSun, 25 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE hands out suspensions to over 700 players as 'a first warning']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/soe-hands-out-suspensions-to-over-700-players-as-a-first-warnin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/soe-hands-out-suspensions-to-over-700-players-as-a-first-warnin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/soe-hands-out-suspensions-to-over-700-players-as-a-first-warnin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

About-face!
A couple of weeks ago, Sony Online Entertainment threw down the gauntlet to the ne'er-do-wells of EverQuest, telling them simply to "stop now." Well, as often is the case with the scum of the MMO world, many didn't listen to SOE's ominous words of warning. On Friday, December 9th, they paid the price... in blood! [Insert maniacal laughter here.]

SOE has since suspended over 700 accounts "for a number of days by way of a first warning." Community Manager Piestro closes out with another word of caution: "Remember that these suspensions are merely the first wave, and further action is on the horizon. We will not rest, but will instead continue to gather data and take action as necessary on behalf of the entire player base. Don't cheat -- it's not worth it." Also, it still makes you a jerk.

In still other EQ news, SOE has announced that it is tweaking the rate of experience gain on progression-locked servers.

MassivelySOE hands out suspensions to over 700 players as 'a first warning' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanseqeverquestexploitersexploitingexploitshackershackingpiestrosoesony-online-entertainmentsuspendingsuspensionsuspensionsWed, 14 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RuneScape dev panel highlights incredible success of bot bans]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/30/runescape-dev-panel-highlights-incredible-success-of-bot-bans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/30/runescape-dev-panel-highlights-incredible-success-of-bot-bans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/30/runescape-dev-panel-highlights-incredible-success-of-bot-bans/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

RuneScape title image
Over the past few weeks, we've heard a great deal about browser MMO RuneScape's struggle against botting and RMT. The bot problem has become progressively worse over the past year, with bot makers countering every change developers made to stop their bots from working. This week developer Jagex celebrated bot-nuking day as it deployed a massive update designed to permanently stop all of the popular reflection and injection bots from working.

At this year's annual RuneFest event, Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard presented a fantastic insider panel on the facts and figures behind bot-nuking day. Mark explained the company's position -- that normal players botting to speed up gameplay was counter to the goals of RuneScape. "We don't want your computer to play with our computer," he told attendees, "we want you to have fun with our community." Before delving into facts and figures, Mark reminded attendees of the element of unfairness that bots create. "I want to know that if I'm putting in 30 minutes this evening, that that 30 minutes is equal to everyone else's 30 minutes."

Want to know how many million accounts were banned since bot-nuking day? Read on for a summary of the facts and figures from the talk and to watch the full video in HD.

Continue reading RuneScape dev panel highlights incredible success of bot bans

MassivelyRuneScape dev panel highlights incredible success of bot bans originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningbansbot-nuking-daybotsbottingcluster-fluttererdev-diarydev-paneleventeventsevents-real-lifemark-gerhardnewsrunefestrunefest-2011videoSun, 30 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Clockwork girls, ban tribunals, and runestones]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/28/not-so-massively-clockwork-girls-ban-tribunals-and-runestones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/28/not-so-massively-clockwork-girls-ban-tribunals-and-runestones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/28/not-so-massively-clockwork-girls-ban-tribunals-and-runestones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Defense of the Ancients, Bloodline Champions, and more.

With the growing popularity of MMOs, it's great to see developers borrowing ideas from them and making them work in other online game formats. A growing number of online games are being released featuring elements of online persistence, iterative development, and character progression that we've come to expect only from MMOs. In last week's Not So Massively, we reveled in League of Legends' dubstep, got technical with Heroes of Newerth's new hero Martyr, and looked at Bloodline Champions' new match replay system. We also introduced Rise of Immortals' immortal Aislynn and looked at the huge Realm of the Titans content update arriving just in time for closed beta.

In this week's Not So Massively, we introduce Ubisoft's upcoming online FPS Ghost Recon Online, look at Bloodline Champions' huge patch 1.2 update, and peruse development plans for the Rise of Immortals cash shop and its co-op PvE. This week is also a big week for League of Legends, with the player-mediated banning Tribunal now in live testing and the awesome new clockwork champion Orianna on the way.

Skip past the cut for all this week's news from the land of not-quite-an-MMO-but-pretty-close-to-it.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Clockwork girls, ban tribunals, and runestones

MassivelyNot So Massively: Clockwork girls, ban tribunals, and runestones originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbloodline-championsd3ddosdiablodiablo-3diablo-iiidosfeaturedghost-recon-onlinehackheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmmo-industrynewsoriannapatchpetroglyphrise-of-immortalsrunestonestunlock-studiossummoner-showcasetrailertrailerstribunalubisoftvideovideosSat, 28 May 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Have you ever bought gold?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/12/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-bought-gold/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/12/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-bought-gold/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/12/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-bought-gold/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Practically every MMO ever made has some kind of currency-based trade system, and if that currency takes time or effort to acquire, you can bet someone somewhere will pay hard cash to shortcut the process. Although most game EULAs forbid the practice of buying currency for cash, players are often unaware that they could be banned if caught. Websites selling virtual currency are often linked to shady dealings such as harvesting credit card details, key-logging buyers' computers or even just not delivering purchased goods. The effects are often felt in-game too, as methods used to generate currency for sale often include abuse of exploits, farming limited resources using bots, and hacking accounts.

Developers of subscription MMOs have fought against the RMT (real money trade) business using a variety of strategies. In late 2009, CCP Games banned 6,200 accounts linked to botting and RMT in one day as part of operation Unholy Rage. RuneScape developer Jagex took an even tougher stance, putting severe restrictions on the movement of gold between players. This week, we heard the news that a leaked client database from an EVE ISK-selling organisation had named hundreds of EVE Online characters as buyers. While many of the characters named were temporary accounts created to receive ISK anonymously, life has been made very hard for all characters named in the leak. So have you ever bought gold, ISK or any other MMO currency? If so, what were your reasons for buying it, and what would you do if your character were suddenly exposed as a buyer or banned?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Have you ever bought gold? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbottinggame-discussiongamer-discussiongoldgold-buyergold-sellerhacked-accountiskisk-buyerisk-sellermmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsopinionrmttdgthe-daily-grindSat, 12 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exploring Eberron: The race discussion has been banned]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/exploring-eberron-the-race-discussion-has-been-banned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/exploring-eberron-the-race-discussion-has-been-banned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/exploring-eberron-the-race-discussion-has-been-banned/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Don't worry, it's just a one-week ban. Once again, it was an interesting week for Dungeons and Dragons Online fans. Tuesday night's banhammer took everyone by surprise, and the reactions on both sides were pretty interesting.

I was really excited to discuss DDO races this week, but this week's problems left me thinking long and hard about the dynamics of player/developer interaction in this game. Check out that handy comments section at the end too, because I'd really love to hear what you have to say on the banning issue.

Follow along after the break, then weigh in!

Continue reading Exploring Eberron: The race discussion has been banned

MassivelyExploring Eberron: The race discussion has been banned originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningbanningscommunicationddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineexploitsexploring-eberronf2pfeaturedforumsfree-to-playftpturbineFri, 12 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[[UPDATE #2] DDO: Endless night or endless bannings?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/ddo-endless-night-or-endless-bannings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/ddo-endless-night-or-endless-bannings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/ddo-endless-night-or-endless-bannings/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What began as a fun Halloween event in Dungeons and Dragons Online has turned into a sour experience for several players. Last night, three-day bans were handed out by Turbine GMs who determined that DDO players were reportedly taking advantage of an exploit during the Mabar, The Endless Night Festival. However, many hit by the bans were unaware of the exploit, and were disgruntled when they were hit with the ban right as customer support left for the evening.

According to the notices sent out, Turbine feels justified for these actions: "Recently we conducted an investigation into an exploit that was being utilized in Dungeons and Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited, involving our recent Mabar, The Endless Night Festival. As a result of that investigation, your account has been identified in utilizing this exploit. Please be advised that use of an exploit is strictly prohibited by our Code of Conduct."

One thread concerning the bannings was deleted, although another persists. Players express disbelief over what they see as punishment for rules they didn't know existed. One player, Madmonkey2, summed up the collective disbelief: "If the player has no idea what is going on, how can they be guilty of abusing an exploit? I personally did not gain one single benefit from that event, yet I am accused to doing something (unknown) repeatedly to benefit somehow?"

As you may recall, the Endless Night Festival was plagued with issues in the preview, although the event appeared to proceed more smoothly on the live servers.

[Update: The forum thread we mentioned has since been deleted]

[Update: It looks like those bannings happened by mistake. According to Turbine, less than 1% of the player base was affected, but those players can expect the error to be rectified and to receive compensation as soon as possible. Turbine's Tolero has posted a statement on the DDO forums.]

Massively[UPDATE #2] DDO: Endless night or endless bannings? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningsddodont-get-the-monkey-maddungeons-and-dragons-onlineendless-nightendless-night-festivalexploitgmhalloweenhalloween-2010in-game-eventmabarturbineTurbine-EntertainmentWed, 10 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New EVE exploit gives wormhole corp incredible advantage]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/new-eve-exploit-gives-wormhole-corp-incredible-advantage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/new-eve-exploit-gives-wormhole-corp-incredible-advantage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/new-eve-exploit-gives-wormhole-corp-incredible-advantage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

A potentially game-breaking new exploit was revealed tonight in EVE Online. The exploit was first noticed by Rooks and Kings pilots during their invasion of populated wormhole systems. Their target, a corp named Aperture Harmonics, appeared to have almost game-breaking abilities. The corporation's ships were somehow able to successfully hit their targets from over 150km away using short-range weapons like blasters and autocannons. Since short-range weapons with short-range ammo deal massive damage, being able to hit with them at distances beyond a few thousand metres is potentially game-breaking.

Aperture Harmonics and its parent alliance K162 have both maintained a strong presence in EVE's 2500 hidden star systems since the appearance of wormholes over a year ago. The corp has become incredibly wealthy by running the difficult exploration content in these hidden systems, but it was always assumed that the tactics Aperture Harmonics pilots used were entirely legitimate. Whereas other corps tackle high-end Sleeper sites with complex logistics and electronic warfare strategies, the Aperture Harmonics pilots may simply have been cheating to run the sites in an almost impossibly short time.

Continue reading New EVE exploit gives wormhole corp incredible advantage

MassivelyNew EVE exploit gives wormhole corp incredible advantage originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbreakingccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexploitgame-mechanicspvprooks-and-kingsturretFri, 17 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mortal Online busting out tremendous banhammer on hackers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/mortal-online-busting-out-tremendous-banhammer-on-hackers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/mortal-online-busting-out-tremendous-banhammer-on-hackers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/mortal-online-busting-out-tremendous-banhammer-on-hackers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Hackers beware. The team at Star Vault have their eyes on you, and it's time to stop any and all shenanigans you've got going on in Mortal Online. Or else, you say? Or else the banhammer awaits you -- and according to their most recent update, it means an instant, permanent ban that could leave you staring at the login screen in frustration.

According to a post by Maerlyn on the Mortal Online forums, there is currently no set date on when software monitoring will come into play, or even what method they'll use to monitor for third-party applications or changes in the game files that are being reported. A follow-up posting by Tazaterra in the same thread indicates that anyone who has modified game files needs to stop at this time.

With the game still being tweaked pending release, we're glad to see the team at Star Vault is taking a proactive stance on this before the floodgates officially open. In a game where PvP is everything, players need to know that anyone using exploits, hacks, bots or the like to tip the game balance will be dealt with swiftly and before it causes game imbalances.

[via TTH]

MassivelyMortal Online busting out tremendous banhammer on hackers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanhammerforum-postgame-fileshackerhackersmomortal-onlinepvpstar-vaultTue, 27 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online player creates incredible multi-box setup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/eve-online-player-creates-incredible-multi-box-setup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/eve-online-player-creates-incredible-multi-box-setup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/eve-online-player-creates-incredible-multi-box-setup/#commentsFiled under: , ,

From irritating spam-bots to automated farming macros hogging the best spots, macros and bots are almost universally despised in every MMO. Multi-boxing, on the other hand, is a much more ambiguous idea that has been common since as far back as the early days of EverQuest. Although there's nothing in the rules of most games against one player controlling multiple characters, there are usually rules against automating gameplay. This includes sending keystrokes and mouse commands from one computer to several clients, the preferred method for multi-boxers to control multiple game clients simultaneously.

After a hit from the banhammer for "macro use", EVE Online player Zhek Kromtor engineered a low-tech solution to his rule-breaking problem. With a setup that looks like something out of The Matrix or Minority Report, Zhek has set up eight monitors and eight computers to run a total of fourteen EVE clients simultaneously. To control them all at the same time without rule-breaking macro software, Zhek has tied together six computer mice with packing tape and wooden skewers. Six separate keypads have been taped together, with yet more wooden rods letting him activate the modules on six ships at a time. According to the EVE EULA, using software to send keystrokes isn't allowed but there's nothing about taping together keyboards and mice. Whether you think this kind of setup is awesome or a blatant flaunting of the rules, putting together this kind of setup is definitely a bizarre achievement.

[via Kotaku]

MassivelyEVE Online player creates incredible multi-box setup originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banccpccp-eveccp-gameseulaeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinemacromulti-boxmulti-boxingmultiboxmultiboxingrulesTue, 13 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online devblog discusses account security]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/eve-online-devblog-discusses-account-security/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/eve-online-devblog-discusses-account-security/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/eve-online-devblog-discusses-account-security/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Every MMO suffers the horrors of gold spammers and EVE Online is no different. The RMT (Real Money Trading) industry is massive and EVE's developers CCP have waged a constant war against it in recent years. The PLEX initiative gave players a way to safely buy ISK for cash while at the same time helping players who couldn't afford their subscriptions pay with ISK. The result was a dramatic hit to the RMT market, who had to drop their prices to compete with a legitimate service replacing their own.

As part of Operation Unholy Rage in August of last year, EVE GMs also banned over 6200 accounts belonging to farmers known to be supplying the RMT industry. The effect on the market was instant, with the population in farmed mission systems like Ingunn disappearing overnight. Almost immediately, the farmers reacted with a spate of account hackings to claw back some ISK.

Continue reading EVE Online devblog discusses account security

MassivelyEVE Online devblog discusses account security originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-hackaccount-hackingaccount-hacksAccount-Securitybanbansccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinegm-grimmigold-spamgold-spammergold-spammingiskisk-sellerplexrmtspamspammersunholy-rageWed, 10 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China's decision on World of Warcraft imminent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/chinas-decision-on-world-of-warcraft-imminent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/chinas-decision-on-world-of-warcraft-imminent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/chinas-decision-on-world-of-warcraft-imminent/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2009 wasn't exactly a bad year for World of Warcraft players -- they had an expansion with plenty of content to play around in, one that was outselling, well, pretty much everything else on the planet. Of course, if you were a Chinese World of Warcraft player, the picture looks a little different, with the expansion being delayed, then stalled as the companies in charge changed hands, then banned again shortly after it was finally released. So while it's nice to hear that there should be a decision on the game's status in the near future, most gamers probably aren't holding out a lot of hope.

It gets worse -- the brief news item announces that the two squabbling agencies, the GAPP (General Administration of Press and Publications) and the Ministry of Culture, have reached a consensus and will announce the punishment in mid-January. "Punishment" obviously doesn't bring to mind a heartfelt apology and a pat on the back for NetEase, who at best might find themselves even further negatively impacted by the whole debacle. At worst, they might wind up being forced to stop operations altogether, which would be bad news for the popular MMO. Nothing's certain, but it looks like there are still a few downturns ahead.

MassivelyChina's decision on World of Warcraft imminent originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardbanblizzard-entertainmentchinachina-bangappministry-of-cultureneteasewarcraft-chinaworld-of-warcraftwowwow-banwow-chinaMon, 04 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft bans 16,000 Aion accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/ncsoft-bans-16-000-aion-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/ncsoft-bans-16-000-aion-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/ncsoft-bans-16-000-aion-accounts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One of the continued complaints we hear from Aion players is that bots litter the game's digital landscape, severely reducing the enjoyment of actual flesh-n-bones players. So we feel inclined to shout, "Good news, everybody!" at today's announcement by NCsoft that nearly 16,000 accounts have been banned during a recent unscheduled server reboot.

That's a huge number and certainly nothing to scoff about. This should hopefully alleviate much of the problem, at least temporarily -- and then future banhammers will likely come crashing down.

We hope nobody was caught in the crossfire with today's bans, but if you do find yourself without an Aion account to play and are 100% sure of your innocence, you can create a support ticket. Obviously, this isn't ideal if you're suddenly without your account, so with any luck there aren't any cases of mistakenly banned players.

MassivelyNCsoft bans 16,000 Aion accounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbanbanhammerbansbotsbottingeulancsoftncwestMon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Copyright infringement bans upheld, or repealed?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/16/copyright-infringement-bans-upheld-or-repealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/16/copyright-infringement-bans-upheld-or-repealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/16/copyright-infringement-bans-upheld-or-repealed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Last week, as you might recall, we covered a tale that really caught people's interests, and warmed the hearts of many a Second Life content-creator; That Linden Lab had run a bit of a sting, which neatly suckered a bunch of copyright infringers, resulting in their banning.

In the wake of that, a number of readers (indeed quite a lot of you) wrote in to tell us that you had heard that the bans of most or all of the those involved had been reversed within a day or so. While people do indeed circulate all manner of rumors, that would certainly be quite an interesting turn of events, so we got some legwork done to see if we could get to the bottom of it.

Continue reading Copyright infringement bans upheld, or repealed?

MassivelyCopyright infringement bans upheld, or repealed? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bancopyrightcopyright-infringementculturelinden-labmarc-braggopinionrumorssecond-lifevirtual-worldsFri, 16 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Addressing gold spam in Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/addressing-gold-spam-in-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/addressing-gold-spam-in-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/addressing-gold-spam-in-aion/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After playing Aion for any length of time, one might think the 'Looking for Group' channel is actually a 'Looking for Gold" channel. Don't worry, it's a common mistake. Since a few days after launch, players have been bombarded with gold spam in the game's various chat channels from general to group to trade and even to personal tell (whisper). Notably absent from Lance Stites' first State of the Game address last week, English Community Representative Ayase just put out an announcement about gold spam and NCsoft's efforts to eliminate it from Aion.

According to Ayase, game masters are working around the clock to identify and ban gold spammers. Players can also block spammers on an individual basis, which does work but is only a bandaid solution. It doesn't seem like NCsoft has this problem under control just yet, which isn't necessarily a testament to poor effort but to persistent and pesky spammers. The developers are working on new tools and processes to ban the spammers more effectively, but until then our chat channels will likely be flooded with spam. You see, the economy is a strong gameplay element in Aion, and where there's a buck to be made, weasels and sharks will prey.

MassivelyAddressing gold spam in Aion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionayasebangame-mastergold-spammerlance-stitesnc-westncsoftWed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab rounds up and ejects a bunch of copyright infringers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/05/linden-lab-rounds-up-and-ejects-a-bunch-of-copyright-infringers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/05/linden-lab-rounds-up-and-ejects-a-bunch-of-copyright-infringers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/05/linden-lab-rounds-up-and-ejects-a-bunch-of-copyright-infringers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Now, we must admit that we find this one both amusing and appropriate. In short, Linden Lab has sent 50 or more Second Life users who were using the after-market NeilLife viewer on the spank-bus to ban-town. Not just for using the viewer, but for copying content that they shouldn't ought to have.

What's clever is how Linden Lab caught and detected them.

Continue reading Linden Lab rounds up and ejects a bunch of copyright infringers

MassivelyLinden Lab rounds up and ejects a bunch of copyright infringers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bancopyright-infringementlinden-labneil-life-viewersecond-lifesecond-life-viewersl-policyMon, 05 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Silkroad Online says no to botters]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/silkroad-online-says-no-to-botters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/silkroad-online-says-no-to-botters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/silkroad-online-says-no-to-botters/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


No botters! Bad botters! Down! Ban! You're banned!

Well, that's not exactly how bannings go, but Silkroad Online is starting to crack down on their botting problem. The game has recently changed their anti-botting rules, converting over to a three strike policy. The first instance of your account being suspected, you get a 7 day ban. The next time your account gets flagged, it's a 14 day ban. And, if your account gets flagged a third and final time for the use of illegal programs, you can kiss your account goodbye.

It's a pretty strict system, doubly so for a free-to-play game. Usually we see larger MMO developers, like Square-Enix and CCP, moving towards initiatives like these. However, it's clear that Joymax is interested in cleaning up their game, a move that many will undoubtedly enjoy.

MassivelySilkroad Online says no to botters originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbottersbottingclean-campaignjoymaxsilk-roadsilk-road-onlinesilkroad-onlineMon, 28 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's anti RMT operation Unholy Rage bans over 6200 accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/eve-onlines-anti-rmt-operation-unholy-rage-bans-over-6200-accou/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/eve-onlines-anti-rmt-operation-unholy-rage-bans-over-6200-accou/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/eve-onlines-anti-rmt-operation-unholy-rage-bans-over-6200-accou/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Last week, Massively explained a bit about the war on real money trading (RMT) in EVE Online. The game's developer, CCP Games, has approached the problem from a few different angles. Central to their strategy of combating sellers of the game's currency called ISK (Interstellar Kredits) is to offer another way for players to exchange real world currency for the virtual in EVE Online -- "PLEX", or the 30 Day Pilot License Extension. PLEX is an in-game item that represents gameplay time and can be bought, sold, or traded on the open market in-game. PLEX has been integral in combating the numerous shady ISK selling websites in operation and CCP's dev blog last week showed how the playerbase is starting to embrace this system.

After all, if this practice of outright buying in-game assets with real world cash is going to happen in EVE, as with most MMOs (and regardless of what the developers try to do to curb this) it might as well be via a system the devs can regulate. It's a slippery slope, and CCP's approach to the problem does have some critics, but thus far it's been successful. PLEX has only been one facet of their battle against the ISK spammers, sellers, and the virtual armies of macro-using operations, though. CCP's operation "Unholy Rage" is a major offensive against the RMT operations exploiting the game, and is the subject of a dev blog from EVE Online's GM Grimmi.

Continue reading EVE Online's anti RMT operation Unholy Rage bans over 6200 accounts

MassivelyEVE Online's anti RMT operation Unholy Rage bans over 6200 accounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbansccp-gamesdev-blogdev-blogseconomyeveeve-onlineexploitsiskmacromacrosmmo-industryplexreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsci-fiunholy-rageMon, 17 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The fight against RMT in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's an unfortunate reality that most any massively multiplayer online game running has to cope with outside influences on an in-game economy because of real money trading (RMT). Game developers tackle the problem in different ways. For instance, Final Fantasy XI has an anti-RMT task force and Warhammer Online has a zero-tolerance name-and-shame approach to RMT. Other companies grab the bull by its horns and base their game around a virtual item trade they can regulate.

The problem of RMT has affected EVE Online just as it has other MMO titles, if not moreso given how its player-driven economy and the Interstellar Kredit (ISK) currency is central to the game. Beyond the potential revenue lost to the black market when players pay real cash for their ships and modules or buy huge sums of ISK outright, there are also issues with players getting their accounts cleaned out by the shady companies (ostensibly) selling the ISK. When that cleverly-named player "ajakdsk" links you to his ISK selling site in a chat channel, following that link could infect your computer with a keylogger, resulting in a fire sale on whatever they find in your account.

EVE Online's creators CCP Games have taken a two-prong approach to handling these issues.

Continue reading The fight against RMT in EVE Online

MassivelyThe fight against RMT in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-hacksaccount-securitybanbanhammerbansccp-gamesdev-blogdev-blogseconomyeveeve-onlinegm-grimmigoldgold-farminggold-sellersgold-spammeriskmmo-industryplexreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsci-fiTue, 11 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China investigating potential World of Warcraft upset, may ban game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/china-investigating-potential-world-of-warcraft-upset-may-ban-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/china-investigating-potential-world-of-warcraft-upset-may-ban-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/china-investigating-potential-world-of-warcraft-upset-may-ban-g/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Blizzard and World of Warcraft have been having some trouble as of late in China, but this piece of news seems much more foreboding that anything that came before it. Apparently, an anonymous insider says China's General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) has assigned Shanghai's News and Press Bureau to investigate a joint venture established by NetEase and Blizzard. Not too long ago, NetEase became the new benefactor of licensing rights for World of Warcraft, but GAPP thinks the deal aims to break Chinese law.

China is very clear when it comes to foreign companies operating online games domestically through a joint venture or sole investment -- they do not tolerate it. Without argument, GAPP approval is required for any foreign online games. If they find that the NetEase and Blizzard deal aimed to operate as a joint venture, thus allowing Blizzard more control of their MMO in China, things could become bad for the two companies.

Without GAPP approval, World of Warcraft cannot be displayed publicly, traded or promoted. If a company were to attempt such a thing without approval, GAPP has said they will shoulder legal responsiblities. Assuming that were to happen, it could become very difficult for Blizzard to find a Chinese distributor for World of Warcraft. Considering the massive amounts of players who live in China, 11 million subscribers could be easily halved in the worst case scenario.

[Thanks, ScytheNoire!]

MassivelyChina investigating potential World of Warcraft upset, may ban game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbanblizzardbreakingchinachineseneteaserightsthe9world-of-warcraftwowTue, 14 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square-Enix cracks down on gardeners, sends out bans]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/square-enix-cracks-down-on-gardeners-sends-out-bans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/square-enix-cracks-down-on-gardeners-sends-out-bans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/square-enix-cracks-down-on-gardeners-sends-out-bans/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


If you've got a green thumb, you probably now have a sore thumb thanks to the Square-Enix banhammer. Gardeners across Final Fantasy XI have been complaining on fan forums that they've recently lost their accounts, only now tying the cause of their bans to their gardening activities.

Community site Pet Food Alpha has reported that Square-Enix is specifically targeting players who own more than one character for the explicit reason of gardening. Any level character can garden -- even right from the start of the game -- but no character can have more than 10 flowerpots at a time in their house. This has sparked players to purchase more character slots to simply expand their gardening enterprises, a common practice that has been done by players for over six years.

Players are unclear if these bans have been handed our by individuals on the RMT Task Force, or if they bans were created by one of Square-Enix's new automated tools. We'll keep our eyes on this story and update as new information comes in.

MassivelySquare-Enix cracks down on gardeners, sends out bans originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningsbansbreakingfarmersgardeninggil-sellinggold-sellingrmt-pwnererrmt-task-forcesquare-enixWed, 08 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's largest player-run bank rocked by embezzlement]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/eve-onlines-largest-player-run-bank-rocked-by-embezzlement/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/eve-onlines-largest-player-run-bank-rocked-by-embezzlement/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/eve-onlines-largest-player-run-bank-rocked-by-embezzlement/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We've just gotten word that EBANK, a player-run bank in EVE Online self-described as "the largest financial entity ever seen in EVE" has been rocked by embezzlement from its own CEO, Ricdic. The former CEO stole roughly 200 billion ISK from EBANK, which is roughly 8.6% of the entire 2.3 trillion ISK that EVE's playerbase has deposited. EBANK chairman Hexxx has issued a statement on the game's official forums, stating that Ricdic has been banned by CCP Games for engaging in RMT, also adding that the former CEO "has scammed."

The loss of nearly 9% of EBANK's deposits is a serious blow to the player-run institution, perhaps as much to investor confidence in the bank as it is to their funds, but Hexxx says their liquidity is still between 400 billion and 500 billion ISK. A June 6th news item on the EBANK site written by bank auditor LaVista Vista states, "We are currently experiencing some technical problems. Therefore, we ask that people do not deposit any ISK, until we have solved the problem." EBANK's director and head teller Athre has now assumed the role of interim CEO, as the EBANK staff determines the best way forward from here.

Continue reading EVE Online's largest player-run bank rocked by embezzlement

MassivelyEVE Online's largest player-run bank rocked by embezzlement originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>athrebanbankingbannedbansbreakingccp-gamesebankeconomyembezzlementforumshexxxisklavista-vistaplayer-run-venturesricdicrmtscamscandaltheftthieftrustvirtual-currencyWed, 10 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: To banhammer or not to banhammer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/01/the-daily-grind-to-banhammer-or-not-to-banhammer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/01/the-daily-grind-to-banhammer-or-not-to-banhammer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/01/the-daily-grind-to-banhammer-or-not-to-banhammer/#commentsFiled under: , ,


One of the things that many people absolutely can't stand about many different MMOs is how slow to respond - and generally how light the punishment - for people getting caught exploiting/botting/or generally being a flaming @#(hat. Botting might nab you only a couple of weeks off for bad behavior - if they even bother to ban you at all. Scamming other players? Smack on the wrist. Of course, on the other side of the road, you have Aventurine who, with Darkfall, have been aggressively ban-hammering anyone who appears to be doing anything fishy. No excuses, no second, third, or fourth chances. If you cheat there and they can verify it, your account gets nuked from orbit.

Some players hate this, and claim that due to potential for error, it's way too dangerous. Other players think this is quite possibly one of the best things Aventurine is doing in regards to Darkfall - trying to keep it completely level and dealing with anyone who exploits, macros, etc. harshly. This morning we thought we'd ask what you feel is better - the more hands-off approach, giving people multiple chances to screw up before they're banned more common to many MMOs, or the hard-line Darkfall approach of ban first time, ban often?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: To banhammer or not to banhammer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanhammerdarkfallexploitmacroopiniontdgthe-daily-grindFri, 01 May 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lame scams still profitable in Guild Wars, over 1000 bans every week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/lame-scams-still-profitable-in-guild-wars-over-1000-bans-every/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/lame-scams-still-profitable-in-guild-wars-over-1000-bans-every/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/lame-scams-still-profitable-in-guild-wars-over-1000-bans-every/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Would you fall for this? (Please say 'no'...): A complete stranger approaches you on the sidewalk outside of your bank and shows you a rare coin he says is worth twenty thousand dollars. "I want to just give this coin to you," he says, "but I don't want anyone to know we did this... tax issues, you see." The stranger suggests putting it in your safe deposit box, but because he's so concerned about privacy, he wants access to your safe deposit box to be sure the rare coin gets there, with no one the wiser. The problem is that he can only get in there with your express permission...

We're guessing 99.99% of you would never get suckered by something asinine like this, but why then do people fall for the exact same thing in the virtual realm? Specifically, it seems that Guild Wars players regularly turn over their login info to account thieves in hopes of getting something for nothing, as mentioned by Ravious over at Kill Ten Rats. This ultimately leads to a continuous deluge of stolen accounts, tears, and rage.

Continue reading Lame scams still profitable in Guild Wars, over 1000 bans every week

MassivelyLame scams still profitable in Guild Wars, over 1000 bans every week originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-theftarenanetbanbanningbanscommon-sensegold-spammerguild-warsgwkill-ten-ratsraviousrmtscamscamssocial-engineeringspamtheftTue, 06 Jan 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[178 starbases involved in EVE Online's multi-trillion ISK exploit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/19/178-starbases-involved-in-eve-onlines-multi-trillion-isk-exploi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/19/178-starbases-involved-in-eve-onlines-multi-trillion-isk-exploi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/19/178-starbases-involved-in-eve-onlines-multi-trillion-isk-exploi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The last several days have brought us some news of a rather significant exploit in the sci-fi MMO EVE Online. The game boasts a dynamic virtual economy which is in many ways integral to the game itself. (Inter Stellar Kredits, or ISK, is the currency upon which EVE Online's economy is based.) When rumor broke of a multi-trillion ISK exploit in the game, it raised a few eyebrows. However, when CCP Games themselves confirmed it and announced they would launch an investigation into the matter, it became more serious, as reflected by the economic impact on the market in the game. (Remember kids, internet spaceships are serious business... EVE tends to have more drama than the average massively multiplayer online game.)

CCP Games provided an update on the investigation today, stating that 178 starbases were discovered exploiting the issue and have been destroyed. This is the first time they've been willing or able to put a solid number on how extensive the exploit was, in terms of the scope of the operation. CCP stated: "We have also banned all those we have found directly involved and all accounts we have found to be connected to those players. The investigation is still under way and will take a while to conclude." Also part of the investigation is the Internal Affairs aspect, which some players have been following. CCP Games reports that they haven't found links between any of their own staff (or the Council of Stellar Management, for that matter) and the starbase exploit. See the official announcement from the EVE developers for more details on how the investigation is progressing.

Massively178 starbases involved in EVE Online's multi-trillion ISK exploit originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningbansbreakingbugsccpccp-gamesdramaeveeve-onlineexploitsgame-mechanicsinternal-affairsinvestigationsci-fiFri, 19 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games on the extent and impact of EVE's starbase exploit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/ccp-games-on-the-extent-and-impact-of-eves-starbase-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/ccp-games-on-the-extent-and-impact-of-eves-starbase-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/ccp-games-on-the-extent-and-impact-of-eves-starbase-exploit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Massively has been watching the issue of a significant starbase exploit in EVE Online, through which some players reaped vast financial rewards, as it went from rumor to confirmation from the developers themselves. Unlike your average run-of-the-mill exploit in most massively multiplayer online games, the exploit in question has had a significant impact on EVE's virtual economy -- the backbone of the game itself. All players in EVE interact in one vast galaxy, and their actions in the sandbox can create ripples felt by their fellow players, which has certainly been the case in this past week.

EVE Online's developer CCP Games has opted to hold off on responding to most press inquiries for comment on the issue, having issued a statement on the matter and then focusing on the investigation and a weekend meeting with EVE's player-elected community representatives, the Council of Stellar Management (CSM). The minutes from that meeting are now available, and several of EVE's developers took part in the discussion: namely CCP's Lead Economist Dr. EyjoG (Dr. Eyjólfur Guðmundsson) and CCP Arkanon -- who heads up the company's Internal Affairs division, which investigates the CCP Games staff themselves, hopefully ensuring that no CCP employee can abuse their influence over the game.

Read on for Massively's highlights of the state of affairs in EVE Online, in the wake of the starbase exploit.

Continue reading CCP Games on the extent and impact of EVE's starbase exploit

MassivelyCCP Games on the extent and impact of EVE's starbase exploit originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanningbansbreakingbugsccpccp-arkanonccp-gamesccp-xhagencontroversycouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdr-eyjogeveeve-onlineexploitseyjolfur-gudmundssonforumsgame-mechanicsmoon-miningplayer-owned-stationpossci-fistarbase-exploitMon, 15 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[An update on the EVE Online starbase exploit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/an-update-on-the-eve-online-starbase-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/an-update-on-the-eve-online-starbase-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/an-update-on-the-eve-online-starbase-exploit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

In the wake of last week's revelation of a market disrupting exploit in EVE Online, a growing number of players have been calling for increased transparency on the situation. EVE's developer CCP Games has stated they've discovered seven player-run corporations taking advantage of the player owned station (POS) exploit, which yielded a vast amount of materials used in the EVE Online's manufacturing (crafting) system. Three of those corporations were in two alliances, and over 70 accounts have been banned thus far in connection with the exploit. The starbases used in the exploit have been destroyed by CCP, and they've stated that the corporations in question are now effectively inactive following the bans.

CCP Games has not released the names of characters, corporations, or alliances linked to the exploit, but a player named "moppinator" of the AMT. corporation (part of Ev0ke alliance) stepped forward and issued the following statement on the extent of his alliance's involvement:

Continue reading An update on the EVE Online starbase exploit

MassivelyAn update on the EVE Online starbase exploit originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amtbanbanningbansccpccp-gamescheatingcontroversycraftingeconomyev0keeveeve-onlineevokeexploitsinvestigationmarketmoppinatorplayer-owned-stationpossci-fistarbaseSun, 14 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Give uninvited guests the boot in SocioTown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/give-uninvited-guests-the-boot-in-sociotown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/give-uninvited-guests-the-boot-in-sociotown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/give-uninvited-guests-the-boot-in-sociotown/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


SocioTown, a newcomer to the browser-based MMO scene, has an interesting take on letting users control who can play in their spaces. Outside the Box Software, the developers of SocioTown, are placing the ban hammer firmly in the grasp of players who can actually boot uninvited guests from their virtual homes. That's right: Ban hammers for everyone! Players can choose between ways of kicking people to the curb: 'toss out', 'punch out', or even 'bat out'. This video shows what it looks like, as obnoxious couch tourists and close talkers are booted one after another. If you've ever had a houseguest who just wouldn't take the hint to leave, you'll know what this is all about... it might even be cathartic.

MassivelyGive uninvited guests the boot in SocioTown originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banchildrenhumorkidssociotownvideovirtual-worldsMon, 16 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan: Senior CSR responds to the recent mass banning]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/age-of-conan-senior-csr-responds-to-the-recent-mass-banning/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/age-of-conan-senior-csr-responds-to-the-recent-mass-banning/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/age-of-conan-senior-csr-responds-to-the-recent-mass-banning/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Customer service in MMOGs leaves a lot to be desired. Normally you get a ticket, and you wait with ticket in mind, and your issue normally isn't resolved until your mind is lost. The petty bug that caused an item to disappear or quest reward isn't unheard of in EverQuest or World of Warcraft, but what about the larger exploitations like duping? Exploitation that involves players amassing an inordinate amount of items or gold in a relatively short amount of time requires prompt action before severe damage is caused.

Not long after launch day, Age of Conan, fell victim to such exploits. One involved the Demonologist class and leveling, and the other was a severe duping exploit via the trader system. Funcom is now under scrutiny for their handling of the situation. In many cases, Funcom opted to ban now, and suspend players for investigatory purposes before determining the final outcome. The aftermath from their decision had players crying foul, claiming that they did nothing wrong. In this interview with Ten Ton Hammer, the Senior Customer Service & QA Manager for Age of Conan explains the situation and admits that some suspended accounts were free from any illicit activity and reinstated. Some players are still awaiting word on their fate.

How do you think Funcom is handling the situation?

MassivelyAge of Conan: Senior CSR responds to the recent mass banning originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 May 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbanbannedcustomer-servicecustomer-supportexploitfuncomlaunchplayer-bantentonhammerFri, 30 May 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vigilante Meridian 59 players wage war against pirate servers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/vigilante-meridian-59-players-wage-war-against-pirate-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/vigilante-meridian-59-players-wage-war-against-pirate-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/vigilante-meridian-59-players-wage-war-against-pirate-servers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Meridian 59 is a game with a pirate problem. A while back, the server source code leaked onto the internet and seedy players began hosting their own servers without subscription fees. Pirate servers are a problem for many MMOs, but because of M59's comparatively small scale, it has a lot more to lose to the trend.

Amidst these troubles, some M59 players can be quite loyal. Case in point: the blog of game developer Patrick Rogers tells the story of two former M59 players hacking into a pirate server and mass-killing all its residents with powerful admin commands. The vigilantes hoped to make life (and death) on the pirate servers as unpleasant as possible so as to encourage the residents to migrate to the legitimate servers hosted by Near Death Studios. That's not the most amazing bit, though.

Continue reading Vigilante Meridian 59 players wage war against pirate servers

MassivelyVigilante Meridian 59 players wage war against pirate servers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 May 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dobanbannedbrian-greencheatingdupingexploitimaekgaemzloyaltym59meridianmeridian-59near-death-studiospatrick-rogerspiracypiratepiratesserversvigilantesSat, 24 May 2008 20:00:00 EST