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[The Daily Grind: If presented the opportunity to cheat, would you?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/the-daily-grind-if-presented-the-opportunity-to-cheat-would-yo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/the-daily-grind-if-presented-the-opportunity-to-cheat-would-yo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/the-daily-grind-if-presented-the-opportunity-to-cheat-would-yo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Programming errors occur, we know that. No one's perfect, and game designers are no exception. The wrong buttons are pressed, the design is faulty, or the code just performs functions that no one expected it to perform. (We know how much the latter happens.)

Sometimes, however, these things go unnoticed. They stay under the surface of the game for a while, until one person just happens to stumble upon a magical secret -- an exploit. That coding error has now turned into a possible source of major profit or a quick solution to something that was extremely difficult.

Today's question is, if you stumbled upon one of these opportunities, would you cheat or would you report it to the developers to fix it? Why would you choose your answer? Drop your opinions into the shiny white box below, and let us hear all of your anecdotes and passionate text speeches.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: If presented the opportunity to cheat, would you? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardccpcheatingeve-onlineexploitersexploitsmartin-furtystarbase-exploitthe-daily-grindworld-of-warcraftWed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interviews EVE's Lead Economist part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/19/massively-interviews-eves-lead-economist-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/19/massively-interviews-eves-lead-economist-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/19/massively-interviews-eves-lead-economist-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The starbase exploit has been some big news lately. How does it impact your ability to assess the state of EVE's economy, and are there assumptions you've made in the past that you need to reassess now?

It's a good thing that you mentioned the starbase exploit because we are in the final stages of creating a very thorough dev blog on that, which will hopefully be published very soon. [Note: this interview was conducted just prior to the release of the investigation's findings.]

There are certain things with the POS exploit that made it very difficult to detect. You basically needed to be able to go to that particular starbase and look at it, look at the setup and so on. It was difficult for us to detect it otherwise, except from the code once we knew what we were looking for.

From a market perspective the EVE economy has become so big that in order for you to impact the market you will really have to have large quantities. And as will be shown in this dev blog that will be published, the scale of the exploit really didn't start until late 2008... to the large industrial scale so that it started to impact the market.

Continue reading Massively interviews EVE's Lead Economist part 2

MassivelyMassively interviews EVE's Lead Economist part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alchemyccpccp-gamescontroversycouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdr-eyjogeconomic-crisiseveeve-onlineeve-time-codesexploiteyjolfur-gudmundssongame-mechanicsicelandindustrymassively-interviewsmmo-industryplexpos-exploitreykjavikrmtsandboxstarbase-exploitThu, 19 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games releases findings on EVE starbase exploit investigation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/ccp-games-releases-findings-on-eve-starbase-exploit-investigatio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/ccp-games-releases-findings-on-eve-starbase-exploit-investigatio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/ccp-games-releases-findings-on-eve-starbase-exploit-investigatio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


The EVE Online starbase exploit revealed in December has had a far-reaching impact on the game. Certain player-owned starbases in EVE were producing valuable, high-end materials that they shouldn't have been. Once a group of players picked up on this, they exploited the game on a massive scale, resulting in trillions of ISK (Interstellar Kredits, the game's virtual currency) that never should have existed being injected into the game. To date, this is the largest economic manipulation (via an exploit) ever revealed in EVE Online.

The starbase exploit was the first of several player-triggered drama bombs that hit the game in recent weeks, and resulted in a substantial amount of (in-game) market turmoil and player outcry over the issue. The game's subscribers wanted openness on the matter from EVE's developer, CCP Games, and they've certainly got that as of today. CCP Games posted the results of the exploit investigation, and the caveat "be careful what you wish for" may apply here, given the depth and complexity of the findings conveyed to the playerbase in today's dev blog, "War Makes Thieves and Peace Hangs Them."

Continue reading CCP Games releases findings on EVE starbase exploit investigation

MassivelyCCP Games releases findings on EVE starbase exploit investigation originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boostersbreakingccp-diagorasccp-gamesccp-grimmiccp-lilithcheatingcouncil-of-stellar-managementcraftingdev-blogdupingeconomyeveeve-onlineexploitexploitseyjolfur-gudmundssongame-mechanicsinternal-affairsiskmmo-industrymoon-miningpos-exploitsci-fistarbase-exploittitansTue, 10 Feb 2009 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