Arms dealing in virtual worlds - bit-tech.net Forums

Da Dego · 8th Sep 2006, 16:32

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/09...irtual_worlds/

will. · 8th Sep 2006, 16:39

anyone stupid enough to pay someone for something that is in a computer game using real money deserves to be ripped off.

FredsFriend · 8th Sep 2006, 17:41

exactly exactly what happened eh?

kosch · 8th Sep 2006, 17:44

I remember an old tale of this in EQ1, there was a small dungeon just off East Common Lands called Befallen and one day after a patch a NPC appeared for about 24 hours. I think it went something like if you gave him 1 copper he would return 100 platinum or something. Think it was a disgruntled employee looking to make some cash.

DeX · 8th Sep 2006, 17:52

I don't quite get how the guy originally got the supposedly illiegal weapons? Oh and what is Shanda's game project?

PA!N · 8th Sep 2006, 17:57

That is redicules...

Fatboy · 8th Sep 2006, 18:10

happens in wow and diablo all the time.

Tyinsar · 8th Sep 2006, 18:22

That's why I never buy game currency - I always question, does it come from in game scams?

Lazarus Dark · 8th Sep 2006, 18:27

uuhh...eehh? wha? I don't get it?
Could someone explain what was illegal here?

Tyinsar · 8th Sep 2006, 18:39

The guy was miss-using his position as an employee of the company to make money. I suspect that the claim would be that he was essentially ripping off the company - It would be like a Macro$loth employee selling sections of program code.

PA!N · 8th Sep 2006, 18:40

If I'm getting it right one of the guys who worked for the developer of the game coded illegaly ueber weapons for the game and then sold these in real life for $$$. Those weapons made the game a lot easier and the posessors overpowerfull.

edit:/ damm too slow

scrumble · 8th Sep 2006, 18:52

With the exception of a game like Project Entropia, which is free, and makes its money from selling in game cash, buying in game stuff with real cash is stupid as well as lame.

Some of my corp mates in Eve constantly buy isk on Ebay, but I never saw the point. The whole idea of the game, any game in fact, is to progress with in its world. What makes it worse, is that by using your head you can make a wad of cash in Eve with out really doing anything.

Buying online cash on ebay is like paying for cheat codes that run out.

Oh, and this'll give you an insight into some of the idiots selling stuff.

http://www.eve-pirate.com/index.php?...-them-all.html

Tyinsar · 8th Sep 2006, 18:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by PA!N

...edit:/ damm too slow

heh heh heh

yahooadam · 8th Sep 2006, 23:14

so hes been prosecuted - what was the outcome then ?

specofdust · 9th Sep 2006, 13:20

As I repeat often, China needs to be banned from the web. It's a semi-serious proposition, but it could work in many circumstances. If MMO's had a blanket ban on chinese IP's then farmers could only farm and sell on chinese servers, set up specifically for the 1/6th of the worlds population that lives there. There are easily enough people for the servers not to be underpopulated, and the western world wouldn't have to put up with spammy annoying unbalancing cheats and farmers.

Bladestorm · 9th Sep 2006, 22:43

Theft, done within eve and in that particular case by essentially a con artist taking money from people without enough common sense, isn't regarded as illegal in the slightest by the game developers by the way.

(Its not so much they are uncaring, as that they provide a freeform world and consider if people give there money away like that by trusting someone they dont know online, its not something the game should try to regulate)

RotoSequence · 9th Sep 2006, 22:48

Game items are generally as a rule of thumb, considered to have no tangible real world value; this does nothing to stop people from assigning something to them though. If one were to sell something like a dreadnought for real cash in EVE Online, they would easily make $200 from it - however, this is prosecutable as it is not legal for trade.

Within the game of EVE, high profile corporate theft isnt a prosecutable event; instead, it is merely a piece of the game's intrigue.

yahooadam · 9th Sep 2006, 23:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by RotoSequence

Game items are generally as a rule of thumb, considered to have no tangible real world value; this does nothing to stop people from assigning something to them though. If one were to sell something like a dreadnought for real cash in EVE Online, they would easily make $200 from it - however, this is prosecutable as it is not legal for trade.

Within the game of EVE, high profile corporate theft isnt a prosecutable event; instead, it is merely a piece of the game's intrigue.

exactly, infact i thought eve practically condoned scamming

Then you have Second Life, where you sell everything for real monays

ChromeX · 9th Sep 2006, 23:45

lol I never knew so many of you played eve, eve rocks! That aside...

What alot of you guys seem to be forgetting is that this wasnt just a simple farm items then sell scam. This guy worked for the company as a developer and MADE new items that would have made the players unbeatable. And sole those off for profit.

Does the guy deserve a court case? Nah not at all. But the developers of the game could argue for loss of earnings due to players might have left and quit paying there subs if they knew that certain devs were corrupt?

Firehed · 10th Sep 2006, 03:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatboy

happens in wow and diablo all the time.

Made me a fair bit of cash in D2

(mind you, I wasn't doing the hacking and whatnot). I love it when people are obsessed with their games to the point of spending five times the cost of the time on not sucking at it. *cha-ching*

8th Sep 2006, 16:32	#1
Da Dego Brett Thomas Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cleveland, OH USA Posts: 3,906	Arms dealing in virtual worlds http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/09...irtual_worlds/ __________________ "Frankly that seems overkill. iluvtrees2 arguing with spec is the intellectual equivalent of a bunny rabbit taking on a pissed-off lion." - Nexxo

8th Sep 2006, 16:39	#2
will. A motorbike of jealousy! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Yorkshire! Posts: 4,403	anyone stupid enough to pay someone for something that is in a computer game using real money deserves to be ripped off. __________________ work \| play \| blog PS3 & 360: willblack Flickr my twitter. Last.FM Check out my Last.FM & iToggle & Nav-o-Matic jQuery plugins.

8th Sep 2006, 17:41	#3
FredsFriend Supermodder Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Peadobrough Posts: 485	exactly exactly what happened eh? __________________ BOO

8th Sep 2006, 17:44	#4
kosch Trango in the Mango Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 191	I remember an old tale of this in EQ1, there was a small dungeon just off East Common Lands called Befallen and one day after a patch a NPC appeared for about 24 hours. I think it went something like if you gave him 1 copper he would return 100 platinum or something. Think it was a disgruntled employee looking to make some cash. __________________ [b]Really needs updating! - http://www.kosch.co.uk/

8th Sep 2006, 17:52	#5
DeX Mube Codder Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 4,103	I don't quite get how the guy originally got the supposedly illiegal weapons? Oh and what is Shanda's game project? __________________ Play my game: Shyguy's Cave of Death! If you dont have the time to check your spelling and grammar, you dont have the time to post! -Liquid K9

8th Sep 2006, 18:10	#7
Fatboy Bored Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Rochester Kent Posts: 1,268	happens in wow and diablo all the time. __________________ >[DFI LAN-PArty UT NF4 Ultra-D]-[Athlon64 3200+ Winchester]-[1Gb Corsair pc3200]-[Vapochill Micro]-[Powercolor ATI Radeon X800XL 256Mb]-[Chieftec DX-01-YL With 6 Fans]< Pug- "The spirit of modding is unleashing your creativity in the pursuit of individuality." Current Project: Unnamed Chieftec Dragon Mod

8th Sep 2006, 18:22	#8
Tyinsar 6 screens / 1 card Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: AB.CA Posts: 2,005	That's why I never buy game currency - I always question, does it come from in game scams? __________________ It's not about how life treats you, it's about how you treat life.

8th Sep 2006, 18:27	#9
Lazarus Dark Supermodder Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: US Memphis, TN Posts: 291	uuhh...eehh? wha? I don't get it? Could someone explain what was illegal here? __________________ My gun kata is greater than your kung fu.

8th Sep 2006, 18:39	#10
Tyinsar 6 screens / 1 card Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: AB.CA Posts: 2,005	The guy was miss-using his position as an employee of the company to make money. I suspect that the claim would be that he was essentially ripping off the company - It would be like a Macro$loth employee selling sections of program code. __________________ It's not about how life treats you, it's about how you treat life.

8th Sep 2006, 18:52	#12
scrumble Multimodder Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: GY,UK Posts: 125	With the exception of a game like Project Entropia, which is free, and makes its money from selling in game cash, buying in game stuff with real cash is stupid as well as lame. Some of my corp mates in Eve constantly buy isk on Ebay, but I never saw the point. The whole idea of the game, any game in fact, is to progress with in its world. What makes it worse, is that by using your head you can make a wad of cash in Eve with out really doing anything. Buying online cash on ebay is like paying for cheat codes that run out. Oh, and this'll give you an insight into some of the idiots selling stuff. http://www.eve-pirate.com/index.php?...-them-all.html __________________ Somedays your the dog.Somedays your the lamppost

8th Sep 2006, 23:14	#14
yahooadam Ultra csavarkulcs Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Posts: 1,323	so hes been prosecuted - what was the outcome then ?

9th Sep 2006, 13:20	#15
specofdust Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Aberdeen, UK, EU Posts: 7,607	As I repeat often, China needs to be banned from the web. It's a semi-serious proposition, but it could work in many circumstances. If MMO's had a blanket ban on chinese IP's then farmers could only farm and sell on chinese servers, set up specifically for the 1/6th of the worlds population that lives there. There are easily enough people for the servers not to be underpopulated, and the western world wouldn't have to put up with spammy annoying unbalancing cheats and farmers. __________________ Like marmite, only no-one hates it Mmm bop!

9th Sep 2006, 22:43	#16
Bladestorm Hypermodder Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 682	Theft, done within eve and in that particular case by essentially a con artist taking money from people without enough common sense, isn't regarded as illegal in the slightest by the game developers by the way. (Its not so much they are uncaring, as that they provide a freeform world and consider if people give there money away like that by trusting someone they dont know online, its not something the game should try to regulate) __________________ Athlon 64 X2 3800+ @ 250x10 (1.475v) \| EVGA GTX 260 55nm SSC \| A8N-SLI Premium \| 2x(4GB) Corsair Twinx2048-PC3200C2 \| Asus Xonar DX \| Antec truepower 550w \| Akasa Eclipse-62 DDC12VPlus1, DD TDX, 3/8 tygon r3603 tubing, PA120.2, DD double floppy bay res

9th Sep 2006, 22:48	#17
RotoSequence Lazy Lurker Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 'States Posts: 4,527	Game items are generally as a rule of thumb, considered to have no tangible real world value; this does nothing to stop people from assigning something to them though. If one were to sell something like a dreadnought for real cash in EVE Online, they would easily make $200 from it - however, this is prosecutable as it is not legal for trade. Within the game of EVE, high profile corporate theft isnt a prosecutable event; instead, it is merely a piece of the game's intrigue. __________________ Technology Schmecnology

9th Sep 2006, 23:45	#19
ChromeX Ultramodder Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,364	lol I never knew so many of you played eve, eve rocks! That aside... What alot of you guys seem to be forgetting is that this wasnt just a simple farm items then sell scam. This guy worked for the company as a developer and MADE new items that would have made the players unbeatable. And sole those off for profit. Does the guy deserve a court case? Nah not at all. But the developers of the game could argue for loss of earnings due to players might have left and quit paying there subs if they knew that certain devs were corrupt? __________________ 3Ghz P4E, asus P4C800E-deluxe, 2GB OCZ (2x1024), Sapphire HD 3850, SB audigy 2 zs