Lots banned in recent wave

[Trouble]

This is the biggest ban wave Blizzard has ever done by a multiple of 10x. Up until now they never had a way of programatically detecting glider. Pretty much all bans were due to player reports but this time it is clearly evident that they have been able to detect glider automatically; people that used the trial for 5 minutes had their accounts banned. From the best I can tell, it seems that at least 95% of people who used glider have had their accounts banned. 40-50% of those people who used two accounts (one main, one second for botting only) had both accounts they botted on and ones they didn't banned as well. When all is said and done I think we're looking at anywhere from 50-100k accounts banned in a single night. We'll see when Blizzard releases a press release documenting their war on cheaters, whenever that is.

[Trouble]

Also the WoWglider community is one of the most ignorant, illiterate group of people I have encountered on the internet. I have access to the private forums which aren't quite as bad as the public ones, but it's amazing to see some of the crazy spellings people can come up with for simple, easy to spell words. Centensez that r speld lyke this are not a rarity. The running tally on the "Bannings" forum is up to something like a thousand. We all know what percentage of users actually visit and post on forums, so I think that number is very telling.

[Ironwood]

Squeal Piggy.

I'm loving it.

[Nevermore]

[Furiously]

I look forward to seeing the effect this has on the market, I'm guessing not a huge one due to sweat shops.

[Threash]

This is the biggest ban wave Blizzard has ever done by a multiple of 10x.

They've done ban waves of 40k before, i doubt this is bigger than that or that wowglider guy must be rich by now.

[ClydeJr]

Heh, a guy in my guild posted that he got banned. He said the only thing he could think of was that he let his Linux-using cousin in China use his account. He emailed Blizzard to find out what happened. He finally got in contact with his cousin and turn out that his cousin was using glide all the time. So he decides to try to place the honesty card and tell Blizzard what was going on.

Blizzard's response:

In response to your account in question we have reviewed the details of the account closure and have found it was closed improperly. However, you email included the admission of guild upon the charge of a software client used to perform in game actions. In response to this we have no choice but to continue with the closure of your account.

So if he would have just kept his mouth shut, they would unban his account. Since he admitted that not only was the account shared but also used a bot program, he got the banstick. Dumbass.

[Nebu]

So if he would have just kept his mouth shut, they would unban his account. Since he admitted that not only was the account shared but also used a bot program, he got the banstick. Dumbass.

So... you think that someone attempting to use honesty to have their account reinstated is a dumbass?  This is exactly what's wrong with the world. 

[Furiously]

They've done ban waves of 40k before, i doubt this is bigger than that or that wowglider guy must be rich by now.

If all 40K purchased Wowglider at $20.... that would be what? $800,000.00?  Not too shabby.

[Tairnyn]

So... you think that someone attempting to use honesty to have their account reinstated is a dumbass?  This is exactly what's wrong with the world. 

In corporate America, where policy trumps empathy, I'd agree that honesty is not the best approach to this situation.

This reminds me of a Vlad the Impaler story in which 2 monks visited Vlad in his palace.

Vlad was curious to see the reactions of two monks regarding his impaling and atrocities. He led them to the rows of corpses in his courtyard and asked their opinions. One of the monks responded by claiming Vlad was sent by God to punish sinners. The other monk,  horrified by the scene, condemned Vlad for his actions.

Vlad killed one of the monks, although the story changes between cultures which one it was. I have a strong suspicion that Honest_Monk would get the literal shaft in the American version.

[Nebu]

In corporate America, where policy trumps empathy, I'd agree that honesty is not the best approach to this situation.

You're 100% correct.  That's why I stated what I did.  The fact that situations exist where honesty doesn't work signifies that human beings are broken. 

[Threash]

In corporate America, where policy trumps empathy, I'd agree that honesty is not the best approach to this situation.

You're 100% correct.  That's why I stated what I did.  The fact that situations exist where honesty doesn't work signifies that human beings are broken. 

Honesty doesnt work when you are in fact guilty, which he was.  I don't know what kind of result you expected from someone admiting that his account was used for cheating.

[Dren]

In corporate America, where policy trumps empathy, I'd agree that honesty is not the best approach to this situation.

You're 100% correct.  That's why I stated what I did.  The fact that situations exist where honesty doesn't work signifies that human beings are broken. 

Honesty doesnt work when you are in fact guilty, which he was.  I don't know what kind of result you expected from someone admiting that his account was used for cheating.

If that excuse would have worked, everyone of these mouth breathers would have used it too.  You can't back down from your stance when you are administering to millions of customers.  If an account had Glide used on it, it is banned.  It doesn't matter why it was used.

[Nebu]

Honesty doesnt work when you are in fact guilty, which he was.  I don't know what kind of result you expected from someone admiting that his account was used for cheating.

I wasn't expecting anything.  The guy was guilty.  I just don't know why being honest in an attempt to get a positive result necessitates the label of "dumbass".  I personally find it admirable when people are honest even when it may end up exploding in their face.  Some people would call that integrity.  

[Dren]

Honesty doesnt work when you are in fact guilty, which he was.  I don't know what kind of result you expected from someone admiting that his account was used for cheating.

I wasn't expecting anything.  The guy was guilty.  I just don't know why being honest in an attempt to get a positive result necessitates the label of "dumbass".  I personally find it admirable when people are honest even when it may end up exploding in their face.  Some people would call that integrity.  

Well I would put that label on him if he thought being honest would work.  I have a lot of respect for honesty, but just walking away would have been fine in this case.

Now, going on forums and declaring innocence from the mountain tops is a completely different story.

[Nebu]

Well I would put that label on him if he thought being honest would work.  I have a lot of respect for honesty, but just walking away would have been fine in this case.

Now, going on forums and declaring innocence from the mountain tops is a completely different story.

I guess you're right here.  Walking away disappointed would have been the better course than taking it to a forum as something new to whine about.

[Threash]

Honesty doesnt work when you are in fact guilty, which he was.  I don't know what kind of result you expected from someone admiting that his account was used for cheating.

I wasn't expecting anything.  The guy was guilty.  I just don't know why being honest in an attempt to get a positive result necessitates the label of "dumbass".  I personally find it admirable when people are honest even when it may end up exploding in their face.  Some people would call that integrity.  

Integrity is taking responsability for your actions and accepting your punishment, even if your only mistake was trusting your chinese cousin.  Confessing in an effort to evade punishment when keeping your mouth shut would have worked better is strictly in dumbass territory.  Edit: also confessing after being caught sorta loses you points in the integrity department, its not like the guy found out his cousin had been cheating and then turned himself in, that would be admirable.

[Trouble]

I guess I should have been more specific. All previous large masses of bannings were composed almost entirely of overseas faming accounts. This is by far the largest ban wave of actual players. Previously they'd ban maybe a thousand once a month or so but this has annihilated almost all the cheaters. To me there is a dividing line between farmer/power-levelers/whatever they're doing and "regular" player who are using cheats. Farmers don't necessarily really care when they get banned; they're prepared for it, it's just part of the biz. Regular players are attached to their accounts just like we are, and a banning can be devastating to them. That's why we're seeing a different reaction to this ban wave. Previously they'd ban 40k accounts and you wouldn't notice a blip on the radar. However if you go and check the Customer Service forums right now you'll see...more than a blip.

[Morat20]

Heh, a guy in my guild posted that he got banned. He said the only thing he could think of was that he let his Linux-using cousin in China use his account. He emailed Blizzard to find out what happened. He finally got in contact with his cousin and turn out that his cousin was using glide all the time. So he decides to try to place the honesty card and tell Blizzard what was going on.

Blizzard's response:

In response to your account in question we have reviewed the details of the account closure and have found it was closed improperly. However, you email included the admission of guild upon the charge of a software client used to perform in game actions. In response to this we have no choice but to continue with the closure of your account.

So if he would have just kept his mouth shut, they would unban his account. Since he admitted that not only was the account shared but also used a bot program, he got the banstick. Dumbass.

Isn't account sharing against the EULA as well?

[Malathor]

Heh, a guy in my guild posted that he got banned. He said the only thing he could think of was that he let his Linux-using cousin in China use his account. He emailed Blizzard to find out what happened. He finally got in contact with his cousin and turn out that his cousin was using glide all the time. So he decides to try to place the honesty card and tell Blizzard what was going on.

Blizzard's response:

In response to your account in question we have reviewed the details of the account closure and have found it was closed improperly. However, you email included the admission of guild upon the charge of a software client used to perform in game actions. In response to this we have no choice but to continue with the closure of your account.

So if he would have just kept his mouth shut, they would unban his account. Since he admitted that not only was the account shared but also used a bot program, he got the banstick. Dumbass.

Isn't account sharing against the EULA as well?

Yes, account sharing is against the EULA as well, but that isn't really the point. If you believe that story about sharing the account with a linux using Chinese cousin then I have a bridge to sell you. I'd be willing to bet anything said "cousin" was a paid power-leveller who almost certainly used a bot to do his work. The EULA ban on account sharing is primarily directed at these powerlevelling services. Otherwise everyone utilizing them would suddenly sprout a Chinese cousin.

[Morat20]

Yes, account sharing is against the EULA as well, but that isn't really the point. If you believe that story about sharing the account with a linux using Chinese cousin then I have a bridge to sell you. I'd be willing to bet anything said "cousin" was a paid power-leveller who almost certainly used a bot to do his work. The EULA ban on account sharing is primarily directed at these powerlevelling services. Otherwise everyone utilizing them would suddenly sprout a Chinese cousin.

Oh, I didn't. I just find it amusing that the "defense" against breaking the EULA was the he broke the EULA. I'm taking the "OMG -- I WAS BANNED FOR USING LINUX" stuff with a grain of salt there too. A giant grain of salt. One could build entire salt cities, that housed all the weeping hordes of banned Gliders, out of that grain of salt.

[Righ]

They should probably just taser the people who break the EULA. They're probably Chinese after all.

[ClydeJr]

Update on my guildie: They unbanned his account, but all his characters were missing...

[Trouble]

I'm honestly surprised they took any action at all. In fact I'm surprised he got anything more than a canned reponse "sorry this case is closed and will not be repoened under any circumstances" like what they send to most people.

[Oban]

Update on my guildie: They unbanned his account, but all his characters were missing...

Sounds more like he just bought a new account.

[Reg]

One of my guildies claimed to have been hacked yesterday and lost his account. I have my doubts heh.

[Trippy]

Vivendi/Blizzard going after WoW Glider creator.

[angry.bob]

Vivendi/Blizzard going after WoW Glider creator.

Sweet. Raph should sue whoever wrote EZMacro for letting me and countless others macro flamestriking floorhams in our houses or summoning water elementals at Brit bank. Threatening/actually taking legal action for writing a program that ultimately does nothing but automate process on your own PC is going too far. Reason nine billion why the internet laws written by giant corporations are bad.

[Krakrok]

You can have EZMacro when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

[WindupAtheist]

I scripted my necromancy up to GM in UO, but only because I was building a weird template that required the Vampiric Embrace spell just to get by.  Other than that I've never messed around with scripts/bots, but at the same time I don't feel guilty.  Fuck them, I've been playing for enough years that I deserve one break.

[Miasma]

Vivendi/Blizzard going after WoW Glider creator.

Michael is demanding Trial by Jury if Vivendi / Blizzard wants to press on.

Yes, a jury trial with a huge multinational corporation, involving complicated DMCA copyright issues, over a precedent setting case, in a country where you can not recoup your legal fees is certainly something he should try to get.

If all 40K purchased Wowglider at $20.... that would be what? $800,000.00?  Not too shabby.

It could all be spent on lawyers now.

[Nazrat]

Vivendi/Blizzard going after WoW Glider creator.

That petition is a joke.  I hope that they typed that pleading from their laptop on the drive to the courthouse in order to beat Vivendi there.  Otherwise, their case is a piece of crap.  No where in the pleading do they attempt to explain, even at the most basic level, the substance of the infringement. 

FYI, you should have filed in state court and force Vivendi to remove it.  At least try to hometown the megacorporation before they can bring in the money and the mouthpieces. 

Vivendi is going to slaughter this guy until he caves.

[Nebu]

Win or lose, this Glider guy is about to get buried financially in legal red tape. 

[Numtini]

I caught one line in the MD story that really interested me:

interfering with the contractual relationship with World of Warcraft's customers

The eula has been a very easy way to smack these people down, but there's a secondary issue here which is that this type of thing interferes with the rights of other players and it's interesting to see Blizzard/Vivendi exploring that direction as well. I've always thought there was a compelling case in the right of a gaming company as a "game official" to regulate the game according to the "rules" in the same manner that a sports league does. And that's really where I see the main issue, even if the eula/copyright thing is an easier case to make in court.

[Simond]

Win or lose, this Glider guy is about to get buried financially in legal red tape.

Could be worse - someone could have gone to the IRS, mentioned that WoWGlider bloke has sold X thousands of copies at $25 each, and they were wondering if he'd paid his taxes?