Player receives Developer item in the mail, one-shots Ulduar - WHOOPS!

I can say without a doubt, I would have done the exact same thing during my time with Star Wars Galaxies. If somebody had given me a whoopass stick in SWG back in the day, I would've gone Overt and immediately run right to the nearest bunch of PC Imperials I found.

Cackling.

I would have cackled the entire time right up to being banned, along with all my friends who would have been right there with me, and found it just as hilarious.

As addicted as I was to that game, we would have probably just rerolled. That was half the fun in that game anyhow, non-consequential character retooling.

Lord I miss that.
 
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Azureth said:
I honestly doubt many people really think he didn't know that it wasn't for him, you know the saying "If it's to good to be true it probably is"? Well, I think that applies here. I'm pretty sure he knew full well it wasn't meant for him but used it anyway. Even so, I don't think it was worth a ban. Yeah, he used it even though he wasn't supposed to, so what? He didn't grief people or do something horrible, he just used it on some computers, I really don't think it's right for Blizzard to be upset at him using it since it's way to tempting NOT to use, and I guarantee almost anyone would.

Sure, take it and all his achievements away, MAYBE suspend his account for a bit, but permanently banning someone for using something he was GIVEN? No way! If he deserves to be banned then the GM deserves to be fired.
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Yeah, if I were in his shoes, and did things exactly as he did (things that I wouldn't dare to do for seemingly obvious reasons), then my opinion would be that it was "wrong" or "too harsh." But as on observer who witnessed the consequences, I couldn't care less whether what they (Blizzard) did was right or wrong. To me, Blizzard's punishment to him and his guildies is as meaningless as his fooling around with the item. Neither things affect me or you in RL. I believe that he had a choice to make this a non-issue (simply contacting a GM or throwing the item away), or fool around with it until the fun eventually gets taken away. He chose the latter, and that's just what resulted.

But so far I've just been arguing on whether what the players did was an "exploit" or not, and whether what they did was right or wrong. I have a strong reason believe that what they did was wrong, that it was an exploit, and that they also had conscious belief that what they were doing was wrong (or "not right," however you wanna put it).
 
I think the bottom line is, whether intended or not, it comes down to the player not really thinking it was that big of a deal, and blizzard being completely full of themselves. This whole "world's first" crap seems to suggest they think this game has sort of integrity that should be preserved, when its just a freaking online video game. Last I checked video games were a fun hobby, and this game is so far from that for many people that its incredibly pathetic. Unfortunately both the players and blizzard feed into it and it just keeps getting worse and worse.

With any sort of punishment, you should look at not just what happened already, but also how to deter that person from doing that in the future. Unless blizzard plans on sending them more dev items they aren't supposed to have, there is no evidence to suggest they will exploit the game at all in the future. So what does kicking them out of the game completely accomplish? Answer: absolutely nothing, any way you slice it.
 
They need to remove all the worlds first crap. The people who get the worlds first are neck beards who practice on the PTR for months before it goes live.
 
Spaceman_Spiff said:
With any sort of punishment, you should look at not just what happened already, but also how to deter that person from doing that in the future. Unless blizzard plans on sending them more dev items they aren't supposed to have, there is no evidence to suggest they will exploit the game at all in the future. So what does kicking them out of the game completely accomplish? Answer: absolutely nothing, any way you slice it.
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What? MMO's have had exploitable bits in them since their beginnings. Just because nobody sends these guys another developer item doesn't mean they can't find other ways to cheat. Using that item suggests they have no issues taking advantage of game mechanics. Banning them sets a precedent; Abuse in-game mechanics in any way to do things which are OBVIOUSLY not meant to be part of the game, and you're gone.

I support the decision. These guys are no different than the guys who exploited pathing bugs on bosses in EQ. They, too, whined about being banned, but you can be sure other guilds were much more careful about how they fought boss battles because of it.

Edit; Just to be sure, there's no way this guy didn't actually think he was doing something he shouldn't have been. If the item had dropped off an Uber it would have been posted on the guild boards, bragged about from here to kingdom come, and used in all kinds of ways for the purpose of exhibitioning just how uber your guild was for getting such an awesome "Win all of Wow in one click" item. But they didn't do that. They kept the item safe, hidden, and used it only for the things they couldn't do using the legitimate gear they had. Clear cut.(yes, it had charges, but items can always drop again. Unless, of course, they were sent to you accidentally by a blizzard employee...)
 
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Kahnvex said:
I can say without a doubt, I would have done the exact same thing during my time with Star Wars Galaxies. If somebody had given me a whoopass stick in SWG back in the day, I would gone Overt and immediately run right to the nearest bunch of PC Imperials I found.

Cackling.

I would have cackled the entire time right up to being banned, along with all my friends who would have been right there with me, and found it just as hilarious.

As addicted as I was to that game, we would have probably just rerolled. That was half the fun in that game anyhow, non-consequential character retooling.

Lord I miss that.
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This is spot-on. I don't get the impression they were using it to get the "world's firsts", they were using it because it was fun/funny, and because they could. Seriously, who wouldn't try to have some fun with it? I'm sure they didn't think they'd get to keep the loot or whatever, but it does seem that banning was a tad excessive.
 
SixtyWattMan said:
They need to remove all the worlds first crap. The people who get the worlds first are neck beards who practice on the PTR for months before it goes live.
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i agree. i think they already have removed some of them, but i believe those are the ones related to fastest leveling up of characters and maybe professions. they probably had to do that because they realized some people would play non-stop for ungodly amounts of time and end up dead or something. it's happened before.
 
Forceman said:
This is spot-on. I don't get the impression they were using it to get the "world's firsts", they were using it because it was fun/funny, and because they could. Seriously, who wouldn't try to have some fun with it? I'm sure they didn't think they'd get to keep the loot or whatever, but it does seem that banning was a tad excessive.
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After I beat the snot out of Blizzes new garbage raid instance I would have ran into the Arena and owned everyone I could. Now that would have been even better. The crying on the forums would have been epic.:D
 
What Blizzard should have done is mail the item to every single character. Any account that used the item for a single charge would have their account banned. Think of all the money they could make from so many people creating new accounts! It would be great for those post-mod sales number slumps...
 
Azureth said:
Sure, take it and all his achievements away, MAYBE suspend his account for a bit, but permanently banning someone for using something he was GIVEN? No way! If he deserves to be banned then the GM deserves to be fired.
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That is exactly what I am saying. I really am not saying that the guy should get off scott free, and that he wasn't entirely innocent (HEAR THAT SPINDOCTOR). Like you said Azureth, take away the achievements, suspend him for a bit, just to let him and others know that using gear like that is wrong, and be done with it. To cruxify anyone is wrong no matter what the crime.:(
 
mstersmith1 said:
After I beat the snot out of Blizzes new garbage raid instance I would have ran into the Arena and owned everyone I could. Now that would have been even better. The crying on the forums would have been epic.:D
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Exaclty what I was thinking. OHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE GLORIOUS POWNAGE!!!!!!!!:D
Such acts of blatant disregard to virtual life :eek: would be sung for all the ages of world. LONG LIVE THE HORDE!!!!!!!!!!!!

:DLOL
 
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spindoctor said:
i agree. i think they already have removed some of them, but i believe those are the ones related to fastest leveling up of characters and maybe professions. they probably had to do that because they realized some people would play non-stop for ungodly amounts of time and end up dead or something. it's happened before.
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All of those were still in at wrath launch, and the profession ones were just whoever got to northrend and talked to the trainers first.
 
SixtyWattMan said:
All of those were still in at wrath launch, and the profession ones were just whoever got to northrend and talked to the trainers first.
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i recall reading somewhere that they were doing away with those kinds of achievements. perhaps the source was wrong or they never got around to doing it.
 
Selling this thing on ebay is a great idea! However, I would have used it on Naxx over and over and over again. Loot drops, gold, and no server firsts to raise the ire/attention of others.

I might have even gone after the phoenix mount.

This leads me to believe that they really were just having fun with it. A more industrious, less honest, person would have used this for more than just showing some people you can one-shot Flame Leviathon. They would have kept it secret and made sure NO ONE outside the guild knew about it.
This guy showed it off to people for laughs.

A permaban of his account is over the top. A rollback of the achievements/loot and maybe a week or month long ban would be more appropriate.
 
Shawnasee said:
Selling this thing on ebay is a great idea! However, I would have used it on Naxx over and over and over again. Loot drops, gold, and no server firsts to raise the ire/attention of others.

I might have even gone after the phoenix mount.

This leads me to believe that they really were just having fun with it. A more industrious, less honest, person would have used this for more than just showing some people you can one-shot Flame Leviathon. They would have kept it secret and made sure NO ONE outside the guild knew about it.
This guy showed it off to people for laughs.

A permaban of his account is over the top. A rollback of the achievements/loot and maybe a week or month long ban would be more appropriate.
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That is exactly what I am saying. He still deserves punishment, but not a permaban. Its like Blizzard really wants to get rid of people.:rolleyes:

Hey, maybe their just tired of making millions off of people who use this as a substitute for their real lives?:p
 
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Personally, I would have gone to Dalaran and used it to kill everyone in the city =p
 
SixtyWattMan said:
Pfft, I woulda gone to Stormwind and one shot Varian Wrynn then kill everyone in the auction house.
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Amen, or go to Ironforge and hear all those little squeaky voices cry in utter dispair, HILLARIOUS. Man, for those who really hate gnomes, such as myself, this would be a dream come true.:D
 
Spewn said:
What? MMO's have had exploitable bits in them since their beginnings. Just because nobody sends these guys another developer item doesn't mean they can't find other ways to cheat. Using that item suggests they have no issues taking advantage of game mechanics. Banning them sets a precedent; Abuse in-game mechanics in any way to do things which are OBVIOUSLY not meant to be part of the game, and you're gone.

I support the decision. These guys are no different than the guys who exploited pathing bugs on bosses in EQ. They, too, whined about being banned, but you can be sure other guilds were much more careful about how they fought boss battles because of it.

Edit; Just to be sure, there's no way this guy didn't actually think he was doing something he shouldn't have been. If the item had dropped off an Uber it would have been posted on the guild boards, bragged about from here to kingdom come, and used in all kinds of ways for the purpose of exhibitioning just how uber your guild was for getting such an awesome "Win all of Wow in one click" item. But they didn't do that. They kept the item safe, hidden, and used it only for the things they couldn't do using the legitimate gear they had. Clear cut.(yes, it had charges, but items can always drop again. Unless, of course, they were sent to you accidentally by a blizzard employee...)
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This whole post is written based on the premise that these guys actively sought a way to abuse the game or cheat, which wasn't the case. Try again.
 
MassConfusion said:
Amen, or go to Ironforge and hear all those little squeaky voices cry in utter dispair, HILLARIOUS. Man, for those who really hate gnomes, such as myself, this would be a dream come true.:D
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Whoa! I'm a female Gnome so don't hate on us.

We're a kind, gentle folk just trying to fit in.
 
ShagnWagn said:
I bet you fit in a lot of places. :eek: ;)
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Haha, reminds me of the old Dranei female joke. "Does this thing vibrate?"

One thing that sucks is you get caught under water where normal races won't and around shrubbery. But other than that, Gnomes are the greatest thing since sliced bread.
 
Gott said:
Whoa! I'm a female Gnome so don't hate on us.

We're a kind, gentle folk just trying to fit in.
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I am sorry, but I had a very bad experience with a lvl 70 Rogue gnome in that one neutral Goblin town in B.C., forgot the name, but not what happened. The damned runt, no offense, ran up to me stealthed, stuned me:eek:, and ran off without the guards catching him:mad:, and repeated the process until I left the area completely:(. Really turned me off the game for a while after that so please understand why I was a little bit skeptical.:(

But as for sliced bread, I can understand, but undead are the best thing since POCKETED JEANS! OOOHH:eek:!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
MassConfusion said:
I am sorry, but I had a very bad experience with a lvl 70 Rogue gnome in that one neutral Goblin town in B.C., forgot the name, but not what happened. The damned runt, no offense, ran up to me stealthed, stuned me:eek:, and ran off without the guards catching him:mad:, and repeated the process until I left the area completely:(. Really turned me off the game for a while after that so please understand why I was a little bit skeptical.:(

But as for sliced bread, I can understand, but undead are the best thing since POCKETED JEANS! OOOHH:eek:!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I rolled a rogue just to do that to people. It was great! I also liked to sap people fishing during the tourney, then having a group of people looking around for me was great.
 
They clearly gave it to him intentionally as an apology, then facepalmed when they saw what he was using it for, since all the larger guilds will now be throwing their toys out of the pram since they were legitimately beaten to the punch on the achivements. Blizzard are now frantictically trying to undo their action, but it makes no difference. A beaten raid is a beaten raid, a first achievement is a first achievement.
 
JDAdams said:
They clearly gave it to him intentionally as an apology, then facepalmed when they saw what he was using it for, since all the larger guilds will now be throwing their toys out of the pram since they were legitimately beaten to the punch on the achivements. Blizzard are now frantictically trying to undo their action, but it makes no difference. A beaten raid is a beaten raid, a first achievement is a first achievement.
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doubtful. just because blizzard is a big successful company doesn't mean they're immune from mistakes and glitches, especially a gigantic complex application like WOW. it was obviously a "whoops" from some Blizzard GM. i highly doubt a godly item like that would be intentionally given to anybody.

i do agree with others here that Blizzard over-reacted by banning the account. but Blizzard is well-known for being harsh with punishments, especially when it comes to cheating/exploits. the guy is a fool if he thinks he can knowingly take advantage of a super-item no normal player should have, hit a bunch of seemingly impossible "World First" achievements in a short timespan (i don't play WOW but i'm assuming this is a big deal among the dedicated WOW players), and not expect a response from Blizzard.
 
georgexi said:
doubtful. just because blizzard is a big successful company doesn't mean they're immune from mistakes and glitches, especially a gigantic complex application like WOW. it was obviously a "whoops" from some Blizzard GM. i highly doubt a godly item like that would be intentionally given to anybody.

i do agree with others here that Blizzard over-reacted by banning the account. but Blizzard is well-known for being harsh with punishments, especially when it comes to cheating/exploits. the guy is a fool if he thinks he can knowingly take advantage of a super-item no normal player should have, hit a bunch of seemingly impossible "World First" achievements in a short timespan (i don't play WOW but i'm assuming this is a big deal among the dedicated WOW players), and not expect a response from Blizzard.
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Dude, I would have just gone to ever alliance capital, all by my lonesome;), and absolutely POWN EVERYONE THERE:D, and assassinate every ruler:eek:. How's that for a world first.:cool: LOL
 
they used a killswitch to farm high level gear, which would then be distributed to other guild members... so I don t think Blizzard overreacted by banning everyone far and wide.

Karatechop cheated and got caught QQ. How the item was obtained makes no difference.
 
zoobaby said:
I rolled a rogue just to do that to people. It was great! I also liked to sap people fishing during the tourney, then having a group of people looking around for me was great.
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I didn't tell you what I did after though. I actually did get my friends involved;). We caught the little bastard, killed him rather handly as I recall;), and camped around his body for a couple of HOURS!!!!!!!:p Now that revenge was the sweetest it can be.:D
 
MassConfusion said:
I didn't tell you what I did after though. I actually did get my friends involved;). We caught the little bastard, killed him rather handly as I recall;), and camped around his body for a couple of HOURS!!!!!!!:p Now that revenge was the sweetest it can be.:D
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I miss the old world camping and world pvp. Now people just mount up and fly off.*

My favorite pvp experience was when I level 40 in Tanaris and I kept getting ganked by a 60 rogue (pre-expansions). Then I had a RL friend bring his rogue that was 60 stealth in while I ran around as bait. The guy who ganked me got ganked every time he rez'd, starting in the pirate area, until he made it to the FP. The camp session lasted over 2 hours. Afterward, my friend and I logged off and I had to buy him some beer for the help and comedy.

*Been since December that I played. Tempted but doubtful I will play again.
 
zoobaby said:
I miss the old world camping and world pvp. Now people just mount up and fly off.*

My favorite pvp experience was when I level 40 in Tanaris and I kept getting ganked by a 60 rogue (pre-expansions). Then I had a RL friend bring his rogue that was 60 stealth in while I ran around as bait. The guy who ganked me got ganked every time he rez'd, starting in the pirate area, until he made it to the FP. The camp session lasted over 2 hours. Afterward, my friend and I logged off and I had to buy him some beer for the help and comedy.

*Been since December that I played. Tempted but doubtful I will play again.
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It's been a while since I've seen any real "world pvp" action going on. Sure Blizz may be trying to encourage it, but objective-based world pvp is nothing more than an uncontained BG with your local players. I remember the times when I was leveling up in Arathi Highland. A few ganking skirmishes between lowbies ended up as an all-out killfest with each side bringing in the 60s. Pretty cool stuff, but now that's definitely over now that flying mounts are around in the new zones. 80's just swoop down to kill lowbies, and fly off. Little consequence to grief other players.
 
Yoshiyuki Blade said:
It's been a while since I've seen any real "world pvp" action going on. Sure Blizz may be trying to encourage it, but objective-based world pvp is nothing more than an uncontained BG with your local players. I remember the times when I was leveling up in Arathi Highland. A few ganking skirmishes between lowbies ended up as an all-out killfest with each side bringing in the 60s. Pretty cool stuff, but now that's definitely over now that flying mounts are around in the new zones. 80's just swoop down to kill lowbies, and fly off. Little consequence to grief other players.
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I KNOW. You'ld think Blizzard would have noticed the change. Flying off on a whim sort of kills some of the excitment:(.
 
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