Susspended for Bank sitting

[Winker]

Can anyone help me here. It appears I have been suspended for bank sitting. I have been getting harassed by one person in particular who keeps paging a GM on me. Today I am sat at the bank (Luna) when I come back I see the con lost box and im still at luna. So I log in, just to get the message my account is blocked due to billing info, expired game time or TOS violation.

All I have done on that account to day is run thought fel checking the spawns and sit at the bank. So I have done nothing wrong. No macroing no training skills nothing. How can I just get suspended like that?

So I am looking for someone I can contact. Anyone point me in the correct direction?

Pff 13 years of bank sitting and now they suspend me!

 

[ChReuter]

Now, I'm not one of those who thinks normally when someone claims to have been suspended for something that their holding back the full story. Hell, I was suspended once for telling someone to be careful irl at a party and not get themselves molested. (I did use slightly more graphic terms, but nonetheless, perfectly innocent). I'm just not so sure about this though. Even if you were not doing something against the TOS, I'm thinking there's more to this than we're being told.

Also, are you sure it's for a TOS violation? Did you recheck your billing? I've had a card temporary canceled due to suspicious activity and thus had my UO sub canceled.

Good luck with it though.

 

[Tazar]

Check to see if your credit card recently expired and the info needs updating.

 

[Cerwin Vega]

Thats ridiculous, and I dont know how these people get GM's to respond. I have a script miner that I page on and no one ever shows up... I dont have all day to wait around for them come check it out.

 

[Lord Frodo]

I got this yesterday so I went and checked my account info. OMG my gametime had run out and it said my CC date had expired. Updated CC info and back in game.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Check to see if your credit card recently expired and the info needs updating.

 

[Winker]

next billing date is April 1st. So im up-to-date with the billing.

I can log on fine with my second account, both comming out the same bank account.

No email yet as to why i am suspended. But i have not even been on general chat talking to anyone. No skills being used. just logged in at the bank.

If there were more to it i would not have come here to ask for a contact address or phone number. If i am in the wrong i can take it on the chin and move on. But bank sitting is not wrong.

 

[Macrophage999]

How long have you been suspended?

Are you Winker from Europa? [DI3] ? If so, I witnessed you were bank sitting in luna today... Maybe you were banned for speedhacking though?

 

[longshanks]

its unbeliveable to me that the gm's can be all on top of afk infractions but noone ever bothers to goto yew gate or down in despise on a normal nite to witness the superhuman abilities some characters possess.

 

[Winker]

How long have you been suspended?

Are you Winker from Europa? [DI3] ? If so, I witnessed you were bank sitting in luna today... Maybe you were banned for speedhacking though?

Aye thats me. I spoke to them on the phone 0870 2432435 and i was told there is no ban on my account, they cant see why i cant get in.

But the nice girl did give me 6 months free game time for my bother. Now i just got to be able to log in to use it

It still tells me im susspended

 

[Black Sun]

the nice girl did give me 6 months free game time for my bother. Now i just got to be able to log in to use it

It still tells me im susspended

The suspension message should go away in approximately 6 months, right as your free time expires.

 

[Storm]

what does it say when you go in and look at your account page ? does it say suspended there?

 

[Madrid]

I think these bans are ridiculous. You paid for the time..who cares what is it you choose to do or how long you do it for. You paid and you should be able to do what you like as long as your not hacking into the client then who the hell cares.

 

[P.W.N]

I have also been banned in the last 2 hours for no reason at all,i have phoned Ea also and there are no marks on the account and no emails been sent regarding this issue,i was stood in my house doing nothing same as winker then boom con loss,the in game customer service is horrible and having to wait 24 hours for a reply from the games masters is so anoying.. its time they sorted the bugs and lack of help out and made it easier to contact gms out of game through icq or ventrillo so things like this can be sorted out within hours rather than days...

 

[Winker]

what does it say when you go in and look at your account page ? does it say suspended there?

Nope it says active

here is the error message i get on log in

 

[Winker]

I have also been banned in the last 2 hours for no reason at all,i have phoned Ea also and there are no marks on the account and no emails been sent regarding this issue,i was stood in my house doing nothing same as winker then boom con loss,the in game customer service is horrible and having to wait 24 hours for a reply from the games masters is so anoying.. its time they sorted the bugs and lack of help out and made it easier to contact gms out of game through icq or ventrillo so things like this can be sorted out within hours rather than days...

Yep the girl looked at my account and said that there had never been any mark on my account in the last 12 years. She looked at the billing, added 6 months free game time, asked me to try and log in see if that made any difrence, but still the same message.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Podolak]

But bank sitting is not wrong.

Can anyone 100% verify this? Ever since the stalker crew has been after me I haven't left my characters logged in anywhere. I used to leave my spellweavers at WBB but I am even too nervous to do that.

 

[Borric]

Can anyone 100% verify this? Ever since the stalker crew has been after me I haven't left my characters logged in anywhere. I used to leave my spellweavers at WBB but I am even too nervous to do that.

It is sad if we can no longer park a character at the bank or in our house doing nothing while we run to the restroom.

 

[Willard]

0870 2432435 This is not a number to EA or any customer service related to anything to do with UO. So, I am wondering how exactly you spoke to someone??

 

[S.P.A]

0870 2432435 This is not a number to EA or any customer service related to anything to do with UO. So, I am wondering how exactly you spoke to someone??

I think you'll find that's the phone number for EA customer service in the United Kingdom.

 

[Macrophage999]

I have that gump popup in the past. It happened when I had not the most up to date client.
Did you patch to the lastest version?

 

[Willard]

I think you'll find that's the phone number for EA customer service in the United Kingdom.

Thank You

 

[Elden of Baja]

Leaving your character unattended even while doing nothing is in violation of the TOS if I remember correctly.

 

[Podolak]

Leaving your character unattended even while doing nothing is in violation of the TOS if I remember correctly.

That is what I am wondering. I thought this question was already answered and the ruling was that as long as you were not actively doing anything to keep your character logged in (but were remaining logged in due to the activity around you, like people passing through) you were safe. Perhaps the policy changed or perhaps the policy was always that it was against the TOS but not enforced until now.

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

Leaving your character unattended even while doing nothing is in violation of the TOS if I remember correctly.

That is what I am wondering. I thought this question was already answered and the ruling was that as long as you were not actively doing anything to keep your character logged in (but were remaining logged in due to the activity around you, like people passing through) you were safe. Perhaps the policy changed or perhaps the policy was always that it was against the TOS but not enforced until now.

less "memory" ... more researching

#ROC

You may not leave an active character or pet in game while unattended. If your character is performing a skill, text or action, you must be able to respond to a Game Master when one attempts to speak to you.

yw

http://vboards.stratics.com/1920752-post73.html

now for the inevitable *copy cats* ... unjustly bannzored ... need a little help and insight ... from the stratics masters ...

maybe not ... we'll see.

 

[Podolak]

less "memory" ... more researching

#ROC

You may not leave an active character or pet in game while unattended. If your character is performing a skill, text or action, you must be able to respond to a Game Master when one attempts to speak to you.

yw

http://vboards.stratics.com/1920752-post73.html

now for the inevitable *copy cats* ... unjustly bannzored ... need a little help and insight ... from the stratics masters ...

maybe not ... we'll see.

I read that as:

An "active" character is one who is performing a skill, text or action and active characters can not be left un-attended. So if I am bank sitting I am not performing a skill, text or action and therefor I am inactive. If I am inactive it is not against the TOS to be un-attended.

Is my interpretation accurate?

 

[[JD]]

You may not leave an active character or pet in game while unattended. If your character is performing a skill, text or action, you must be able to respond to a Game Master when one attempts to speak to you.

that means Bank sitting is ok. bank sitting is inactive. it says you may not leave an active character on who is using skills.

but--

you want to be careful bank sitting anyway because again, the luna ***** will use bugs to kill you. i don't know if it's still possible but there was a bug involving shatter potions which lets you kill someone in tram. happened to me a few months ago, we know the guild who did it. i even intentionally kept leaving myself on after they killed me, but could never catch and page them in the act. once again the UO bad guys win, and good guys lose.

 

[shulginist]

Last I remember you were not allowed unattended play whether you were just sitting there afk doing nothing or working skills or whatever.

 

[Cogniac]

Leaving your character unattended even while doing nothing is in violation of the TOS if I remember correctly.

This always struck me as counter-intuitive. Because they have built into the game a feature that automatically logs you out if you are logged in and inactive. If being logged in and inactive is against the rules, why would they put in a feature that only helps those committing this rule-breaking action, thus implicitly endorsing said rule-breaking?

 

[Winker]

that would be ok if a GM turned up and took me away for a chat as they do. Normaly they take you to jail and log you out. I was left with a lost con box still standing at the bank.

Which would indacate an Instant Ban rather than being taken to jail and Logged out.

And no email as of yet 6 hours latter!

But i did get a letter from support about my phone call:

Hello Mr.,

Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts Technical Support.

Our apologies that you are experiencing this issue regarding your suspended Ultima Online account.

Today I added 6 months to your account.

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts game in the future, please visit our web site and review our extensive Self Help Knowledge base (http://support.electronicarts.co.uk).

XXXXXX X.
EA Support Centre, UK and Ireland

 

[THP]

mmmm maybe its time to reopen the old second account....leave it logged in at the bank and get kicked/jailed then complain and get the 6 months free gametime????

kidding ...just kidding.....but.....hehheheeee

sorry for ya troubles winker..im sure u'll be back online europa very soon....

 

[Tinsil]

It is okay to afk bank sit as long as you are not performing any action.

No I don't have a link to them saying this, but they have.

 

[Winker]

mmmm maybe its time to reopen the old second account....leave it logged in at the bank and get kicked/jailed then complain and get the 6 months free gametime????

....

Its only any good if i can log in

 

[outcry]

How long have you been suspended?

Are you Winker from Europa? [DI3] ? If so, I witnessed you were bank sitting in luna today... Maybe you were banned for speedhacking though?

Aye thats me. I spoke to them on the phone 0870 2432435 and i was told there is no ban on my account, they cant see why i cant get in.

But the nice girl did give me 6 months free game time for my bother. Now i just got to be able to log in to use it

It still tells me im susspended

That is a glitch that happens , I had logged out of my main account to go on another then back to main account in say matter of 15 mintues and I got the same message , It went away after 20 mintues

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

I read that as:

An "active" character is one who is performing a skill, text or action and active characters can not be left un-attended. So if I am bank sitting I am not performing a skill, text or action and therefor I am inactive. If I am inactive it is not against the TOS to be un-attended.

Is my interpretation accurate?

Accurate, yes ...
http://vboards.stratics.com/uhall/236236-banned-not-macroing.html

applicable and appeals is where "we" are perennially >stuck<
no appeals that I can remember ... ever resulted in a "removal of mark"
(that would require a way to >verify< that a mark was removed ... and that ain't gonna happen)

The shared pool of Game Masters, seem unable to get past the first sentence(IF they even have the same copy/list)
You may not leave an active character or pet in game while unattended.
It seems they say: "hello? are you there?" ... give it a slow count for response ... one, two, three ...
From the link above ...
They seem to think that >any character< on an account is guilty for other character actions/inaction
(from above link)

So on the fourth day, someone reports me I assume, but I finish and go on a different character before a GM responds. By the time the GM responds, I was on my fisher getting ready to fish for a bit, and stopped to take a potty break (with NO active skills going). I come back to find a GM chat open and say hi. The GM doesn't respond so I go about fishing while I wait for a response. About two minutes later ...

(My bolding italics)

fisher(entire account) was >suspended< for the other characters "suspected UMing".
(hey! :: they were both "casters" right? *click* and unresponsive to the SPLASH SCREEN: hello? are you there? 1... 2... 3... *submit*)

(yep ... I intentionally posted "splash screen" in all caps. Yes ... I know that the GM query can be quite small and easily overlooked if actually involved IN game play, and that the "ease" of responding (control character shift) Directly TO the GM ...leaving most "talking to" an NPC or AFK screen population ... unknown IF the GM can see that ... )

*shrugs*

Cal's Fault.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

that would be ok if a GM turned up and took me away for a chat as they do. Normaly they take you to jail and log you out. I was left with a lost con box still standing at the bank.

Which would indacate an Instant Ban rather than being taken to jail and Logged out.

And no email as of yet 6 hours latter!

But i did get a letter from support about my phone call:

Hello Mr.,

Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts Technical Support.

Our apologies that you are experiencing this issue regarding your suspended Ultima Online account.

Today I added 6 months to your account.

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts game in the future, please visit our web site and review our extensive Self Help Knowledge base (Support Home Page).

XXXXXX X.
EA Support Centre, UK and Ireland

Very glad for you and for the rest of us that this was cleared up.

-Galen's player

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Based on this and other reports I've read on these boards, these are the conclusions I come to.

(I HAVE NO INSIDE KNOWLEDGE, THIS IS SUPPOSITION BASED ON POSTS I HAVE READ.)

They have switched to some kind of automated page system instead of dragging you away to jail and talking to you. You press a certain key that'll open your chatting to the "GM Bot." (Like how , gets you to Global chat \ to guild chat, and | to alliance chat.)

I would surely love to hear if this supposition is correct or not, and, if it is, what positives the team sees for this system.

Because I, for one, see few if any positives, and some alarming negatives. First of all, in terms of catching scripters, it's easy enough to build an automated response into the script that types the correct chat key and says anything at all. (Like how some old scripts used to, when a GM showed up, tell the GM, "sorry, I'm losing connection," and then automatically log out.) Second of all, unlike a GM coming up in person, I don't see how the GM Bot could tell the difference between a person just standing there afk but not performing any action (long held to be allowed) and performing some action (long held to not be allowed). And third, a live GM can tell if the player is scrambling for the right key to talk back.

And most alarming of all of course is the fact that the UO team has told us multiple times now that they no longer have much to do with the GMs. They don't, they've stated, enforce the rules, they create content for UO.

To me, however, that at least means that they should be creating the rules that the GMs, be they live or automated, enforce. And that means the GMs, botted or real, need to be properly informed about what the rules are.

And that, going back to the start of the loop, means the team has to have created clear rules to start with.

And once again, if it isn't clear, this post is based on no insider information but rather is extrapolating from posts.

-Galen's player

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

Very glad for you and for the rest of us that this was cleared up.

-Galen's player

mmmm maybe its time to reopen the old second account....leave it logged in at the bank and get kicked/jailed then complain and get the 6 months free gametime????

....

Its only any good if i can log in

NOT cleared up ...

*looks at wall of text above ... not EVER never goin to be cleared up*

 

[Winker]

All's well that ends well! Late last night I got a GM to look into it, although it took a lot of persuading to get him to believe I was who I said I was. Contacting them from a second account is not easy!

After a few minuets of investigations he had unblocked my account and I was up and running again. No explanation thought! Just a short message telling my account was no longer blocked and a short apology!

I am guessing a GM flicked the switch on my account by mistake and GM Akemai was kind enough to flick it back on!

Anyhow I had 16 hours of aggravation, but I got 6 months free game time. So I guess its all good

 

[P.W.N]

lucky for you lol,im still banned and still no email from the gms to say why im banned and ea billing are saying im not banned,what a carry on...

i managed to get 6 months of game time also but i cant get the gms to deal with me as i had to make a trial account to try speak to them in game,and the response time is horrible then you get the same old crap,we canot help on this matter as its for another account lol


over 24 hours after i been banned,im still waiting for ea to contact me to let me know if something is really been done,im fuming and this is bang out of order

 

[Lord Raven]

Leaving your character unattended even while doing nothing is in violation of the TOS if I remember correctly.

(Another Edit) Atually after re-reading the rule... it seems that you have to be performing some sort of action. It seems that if you are just sitting there doing nothing... that's not included. I think there needs to be a written clarification from EA on this...

Rember, there is the UO ROC, and the EA TOS and you are responsible for abiding by both sets of rules.

You may not leave an active character or pet in game while unattended. If your character is performing a skill, text or action, you must be able to respond to a Game Master when one attempts to speak to you.​

*Edit: I quoted the wrong rule... had something else on my mind.
​

(Another Edit) Atually after re-reading the rule... it seems that you have to be performing some sort of action. It seems that if you are just sitting there doing nothing... that's not included. I think there needs to be a written clarification from EA on this...

 

[Alvinho]

less "memory" ... more researching

#ROC

You may not leave an active character or pet in game while unattended. If your character is performing a skill, text or action, you must be able to respond to a Game Master when one attempts to speak to you.

yw

http://vboards.stratics.com/1920752-post73.html

Getting rid of the stupid dancing broccoli, bot the point here is correct and i am bolding the part that applies here, ban was wrong period.

Sitting there doing nothing not preforming any action is legal and if stratics had not lost a lot of data it was Wilki AND Jeremy who posted that it was indeed legal to bank sit AFK if you were not preforming ANY action

 

[P.W.N]

lol we wernt banned for any good reason and you cant be banned for sitting at the bank,you have to be moving or using actions,we dont even have a reason why we were banned but a few theories that do make sense is that its a gm who is abusing his rights as a games master!

Seems so weird that 2 people in the same guild get banned on the same day within hours of each other and there is no real explanation as to how or why it happened just a pathetic sorry,dont get me wrong im happy with the game time but it was given to me in the hope it would make a difference when trying to logging in to try solve the problem and not in compensation...

I look forward to thinking that the idiot who did this will get a good roasting if not told to pack his bags, it took me 4 or 5 attemps to page about my problem on a trail account i had to make to try get it unblocked and after 5 hours today and 24 hour later it was sorted but not before i had to threaten GM THOWE on my 3rd attempt that if he didnt take this seriously i would post his name to complaints and try to get an investigation into why it wasnt been sorted.... I wish to thank GM BRUTRIN for doing his job properly and people at uo billing for thier great customer service and willingneeeeeeeeesss to try help..

 

[qwerty223]

I think these bans are ridiculous. You paid for the time..who cares what is it you choose to do or how long you do it for. You paid and you should be able to do what you like as long as your not hacking into the client then who the hell cares.

my thoughts exactly and im sorry about this

 

[Tazar]

lol we wernt banned for any good reason and you cant be banned for sitting at the bank,you have to be moving or using actions,we dont even have a reason why we were banned but a few theories that do make sense is that its a gm who is abusing his rights as a games master!

Actually, the above claim that you can't be banned for sitting at the bank has been debated for several years now. You stated that you have to be moving or using actions... the reason for the debate on the subject is that there is a macro built into the game that you can turn on and off in the options menu: "Show approaching names". Many players keep this macro turned on because it keeps the character logged in (burning murder counts while afk, etc.) but even though this macro is triggered by the approach of another player, it technically is an action and causes your character to react (reset timer). It may well be that this is the reason for the bans... though it is rare that I have seen this acted on.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Actually, the above claim that you can't be banned for sitting at the bank has been debated for several years now. You stated that you have to be moving or using actions... the reason for the debate on the subject is that there is a macro built into the game that you can turn on and off in the options menu: "Show approaching names". Many players keep this macro turned on because it keeps the character logged in (burning murder counts while afk, etc.) but even though this macro is triggered by the approach of another player, it technically is an action and causes your character to react (reset timer). It may well be that this is the reason for the bans... though it is rare that I have seen this acted on.

Presumably such is not the case in this thread, as he's said they restored his account and gave him some time. Assuming he's not lying, at the very least we can assume EA also agrees that the banning was an error.

-Galen's player

 

[P.W.N]

Presumably such is not the case in this thread, as he's said they restored his account and gave him some time. Assuming he's not lying, at the very least we can assume EA also agrees that the banning was an error.

Why would we lie about this? we are both back in game and the game time wasnt given to us in compensation,it was given to us by ea billing to try solve the problem incase it was a login issue on uo side,neither of us got emails stating the account was even banned,it was only when we used existing accounts and 14 trial ones we managed to get the gms to look into it! the banning was no error it was done on purpose.

If you check the boards nobody has been banned for what we describe,nor have we had any statements saying what really happened,how do you explain 2 people been banned from the same guild on at the same time both banned within 2 hours of each other,doing nothing but been stood still checking the boards and facebook between playing..

i kind of feel like a parrot but i said it again for the folk that read what they want to read

 

[Trebr Drab]

All's well that ends well! Late last night I got a GM to look into it, although it took a lot of persuading to get him to believe I was who I said I was. Contacting them from a second account is not easy!

After a few minuets of investigations he had unblocked my account and I was up and running again. No explanation thought! Just a short message telling my account was no longer blocked and a short apology!

I am guessing a GM flicked the switch on my account by mistake and GM Akemai was kind enough to flick it back on!

Anyhow I had 16 hours of aggravation, but I got 6 months free game time. So I guess its all good

That figures out to be below minimum wage.
You must be an illegal alien!