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illegal scripting/macroing enforcement

Phantasmagorian

Seasoned Veteran
Then call them criminals... as that's what they are. You can make money if you want off a game... but if doing so breaks the ToS then all you are is a criminal... again cheating to exploit others and the game in such a way that it takes from the game... damaging it. If they really cared about the game they wouldn't do it... but face it... their care stops at themselves. They may think they are providing a service to the community but really all they are doing is hurting it.

I am still calling them losers. Making a profit in clear violation of the ToS they signed... how ethical is that? If people do that sort of thing where they work it's called stealing or embezzlement. Still clearly wrong...
I agree with this. I even think this applies to all the illegal servers out there. If you think they can do better, then make your own game. Don't steal the work of others.
 

Lore

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
It's not damaging it. The damage is done. You can't expect returning or new players to pay the prices you all throw around in the bloated economy you all allowed to happen with your trading and play styles.
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
Then call them criminals... as that's what they are. You can make money if you want off a game... but if doing so breaks the ToS then all you are is a criminal... again cheating to exploit others and the game in such a way that it takes from the game... damaging it. If they really cared about the game they wouldn't do it... but face it... their care stops at themselves. They may think they are providing a service to the community but really all they are doing is hurting it.

I am still calling them losers. Making a profit in clear violation of the ToS they signed... how ethical is that? If people do that sort of thing where they work it's called stealing or embezzlement. Still clearly wrong...
Ethical? WHO gives a **** about that.

You should be careful what You call people Not that someone feels offended.. lol

You Sure you calling people loosers dont violate stratics Tos?
 

Fridgster

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I am kind of curious... where do folks stand on selling accounts for in game gold? Would you consider that illegal or ok?
 

petemage

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
You can't pick and choose which part of the terms you want to follow. Breaking one part is just as bad as any part in my opinion.
Just to give this some perspective: Are you saying running your macro while you go to the toilet (afk macroing) is just as bad as running 10 accounts on EM events and selling the rewards for real money?

I think you are painting it a bit black and white here.
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I will partially disagree with You .

Lots of the people You call losers Script and Cheat to make Money.

Which means they make Money from their Hobby or Passion.. thats more what Most people achieve in their whole Lifetime.

However i dont say this is good in this Case AS IT Hurts the Game.

But calling them losers i would Not do...
So in your view Drug Dealers and Pimps are winners because they make money and both are cheaters.
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
So in your view Drug Dealers and Pimps are winners because they make money and both are cheaters.
you are comparing apples with cherries....

if that is what your brain fabricates from "people having a passion to game and are able to actually make money with it" (even when violating ToS which obvousely was happily tolerated the last 10 years) then your moral compass is pretty much screwed up

i looks to me a bit that you are one of that guys who are supporting that going over a red light for pedestrian crossing at an intersection is the same as actually smashing someones head on the traffic light pole till the dude is disabled for the rest of the life are as both are basically not "allowed" i will rest my case here....
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
you are comparing apples with cherries....

if that is what your brain fabricates from "people having a passion to game and are able to actually make money with it" (even when violating ToS which obvousely was happily tolerated the last 10 years) then your moral compass is pretty much screwed up

i looks to me a bit that you are one of that guys who are supporting that going over a red light for pedestrian crossing at an intersection is the same as actually smashing someones head on the traffic light pole till the dude is disabled for the rest of the life are as both are basically not "allowed" i will rest my case here....
LOL You are breaking the law in both so you are a cheater and you think cheaters are winners. Did I say the punishment should be the same, no I did not. Law breakers are law breakers, FACT.
 

Uriah Heep

Grand Poobah
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
LOL You are breaking the law in both so you are a cheater and you think cheaters are winners. Did I say the punishment should be the same, no I did not. Law breakers are law breakers, FACT.
But even that argument has gray shady areas. Since there are different levels of misdemeanors and on top of them more levels of felonies. If people had stopped the gold dupers early on, all this other wouldn't be such an issue...
 

Phantasmagorian

Seasoned Veteran
I think it's incorrect to say the damage is done if this is to mean there is no use in stopping it. If they still exist it means there is a market for them and that means they keep doing damage.
 

Thoronnar

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I will partially disagree with You .

Lots of the people You call losers Script and Cheat to make Money.

Which means they make Money from their Hobby or Passion.. thats more what Most people achieve in their whole Lifetime.

However i dont say this is good in this Case AS IT Hurts the Game.

But calling them losers i would Not do...
To me they are kind of on the loser side of things as well. There are other people who were passionate about UO and are trying to make money out of their hobbie, like the creators of world of shards or however that's called today....
 

Lore

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
I think it's incorrect to say the damage is done if this is to mean there is no use in stopping it. If they still exist it means there is a market for them and that means they keep doing damage.
Damage is done means that even if they did stop it, the results of it are still out there. No one is saying they can't. It won't help is what I am saying. It's also frustrating for new/returning players to see trade deals in the millions when they just spent 30 minutes gathering 10k.

I'm aware they can go to the lag fest events and hope for a drop if the RNG gods give it to them... Lets just pull our heads out of whatever orifice it's in and realize how long that would take a new player so they can get what most of you consider basic items.
 

Effort

Lore Keeper
Stratics Veteran
They have to implement gold sinks - real heavy gold sinks, 100m + mounts with armor that last a week; 100M+ slight char buffs that decay... it all has to go away, but require significant gold ; The examples might not be the best ideas, but the concept is what needs to happen.

In relation to the ToS, I beleive none of you have actually read the ToS, which simply states that SOLICITATION is not permitted while on EA servers. RMT is normally positive for a game, it helps bridge the people who don't have the time or skills to play at the level of enjoyment that they want. There's nothing wrong with that, in theory; Obviously if you abuse players, or do something genuinely malicious you've crossed a line into unscrupulous grounds. Ethical dilemma more so than a practical one
 

Cymidei

UO Pacific News Reporter
Alumni
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
Campaign Supporter
How to fix the economy? It really isn't the economy that is broken. Human nature sucks, and you can't fix it, greed or stupidity. Players will be stupid, greedy, and relentless complainers no matter what. As a population we're a massive collective pain in the ass for game developers. What you can count on though is that players will look for wish fulfillment and entertainment in the game. Let them have fun, let them eat their cake. So many MMORPGs now have had success keeping their economies balanced with gold for game token exchanges, mounts, achievements, etc. There are infinite ideas on fun things to add for us to spend money on...but when the developer does that, so too goes up the demand for illicitly obtained gold. The cycle continues and leads to unspeakable evils such as scripts!!! or worse, human beings slaving in front of machines to farm gold.
 

Lore

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
I bet all UO would love this. EA to BS why are so many accounts being closed, you are fired.
No ya'll won't. Only the people that cheat will. The only difference between now and if that were to happen is instead of trading a rare for 100 mil you trade it for 100k until it creeps back up.
 

Spartan

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
... <snip> ... I'd wipe out all the gold altogether.
A bit drastic IMO. How about anything over 10K gold is set to 10% of original value? 1M becomes 100K, etc. New and sort of new players won't be affected.
 

Spartan

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Wiping out all the gold wouldn't do much - the wealth is in the rares - should be wipe them out too?
Actually, because one persons definition of rare is not the same as another persons, let's just wipe all items except worn/carried stuff, decrease gold amount to 10% of original value and go from there.

<pushes this thread toward the just plain silly side>
 

Picus of Napa

Certifiable
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I am kind of curious... where do folks stand on selling accounts for in game gold? Would you consider that illegal or ok?
Haha, most of these accounts are destined to be a foot note in the will. My rares collection!!!!!
 

popps

Always Present
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
"I would also like to take this time to warn everyone that we will be actioning accounts that are caught scripting and/or multiboxing. We are not going to be giving out any warnings for this if you are caught. We are also going to be posting monthly the number of accounts that were actioned due to illegal program use, macroing, or harassment/disruptive behavior.

Thank you in advance for your patience with us while we get the Account Center and the shards updated tomorrow and Thursday.

Mesanna"

This was posted 2 days ago on the UO website. Honestly, if this is actually enforced it would be great. The amount of people scripting is absurd, and it is one of the main reasons I haven't PvP for the past few years. I know how easy and powerful it can be to use that software you all know. They do not enforce it, I don't think they have the resources to do so, and it isn't easy to enforce. It is almost impossible to prove somebody is scripting if they are not AFK. But Mesanna's post sounds as if they are switching gears on this.

Not to mention the gold miners, completely destroying the UO economy.

What do you guys think? do you believe this will actually be enforced? I guess we will wait and see if they post any accounts as the months pass by. Because man, do I expect to see a lot!
After 20 Years that Ultima Online has been going on with rampant scripting and multiboxing ?
I am confused.....
Do not get me wrong, I am ALWAYS been opposed to scripting and multiboxing since the beginning but what I do not understand, is why deciding to have this strong stance "now", after so much time that this cheating has destroyed the economy multiple times, over and over....
The billions of gold accounts are all already out there, and the hurting results of inflation already have hurted players for years and years, decades.....
So, while it does is a good thing, to my opinion, to "finally" see a strong stance when actually enforced as I seem to understand it will be, I do not understand why now .....
Is it because of newcomers being deterred from playing because of the enormous prices which have skyrocketed due to the rampant inflation resulting from that cheating and, thus, gold becoming worhtless ?
If so, my opinion is that it won't fix the high prices, the billions of gold are STILL out there and prices won't magically go down to a level that newcomers might be able to afford.... only a BRAND NEW CURRENCY other then gold could perhaps do it, of course, assuming that cheating in UO FINALLY was to go away for good due to strong policies enforcing the strong deterrants against cheating....
The existing gold ? Make it good to get points within the Clean Up Britannia program, and ONLY for that.... but to purchase items in the game strictly make a BRAND NEW CURRENCY be the one to be used and the one dropping as loot...
Otherwise, I frankly do not see "how" a brand new player starting from scratch could ever afford, just to name an example, Powerscrolls going for tens upon tens of millions of gold...
That is of course just my opinion.
 

Phantasmagorian

Seasoned Veteran
Adjust loot for inflation. 10x? So 1.5K from a balron would become 15K. Make gold ten times lighter in weight. Keep same cap on vendors. Make vendor tax progressive. TAX THE RICH. :danceb:
 

DJAd

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
should be wipe them out too?
Of course not. Just remove all the gold and start over. This will level the playing field for new/returning players. "Rares" might be selling for a couple of million rather than hundreds of millions. That won't be a problem if there is not trillions of gold in the game anymore.
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
Of course not. Just remove all the gold and start over. This will level the playing field for new/returning players. "Rares" might be selling for a couple of million rather than hundreds of millions. That won't be a problem if there is not trillions of gold in the game anymore.
doing that will actually make more people leave than bringing lol
 

Uriah Heep

Grand Poobah
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I know that. How would you fix the UO economy?
Get rid of all the dupers. And stay on it to keep them gone.

Then cut all incoming gold by 40% or maybe even more.

Gold sinks are fine and dandy, but won't accomplish the desired result as long as more and more money is being "printed". Leave what gold is already ingame, ingame. And don't devalue it by force, just quit "printing" more and more money at such a rate
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Get rid of all the dupers. And stay on it to keep them gone.

Then cut all incoming gold by 40% or maybe even more.

Gold sinks are fine and dandy, but won't accomplish the desired result as long as more and more money is being "printed". Leave what gold is already ingame, ingame. And don't devalue it by force, just quit "printing" more and more money at such a rate
The problem with that is any new player would not be able to do anything at all and make what gold the RMT sites have worth more.
 

Mervyn

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
What would fix the economy? rather than deleting everyone's gold, start a new fel only non transferable shard with insurance.

You wouldn't need to call a GM on scripters, could just kill them.
 

celticus

Crazed Zealot
UNLEASHED
Adjust loot for inflation. 10x? So 1.5K from a balron would become 15K. Make gold ten times lighter in weight. Keep same cap on vendors. Make vendor tax progressive. TAX THE RICH. :danceb:
Wrong..Scripters did not make Plats from Balrons..You implying that taking away the measly gains from hunting will save the economy?
 

Lady Kyo

Seasoned Veteran
I hate to sound stupid, but I have to assume that scripting/multiboxing requires and illegal programme. If I am using the mechanics of the game, no outside programme, but using Ultima Online MACROing ability, this is different or would one still get popped for "unattended macroing"?
 

Captn Norrington

Stratics Forum Moderator
Moderator
Professional
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
but using Ultima Online MACROing ability, this is different or would one still get popped for "unattended macroing"?
Yes, you could still get in trouble for it if you're unattended macroing without a program. A famous example being that in the old days people would get a roll of coins and put it on the spacebar of their keyboard in order to keep a macro running forever.
 

Phantasmagorian

Seasoned Veteran
Wrong..Scripters did not make Plats from Balrons..You implying that taking away the measly gains from hunting will save the economy?
I am struggling to understand how you parsed what I said. I said to multiply all gold loot from monsters by 10. I used a Balron as an example. Who said anything about scripters earning plats from Balrons?
 

celticus

Crazed Zealot
UNLEASHED
I am struggling to understand how you parsed what I said. I said to multiply all gold loot from monsters by 10. I used a Balron as an example. Who said anything about scripters earning plats from Balrons?
You are right..I misread that..
 

Damon Beasts

Journeyman
The problem I see is them not doing what they saidthey would. Since EJ how many accounts have been banned for scripting/multiboxing? 0-1? How many are still doing, 100s? Before we doing anything about the economy, EA needs to do their part first and start banning them all, not just ones they decide to. 0 tolerance is what is needed not case by case basis. If they are now worried about subscriptions, well your 15 years too late for that.
 

North_LS

Journeyman
The problem I see is them not doing what they saidthey would. Since EJ how many accounts have been banned for scripting/multiboxing? 0-1? How many are still doing, 100s? Before we doing anything about the economy, EA needs to do their part first and start banning them all, not just ones they decide to. 0 tolerance is what is needed not case by case basis. If they are now worried about subscriptions, well your 15 years too late for that.
I pulled a warning for being afk for a few while my pet was training at slugs over the weekend. that's probably the sort of low hanging fruit they'll be taking action against, while letting the script farmers continue to slide and rake in their billions.
 

Thoronnar

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I pulled a warning for being afk for a few while my pet was training at slugs over the weekend. that's probably the sort of low hanging fruit they'll be taking action against, while letting the script farmers continue to slide and rake in their billions.
That sucks you got a warning for something so silly.
 

Thoronnar

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I hate to sound stupid, but I have to assume that scripting/multiboxing requires and illegal programme. If I am using the mechanics of the game, no outside programme, but using Ultima Online MACROing ability, this is different or would one still get popped for "unattended macroing"?
If you are macroing afk, you will can technically get in trouble. The game is supposedly designed such that you train your skils by actually playing. I think is very unbalance though. Training archery, or most combat skills is pretty easy without macroing, just go and hunt things in dungeons and have fun doing quests and such. But I remember skilling up my crafter was a royal pain, specially imbuing. They have BODs and that, but it is still absurdly boring and takes HOURS. Taming was also extremely painful. Some people have fun skilling up a character, I don't. I can't stand being 5 hours in front of a computer doing the same task over and over again. That's why I believe people macroing skills shouldn't really be banned. Maybe only in Siege.
 
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North_LS

Journeyman
That sucks you got a warning for something so silly.
The best part was when I appealed via email, I was told that the warn would not be removed due to the "blatant nature" of the offense. Cute, right?

I'm not really worried about it. I like UO a lot. I'd like to continue to pay my active subscriptions and play. I'm not going to start halting whatever I'm doing and recalling home every time i have to get up to take a leak or attend to something around the house though - I'll continue to play the way that suits me. If I end up having an account terminated over it, then I'll just walk away and save myself the sub fees and time.
 
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