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The Bans are happening in droves!

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Lord Chaos

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LOL, have you guys even considered that what the OP is saying isn't the truth? I know of no bannings whatsoever.
 

Zosimus

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you have chat on? I looked at it the first day. Saw all profanity over 2 guys fighting at some thing in abyss and turned it off forever.

Yeah I have GC on when I play for various reasons. If I feel like watching the Jerry Springer show when I am soloing something I watch GC to keep out the boredom. I play warhammer online also so imganine guild, allaince, rvr, advice, reginonal chats going on at once including gold spammers. Plus to top it off people beside you also talking out in the open. Its like watching 6 tvs at once but you get used to it and seeing everything beiing said at once and comprehending it.

I have seen peeps actually say in GC they cheat. I have seen others accuse and peeps deny. Do all cheat? No but peeps know who does and dont especially if peeps play actively enough. Im not trying to bash you at all. So dont take offence to my posts. It just seems like an issue these people got banned for a good reason and it is bothering you.
 
W

Wojoe

Guest
People are being banned for using that un-named 3erd party program, for everything from unattended to running medic scripts.

I say, after 12 years of playing uo, im glad i never cheated and to all those that are looking up the newest free shards I say, good bye and good riddence.

Most of the people that claim to be uber-leet at pvp are co-dependent on a 3erd party program, Ive seen it 10,000 times. If EA is really addressing this issue i think it's one of the best things ever.


Thanks EA for doing something thats really great for our game!


Wojoe
 

RawHeadRex

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I'm not sure why people care so much about training skills illegally (unless you like to be a policeman) I don't see skill training via macros and making no money at all bad as it is affecting no one. People have always done it, Either via a macro and a stack of coins in a hotkey or uoassist and again something heavy on the keyboard.

Yes it's illegal but it does no one no harm, that person is likely to GM Skill X either way, Trouble is it mixes in with money making and huge cheats nowadays.
whether people agree with you or not is not the point... we don't OWN the game, only play it and agree to the terms via the TOS. people forget the TOS as being valid or a 'warning,' something I personally find amusing.
 

Omnius

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yep. I honestly don't mind them banning people scripting economic activities, just like I don't mind them banning dupers. And the war between devs and speed hacking is as old as broad band internet.

A better or at least more reasonable application that wouldn't leave such a bad taste in peoples mouths is to ban people who are PAGED on for scripting. in other words, if you get caught scripting, and are scripting(because they can confirm it now) then you go bye bye.
 

Omnius

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whether people agree with you or not is not the point... we don't OWN the game, only play it and agree to the terms via the TOS. people forget the TOS as being valid or a 'warning,' something I personally find amusing.
At the end of the day, we all suffer from declining populations. it seems to me that this is just accelerating that decline in population. Most veterans returning to UO, play a week, find the content and lack of community disheartening and then decide to speed build a character so they can play the end game because the rest of UO has become so un-fulfilling.
 

Zosimus

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LOL, have you guys even considered that what the OP is saying isn't the truth? I know of no bannings whatsoever.
I dont know of any myself but maybe the devs will make a reply if any truth to it or not. Who knows what they do or will do. I asked for and evidence and he stated about half a guild. His guild, ally guild, or an enemy guild? Who knows. May be nothing to this story but it is making my post count go up :p
 

Omnius

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it was an enemy guild that got beat with the ban hammer and that's very disappointing for those of us who enjoy a fight.
 

RawHeadRex

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At the end of the day, we all suffer from declining populations. it seems to me that this is just accelerating that decline in population. Most veterans returning to UO, play a week, find the content and lack of community disheartening and then decide to speed build a character so they can play the end game because the rest of UO has become so un-fulfilling.
still no excuse. many would return knowing cheaters are being dealt with properly now. I totally disagree. what you're basically saying is cheaters are blackmailing UO in a way, I don't think Cal/UO appreciate that concept one bit.
 

Mapper

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whether people agree with you or not is not the point... we don't OWN the game, only play it and agree to the terms via the TOS. people forget the TOS as being valid or a 'warning,' something I personally find amusing.
Very true, But people agree not to take photos in museums and old buildings (example) but many do it, A warning may seem a 'too kind' thing to do and it be better to just chuck them out the museum but I think there is good reason for them it retains some custom, Especially when it was said instant bans were not the plan.
 

Siteswap

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Yes it's illegal but it does no one no harm,
That statement in itself opens a can of worms. What your basically saying is that some forms of cheating are ok. The edges start to get blurred then and its all about opinion of who is harmed by what and what is acceptable cheating and what isnt.

Cheating is cheating and should be punished accordingly is a much safer basis to base any justice system on, whether in RL or in a video game with a ToS...
 

RawHeadRex

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it was an enemy guild that got beat with the ban hammer and that's very disappointing for those of us who enjoy a fight.
why won't you tell us what shard you play so things can be confirmed or not ? what's the big secret, cheaters are on every shard, you are not protecting anyone by not answering.
 

Omnius

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Thats not what I'm saying at all. I think you don't know what blackmail is.
 

Mapper

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That statement in itself opens a can of worms. What your basically saying is that some forms of cheating are ok. The edges start to get blurred then and its all about opinion of who is harmed by what and what is acceptable cheating and what isnt.

Cheating is cheating and should be punished accordingly is a much safer basis to base any justice system on, whether in RL or in a video game with a ToS...
I agree with you 100%, I'm sure if the only illegal scripting in UO was skill training we wouldn't be at this mass banning. It's because we have all sorts of other scripts that the line has to be drawn at ANY scripting.
 

Zosimus

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At the end of the day, we all suffer from declining populations. it seems to me that this is just accelerating that decline in population. Most veterans returning to UO, play a week, find the content and lack of community disheartening and then decide to speed build a character so they can play the end game because the rest of UO has become so un-fulfilling.
Go to uo.com and check the guild sections. Go through all the shards and look at the top 10 guilds on each shard. The population pretty sad already before this supposedly incident. We know that some players have more then one char in a guild so the larger guilds could be just a handful of players making it look bigger then its actually is. I am not blaming this group of dev's for the shard population. Many factors make up for loss of population in any game.

I know of many ex UO players that play other games and their main reason for leaving from most, not all of them ,was cheating. Second in line was AOS. So we can debate the population argument for a lifetime but lets hope we are seeing a better more healthier UO. It may bring back a few players but who knows.
 

Wenchkin

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I sincerely hope the tales of bannings are true, it's long overdue.

In honesty it wouldn't matter how a warning was issued to the cheats in UO, I doubt they would take it seriously given the game's history. Tough luck to them. Considering the attitude said players and their friends have tossed around UHall recently, I have no sympathy even for the casual cheats in game. You took a silly chance with your accounts, and you only have yourselves to blame.

Wenchy
 

RawHeadRex

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Thats not what I'm saying at all. I think you don't know what blackmail is.

if one continues to abuse the system thinking UO can't afford to lose 'so many people' ...that's exactly what it is. it's blackmail leverage used to aid the cheaters.
 
C

canary

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Like other posters are said, everyone please keep in mind that 'bans in droves' may not be happening...

I saw one post today where someone stated they were banned. That was it. My ICQ hasn't lit up with 'OMG DID YOU HEAR ABOUT...?'. As I'm pretty sure none of you are having yours light up either.

The sky is not exactly falling, there is no proof of mass bannings across the shards. It is all conjecture.
 

Zosimus

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What shard are you playing on Omnius? I have many finished chars on mutiple shards. Ill aska round if you tell em what shard you are on to see if any truth is to this if I may.
 

RawHeadRex

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Like other posters are said, everyone please keep in mind that 'bans in droves' may not be happening...

I saw one post today where someone stated they were banned. That was it. My ICQ hasn't lit up with 'OMG DID YOU HEAR ABOUT...?'. As I'm pretty sure none of you are having yours light up either.

The sky is not exactly falling, there is no proof of mass bannings across the shards. It is all conjecture.
especially since the op won't say what shard they are on...

but think about it for a sec, what is to gain by the op by saying, "in droves?" It is obviously affecting their pvp play style. The devs already know many might be perma-gone, by saying 'in droves' isn't gonna stop them from carrying out orders.
 

jrede23

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I dont know of any myself but maybe the devs will make a reply if any truth to it or not. Who knows what they do or will do. I asked for and evidence and he stated about half a guild. His guild, ally guild, or an enemy guild? Who knows. May be nothing to this story but it is making my post count go up :p
Well he said an enemy guild, which isnt exactly correct. It was an enemy guild in the same faction that was trying to sandwhich us (unsuccessfully I might add). However, what he says is true. I spoke to one of the members in that guild and atleast 3 ppl got perma banned last night. And it really doesnt matter what you do now. They have your information already. So if u have used ne programs in the last 1-2 months its just a waiting game to see if you get warned or perma banned. Good luck everyone

P.S. Since trammel was first invented they have slowly tried to abolish pvp from the game. After felucca there has been tram, malas, ilsh, tokuno, abyss. Not one other fel land all trammel facets. So you can see where they put their priorities. They pretty much are now going to be successful in destroying the pvp realm completely. I will not ever work a skill up, I play to fight not build skills. Luckily I havent done anything in the past 2 months. But this also means I will probably never make a new temp again and when the next abomination comes out thats even greater then mysticism. Ill go back to playin Call of duty online :p
 

Omnius

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if one continues to abuse the system thinking UO can't afford to lose 'so many people' ...that's exactly what it is. it's blackmail leverage used to aid the cheaters.
Extortion of money or something else of value from a person by the threat of exposing a criminal act or discreditable information.

I question your ability to apply rules to fact patterns if you think this is blackmail.
 

RawHeadRex

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Extortion of money or something else of value from a person by the threat of exposing a criminal act or discreditable information.

I question your ability to apply rules to fact patterns if you think this is blackmail.
actually monies are involved
 

Giggles

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What shard are you playing on Omnius? I have many finished chars on mutiple shards. Ill aska round if you tell em what shard you are on to see if any truth is to this if I may.
Well looking at the OP's post history, a fair bet would be Legends as his main shard.
 

Omnius

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what are people threatening to expose..... What discreditable information are people threatening to make public.

Lets look at the facts:
EA failed to enforce rules for nearly a decade. Players gradually began cheating more and more in response to a perceived decline in the games depth. EA begins banning people after informing what all acknowledge is a minority of the games player base. Players that have left the game decide that coming back would be unenjoyable as it would take months to engage in the activities they want to engage in. Players banned will either come back if they make a great deal of money from the game and engage in ever more elusive cheating. players banned that don't make money from the game will simply choose not to start over again, especially since it will take a significant investment of their time to do so. EA doesn't advertise so new players are unlikely to enter the playerbase or do so in what amounts to a trickle.

The conclusion based on the facts: EA is accelerating the decline of its own player base for UO. UO players did nothing even close to blackmail.
 

RawHeadRex

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what are people threatening to expose..... What discreditable information are people threatening to make public.

Lets look at the facts:
EA failed to enforce rules for nearly a decade. Players gradually began cheating more and more in response to a perceived decline in the games depth. EA begins banning people after informing what all acknowledge is a minority of the games player base. Players that have left the game decide that coming back would be unenjoyable as it would take months to engage in the activities they want to engage in. Players banned will either come back if they make a great deal of money from the game and engage in ever more elusive cheating. players banned that don't make money from the game will simply choose not to start over again, especially since it will take a significant investment of their time to do so. EA doesn't advertise so new players are unlikely to enter the playerbase or do so in what amounts to a trickle.

The conclusion based on the facts: EA is accelerating the decline of its own player base for UO. UO players did nothing even close to blackmail.
ok if it makes you feel better about being 'right'... i call it reverse blackmail. "if you expose me for my criminal actions, i'll threaten to stop paying my monthly fees." what's so hard to understand here ?
 

Omnius

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ok if it makes you feel better about being 'right'... i call it reverse blackmail. "if you expose me for my criminal actions, i'll threaten to stop paying my monthly fees." what's so hard to understand here ?
you have your own perception. The reality is closer to "if you terminate my monthly payments to you, I won't make an effort to re initiate those payments."

It's frightening when people throw around words they don't understand.
 

popps

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Folks are getting banned left and right for character development unattended macroing. This is a heads up to everyone, they are banning indiscriminately. It doesn't matter if you're training a skill, watching an area doing a player count, or doing something for financial gain. Folks are dropping like flies.

You mention character development but what about scripting for resources or for BODs or for Library Collectibles or for PvP ?

What about the hacking ?

No actions reported as being taken so far as in regards this problems ?

Personally I see character development as a way, but WAAAAAY lesser problems in regards to cheating as all of the other cheating activities.

I am surprised to see action taken as first towards the lesser problem (character development) instead of hitting hard straight on the bigger cheating (scripting and hacking....) as first.
 

Omnius

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You mention character development but what about scripting for resources or for BODs or for Library Collectibles or for PvP ?

What about the hacking ?

No actions reported as being taken so far as in regards this problems ?
scripting to engage in economic activity is almost universally accepted as being bad.
 

RawHeadRex

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you have your own perception. The reality is closer to "if you terminate my monthly payments to you, I won't make an effort to re initiate those payments."

It's frightening when people throw around words they don't understand.
but 'terminating the monthly payments' are a result of being caught in a criminal act. people cheat thinking uo can't survive without their monthly fee if they are banned so they continue to cheat. the devs aren't gonna let cheaters dictate anything.
 

popps

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no innocents are being banned, that's just more BS cheaters say to cause problems.
I'd never assume EA get anything 100% right.


Well, it is not like action has been taken overnight has it ?

I mean, for how many months have we heard that players' activities were being monitored ?

When was the now famous XL file mentioned first ? Several months ago.

There have been several months to view, review, check and double check if not triple check players' activities.

I would imagine that given the informations that were possible to be obtained over such a lengthy time allowed to make decisions over accounts with a very little margin for errors....

I am still waiting to hear, though, about actions being taken towards those who have scripted and hacked.
 

popps

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scripting to engage in economic activity is almost universally accepted as being bad.

If that is the case, then how come I hear it is so wide spread ?

Besides, there is not only scripting for ore or wood, there is also scripting for Bulk Order Deeds or for Library Collectibles as well as looting scripts or PvP scripts (healing, potions etc....).

And hacking which hurts so much PvP is not bad then ?

Personally, I think unattended character development as the least of the evils by FAR when compared to scripting and hacking..........
 

Aurelius

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I'd never assume EA get anything 100% right.

I would imagine that given the informations that were possible to be obtained over such a lengthy time allowed to make decisions over accounts with a very little margin for errors....

'Very little' is not the same as none. An unquantified 'margin of error' exists, and given some of EA's past performances, I still don't believe they will get it completely right this time around - which would be fine if they also have a proper method of investigating what has actually been going on regarding an account, can look into accurate data if someone appeals against their decisions, and are willing to take the time and make the effort to be certain they have made the right decision.

Given the inconsistency of GM decisions, apparently low emphasis on community relations and general lacklustre customer support, I genuinely doubt that process is there.
 
C

canary

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very little hacking goes on in pvp from what i can see.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Good one!
 
B

Beastmaster

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Well he said an enemy guild, which isnt exactly correct. It was an enemy guild in the same faction that was trying to sandwhich us (unsuccessfully I might add). However, what he says is true. I spoke to one of the members in that guild and atleast 3 ppl got perma banned last night. And it really doesnt matter what you do now. They have your information already. So if u have used ne programs in the last 1-2 months its just a waiting game to see if you get warned or perma banned. Good luck everyone

P.S. Since trammel was first invented they have slowly tried to abolish pvp from the game. After felucca there has been tram, malas, ilsh, tokuno, abyss. Not one other fel land all trammel facets. So you can see where they put their priorities. They pretty much are now going to be successful in destroying the pvp realm completely. I will not ever work a skill up, I play to fight not build skills. Luckily I havent done anything in the past 2 months. But this also means I will probably never make a new temp again and when the next abomination comes out thats even greater then mysticism. Ill go back to playin Call of duty online :p

Don't let the door hit you in...
 

popps

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Just what the game needs...:(

Yes, sending a strong message that cheating in Ultima Online is NOT tolerated IS what the game needs, IMHO.

When I will pick a game from the same publisher as for Ultima Online I want to BE SURE that I will play a game where people who cheat will not get away with it and, at least for me, Ultima Online is a test bed for my future online multiplayer game purchases.


Cal you issued a statement saying there were going to be warnings to players that we're found in violation of the ToS prior to permanent bannings.

Currently your not keeping your word...

Do the right thing and give players found in violation a final warning prior to a permanently banning their account.

What if the banned accounts where account found in multiple violations to which "enough is enough" was necessary ?

They have had MONTHS now to monitor accounts activities and the now famous spreadsheet that was mentioned months back can be a testimony of that.

Perhaps over these months some accounts have been identified as really gone over the top too much and they had to be banned ?

Since they have planned, studied and done the whole thing carefully, over a lenghty period of time I would imagine that the risk for errors might be very slim.

They probably once spotted suspicious accounts activity have monitored those accounts more closely and got plenty of information that led them to those decisions.

Just a guess...


I just don't see what benefit came come from banning players without at least given them a written last warning.

Well, it was pretty known that accounts' activities were being monitored for illegal activities and this was not for a week of 2, this was for months.

If players, regardless from knowing that they were being monitored for illegal activities yet kept doing them over and over well, what surprise can there be when consequences then come ??

It's not the right way to handle the situation and regardless of where you stand losing players is not healthy for the game.
Well, I'd rather have less players not cheating that more players cheating....
Besides, it can well be that more players will come back to the game now that they see that finally Ultima Online can played free of cheating (though for this I'd rather first wait to see what actions will be taken in regards to those accounts found scripting and hacking before talking about a UO finally being cheat free..).

That is, can't it be that a free of cheating Ultima Online can have more players than a cheat rigged Ultima Online ?

I support EA going after speedhackers and exploiters but not those unattending macroing or scripting. So if The Devs are going after programs that hack the client then I applaud them but I still maintain the stance that a final warning should be issued.
While I think that unattended character development is among all cheating the least that hurts the game, I think scripting is very, but VERY bad for the game.

All scripting from resources to Bulk Order Deeds, to Library Collectibles to PvP scripts (heals, potions etc...) enourmously hurt the game, IMHO, because they hurt the game play of those players who do not script, immensely.
 

Taylor

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P.S. Since trammel was first invented they have slowly tried to abolish pvp from the game. After felucca there has been tram, malas, ilsh, tokuno, abyss. Not one other fel land all trammel facets. So you can see where they put their priorities. They pretty much are now going to be successful in destroying the pvp realm completely.
No, hacking slowly killed PvP. Banning hacking is the first glimmer of hope for PvP in a long time. Let the purification begin.
 

popps

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what a great day and milestone for UO... thank you Cal and dev's. :thumbup1:


I agree and it is wonderfull that finally action is being taken against cheaters in time for Ultima Online 13th birthday.

This is a nice gift to Ultima Online, a game that was suffering from cheating for too long now.

Thank you Developers for finally helping Ultima Online get out of the cheating curse it had been digged into for too many years now.

Long life to Ultima Online !!

A cheat-free (finally) Ultima Online !!
 

popps

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keep in mind the vast majority of players are not reading websites....


But they play with other players, particularly those who play in Guilds and, therefore, the information spreads from player to player anyways.

It is called word of mouth....

It was well known that accounts' illegal activities were being monitored and not for a week or 2 but for MONTHS.

If players chose not to bother well, they took their risks and now face the consequences I guess..........
 

Zym Dragon

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keep in mind the vast majority of players are not reading websites....
This is true, but one needs to go to "websites" to download unapproved apps, and if they are doing that much, then i'll wager that they know enough to keep tabs on the UO Herald.
 
C

canary

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I agree and it is wonderfull that finally action is being taken against cheaters in time for Ultima Online 13th birthday.

This is a nice gift to Ultima Online, a game that was suffering from cheating for too long now.

Thank you Developers for finally helping Ultima Online get out of the cheating curse it had been digged into for too many years now.

Long life to Ultima Online !!

A cheat-free (finally) Ultima Online !!
OK, again... let's wait a while before we break out the bubbly. I am curious to see the long term ramifications of this IF actual bans are happening... which I hope they are.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
 
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