[Dev Update] Exploits and Bans – 10 January 2008

Creeping Carl

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by leprekan
Notion? It IS a double standard. Same EXACT type of ferry. Yet those that did it with Duncan were not banned.

It is MORE than reasonable for people to ASSUME they would not be banned given the Duncan ferry was NOT a bannable offense.

People can finger point and name call all they want. Doesn't change the bans nor does it change the fact they were unjust.
Did you not realize that ANET didnt want people to get a shortcut to such places the first few times where they closed off such exploits? How much more warning and hints do you need?

I mean gee, a shortcut to MallyX to get easy high-end stuff? How could anyone not at least figure it was a shady activity to participate in?

I MP I

I MP I

Hustler

Join Date: Nov 2006

in between GW2 servers

Mo/

117 people banned for using an exploit. Makes me smile. Nice job Anet. Just saw people in trade channel in Kamadan advertising to have those 117 people unbanned. LOL Good luck with that.

truzo 117

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2008

[ban]

P/W

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake_Steel
A breach of security does not alleviate the wrong doing of the exploiter. END OF STORY. A mistake on Anet's part DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO EXPLOIT IT! The Eula specifically says so. However, I still don't believe this "it wasn't ANY kind of hack" nonsense.
C'mon Anet knew about the hidden town for months, they were pretty much begging for it to be used. They knew it would be used and still did nothing to stop it before it happend

Clait

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2008

Braveheart World Xi [any]

W/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by I pwnd U
No the point is people cheated and skipped to the end of an elite mission. Whether by exploit or hack it doesn't matter. They breached the EULA and cheated to get mass wealth just like the dupers, who were also banned. That is the point. They cheated.
Then why does Anet continue to use a double standard? They ban people for cheating. However, they also do not ban people for doing the same thing.. cheat. I don't care if this was an exploit or hack, the bigger issue here is anet is impartial in its ruling with customers.

-Sonata-

-Sonata-

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2007

Pretty Hate Machines [NIN]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drop of Fear
nah don't go that far.
certain "Players" are just angry because a.net caught them stealing from the jam jar and they are now crying and cursing in any language they can speak
That could very well be true and I'm sure there's plenty of players out there who are making large & idle threats. Happens in every game I've been a part of the past 11 years. It's a shame.

But if Pablo is who he says he is and knows the things he says he knows, then the player who told him that they could make the game unplayable becomes a real possibility. That tells me that Anets side of the story holds a lot more fact than the other side.

Uber Mass

Uber Mass

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Netherlands

retired from gw [agro] still ftw

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by truzo 117
Thats exactly right, its a accident how it was found, the problem is Anet should have made outposts like this more secure so it was never found in the first place
Okay lets asume its found.. and its not a hack....

"finding" a "backdoor" like this is called a glitch or bug... using this "bug" over and over again is called "exploiting" or "using a bug in the game for your own benefit"

Every computer program has bugs or backdoors even and so does every game. How you act on this "bug" as a user can have consequences.

If im looking on the site of lets say Ministry of Defense... and i find a backdoor and i see stuff i shouldnt see.. i can:

- report this to the ministry
- i can use the information for my own benefit or sell it to people who want the info.

you think you can get away with the last part?

I pwnd U

I pwnd U

God of Spammers

Join Date: Oct 2005

in the middle of a burning cornfield...

Scars Meadows [SMS] (Officer)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Clait
Then why does Anet continue to use a double standard? They ban people for cheating. However, they also do not ban people for doing the same thing.. cheat. I don't care if this was an exploit or hack, the bigger issue here is anet is impartial in its ruling with customers.
On a scale of 1-10 on severity of cheating this DoA exploit ranks right up there around 9 or 10. It's bad, the ferrying people to areas they haven't been wasn't as bad, it was still bad but noat as bad. Anet can't go around banning everyone who cheats because then no one will play it beacuse at some point everyone cheats in the game. Whether they do it for their own personal game or for someone elses benifit. They have been banning people for the ones they found most severe. If they don't ban people for an exploit they didn't deem it as a bad one. This is a bad one. Suddenly people are getting ambraces quickly. It would ruin the economy. It was a breach in the EULA, therefore they get banned.

Mork from Ork

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by SolidShadow
thats how customer support works, at the end of the month they just see how many tickets they get and send a report to the supervisor.

at the end of the line, the player takes the blaim cause who cares there making millions.

and when your trying to prove your innocence you even get flamed at you.
kinda hard to behave then.
It's going be interesting to see what happens with PlayNC and ANet end of this month.

1: ANet is pretty much making squat for PLayNC until GW2 comes out - looking at a long 1 1/2 years of expecting little or no income from ANet.

2: In one month PlayNC will have received multiple complaints about Polar Bear, Bonus Mission Pack, Wintersday hats and lag, candy cane shards unable to be turned in because collectors removed before some players expected, and now this series of bans - most will not be serious support tickets but it's got to be clogging support email at the moment.

Love to be a fly on the wall next Time PlayNC execs meet with ANet.

Zeek Aran

Zeek Aran

Forge Runner

Join Date: Aug 2006

Earth, sadly

BORK

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by I pwnd U
On a scale of 1-10 on severity of cheating this DoA exploit ranks right up there around 9 or 10. It's bad, the ferrying people to areas they haven't been wasn't as bad, it was still bad but noat as bad. Anet can't go around banning everyone who cheats because then no one will play it beacuse at some point everyone cheats in the game. Whether they do it for their own personal game or for someone elses benifit. They have been banning people for the ones they found most severe. If they don't ban people for an exploit they didn't deem it as a bad one. This is a bad one. Suddenly people are getting ambraces quickly. It would ruin the economy. It was a breach in the EULA, therefore they get banned.
Bolded. Do other games have these types of problems, to this extent?

Yichi

Yichi

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Guild Hall, Vent, Guesting, PvE, or the occasional HA match...

Dark Alley [dR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by truzo 117
C'mon Anet knew about the hidden town for months, they were pretty much begging for it to be used. They knew it would be used and still did nothing to stop it before it happend
Of course they knew about the town. It was a developer town. And no, they never intended it to be used, therefore they had to stop nothing, so that card is completely false. Players found a backdoor into this area and exploited its use.

Tyla

Emo Goth Italics

Join Date: Sep 2006

Wouldn't it be smarter on ANet's part to....delete the outpost?
(note that i know nothing about programming...or developing)

truzo 117

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2008

[ban]

P/W

Quote:
Originally Posted by tyla salanari
Wouldn't it be smarter on ANet's part to....delete the outpost?
(note that i know nothing about programming)

They claim they need the oupost for the mallyx quest to function properly, but still. make it more secure

pablo24

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yichi
Of course they knew about the town. It was a developer town. And no, they never intended it to be used, therefore they had to stop nothing, so that card is completely false. Players found a backdoor into this area and exploited its use.
The fact is they knew it was possible to exploit that town.

imbanned2

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by tyla salanari
Wouldn't it be smarter on ANet's part to....delete the outpost?
(note that i know nothing about programming...or developing)
indeed.. but they didnt seems that somebody likes the drama

I pwnd U

I pwnd U

God of Spammers

Join Date: Oct 2005

in the middle of a burning cornfield...

Scars Meadows [SMS] (Officer)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeek Aran
Bolded. Do other games have these types of problems, to this extent?
I haven't played many other online games but yes I would imagine so. I have played more FPS's online then anything else and I see people using mods in it all the times. Aka 3rd party programs and such. It happens in every game. Maybe not everyone cheats in these games but in MMORPGs I am guessing that the mass majority do. It's easier to cheat in a MMORPG because exploits are easier to find and the community is a bit more tight knit then in FPS's. But even in FPS's you will find cheats or people using exploits. The wall tricks where people go and find a place where you can hide in a wall and shoot people but they can't get you. It's an exploit and they probably should be banned. So yes I do believe that other online games have the same problem and probably to that extent. No example as I have only played one MMORPG but I have talked to friends who play other ones who talk about such exploits.

Uber Mass

Uber Mass

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Netherlands

retired from gw [agro] still ftw

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by I pwnd U
I haven't played many other online games but yes I would imagine so. I have played more FPS's online then anything else and I see people using mods in it all the times. Aka 3rd party programs and such. It happens in every game. Maybe not everyone cheats in these games but in MMORPGs I am guessing that the mass majority do. It's easier to cheat in a MMORPG because exploits are easier to find and the community is a bit more tight knit then in FPS's. But even in FPS's you will find cheats or people using exploits. The wall tricks where people go and find a place where you can hide in a wall and shoot people but they can't get you. It's an exploit and they probably should be banned. So yes I do believe that other online games have the same problem and probably to that extent. No example as I have only played one MMORPG but I have talked to friends who play other ones who talk about such exploits.
yes ive been admin on several FPS games. You get a ban from the server or you get punkbusted and get a cdkey/ip ban.

rath no more

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2008

D/

well guys its been fun admitting my guild to you and talking this over in a civilized manner. more fun then gw has been lately lol. its time to hit the hay.

for everone thats been banned, dont give up deal with anet. dont be asses this is still thier game. be civilzed or it will never ever happen..

and as for the community at large that i love so much. if it brought harm to the community in any way you have my heart felt apologies, if i thought my singular actions would harm gw in anyway it never woulda happened..

take care
Wrath Grimscythe

seut

seut

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2005

Europa

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yichi
and when the way was found and became known, players that exploited the town got banned and the access to the town was shut off. So this thread has continued on this long for what reason?
if we can trust some posters in this thread (even though they are banned now), this exploit is known among a small circle of players for at least 5months..
i'm wondering, why they didn't implement some kind of alarm system, to check if somebody is creating an instance of this outpost in a non-supposed way..

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

I kind of agree with this. It's like what I said in the other thread - if I kill a monster and 100 ectos drop from it, obviously it shouldn't have happened, but I'll be damned if anyone actually thinks I should get banned for picking it up. If no actual 'hacking' took place, then this is basically an Anet screw up, and people were taking advantage of it, in a way that at least as far as I can see, isn't illegal.

garethporlest18

garethporlest18

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

[HiDe]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yichi
and when the way was found and became known, players that exploited the town got banned and the access to the town was shut off. So this thread has continued on this long for what reason?
I think he was talking about ANet knowing it was possible to exploit this town. This game has been showing many more flaws, exploit wise this past year. Wonder what's been going on.

Regardless of anything, ANet did have to do something, besides fix it. Since they can't get around to fixing anything right the first time, or fast enough..people will just do it and if others see that there aren't any consequences for these sorts of things, then we will have this stuff happening all the time. Then again it doesn't seem to matter haha.

Granted, if ANet are going to ban for one exploit they should ban for every. They might lose 50% of their population if they do that but hey.. Either face the consequences for having faulty technology in your game and lose customers or lose customers for not being consistent, lying, etc etc.

EDIT:

Great Al you're right, except these people should have been banned for taking advantage of it..BUT so should everyone else who has ever taken advantage of a bug/exploit in this game since it's start. Like I said bye bye 50% of the population.

Jake_Steel

Jake_Steel

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2007

Portland, OR

The Older Gamers (TOG)

N/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mork from Ork
It's going be interesting to see what happens with PlayNC and ANet end of this month.


2: In one month PlayNC will have received multiple complaints about Polar Bear, Bonus Mission Pack, Wintersday hats and lag, candy cane shards unable to be turned in because collectors removed before some players expected, and now this series of bans - most will not be serious support tickets but it's got to be clogging support email at the moment.

Love to be a fly on the wall next Time PlayNC execs meet with ANet.

All of this stuff is minor and very common to the sorts of complaints that Online games are inundated with every day in droves. It's not going to matter, not even a bit.

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by garethporlest18

Great Al you're right, except these people should have been banned for taking advantage of it..BUT so should everyone else who has ever taken advantage of a bug/exploit in this game since it's start. Like I said bye bye 50% of the population.
I said this in the other thread too, but...to me, this is basically the same as going into a store, and trying to buy something that has a mislabeled price on it. Not that you just put the wrong price tag on it, but someone in the store did. If you try to buy the item, one of two things will happen:

1. The store will admit their mistake, and honor the cheaper price.
2. The store will admit their mistake, and not honor the cheaper price.

Calling the cops or throwing you out of the store isn't something that anyone would do here.

If deep in the maguuma jungle there is a flower that drops an elemental sword every time it is clicked on (don't bother looking; there probably isn't) am I doing anything against the EULA by selling some or using it for myself?

Unless actual hacking was involved, this was a mistake by Anet. People were just doing something that is physically possible to do in the game.

DarkNecrid

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jul 2006

"Unless actual hacking was involved, this was a mistake by Anet. People were just doing something that is physically possible to do in the game."

Well if you would of take a minute to research it, yes, actual hacking was involved.

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkNecrid
"Unless actual hacking was involved, this was a mistake by Anet. People were just doing something that is physically possible to do in the game."

Well if you would of take a minute to research it, yes, actual hacking was involved.
Well then, that's a different story.

Commander Ryker

Site Contributor

Join Date: Jun 2005

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Great Al
If no actual 'hacking' took place, then this is basically an Anet screw up, and people were taking advantage of it, in a way that at least as far as I can see, isn't illegal.
Did you not read Gaile's post? I'll post this bit because it seems her post was too long for your mind to comprehend all at once.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
The existence of the outpost -- in hidden form -- is required to offer the Domain of Anguish. This was not a "test" and the outpost absolutely could not be "deleted when we were finished with 'testing" or "saved on some storage device." So as directly as I can say it to those offering unfounded opinions: Deleting the outpost disables the entire Domain of Anguish mission. Therefore, let's be fair and not blame ArenaNet because someone hacked his client!
Quote:
Originally Posted by garethporlest18
Also don't you find it funny how they tried to cover up their mistakes by saying someone hacked?
Actually, what I find funny is all these cheaters trying to blame anet for their cheating.

garethporlest18

garethporlest18

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

[HiDe]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Great Al
I said this in the other thread too, but...to me, this is basically the same as going into a store, and trying to buy something that has a mislabeled price on it. Not that you just put the wrong price tag on it, but someone in the store did. If you try to buy the item, one of two things will happen:

1. The store will admit their mistake, and honor the cheaper price.
2. The store will admit their mistake, and not honor the cheaper price.

Calling the cops or throwing you out of the store isn't something that anyone would do here.

If deep in the maguuma jungle there is a flower that drops an elemental sword every time it is clicked on (don't bother looking; there probably isn't) am I doing anything against the EULA by selling some or using it for myself?

Unless actual hacking was involved, this was a mistake by Anet. People were just doing something that is physically possible to do in the game.
Yeah I agree with you. But isn't abusing/using an exploit against the EULA? So I'm just saying Anet should be fair in their bannings. (yes I would be banned as well for exploiting).

Also don't you find it funny how they tried to cover up their mistakes by saying someone hacked?

dargon

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: May 2005

The Seraphim Knights [TSK]

R/

Ok, two things

1.) just because you've done 'nice things' for players in the game, does not mean you have the right take advantage of bugs / hacks / exploits / etc, there is no such thing as a Get Out of Jail Free card in Guild Wars

2.) there is no written in stone policy on exploits, etc and how they are handled for 1 simple reason, way to many people would abuse that knowledge to hell and back. They'd push the limits right up to that final line, knowing that unless they crossed it, they'll get away without consequence. By leaving things as they are now, people have a better reason to not be dumbasses, you think twice about being stupid when you are well aware that it could bite you on the ass. Obviously, a few people got bit within the last 48 hours and now they want to complain that they have a sore ass. Some of them may be justified, but some of them most certainly are not.

maraxusofk

maraxusofk

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

San Francisco, UC Berkeley

International District [id多], In Soviet Russia Altar Caps You [CCCP], LOL at [eF]

W/

lol dont u love how most of the people protesting the bans are people whose guru accounts are relatively new?

for people that did abuse this, consider this real life example. if a bank explodes and the money in it is scattered about, u would have an opportunity to take that money, similar to a security vulnerability in real life. if u did take that money, u would be guilty of stealing. in this game, if u did exploit a vulnerablit, u would be guilty regardless of the opportunity popping up. people who justify the action as saying anet left it open so its not their fault for abusing it (even though such actions is against the EULA) is like criminals who say "its not my fault i robbed this person's house, they left their door open"

lishi

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Great Al
I said this in the other thread too, but...to me, this is basically the same as going into a store, and trying to buy something that has a mislabeled price on it. Not that you just put the wrong price tag on it, but someone in the store did. If you try to buy the item, one of two things will happen:

1. The store will admit their mistake, and honor the cheaper price.
2. The store will admit their mistake, and not honor the cheaper price.

Calling the cops or throwing you out of the store isn't something that anyone would do here.

If deep in the maguuma jungle there is a flower that drops an elemental sword every time it is clicked on (don't bother looking; there probably isn't) am I doing anything against the EULA by selling some or using it for myself?

Unless actual hacking was involved, this was a mistake by Anet. People were just doing something that is physically possible to do in the game.
scamming is something physically possible to do in the game as well

Arch the

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2006

Canada

still error 45 :/

Meta4ik

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2008

Border City Bandits

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkNecrid
"Unless actual hacking was involved, this was a mistake by Anet. People were just doing something that is physically possible to do in the game."

Well if you would of take a minute to research it, yes, actual hacking was involved.
No actually a vast majority of the players banned were ferried via GH. maybe you should research some correct info.

garethporlest18

garethporlest18

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

[HiDe]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elentari
You know, if idiots like you just read the first post where the devs explain the issue you'd have a better understanding of the situation and there would be about 80% less useless posts in this thread
Actually no it wouldn't, as certain posts in this thread uncover the fact some of Anet's customers know more about their game then they do and/or uncover the fact Anet doesn't tell us everything that they should (to be courteous/good businessmen (don't know the word I want to use..).

Meta4ik

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2008

Border City Bandits

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elentari
You know, if idiots like you just read the first post where the devs explain the issue you'd have a better understanding of the situation and there would be about 80% less useless posts in this thread
You do realize that this more likely than not it was a Dev who was pissed off or wanted to help a friend ferried him over to the town. If Anet's claims that the game was secure once again then how were they able to do it?

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elentari
You know, if idiots like you just read the first post where the devs explain the issue you'd have a better understanding of the situation and there would be about 80% less useless posts in this thread
Like this one? As someone just said, the majority of the people involved did no hacking whatsoever.


IMO, this is similar to the situation when people got banned for buying items for cheap that were duplicated. There's a lot of gray area when it comes to banning in this game, especially permanent banning.

SolidShadow

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

holland

Mo/Me

In the passed of GuildWars more of such things happend even at a larger scale, for example instant merchant price crashes.

Back then they chose to do a restore of a few hours ago, why in this senario wasnt the problem fixed and restored.

So far in this thread it shows that 1 guy made a hack program. After he started taxing random people everyone got involved with it not even knowing they acutally useing 3rd party software getting illegal in there.

So far i can say its just a technical bug , cause it is fixed now, kinda sad for the people who got involved and got banned with only the arguments of you should have known you have been wrong.

And for the people who think they exploided something, if these players really knew they where doing something wrong: then why everyone uses there primary accounts.

For example i have 5 accounts myself, some have over 8 accounts. If you ever think about hacking i mean everyone has the brains not even doing such stuff on there main account risking it to be banned.

garethporlest18

garethporlest18

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

[HiDe]

W/

SolidShadow the reason they didn't rollback is because that would make nearly everyone who plays this game unhappy, while them just banning folks makes a lesser percentage of people happy.

For example:

95% unhappy with rollback
40% unhappy with bannings. (more like 25% in this case since everyone seems to enjoy it.)

Erm that and the fact that they didn't/can't fix it. So they have to scare people from using it cause they're unable to fix haha.

Uber Mass

Uber Mass

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2006

The Netherlands

retired from gw [agro] still ftw

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by SolidShadow
And for the people who think they exploided something, if these players really knew they where doing something wrong: then why everyone uses there primary accounts.
i think people are dumb enough to exploit with their primary account.. and not all of GW world has 2 accounts... and further back you can read that people with 2 accounts got both their accounts back..

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Commander Ryker
Actually, what I find funny is all these cheaters trying to blame anet for their cheating.
Seriously. From the posts in this thread, you'd swear all these people were standing around serving meals to the homeless and tending to sick orphans when Anet snuck up behind them and hit them in the head with the banhammer.

It's not impossible for Anet to make mistaken bans, I think Bryant Again has been banned 40+ times now wrongfully, but I'm willing to bet the majority of these bans were justified. Drop the halos, they don't suit you.

Yichi

Yichi

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Guild Hall, Vent, Guesting, PvE, or the occasional HA match...

Dark Alley [dR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SolidShadow
So far i can say its just a technical bug , cause it is fixed now, kinda sad for the people who got involved and got banned with only the arguments of you should have known you have been wrong.

And for the people who think they exploided something, if these players really knew they where doing something wrong: then why everyone uses there primary accounts.
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...&postcount=988

already pointed out that it should have been kind of blatently obvious.....

SolidShadow

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

holland

Mo/Me

it didnt happen to me, but my point of view would be , wauw this is cool lets play.

thats also why im defending there positions.