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Vigilante Meridian 59 players wage war against pirate servers
Meridian 59 is a game with a pirate problem. A while back, the server source code leaked onto the internet and seedy players began hosting their own servers without subscription fees. Pirate servers are a problem for many MMOs, but because of M59's comparatively small scale, it has a lot more to lose to the trend.Amidst these troubles, some M59 players can be quite loyal. Case in point: the blog of game developer Patrick Rogers tells the story of two former M59 players hacking into a pirate server and mass-killing all its residents with powerful admin commands. The vigilantes hoped to make life (and death) on the pirate servers as unpleasant as possible so as to encourage the residents to migrate to the legitimate servers hosted by Near Death Studios. That's not the most amazing bit, though.
Breakfast Topic: Skeletons in the closet
It looks like Blizzard is busting out the ban hammer in full force. Last week is was on point sellers (and buyers) in the arena this week they're bashing down Glider users. There was a lot of noise on the forums last week from folks that felt they were unjustly punished. I'm sure we'll hear similar stories as a fallout from the glider events. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy all over when cheaters get their due. But it also makes me worry that the witch hunt might go too far. Here at WoW Insider we make it a point to be kind of hush hush about exploits, since we have no desire to lead anyone astray. (This is why we said very little about things like the Fire Nova Totem or Snake Trap exploits). The way I see it is if you don't do anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about. We've all repeatedly agreed to the terms of use.
Mass bannings strike Glider users
We've gotten more tips on this than any other topic in recent memory: apparently many users of the popular WoW botting program Glider have been hit with the ban hammer, including some of our very own readers. You may recall Glider as the company with whom Blizzard is currently embroiled in a lawsuit (does the word "embroil" have any use other than lawsuits?). The Glider forums are abuzz with comments and complaints, to which I can only reply "QQ." Botting is clearly against the EULA, the spirit of the game, and the best interests of the other players. Yes, I would be sad if I got banned, but honestly, anyone who was botting had it coming. There are various objections to be made to this stance. Most of the people who wrote in claim to have been botting in order to bypass the tedious leveling process. I agree that it can be boring to level 1–70 multiple times, even with the new, faster 20–60 process. However, that doesn't make it OK to cheat. Others claim that with fewer bots in the system, the supply of primals will be reduced and therefore the price will go up; I'm not much of a WoW economist, so I'll leave that to others. But to this blogger, banning botters can only be interpreted as a good thing: some cheaters got what they deserved. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to sound off in the comments. And if you are a botter yourself, and haven't gotten banned yet, I'd advise you to stop -- they're clearly getting serious about this.
Blizzard cracks down on arena win trading
We already know that Blizzard is tweaking arena rules to make it much tougher to artificially inflate your rating by win trading or buying high ranked teams in Season 4, but it looks like they're starting to take it one step further, by cracking down on people who indulge in it. Reports are coming in from the official forums and from other spots around the web of people getting bans or suspensions (generally 72 hours in length) and having their Season 3 arena gear stripped. The bans are even permanent in some cases, such as that of Sinther of Stormscale, whose account was permanently banned when his friend used it to do some win-trading, with the win trading given as the specific reason for his banning. You can read many of these stories and reports in this forum thread.
School cellphone ban upheld by New York court
Ruh roh kiddos, looks like you'll still be asked to hand over your cellie before checking into first period in New York. Based on a recent decision handed down by a NY court, the controversial ban on cellphones on school property will continue to remain in effect, much to the chagrin of paranoid parents and text-happy students. The report made mention that the complaints over taking away kids' "lifelines" in school were not justifiable, and it restated just how many incidents had been reported where mobiles were used for harassment on school grounds. As expected, livid parents aren't likely to accept the results and get on with things, with the NY Daily News reporting that said folks may take the issue "to the state's highest court."[Via CNET, image courtesy of MSNBC]
Laser pointers banned in New South Wales after rash of attacks on pilots
Here's a tip: you should probably leave that handy-dandy laser pointer at home when heading off to vacation in New South Wales. As of today, the Australian state has placed high-powered hand lasers, including the infamous "star pointers," on the list of prohibited weapons, and anyone caught carrying such a device without a permit could face up to 14 years in the slammer. The move comes after an outbreak of laser pointer attacks on airplane pilots, which have left them temporarily blinded and could have caused some pretty catastrophic consequences. Looks like those Aussie kids will have to find some other gizmos to carry out their high school hijinks, huh?[Via Switched]
Bully ban means no virtual wedgies in Brazil
Brazil seems to be having a lot of censorship issues lately, but in terms of video games, Bully is the most recent victim.According to an Associated Press article, Judge Flavio Rabello recently ordered that Rockstar's controversial game be banned from the country. This means that Brazilian stores (both brick and mortar and online) cannot sell the software, nor can the title be imported, distributed, or promoted.So, why Bully over other violent games? State prosecutor Alcindo Bastos commented, "The aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school. That is not acceptable." Yet, Bully isn't first game to be prohibited in the Latin American country; earlier this year, Counter-Strike and Everquest were banned as well.It's a shame when governments don't take the time to understand something before following a knee-jerk reaction. Perhaps bullying is a touchy subject, since the issue involves children committing violence against other children, but pretending it doesn't exist by banning media that portrays it won't solve any problems. Gallery: Bully [Via Game Politics]
Brazil bans Bully
No sooner does Rockstar finally succeed in getting Manhunt 2 unbanned in the UK than another Rockstar game gets banned in another country. This time around it's Bully: Scholarship Edition that's been banned by a Brazilian judge, as the AP is reporting.According to the report, the ban prevents the game from "being imported, distributed, sold or promoted on Web sites and stores" in the country. Brazilian distributors and retailers will have thirty days to comply with the ban, which came in response to a request from a Brazilian youth center. "The aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school" said prosecutor Alcindo Bastas. "That is not acceptable."A Take-Two spokesman said the decision "will not have a material impact on the sales of this popular title." We're relatively sure this is not the last we'll hear from the publisher about this matter.
Manhunt actually getting released in UK
The perpetually banned Manhunt 2 will finally be released in the UK, after a lengthy battle against the BBFC. David Cooke, president of the BBFC stated: "As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they always involve a complex balance of considerations. We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk. "However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an '18' certificate to the game."Rockstar must be relieved that their game can finally be released -- however, after all the legal battles, we wonder if anyone will buy the poorly-reviewed title.[Thanks, Bill!]
Australia may receive R-rating for games, fewer bans
The Sunburnt Country has never been a very friendly place for video games with adult content. With a maximum game rating of MA15+, games which are deemed unsuitable for the pubescent, corruptible senses of a 15-year-old are often refused classification, and therefore banned. Several North American best-sellers have fallen victim to Australian banning, or been forced to release censored versions for the land down under, such as GTA III, Postal, Manhunt, and (preemptive attack!) Dark Sector.Luckily for gaming Aussies (50 percent of which are over the age of 18), government officials are considering the addition of an R18+ rating, allowing the sale of more mature titles. This proposition will be discussed at the next Standing Committee of Attorneys-General on March 28. Should the system undergo the change, for the first time in Australian video games, there will be blood, nudity, and strong language. You know, the good stuff.
Breakfast Topic: Alterac Valley, day one
It hasn't been long since Blizzard announced they were implementing harsher policies on Alterac Valley AFKers, but being as it's the weekend and, I imagine, many people are using their off hours to get in some honor-grinding time, today we're asking whether you think it's helping. The change is already getting mixed reviews on the forums with responses ranging from "I won't play AV anymore for fear of getting banned" to "Thank you, Blizzard! This is everything we wanted!" So what's your opinion -- is this change going to solve the problem of AFKers in AV or just cause new problems? Jump into AV for a while and tell us what you think!
DOT bans checked, loose lithium batteries on flights
If you've been feeling like you didn't already have enough zany and / or pointless Department of Transportation rules to abide by, you're in luck! Starting January 1st, 2008, you can no longer pack "loose lithium batteries" into your checked luggage on flights. If your battery is attached to a device -- or is packed into a plastic bag -- you're okay. According to the report, "Common consumer electronics such as travel cameras, cell phones, and most laptop computers are still allowed in carry-on and checked luggage," though, "The rule limits individuals to bringing only two extended-life spare rechargeable lithium batteries, such as laptop and professional audio/video/camera equipment lithium batteries in carry-on baggage." The new ban is related to lithium batteries' propensity to explode, and not due to any terrorism concerns. We're not sure what they're getting at with that plastic bag rule, but this should make everyone's already complicated travel plans just slightly more annoying.[Via Gadling, image by rbrwr]
City of Chicago sued for illegally ticketing in-car yappers
So, you've got an outstanding ticket from talking while behind the wheel in Chicago, do you? Meet attorney Blake Horwitz, who is now likely to be the best friend you don't even know. Reportedly, Mr. Horwitz is suing the city and claiming that arrests of citizens caught driving and talking were in fact illegal, and furthermore, he's demanding that Chicago "dismiss any outstanding tickets and refund almost $2 million in fines collected since 2005." Apparently, the actual law that prevents users from yapping and motoring requires that the city erect signs that instruct drivers not to converse while driving, yet such signs have purportedly not been posted across Chi-town. The devil's in the details, we suppose.[Image courtesy of ImportTuner]
Microsoft begins new round of Xbox Live bans
Heads up, Xbox 360 tinkerers -- it appears that Microsoft is bringing out the ban hammer once again. According to a thread on an Xbox-Scene forum, users are having their Live wrists slapped left, right, and center due to "bad discs" (i.e., non 1:1 copies of games). Initially, the problem seemed to be modified DVD firmware, but it now appears the cause is due to game data that isn't properly copied, or has been "touched" in some manner. Keep in mind, these are console bans, as opposed to Live account bans, which is a minor amount of good news. The forums are abuzz with profane indictments of Microsoft and calls for heads on platters (okay, it's not that bad) -- but mostly everyone is just waiting to see where the next hit will come from. You've been warned, folks.
Singapore un-bans Mass Effect
The Singapore Media Developmental Authority has reversed its decision to ban Mass Effect from the country. The game will go on sale next week and have an M18 rating. According to The Strait Times, the Board of Film Censors will selectively use game ratings on high-profile games until January, when they expect to initiate a game classification system.The decision to ban the game earlier this week spurred from a lesbian love scene found in BioWare's anticipated RPG. The Strait Times also noted that Assassin's Creed was released this week with a rating for graphic violence.
Officers' Quarters: Chased out of guild chat
Every Monday Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership. Barrens chat. Someday, if WoW becomes popular enough, that phrase could become immortalized in the English language as a synonym for childish, pointless, and offensive blather. Whether it's public offers to cyber or waxing poetic about Chuck Norris' roundhouse kick velocity, if you've ever leveled a Horde toon in the Barrens, you've heard it all. It's one thing to put up with such nonsense for 10 levels. It's quite another to endure it day after day from members of your own guild. What if your guild chat was little better than Barrens chat? Today's letter is from an officer facing this grim situation. Hi Scott, Thanks for all the great articles at WoW Insider. You do a fantastic job! I have a question for you that hopefully you have some insight on [. . .] I'm a member of a successful guild whose core members know each other in real life and have gamed as a group since before WoW. I've been with them since late 2004, and while we've had our ups and down as a guild, having a core like this has kept us alive through it all. I'm now an officer and a raid leader, so I have quite a bit of leverage in the guild. We have never had any written-down rules about how you should play your character or act while in guild. We stress the basics that any guild should abide by [. . .] We're on a pvp server, and many of the members come into the game to unwind from their daily stress. As such, guild chat can be extremely vulgar. There was one instance a long, long time ago where a black member of the guild gquit because of a few guys BS'ing on gchat and using the 'N' word. I think that day has been forgotten. Gchat has been rife with some pretty controversial word use lately, and I've just been approached by one or two concerned guildies.
Microsoft shuns XBL account sharing
Rocking in his comfortable, leather office chair, Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb scours the landscape viewed through his widescreen computer monitor, his hand gently resting on an enormous and ominous banhammer. ... okay, maybe it's not Major Nelson personally banning accounts (although we love the scene we've envisioned), but the director of programming for Xbox Live has delivered a rather stern message to the community about the consequences of sharing and/or tampering with Xbox Live accounts. We're not sure what exactly prompted the public warning, although there is a specific reference to people sharing gamertags for the purpose of earning Halo 3 skulls (tsk, tsk people). The short answer: just don't do it. If you need more motivation, Major Nelson outlines what will happen should Microsoft have to go to the pain on you. [Via X3F]
Japan bans wireless mice, headphones and gaming systems from flights
We may not mind having to do without our precious Nintendo DS and wireless cans for awhile if there's in-flight WiFi to keep us occupied, but until then, this new measure is sure to annoy. Reportedly, "passengers on commercial planes [in Japan] are no longer allowed to play games using wireless connections with handheld consoles," which of course would include the DS and Sony's PSP. Moreover, it was said that folks were also not allowed to use personal headphones and mice that were cordless, further cramping our ability to slip into a personal electronic heaven while cruising the friendly skies. Ah well, here's to hoping that the attendants aren't exactly strict with the new rules, eh?[Via Joystiq]
Microsft confirms no bans for playing Halo 3 [update]
Update 2: A Microsoft rep has confirmed to Joystiq: "We are not banning people."[Previous headline: Rumor: MS banning its employees for playing Halo 3]Update: Pro-G now reports that a second Microsoft rep has contacted the site to say the ban only applies to MS employees and consumers will not be affected. Pro-G is still awaiting the official explanation.[Original headline: Rumor: MS to freeze Live accounts playing Halo 3]We're still gathering info, so at this point we're mostly giving a heads-up to those who may have gotten their hands on Halo 3 early. Pro-G reports that a Microsoft rep had confirmed to them that gamers who play Halo 3 early will have their Live accounts banned. Not connecting to the net won't help either because the console tracks when the game was played, so according to this rep the first time you connect to Live they'll know. Microsoft is preparing an official statement on the issue, according to Pro-G.If true, this opens up a big scary can of "Big Brother is watching" for us. Why should consumers be punished for the actions of retailers who sell the game early? We're going to wait for the official statement from Microsoft, but if you happened to have gotten lucky and have Halo 3 in your possession, either don't stick it in your console just yet, or tell us if you get banned. We're a bit skeptical about this as well because we've played Halo 3 (with permission) and it's been linked to our gamertags, which haven't necessarily been registered as "press" with Microsoft. As such, the alleged banning can't be done automatically. Will Microsoft really be doing a case-by-case banathon? We'll update as soon as we get the official statement.
Schwarzenegger signs ban on teen cell phone use while driving
Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't as much fun as a Governor as he was in The Terminator... just ask California's teen drivers. The former action movie star has signed a new bill -- which we told you about in August -- into law, making it illegal for anyone aged 16 or 17 to use a mobile phone, pager, laptop, or handheld computer while driving a vehicle. Effective July 1, 2008 (the same day that California's ban on non-hands-free mobile-use while driving takes effect), the state will begin to fine offenders $20 for their first incident, and $50 for each recurrent violation. The law is targeting teen drivers due to the wealth of statistics that demonstrate young motorists are more likely to end up in car accidents which result in death. According to reports, 13.6-percent of all fatal accidents are caused by teenagers, and studies show that car crashes are the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 16-19. "The simple fact is that teenage drivers are more easily distracted," said Schwarzenegger in a statement, adding, "We want to eliminate any extra distractions so they can focus on paying attention to the road and being good drivers." He then paused and remarked, "We just don't want to say 'Hasta la vista, baby' to young drivers anymore."
