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EA and Origin plug up unintended game giveaway
EA hosted a survey this past weekend that, when finished, awarded a nice prize: A code to download one free game, under $20, on the company's digital distribution site Origin. Just a few things went wrong, however.It turns out the codes distributed weren't matched up to a specific Origin account; they could be used by anyone. Oh, and the codes worked multiple times, which means users could download as many under-$20 games as they wanted. Oh, and one more thing: Reddit figured all of this out.As you can imagine, all hell broke loose on Origin, as what must have been thousands of users downloaded games like Dead Space 2, Burnout Paradise, Sim City 4, and Mass Effect 2 for exactly zero dollars. The site went down, and when it came back up the codes (which were supposed to work until October 21) had been disabled. Not only that, but all promo codes have been disabled for the time being, apparently.There's no word on if EA will still honor the codes from the survey [see update: They will], or if there will be a new system in place at all, but we can almost guarantee that whatever solution EA comes up with, the IT team will probably have double- and triple-checked it for security, just to be sure. We've contacted EA for comment on what its plans are, and will let you know if we hear anything more.Update: EA has gotten back in touch to say that those users who completed the survey will be getting new codes via email soon, to provide the specified discount. In other words, no more stealing allowed.
Thieves smash car into Leawood, Kansas Apple Store
If you can't strong-arm your way past Apple's security, smash your car into the store instead. That's what someone or a group of people did at the Apple Store in Leawood, Kan., early this morning. Fox 4 from Kansas City reports that police are looking for a suspect or multiple suspects that rammed a stolen Dodge into the front window of the Apple Store, grabbed merchandise and ran off. Police have not released a list of what was stolen as of yet. It's not the first time this has happened to the Kansas City-area location. In 2010, the same thing happened at the same store, a commenter notes in this story of a similar smash and grab in Portland, but that time iPhones were stolen. Since then, the store has installed security gates.
Samsung asks for South Korean injunction against LG for allegedly stealing OLED tech
LG and Samsung have had to live with each other as cornerstones of the South Korean economy, but that uncomfortable balance might just have been knocked off-kilter through an escalating legal battle. Samsung has filed for an injunction against LG for supposedly coercing 11 Samsung researchers (already indicted in July) into leaking the secrets behind its OLED screens, including 18 pieces of technology and 21 related documents. The accuser wants 1 billion won (about $879,771) in compensation for every piece of technology that might have slipped out. Suffice it to say that LG isn't happy with being labeled as a thief -- it notes that LG screens use white OLEDs instead of Samsung's RGB technique, reducing its incentive to swipe anything Samsung makes. LG even contends that Samsung is just trying to hide its embarrassment at losing OLED TV demo units that were headed to IFA 2012. Without a clear resolution in sight, there's every indication the legal dispute could become very ugly.
Capcom confirms Polish copies of Resident Evil 6 stolen
Capcom has stated the recent sale of Resident Evil 6 before its launch date in Poland is an "unfortunate incident" involving stolen goods. The publisher told Eurogamer that the situation is "limited to a small quantity of stolen copies of the German USK PlayStation 3 version of the game."The publisher is currently conducting a "thorough investigation" into the matter, which saw copies of the game go on sale in the Polish city of Poznan last week. The game isn't intended to be released at retail until October 2.Eurogamer also points out that one person is currently trying to sell a stolen copy on eBay. For anyone thinking of getting involved in that, let us just slide this article regarding knowingly possessing or trafficking in stolen goods right here.
The Daily Grind: Do you immediately change your password when there's news of a hack?
Sadly, we hear more and more about hacking, phishing, and password theft these days in our favorite MMOs. When an outbreak occurs, blame is distributed to the usual suspects, but many times it breaks down to simple account housekeeping. The warnings come through, and we're all told to change our passwords immediately. Authenticators are sold in record number, and many people take the precautions they wish they had from the start. But are you one of the newly cautious? Do you take measure to protect your account the second you hear of a hacking outbreak, or do you figure it can't happen to you? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
EVE Evolved: Making your first billion ISK
A lot of the people I introduce to EVE Online ask about the possibility of playing for free by buying game time codes with in-game ISK. It's a legitimate way to turn EVE into a free-to-play game, but the rising price tag of a 30-day PLEX can make it seem as if only veteran players can afford to do it. New players typically scrape together just a few million ISK by the end of their free trial periods, making the 500 million per month required to pay via PLEX seem like a tall order. With the right guidance, a new player can actually pull in over a billion ISK in his first month or two of play and quickly become able to afford a PLEX each month. Farming missions requires a bit of time investment but can pull in 20-30 million ISK per hour once you're set up, and exploration and salvaging can lead to some unexpected big hauls. There are also plenty of newbie-friendly corps that run group activities, and those who aren't interested in grinding to their first billion ISK might try their hands at trading or turn to a life of crime. It's all possible in the sandbox. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give some practical tips on making your first billion ISK, from scraping together the seed capital to buy your first big ship to reliable farming methods and some more underhanded methods.
Steve Jobs' stolen iPad used by street performer
To close out the work week, here is a story from the Mercury News about the late Steve Jobs's iPad and how it landed in the hands of a middle-aged performer known as Kenny the Clown. As the story goes, professional clown Kenneth Kahn was given an iPad by his friend Kariem McFarlin. He thought McFarlin had bought a new iPad and was giving him an older device. Like any good clown, Kahn loaded the iPad with some music and used it in his Bay area performances. "I didn't notice anything special or anything like that," said Kahn to the Mercury News. It was only a few days later that McFarlin was arrested for burglarizing Steve Jobs's vacant house. As soon as McFarlin was in custody, police came knocking on Kahn's door to retrieve the stolen iPad and return it to Jobs's family. Kahn had no idea that the device he was holding once belonged to the Apple co-founder. "It would be like getting a football from Joe Montana that was stolen out of his house," Kahn told the Mercury News, "It's bizarre; it's really bizarre." We would have to agree. [Image from Flickr member mark falardeau]
Early builds of Divinity games stolen from Gamescom
Two PCs holding early builds of Divinity: Dragon Commander and Divinity: Original Sin have been stolen from Larian Studios' booth at Gamescom, possibly by jerks. Larian sent a press release out, seeking information on the whereabouts of the PCs and the alleged jerks who did it. To that end, the developer is offering a $5000 reward."The team is using backup PCs, so no issues there," Larian reports. This is all reminiscent of PAX 2010, when a thief attempted to copy early code for the game Breach from one of Atomic Studios' computers. That attempt ended in an arrest and, eventually, probation.
Student faces 15 years in prison over RuneScape robbery at gunpoint
What would you do if someone put a gun to your head and demanded that you hand over all your RuneScape gold? Fordham University students David Emani and Jonathan Dokler found out first hand when they were robbed of 4.7 billion RuneScape coins at gunpoint. Fellow student Humza Bajwa first attempted to buy the coins from the pair with an envelope full of counterfeit money. When confronted about the fake cash, Bajwa then put an air pistol that resembled a real firearm to Emani's head and ordered him to phone Dokler and tell him to transfer the coins. Though the gun wasn't a real firearm and only virtual property was stolen, Bajwa was later arrested by local police and charged with second-degree robbery and grand larceny. RuneScape developer Jagex doesn't condone the sale of coins for cash, but sales aren't illegal and the stolen coins could fetch around $3,300 US on the black market. In January, the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that a similar theft of virtual property in RuneScape at knifepoint did constitute theft as the items required an investment of time and energy to acquire. If convicted, Bajwa faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years for his crimes.
Undercover 5: the best way to secure and recover a stolen Mac
A few years ago I wrote about Orbicule's Undercover 4 software. Undercover lets you remotely track and monitor a missing Mac, and can even help you recover your stolen gear. Given the Mac security issues in the news over the last few days, it's worthwhile reviewing some best practices to help keep your Mac as secure as it can be. That's why I'm happy to tell you that Orbicule has come out with a brand new version of its security and recovery software: Undercover 5. Undercover is sometimes compared to iCloud's Find My iPhone/iPad/Mac feature. However, Apple's Find My device feature pales compared to Orbicule's Undercover 5. Load the software on your computer and it silently runs in the background constantly monitoring your Mac's location. Should your Mac go missing, you can go to www.undercoverhq.com and start tracking your Mac remotely. From the Undercover HQ center you can see the current and past locations of your Mac, quietly activate your Mac's FaceTime camera to take photos of the thief, and quietly take screenshots so you can see what the thief is doing at any given time. All of this is done incognito, so the temporary new custodian of your laptop won't have any idea that they're being monitored every moment. But the best feature about Undercover 5 is that you can now activate a keylogger, so every single thing the thief types -- from Facebook usernames and passwords, to instant messages, to emails to his accomplices and/or parole officer are all logged and sent back to you to view in your Undercover HQ dashboard. After you've collected FaceTime pics, geolocations, screenshots, and keylog files (all shown automatically in your "Thief Report" section of the Undercover HQ center) you can quickly and simply submit all this information to the local police. But what's even cooler -- and a bit out of a Hollywood movie -- is that if the police can't recover the stolen Mac, you can always resort to Undercover's aptly named "Plan B." Plan B allows you to launch a simulated hardware failure on your Mac so the thief has no choice but to take it into an Apple Store for repair. Once you track it to the Apple Store (or Best Buy or wherever) you then activate part two of plan B -- you tell the Mac to display a message on the screen saying the Mac has been stolen and the repair shop should hold onto it and call the police. I cannot recommend Undercover 5 enough. It's especially important for those of you who just splashed all that cash on a MacBook Pro with Retina display, but at only US$49.00 for one license (licenses of 5 for $59.00 or 25 Macs for $299 are available -- as are student discounts) every owner of any kind of Mac should purchase Undercover 5. And for those of you wondering, Undercover 5 cannot be deleted off your Mac without your administrator password and even then the thief would need to know that Undercover is actually installed, which is very hard to know since there is no app icon or any kind of System Preference settings. Undercover is kind of like Batman; it works silently in the background and the bad guy never knows it's there until it's too late (sure, a thief could restore your Mac, but that's impossible to do if you set a firmware password). Check out the video below that shows how Undercover 5 works, then do yourself a favor and buy the software. If your Mac is ever nicked, you'll thank yourself for it.
EVE Evolved: Sandboxes make the best stories
Every MMO has stories to tell, some written by developers and told through quest content and others created by players through everyday gameplay. Themepark MMOs lead every player through the same fictional story and give no real control over the outcome, but I have to wonder whether the effort invested in that story is even worth it. MMOs are meant to have long-term replayability, and a linear story is new only the first time you play through it. After a while, players find themselves skipping dialogue, ignoring quest text, and grinding yet another character to the endgame. In contrast, sandbox MMOs tend to eschew their own storylines in favour of letting players make it up as they go along. Sandbox MMO EVE Online has spawned some incredible tales and videos over its lifetime, with stories of political goings-on, wars, and record heists hitting the news every year without fail. EVE stories usually also appeal to many people who don't even play the game, an effect uncommon in other MMOs. It's not often that the in-game exploits of a themepark MMO guild will reach the media or generate the same level of interest as a big EVE story, so what is the magic sauce that makes stories from EVE so appealing? In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at some of the best stories and videos from EVE Online and ask why EVE continues to grip us with its stories and themepark MMOs don't.
Subway iPad theft leaves reporter with broken jaw
A new iPad, iPhone or other shiny electronic device is an attractive target for thieves, as Wall Street Journal reporter Rolfe Winkler now knows first-hand. But there are a few simple tactics to reduce your chances of having a device stolen from you, and the mobile industry is looking at further ways to make electronic devices less attractive targets for thieves. Winkler and a date were on a NYC subway train looking at an ebook while the train slowed and stopped at the Bergen Street station in Brooklyn. When a thief ripped the iPad out of his date's hands, Winkler instinctively chased after him, only to run into the thief's backup team on the platform. "Instead of winning back the iPad, I found myself lying on the platform bleeding, my jaw split in half," said Winkler. While Winkler ended up eating through a straw for a month, it could have been much worse; in 2011 a Chicago woman died after an iPhone thief caused her to fall down the stairs of a commuter rail station. Winkler is one of many victims of "Apple picking." With used iPads and iPhones picking up as much as $400 on the secondhand market, electronics thefts are climbing. Winkler's story in the Wall Street Journal notes that in Washington, D.C. alone, cellphone-related robberies climbed 54 percent between 2007 and 2011, and over 26,000 thefts were reported in New York in the first 10 months of 2011. Device blacklists are one way that the mobile industry is planning to fight theft. When a phone or tablet is reported stolen, the device's ID number can be entered into a carrier database. If someone tries to activate the device later, the blacklist would show that it is stolen and the carrier denies service. At present, only Sprint and Verizon have a blacklist in place, and AT&T and T-Mobile are planning to join up next year. In fact, by October of 2013, the four largest U.S. cellular carriers plan to have a unified blacklist up and running. In the meantime, there are other common-sense steps iPad and iPhone owners can take to keep their equipment -- and themselves -- safe. First, don't become so absorbed in what you're reading or doing that you aren't aware of the people around you. Many criminals are looking for victims who are totally unaware of them; occasionally peeking up from behind the screen and making eye contact with others in the area is a good idea. Next, don't make a big deal about showing off your device when you don't know the area. If you're in an unfamiliar part of town traveling on foot, waving an iPhone around is inadvisable. Finally, if you end up being a victim of electronics theft, be sure to report the theft to the authorities immediately, and then follow up to safeguard your personal information. You did set a passcode on your device, didn't you? And did you turn on Find My iPhone/iPad, so that you can give police an indication of the location of your stolen device and force a wipe of your personal info? While a determined criminal may be impossible to deter, some common sense about showing off high-priced electronics in public places might be just the thing to keep yourself from monetary loss or, in Winkler's case, injury.
Chinese MMO developer accused of plagiarizing Torchlight backs down
Faced with ongoing allegations that it stole assets from Torchlight, Chinese developer EGLS has now agreed to modify "some parts" of its mobile MMO, Armed Heroes Online. Our sister site Joystiq reports that while the mobile company continues to deny any wrongdoing, it will alter the game "rather than go on arguing." In a formal statement, EGLS said: "We did great efforts to do each modeling, mapping, bone construction and action by our own on our self-developed 3D engine . . . We want to make clear, if necessary, that we would like to submit the documents, files, and other materials related to the game developing to Apple to prove the originalities of the game and the efforts we devoted into the game developing." Torchlight developer Runic Games appears mollified by the outcome though not convinced of EGLS's innocence. "We're really just trying to get the thing pulled down from the App Store and to have them use their own assets," studio president Travis Baldree told Joystiq. (Apple has apparently removed the game already.) In happier news, Runic announced that oft-delayed Torchlight II is still slated for a summer launch, though Baldree joked, "The end of summer is September 25th or something like that, right?"
Torchlight assets allegedly stolen by Chinese MMO [Updated]
There are times when things in one game seem eerily similar to another game, and then there are times when the items are actually the same. While watching the announcement video for the Chinese MMO Armed Heroes Online, Runic Games President Travis Baldree noticed that many of the assets used in that game seemed to come directly from Torchlight. Baldree brought the asset theft to light in an allegation posted in a forum discussion. He stated, "All of the monster assets and every dungeon tileset, as well as voices, and most sound effects, are direct rips from Torchlight... I didn't see ANY monsters that weren't ours." A side-by-side comparison of many models made by another forum member demonstrates the likenesses. Baldree also provided more evidence including the fact that many of Torchlight's sound file names are identical to Armed Heroes', including typos. Instead of seeking monetary damages or royalties, Baldree is simply asking that Armed Heroes Online be removed from Apple's app store in Canada and not appear in the US stores. [Update: An alleged employee of EGLS, the maker of AHO, has denied the theft and suggested the similarities are a result of similar source material.]
Torchlight art found in iOS MMO; MMO dev denies theft against strong evidence
Art assets from Runic Games' Torchlight franchise bear more than a passing resemblance to those used in iOS MMO Armed Heroes Online, from Chinese developer Entertainment Game Labs ("EGLS"). And Runic Games head Travis Baldree is calling foul, taking to Twitter this week to say, "So, wow - this game is releasing on the app store. They wholesale stole most of the assets from Torchlight," and linking to the EGLS game website.Baldree made the image seen above as well, comparing the two games' art assets from source material he found in YouTube clips of Armed Heroes Online with those of his company's game. Beyond talking, Baldree tells us that Runic "have contacted Apple with a takedown request but haven't heard back yet." The company's goal at the moment is "simply to get the game removed from the App Store until it no longer infringes upon our copyright." It's unclear if representatives from Runic's parent company, Chinese MMO company Perfect World, have been in contact with EGLS separately.Baldree says Runic "have been unable to directly contact the company," but a rep from EGLS posted on Touch Arcade's forums with a lengthy public statement today. "We can hardly agree with Mr. Travis Baldree who judged that EGLS 'wholesale stole most of the assets from Torchlight!' only based on the similarity between several small monsters. The judgment is simply untenable," the post reads.It goes on to say that some EGLS employees "are both crazy game fans and ecstatic movie lovers," alleging that the comparisons drawn are nothing more than an accident at best. Bizarrely, the statement then compares Torchlight to WildTangent's PC RPG Fate, as well as Diablo 2 – both games that Runic employees were instrumental in developing.Armed Heroes Online remains available via iTunes for now, but we don't expect it'll be there for much longer. The game is free-to-play with in-app purchases (read: microtransactions). An EGLS rep didn't respond to request for comment as of publishing.
Google patents Project Glass motion-based theft detection, locks up if it feels 'unnatural' movement
We know that you're never gonna take your Google glasses off, but if some nefarious lout feels differently, the boys and girls in Mountain View's X lab have got you covered. The company has patented a system whereby the device can identify "unnatural" movements and lock the headset if it feels the violent motion of them being wrenched from your face. Even better, while your would-be assailant is making off with the $1,500 gear, it'll be contacting the authorities to ensure that they can't get far with their ill-gotten HMD. If nothing else, we won't worry as much when pre-order customers 782 and 788 go out of an evening.
Apple granted patent for accelerometer-aided theft-detection system
Despite the added risk brought on by Apple's Find My iPhone feature, the iOS handset remains a frequent target for smartphone thieves, thanks to the device's resale value and compatibility with networks around the world. There's not much you can do to deter sticky fingers short of keeping your iPhone or MacBook in view at all times, but the issue does appear to have crossed the desks of Apple's design team, which was just granted patent number 8,217,792 for a sophisticated anti-theft scheme. The acceleration-based system would detect a "known theft condition" based on acceleration characteristics, sounding an alarm and disabling the device. The smartphone or laptop would ignore vibrations from passing cars or those caused by items being dropped onto a nearby surface, instead focusing on undisclosed scenarios that likely involve direct movement. The device owner would use a GUI to configure and disable the system, at which point the handset or computer would return to its pre-disturbed mode. Overall, it sounds like a fairly straightforward hardware/software solution, with the added benefit of a technique to filter out regular motion in an attempt to reduce the number of false alarms. You'll find the full patent at the source link below.
Stolen iPhone photos unwittingly posted by Disney cruise ship employee
"This is Nelson," says iPhone owner Katy McCaffrey of the picture above, posted on her Facebook. "Nelson has my stolen iPhone." McCaffrey took her iPhone on a Disney Cruise back in April, where the phone was either misplaced or stolen. But it's been found, now. Photo Stream was still running, and pictures from the iPhone have started appearing on it of Nelson and his friends and coworkers on the boat. Disney has investigated the situation and says the phone has been recovered and will be returned to its owner when the boat that it's on is back in port. The employee in question is on "administrative leave," and his fate will presumably be determined when the current cruise is finished. Disney is doing its best to make things right, but yeah, shame on Nelson for not making sure the phone (which you have to imagine had McCaffrey's info on it, right?) was returned to its owner right away. [Via NPR]
Blizzard denies Diablo III authenticator hacking claims
We've been following the mass reports of hackers bypassing passwords and authenticators to rob Diablo III accounts blind, and now we have a new twist on the story. While Blizzard confirmed "an increase in reports of individual account compromises," the studio says it has no hard evidence that hackers have found a way to skirt around the authentication system. Community Manager Bashiok said that the company is taking the claims "extremely seriously" and is investigating the rash of account compromises. "Despite the claims and theories being made, we have yet to find any situations in which a person's account was not compromised through traditional means of someone else logging into their account through the use of their password," he said. "While the authenticator isn't a 100% guarantee of account security, we have yet to investigate a compromise report in which an authenticator was attached beforehand." Blizzard is assisting compromised customers by restoring stolen items and rolling back their accounts. The studio has a post up on its forums to help players protect their accounts and get assistance if theft occurs.
Guy steals friend's goods in APB, GM offers vigilante justice in return
Account theft and compromise are tragic facts of life in all MMOs, as player BlackJackieChan discovered the other day when he logged into APB: Reloaded and realized that he was wiped out. After posting a tirade on the forums, BlackJackieChan got the attention of a GM, who subsequently investigated the crime. His findings were stunning: BlackJackieChan's in-game friend beef43302 was the culprit. Beef43302 had crept into his friend's account, swiped a number of goods, and then deleted the temporary characters used for the theft. Beef43302 then tried to cover up his wrongdoing by consoling BlackJackieChan with a new car and encouraging him to stick with the game. Even though BlackJackieChan was accused of not protecting his account (apparently he had shown his password to his friend), GamersFirst restored the stolen items and then offered BlackJackieChan the chance to decide his friend's punishment. "Seeing as this is a relatively unique case," the GM wrote, "we shall let you decide the fate of beef43302." BlackJackieChan has yet to respond on the thread, but the GM did tell the offender that the company suspended his account "unless BlackJackieChan says otherwise."
