EVE General Discussion

I have never had a Plex just to start this off. Now, Plex is an item that can be moved in game, but requires 5 extra dollars to get that bonus (maybe some others) so it has actual cash value, even if can't legally leave the game. So, is stealing a Plex any different from stealing real money or something of cash value from someone else? I know in some random MMO's that it is a crime (in some places) to steal items of cash value or even steal them in general but the general rule does not apply to Eve.

On the note of legality, does CCP have to abide by the cyber laws of where the game is played, if offered naturally to that area? Mainly I ask this since most internet news talks about (Korea?) starting to get strict on video game rules.

Plex is an in game item only. Thus it has no inherent cash value as it cannot be turned back into money and attempting to do so is against the eula.

Most other mmos have rules against theft in general. Those games also do not have mechanics in place in the game itself to facilitate that sort of theft. So the only way that it could occur is for an account to be hacked. And it is the hacking of the account that could put it into the realm of an actual crime depending on the country

Eve on the other hand has mechanics in game that allow for theft to occur. Provided the theft uses the in game methods provided then it is in compliance with the game rules. If an account does get hacked etc. Then yes that is against those rules and action can be taken.

This exactly.

If you aren't trying to RMT, why move PLEX ever?

If you buy PLEX, and then put it in a position where it can be removed from your possession, forcibly or otherwise, then you deserve to lose it. Once you have handed over your money in trade for in-game assets, those in-game assets are then subject entirely to in-game circumstances, and are not protected as personal property by any law anywhere, because everything in your hangar in game is actually entirely the legal property of CCP and all you've done is given them money to access it. Every isk you have, ship you fly, and round of ammo you fire is the legal property of CCP, which means as long as it remains in game, it can't be stolen by any legal definition. It can only move between the hands of other players, while remaining the legal property of CCP.

If "stealing" a PLEX ingame was considered theft, then destroying a ship ingame (that you paid for in game time used to grind the ISK to buy, farm the minerals to build or spent a PLEX in exchange for it - so it has about the same "monetary value" too) would have to be considered vandalism as well, which would make the game impossible.

Luckily, it isn't:

Everything you "own" in the game is and stays property of CCP. It cannot be stolen from you, because it's not yours in the first place. If another player "steals" a PLEX from you, it's still property of CCP, and CCP can in principle still access it if they so want to, no matter which player has it, because even the account that has been used to "steal" it is still their property. And since a PLEX cannot "leave" the game, unless someone physically removes the database from the london datacenter, it cannot technically be stolen at all.


What you purchase from CCP when you buy a PLEX is a service. The service consists of giving you access to the ingame item "PLEX", that falls under the same rules like every other ingame item. If you undock with it, or make it accessible to other players in any way, it can be destroyed or stolen like any other ingame item, including the fancy new Marauder you bought using a PLEX.

There is one major difference between a PLEX and most other ingame items, though: There is absolutely no reason to ever put it into a situation where it could be accessed or destroyed by another player. So i'd suggest not doing it. Just keep it in your redeeming system or on any old NPC station, and it will be perfectly safe.

Also, if you DO decide to transport PLEX always remember to separate them individually (do not stack them) and post here to let us know when and where you plan on doing so. Ideally, you'd want to give us an idea as to what kind of ship you plan on doing it in as well, for reasons.

If the PLEX was gained as a loot drop in space or received in a Private Contract and you wanted to sell it for max price, then you'd need to transport it to a specific Trade station.


If the PLEX was bought direct from CCP with the intention of selling it at max price, then this will safeguard it while traveling to a specific Trade station.


DMC

Money is not a virtual concept, though it can be represented as such.

Furthermore all currency whether physical or represented virtually (as digital), is technically owned by the issuing state.
You are merely allowed use of it.

This is concretely demonstrated by the sovereign right of the issuing state to devalue, change denomination, name, existence etc of the currency they have issued.

Adoption of the euro (and hence extinction of their own national currency) by many european states as a case in point.
Also the Chinese long time fixing of their currencies value to the US dollar.

Oh yes, call Omar's Plex Escort Services!

Legal questions wont be answered here, period.


Once you have a PLEX it is an in game item. In game items do not have monetary value.