These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

EVE General Discussion

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
 

exploit vs. sloppy game mechanic design

Author
Corina Jarr
en Welle Shipping Inc.
#261 - 2012-06-25 14:52:30 UTC
NO rule was broken. Goons abused a mechanic that CCP didn't think through.

Just like insurance. Just like the PA. Just like PI initially.

There is no rule against abusing intentional mechanics that are just bad ideas.




However, if CCP decides that the rules were broken, then I expect them to dish out the hand of punishment to everyone who made use of the mechanic. And everyone in FW who benefited.
Andreus Ixiris
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#262 - 2012-06-25 14:55:25 UTC
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
Wow, a debate specialist here. You built the strawmen, brother. The poster you quoted didn't made a comparation. He made a metaphor.


Not only did he make a comparison to child abuse right after invoking the goons by name, he made a direct connection to goons by saying "if that child is a goon". So yeah, he directly compared CCP punishing goons for exploiting to child abuse. I concede that may not actually be a strawman, but it's certainly a false and misleading comparison.

Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
EDIT: nvm, I'm not a debate specialist either.


Clearly.

Andreus Ixiris > A Civire without a chin is barely a Civire at all.

Pieter Tuulinen > He'd be Civirely disadvantaged, Andreus.

Andreus Ixiris > ...

Andreus Ixiris > This is why we're at war.

Antisocial Malkavian
Antisocial Malkavians
#263 - 2012-06-25 15:00:15 UTC  |  Edited by: Antisocial Malkavian
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
They are not being punished. CCP just made a mistake when fixing the mess from the FW design flaw.
Some datacores from Goonswarm assets that will probably be given back if they are telling the truth.


the datacores were part of it
lying Goons???

NO WAI

Quote:
The original babby step was to use hydromagnetic datacores. Hydrocores had a CCP Value of 317,000 ISK (pay attention to this number, because it’s important). When we bought Minmatar into Tier 4, we were rewarded with a 50% reduction in both LP and ISK cost of our purchases from their loyalty store, so one datacore from the LP store at Tier 4 cost 25 LP and 25,000 isk. When the hauler with the datacore inside was duly murdered by our Minmatar loyalist, it rewarded the murderer with 63.5 LP. Blowing up datacores in this manner grossed enough LP to cash out into implants (at 2000 ISK/LP) to cover the isk portion of the cost of the datacore, while still netting excess LP in the process. Essentially, we were able to convert ISK to LP at the rate of 1390 ISK per LP, then immediately sell the produced LP for 1.5 times what we paid.


cause like they said; the datacores were totally not part of it

Corina Jarr wrote:
NO rule was broken. Goons abused a mechanic that CCP didn't think through.

Just like insurance. Just like the PA. Just like PI initially.

There is no rule against abusing intentional mechanics that are just bad ideas.




However, if CCP decides that the rules were broken, then I expect them to dish out the hand of punishment to everyone who made use of the mechanic. And everyone in FW who benefited.


lol youre trying to get all of minmatar FW banned
cute

And, isn't sanity really just a one-trick pony anyway? I mean all you get is one trick, rational thinking, but when you're good and crazy, oooh, oooh, oooh, the sky is the limit.

Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera
Doomheim
#264 - 2012-06-25 15:02:17 UTC
Andreus Ixiris wrote:
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
Wow, a debate specialist here. You built the strawmen, brother. The poster you quoted didn't made a comparation. He made a metaphor.


Not only did he make a comparison to child abuse right after invoking the goons by name, he made a direct connection to goons by saying "if that child is a goon". So yeah, he directly compared CCP punishing goons for exploiting to child abuse. I concede that may not actually be a strawman, but it's certainly a false and misleading comparison.

Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
EDIT: nvm, I'm not a debate specialist either.


Clearly.



I think he just meant Goons are innocent. I wouldn't say they are innocent as children, but they really didn't commited any crimes regarding EULA/TOS. Anyway, read my last post, it most probably isn't punishment hence none of this makes any sense.
Antisocial Malkavian
Antisocial Malkavians
#265 - 2012-06-25 15:04:08 UTC  |  Edited by: Antisocial Malkavian
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
Andreus Ixiris wrote:
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
Wow, a debate specialist here. You built the strawmen, brother. The poster you quoted didn't made a comparation. He made a metaphor.


Not only did he make a comparison to child abuse right after invoking the goons by name, he made a direct connection to goons by saying "if that child is a goon". So yeah, he directly compared CCP punishing goons for exploiting to child abuse. I concede that may not actually be a strawman, but it's certainly a false and misleading comparison.

Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
EDIT: nvm, I'm not a debate specialist either.


Clearly.



I think he just meant Goons are innocent. I wouldn't say they are innocent as children, but they really didn't commited any crimes regarding EULA/TOS. Anyway, read my last post, it most probably isn't punishment hence none of this makes any sense.


unless you dont count Sreeg as CCP then CCP disagrees in the thread that got locked. He says several times that it was an exploit

Also; wheres that dev blog they were supposed to do on Monday?

And, isn't sanity really just a one-trick pony anyway? I mean all you get is one trick, rational thinking, but when you're good and crazy, oooh, oooh, oooh, the sky is the limit.

Alaya Carrier
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#266 - 2012-06-25 15:05:24 UTC
Lord Zim wrote:

At the time of the actions in question, it was not deemed an exploit, and it was not utilizing a programming bug. Exactly like insurance fraud, PI, PA, titan bowling and tracking titans etc etc etc. Which means that the way CCP is handling matters of this type has changed in this case.


You spell it like CCP having finally turned into a serious company is bad.

No, it's excellent news!

Now, if only they could also reverse PI and Pax amarria and POS dupe exploits, then it'd be golden, but I doubt they have backlogs dating so far back.
Antisocial Malkavian
Antisocial Malkavians
#267 - 2012-06-25 15:05:51 UTC
Alaya Carrier wrote:
Lord Zim wrote:

At the time of the actions in question, it was not deemed an exploit, and it was not utilizing a programming bug. Exactly like insurance fraud, PI, PA, titan bowling and tracking titans etc etc etc. Which means that the way CCP is handling matters of this type has changed in this case.


You spell it like CCP having finally turned into a serious company is bad.

No, it's excellent news!

Now, if only they could also reverse PI and Pax amarria and POS dupe exploits, then it'd be golden, but I doubt they have backlogs dating so far back.


The logs they show nothing!!

And, isn't sanity really just a one-trick pony anyway? I mean all you get is one trick, rational thinking, but when you're good and crazy, oooh, oooh, oooh, the sky is the limit.

Major Killz
inglorious bastards.
#268 - 2012-06-25 15:10:56 UTC  |  Edited by: Major Killz
An exploit is not an illegal exploit untill it's discovered. Once CCP discovered a flaw in its mechanic. Then and only then can a statement be released on whether or not a said action; in this case a "exploit" is illegal. Remember. exploitation is inherit. Examples of this; scamming, diplomacy, espionage. Gaining whealth @ the expense of others. Which covers anything of value that's transfered from one entity to another (trading, barter or trade).

So, technically the Goons broke no rules. Mainly, because they weren't written. In the real world. Drugs like Ecstasy was legal for the longest time because it was new and not widely distributed. Few law makers had any idea of the drugs effects or side effects. Once they did. A move was made to make it illegal. There by "safe guarding the public good". Those who made money off Ecstasy before the laws where made. Were not arrested and there was no claw backs.

CCP shouldn't take away any funds made. They should return it all if they took any away and move on. Only players acting in the same fashion after the rules are made are subject to claw backs and punishments.

[u]Ich bin ein Pirat ![/u]

Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera
Doomheim
#269 - 2012-06-25 15:32:04 UTC  |  Edited by: Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera
Antisocial Malkavian wrote:


unless you dont count Sreeg as CCP then CCP disagrees in the thread that got locked. He says several times that it was an exploit



Need some reference. Afaik last comment locking the thread was a positive one.
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera
Doomheim
#270 - 2012-06-25 15:42:25 UTC  |  Edited by: Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera
Major Killz wrote:
An exploit is not an illegal exploit untill it's discovered. Once CCP discovered a flaw in its mechanic. Then and only then can a statement be released on whether or not a said action. In this case a exploit is illegal. Remember. exploitation is inherit. Examples of this; scamming, diplomacy, espionage. Gaining whealth @ the expense of others. Which covers anything of valure is transfered from one entity to another (trading, barter or trade).

So, technically the Goons broke no rules. Mainly, because they weren't written. In the real world. Drugs like Ecstasy was legal for the longest time because it was new and not widely distributed. Few law makers had any idea of the drugs effects or side effects. Once they did. A move was made to make it illegal. There by "safe guarding the public good". Those who made money off Ecstasy before the laws where made. Were not arrested and there was no claw backs.

CCP shouldn't take away any funds made. They should return it all if they took any away and move on. Only players acting in the save fashion after the rules are made are subject to claw backs and punishments.


The profit they made was gamebreaking so I think CCP is right in removing the assets gained from the abuse. Now if they removed more than that I don't know but I wouldn't consider it a punishment due the situation. It's a lot of mess to fix so it's an understandable mistake.

EDIT: so many edits
Mortimer Civeri
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#271 - 2012-06-25 15:59:11 UTC  |  Edited by: Mortimer Civeri
Major Killz wrote:
An exploit is not an illegal exploit untill it's discovered. Once CCP discovered a flaw in its mechanic. Then and only then can a statement be released on whether or not a said action. In this case a exploit is illegal. Remember. exploitation is inherit. Examples of this; scamming, diplomacy, espionage. Gaining whealth @ the expense of others. Which covers anything of valure is transfered from one entity to another (trading, barter or trade).

So, technically the Goons broke no rules. Mainly, because they weren't written. In the real world. Drugs like Ecstasy was legal for the longest time because it was new and not widely distributed. Few law makers had any idea of the drugs effects or side effects. Once they did. A move was made to make it illegal. There by "safe guarding the public good". Those who made money off Ecstasy before the laws where made. Were not arrested and there was no claw backs.

CCP shouldn't take away any funds made. They should return it all if they took any away and move on. Only players acting in the save fashion after the rules are made are subject to claw backs and punishments.

THIS^^^^

CCP was told when the Dev blog on FW came out that the system could be gamed, and this might be a problem. All CCP had to do was make a statement that the LP payout "might" have a potential exploit, anybody caught abusing that exploit would be punished, with a "we are watching" at the end, and nobody would have abused the flaw. (Well nobody with any intelligence.)

When CCP lays down the law and says something is an exploit, it is. If they don't say anything, it is fair game to push the mechanic to the edge and beyond, even if the results are hilariously out of wack with what CCP "intended."

Untill 21/6/12, CCP hadn't said anything about FW LP payouts for kills, having an exploit in the mechanics. Anybody doing the (now) exploit was not breaking any "rules," was not violating EULA, or TOS, as it wasn't "illegal" untill CCP came out with that statement.

I say give the stuff back and lets chalk this up as "hopefuly" a learning experience for CCP to maybe design more robust mechanics, or come out early with statements about potential exploits, and for people to not do them. Will this screw the economy up? Yes, but all learning experiences have a hard edge to drive home the point.

"I don't know which is worse, ...that everyone has his price, or that the price is always so low." Calvin

RAW23
#272 - 2012-06-25 16:29:35 UTC
Beekeeper Bob wrote:

But i doubt anything serious will happen, CCP loves *snip* CCPCool

It´s not allowed to insult CCP and it´s Member, so i fixed your post!
See Forum Rules for further Information

ISD Dosnix


I imagine that CCP has had its Member insulted one too many times. But instead of new rules, why not just follow up one of those emails about Member enlargement. The best way to not have your Member insulted is to have a significant one.

There are two types of EVE player:

those who believe there are two types of EVE player and those who do not.

Mortimer Civeri
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#273 - 2012-06-25 16:51:31 UTC
RAW23 wrote:
Beekeeper Bob wrote:

But i doubt anything serious will happen, CCP loves *snip* CCPCool

It´s not allowed to insult CCP and it´s Member, so i fixed your post!
See Forum Rules for further Information

ISD Dosnix


I imagine that CCP has had its Member insulted one too many times. But instead of new rules, why not just follow up one of those emails about Member enlargement. The best way to not have your Member insulted is to have a significant one.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yfp_7zpY-dE/SntQVZ5i1rI/AAAAAAAAACg/XER9OFvn4tU/s1600-h/smiling_bob.jpg

"I don't know which is worse, ...that everyone has his price, or that the price is always so low." Calvin

Elysium Foxx
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#274 - 2012-06-25 16:53:48 UTC  |  Edited by: Elysium Foxx
Just because CCP had not officially stated that the vulnerability was an exploit, it does not mean it wasn't an exploit.

If I discovered a new way to hack into your personal computer that nobody else knew about, therefore it was not documented, and I proceeded to hack into your computer using this vulnerability - would that be OK with you? Since nobody has said that i can't do it - your firewalls, security measures and operating system are working as intended. SO you should be fine with me poking my nose around in your PC? - no, it is exploiting a vulnerability to do something illegal, whether it is documented or not.

Your arguments hold no weight. It was abuse of a vulnerability in the game mechanics, which IS by definition called an exploit.
The OP of the 4x4 thread stated it was an exploit himself.
CCP's own rules state that anybody knowingly abusing an exploit can be punished.

So, previous exploits like the PI, PA, and Insurance payouts, and all these others you keep mentioning obviously were not punished hard enough, since people still think they can get away with abusing exploits - to the point where they gloat about it on the forums, rub the game designers face in it, and make a mockery of the game itself and those who play it.

Its time CCP HTFU and make an example of these arrogant cheaters with extreme punishment that clearly says - "if you break the rules, you gonna pay for it". This might actually deter future attacks on the game, instead of the lame slap on the wrist, oh you naughty pod pilot stuff we have seen in the past. The guys who did this are not idiots, they know what they did was wrong.

This will in no way "break the sandbox". Even the sandbox needs rules to maintain the integrity of sandbox style play.

Initially i was of the opinion that just taking the profits away would be enough of a punishment - i now believe bans are in order for those involved.

CCP - you need to send a clear message to overt future abuse of your product, otherwise people will continue to ruin your game.
Dave stark
#275 - 2012-06-25 16:56:51 UTC
Elysium Foxx wrote:
CCP - you need to send a clear message to overt future abuse of your product, otherwise people will continue to ruin your game.


and how was the game ruined?
Elysium Foxx
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#276 - 2012-06-25 16:58:39 UTC  |  Edited by: Elysium Foxx
Dave stark wrote:
Elysium Foxx wrote:
CCP - you need to send a clear message to overt future abuse of your product, otherwise people will continue to ruin your game.


and how was the game ruined?


Faction war was screwed over.
CCP also had to manually reset the price of certain items. Not broken?
Vicata Heth
Sensible People
Sigma Grindset
#277 - 2012-06-25 17:16:29 UTC  |  Edited by: Vicata Heth
Stop making comparisons to real life. Since when is EVE = Real Life?

You can't legally scam people in real life, or deliberately mislead people in contracts. Should people be punished for that too?

CCP reversed the ill gotten gains simply because it was too large an amount/too game breaking to let them keep it. Had they only obtained 1b from it, I'm willing to bet CCP would have left it alone and fixed the malfunction. Goons took it to large extremes though, and then expect to keep the ISK even though it has negative effects on the game.

Don't like it? Here's how you can fix it: http://bit.ly/Lw7sPe
Blastcaps Madullier
Handsome Millionaire Playboys
Sedition.
#278 - 2012-06-25 17:17:39 UTC
Quote:


Also likely; Im a vampire. No sex drive

look it up. Malkavian


OMG they are here.
Beware.
Next winter Batman is coming to EVE.
[/quote]

Winter is coming :)
Lord Zim
Gallente Federation
#279 - 2012-06-25 17:19:13 UTC
Antisocial Malkavian wrote:
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
They are not being punished. CCP just made a mistake when fixing the mess from the FW design flaw.
Some datacores from Goonswarm assets that will probably be given back if they are telling the truth.


the datacores were part of it
lying Goons???

NO WAI

I'm going to just point out the fact that some datacores were bought normally, prior to the FW debacle.

Cyno's lit, bridge is up, but one pilot won't be jumping home.

RIP Vile Rat

Blastcaps Madullier
Handsome Millionaire Playboys
Sedition.
#280 - 2012-06-25 17:24:42 UTC
Opodiphthera Eucalypti Lepdoptera wrote:
How many of you started reading the forums after being ganked at Jita Burn? A lot of senseless hatred in this thread.

a lot of senseless hatered in posts on the eve forums in general these days. Sad