EVE General Discussion

Not exactly. Lots of websites run affiliate ads for GTC resellers. We all know those ads are run for money, and I don't know of anyone who objects to EVE-related websites supporting themselves by running ads, whether for GTC or anything else.

The "source of the objection" is the ISK (equivalent) incentive offered by one website to encourage users to buy GTC's through their link, rather than other links that do not pay such rewards. In essence, something worth ISK is being traded for something worth real money.

Since the EULA is CCP's creation, and CCP is free to interpret it in any way they please, and to decide whether or not to enforce it any time they like, and to ban or refrain from banning anyone they like for any reason, I don't really understand some of the demands we're seeing from players. The inmates don't run the asylum. But in this case, they can check out any time they like.

but but .... but they can never leave ...

Do you not find it problematic that the line was apparently drawn in a completely arbitrary way that just so happened to put Somer on one side of it? Sure, some people failed to perfectly copy the exact mechanisms Somer used. But there was nothing at all different in principle in what they were doing and nor did their actions breach the EULA in any obvious way that was avoided by Somer (with the exception of the attempted character sale, which was an obvious breach, albeit of a completely different rule). And now that other people have successfully divined the precise mechanisms so as to make their operations identical in practice as well as in the principle, the whole thing has been ruled illegitimate. Do you really think, then, that these practices would have been OKed in the first place if they had been done by many players in the form we have seen in the last few days? I see no reason to think so, given CCP's response. It looks to me rather like Somer was allowed to do it because of who he was and not because he had invented a magic recipe that was actually in line with what CCP would normally allow. Otherwise why shut it down now that other people are doing exactly the same?

the only thing they seem to be taking seriously is how to shut down Somer's competition

Is it working?

Let's face it, CCP fully endorsed Somer. CCP did not go "oh hey Somer, that's against the EULA, you're banned". They showered them with publicity, gifts and praise. How can that possibly be Somer's fault? If "there must be blood" it should be CCP's.

Indeed, but they have the right to make as many such calls as they please. At their peril, perhaps. Or perhaps not.

I would agree with you if it weren't for the fact that Somer is still doing it.

If he has been given 10 days to stop then it would be silly to expect him to stop before he has to and ridiculous to demand that he be punished for not stopping in a time-frame shorter than the one that has been permitted. Look, the actual practice of isk for cash is not really a threat to eve or the player experience. What is a threat is CCP's arbitrary attitude towards such behaviour. It is CCP that is the problem here. The most Somer is guilty of is collusion but no entity is going to punish someone for colluding with themselves; the notion just doesn't make sense.

edit - I may have misinterpreted your post as calling for Somer to be put up against the wall. Sorry if this was wrong.

i agree that it is CCP that is the problem here. regardless though, Somer needs to go because she broke the EULA in the same ways other did, and while others have been punished, she has not. her level of RMT is beyond ridiculous and can't go unpunished if CCP wants to come out of this with any shred of credibility left.

do you really think it's fair that even the slightest hint of RMT gets others punished, and that people using the same model as Somer get locks and threats, but Somer is allowed to RMT over $135k (conservative estimate) and not face any consequences at all?

how i see it, if Somer doesn't recieve punishment, then everyone else should be free to RMT to their hearts content. but if the practice is declared outlawed, then Somer is the biggest transgressor of them all and should receive no leniency at all.

even if her cash cow got shut down, she'd still be sitting on a fat pile of cash. at this point, i would expect her to go full bittervet mode and start RMTing the more traditional way. i mean **** it, she already beat the game, so why not fully cash out now and go down as even more of an eve legend?

the only way to prevent this is through seizure of all her assets/isk and permaban of all her accounts.