Happened across a Neo-Nyzul stream on Twitch of a group on Bismarck, in progress as I type.
The person who is streaming their play is cheating his ass off. Windower, Fillmode, and probably more.
He's been STFed.
Some of you motherfuckers better understand that putting the stuff out on the Net can have consequences.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Square-Enix confirms it: 3/27/13 to download, 3/28/13 to play it
The website's been updated -- a lot! -- and it's basically all official.
Barring any critical bugs, the 5th expansion will be available March 27, 2013, but the game won't be ready for it for another day.
And with word that the expansion is actually going to be a $29.99 digital download for PC, it appears they may be taking the game down entirely for the expansion and devoting (what am I saying? -- this is Square-Enix!!) resources to downloading the expansion.
You're greeted on the newly-updated site with a new song, "A New Direction", which blares trumpets into your speakers/headphones. It's rather standard fare, but it's good to actually see some new direction, as it were, to the game.
Adoulin, basically, is a second Jeuno, on the Eastern shores of the Western continent, Ulbuka. And, as was basically inferred back at VanaFest 2012, Ulbuka basically has none of the comforts players have taken for granted in the Middle Lands.
I almost get an Aht Urhgan feel with how they describe Adoulin as a two-part city. Stoic castle in the east, bustling mercantile city in the west.
Clicking on "Varied Personages" gets you a look at a Swordmaiden, almost certainly an early-Seekers mission NPC.
Of course, what probably interests people most are the new areas, mobs, and jobs.
Several areas are featured, all of which appear quite interesting. The new trailer also seems to show some of the "environmental blockage" mechanisms, taken from the ice sheet blocking the entrance to Bearclaw Pinnacle in Uleguerand, it appears.
The new beastman almost looks like an orc!
And, of course, the new jobs again. Nothing new on the site, and there's three other links which are not available yet, but, over the next three months, they will be.
Barring any critical bugs, the 5th expansion will be available March 27, 2013, but the game won't be ready for it for another day.
And with word that the expansion is actually going to be a $29.99 digital download for PC, it appears they may be taking the game down entirely for the expansion and devoting (what am I saying? -- this is Square-Enix!!) resources to downloading the expansion.
You're greeted on the newly-updated site with a new song, "A New Direction", which blares trumpets into your speakers/headphones. It's rather standard fare, but it's good to actually see some new direction, as it were, to the game.
Adoulin, basically, is a second Jeuno, on the Eastern shores of the Western continent, Ulbuka. And, as was basically inferred back at VanaFest 2012, Ulbuka basically has none of the comforts players have taken for granted in the Middle Lands.
I almost get an Aht Urhgan feel with how they describe Adoulin as a two-part city. Stoic castle in the east, bustling mercantile city in the west.
Clicking on "Varied Personages" gets you a look at a Swordmaiden, almost certainly an early-Seekers mission NPC.
Of course, what probably interests people most are the new areas, mobs, and jobs.
Several areas are featured, all of which appear quite interesting. The new trailer also seems to show some of the "environmental blockage" mechanisms, taken from the ice sheet blocking the entrance to Bearclaw Pinnacle in Uleguerand, it appears.
The new beastman almost looks like an orc!
And, of course, the new jobs again. Nothing new on the site, and there's three other links which are not available yet, but, over the next three months, they will be.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Your Christmas Prayers May Have Been Answered: March 27, 2013????
Just screwing around in Campaign to level my PLD and farm some Voiddusts before a little Christmas dinner outing, and I happen across this on BluCheater:
An UNCONFIRMED report has stated that, sourcing Japanese gaming magazines, Seekers of Adoulin has a release date: March 27, 2013.
Been searching the web for the last half-hour for ANY confirmation, and have found nothing. Stay tuned.
EDIT 7:40 PM 12/25: At least one Japanese gaming website has stated it, so Gamer Escape has also reported it from there.
An UNCONFIRMED report has stated that, sourcing Japanese gaming magazines, Seekers of Adoulin has a release date: March 27, 2013.
Been searching the web for the last half-hour for ANY confirmation, and have found nothing. Stay tuned.
EDIT 7:40 PM 12/25: At least one Japanese gaming website has stated it, so Gamer Escape has also reported it from there.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Wow. MASSIVE Square-Enix Fail. Did they finally get to the point that they blew it all up?
I mean, yes, the game is running right now, but...
About nine hours before the scheduled maintenance time, they had to scrub it.
Critical bug.
Now how bad does it have to be, as we all know Square-Enix' history with these things, for them to have to scrub the update, indeterminately?
About nine hours before the scheduled maintenance time, they had to scrub it.
Critical bug.
Now how bad does it have to be, as we all know Square-Enix' history with these things, for them to have to scrub the update, indeterminately?
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Hell to the Yeah!! Fell Cleave Parties Effectively Declared Illegal!!!
Boy, did I log into a doozy today.
In the game-selection screen, under "Action Against RMT Activity Involving Power-Leveling", Square-Enix finally is starting action where it should've for the longest time: The RMT Fell Cleave parties.
I've said for a long time that the FC parties were illegal on two grounds: Not only on RMT, but also on the fact that they advertise to pay-for-advancement. Both are illegal, and even those who are not RMT (of which there is claimed to be a (albeit smaller) number) are still guilty of the second part of this.
I've STF'ed a number of players who, by gil-laundering mechanisms through the Auction House, expose themselves as being RMT.
Look, there's one reality here:
If there are not enough legitimate players to sustain the game, the game has to be shut down.
Said it almost four years ago on the Salvage bans, and it's as true today (if not more so!!) than it was then.
In the game-selection screen, under "Action Against RMT Activity Involving Power-Leveling", Square-Enix finally is starting action where it should've for the longest time: The RMT Fell Cleave parties.
I've said for a long time that the FC parties were illegal on two grounds: Not only on RMT, but also on the fact that they advertise to pay-for-advancement. Both are illegal, and even those who are not RMT (of which there is claimed to be a (albeit smaller) number) are still guilty of the second part of this.
I've STF'ed a number of players who, by gil-laundering mechanisms through the Auction House, expose themselves as being RMT.
Look, there's one reality here:
If there are not enough legitimate players to sustain the game, the game has to be shut down.
Said it almost four years ago on the Salvage bans, and it's as true today (if not more so!!) than it was then.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
More cheating bullshit QQ as Matsui speaks again...
He spoke today on a number of subjects (largely the PD/Embrava nerf), and I can't think the BG Brigade is going to be happy on it.
Matsui began with a discussion on:
Pros and Cons of Adjustment and Timing
In the midst of my efforts to catch up on the two years that I’d missed, this was the first thing I took notice of. I was apprehensive that this would become a situation following in the footsteps of Utsusemi, so I spoke to the development and operations team and made a quick decision to make these adjustments knowing that there was little time.
While the development and operation team members understood this and agreed with me, we were unable to properly convey our thoughts on the forum, and since this work was taking place in the middle of our already limited time, I would like to apologize to all of you for causing concern.
This is linked to the canceling out of any other battle strategy decisions, and also looking ahead to the development work for the jobs and content that are to be implemented in Seekers of Adoulin, I believe that these adjustments are necessary. (Especially for Embrava.)
1) I'm not sure he understands how limited his time actually is on working on a lot of things, especially Seekers content.
2) One of the problems is that the whole situation on PD/Embrava HAS followed the footsteps of Utsusemi, as it became a player-led change to fundamental strategy, which the developers, etc. have declared illegitimate and in need of immediate repair before the release of Seekers, or even before a lot of the Seekers content was being made.
3) Again, and this is in tandem to the other letter Matsui just did: The basic admission that much of this elite content is not meant to be beatable (at all unless you take the "Azure Underwear School of Secret Ninja Techniques", and that too needs to be addressed, and certainly even dicier now under that School) as presently designed.
Matsui:
Can’t you just strengthen the other special abilities without weakening Perfect Defense and Embrava?
When comparing these to other special abilities, they have such extensive effects that I do not think it would be realistic to adjust all of the special abilities to match them.
Also, in the case that we were to create content and monsters with the current Perfect Defense and Embrava in existence, it would result in brute-force behavior that nullifies or erases these abilities, so scholar and summoner’s position in the battlefield would not remain the same as it is.
There is a difference between only having content and enemies that can be enjoyed by dealing huge amounts of damage with continuous weapon skills, versus having this type of content and enemies as well as other content and enemies.
Basically, an admission to the power of the two SP's.
The thing that people will definitely complain about is: With the temporary-item strategies in Voidwatch, "brute-force behavior" is about the only way to win most of the fights in the game at that level to begin with.
What Matsui is talking about, more and more, is variety of content. The problem is, the whole company needed this years ago. As one FFXIAH reader I've already scanned has said: It's a matter of trust -- can we trust him to do the right thing, even if it appears as if he's being transparent enough to want to.
Are you getting rid of all battle strategies that are advantageous for players?
Regardless of whether it is advantageous or disadvantageous, as long as we feel there is a balance-related problem we will make adjustments. The big issue I see is that we are weakening these abilities despite the fact that it has been around for such a long time untouched.
I really understand everyone’s feelings, and that you hate this since you all did your best and endured hardships leveling up and gathering equipment. Not everything we do is perfect, so when we make a mistake we would like to rectify it and we promise to make the adjustments and fixes right away.
This gets back to the crux of the players' feelings toward this, plus questions like the legality of Windower (and SpellCast, etc. and so forth). The fact is that, before anything else can be done with this game, situations like that need to be answered FIRST. If you don't allow Windower, except with a nudge and a wink, then those who test the product using it are going to skew the relative difficulty and the adjustments toward the Windower crowd.
State what level of "gear" is legal and what level is not and force everybody to test to that level. Of course, you'll also have to address those who have made a "living" on that illegal set of programs, but answer the other question first.
Effectively, that is the same concern as is here, and I sense that Matsui, with PD/Embrava, is saying "Howinthehell did we let this stand for so long?". And I think no small part of it is the company's at-least-partial acceptance of the BG pieces of shit. This is one of the reasons I do believe Camate and Bayohne need to be reevaluated and probably removed as conduits from the company to the game community.
Again, though, they really need to answer many other questions FIRST, on the same thought processes as to what "adjustments" may need to be made.
And then Matsui throws a curveball that is REALLY going to get the QQ Factor up:
Why the delay?
There are three reasons.
In regards to the first reason, I feel we need to continue to improve this and time to do so is necessary.
In regards to the second reason, while I feel that providing new content and in-depth adjustments is the ideal route to go, this would be at minimum the next version update (the one after the December version update), so we decided to implement only the content adjustments ahead of time.
However, for the new salvage only, we will be addressing it slightly irregularly by making it so that the effect of Embrava becomes what was planned for adjustment. While the new salvage was not balanced on the basis of Embrava, if it can be used as-is, then battle strategies will be formulated based on its use. There were quite a few posts that were concerned about how the adjustments would affect the new salvage, and many were commenting that the implementation should be pushed back. However, since pushing back implementation would reduce the amount of content that could be played we decided to adopt this method of adjustment.
In regards to the third reason, this is the first time mentioning this, but we will be fixing the bug where ability effect duration timers can be stopped when talking to NPCs since QA testing has concluded as of yesterday and implementation is now possible.
This was originally a counter-measure to prevent being killed while in a cutscene, but it was utilized in a different way and by allowing this it would completely eliminate the meaning behind abilities with strong effects in exchange for short effect durations. Additionally, similar to the adjustments to Perfect Defense and Embrava, with development work continuing on Seekers of Adoulin, we decided it was necessary at this point in time to fix this.
First reason is something that Matsui appears to be taking very seriously at this time.
Second reason: Again, the content was never meant to be won under proper and legal strategies, and I begin to wonder if Neo-Salvage is largely under the same boat.
But it's the third reason, and the announcement of the fix of an exploit (it's not a bug -- it's a fucking exploit that these cheating pieces of crap have been using for a long time) that's needed to be fixed: You used to be able to lock timers to allow things like Primeval Brews and the like to have effectively infinite timers. This is the definition of an exploit and needs to be punished as such.
But it's being addressed.
In closing
I’m sorry that we’ve been so wary about posting on the forum until now.
Also, since yesterday’s post, I started seeing comments to hurry up and make the adjustments, and I once again feel that adjustments that everyone agrees on are difficult.
In addition to the development and operations team and I increasing our efforts to understand both individual players and everyone as a whole, we will be making adjustments as necessary and appearing on the forums more. Thank you all very much.
Translators (and agent in the field) said this is possibly an effort to address whether Windower is legal or not, and, as I said above, it needs to be answered, whether that answer is that it's legal or that it is not.
Matsui began with a discussion on:
Pros and Cons of Adjustment and Timing
In the midst of my efforts to catch up on the two years that I’d missed, this was the first thing I took notice of. I was apprehensive that this would become a situation following in the footsteps of Utsusemi, so I spoke to the development and operations team and made a quick decision to make these adjustments knowing that there was little time.
While the development and operation team members understood this and agreed with me, we were unable to properly convey our thoughts on the forum, and since this work was taking place in the middle of our already limited time, I would like to apologize to all of you for causing concern.
This is linked to the canceling out of any other battle strategy decisions, and also looking ahead to the development work for the jobs and content that are to be implemented in Seekers of Adoulin, I believe that these adjustments are necessary. (Especially for Embrava.)
1) I'm not sure he understands how limited his time actually is on working on a lot of things, especially Seekers content.
2) One of the problems is that the whole situation on PD/Embrava HAS followed the footsteps of Utsusemi, as it became a player-led change to fundamental strategy, which the developers, etc. have declared illegitimate and in need of immediate repair before the release of Seekers, or even before a lot of the Seekers content was being made.
3) Again, and this is in tandem to the other letter Matsui just did: The basic admission that much of this elite content is not meant to be beatable (at all unless you take the "Azure Underwear School of Secret Ninja Techniques", and that too needs to be addressed, and certainly even dicier now under that School) as presently designed.
Matsui:
Can’t you just strengthen the other special abilities without weakening Perfect Defense and Embrava?
When comparing these to other special abilities, they have such extensive effects that I do not think it would be realistic to adjust all of the special abilities to match them.
Also, in the case that we were to create content and monsters with the current Perfect Defense and Embrava in existence, it would result in brute-force behavior that nullifies or erases these abilities, so scholar and summoner’s position in the battlefield would not remain the same as it is.
There is a difference between only having content and enemies that can be enjoyed by dealing huge amounts of damage with continuous weapon skills, versus having this type of content and enemies as well as other content and enemies.
Basically, an admission to the power of the two SP's.
The thing that people will definitely complain about is: With the temporary-item strategies in Voidwatch, "brute-force behavior" is about the only way to win most of the fights in the game at that level to begin with.
What Matsui is talking about, more and more, is variety of content. The problem is, the whole company needed this years ago. As one FFXIAH reader I've already scanned has said: It's a matter of trust -- can we trust him to do the right thing, even if it appears as if he's being transparent enough to want to.
Are you getting rid of all battle strategies that are advantageous for players?
Regardless of whether it is advantageous or disadvantageous, as long as we feel there is a balance-related problem we will make adjustments. The big issue I see is that we are weakening these abilities despite the fact that it has been around for such a long time untouched.
I really understand everyone’s feelings, and that you hate this since you all did your best and endured hardships leveling up and gathering equipment. Not everything we do is perfect, so when we make a mistake we would like to rectify it and we promise to make the adjustments and fixes right away.
This gets back to the crux of the players' feelings toward this, plus questions like the legality of Windower (and SpellCast, etc. and so forth). The fact is that, before anything else can be done with this game, situations like that need to be answered FIRST. If you don't allow Windower, except with a nudge and a wink, then those who test the product using it are going to skew the relative difficulty and the adjustments toward the Windower crowd.
State what level of "gear" is legal and what level is not and force everybody to test to that level. Of course, you'll also have to address those who have made a "living" on that illegal set of programs, but answer the other question first.
Effectively, that is the same concern as is here, and I sense that Matsui, with PD/Embrava, is saying "Howinthehell did we let this stand for so long?". And I think no small part of it is the company's at-least-partial acceptance of the BG pieces of shit. This is one of the reasons I do believe Camate and Bayohne need to be reevaluated and probably removed as conduits from the company to the game community.
Again, though, they really need to answer many other questions FIRST, on the same thought processes as to what "adjustments" may need to be made.
And then Matsui throws a curveball that is REALLY going to get the QQ Factor up:
Why the delay?
There are three reasons.
- Lack of communication
- By implementing these adjustments, the content that can be enjoyed by players coming in after the fact will be lost
- The impact from other adjustments would be large
In regards to the first reason, I feel we need to continue to improve this and time to do so is necessary.
In regards to the second reason, while I feel that providing new content and in-depth adjustments is the ideal route to go, this would be at minimum the next version update (the one after the December version update), so we decided to implement only the content adjustments ahead of time.
However, for the new salvage only, we will be addressing it slightly irregularly by making it so that the effect of Embrava becomes what was planned for adjustment. While the new salvage was not balanced on the basis of Embrava, if it can be used as-is, then battle strategies will be formulated based on its use. There were quite a few posts that were concerned about how the adjustments would affect the new salvage, and many were commenting that the implementation should be pushed back. However, since pushing back implementation would reduce the amount of content that could be played we decided to adopt this method of adjustment.
In regards to the third reason, this is the first time mentioning this, but we will be fixing the bug where ability effect duration timers can be stopped when talking to NPCs since QA testing has concluded as of yesterday and implementation is now possible.
This was originally a counter-measure to prevent being killed while in a cutscene, but it was utilized in a different way and by allowing this it would completely eliminate the meaning behind abilities with strong effects in exchange for short effect durations. Additionally, similar to the adjustments to Perfect Defense and Embrava, with development work continuing on Seekers of Adoulin, we decided it was necessary at this point in time to fix this.
First reason is something that Matsui appears to be taking very seriously at this time.
Second reason: Again, the content was never meant to be won under proper and legal strategies, and I begin to wonder if Neo-Salvage is largely under the same boat.
But it's the third reason, and the announcement of the fix of an exploit (it's not a bug -- it's a fucking exploit that these cheating pieces of crap have been using for a long time) that's needed to be fixed: You used to be able to lock timers to allow things like Primeval Brews and the like to have effectively infinite timers. This is the definition of an exploit and needs to be punished as such.
But it's being addressed.
In closing
I’m sorry that we’ve been so wary about posting on the forum until now.
Also, since yesterday’s post, I started seeing comments to hurry up and make the adjustments, and I once again feel that adjustments that everyone agrees on are difficult.
In addition to the development and operations team and I increasing our efforts to understand both individual players and everyone as a whole, we will be making adjustments as necessary and appearing on the forums more. Thank you all very much.
Translators (and agent in the field) said this is possibly an effort to address whether Windower is legal or not, and, as I said above, it needs to be answered, whether that answer is that it's legal or that it is not.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
And the producer speaks... sort of....
Quick note:
One-day fee vacation. Gotta reset, as the money comes in on Friday, so BG gets a one-day jubilee in-game from my sorry you-know-what... :)
Anyway, to the point of all this:
Yesterday (Wednesday) on the Japanese forums -- translated soon after for English-speakers, Akihiko Matsui, the director of Final Fantasy XI, basically took to the forums...
... basically to apologize for all the official silence.
Basically, the impression I got from the official translation is that Matsui is overwhelmed by the amount of necessary work on the game he has had to encounter since taking over for Tanaka this summer:
I think that Matsui said it best (in the translation) when he said:
"I'm at a point that I'd really like more time for all of this, but I can't just keeping saying that."
And, with that, he immediately addressed the roadmap from earlier this year.
All but confirming that Seekers of Adoulin was probably a desperation move on the part of Square-Enix, he said:
"I apologize for the delays with the currently released roadmap. There are two reasons for this.
The first reason is that since the schedule was released before the announcement of Seekers of Adoulin, the effects of the development load for the expansion were much larger than anticipated."
The problem with that is that it really appears that they felt either that they could half-ass the expansion, or that they never anticipated how much work they would have, so to say that they never really expected to have a fifth Final Fantasy XI expansion.
Then, basically about the one large announcement from this post:
"While we looked into a revised version of the roadmap to release, instead of redoing everything that was up until March 2013, we feel it's necessary to take time to build out a proper development plan from next year on, starting with redefining development plans and then deciding on the practical work content so that we do not disappoint all of you."
Emphasis mine.
They're basically going to change out of what they've been trying to do for the last who-knows-how-long -- probably up to about the five years since Wings of the Goddess hit the table.
Here's the problem: The community needs at least a soft date on Seekers -- and it needs it now. From announcement to release, Wings of the Goddess was six months. About Christmas Day will be six months from the announcement of Seekers, and the facts are that almost NOTHING has been said about the new expansion, which leaves the possibility open that the plug might get pulled before Seekers ever sees release.
But it's basically being decided that, if Final Fantasy XI is going to survive (see the blog post below (Yoshida's comments about the damage XIV has done) for one of the reasons it may not!!), major changes in the development of the game and what's going to be worked upon it are probably going to have to be made.
After (and he knows this is a problem) asking for a little more time, he goes into further detail:
"For example, there's the concern with content and that the necessary content is not reaching the necessary people."
Well, that is part of the main problem (a larger part being that Seekers needs to at least be seen as coming soon to keep people interested), the fact is that a large reason this is the case is that many of the players on the Test Server are using the same illegal third-party add-ons and programs they use in the game proper.
Hence, by committing illegal acts on the Test Server, they skew the content harder than it would be if all players were forced to abide by the rules and license limitations of the game.
By the time the content goes live, the content is actually not balanced, and, if anything, needs to be balanced AGAINST the players who cheat their asses off -- many of them contributing to the testing. Of course, when this fails, these players get exactly what they want: Many of these players DO NOT WANT the "necessary content" to reach the "necessary people".
They believe they are the ONLY "necessary people" entitled to be involved, and that players who do not RMT and/or cheat have no place in Vana'diel.
Matsui again:
"Currently, due to the fact that there's a lack of low-difficulty and casual content, a majority of players are focusing on high-difficulty content, and there has been a lot of feedback that even though they log in they can't do what they want (nothing to do). Also affecting this is that things have become more complicated since adjustments have been made to drop rates and item stats."
There's two parts to this.
One, even with all the stuff that can now be soloable at level 99 from the former content, Matsui admits that there is actually very little casual-level content.
Again, this is what the predominant (at least North American/English-speaking) game population wants. They abhor casual players, believing they take up space and are an unnecessary evil (at best, if not simply contrary to the continuance of this game as an MMO!) which should be shunned, if not eradicated.
In fact, as I said five months ago when Seekers of Adoulin was announced, I think it clear that they would love to block all other players but their elite (and cheating, almost exclusively) selves.
Second, "they can't do what they want"/"nothing to do".
The problem here is two-fold: One: You have a system of levelling, at this point, which is contrary to the Terms of Service. The predominance of players will basically book-burn a job to 30, get into Abyssea, and then basically Fell Cleave/RMT (though not all Fell Cleave groups are RMT, they all are illegal, and the vast majority of the people involved in putting them together and announcing them ARE RMT...) their way to get whatever jobs to 99 that they want.
Two: The fact is that either the players are of the class who wish to dominate the game over all the other players (and disgrace the other players in so doing), or they are shunned by that same first class of players.
Under "Development Plans", Matsui lists the following:
"I'd personally like to see players that are below level 99 reach level 99 quickly (we will be looking into whether we can make adjustments so that the level 95 limit quest can be completed solo), and for players that have reached level 99, I’d like to create separate elements such as solo, group, casual, hardcore, and provide game play after defining themes for new elements and adjusted elements."
Actually, in most cases, people are reaching level 99 FAR TOO QUICKLY. I think I know why Matsui wants players to reach level 99 -- Seekers, if the game survives long enough to get a release, will be the level 99 expansion. Zilart was a 50ish expansion, CoP was a 50-75, ToAU was basically a 75 expansion, Wings even more so, and now, with the level cap of 99, there needs to be more 99 content than just rehashes.
The problem, again, is with the illegal Fell Cleavers, etc. 99 is a matter of gil now, not time nor skill.
More promising the idea of separate elements. Far too much in the 75 Vana'diel required large groups to attempt the material. The Vana'diel of level 99 has blown up a lot of the power structure allow the elitist cheaters to basically rule the day, but not all of it. Perhaps the creation of separate tiers of the game for solo, group, casual, hardcore, etc., might actually blow the rest of the power structure up.
"It's necessary to make adjustments to increase the win/success rate for content that has already been played out by the top groups so that players that come later can catch-up."
You can't think BG likes this one Matsui said. The entire reason many of these people exist is to humiliate other players or basically force them to pay for illegal clearances (Neo-Nyzul at 10,000,000/win is a good example!).
Before any of that can take place, Mr. Matsui, you need to determine if the tactics and programs used by these "top groups" are legal and allowed. If they are, you have a serious rewrite of the rules of the game ahead of you -- BEFORE you can do any of what you state.
If Windower/Spellcast/etc. are legal, then the scale of the game changes completely, as the Windower/Spellcast/etc. players will openly attest to. It's either illegal to play with these implements under License Limitation 2.1, or it's illegal (if the player has the equipment to do so) NOT to play with these implements, as the level of play is demonstrably lower, disrupting the game experience of the other players, and creating an illegality under License Limitation 3.2 .
And then, at that point, would you really need to increase the win or success rate, if the programs once declared illegal effectively become the legal/preferred/only way to play the game?
"Also, in regards to existing content, we will be redefining the number of people required, the level spread, and reward difficulty, and look into making adjustments to fit the needs of the current Vana'diel.
(I feel it would be best to work on the paths to these various types of content for adventurers that are coming back after a long break.)"
Give us a date for Seekers first, at least a soft date, or NONE OF THIS matters. You're not going to get a serious uptick of people on the game again (you're basically at the point that, if there were no Seekers on the horizon, you'd have to force another set of server merges -- Leviathan is routinely under 1,000 players during much of the weekdays) until Seekers is 3 months, 6 weeks, 1 month or so away.
These goals are correct, as you are intending to bring adventurers back, but none of this happens until we actually get real news and a date for Seekers of Adoulin.
"Additionally, there are a number of things that need to be decided such as aspects of battle that are not balanced up to level 99. For example, I believe the workings of the entire enmity system needs adjustment and the problem of TP given to enemies is an important issue to look into."
Basically, you cap emnity far too easily. And if you want to see a good example of TP problems, watch some of the reasons that the Voidwatch fights often turn into Fanatics Drink spam-fests.
I just don't know. He says a lot, but then he says nothing. We need some idea of how long we are going to have to continue to wait (and probably finance your FFXIV boondoggle) before we get what we really want -- and that's a fifth expansion I'm still not 100% sure we see!
One-day fee vacation. Gotta reset, as the money comes in on Friday, so BG gets a one-day jubilee in-game from my sorry you-know-what... :)
Anyway, to the point of all this:
Yesterday (Wednesday) on the Japanese forums -- translated soon after for English-speakers, Akihiko Matsui, the director of Final Fantasy XI, basically took to the forums...
... basically to apologize for all the official silence.
Basically, the impression I got from the official translation is that Matsui is overwhelmed by the amount of necessary work on the game he has had to encounter since taking over for Tanaka this summer:
I think that Matsui said it best (in the translation) when he said:
"I'm at a point that I'd really like more time for all of this, but I can't just keeping saying that."
And, with that, he immediately addressed the roadmap from earlier this year.
All but confirming that Seekers of Adoulin was probably a desperation move on the part of Square-Enix, he said:
"I apologize for the delays with the currently released roadmap. There are two reasons for this.
The first reason is that since the schedule was released before the announcement of Seekers of Adoulin, the effects of the development load for the expansion were much larger than anticipated."
The problem with that is that it really appears that they felt either that they could half-ass the expansion, or that they never anticipated how much work they would have, so to say that they never really expected to have a fifth Final Fantasy XI expansion.
Then, basically about the one large announcement from this post:
"While we looked into a revised version of the roadmap to release, instead of redoing everything that was up until March 2013, we feel it's necessary to take time to build out a proper development plan from next year on, starting with redefining development plans and then deciding on the practical work content so that we do not disappoint all of you."
Emphasis mine.
They're basically going to change out of what they've been trying to do for the last who-knows-how-long -- probably up to about the five years since Wings of the Goddess hit the table.
Here's the problem: The community needs at least a soft date on Seekers -- and it needs it now. From announcement to release, Wings of the Goddess was six months. About Christmas Day will be six months from the announcement of Seekers, and the facts are that almost NOTHING has been said about the new expansion, which leaves the possibility open that the plug might get pulled before Seekers ever sees release.
But it's basically being decided that, if Final Fantasy XI is going to survive (see the blog post below (Yoshida's comments about the damage XIV has done) for one of the reasons it may not!!), major changes in the development of the game and what's going to be worked upon it are probably going to have to be made.
After (and he knows this is a problem) asking for a little more time, he goes into further detail:
"For example, there's the concern with content and that the necessary content is not reaching the necessary people."
Well, that is part of the main problem (a larger part being that Seekers needs to at least be seen as coming soon to keep people interested), the fact is that a large reason this is the case is that many of the players on the Test Server are using the same illegal third-party add-ons and programs they use in the game proper.
Hence, by committing illegal acts on the Test Server, they skew the content harder than it would be if all players were forced to abide by the rules and license limitations of the game.
By the time the content goes live, the content is actually not balanced, and, if anything, needs to be balanced AGAINST the players who cheat their asses off -- many of them contributing to the testing. Of course, when this fails, these players get exactly what they want: Many of these players DO NOT WANT the "necessary content" to reach the "necessary people".
They believe they are the ONLY "necessary people" entitled to be involved, and that players who do not RMT and/or cheat have no place in Vana'diel.
Matsui again:
"Currently, due to the fact that there's a lack of low-difficulty and casual content, a majority of players are focusing on high-difficulty content, and there has been a lot of feedback that even though they log in they can't do what they want (nothing to do). Also affecting this is that things have become more complicated since adjustments have been made to drop rates and item stats."
There's two parts to this.
One, even with all the stuff that can now be soloable at level 99 from the former content, Matsui admits that there is actually very little casual-level content.
Again, this is what the predominant (at least North American/English-speaking) game population wants. They abhor casual players, believing they take up space and are an unnecessary evil (at best, if not simply contrary to the continuance of this game as an MMO!) which should be shunned, if not eradicated.
In fact, as I said five months ago when Seekers of Adoulin was announced, I think it clear that they would love to block all other players but their elite (and cheating, almost exclusively) selves.
Second, "they can't do what they want"/"nothing to do".
The problem here is two-fold: One: You have a system of levelling, at this point, which is contrary to the Terms of Service. The predominance of players will basically book-burn a job to 30, get into Abyssea, and then basically Fell Cleave/RMT (though not all Fell Cleave groups are RMT, they all are illegal, and the vast majority of the people involved in putting them together and announcing them ARE RMT...) their way to get whatever jobs to 99 that they want.
Two: The fact is that either the players are of the class who wish to dominate the game over all the other players (and disgrace the other players in so doing), or they are shunned by that same first class of players.
Under "Development Plans", Matsui lists the following:
"I'd personally like to see players that are below level 99 reach level 99 quickly (we will be looking into whether we can make adjustments so that the level 95 limit quest can be completed solo), and for players that have reached level 99, I’d like to create separate elements such as solo, group, casual, hardcore, and provide game play after defining themes for new elements and adjusted elements."
Actually, in most cases, people are reaching level 99 FAR TOO QUICKLY. I think I know why Matsui wants players to reach level 99 -- Seekers, if the game survives long enough to get a release, will be the level 99 expansion. Zilart was a 50ish expansion, CoP was a 50-75, ToAU was basically a 75 expansion, Wings even more so, and now, with the level cap of 99, there needs to be more 99 content than just rehashes.
The problem, again, is with the illegal Fell Cleavers, etc. 99 is a matter of gil now, not time nor skill.
More promising the idea of separate elements. Far too much in the 75 Vana'diel required large groups to attempt the material. The Vana'diel of level 99 has blown up a lot of the power structure allow the elitist cheaters to basically rule the day, but not all of it. Perhaps the creation of separate tiers of the game for solo, group, casual, hardcore, etc., might actually blow the rest of the power structure up.
"It's necessary to make adjustments to increase the win/success rate for content that has already been played out by the top groups so that players that come later can catch-up."
You can't think BG likes this one Matsui said. The entire reason many of these people exist is to humiliate other players or basically force them to pay for illegal clearances (Neo-Nyzul at 10,000,000/win is a good example!).
Before any of that can take place, Mr. Matsui, you need to determine if the tactics and programs used by these "top groups" are legal and allowed. If they are, you have a serious rewrite of the rules of the game ahead of you -- BEFORE you can do any of what you state.
If Windower/Spellcast/etc. are legal, then the scale of the game changes completely, as the Windower/Spellcast/etc. players will openly attest to. It's either illegal to play with these implements under License Limitation 2.1, or it's illegal (if the player has the equipment to do so) NOT to play with these implements, as the level of play is demonstrably lower, disrupting the game experience of the other players, and creating an illegality under License Limitation 3.2 .
And then, at that point, would you really need to increase the win or success rate, if the programs once declared illegal effectively become the legal/preferred/only way to play the game?
"Also, in regards to existing content, we will be redefining the number of people required, the level spread, and reward difficulty, and look into making adjustments to fit the needs of the current Vana'diel.
(I feel it would be best to work on the paths to these various types of content for adventurers that are coming back after a long break.)"
Give us a date for Seekers first, at least a soft date, or NONE OF THIS matters. You're not going to get a serious uptick of people on the game again (you're basically at the point that, if there were no Seekers on the horizon, you'd have to force another set of server merges -- Leviathan is routinely under 1,000 players during much of the weekdays) until Seekers is 3 months, 6 weeks, 1 month or so away.
These goals are correct, as you are intending to bring adventurers back, but none of this happens until we actually get real news and a date for Seekers of Adoulin.
"Additionally, there are a number of things that need to be decided such as aspects of battle that are not balanced up to level 99. For example, I believe the workings of the entire enmity system needs adjustment and the problem of TP given to enemies is an important issue to look into."
Basically, you cap emnity far too easily. And if you want to see a good example of TP problems, watch some of the reasons that the Voidwatch fights often turn into Fanatics Drink spam-fests.
I just don't know. He says a lot, but then he says nothing. We need some idea of how long we are going to have to continue to wait (and probably finance your FFXIV boondoggle) before we get what we really want -- and that's a fifth expansion I'm still not 100% sure we see!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Now even Naoki Yoshida is admitting Square-Enix is in rather serious trouble, and out of chances.
Was just toodling around the Net today, and found a very interesting comment.
Naoki Yoshida, the director of the currently-on-hiatus Final Fantasy XIV, has publicly come out and said that another mistake like XIV would kill Square-Enix.
Not the kind of words that would inspire investor confidence, and the server populations on XI can't be confidence-builders either (currently 953 on Leviathan, and if the conquest update were right now, Bastok would fall in Campaign).
I'm really getting the impression Seekers of Adoulin is either vaporware or an outright sham scam. It's been five months since we had the original announcement, and not only is there nothing on Seekers, but everything is now months behind schedule, on both XI and XIV:A Realm Reborn.
My best advice for Square-Enix' dwindling chances? Pick one of the two MMO's, go all-in on that MMO, close the other one for good.
Naoki Yoshida, the director of the currently-on-hiatus Final Fantasy XIV, has publicly come out and said that another mistake like XIV would kill Square-Enix.
Not the kind of words that would inspire investor confidence, and the server populations on XI can't be confidence-builders either (currently 953 on Leviathan, and if the conquest update were right now, Bastok would fall in Campaign).
I'm really getting the impression Seekers of Adoulin is either vaporware or an outright sham scam. It's been five months since we had the original announcement, and not only is there nothing on Seekers, but everything is now months behind schedule, on both XI and XIV:A Realm Reborn.
My best advice for Square-Enix' dwindling chances? Pick one of the two MMO's, go all-in on that MMO, close the other one for good.
Friday, November 23, 2012
More and more rounds of SE Fail on the SP's: Let's have a look.
Let's take a look at the SP's now, from when they started to where they are now...
I thought only half of these were any good August 1, when I posted the original list.
We're now almost four months later, and they're still junking and revising (as of the November 22 test server update):
WAR:
WAS: Regular attacks will become non-elemental and grants a drastic increase in accuracy.
IS: 100% Double Attack for 60 sec.
That's better, to an extent. Though there are still situations where Formless Strikes would actually do better, frankly. Sidegrade to slight upgrade.
MNK:
WAS: Grants a 100% counter-rate against regular attacks from enemies. Also, the amount of enmity gained by this will increase drastically.
IS: Doubles your max HP and recovery to full HP. HP doubled for 30 seconds.
Is MNK supposed to be melee or a tank in this? Sidegrade at best.
WHM:
WAS: Grants party members protection from status ailments.
IS: Add Dispel to that. 30 seconds.
Kind of an offshoot of the Perfect Defense nerf. Should be longer, but it's a start.
BLM:
WAS: Grants a drastic decrease in enmity generated by magic attacks.
IS: Add an increase in magic accuracy for 60 seconds.
This is getting to be a halfway decent one, but still Manafont is preferable.
RDM:
WAS: Grants an increase to the effect of enhancing magic.
IS: Increases the effectiveness of the next SINGLE enfeebling spell you cast, but only if it is within the next 60 seconds.
JUST KILL RED MAGE ALREADY, SE, AND BE DONE WITH IT.
THF:
WAS: Major damage is dealt to the enemy and all enmity will be transferred to the player standing in front of them.
As I called it, "Fuck you both!"
IS (November 22 Update): Steals one beneficial effect currently on the enemy, including any SP/2 hours which might be on it. But one beneficial effect must be on the enemy to steal, or it fails and has been used.
And from what I'm reading, the effect MAY _prioritize_ the SP's. If so, this one is getting good.
PLD:
WAS: Grants an increase to the chance of blocking with a shield and reflects the blocked damage to the attacker.
IS (November 22 Update): Damages the enemy with a shield and drastically lowers their melee attack and accuracy.
Some people are saying this attack/accuracy lowering is to minimum levels, but more testing needs to be done. Still not really a PLD thing, though.
DRK:
WAS: Steals an enemy's TP through regular attacks while the effect is active.
IS: Not sure if the current 30 second duration was there on August 1, but the effect is unchanged.
BST:
WAS: Absorbs the pet and recovers both HP and removes status ailments. Also, the player will receive a Reraise effect.
IS (and I believe this may be about the third such attempt) (November 22 Update): Increases the likelihood of charming enemies and eliminates the recast time for Call Beast. When either Charm or Call Beast is used, the pet will have 300 TP and there will be no ability delays for Sic or Ready.
Here, let me rewrite that as a long-time BST to the reality of today's Vana'diel, and you'll see why this might not be enough without granting the pet full Meikyo Shisui (the SAM 2-hour SP):
Increases the likelihood of charming enemies and eliminates the recast
time for Call Beast. When either Charm or Call Beast is used, the pet
will have 300 TP and there will be no ability delays for Sic or Ready.
There.
BRD:
WAS: Drastically reduces the magic defense, magic evasion, and INT/MND of the target.
IS: Allows an additional song to be cast upon party members.
Yawn. Just simply yawn. Not enough people actually know how to play BRD to make that work. (Nor do I, that's why I don't play it.)
RNG:
WAS: The range modifier will become the optimal distance no matter the range to the target. Also, ammunition will not be consumed.
IS: Halves the delay on Ranged Weapons. 100% Double Shot and Triple Shot activation.
Eek. Going from no ammunition consumed to boatloads!
SAM:
WAS: All damage caused by physical special abilities will be evaded. Additionally, weapon skill damage will increase as more special abilities are evaded.
IS: Evades all special attacks with physical or magical damage. Enhances the potency of your next weapon skill as more special attacks are evaded.
An upgrade! Wow.
NIN:
WAS: Grants a drastic increase in parry rate. Additionally, Ninjutsu recast times will be reduced by 50% and ninja tools will not be consumed.
IS: Increases the number of auto-attacks based on the number of your Utsusemi shadows.
Finally! An effect I could actually see from NIN -- finally allowing the shadows to attack as well!
DRG:
WAS: Wyvern’s HP is completely restored and all status ailments are cured. Additionally, the wyvern’s stats will increase.
IS: Eliminates the recast time of your jump abilities for 30 seconds.
This actually can work -- the only questions people have are the delays Job Abilities have as a function of their being used consecutively.
SMN:
WAS: The recast time of both summoning magic and Blood Pacts will become 0 while under the effect of the ability.
IS: Only Blood Pacts lose their recast time to 0, but all MP is restored upon activation.
There you go! Now we're getting somewhere!
BLU:
WAS: While the ability is in effect, blue magic from Unbridled Learning can be used continuously.
IS: Add that Unbridled Learning will have no recast time.
Now we're actually getting to some jobs that actually might have a 99-able "SP"/"2-hour".
COR:
WAS: Grants the ability to use up to 3 Phantom Roll effects.
IS: Reduces the recast time on SP's of all party members, excluding yourself, depending on your roll.
Rats. Though it included your own. Not quite a 99 SP, then...
PUP:
WAS: Automaton will use special abilities. Special ability usage will depend on the automaton head.
Harlequin Head: Mighty Strikes
Valoredge Head: Invincible
Sharpshot Head: Eagle Eye Shot
Stormwaker Head: Chainspell
Soulsoother Head: Benediction (Will apply to the party members and automaton itself)
Spiritreaver Head: Manafont
IS: No change, though I think there's a typo in the current article on the Official Forums.
DNC:
WAS: Grants maximum amount of Finishing Moves and the recast time of all Flourishes will be reset.
Additionally, while the ability is in effect, Finishing Moves will not be consumed.
IS: The effect can only be used 3 times, or in 30 seconds.
YAWN!
SCH:
WAS: Will direct enmity of all party members to an indicated player.
IS: No change, just clarification that it has to be a member of your party.
Eek.
--
So, almost four months on, and you've probably got workable 99 SP's for:
The three Aht Urhgan jobs (COR to a lesser extent), DRG maybe, NIN, SAM, maybe THF, possibly WHM, maybe WAR...
So it'll take til when? May 2012 before we can get 20 decent 99 SP's?
SE FAIL.
AGAIN.
I thought only half of these were any good August 1, when I posted the original list.
We're now almost four months later, and they're still junking and revising (as of the November 22 test server update):
WAR:
WAS: Regular attacks will become non-elemental and grants a drastic increase in accuracy.
IS: 100% Double Attack for 60 sec.
That's better, to an extent. Though there are still situations where Formless Strikes would actually do better, frankly. Sidegrade to slight upgrade.
MNK:
WAS: Grants a 100% counter-rate against regular attacks from enemies. Also, the amount of enmity gained by this will increase drastically.
IS: Doubles your max HP and recovery to full HP. HP doubled for 30 seconds.
Is MNK supposed to be melee or a tank in this? Sidegrade at best.
WHM:
WAS: Grants party members protection from status ailments.
IS: Add Dispel to that. 30 seconds.
Kind of an offshoot of the Perfect Defense nerf. Should be longer, but it's a start.
BLM:
WAS: Grants a drastic decrease in enmity generated by magic attacks.
IS: Add an increase in magic accuracy for 60 seconds.
This is getting to be a halfway decent one, but still Manafont is preferable.
RDM:
WAS: Grants an increase to the effect of enhancing magic.
IS: Increases the effectiveness of the next SINGLE enfeebling spell you cast, but only if it is within the next 60 seconds.
JUST KILL RED MAGE ALREADY, SE, AND BE DONE WITH IT.
THF:
WAS: Major damage is dealt to the enemy and all enmity will be transferred to the player standing in front of them.
As I called it, "Fuck you both!"
IS (November 22 Update): Steals one beneficial effect currently on the enemy, including any SP/2 hours which might be on it. But one beneficial effect must be on the enemy to steal, or it fails and has been used.
And from what I'm reading, the effect MAY _prioritize_ the SP's. If so, this one is getting good.
PLD:
WAS: Grants an increase to the chance of blocking with a shield and reflects the blocked damage to the attacker.
IS (November 22 Update): Damages the enemy with a shield and drastically lowers their melee attack and accuracy.
Some people are saying this attack/accuracy lowering is to minimum levels, but more testing needs to be done. Still not really a PLD thing, though.
DRK:
WAS: Steals an enemy's TP through regular attacks while the effect is active.
IS: Not sure if the current 30 second duration was there on August 1, but the effect is unchanged.
BST:
WAS: Absorbs the pet and recovers both HP and removes status ailments. Also, the player will receive a Reraise effect.
IS (and I believe this may be about the third such attempt) (November 22 Update): Increases the likelihood of charming enemies and eliminates the recast time for Call Beast. When either Charm or Call Beast is used, the pet will have 300 TP and there will be no ability delays for Sic or Ready.
Here, let me rewrite that as a long-time BST to the reality of today's Vana'diel, and you'll see why this might not be enough without granting the pet full Meikyo Shisui (the SAM 2-hour SP):
There.
BRD:
WAS: Drastically reduces the magic defense, magic evasion, and INT/MND of the target.
IS: Allows an additional song to be cast upon party members.
Yawn. Just simply yawn. Not enough people actually know how to play BRD to make that work. (Nor do I, that's why I don't play it.)
RNG:
WAS: The range modifier will become the optimal distance no matter the range to the target. Also, ammunition will not be consumed.
IS: Halves the delay on Ranged Weapons. 100% Double Shot and Triple Shot activation.
Eek. Going from no ammunition consumed to boatloads!
SAM:
WAS: All damage caused by physical special abilities will be evaded. Additionally, weapon skill damage will increase as more special abilities are evaded.
IS: Evades all special attacks with physical or magical damage. Enhances the potency of your next weapon skill as more special attacks are evaded.
An upgrade! Wow.
NIN:
WAS: Grants a drastic increase in parry rate. Additionally, Ninjutsu recast times will be reduced by 50% and ninja tools will not be consumed.
IS: Increases the number of auto-attacks based on the number of your Utsusemi shadows.
Finally! An effect I could actually see from NIN -- finally allowing the shadows to attack as well!
DRG:
WAS: Wyvern’s HP is completely restored and all status ailments are cured. Additionally, the wyvern’s stats will increase.
IS: Eliminates the recast time of your jump abilities for 30 seconds.
This actually can work -- the only questions people have are the delays Job Abilities have as a function of their being used consecutively.
SMN:
WAS: The recast time of both summoning magic and Blood Pacts will become 0 while under the effect of the ability.
IS: Only Blood Pacts lose their recast time to 0, but all MP is restored upon activation.
There you go! Now we're getting somewhere!
BLU:
WAS: While the ability is in effect, blue magic from Unbridled Learning can be used continuously.
IS: Add that Unbridled Learning will have no recast time.
Now we're actually getting to some jobs that actually might have a 99-able "SP"/"2-hour".
COR:
WAS: Grants the ability to use up to 3 Phantom Roll effects.
IS: Reduces the recast time on SP's of all party members, excluding yourself, depending on your roll.
Rats. Though it included your own. Not quite a 99 SP, then...
PUP:
WAS: Automaton will use special abilities. Special ability usage will depend on the automaton head.
Harlequin Head: Mighty Strikes
Valoredge Head: Invincible
Sharpshot Head: Eagle Eye Shot
Stormwaker Head: Chainspell
Soulsoother Head: Benediction (Will apply to the party members and automaton itself)
Spiritreaver Head: Manafont
IS: No change, though I think there's a typo in the current article on the Official Forums.
DNC:
WAS: Grants maximum amount of Finishing Moves and the recast time of all Flourishes will be reset.
Additionally, while the ability is in effect, Finishing Moves will not be consumed.
IS: The effect can only be used 3 times, or in 30 seconds.
YAWN!
SCH:
WAS: Will direct enmity of all party members to an indicated player.
IS: No change, just clarification that it has to be a member of your party.
Eek.
--
So, almost four months on, and you've probably got workable 99 SP's for:
The three Aht Urhgan jobs (COR to a lesser extent), DRG maybe, NIN, SAM, maybe THF, possibly WHM, maybe WAR...
So it'll take til when? May 2012 before we can get 20 decent 99 SP's?
SE FAIL.
AGAIN.
Friday, November 16, 2012
More thoughts on yesterday's whopper, and the reaction to it...
Wow.
That went over well.
No, I'm not talking about my post, though Tohihroyu did a nice job on the Official Forums adding issues that everyone else seems to ignore.
I'm talking about Camate basically telling off, according to different players, pretty basically much all the remaining paying customers.
Unfortunately, no one is addressing the Windower issue here. What people seem to forget is that the predominant game communities, and, hence, the most rigorous testers, are using conduct contrary to the User Agreement, and, hence, the game mechanics are not being calibrated versus legal conduct.
So the question remains:
1) Is Windower legal?
2) If so, does Windower not become REQUIRED for any player who can feasibly use it?
I mean, I read stuff like this on BG and then have to ask another question:
"I'm kind of lost for words when it comes to the ragefest SE's response created. And I almost wish SE would just shut down their forum. It seems to have drawn every single player who think they deserve to get what they want with as little work and effort as possible, to post there."
3) I really wish Mairja from Asura would read the User Agreement and ask the BG community if it's not time to GM every last player they consider incompetent and drive them from the game once and for all?
It is illegal to disrupt the Game Experience of other players, without limitation as to exactly what constitutes the disruption (User Agreement 3.2). That degree of incompetence could easily be considered disruptive, especially with a Camate post effectively telling the players to get off their asses.
The problem is not that they need players to get off their ass.
The problem IS that players appear to be required to commit violations of the User Agreement (creating questions as to whom, if anyone, is a legitimate player anymore!) for what another player correctly said:
"Most people, whether it be by VW's crappy luck system or not having a winning NNI group, are going to be stuck with gear that is good, but is also fairly outdated/ranked."
Hence, minus committing illegal conduct, there may be a deliberate creation of a glass ceiling only the BG types can break.
Which then, of course, raises the final issue that a couple players have at least skirted around:
4) With the complete lack of Seekers of Adoulin news and the shutdown of XIV 1.x, does the development team actually desire to ever see Seekers of Adoulin released, or is their intention to force all FF MMO players to XIV-2, A Realm Reborn, and shut down XI without Seekers of Adoulin being released?
That went over well.
No, I'm not talking about my post, though Tohihroyu did a nice job on the Official Forums adding issues that everyone else seems to ignore.
I'm talking about Camate basically telling off, according to different players, pretty basically much all the remaining paying customers.
Unfortunately, no one is addressing the Windower issue here. What people seem to forget is that the predominant game communities, and, hence, the most rigorous testers, are using conduct contrary to the User Agreement, and, hence, the game mechanics are not being calibrated versus legal conduct.
So the question remains:
1) Is Windower legal?
2) If so, does Windower not become REQUIRED for any player who can feasibly use it?
I mean, I read stuff like this on BG and then have to ask another question:
"I'm kind of lost for words when it comes to the ragefest SE's response created. And I almost wish SE would just shut down their forum. It seems to have drawn every single player who think they deserve to get what they want with as little work and effort as possible, to post there."
3) I really wish Mairja from Asura would read the User Agreement and ask the BG community if it's not time to GM every last player they consider incompetent and drive them from the game once and for all?
It is illegal to disrupt the Game Experience of other players, without limitation as to exactly what constitutes the disruption (User Agreement 3.2). That degree of incompetence could easily be considered disruptive, especially with a Camate post effectively telling the players to get off their asses.
The problem is not that they need players to get off their ass.
The problem IS that players appear to be required to commit violations of the User Agreement (creating questions as to whom, if anyone, is a legitimate player anymore!) for what another player correctly said:
"Most people, whether it be by VW's crappy luck system or not having a winning NNI group, are going to be stuck with gear that is good, but is also fairly outdated/ranked."
Hence, minus committing illegal conduct, there may be a deliberate creation of a glass ceiling only the BG types can break.
Which then, of course, raises the final issue that a couple players have at least skirted around:
4) With the complete lack of Seekers of Adoulin news and the shutdown of XIV 1.x, does the development team actually desire to ever see Seekers of Adoulin released, or is their intention to force all FF MMO players to XIV-2, A Realm Reborn, and shut down XI without Seekers of Adoulin being released?
Thursday, November 15, 2012
A discussion on difficulty gets a very important admission, and even some MORE important questions...
There have been a number of discussions, especially given the Perfect Defense and Embrava nerfs, vis-a-vis the difficulty of some of the content, such as Neo-Nyzul and Legion.
What was responded, between the translated Japanese response and the English edition by Camate, may have very serious ramifications on the remainder of this game, however short or long it might be.
When the JP person basically comes out with a statement translated to:
"I hope you can read this and view it honestly without being offended."
it basically confirms BluGartr's entire modus operandi with respect to FFXI, at least at first glance.
Camate openly lies to the community out of both sides of his mouth with this whopper, which doubles as a huge admission of something I've been nailing on this forum for about four years now:
"Including comments from many of you that feel like the development team is creating content that they don't want you to beat.
Of course, that's not the case, but the development team does believe it's okay to have content that cannot be beat."
It isn't the case that the content is designed to be impossible, but it is OK for the devs if it is?
That's ridiculous, Camate. On it's face, it's ridiculous!
It's either such shoddy game design that you really don't want casual players (however you choose to define the term) to pay for and play the game at all, and/or there are some really disturbing questions which must be asked.
1) Is the prohibition on the usage of third-party programs (User Agreement 2.1) a material falsity, and, in fact, upholding 2.1 now becomes a server-wide violation of User Agreement 3.2?
From the official site:
2.1 Cheating and Botting.
You may not create or use any cheats, bots, automation software, hacks, mods or any other unauthorized software designed to modify the Game and gameplay. In addition, you may not take advantage of game system bugs and exploits during gameplay.
3.2 Disruption.
You may not in any way disrupt or interfere with the Game experience of other players, including without limitation the disruption of SQUARE ENIX’s computers and servers.
It is clear that the statement Camate and his Japanese counterpart have made indicates that, even to access Legion and Neo-Nyzul, such a high barrier of entry is required that it is almost certain, given the current social realities of the game, that violations of 2.1 are effectively required to be an elite player.
1a) Is Windower legal?
and then 1b) If yes, then is it then not a violation of User Agreement 3.2 NOT to use it (if possible -- which can also raise the possibility of the removal of remaining PS2 support), because of the high level of barrier which is admitted in this discussion?
Additionally, this statement from Camate:
"very good gear and a high skill level"
raises the question:
2) Is part of that "very good gear" third-party programs is part of that "skill" the ability, willingness, and proficiency in using them?
This has been one of the big questions I have had with the BluCheater fuckers for a long time now. Most of them believe that the vast majority of the players are disrupting the game through sheer incompetence, almost illness-level stupidity, etc.
Given this admission, isn't this effectively a statement that User Agreement 2.1 is, in fact, a complete nullity, and, on top of it, basically a barrier to the progress of the players choosing to abide by it?
This is what BG believes. That, to be a good player in the game, you MUST subvert 2.1, as a matter of definition, and have no place in the game otherwise. Everything comes down to that you must have the tools, both in-game and on top of the game, to succeed, or don't even bother trying.
The only difference Camate's post is to this is that there is no statement of legality on Windower.
YET.
3) In response to:
"Of course, because of this, there will be a need to help players gradually strengthen themselves and have a wide selection of moderate content to choose from, so we would like to do our best to fill that need."
No, there won't. The real question is whether you actually intend to re-create that stratification which existed at 75, here at 99 -- and then basically answer the questions above.
Non-Windower players have no place in Neo-Nyzul -- and it appears Camate is admitting this.
Same with Legion.
So, just what is a "legitimate player"?
At that point, you must...
4) Bring RMT onto the table. Is the entire existence of the STF, then, a farce designed to, as 2.1 does, hold back players with morals and a conscience from any degree of reasoned success in the game?
Hence: Should RMT, on a limited scale, be legal?
It's clearly how some of these players not only advance, but also make a good coin RL, in the game.
It is refreshing to see Camate admit effectively (whether he admits to the admission) what I've believed (and have also believed farcical): That it is acceptable (and I believe it being done) to make content designed to be effectively impossible under the User Agreement.
Now, the question: Is the User Agreement simply an Animal Farm scenario? All are equal, some more equal than others?
What was responded, between the translated Japanese response and the English edition by Camate, may have very serious ramifications on the remainder of this game, however short or long it might be.
When the JP person basically comes out with a statement translated to:
"I hope you can read this and view it honestly without being offended."
it basically confirms BluGartr's entire modus operandi with respect to FFXI, at least at first glance.
Camate openly lies to the community out of both sides of his mouth with this whopper, which doubles as a huge admission of something I've been nailing on this forum for about four years now:
"Including comments from many of you that feel like the development team is creating content that they don't want you to beat.
Of course, that's not the case, but the development team does believe it's okay to have content that cannot be beat."
It isn't the case that the content is designed to be impossible, but it is OK for the devs if it is?
That's ridiculous, Camate. On it's face, it's ridiculous!
It's either such shoddy game design that you really don't want casual players (however you choose to define the term) to pay for and play the game at all, and/or there are some really disturbing questions which must be asked.
1) Is the prohibition on the usage of third-party programs (User Agreement 2.1) a material falsity, and, in fact, upholding 2.1 now becomes a server-wide violation of User Agreement 3.2?
From the official site:
2.1 Cheating and Botting.
You may not create or use any cheats, bots, automation software, hacks, mods or any other unauthorized software designed to modify the Game and gameplay. In addition, you may not take advantage of game system bugs and exploits during gameplay.
3.2 Disruption.
You may not in any way disrupt or interfere with the Game experience of other players, including without limitation the disruption of SQUARE ENIX’s computers and servers.
It is clear that the statement Camate and his Japanese counterpart have made indicates that, even to access Legion and Neo-Nyzul, such a high barrier of entry is required that it is almost certain, given the current social realities of the game, that violations of 2.1 are effectively required to be an elite player.
1a) Is Windower legal?
and then 1b) If yes, then is it then not a violation of User Agreement 3.2 NOT to use it (if possible -- which can also raise the possibility of the removal of remaining PS2 support), because of the high level of barrier which is admitted in this discussion?
Additionally, this statement from Camate:
"very good gear and a high skill level"
raises the question:
2) Is part of that "very good gear" third-party programs is part of that "skill" the ability, willingness, and proficiency in using them?
This has been one of the big questions I have had with the BluCheater fuckers for a long time now. Most of them believe that the vast majority of the players are disrupting the game through sheer incompetence, almost illness-level stupidity, etc.
Given this admission, isn't this effectively a statement that User Agreement 2.1 is, in fact, a complete nullity, and, on top of it, basically a barrier to the progress of the players choosing to abide by it?
This is what BG believes. That, to be a good player in the game, you MUST subvert 2.1, as a matter of definition, and have no place in the game otherwise. Everything comes down to that you must have the tools, both in-game and on top of the game, to succeed, or don't even bother trying.
The only difference Camate's post is to this is that there is no statement of legality on Windower.
YET.
3) In response to:
"Of course, because of this, there will be a need to help players gradually strengthen themselves and have a wide selection of moderate content to choose from, so we would like to do our best to fill that need."
No, there won't. The real question is whether you actually intend to re-create that stratification which existed at 75, here at 99 -- and then basically answer the questions above.
Non-Windower players have no place in Neo-Nyzul -- and it appears Camate is admitting this.
Same with Legion.
So, just what is a "legitimate player"?
At that point, you must...
4) Bring RMT onto the table. Is the entire existence of the STF, then, a farce designed to, as 2.1 does, hold back players with morals and a conscience from any degree of reasoned success in the game?
Hence: Should RMT, on a limited scale, be legal?
It's clearly how some of these players not only advance, but also make a good coin RL, in the game.
It is refreshing to see Camate admit effectively (whether he admits to the admission) what I've believed (and have also believed farcical): That it is acceptable (and I believe it being done) to make content designed to be effectively impossible under the User Agreement.
Now, the question: Is the User Agreement simply an Animal Farm scenario? All are equal, some more equal than others?
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
The Epic Fail Which is Final Fantasy XIV-1 Is No More...
I didn't think it would have to come to the absolute shutdown of XIV, with an indeterminate timetable to the release of what effectively should either be called Final Fantasy XV or Final Fantasy XIV-2 (A Realm Reborn).
One of the biggest jokes in the history of gaming finally fell to reality on Sunday morning, as the servers were finally terminated on v. 1.x of Final Fantasy XIV.
To be clear, they still fully intend, at some point in 2013, to release A Realm Reborn.
But also to be clear, the only six minutes of Final Fantasy XIV 1.x which were worth a tinker's damn to gaming was the termination trailer, in which Eorzea was destroyed.
I almost wish that everything involved with Final Fantasy XIV went with it. The inescapable reality that the joke which was XIV, from the day of it's release back in September, 2010 to November 11, 2012 has probably irreparably tarnished the Final Fantasy franchise to the point that it's very future has to be stated as, at best, murky.
There are several things to take from the shutdown of XIV 1.x:
Anyone who's seen Final Fantasy XI over the course of the last few months knows that's not possible.
Massively had an article on this in October.
The problem with the announcement being "too early" is that this game needs subs to prop up not only XI, but the development of XIV 2.0 . And if they wait for 2.0 and beyond to take root BEFORE they go hardcore on Adoulin, they will lose subs.
From what I've been seeing on Leviathan, they've been flying away with some frequency. I mean, if we look at an April or May launch for XIV 2.0, and THEN work on Seekers, the rate these guys get behind, 2013 for Seekers might be a reach, and, at that point, probably better for Square-Enix to throw all-in on their MMO Division for XIV 2.x and be done with it.
One of the biggest jokes in the history of gaming finally fell to reality on Sunday morning, as the servers were finally terminated on v. 1.x of Final Fantasy XIV.
To be clear, they still fully intend, at some point in 2013, to release A Realm Reborn.
But also to be clear, the only six minutes of Final Fantasy XIV 1.x which were worth a tinker's damn to gaming was the termination trailer, in which Eorzea was destroyed.
I almost wish that everything involved with Final Fantasy XIV went with it. The inescapable reality that the joke which was XIV, from the day of it's release back in September, 2010 to November 11, 2012 has probably irreparably tarnished the Final Fantasy franchise to the point that it's very future has to be stated as, at best, murky.
There are several things to take from the shutdown of XIV 1.x:
- The MMO Division of Square-Enix, and through it's sheer incompetence, is in far worse trouble than anyone is truly willing to admit.
Anyone who's seen Final Fantasy XI over the course of the last few months knows that's not possible.
- XIV's timetable is already 2 1/2 months behind a timeline which was released in October of 2011.
- And what does this mean for Seekers of Adoulin?
Massively had an article on this in October.
The problem with the announcement being "too early" is that this game needs subs to prop up not only XI, but the development of XIV 2.0 . And if they wait for 2.0 and beyond to take root BEFORE they go hardcore on Adoulin, they will lose subs.
From what I've been seeing on Leviathan, they've been flying away with some frequency. I mean, if we look at an April or May launch for XIV 2.0, and THEN work on Seekers, the rate these guys get behind, 2013 for Seekers might be a reach, and, at that point, probably better for Square-Enix to throw all-in on their MMO Division for XIV 2.x and be done with it.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The latest RMT findings and STF bannings have FFXIAH in a debate!
Eek. Let's actually put some text on this one.
This thread talks about a month where the most gil ever has been removed from the system by the Special Task Force.
And, according to the accompanying charts, it's NOT CLOSE.
About a similar number of accounts, but 6 billion gil burned out, and that's nearly 70% above the previous record (3.6 billion in January 2010).
Everything went normally until Arkitanx from Fenrir fired off this missive:
"And then the japanese wonder why their game isnt worth anything anymore? When will the japanese learn how to remove their heads from their butts and learn to do what Blizzard has done with Diablo 3? Incredibly stupid people deserve eradication! It would make the world a better place!"
Basically stating that he only plays games to make money anymore. After the Diablo III RMT Auction House, there are many more of him than one might want to admit.
This is why the Diablo III experiment was a very BAD idea.
Very bad.
This thread talks about a month where the most gil ever has been removed from the system by the Special Task Force.
And, according to the accompanying charts, it's NOT CLOSE.
About a similar number of accounts, but 6 billion gil burned out, and that's nearly 70% above the previous record (3.6 billion in January 2010).
Everything went normally until Arkitanx from Fenrir fired off this missive:
"And then the japanese wonder why their game isnt worth anything anymore? When will the japanese learn how to remove their heads from their butts and learn to do what Blizzard has done with Diablo 3? Incredibly stupid people deserve eradication! It would make the world a better place!"
Basically stating that he only plays games to make money anymore. After the Diablo III RMT Auction House, there are many more of him than one might want to admit.
This is why the Diablo III experiment was a very BAD idea.
Very bad.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
SE Fail: Half the new "2-hours" have been junked!
Update on the Test Server indicates fully 10, or half, of the new SP Abilities ("2-Hours") have been taken out and shot!
MNK, RDM, THF, PLD, BST, BRD, RNG, NIN, DRG, and COR
all gone.
MNK, RDM, THF, PLD, BST, BRD, RNG, NIN, DRG, and COR
all gone.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Some more things I probably need to explain slowly and use small words on the BluCheater crowd...
1) Eurell, the idiot, comes back with this zinger: "I think the best line was one of his recent ones, and explains
everything about him perfectly. He was shocked and appalled(sp) that SE
would rather have people happy than enforce rules like not being able
to name yourself Cloud or starcade."
Your spelling of appalled is probably correct -- it doesn't come up as erroneous on my spellcheck. *shock!*
Anyhoo: Not only shocked and appalled, but, frankly, Square-Enix should not be in the business of making players happy at all. Because if they were, they're not only Doing It Wrong, but their entire User Agreement and the list of Prohibited Acts runs abjectly contrary to the concept of player satisfaction:
First: The players should then be allowed, at their sole discretion, to remove any player for no reason more than that the Game Experience is lessened by the presence of those who would be eliminated under this clause. You're Gimp/Confused/WTF? See ya. You don't use the "necessary" tools for "proper" advancement in the game? There's the door. (That takes care of "PS2 Limitations" and probably would do away with worldwide 24 hour play on all servers.) You aren't hardcore enough? Get off our game. You're done.
Basically, at that point, the dominant communities in the game should determine who plays and who doesn't, because they are the only reason the game still exists, in a world where the business is making the players happy.
It is the current Internet environment and the like which makes me a complete non-believer in the concepts of freedom and liberty. You cannot give me those things without serious infringement on others. You cannot give them to others without serious infringement on me.
Second: The absolute ownership rights to the in-game materials which Square-Enix has would have to be immediately revoked, and RMT made legal. Why? Take an HONEST look. When there were 32 servers and a claimed two million accounts, it was pretty much a given that half of the characters, at least, were RMT.
This probably has not changed. Take a look at the remaining major LS'es, take a look at the number of RMT mules out there, and take a look at the multitude of abuse in this game. I've had it said in rather hushed tones, and I'm going to bring it out into the open.
In the eyes of many players, the only satisfactory economy in the game only exists because people can buy and sell gil for advancement in the game (illegal under User Agreement 2.2), or for real money (same). In short, RMT drives the economy of Final Fantasy XI, and the Special Task Force (as I laughed in Baccanale's face on Tuesday night) has been able to do NOTHING to stop it.
(And, as a side comment, the further down the road Seekers gets pushed, the more likely that the game becomes even MORE RMT-driven.)
Evidence: Brosale.com still exists. It is known as the definitive RMT-spam mechanism for years, and, under the current Agreement, should've been shut down in court as the counterfeiters they are, no different than if they were selling counterfeit Final Fantasy items on the open market.
Square-Enix cannot be in the business of catering to law-illegal play. Hence, it cannot be in the business of making it's players happy, because, at best, it can insulate the Japanese player-base (and, hence, give them preferential treatment) from a clearly socially-engineered-as-illegal player-base here in North America.
2) Ahhh, BorkBorkBork rears it's ugly head: "LMAO at he GM'd himself for copyright violation and basically got told to find something better to do. Must suck to get all puffed up to free the world from injustice and get told to piss off."
You realize what that means, do you not? (Of course you don't, Swedish Chef...) Since you probably read the longer post, I'll give you the Cliffs' Notes version: It basically renders any act in the game legal as long as it does not disrupt the player-base "too much". They asked me to review the Agreement before I returned. I have. I have taken actions consistent with the reading of the Agreement.
What has happened gets dangerously close to my hypothetical "if Square-Enix wanted to make the players happy" clause above. I mean, think about it: Blizzard already understands that people want to make real money and a portion of a living off their gaming (Diablo III RL AH, with all the Battle.net e-mail spam fishing that goes with it.).
Simply playing the game is not enough, especially in a game which is clearly dead or dying, even in the eyes of most of the dominant players. Especially the longer it goes before Seekers of Adoulin comes out, why else continue to play? Most of the dominants claim they have a superior position in the game, and, as long as Square-Enix continues to cater solely to lining it's own pockets and being blind/deaf/dumb to everything else, that won't change.
If there are not enough players who wish to play the game under the Agreement, the Agreement cannot be enforced on any of us. At that point, see that large cord and interface coming from the back of the server machines, guys in Japan? Give all of them a good, hard, permanent yank.
3) Ronin Sparthos basically mirrors something I said earlier: "He's not [a god-tier troll]. Guys clearly a psych patient who should be in a hospital or speaking with a therapist rather than further damaging himself through posting in an environment where the audience ranges from people looking for entertainment to people looking to egg him into something stupid. Waiting for the inevitable psychotic break from this guy."
Take this from about eight-plus years of therapy: Hospitalization, and I told the authorities in California they probably don't have another option.
The fact of the matter is, as I said earlier, the psychotic break has basically already occurred, in the eyes of many of the BG animals, to the point where the authorities should be involved for the outside safety of the community. If you don't believe me, I re-point you back to what you guys said just today -- and, then, I would highly suggest holding yourself accountable.
I have no illusion that the desired end result is another run on the evening news. Fact is: I don't need to be pushed in that direction. It's going to happen anyway. (at the rate things are going)
4) I would suggest Churchill contact the local authorities here if he believes what he has posted here. He's basically accused me (probably trolling) of being Jerry Sandusky. (For the record, I usually can't stand walking past schools anymore, because the little shits basically will be more than happy to terrorize anyone around them. You BG motherfuckers would love the little shits at John W. North High School. Basically a thinly-veiled gang incubator... Place looks like a prison complex, and, given the kids I see come out of there when I have to go to the stores, has about that feel too.)
The thing is: It frustrates me that you have no idea of the ownership of what you are saying. You're like the "Debheads" back in the day, and my one major regret was, if I knew I was going to get arrested, not committing a heinous act on one ore more of them instead two years before at a convention in New Jersey.
5) To give anyone else an idea of how fucked in the head these idiots are: I submit to you this mocking scorn they heap on Square-Enix for going after RMT...
HELLO -- they legally ARE forced to go after RMT. (Or, do we get to the point that we revert to the point that, in the interest of player satisfaction, that RMT be made legal?)
Your spelling of appalled is probably correct -- it doesn't come up as erroneous on my spellcheck. *shock!*
Anyhoo: Not only shocked and appalled, but, frankly, Square-Enix should not be in the business of making players happy at all. Because if they were, they're not only Doing It Wrong, but their entire User Agreement and the list of Prohibited Acts runs abjectly contrary to the concept of player satisfaction:
First: The players should then be allowed, at their sole discretion, to remove any player for no reason more than that the Game Experience is lessened by the presence of those who would be eliminated under this clause. You're Gimp/Confused/WTF? See ya. You don't use the "necessary" tools for "proper" advancement in the game? There's the door. (That takes care of "PS2 Limitations" and probably would do away with worldwide 24 hour play on all servers.) You aren't hardcore enough? Get off our game. You're done.
Basically, at that point, the dominant communities in the game should determine who plays and who doesn't, because they are the only reason the game still exists, in a world where the business is making the players happy.
It is the current Internet environment and the like which makes me a complete non-believer in the concepts of freedom and liberty. You cannot give me those things without serious infringement on others. You cannot give them to others without serious infringement on me.
Second: The absolute ownership rights to the in-game materials which Square-Enix has would have to be immediately revoked, and RMT made legal. Why? Take an HONEST look. When there were 32 servers and a claimed two million accounts, it was pretty much a given that half of the characters, at least, were RMT.
This probably has not changed. Take a look at the remaining major LS'es, take a look at the number of RMT mules out there, and take a look at the multitude of abuse in this game. I've had it said in rather hushed tones, and I'm going to bring it out into the open.
In the eyes of many players, the only satisfactory economy in the game only exists because people can buy and sell gil for advancement in the game (illegal under User Agreement 2.2), or for real money (same). In short, RMT drives the economy of Final Fantasy XI, and the Special Task Force (as I laughed in Baccanale's face on Tuesday night) has been able to do NOTHING to stop it.
(And, as a side comment, the further down the road Seekers gets pushed, the more likely that the game becomes even MORE RMT-driven.)
Evidence: Brosale.com still exists. It is known as the definitive RMT-spam mechanism for years, and, under the current Agreement, should've been shut down in court as the counterfeiters they are, no different than if they were selling counterfeit Final Fantasy items on the open market.
Square-Enix cannot be in the business of catering to law-illegal play. Hence, it cannot be in the business of making it's players happy, because, at best, it can insulate the Japanese player-base (and, hence, give them preferential treatment) from a clearly socially-engineered-as-illegal player-base here in North America.
2) Ahhh, BorkBorkBork rears it's ugly head: "LMAO at he GM'd himself for copyright violation and basically got told to find something better to do. Must suck to get all puffed up to free the world from injustice and get told to piss off."
You realize what that means, do you not? (Of course you don't, Swedish Chef...) Since you probably read the longer post, I'll give you the Cliffs' Notes version: It basically renders any act in the game legal as long as it does not disrupt the player-base "too much". They asked me to review the Agreement before I returned. I have. I have taken actions consistent with the reading of the Agreement.
What has happened gets dangerously close to my hypothetical "if Square-Enix wanted to make the players happy" clause above. I mean, think about it: Blizzard already understands that people want to make real money and a portion of a living off their gaming (Diablo III RL AH, with all the Battle.net e-mail spam fishing that goes with it.).
Simply playing the game is not enough, especially in a game which is clearly dead or dying, even in the eyes of most of the dominant players. Especially the longer it goes before Seekers of Adoulin comes out, why else continue to play? Most of the dominants claim they have a superior position in the game, and, as long as Square-Enix continues to cater solely to lining it's own pockets and being blind/deaf/dumb to everything else, that won't change.
If there are not enough players who wish to play the game under the Agreement, the Agreement cannot be enforced on any of us. At that point, see that large cord and interface coming from the back of the server machines, guys in Japan? Give all of them a good, hard, permanent yank.
3) Ronin Sparthos basically mirrors something I said earlier: "He's not [a god-tier troll]. Guys clearly a psych patient who should be in a hospital or speaking with a therapist rather than further damaging himself through posting in an environment where the audience ranges from people looking for entertainment to people looking to egg him into something stupid. Waiting for the inevitable psychotic break from this guy."
Take this from about eight-plus years of therapy: Hospitalization, and I told the authorities in California they probably don't have another option.
The fact of the matter is, as I said earlier, the psychotic break has basically already occurred, in the eyes of many of the BG animals, to the point where the authorities should be involved for the outside safety of the community. If you don't believe me, I re-point you back to what you guys said just today -- and, then, I would highly suggest holding yourself accountable.
I have no illusion that the desired end result is another run on the evening news. Fact is: I don't need to be pushed in that direction. It's going to happen anyway. (at the rate things are going)
4) I would suggest Churchill contact the local authorities here if he believes what he has posted here. He's basically accused me (probably trolling) of being Jerry Sandusky. (For the record, I usually can't stand walking past schools anymore, because the little shits basically will be more than happy to terrorize anyone around them. You BG motherfuckers would love the little shits at John W. North High School. Basically a thinly-veiled gang incubator... Place looks like a prison complex, and, given the kids I see come out of there when I have to go to the stores, has about that feel too.)
The thing is: It frustrates me that you have no idea of the ownership of what you are saying. You're like the "Debheads" back in the day, and my one major regret was, if I knew I was going to get arrested, not committing a heinous act on one ore more of them instead two years before at a convention in New Jersey.
5) To give anyone else an idea of how fucked in the head these idiots are: I submit to you this mocking scorn they heap on Square-Enix for going after RMT...
HELLO -- they legally ARE forced to go after RMT. (Or, do we get to the point that we revert to the point that, in the interest of player satisfaction, that RMT be made legal?)
"All sorts of angry"? Sure. But not at what you think...
Saw that gem later this morning.
Of course, I guess, since we now take pride in this country in being the stupidest nation on the entire fucking planet Earth, I can see why you take great pleasure in not only your complete refusal to read anything that doesn't feed your fapping fetish, but in that your collective mindfuck of everything reasonable makes you the dominant force in the North American FFXI player community.
It's so bad that:
1) I'd rather be incarcerated than share society with you.
and 2) If it were practical, I'd renounce my American citizenship and leave this sinking Titanic. (Too bad I know that no other nation would take me.)
You are not only a bunch of criminal shitheads who should have your website shut down for the usage and promotion of illegal tools, but you are the STUPIDEST MOTHERFUCKERS I've seen in a long time.
In fact, I'm going to give you some free advice. If you believe half of what you post there about me, you'd best get in contact with the Los Angeles office of the FBI.
Because, at that point, I'm far too dangerous to your personal safety to be allowed to continue on the outside. If I'd go 1,000 miles for Deborah Gibson, who the fuck are you to think you'd get any better?
Think about that.
Of course, I guess, since we now take pride in this country in being the stupidest nation on the entire fucking planet Earth, I can see why you take great pleasure in not only your complete refusal to read anything that doesn't feed your fapping fetish, but in that your collective mindfuck of everything reasonable makes you the dominant force in the North American FFXI player community.
It's so bad that:
1) I'd rather be incarcerated than share society with you.
and 2) If it were practical, I'd renounce my American citizenship and leave this sinking Titanic. (Too bad I know that no other nation would take me.)
You are not only a bunch of criminal shitheads who should have your website shut down for the usage and promotion of illegal tools, but you are the STUPIDEST MOTHERFUCKERS I've seen in a long time.
In fact, I'm going to give you some free advice. If you believe half of what you post there about me, you'd best get in contact with the Los Angeles office of the FBI.
Because, at that point, I'm far too dangerous to your personal safety to be allowed to continue on the outside. If I'd go 1,000 miles for Deborah Gibson, who the fuck are you to think you'd get any better?
Think about that.
There are BluGartr posters in bad need of an immediate lobotomy...
I can't believe I have to do this...
But just before I take a nap this morning, I see THIS on the Order of the BluCheater:
Eurell from Bismarck needs a lobotomy, a slap upside the head, or just a simple brain transplant:
"He's also trying to get John Cena suspended from WWE. Is he aware that wrestling is fake?"
OK...
Let's get down to all this so that people can understand how idiotic Eurell (and the current WWE creative team) is...
Last Monday, AJ Lee, for about 2-3 months, the face General Manager of RAW, was forced to resign by the apocryphal "Board of Directors" for fraternizing with a superstar while GM of RAW and under probation for other incidents while in office.
(Now let us also understand that the "evidence" was planted by Little Miss Excuse Me (Vickie Guerrero), who has taken an equivalent of the position as a heel.)
Now, it is, later that episode, learned that John Cena was the superstar AJ was fraternizing with -- though he believes it was a business dinner.
Here's where Eurell got involved:
John Cena, in character, wrote this on his Twitter account to Vickie:
"Bit of advice@ExcuseMeWWE I know u r proud of your 'actions' but if u wanna run your mouth about me, it wont work. Ask @therock "
(Forgetting of course that The Rock defeated him at Mania 28 and made him look bad at Mania 27!)
I responded to him with the only sensical outcome of this situation:
"@JohnCena
I would be careful of that Board of Directors if I were you. If what
you did merited AJ's resignation, they should suspend you."
I am fully aware that wrestling is fake, you dipshit Eurell. I've been watching professional wrestling longer than you've been alive.
But, in so doing, I at least ask that they do a credible job of actually doing something which makes sense, idiot.
It is completely non-sensical (and misogynistic) to hold only the female half of that purported affair/fraternizing/etc. responsible for HER actions without holding the male half of it responsible for HIS.
(I made a similar comment to Vickie's in-character Tweet on the same subject.)
There are also other non-sensical things about this angle, but I feel like I'm dealing, in Eurell and his ilk, with a four-year-old brat who needs to be slapped upside the head.
-------
I guess I should read the rest of the overnight developments in the Bash Starcade Beyond All Sense of Recognition Sub-Thread to the Official Forums thread (God, do these pieces of shit deign to remember that I've been banned from the Official Forums for over 18 months now???)...
Guitarman is trying to work his way back up the list, I see...
"Apparently a few months ago he decided I was "first in line" yet my ass remains unkicked. Apparently if you're not Debbie Gibson you're not worth getting off your 2-ton ass for."
It's not that, moron. I have other things than to spend my time fapping at everyone else's demise in a video game/life.
Trust me, though: At the rate things are going, much of the impediment to asses getting kicked may well be removed in the next few weeks or months. Then, it just becomes a matter of which of Edward Elric's "so many asses that need to be kicked" shows itself in front of my foot.
You ain't worth it because you are a steaming pile of shit. You are the perfect representative of why I openly told a GM and an SGM that I have absolutely no respect for the player-base of FFXI.
You're a disgrace, boy. But, if the time comes and you let me know exactly WHERE I need to "get off my 2-ton ass" to, we can make arrangement.
Churchill: You just didn't announce your presence until after you left, bitch.
Ahh, I see your argument, and it is not surprising, Kohan, that you would state this from the steaming pile of puke that is the Asura Server.
Much of my problem with the game is not with the administration, but with YOU (collective).
I will be more than understanding if you can't differentiate between cowardice and having something else in your life that makes you understand that you have to basically only openly state that the day is coming, but is not here yet.
If that happens, the first target might well not be the El Segundo offices of Square-Enix NA.
You see, I'm old-school. You want to have your little playground where you are God with your illegal tools.
That's not going to end well.
But just before I take a nap this morning, I see THIS on the Order of the BluCheater:
Eurell from Bismarck needs a lobotomy, a slap upside the head, or just a simple brain transplant:
"He's also trying to get John Cena suspended from WWE. Is he aware that wrestling is fake?"
OK...
Let's get down to all this so that people can understand how idiotic Eurell (and the current WWE creative team) is...
Last Monday, AJ Lee, for about 2-3 months, the face General Manager of RAW, was forced to resign by the apocryphal "Board of Directors" for fraternizing with a superstar while GM of RAW and under probation for other incidents while in office.
(Now let us also understand that the "evidence" was planted by Little Miss Excuse Me (Vickie Guerrero), who has taken an equivalent of the position as a heel.)
Now, it is, later that episode, learned that John Cena was the superstar AJ was fraternizing with -- though he believes it was a business dinner.
Here's where Eurell got involved:
John Cena, in character, wrote this on his Twitter account to Vickie:
"Bit of advice
(Forgetting of course that The Rock defeated him at Mania 28 and made him look bad at Mania 27!)
I responded to him with the only sensical outcome of this situation:
I am fully aware that wrestling is fake, you dipshit Eurell. I've been watching professional wrestling longer than you've been alive.
But, in so doing, I at least ask that they do a credible job of actually doing something which makes sense, idiot.
It is completely non-sensical (and misogynistic) to hold only the female half of that purported affair/fraternizing/etc. responsible for HER actions without holding the male half of it responsible for HIS.
(I made a similar comment to Vickie's in-character Tweet on the same subject.)
There are also other non-sensical things about this angle, but I feel like I'm dealing, in Eurell and his ilk, with a four-year-old brat who needs to be slapped upside the head.
-------
I guess I should read the rest of the overnight developments in the Bash Starcade Beyond All Sense of Recognition Sub-Thread to the Official Forums thread (God, do these pieces of shit deign to remember that I've been banned from the Official Forums for over 18 months now???)...
Guitarman is trying to work his way back up the list, I see...
"Apparently a few months ago he decided I was "first in line" yet my ass remains unkicked. Apparently if you're not Debbie Gibson you're not worth getting off your 2-ton ass for."
It's not that, moron. I have other things than to spend my time fapping at everyone else's demise in a video game/life.
Trust me, though: At the rate things are going, much of the impediment to asses getting kicked may well be removed in the next few weeks or months. Then, it just becomes a matter of which of Edward Elric's "so many asses that need to be kicked" shows itself in front of my foot.
You ain't worth it because you are a steaming pile of shit. You are the perfect representative of why I openly told a GM and an SGM that I have absolutely no respect for the player-base of FFXI.
You're a disgrace, boy. But, if the time comes and you let me know exactly WHERE I need to "get off my 2-ton ass" to, we can make arrangement.
Churchill: You just didn't announce your presence until after you left, bitch.
Ahh, I see your argument, and it is not surprising, Kohan, that you would state this from the steaming pile of puke that is the Asura Server.
Much of my problem with the game is not with the administration, but with YOU (collective).
I will be more than understanding if you can't differentiate between cowardice and having something else in your life that makes you understand that you have to basically only openly state that the day is coming, but is not here yet.
If that happens, the first target might well not be the El Segundo offices of Square-Enix NA.
You see, I'm old-school. You want to have your little playground where you are God with your illegal tools.
That's not going to end well.
And even more example that your User Agreement is a sham, Square-Enix...
So, I report my username as an illegality in Final Fantasy XI (and here's the page -- Starcade at Disneyland still exists, it is a Disney trademark).
So I get a form letter from the GM telling me that it falls outside their purview...
WHAT????
I have produced a prima facie violation of the User Agreement of Final Fantasy XI, clause 3.5 -- Naming Rights.
(Yes, I will admit on the blog that I was trying to draw another visit to Mordion Gaol to discuss the other issues further and perhaps begin the process of a full Account Administrator disqualification, should that (and it almost certainly WILL) become necessary...)
And it's outside your purview...
So what rules am I supposed to abide by and which ones can I openly ignore? Because it's obvious to me that you, as a company, Square-Enix, are only going to give a shit when I get my ass back on the evening news and you and your North American honchos over there are going to get some very real questions from the police and FBI as to how you could allow it to go on for so long...
You keep this shit up, fuckers, and I WILL start RMT action, in protest. I could use the cash.
So I get a form letter from the GM telling me that it falls outside their purview...
WHAT????
I have produced a prima facie violation of the User Agreement of Final Fantasy XI, clause 3.5 -- Naming Rights.
(Yes, I will admit on the blog that I was trying to draw another visit to Mordion Gaol to discuss the other issues further and perhaps begin the process of a full Account Administrator disqualification, should that (and it almost certainly WILL) become necessary...)
And it's outside your purview...
So what rules am I supposed to abide by and which ones can I openly ignore? Because it's obvious to me that you, as a company, Square-Enix, are only going to give a shit when I get my ass back on the evening news and you and your North American honchos over there are going to get some very real questions from the police and FBI as to how you could allow it to go on for so long...
You keep this shit up, fuckers, and I WILL start RMT action, in protest. I could use the cash.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Upon Further Review, Square-Enix: Your FFXI User Agreement is a Legal Impossibility, and hence a Fraud and a Sham
When I got the form letter last night detailing my 24PB, one of the things they asked me to is to review the Final Fantasy XI User Agreement before I return.
The fact is, though I will return, it is impossible for me to agree to the UA in doing so, and I will have to lie to return to the Game.
It is no longer possible to play this game under the User Agreement and the Terms of Service Square-Enix imposes.
There is no reason that I should not RMT Starcade to death.
There is no reason that any player who chooses to play the game should not commit acts to openly disrupt the game play of other players -- because it is the socially-accepted way to play the game.
Why do I say this? Well I did review the User Agreement, and, when you add one further reality to the equation, you realize fairly immediately that the Agreement of this game (the only rules which, purportedly, prevent anarchy and open hacking) are legally impossible to perform.
That reality goes back to my second visit to Mordion Gaol last night. I sent a GM call after being warned for my altercative language, saying, simply: "If the preservation of the community makes my language more harmful than the usage of Windower and other 3PP (third-party programs), then you will have to suspend me."
Well, the preservation of the community appears to be the final law.
At that point:
The acceptance, by a North American community of shitheads, lowlifes, and criminals, of a widening array of illegal third-party programs and other disruptive practices either forces the individual player to violate the User Agreement of Final Fantasy XI by taking part of that array (Section 2), or forces the individual player to violate the same User Agreement by not taking part in that array, Disrupting the Game Experience of those players who do (Section 3, especially Section 3.2).
I quote the following from the Square-Enix Support Center and the User Agreement:
3.2 Disruption. You may not in any way disrupt or interfere with the Game experience of other players, including the disruption of SQUARE ENIX’s computers and servers.
I could GM probably 80% of the North American player-base. No joke. And I will do it to make the point if the hierarchy of SE forces me to do so.
So let me lay down several in-game scenarios and explain exactly what is going on.
1) Yellow = Fair Game
This is a ruling that has been a great contention of mine with Square-Enix for a very long time. To allow this practice is, in fact, in and of itself, a violation of the Disruption of the Game Experience for the Beastmasters in Dynamis.
Often, while in Dynamis, my main M.O. would be, take one mob, proc it, make sure the pet has hate, run to a second mob, (hopefully) proc it, and as long as the first mob didn't link anything, Snarl the pet on the second mob and then go run off to a third.
Under the GM rulings, it is legal for a player (and this has happened from time to time, and the fuckers who do this should get their asses kicked RL) to steal the mob that I am fighting, as long as the mob is yellow when they gain the killshot.
That is a violation of the Terms of Service under User Agreement 3.2 . The stealing of that kill interferes and disrupts the Game Experience of me, as a Beastmaster, in Dynamis.
You can reverse that and then say that having enough players in the camp (either alone or in conjunction) is ALSO a violation of 3.2, as written, because it not only disrupts the Game Experience of players attempting to enter the camp, it disrupts the Game Experience of players in the camp. This could mean that a BST who starts grabbing 4-6 could also be considered in violation of 3.2 .
(This could probably be the best case that anti-BST/DNC crusaders could use to nerf BST/DNC in Dynamis.)
2) To use the BG designation: "Confused/Gimp/WTF Players"
In short, any player who attempts to complete a task for which he or she is wholly unqualified to do through their gear or skill level is, in fact, committing an illegality under the Terms of Service through the attempt. Again, 3.2 .
And this CAN include "gear" that is illegal under section 2.1, as well. (Necessary illegal third-party programs for the completion of events such as Neo-Nyzul Isle.)
Especially in the reliance of everything from outside-game audio-chat to Windower and other player-created illegalities for much of elite-level content, the refusal to use that may, in fact, result in the defeat of the alliance.
Hence, at that point, the player refusing to break Section 2 of the User Agreement has, BY THAT ACT, broken Section 3.2, because that action alone is, in many major elite hypergame entities, ensured the defeat of the party, Disrupting the Game Experience of the other players in the alliance.
2b) If the player is either alone or with non-Section 2-infringing players (how few that remain):
Even this would be a problem.
Why?
Because the presence of what is seen by the community as "lesser persons" infringes on the ability of the community to foster what they see as proper play.
If the community is the final law, then Windower should be required, under the User Agreement, for every player capable of using it. Any player not making their fullest effort to get the best gear and the like is infringing upon the play experience of all other players. Perhaps through content denial, perhaps through simply non-acceptance by the community, perhaps through forcing every Voidwatch shout group to have to filter them out, which is still a Disruption act.
In fact, it could easily be concluded that simply to request to join a group that you are not declared fit to join could also be an illegality under the User Agreement:
... in that your request serves no legitimate purpose.
3) The user-run casinos, which have been declared legal to advertise for by GM's (I GM'ed this question a couple months back after the controversies surrounding Vana'fest 2012.) are, in fact, illegal under the FFXI UA:
4) The players who have put, on their Bazaars, single Ancient Currencies for 100-piece prices should be GMed for illegal acts under this same situation, but have not been because of the acceptance of the community of open defrauding of "lesser persons".
It is common knowledge to most of the players that these acts are committed intentionally, with the intent to defraud another player of the use of "their gil".
5) In fact, if we really want to get technical: The name "Starcade" is, in fact, the same name as the arcade in the Walt Disney themeparks (and a 1980's video-game game show hosted by Geoff Edwards). It was also based (incorrectly, the wrestling card has two R's in it's name) of the old Jim Crockett Promotions/NWA/WCW holiday wrestling supercard.
Why do I point this out?
The use of the name Starcade is, in fact, then an illegality under the User Agreement!
And, in fact, under the same "brand confusion" rulings which result in decisions being levied against the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment, any player using a derivative of a Final Fantasy name is committing a similar offense. (This means all the names based on Cloud, Sephiroth, I know there's at least one based on Rikku on Leviathan, etc. and so forth.)
6) I am not 100% sure on this one, but I will call about 95% because of the possibility that Test Server situations use may use GM Invincibility, which might require making the players appear as GMs on the Test Server.
I've seen a number of the BG crowd, in various screenshots, post pictures of themselves with their character names appearing to be GMs. Now, unless this is Test Server GM Invincibility, this, too, is a violation:
----
And this list will increase over time.
The point I'm making, to the brass at Square-Enix is that your User Agreement is Invalid, a Fraud, and a Sham.
(Maybe that's why Baccanale cut off the conversation the moment I even MENTIONED the word "fraud".)
This raises the very real possibility that you have attempted to insulate your Japanese player-base from your North American, and that you are openly allowing these criminal shitheads on BluGartr and their supporters to run the show over here since the preservation of the Community is the Final Law.
At that point, you don't want me back.
At all.
The fact is, though I will return, it is impossible for me to agree to the UA in doing so, and I will have to lie to return to the Game.
It is no longer possible to play this game under the User Agreement and the Terms of Service Square-Enix imposes.
There is no reason that I should not RMT Starcade to death.
There is no reason that any player who chooses to play the game should not commit acts to openly disrupt the game play of other players -- because it is the socially-accepted way to play the game.
Why do I say this? Well I did review the User Agreement, and, when you add one further reality to the equation, you realize fairly immediately that the Agreement of this game (the only rules which, purportedly, prevent anarchy and open hacking) are legally impossible to perform.
That reality goes back to my second visit to Mordion Gaol last night. I sent a GM call after being warned for my altercative language, saying, simply: "If the preservation of the community makes my language more harmful than the usage of Windower and other 3PP (third-party programs), then you will have to suspend me."
Well, the preservation of the community appears to be the final law.
At that point:
The acceptance, by a North American community of shitheads, lowlifes, and criminals, of a widening array of illegal third-party programs and other disruptive practices either forces the individual player to violate the User Agreement of Final Fantasy XI by taking part of that array (Section 2), or forces the individual player to violate the same User Agreement by not taking part in that array, Disrupting the Game Experience of those players who do (Section 3, especially Section 3.2).
I quote the following from the Square-Enix Support Center and the User Agreement:
3.2 Disruption. You may not in any way disrupt or interfere with the Game experience of other players, including the disruption of SQUARE ENIX’s computers and servers.
I could GM probably 80% of the North American player-base. No joke. And I will do it to make the point if the hierarchy of SE forces me to do so.
So let me lay down several in-game scenarios and explain exactly what is going on.
1) Yellow = Fair Game
This is a ruling that has been a great contention of mine with Square-Enix for a very long time. To allow this practice is, in fact, in and of itself, a violation of the Disruption of the Game Experience for the Beastmasters in Dynamis.
Often, while in Dynamis, my main M.O. would be, take one mob, proc it, make sure the pet has hate, run to a second mob, (hopefully) proc it, and as long as the first mob didn't link anything, Snarl the pet on the second mob and then go run off to a third.
Under the GM rulings, it is legal for a player (and this has happened from time to time, and the fuckers who do this should get their asses kicked RL) to steal the mob that I am fighting, as long as the mob is yellow when they gain the killshot.
That is a violation of the Terms of Service under User Agreement 3.2 . The stealing of that kill interferes and disrupts the Game Experience of me, as a Beastmaster, in Dynamis.
You can reverse that and then say that having enough players in the camp (either alone or in conjunction) is ALSO a violation of 3.2, as written, because it not only disrupts the Game Experience of players attempting to enter the camp, it disrupts the Game Experience of players in the camp. This could mean that a BST who starts grabbing 4-6 could also be considered in violation of 3.2 .
(This could probably be the best case that anti-BST/DNC crusaders could use to nerf BST/DNC in Dynamis.)
2) To use the BG designation: "Confused/Gimp/WTF Players"
In short, any player who attempts to complete a task for which he or she is wholly unqualified to do through their gear or skill level is, in fact, committing an illegality under the Terms of Service through the attempt. Again, 3.2 .
And this CAN include "gear" that is illegal under section 2.1, as well. (Necessary illegal third-party programs for the completion of events such as Neo-Nyzul Isle.)
2.1 Cheating
and Botting. You may not create or use any cheats, bots,
automation software, hacks, mods or any other unauthorized software designed to
modify the Game and gameplay. In addition, you may not take advantage of game
system bugs and exploits during gameplay.
2a) If the player is part of an alliance:Especially in the reliance of everything from outside-game audio-chat to Windower and other player-created illegalities for much of elite-level content, the refusal to use that may, in fact, result in the defeat of the alliance.
Hence, at that point, the player refusing to break Section 2 of the User Agreement has, BY THAT ACT, broken Section 3.2, because that action alone is, in many major elite hypergame entities, ensured the defeat of the party, Disrupting the Game Experience of the other players in the alliance.
2b) If the player is either alone or with non-Section 2-infringing players (how few that remain):
Even this would be a problem.
Why?
Because the presence of what is seen by the community as "lesser persons" infringes on the ability of the community to foster what they see as proper play.
If the community is the final law, then Windower should be required, under the User Agreement, for every player capable of using it. Any player not making their fullest effort to get the best gear and the like is infringing upon the play experience of all other players. Perhaps through content denial, perhaps through simply non-acceptance by the community, perhaps through forcing every Voidwatch shout group to have to filter them out, which is still a Disruption act.
In fact, it could easily be concluded that simply to request to join a group that you are not declared fit to join could also be an illegality under the User Agreement:
3.9 Non-Commercial Spamming/Spimming.
You
may not use (or abuse) the in-game chat and message services to harass other
players.
3) The user-run casinos, which have been declared legal to advertise for by GM's (I GM'ed this question a couple months back after the controversies surrounding Vana'fest 2012.) are, in fact, illegal under the FFXI UA:
3.6 Any Illegal Activities.
You may not conduct any illegal activities whatsoever in connection with the
Game. This includes every illegal activity not specifically highlighted
above, including without limitation gambling, defamation, harassment, and fraud.
4) The players who have put, on their Bazaars, single Ancient Currencies for 100-piece prices should be GMed for illegal acts under this same situation, but have not been because of the acceptance of the community of open defrauding of "lesser persons".
It is common knowledge to most of the players that these acts are committed intentionally, with the intent to defraud another player of the use of "their gil".
5) In fact, if we really want to get technical: The name "Starcade" is, in fact, the same name as the arcade in the Walt Disney themeparks (and a 1980's video-game game show hosted by Geoff Edwards). It was also based (incorrectly, the wrestling card has two R's in it's name) of the old Jim Crockett Promotions/NWA/WCW holiday wrestling supercard.
Why do I point this out?
The use of the name Starcade is, in fact, then an illegality under the User Agreement!
3.5 Naming Right.
You may not use any name or other intellectual property belonging to SQUARE
ENIX or any other third party in your use of the Game (for example, naming a
character after a celebrity, company, product, or superhero).
And, in fact, under the same "brand confusion" rulings which result in decisions being levied against the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment, any player using a derivative of a Final Fantasy name is committing a similar offense. (This means all the names based on Cloud, Sephiroth, I know there's at least one based on Rikku on Leviathan, etc. and so forth.)
6) I am not 100% sure on this one, but I will call about 95% because of the possibility that Test Server situations use may use GM Invincibility, which might require making the players appear as GMs on the Test Server.
I've seen a number of the BG crowd, in various screenshots, post pictures of themselves with their character names appearing to be GMs. Now, unless this is Test Server GM Invincibility, this, too, is a violation:
3.4 Impersonation.
You may not impersonate any person or entity or fraudulently hold yourself out
as a SQUARE ENIX employee, representative, or any other SQUARE ENIX-connected
person or being affiliated with any such person or entity. This means you
cannot log into someone else’s account, or deceive or mislead other people as
to your identity. For your own safety, we encourage users to safeguard
their privacy, remain anonymous, and never give out personal information to
other users.
----
And this list will increase over time.
The point I'm making, to the brass at Square-Enix is that your User Agreement is Invalid, a Fraud, and a Sham.
(Maybe that's why Baccanale cut off the conversation the moment I even MENTIONED the word "fraud".)
This raises the very real possibility that you have attempted to insulate your Japanese player-base from your North American, and that you are openly allowing these criminal shitheads on BluGartr and their supporters to run the show over here since the preservation of the Community is the Final Law.
At that point, you don't want me back.
At all.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
A little note for the GMs and SGMs of Final Fantasy XI
I'm going to give you a list as to the Terms of Service my very presence in the game at all violates:
3.2 Disruption. You may not in any way disrupt or interfere with the Game experience of other players, including the disruption of SQUARE ENIX’s computers and servers.
In the present FFXI player community, my very presence in the game and the demand that the Terms be imposed on all players is a violation of the Terms in and of themselves. And some of them may well learn this come Thursday my time/Friday JP.
The demand that Windower cheats be removed is a Disruption to the Game Experience of Windower players, the preferred class, up to and including GMs. In fact, if one wanted to take a fully-BluGartr view of it, the fact that I don't use Windower, in and of itself, might well be a Disruption to the Game Experience, because my waste of computer and server space is lagging the Experience for other players.
In fact, on edit, it would also be a Disruption to the Game Experience of the other players for me not to use Windower and bots and third party programs if they are the expectation of any real level of play. It would very easily deny people the opportunity to play certain aspects of the game which are community-accepted to require such otherwise-illegal content.
Hence, I either violate Cheating and Bots, or Disruption. Hence, I could not play Final Fantasy XI legally even if I wanted to!
That's how we got here.
The game does not want me in public communication with the other players in any way, shape, or form after this incident.
The very fact I'm even in the game is harassment.
The very fact that I am in the game is also a threat, express or implied. And one got stated to SGM Baccanale too tonight.
Hell, let's tack this on too. Anything a "reasonable person" does not like and serves no legitimate purpose is harassment under the law, so...
You don't want me back, Square-Enix. But if you want me to try to do as Baccanale asked, you'll find out how many people I believe to be in violation and will probably draw another violation on my account to attempt to enforce!
3.2 Disruption. You may not in any way disrupt or interfere with the Game experience of other players, including the disruption of SQUARE ENIX’s computers and servers.
In the present FFXI player community, my very presence in the game and the demand that the Terms be imposed on all players is a violation of the Terms in and of themselves. And some of them may well learn this come Thursday my time/Friday JP.
The demand that Windower cheats be removed is a Disruption to the Game Experience of Windower players, the preferred class, up to and including GMs. In fact, if one wanted to take a fully-BluGartr view of it, the fact that I don't use Windower, in and of itself, might well be a Disruption to the Game Experience, because my waste of computer and server space is lagging the Experience for other players.
In fact, on edit, it would also be a Disruption to the Game Experience of the other players for me not to use Windower and bots and third party programs if they are the expectation of any real level of play. It would very easily deny people the opportunity to play certain aspects of the game which are community-accepted to require such otherwise-illegal content.
Hence, I either violate Cheating and Bots, or Disruption. Hence, I could not play Final Fantasy XI legally even if I wanted to!
3.3 Profanity and Offensive Language.
You may not use profanity or any language that a reasonable person would find
offensive. The Game is for players aged 13 and older. You agree to
behave accordingly.
That's how we got here.
The game does not want me in public communication with the other players in any way, shape, or form after this incident.
3.6 Any Illegal Activities.
You may not conduct any illegal activities whatsoever in connection with the
Game. This includes every illegal activity not specifically highlighted
above, including without limitation gambling, defamation, harassment, and fraud.
The very fact I'm even in the game is harassment.
The very fact that I am in the game is also a threat, express or implied. And one got stated to SGM Baccanale too tonight.
3.9 Non-Commercial Spamming/Spimming.
You
may not use (or abuse) the in-game chat and message services to harass other
players.
Hell, let's tack this on too. Anything a "reasonable person" does not like and serves no legitimate purpose is harassment under the law, so...
You don't want me back, Square-Enix. But if you want me to try to do as Baccanale asked, you'll find out how many people I believe to be in violation and will probably draw another violation on my account to attempt to enforce!
24PB for Swearing -- 3PP?? Appears to be perfectly fine with Senior GMs...
Somebody's gonna get their ass kicked.
Just not sure who, when, or where.
Suspended for 24 hours (effective JP Midnight tomorrow -- it's a 24PB (a 24-hour Penalty Box)) for a second swearing violation. They wanted to leave it as a second warning, but I wanted a few more words with an SGM.
Before that, I gave Baudle the business when he administered the warning. We're talking umpire-rhubarb level, here.
Then I left a GM call that basically said if the community of the game is more important to you than the enforcement of the rules, then, frankly, they'd better suspend me.
That eventually (after about 10 minutes in Mordion Gaol -- my second trip there) drew Supervising GM Baccanale.
What followed, I almost wish I could've screen-captured, and I know I will never get the log for.
It was about a 20-minute animated discussion (nothing I haven't been saying on this blog for four years), which of course Baccanale was referring to his cheat-sheet/macros/form letters to respond. He was trying to get me to go through the typical channels I've done hundreds of times for GMs, and dozens for the STF.
(If they seriously want me to do that, I'll spend my in-game time GMing/STFing the fuck out of people. If they want me to try to do it through the normal channels, the bulk (if not all) of my game-time will be rule enforcement. They'll have to ban me for harassing the players through the GMs.)
I will go vigilante on not only Leviathan, but on everything I can have tools to go with.
And I openly called BULLSHIT (at least twice) when the SGM tried to tell me some of this was working.
At the end, I asked him this question: "Are the Terms of Service still valid, or are they a fraud?"
Magic Word Invoked. That ended it, since I declared a legal term on him.
He's right, though: I would consider legal action if I weren't aware of decisions like Leong vs. Square-Enix and Mayer vs. Belichick, New England Patriots, and NFL .
(Of course, that action would've taken place 18 months ago.)
(And, ironically, that was a subject that I was animatedly talking to another player about while I was going at it with some Neo-Nyzul cheater-shitheads in Jeuno.)
Including these three, which were what drew the initial GM call:
"1 more idiot needed for Neo Nyzul I see. Get your gear now before the nerf fucks you cheaters up"
"Fuck you and your cheating bullshit, Staren. Stop lying to me or answer pchan's challenge and win his marrows."
"Most of you fuckers can't win shit without Windower and God knows what else you need to enjoy this game"
And I stand behind each and every one of these statements.
I have NO RESPECT for the FFXI player community in any way, shape, or form. And that is a fact I made intimately clear to both Baudle and to Baccanale.
Unless I get an assurance (and far more than I got from these two GM's) that the rules are going to be enforced, don't expect me to start abiding by them.
Right now, I would probably be less likely to draw a 72PB and ban-investigation (which is next penalty) by using Windower and bots than I would by demanding the rules be enforced.
Especially because I'm about thisclose to taking matters into my own hands. At this rate, I'm giving it about two weeks, and I may well have a freer hand than I want to have in that regard.
-----------
Tohi: I know you'll read this. Effective with the information I have, I should be back Friday, JP midnight. You will have to solo tomorrow night.
Let the rest of Dynamis Tonight know.
I could probably use the break anyway. It's not like, now that I have the Gungnir to 85, I really was doing much of anything anyway. Outside of Dynamis runs, there may not be much for me to do outside of lower jobs.
And that's something a lot of motherfuckers on Leviathan had better get ready to deal with come Friday, if I decide to take Baudle/Baccanale's advice.
And I also let Baccanale know, in so many words, that if I were to come to another FanFest here, I'd bust somebody's head.
Just not sure who, when, or where.
Suspended for 24 hours (effective JP Midnight tomorrow -- it's a 24PB (a 24-hour Penalty Box)) for a second swearing violation. They wanted to leave it as a second warning, but I wanted a few more words with an SGM.
Before that, I gave Baudle the business when he administered the warning. We're talking umpire-rhubarb level, here.
Then I left a GM call that basically said if the community of the game is more important to you than the enforcement of the rules, then, frankly, they'd better suspend me.
That eventually (after about 10 minutes in Mordion Gaol -- my second trip there) drew Supervising GM Baccanale.
What followed, I almost wish I could've screen-captured, and I know I will never get the log for.
It was about a 20-minute animated discussion (nothing I haven't been saying on this blog for four years), which of course Baccanale was referring to his cheat-sheet/macros/form letters to respond. He was trying to get me to go through the typical channels I've done hundreds of times for GMs, and dozens for the STF.
(If they seriously want me to do that, I'll spend my in-game time GMing/STFing the fuck out of people. If they want me to try to do it through the normal channels, the bulk (if not all) of my game-time will be rule enforcement. They'll have to ban me for harassing the players through the GMs.)
I will go vigilante on not only Leviathan, but on everything I can have tools to go with.
And I openly called BULLSHIT (at least twice) when the SGM tried to tell me some of this was working.
At the end, I asked him this question: "Are the Terms of Service still valid, or are they a fraud?"
Magic Word Invoked. That ended it, since I declared a legal term on him.
He's right, though: I would consider legal action if I weren't aware of decisions like Leong vs. Square-Enix and Mayer vs. Belichick, New England Patriots, and NFL .
(Of course, that action would've taken place 18 months ago.)
(And, ironically, that was a subject that I was animatedly talking to another player about while I was going at it with some Neo-Nyzul cheater-shitheads in Jeuno.)
Including these three, which were what drew the initial GM call:
"1 more idiot needed for Neo Nyzul I see. Get your gear now before the nerf fucks you cheaters up"
"Fuck you and your cheating bullshit, Staren. Stop lying to me or answer pchan's challenge and win his marrows."
"Most of you fuckers can't win shit without Windower and God knows what else you need to enjoy this game"
And I stand behind each and every one of these statements.
I have NO RESPECT for the FFXI player community in any way, shape, or form. And that is a fact I made intimately clear to both Baudle and to Baccanale.
Unless I get an assurance (and far more than I got from these two GM's) that the rules are going to be enforced, don't expect me to start abiding by them.
Right now, I would probably be less likely to draw a 72PB and ban-investigation (which is next penalty) by using Windower and bots than I would by demanding the rules be enforced.
Especially because I'm about thisclose to taking matters into my own hands. At this rate, I'm giving it about two weeks, and I may well have a freer hand than I want to have in that regard.
-----------
Tohi: I know you'll read this. Effective with the information I have, I should be back Friday, JP midnight. You will have to solo tomorrow night.
Let the rest of Dynamis Tonight know.
I could probably use the break anyway. It's not like, now that I have the Gungnir to 85, I really was doing much of anything anyway. Outside of Dynamis runs, there may not be much for me to do outside of lower jobs.
And that's something a lot of motherfuckers on Leviathan had better get ready to deal with come Friday, if I decide to take Baudle/Baccanale's advice.
And I also let Baccanale know, in so many words, that if I were to come to another FanFest here, I'd bust somebody's head.
WOO HOO!! Hypergame-cheaters get blown to bits!
Say goodbye to Neo-Nyzul -- nice to know you.
Square-Enix just blew it up with the expected nerfs on Perfect Defense and Embrava:
Perfect Defense:
Will people quit? I'm probably talking to one who will, pissed off at me already for me shouting it in Jeuno.
The facts are simple:
Square-Enix just blew it up with the expected nerfs on Perfect Defense and Embrava:
Perfect Defense:
- Old: 90 seconds.
- New: 30 second base, 1 additional second for every 20 summoning magic.
- Old: 5 minute duration, Regain effect, haste capped at > 25%.
- New: 90 seconds duration, Refresh instead of the Regain, Haste is now 15% + 1/20 Enhancing capped 25%
Will people quit? I'm probably talking to one who will, pissed off at me already for me shouting it in Jeuno.
The facts are simple:
- As far as SE JP is concerned, there are no legitimate players. Between yesterday's blinker nerf and the upcoming nerfs here, it's a clear signal that, at best, cheaters are being tolerated as needed to be on the game until SoA would come out. The problem is that there are so few legitimate players that the fact the players are legit does not matter.
- The Tanaka Concept of BARANCE has been maintained with Matsui -- and, again, I go back to the lightning rod, who said that Tanaka was trying to balance the game against the cheaters.
- The elitist fucks in this game are still cheating to gain content they have no right to. There should be PRECISELY ZERO people playing Neo-Nyzul Isle. The entire event was designed to force cheating for any reasoned level of success -- just like Salvage back in the day before 1/22/09.
Monday, October 22, 2012
And two more pieces of RMT abuse bite the biggie, and people aren't happy about it...
Oh, how these people don't get it...
Today, an unscheduled RMT maintenance was done today -- along with yet another attempt to fix Meeble Burrows (what is that, now, #7 or #8?).
But what's got the player-base up in arms (again) is the two newest anti-RMT moves:
You know, I've got a very real question for a lot of people who are in the middle of this shitstorm:
If we were actually to do a real investigation here, how many legitimate players are there left in the game? Especially on the NA side??
Most of you people are probably no better than the damn RMTs with your Windower and the like...
A lot of people are saying "this screws over the good people for no good reason..."...
How many of those people are there still playing FFXI with all the bullshit going on?
How many of those people SHOULD BE playing FFXI with all the bullshit going on??
So, what's next?
Today, an unscheduled RMT maintenance was done today -- along with yet another attempt to fix Meeble Burrows (what is that, now, #7 or #8?).
But what's got the player-base up in arms (again) is the two newest anti-RMT moves:
- Say goodbye to the chocobo blinkers runs. The price for chocobo blinkers was reduced today by a factor of about 85%, down to about 63 gil.
- Say goodbye to the people farming cruor to buy (and then NPC) the cruor gear -- you can't sell it at all anymore to NPCs.
You know, I've got a very real question for a lot of people who are in the middle of this shitstorm:
If we were actually to do a real investigation here, how many legitimate players are there left in the game? Especially on the NA side??
Most of you people are probably no better than the damn RMTs with your Windower and the like...
A lot of people are saying "this screws over the good people for no good reason..."...
How many of those people are there still playing FFXI with all the bullshit going on?
How many of those people SHOULD BE playing FFXI with all the bullshit going on??
So, what's next?
- A lot of people are saying "RMT Dynamis floods incoming!" A lot of the RMT shits have been using Dynamis for months, just not literally hundreds at once. It might well get to the point that you might well see Dynamis currency go Exclusive... Might make Dynamis Tonight a bit more interesting, because it'd make splits a lot harder to deal with.
- There has to be a nerf to the present state of the game's Auction House. I'm literally seeing almost any low-level item being a possible use of money-laundering by literally dozens of RMT shits. I've seen Yagudo Feathers, I've heard of Cure scrolls... I mean, something's got to be done on that too.
- And, finally, there HAS TO BE some Seekers of Adoulin news, quickly! People are going to quit. There's nothing to keep a lot of people here at this point....
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Why The Attitudes of Most Gamers Suck, Part Two: Why NOT Cheat?
"What is so wrong about cheating?"
"The most successful people in the world are liars, cheaters, and thieves." (Same thread.)
At least one good thing came out of the debacle: Apparently the one team fined for cheating at the tournament did lose the Grand Final. Taipei Assassins are your Season Two World Champions.
But Riot, e-sports in general, and League of Legends in particular have been devalued, debased, and de-legitimized. Any desire I had to try out LoL -- minimal, at best, as it was -- left last weekend after the LA Live debacle and the cheating.
But if I've read the above attitude once in the last eight days, I've read it 100 times over the course of the last 15 years -- all the way back to the Magic: The Gathering days I used to have.
The fact is, without basically a zero-tolerance view of it, the gaming community wishes to take every illegal advantage it can, and there can be no legitimate nor professional play as long as that attitude is allowed, coddled, and encouraged. This is especially troubling with million-dollar prizes being thrown about by several gaming companies now.
The fact is, if this is the attitude, then not only does cheating become the accepted mode of play, it soon becomes the ONLY mode of play. (Which is effectively what BluGartr wants.)
In fact, I would state that players should, then, be allowed to remove from the game players who demand legitimate and legal play. Effectively, to use FFXI as an example, my continued demands to see Windower cheats expelled actually damages the play-experience of the legitimate players -- and that, then, would be a violation of the Terms in and of itself.
This is why, charity streams aside, the mode of "gamer" in today's culture is still sneered upon -- and, for many of these little shits, it should be... Especially with attitudes like this one!
"The most successful people in the world are liars, cheaters, and thieves." (Same thread.)
At least one good thing came out of the debacle: Apparently the one team fined for cheating at the tournament did lose the Grand Final. Taipei Assassins are your Season Two World Champions.
But Riot, e-sports in general, and League of Legends in particular have been devalued, debased, and de-legitimized. Any desire I had to try out LoL -- minimal, at best, as it was -- left last weekend after the LA Live debacle and the cheating.
But if I've read the above attitude once in the last eight days, I've read it 100 times over the course of the last 15 years -- all the way back to the Magic: The Gathering days I used to have.
The fact is, without basically a zero-tolerance view of it, the gaming community wishes to take every illegal advantage it can, and there can be no legitimate nor professional play as long as that attitude is allowed, coddled, and encouraged. This is especially troubling with million-dollar prizes being thrown about by several gaming companies now.
The fact is, if this is the attitude, then not only does cheating become the accepted mode of play, it soon becomes the ONLY mode of play. (Which is effectively what BluGartr wants.)
In fact, I would state that players should, then, be allowed to remove from the game players who demand legitimate and legal play. Effectively, to use FFXI as an example, my continued demands to see Windower cheats expelled actually damages the play-experience of the legitimate players -- and that, then, would be a violation of the Terms in and of itself.
This is why, charity streams aside, the mode of "gamer" in today's culture is still sneered upon -- and, for many of these little shits, it should be... Especially with attitudes like this one!
Why the Attitudes of Most Gamers Suck, Part One: "Is Windower Illegal?"
Partially inspired by the League of Legends debacle, partially inspired by two FFXI spots...
I swear, at the rate things are going, I do begin to wonder if the gaming player-base will basically do more to de-legitimize gaming in the mainstream than anything else.
In the last number of years, I can see no greater evidence for this than the allowance of conduct which is outside the rules, and the desire to basically either obsolete the rule-book, or basically create the classic "two sets of laws".
Three examples I want to give to you of the absolute fuck-tardiness of this whole debacle:
There was a Wikia question put out on general FFXI Wikia questions, not sure if FFXIclopedia:
Is Windower and add-ons still illegal in FFXI?
Answer: They always were!
But let's read some of the attitudes of the Cheating Pieces of Shit on this answering and you'll see why there's a real problem here:
Cheating Piece of Shit #1 provides the following list of features and asks:
"How can any of this be classified as cheating?"
Ask and you shall be answered. It's all basically the same answer, but I'll be more than happy to educate you:
They'd have given you this FOUR YEARS AGO if you were entitled to it.
And Who The Hell Are You to declare illegal software the "proper" way to play in the first damn place?
Most all of these are illegal because of the following clause that you must agree to to play the game:
YOU ACQUIRE NO OWNERSHIP OR PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ANY CHARACTER OR OTHER IN-GAME VIRTUAL GOOD, AND ARE ONLY LICENSED TO USE SUCH CHARACTERS AND ASSETS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR FINAL FANTASY XI SERVICE ACCOUNT SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENTS. YOU AGREE THAT YOUR FINAL FANTASY XI SERVICE ACCOUNT AND ANY VIRTUAL GOODS AND CHARACTERS DO NOT HAVE ANY MONETARY VALUE. SQUARE ENIX MAY SUSPEND, TERMINATE, MODIFY, OR DELETE FINAL FANTASY XI SERVICE ACCOUNTS, CHARACTERS, VIRTUAL GOODS, OR THE SERVICE ALTOGETHER, AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON OR FOR NO REASON, WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE OR LIABILITY TO YOU.
... and by this ownership, you are not entitled to beyond that which they grant you.
Period.
And I have to listen to people state on BluCheater things like:
"if this ends up in SE fucking windower over, this man that posted this will be dead", to an Official Forums thread on functionality of Windower and putting that in the official UI. (Damane from Phoenix)
(God, I hope the Seekers UI update fucks Windower hard.)
You fuckers act as if you own the game, because the moment Windower does get fucked over, Square-Enix has to shut down the game for lack of subscriptions.
I could certainly see NA support terminated. But, here's the rub: If Square-Enix cannot keep the game up without this level of cheating, they would effectively be required by law (as a matter of fraud) to take the game down.
Otherwise, that black-letter clause above is void, and, at that point, everything should be allowed. RMT, claim-bots, fish-bots, etc. and so forth. ALL OF IT OR NONE OF IT. No gray area.
THE ENTIRE RIGHT THAT SQUARE-ENIX HAS TO ENFORCE THE RULES COMES FROM THEIR ABSOLUTE OWNERSHIP OF THE GAME.
And there is no gray, because they either own it or they don't.
But then we get to even a larger question, which the whole League of Legends debacle brought up, and that will be it's own post in a bit.
I swear, at the rate things are going, I do begin to wonder if the gaming player-base will basically do more to de-legitimize gaming in the mainstream than anything else.
In the last number of years, I can see no greater evidence for this than the allowance of conduct which is outside the rules, and the desire to basically either obsolete the rule-book, or basically create the classic "two sets of laws".
Three examples I want to give to you of the absolute fuck-tardiness of this whole debacle:
There was a Wikia question put out on general FFXI Wikia questions, not sure if FFXIclopedia:
Is Windower and add-ons still illegal in FFXI?
Answer: They always were!
But let's read some of the attitudes of the Cheating Pieces of Shit on this answering and you'll see why there's a real problem here:
Cheating Piece of Shit #1 provides the following list of features and asks:
"How can any of this be classified as cheating?"
Ask and you shall be answered. It's all basically the same answer, but I'll be more than happy to educate you:
- 1. Gives you access to a proper Borderless Windowed mode.
They'd have given you this FOUR YEARS AGO if you were entitled to it.
And Who The Hell Are You to declare illegal software the "proper" way to play in the first damn place?
- 2. See PT/alliance members' TP without them wasting time typing it to you.
- 3. Allows you to see the recast of your spells/abilities without pressing CTRL+J, CTRL+M or making recast macros.
- 4. Allows you to effectively combine full-equipment gear swaps into a single keypress rather than 3-4, which can already be done in-game via the use of the /macro book, /macro set commands.
- 5. Allows you to see the remaining time on your active buffs.
- 6. Timestamps the chat log.
- 7. Increases LANDSCAPE drawdistance ten-fold, making the game infinitely prettier. Player / mob drawdistance is unaffected.
- 8. Allows the player to customise in-game music tracks, rather than messing with BGW files.
- 9. Allows the player to change their in-game appearance on THEIR client, if they're tired of staring at a Galka's ass for the past decade.
Most all of these are illegal because of the following clause that you must agree to to play the game:
YOU ACQUIRE NO OWNERSHIP OR PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ANY CHARACTER OR OTHER IN-GAME VIRTUAL GOOD, AND ARE ONLY LICENSED TO USE SUCH CHARACTERS AND ASSETS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR FINAL FANTASY XI SERVICE ACCOUNT SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENTS. YOU AGREE THAT YOUR FINAL FANTASY XI SERVICE ACCOUNT AND ANY VIRTUAL GOODS AND CHARACTERS DO NOT HAVE ANY MONETARY VALUE. SQUARE ENIX MAY SUSPEND, TERMINATE, MODIFY, OR DELETE FINAL FANTASY XI SERVICE ACCOUNTS, CHARACTERS, VIRTUAL GOODS, OR THE SERVICE ALTOGETHER, AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON OR FOR NO REASON, WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE OR LIABILITY TO YOU.
... and by this ownership, you are not entitled to beyond that which they grant you.
Period.
And I have to listen to people state on BluCheater things like:
"if this ends up in SE fucking windower over, this man that posted this will be dead", to an Official Forums thread on functionality of Windower and putting that in the official UI. (Damane from Phoenix)
(God, I hope the Seekers UI update fucks Windower hard.)
You fuckers act as if you own the game, because the moment Windower does get fucked over, Square-Enix has to shut down the game for lack of subscriptions.
I could certainly see NA support terminated. But, here's the rub: If Square-Enix cannot keep the game up without this level of cheating, they would effectively be required by law (as a matter of fraud) to take the game down.
Otherwise, that black-letter clause above is void, and, at that point, everything should be allowed. RMT, claim-bots, fish-bots, etc. and so forth. ALL OF IT OR NONE OF IT. No gray area.
THE ENTIRE RIGHT THAT SQUARE-ENIX HAS TO ENFORCE THE RULES COMES FROM THEIR ABSOLUTE OWNERSHIP OF THE GAME.
And there is no gray, because they either own it or they don't.
But then we get to even a larger question, which the whole League of Legends debacle brought up, and that will be it's own post in a bit.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
LoL Drama, Part Deux: Why doesn't someone just force Riot to call off the LoL Worlds?
We now have various video and pictoral evidence which now implicates that five of the teams in the World Tournament have committed acts of cheating.
Riot is doing nothing but attempting to cover up and say they did due diligence in policing the tournament.
By God... You're making Wizards of the Coast look good, circa the Mike Long days...
Someone has to stop the tournament. Riot is completely incapable of running a two-million-dollar professional e-sports tournament. The amount of idiocy that is mounting against Riot in this situation just absolutely boggles me that they are even going to portend to continue this tournament after what they now call a "hardware problem" crashing their tournament completely.
Wow. There'll be more on this one. I get the feeling we're really going to hear it bad.
Riot is doing nothing but attempting to cover up and say they did due diligence in policing the tournament.
By God... You're making Wizards of the Coast look good, circa the Mike Long days...
Someone has to stop the tournament. Riot is completely incapable of running a two-million-dollar professional e-sports tournament. The amount of idiocy that is mounting against Riot in this situation just absolutely boggles me that they are even going to portend to continue this tournament after what they now call a "hardware problem" crashing their tournament completely.
Wow. There'll be more on this one. I get the feeling we're really going to hear it bad.
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