Hack World of Warcraft
by Jonathon Stevens · in General Discussion · 08/15/2006 (2:05 pm) · 27 replies
Just thought I'd post this lil blip from MS about MMO security hazards:
news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060815/tc_nm/microsoft_games_dc
news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060815/tc_nm/microsoft_games_dc
About the author
With a few casual games under his belt as CEO of Last Straw Productions, Jonathon created the increasingly popular Indie MMO Game Developers Conference.
#2
totally! who cares about a leather breastplate ?? the magic sword is another story tho ..
08/15/2006 (3:34 pm)
Quote:
I'd love oo see a Police report with "Stolen: 1 Magic Sword, 1 Leather Breastplate". Would make me laugh so hard.
totally! who cares about a leather breastplate ?? the magic sword is another story tho ..
#3
08/15/2006 (8:38 pm)
Actually if you look this is already a significant problem over in Asia and charges have been laid a few times over people who illegally accessed someones account and sold some special item on eBay for a good chunk of coin or for vengeance.
#4
the suspicion is that her younger cousin got a keystroke logger virus on his machine, and she let him use her WOW account. they took everything which can be converted to gold and left the other stuff.
08/15/2006 (8:42 pm)
Weird timing: i just learned today that a friend of mine had her WOW character totally pillaged earlier this week.the suspicion is that her younger cousin got a keystroke logger virus on his machine, and she let him use her WOW account. they took everything which can be converted to gold and left the other stuff.
#5
08/15/2006 (10:23 pm)
@Orion - I'm gonna sound like a hard ass, but I don't really feel sorry for your friend. I don't even let my wife know my passwords. No one but yourself should be using your accounts on anything period. Would you give your cousin your PIN number for the ATM? I mean come on people, don't hand out anything, period. And never log into anything on someone else's computer!
#6
08/15/2006 (10:27 pm)
@Jonathon - yep. just noting synchronicity and corroborating that WOW is a target. 
#7
08/16/2006 (12:17 am)
WOW... how much more pathetic can someone get.
#8
I've also read an news article earlier the year about a couple that got devorced, and they shared the same account. It ended up in court, telling em to sell everything and split all the loot...
08/16/2006 (12:59 am)
Interesting read...I've also read an news article earlier the year about a couple that got devorced, and they shared the same account. It ended up in court, telling em to sell everything and split all the loot...
#9
08/16/2006 (1:38 am)
@Burning - That's not a BAD thing at all from where developers come from. That's EXACTLY the kind of commitment we want in a game, especially an MMO. If people are getting that attached to their belongings and characters in the virtual world, than we, as virtual world designers, have succeeded.
#10
, because your wife doesn't wanna settle for the Magic sword and the Boots and all the rings.
08/16/2006 (2:31 am)
I know... Such a waste that they couldn't come to an agreement though. Imagine having to sell your Level 50 
#11
I mean, look at what you're talking about...
This is "Better Than Life" at it's very beginnings. Once it becomes truely immersive... can you eat and survive on virtual food?
;)
08/16/2006 (3:46 am)
It's all just a little surreal don't you think?I mean, look at what you're talking about...
This is "Better Than Life" at it's very beginnings. Once it becomes truely immersive... can you eat and survive on virtual food?
;)
#12
08/16/2006 (4:11 am)
The next problem the companies are going to have is when the developers themselves stars to sell premade accounts on the side. Who's gonna stop them? Will help that Blizzard $400000 a year salary to about $1000000. Hmmmm...
#13
08/16/2006 (7:34 am)
@ Jonathan - but i'm not so sure we should want that kind of commitment. One professional is saying that this level of commitment to virtual worlds is clinical addiction, and like any other addiction can screw up people's life. As a developer i dunno if i would want to take any credit for that. (I'm sure you've seen the article: "40% of WoW players are addicted")
#14
@Orion - Actually I disagree with you here. I do agree WoW and other games can and are addicting, as I used to be one of the WoW addicts and am a general game addict to begin with. It has caused issues with my family life in the past and still does. I find it hard NOT to play games and it's even harder that I'm actually building one. So I'm coming from the mindset of a person who IS and DOES get addicted to games, especially WoW and SWG (before they turned it into a craphole game). Just because people can become gambling addicts doesn't mean we shouldn't allow casinos. Just because MILLIONS of people are alcoholics, doesn't mean we should close down all the bars. Game addicts have issues because they stay home from work or school, they spend less time with friends and family, some even go as far as to not eat as often because they can't step away. NONE of these are NEAR the pain and anguish and even DEATH that surrounds both gambling and alcohol, yet there are casinos in every state and bars on every corner.
If I can build a world that you would actually jeopardize your family for, then two things have happened in my mind. #1 I'm damn proud that I was able to accomplish such a feat. #2 I'm pissed off that people can't do what games and classic P&P RPGs were made for: Become totally engrossed in the game when you're playing it and leave it on the table when you're not. White Wolf publishing has a great 'disclaimer' in all of their books which basically says (not an exact quote, but close) "You aren't a vampire. When you stop playing the game, STOP playing the game and go back to reality."
Do I condone addiction to games? No. Let's get support groups out there and whatever else we need to help people out. Do I think we shouldn't make games as immersive because of the few idiots who can't handle it? Hell no. People don't watch movies and then go out and do things they saw in the movie because the movie was too realistic or whatever. They do those things because they are idiots who would have done them anyway, but just happened to do them after they watched the movie.
I listen to gangster rap even though I'm about as far from that type of personality as you can get. I like some of it and I'll listen to it and when I'm singing along I'll get that 'wow, look at that dumb white boy acting gangster' look on my face and act all into it. HOWEVER, as soon as the song is over, I'm still me and go back into my typical demeanor.
People need to take responsibility for THEIR actions. Yes a world can be 'too real' sometimes, but that's the friggin POINT of making it. I'm not going to give the typical person a lesser experience in my game because a couple of morons can't handle it.
08/16/2006 (9:14 am)
@burning - Doubtful that would ever happen. A developer that was caught selling accounts #1 is committing a crime against the company, and could be considered a federal offense if the $$ they receive is high enough. #2 they would not be able to work in game development ever again (would YOU hire them?)@Orion - Actually I disagree with you here. I do agree WoW and other games can and are addicting, as I used to be one of the WoW addicts and am a general game addict to begin with. It has caused issues with my family life in the past and still does. I find it hard NOT to play games and it's even harder that I'm actually building one. So I'm coming from the mindset of a person who IS and DOES get addicted to games, especially WoW and SWG (before they turned it into a craphole game). Just because people can become gambling addicts doesn't mean we shouldn't allow casinos. Just because MILLIONS of people are alcoholics, doesn't mean we should close down all the bars. Game addicts have issues because they stay home from work or school, they spend less time with friends and family, some even go as far as to not eat as often because they can't step away. NONE of these are NEAR the pain and anguish and even DEATH that surrounds both gambling and alcohol, yet there are casinos in every state and bars on every corner.
If I can build a world that you would actually jeopardize your family for, then two things have happened in my mind. #1 I'm damn proud that I was able to accomplish such a feat. #2 I'm pissed off that people can't do what games and classic P&P RPGs were made for: Become totally engrossed in the game when you're playing it and leave it on the table when you're not. White Wolf publishing has a great 'disclaimer' in all of their books which basically says (not an exact quote, but close) "You aren't a vampire. When you stop playing the game, STOP playing the game and go back to reality."
Do I condone addiction to games? No. Let's get support groups out there and whatever else we need to help people out. Do I think we shouldn't make games as immersive because of the few idiots who can't handle it? Hell no. People don't watch movies and then go out and do things they saw in the movie because the movie was too realistic or whatever. They do those things because they are idiots who would have done them anyway, but just happened to do them after they watched the movie.
I listen to gangster rap even though I'm about as far from that type of personality as you can get. I like some of it and I'll listen to it and when I'm singing along I'll get that 'wow, look at that dumb white boy acting gangster' look on my face and act all into it. HOWEVER, as soon as the song is over, I'm still me and go back into my typical demeanor.
People need to take responsibility for THEIR actions. Yes a world can be 'too real' sometimes, but that's the friggin POINT of making it. I'm not going to give the typical person a lesser experience in my game because a couple of morons can't handle it.
#15
i'm certainly not advocating disallowing addictive behaviours such as drinking, gambling, or playing WoW. Simply that as an individual software developer, i'm not sure i'd be proud of contributing to life-damaging addictions.
As you point out, folks have to take responsibility for their actions.
08/16/2006 (9:51 am)
@JonathonQuote:Just because people can become gambling addicts doesn't mean we shouldn't allow casinos.whoa there!
i'm certainly not advocating disallowing addictive behaviours such as drinking, gambling, or playing WoW. Simply that as an individual software developer, i'm not sure i'd be proud of contributing to life-damaging addictions.
As you point out, folks have to take responsibility for their actions.
Quote:I'm not going to give the typical person a lesser experience in my game because a couple of morons can't handle it.If it's true that 40% of WoW gamers are clinically addicted, i'd say it's not exactly a situation of a couple of morons.
#16
I seriously doubt 40% of WoW gamers are clinically addicted. Blizzard is pretty tight with figures and the only way to know that 40% are addicted is to actually get data that oly Blizzard has.
This reminds me of a few years back when everyone started diagnosing kids with ADD and then suddenly it was uncovered that they were just trying to push Ridilin (sp?). Just because 1 doctor thinks that something is happening, in no way makes it a fact.
08/16/2006 (10:14 am)
@Orion - You have to think of it from all views. Are you saying you'd never want to be apart of a casino, alchohol manufacturer (including wine and beer, etc), and so on? There are many, MANY things people can get addicted to both legal and not. Just because it's possible doesn't mean you should feel like you are to blame for participating.I seriously doubt 40% of WoW gamers are clinically addicted. Blizzard is pretty tight with figures and the only way to know that 40% are addicted is to actually get data that oly Blizzard has.
This reminds me of a few years back when everyone started diagnosing kids with ADD and then suddenly it was uncovered that they were just trying to push Ridilin (sp?). Just because 1 doctor thinks that something is happening, in no way makes it a fact.
#17
which is why i avoid making strong white-and-black statements such as "i'd never want to be a part of a casino" etc.
i'm going to leave my position as "i'm not sure i'd be proud of contributing to life-damaging addictions".
And you may be right about the WoW figure. It seems a little extreme to me also that 40% of WoW players would be clinically addicted. - Which is why i predicated my sentence with if it's true that...
And yes, always suspect doctors.
08/16/2006 (11:02 am)
Right, there's no denying it's a complex issue,which is why i avoid making strong white-and-black statements such as "i'd never want to be a part of a casino" etc.
i'm going to leave my position as "i'm not sure i'd be proud of contributing to life-damaging addictions".
And you may be right about the WoW figure. It seems a little extreme to me also that 40% of WoW players would be clinically addicted. - Which is why i predicated my sentence with if it's true that...
And yes, always suspect doctors.
#18
08/16/2006 (11:10 am)
@Orion - Don't take my tone as an attack on your position or anything, I'm just agressive when discussing points of view I have. ;)
#19
it's tempting stuff.
i prefer really getting into it over a beer anyhow..
08/16/2006 (11:13 am)
Roger That!it's tempting stuff.
i prefer really getting into it over a beer anyhow..
#20
Beer optional ;)
08/16/2006 (11:17 am)
I'd actually throw out a round-table offer to the community for a scheduled time to hack on MMO design points. I've read a lot of books on the subject and have a lot of varying opinions, including the area of ethical considerations.Beer optional ;)
Torque Owner Glenn Prince
I'd love oo see a Police report with "Stolen: 1 Magic Sword, 1 Leather Breastplate". Would make me laugh so hard.