[Dev Update] Exploits and Bans – 10 January 2008

I will come entirely clean, and I know this will probably reduce my chances of getting my account back to zero, but w/e.

After beating the other four areas, I tried Mallyx with a pug, and we failed (wasted my consumables, idiots). My buddy was like, let's go, my buddies want to do it too! So I get a guest, I go to the GH, I get ferried to this wierd place, and the Mission Start goes, idk how, later they told me there was an Enter Mission button. We beat Mallyx, I finished my quest, after beating the Four Lords. My friend asked me if I wanted to do more, so I asked how, and he told me just to come, and also to get the quest (which is completely blank, all four lords need to be beat). Meet us at the GH again, they ferry me again, and I am like, wtf, how is this gonna help...I still need to beat the four lords...again. No you don't. We go in again, we end up killing Mallyx again, my quest updates, I thought, that's really wierd, maybe it's like other quests in the game, that update ahead of objectives. I did it three more times, then left. Didn't touch it since, never gone back to DoA. I know that reduces my chances of getting my account back to nil, but seriously. How was I to know it was a exploit, or even a client hack. I used the cash I made to buy a shield, which I gave to an old friend, who only PvPs. Technically, I came out of this with nothing, I made around 18 k from the original quest that I completed, and then the shield that I gave to my friend. The thing is, if I had known this was a hacked exploit, I probably would have never done it, ban or no ban. I think that people who were dragged in there, or did it accidentally (I did, I am a complete noob at DoA, that was my first time in the history that it has been there that I have beaten an area, let alone all four with Ursan) a second chance.

IMHO if it was done by a 3rd party program, it's a good thing they're banned - same with the ones who knew the mechanics and exploited it anyways. Because we're not talking about that GH glitch anymore, we're talking straight up farming Mallyx using an exploit made possible by a third-party program.

If I had been approached to kill Mallyx and was told I didn't need to do the quest, I'd have been curious on the method and would have stayed with the group. Once mapped I'd have left the outpost right away because I'm not crazy enough to risk my account for Mallyx... if you could actually leave the party and such. I don't know the complete mechanics of it.

However, those totally unaware of it shouldn't be banned... but it's case-by-case really.

The problem might just be the whole area is in fact to damn tough thus players who want the good stuff from there start looking for easier ways to get it because they simply just can't the conventional way. This would make it just as much Anet's fault as the ban players.

I mean Anet created the scenario, hung the carrots out of most everyone's reach, what did they expect would happen?

So you're saying because ANet made a mistake they should unban everyone who violated the EULA that they agreed to by exploiting a bug? The people that originally accessed the outpost hacked the client by using a third party program. Fair ban. The people who were ferried to the outpost and killed mallyx exploited the bug. Fair ban. The others who were in the outpost and left shouldn't have gotten banned, but that's not the point.

They are banning people for something that they left open.

The hidden outpost was still open when they were done testing. If they were actually using the right-mind, they should have closed it and/or deleted it.

In my humble opinion, every game will have people that find an exploit and feed off of it for personal benefit. This is no different than people ferrying, but they don't get banned.
ANet bans the few people that used this outpost, but still let the ferriers thrive, when it has been going on for months now.

As I said before, every game will have those that exploit and hack. It is unstoppable.

With all do respect, you might not agree with me, but I say it is ANet's fault 100%, not the people that just happened to find this.

Nice to see Anet finally take a hard line on exploiters. Personally I think they should be more aggressive about this sort of thing than they are, but I'll take what I can get. I'm not sure how much it really matters , though, after several days of anyone being able to travel anywhere.

lawl @ those who got banned
1337 indeed

use exploit = get banned

Sorry, just because something is there doesn't mean you have to abuse it. It doesn't matter how enticing it might be, you still have a choice. If you find an exploit or bug report it, abuse it and accept the consequences. Who cares why the outpost was there? There was no legitimate way of accessing it.

Really ANETs fault because they OKed the use of texture changes and such only a matter of time before someone was bound to use it for personal gain ANET should slap themselfs.

I, for one, am glad such actions were taken. Personally I have zero sympathy for those who hack, cheat, and exploit for personal gain.

It's refreshing to know that these things are being watched for and when serious events like these do occur swift action is taken. There are far too many online games in which Dev Teams, GMs, and volunteers do nothing to put an end to serious exploits and hacks. Instead, their quick fix solution is to add something silly like "GameGuard", avoid banning because they don't want to deal with the negative outburst, dust their hands off, and say "Worry no more!".

I find comfort in knowing that here, in Guild Wars, when certain players take serious advantage of things, they will get caught and they will suffer the consequences.

If you were one of those who was an unwilling particpant and did get hit with the ban stick, I do have sympathy. I don't have any doubts that some truly innocent players got caught in the cross fire. I can imagine it sucks to get caught in the middle because of someone elses greed and selfishness; Enough to hack, cheat, and exploit. Just remember though, the worst thing you can do is flame and write an angry support ticket though. Take the time to write a mature and detailed explination as to how you were truly an unwilling participant in this exploit, unaware, and unknowingly knew of what was occuring. I'm sure if you can provide times and dates, along with the above, support would work quickly to fix the situation. It's been done before and I'm sure it will be done again.

Unfortunately, getting caught in the crossfire is one of the side effects when some selfish players take advantage, but I'd focus 100% of the blame on those cheating players who started this and not Anet. If hackers and bug exploiters wouldn't have created this in the first place, it wouldn't have created reasons for bannings.

My best wishes to those who did get caught in the cross fire and my hopes you have your account restored very soon. My not-so-best-wishes for the ones who knew exactly what was going on and those directly involved in creating this. There comes a time, hiding behind a comp screen or not, in which you must take responsibility for your own actions.

Lol, this is what I get for taking Speech class. Knowing how to actually state my opinion, and pull factual evidence from the past/present to make my point sound good.

ANet has not done anything from exploits in the past, so why should they get so upset about a few 100 some that did a hack on Mallyx? Ferrying = instant-poof to the end of Nightfall. That is more intensive (imho) than just a boss kill.

I'm sorry for everyone who was banned, but how could they not know this?!?!?!?! Most people check wiki, and don't tell me you don't because even the most experienced players want to know what they're up against. Does wiki ever say of an outpost that takes you directly to the Citadel? If this outpost was legal why'd they have to take you through their guild hall? As for Mickey, my sympathies but going in a 2nd time messed up any chance you have.

They didn't hang the carrots out there. Yes they left it in the game but the odds of people actually finding it were rather slim in their eyes. Most people never would of figured that their would be a hidden outpost for this purpose. Someone did figure out and hacked it. Yes it probably was very inticing to the casual player who finally had a chance to beat Mallyx without going through all the trouble, BUT they should of found it fishy as many people have pointed out in this thread. As ANet had been messing with Mallyx a couple months ago that was probably still there in case they decided to buff or nerf him again. That way they could retest using that outpost instead of making a whole new one for the same purpose.

It's ANet's fault that their client got hacked?

You do not know what happened with that outpost. For all we know, ANet could have been actively testing in it, which would be the reason it was open. Even if they weren't actively testing in it, they weren't planning on someone hacking the client. I don't understand how you can think it's all ANet's fault. Personally I think you're just mad that you/someone you know got banned for violating the EULA.

Yeah, I agree, I sort of RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOed that one up. I am going to keep fighting for my account. Idk how now, but meh, Guild Wars has always treated me well, hopefully it will turn out well.

So wait. Because it was left in to be used, it's fine? If I kill a guy I hate with his dad's gun, is it suddenly his dad's fault for leaving the gun out where I could get to it? Sure, that's exaggerating, but it's essentially what you're saying.

Breaking the rules is breaking the rules, and if you do it consciously, you deserve to be punished.

Doesn't it explicitly say they hacked the servers in some way to go there? Hacking servers/=/ Exploiting something left in the open environment....

Anet does not have to do anything they don't want to do. It is THEIR server, and not for you to decide what they should do or not do with it. The post was not open to players but for them to use for testing purposes.

The people that accessed this place hacked ANET's servers, at least the party leader's did, and if I were ANET I would not only PERMA ban them, I would prosecute them. It is illegal!!

I honestly doubt ANET banned people that went there once as part of the group. I can understand somebody wondering " how the hell did this just happen??", but if by the second time you couldn't figure out there was something really wrong.... tough. Ignorance is not an excuse. If you asked the party leader "How the heck are you getting to Mallyx? " and they didn't explain, and you chose to stay there, go back, and rack up some more gems.. tough.

I am sure the 117 people banned were:
a) party leaders and hackers
b) REPEAT Offenders ( this rocks, let's do it again)
c) REPEAT Offenders ( this rocks, let's do it again)
d) all of the above

Amen. Player X goes to an outpost that doesn't exist in the normal game by a means that was only accessible due to someone hacking the client... and for being somewhere they shouldn't have been (knowing it wasn't an area available to all players), taking advantage of said exploit for their own personal gain (no matter how small the monetary gain) and knowing full well that they face a permaban for violating the EULA...yet, thinking they should only get a warning instead??? I'd venture that a small percentage of those banned have complained about, reported, etc. all the bots, too...

Sounds like the right thing to do to me. Just wish I would have gotten the chance to see this place.


How many places like it are out there?