@LULCATS: its funny cause its true

belo

Perhaps im alone in this but..... who would use a bot to level up and then quit the service?

ShaggyB

@zoz: I'm sure Craptivision had a hand in this being Blizzard's worse half and all.

Ashkihyena

@JRB:How is this a blow to ownership? It's a MMORPG. You don't own shit, you rent it. Are you really going to try and claim that Glider getting it's nuts kicked in is a bad thing because it now means that making a bot to wreck a game you do not own will get you sued in court?

Please, think long and hard before you dive into this pool.

Foxstar Sixtail

@JRB: You would have a point if this was a single-player only game, but it's not. There wouldn't have been a lawsuit if it was single-player. This is just like using punkbuster for CS (or whatever the kids are using these days). The money is there in this case because it's a subscription-based service with a tight TOS, so blizz can argue lost revenue and devaluation of their brand.

This is not a consumer rights issue, any more than arguing you should be able to hack the servers and add whatever loot you want to your character would be.

glibby

6 million?! Surely MDY doesn't have anywhere near that much money. I know it's all for appearances, Blizzard protecting their rights and all that, but claiming that much (and in fact possibly more!) from such a small company is, well, pretty mean.

zoz

Eh, I'm not sure how this is at all a negative on Blizzard's profit margin.

Sure, using it is I guess cheating, but it would seem banning players for its use would be the most obvious option, not suing the company that created it claiming damage to...what exactly?

Baramos

I know you guys who play WoW are glad to have another bot taken out of the game, but seriously, this is a blow to consumer rights. It's one more nail in the coffin of the idea that you have any ownership over the game you buy.

JRB

@343winks: Yes they do. Blizzard is just big business, and that's all they care about, especially under the iron fist of Craptivision.

Ashkihyena

@Boudabras: No, they dropped one game I was really looking forward to this year in favor of two dead franchises.

As for sucking, naw, I don't suck at my job as much as you suck at life.

Ashkihyena

@DoctorSaliva:
My guess is that by allowing players to automatically upgrade, they can thus spend less time on the game.
What would normally take one half a year can be achieved within a year if you use the automated program. That would translate into less subscriptions.

eternalsunshineofcoralfang

I don't think Blizzard cares about money, I think they care more about what the person or people have done. Hopefully, anyway, they are not crooked about it.

Legal issues is alright, and they should have done it, but to expect something other than a Cease and Desist order is ridiculous.

343winks

@Ashkihyena: So what's with all the hate. Did they fire you for sucking at your job or something?

Boudabras

@vid3oman64: With all the tweaks and concessions Blizzard has made to the game to make the 1-70 stage easier, the statement rings true. I found the game to be pretty tough at launch, but they've really padded the entire process. I suppose that's what they call accessibility.

Miksho

6 million is nothing but a drop in the pool of money they must be swimming in right now

Fstrike

if they can't pay make them their bitch for a few years.

McClain

"put themselves on autopilot to help them escape the rigors of the easiest-to-level MMO in existence"

I laughed.

LULCATS

Easiest to level MMO in existance? I'm somewhat intrigued.

No, no, can't nerd out...

vid3oman64

this is a good thing

NakedLunch

wait. How did blizzard win damages out of this? if anything I would think this would keep people playing long after they get tired of leveling through the lower levels.

DoctorSaliva

Blizzard > all

does MDY even have 6mil to pay out?

silvery_eagle

I sent this in this morning >__<

fadecy

Good.

Lysandus

Just what Craptivision needs, more money.

Ashkihyena

good news.

too bad they won't do anything about the gold farmers.

Defoliantonthemoneytree

@Anguirel: Actually, I was referring to Ghostbusters, though I guess you might've guessed by my icon.

But yes, other good games were dropped in favor of Spyro and Crash Bandicoot as well, the ones you mentioned being them, and it is a major disappointment.

As for Ghostbusters, yes, though I think all the versions looked good, certainly would've made up for all the crappy Ghostbuster games that Craptivision did publish back in the day.

Ashkihyena

@SeraphX2:
He could have been referring to Brutal Legend, World In Conflict, Riddick HD, or any of half a dozen XBLA titles that have been dropped. Ghostbusters isn't the only good looking game that has a questionable future due to the merger. And at least one version of the Ghostbusters game is fairly cool.

Anguirel

@LemmingX: Yeah, we'll see, I still bet Activision had a hand in this, but what do I know, I'm a bit bitter.

Ashkihyena

@SeraphX2: Bullcrap, as I said, that was the one game I was looking forward to this year until Craptivision decided to pull this stunt.

Personally, they and anyone who supports them could go out of business and I wouldn't bat an eye.

Ashkihyena

@Foxstar Sixtail: If "You don't own shit" then you don't care if bliz decides you need a char wipe after your painstaking hours of grinding and whining? It's true that you "rent" your time in the game but I would argue you put enough real world time and money into your virtual avatars that you do own them in a way. Think of it this way, what do you make at work...well maybe not you, lets say somebody with a little more value, somebody salaried, their time is worth(to their company) approx $50/ hour, based on their skill. I bet you consider yourself REEEEAAALLLY MEGAMEGA 1337 h4xorz skilled, so your investment in that character is worth a certain dollar ammount...theoretically. All of this is more psychological than physical, I don't think any game company "owes" you physical money or compensation. But you have a certain ownership of your virtual things, without your time and dedication game companies have shit, no subscriptions no sales etc. So what they owe you is respect, courtesy and say so. I personally don't think bots should be punished 1) they are extended the amount of time somebody will play, say I want a lvl 70 hunter but I already have played 2-3 other 70 chars and I am not interested in doing it ALL OVER AGAIN chances are I won't. 2) There is no cheating, in the sense that nothing is being gained that is not available to other players 3) You are still paying for your time on the server. In conclusion Virtual ownership does exist, botting is NBD.

tehki

They should pass that money around to the legit players, if there is such a thing.

Rampage

@JRB:

Blablabla equality among all players.

LemmingX

@DoctorSaliva:If people get tired of WOW and find it too much of a grind, they should stick to Gaia.

As for how they won damages, easy. Because it broke their EULA and second, a MMORPG is designed to be a time sink, to get as much of your money out of you as possible till you quit, or the game shuts down.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Ashkihyena: Such harsh words people. Yh, cause ghostbusters is sooooo kewl.
I know I might get flamed, and I don't care how many fanboys are out there, but Ghostbusters is laaaaame. Now go QQ and find something else to play. Left4Dead will be better anyways.

SeraphX2

@1Grand_Marquis:Depending on what it is, yes.

@Ashkihyena:Stop crying. Also using 'Craptivision' is as clever as people who use M$, that is to say, not at all. Come with a better debate to the table or not at all.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Ashkihyena:

I don't think they do, 6 million is nothing, especailly 6 million dollars, if they appeal for more cash then I'll agree with you Ashkihyena, if they don't, then it's more what 343winks says.

Also, if you include lawer fees and wasted time (time=money etc). It really is nothing.

But we'll see.

LemmingX

@zoz: It's not really mean when the entirety of "such a small company's" assets are derived purely from Blizzard...and in violation of a contract/illegal at that. This company does not have a right to exist, so of course it shouldn't have a right to *any* money it made. Essentially, if the "small company" is left with anything, it'll just be seen as the "cost of doing business", instead "reason why you don't break the law".

verrius

Pocket money for Blizzard.

Mara

@Foxstar Sixtail: Heh..I can think of a few ways of ruining a game like this for everyone that doesn't require making a bot. Could I get sued for that as well? :p

1Grand_Marquis

@Baramos: There's two points to consider about profitability.

1) The money isn't in the game purchase; it's in the subscription. What keeps people playing? Progressing their character(s). Botting trivializes the time involved to progress in many areas. Once someone reaches the maximum progression that's available to them, they're probably gonna stop playing.

If you've got your standard full-time job, you have nights and weekends to progress when playing legit. If you're using a bot, you're more than tripling the amount of time you can spend progressing.

2) If more stuff is being farmed, the supply is higher. Gold prices go down for that stuff as a result. Again, that cuts into progression which cuts into profits.

3) There's also the manhours involved with investigation and action of botters. It ain't cheap, especially using the conclusive methods Blizzard has described.

Aldashin

Good. Farmers/botters can diaf. MDY Industries - can I have your stuff? Oh no, guess that's Blizzards now. :D

avconsumer2

@Foxstar Sixtail: Well, you'll just have to deal with it then.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena:Then I can't take anything you post seriously.

Foxstar Sixtail

Getting screwed like this by a big company must really suck.

Paincake

@tehki:It's a video game. You play it for entertainment, not employment. Again, Blizzard does not owe you anything. They make it clear that they owe you nothing at all.

EULA's are shaky ground, but if you read them before you play, they make it clear what you are agreeing to when you hit the "Play" button. If you don't agree, then it even tells you that you should not play.

The rest of your debating points are flawed and tinted with bias and you should rethink them before dragging this out any more.

Foxstar Sixtail

@tehki:It's a video game. You play it for entertainment, not employment. Again, Blizzard does not owe you anything. They make it clear that they owe you nothing at all.

EULA's are shaky ground, but if you read them before you play, they make it clear what you are agreeing to when you hit the "Play" button. If you don't agree, then it even tells you that you should not play.

The rest of your debating points are flawed and tinted with bias.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Foxstar Sixtail: I won't ever stop using Craptivision for what they've done.

Ashkihyena

@tehki: ...Except, you agreed to that, when you signed the license agreement (iirc). You agreed that yes, Blizzard can wipe the character and there is nothing you can do about it. You also agreed you have no ownership whatsoever of your character. This idea that you actually do is ludicrous, when you explicitly have agreed that you do not.

verrius

@Ashkihyena:

Do you know how much it takes to run a business like this? Do you know how much it costs to keep making stuff like they do? Do you know how much their lawyers cost? The money in this case wasn't so that they could have more, it was so that they could stop a company from doing something that was wrong.

Reavyn29

@Foxstar Sixtail: Not really, but I don't think about money money money all the time like these two companies do.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena:And you work for free, am I right?

Foxstar Sixtail

@Lemming:So? Glider was AGAINST THE RULES. What is so noble to you folks about something that is against the rules, MORE SO a video game which you do not have to play but if you do and you cheat, you can impact the play of other people, making it harder for them?

Jesus, bring something useful to the debating table folks, your killing me here, it's like trying to talk about the facts of life to a bus load if inbred cats.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Lemming:

Hate to tell you, but this had almost nothing to do with money.

Reavyn29

@Lemming: Welcome to big business my friend, where all they can think about is more and more money.

Ashkihyena

They weren't losing any money from it, have billions already and won another 6 million. Whoopdedoo for them :/

Lemming

Ouch, six million? I don't think the creator of Glider ever profited that highly off of his product.

AJMarra

@orentholjames: I agree with your disappointment regarding endgame content, but you do have to admit, there is a shit ton of content from 1-70. You don't have to do every quest, you don't have to do all your professions, and you will still never run out of things to do on the way to the top.

But yeah, once you hit 70, it peaks off pretty fast into a massive grind where you need a dedicated guild and a schedule revolving around the game. That's why the trend for WoW players is to make a character, get to 70, then quit shortly after.

However, I don't think that WoW has lied to anyone. I'd be surprised if you told me they had stated their end game was for everyone, because it's clearly just for the hardcore. The interesting thing is that the bulk of WoW players are not hardcore, so why has Blizzard focused so much of their time and effort on this hardcore endgame content?

I think that Blizzard has kind of learned from the folly of their ways, and I expect WotLK to be a step in the right direction; how much of a step is still TBD, but I'm excited to see how it'll turn out.

UltimatePancakeSensation

Good.

Anyone who uses glider is as much of a $%^&spanker as MDY.

Gratz blizz...

(BTW, Anyone who names their company after their own initials is a douchebag. Don't you know that all tech companies have to be named either "i" or "One" ..... for example "iDouche" or "DouchebagOne").

Rjak

@orentholjames:Every MMORPG is about endgame. How is this new?

Foxstar Sixtail

@orentholjames: This is the best post on Kotaku today.

Razgriz1

@Ashkihyena:
Somebody got his panties in a bunch.
You want a whole company (and everyone who supports them) to go out of business, along with hundreds, if not thousands of employees just because YOU can't get your game. You are pretty dense.

As others said, the money is probably for the legal costs. And it was in their right, so one might say they 'earned' it.

As for the ghostbusters game... If you want it that badly, why not try it yourself. Don't forget to make it public soon enough (even through rumours), just so other gamers can shit on you too when you announce the failing of your project.

marlblank

@orentholjames: I agree with your point, as endgame WoW is all about the epic content. I find heaps of fun just levelling up through the older content.

Hopefully WoTLK will be at least a small improvement for things to do solo. (Before the Burning crusade expansion I'd set up little missions to achieve; repuation factions/profession drops/etc.

The new cooking/fishing dailies were a small step in the right direction. But obviously I have two months to see whether Blizzard have done it right this time :)

Tastykent

@Foxstar Sixtail:

Oddly enough, if this were the real world. Glider would have succeeded at doing great capitalism!

orentholjames

"easiest-to-level MMO in existence"

This is one of the biggest problems with WoW.
It sets up this big giant lie. The lie that you can do things by yourself, because you can solo everything from beginning till level 70. Then BAM. They throw you to the wolves, and you truly understand that pretty much all that leveling was absolutely worthless, Blizzard does give two craps about low level content, and has focused ALL it's efforts on high end content, and that content is only usable to an upper percent who panders themselves to a guild, and grinds a whole hell of a lot.

This is why I think it's absurd when people applaud WoW for being one of the first MMOs you could solo. That's why so many people quit near or at the level cap. They're pretty much friggin' lied to. At least other MMOs have the gall to throw you to the wolves near the start.

orentholjames

@Reavyn29: Yeah, and something tells me that ActiBlizzard can afford it, they're making millions off of Warcraft alone.

Honestly, if it wasn't about money, they could've paid the lawyers with what they earn from their game franchises and just had this company shut down that bot deal.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena:
This started before Blizzard was a part of activision, get your facts straight before you spew idiocy.

Kaljin

I appreciate all your replies, but my point not about the right to use a bot within the game. It was that this ruling validates Blizzard's right to write a draconian EULA that tells you exactly what to do and not do with their software. It's like buying a book and being told that you can only read it sitting in an arm chair.

If I want to write a program that automates the game, that should be my right as a consumer. You can make an argument as to the fact that I should not be able to play on Blizzard's servers using that bot, but Blizzard should have no right to go after the writer of a bot program. Their rights should be limited to banning players using bots from their server, not suing over the very existence of the bot in the first place. It's an important distinction, and one that is at the heart of digital consumer rights.

JRB

@Lemming: Enlighten us?

Reavyn29

@Foxstar Sixtail: You might want to look at WAR before you make statements like that.

Lemming

@UltimatePancakeSensation:

I'm just not sure I'll ever really understand why people think that a Massive Multiplayer Online game would have a lot of endgame solo content.

The guild I'm in is far from hardcore and barely have enough people to do a 10 man raid. Even so, we have managed to clear Karazhan two weeks in a row on our first try. You don't have to be in a guild to do regular or heroic instances, and there are tons of Daily quests to do.

Reavyn29

@Foxstar Sixtail: The point he is making is that WoW touted itself as being not like every other MMORPG. It didn't just allow solo playing, but, unlike many other forays into the genre, didn't penalize it in any way (and frankly, much of the game played while leveling is, in fact, _geared_ toward solo play: it would be too easy without it). Of course, once anyone gets to cap, the solo content dries up rapidly (unless you count a series of frenzied grinds interspersed with considerable transit times).

PearceShea

@Reavyn29: Yeah, and like I said, its not like ActiBlizzard can't afford it, but what do I know, I don't play WoW anymore and I won't ever again.

Ashkihyena

@Foxstar Sixtail: Do you know how sad that sounds? "Against the rules"? It's ridiculous. If poeple want to bot their characters up levels, it should be up to them - they pay a subscription fee.

Sure, to people like us it just seems odd to not play the game yourself, but who were they hurting?

Certainly not Blizzard, and given their free-ride to gold sellers so far I don't think they care about their customers getting hurt either. So what was the point in chasing this down?

Instead of this maybe they should concentrate on putting more solid reasons to keep playing - and no, not fucking bejeweled.

Lemming

@Ashkihyena:

Yes, because that idea would people think twice before trying this again.

Reavyn29

@marlblank: Yes, yes I do, now, had ActiBlizzard not have been a bunch of douches and dropped the game in support of two dead franchises, I wouldn't be posting that.

Oh, as for me getting Ghostbusters out, yeah, call me when I win the lottery. So, fuck ActiBlizzard.

Ashkihyena

@AJMarra: I'm sure if he can't pay, they'll take his assets. They got to get their money somehow.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena: Oh, and another thing, it might've started back then, when Blizzard wasn't merged, but now that it is, you can damn well guarantee that Craptivision gets a share of that money even though they didn't have anything to do with it.

Ashkihyena

@Lemming:WAR is -brand new- and you can bet your ass that once it gets old enough, it will be focused towards endgame too. Endgame has to be well supported, you need a reason to level up after all then doing small quests for money or items.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Kaljin: Well, now its part of Craptivision, so now it sucks more then it sucked back then.

Ashkihyena

Ashkihyena, you are seriously making me laugh. How somebody can be so irate over a Ghostbusters game is beyond me...because the other GB games were so good right and that franchise really has legs and is still relevant right?

You are like a kid who woke up on X-mas and didn't get what he wanted, so he hates the world. What's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah...spoiled!

Besides Acti-blizzard didn't kill the game. They just said they don't want to publish it. They are still free to find other publishers, they just haven't found one yet. If it was as great a game as you seem to think it is going to be, wouldn't publishers be lining up around the block to sink their teeth into that Ghostbusters cash cow? But since they aren't...maybe, just maybe they know something about it you don't (besides how to make money in the vid-game industry)...

Meohfumado

@Ashkihyena:

Why not, he knowingly broke the law.

Reavyn29

@Defoliantonthemoneytree: They are, but goldsellers are impossible to root out, as are all types of spam.

Anyway, can't say I'm shocked about this outcome

Nirual

@JRB: In an MMO, it's about more than your rights. A bot left running can lag the game, take or interfere with kills, and be used for gold selling.

The writer himself has a liability for this because he not only made a program for the sole purpose of allowing others to violate the EULA, he charged for it. A person who sells a gun knowing that the customer is going to use it to kill someone is definitely liable, even if he/she did not commit the crime.

Tiber

@Foxstar Sixtail: It's been designed from the ground up to make you feel included all the way up to 'end-game'. in fact, there isn't an 'end-game' in the strictist sense because the RvR is constant and there is always everything to play for.

Lemming

@Meohfumado:
Psychonauts was a great game, that ended up having to go with a crappy publisher, and the game had to fade into oblivion.

Being good means nothing. Absolutely nothing. Being popular does. Being established does.
Publisher + Not a guaranteed success = ERROR

orentholjames

@Ashkihyena: Don't worry, GB is coming and will be better for the wait

kidko

@Reavyn29:
There's a difference between any, and none. Dailies do not frigging count. Battlegrounds do not frigging count. It totally changes the entire way the entire game plays from 1-69. It tricks you. It flat out TRICKS you. Blizzard flat out doesn't care about anything but high end level 70 content, at that, and that's the kind of content most players won't even see. Tell me... how much content have they added for people below level 60 since TBC? When you realize that only about 5% of people see this content they add, you have to really question what their goals are.

orentholjames

@Tiber: Exactly. Your rights end when another person's rights begin.

RawSteelUT

@vid3oman64: My /played at level 70 was something like 19 days, played out over 3-4 months solo as a warrior.

Korby

@Tiber: While that's a good point, I would still argue that it's an infringement on the rights of the bot creator, because of the widespread ramifications that the opposite ruling could have.

If you read the older Kotaku piece on this trial (linked in the text), they point out that by the same logic that this program is a copyright violation, so could antivirus software be viewed as a copyright violation. It's not the intent of the antivirus software to circumvent copyrights in this fashion, but based on this precedent the outcome could be viewed in a similar light.

JRB

I know I've asked before, but what the hell is the appeal of World of Warcraft?

How bad does a game have to be for you to pay someone else to play it for you?

Mact

Can we put Blizzard on the Million Dollar Bill?

TheFamous1

@Ashkihyena: Stop hating Blizzrad because of Activison.

syafiqjabar

@Korby: After Burning Crusade, I think Blizzard increased the xp reward for quests significantly (even for the plain WoW)m so that people can level faster.

syafiqjabar

@Ashkihyena: That's has nothing to do with Blizzard.

syafiqjabar

not bad for a company on verge of filing bankruptcy at one point

coveredinblood

@Daizaru1:

Just shutting down the company would do nothing more than show other that they can do the same thing and make money until they get shut down. It wouldn't stop others.

I don't get how people don't understand that if you tell a child no and just put a lid back on the cookie jar and leave the room with them still there, that they will just open the jar and get the cookie.

Reavyn29

Like Blizzard needs more money... ridiculous. Shutting them down should have been enough, suing the pants off them is just greed. ActiBlizzard is just a bunch of money crazed people... I honestly am reluctant to even touch Diablo3/Starcraft2 and keep supporting them. World of Warcraft is such a bad game, but intentionally addictive... they made intensive grinding "fun" and mask it somehow How people can't see past what it is baffles me.

Daizaru1

@Shockadin: Okay...so you'll pay a monthly subscription to a game you won't play because you apparently have better things to do...

I don't know, if you have this "life", you should spend that money on your "life" instead of a MMO. There is something absolutely retarded about the logic of "I don't have time for games so I cheat." Wtf do you even bother than? Maybe you just wanted a e-penis that automatically enlarged itself, is that it? Cause I can't see any other possible reason anyone would do this...

Viguro

@Daizaru1: @Daizaru1: Thats big business for ya. Can't just shut the bot deals down, no, they have to sue the hell out of them.

Ashkihyena

You can read the documents on the case here [news.justia.com]

gessyca

@Ashkihyena: stop talking.

sereal

@Shockadin:You shouldn't be trying to play a MMORPG then, now should you, if you want everything handed to you on a silver platter. If you have a life, why are you trying to play a timesink eh?

You thinking you at all have a good reason to cheat...no, that my friend is bullcrap. Get out.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Shockadin:

Seriously? Really?

One, your not at all learning how to play the game. This is exactly why people have problems with pick up groups (PUGs). Half the time you get atleast one person in the group that doesn't know a single thing about their class and screw everything up for everyone. If you only want to spen 30 minutes in a game then go play a game that won't effect others that are playing. This is nothing more than a selfish attitude that people seem to have when they claim they have better things to do than play a game all the time, yet when they do play they hinder every other person around them.

Reavyn29

Ya those greedy fuckers really needed more cash.

kagebutsu

THIS IS BULLCRAP
too bad i used better bot programs. you know, sum people have lives, so anyone hating on people botting just because they actually go outside and get sunshine should shut up if they're hating on people, like me, who only want to spend 30 minutes on games, who have other things to do. Not that I touched a game for a month now.

Shockadin

Wow 6 Million... Blizzard means business.

I hope they crack down on botters in Diablo 3.

Majpain007

@Meohfumado: Ain't going to happen, I'm never buying another ActiBlizzard product, and as I said, I wouldn't bat an eye if either went out of business.

Ashkihyena

@sereal: Stop posting.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena:

In the words of the Dread Pirate Roberts:

"Get used to disappointment."

Meohfumado

@syafiqjabar: No, it doesn't, but Blizzard is pretty much a part of Activision, so they pretty much makes them as guilty in my eyes as the people who dropped the game.

Ashkihyena

@kidko: I sure hope so, hearing that it got dropped in favor of Spyro and Crash Bandicoot of all things was a huge disappointment for me.

I just hope they don't go with EA as publisher or the PC version is going to have some bad DRM.

Ashkihyena

@Reavyn29: Sure, they can't just shut him down, they got take everything, big business for you.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena: Okay, the icon is to my right on my post.

Ashkihyena

@orentholjames: None of the other games were written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, the original writers, none of the other games had voice acting by the four main guys plus three supporting actors, and as for if its still relevent, you see this icon to my left, you see it? Second most known icon behind Coca-Cola, that's right, so yeah, I'd say its relevant to this day.

As for publishers, its pretty much what the above poster said, having a bad publisher is doomed to fail a game the way it failed Psychonauts.

So yeah, I'm pretty much done with Crapti-Blizzard's products from now on.

Ashkihyena

@orentholjames:

So Battlegrounds and Daily quests don't count? What exactly do you do from 1 to 69? Questing and Battlegrounds. Oh yeah, there are instances you can do....oh thats right, you can do those at 70 also. All you want is solo raiding content....well, one person a raid does not make, my friend. What your wanting is for them to constantly, weekly maybe, add new content so that you do run out of things to do that you can't do on your own?

Reavyn29

@Meohfumado: And to which, I believe is bullcrap as well.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena:

Also, that line about it being the 2nd most recognizable logo in the world was from the gamemakers own pitch for the game. It wasn't in any credible marketing study. Only featured in a sales pitch...

Meohfumado

@Aldashin: But at the same time, Most of those people would rather just not play than not be able to bot their way up.

The most common reason for botting is to skip the 'boring' leveling and get to the good stuff. The level 70 PVP and PVE content.

DaFox

the question really is who gives a shit? mmo's are a waste of time and if there is a way to waste less time on it people will do it. But I do have a solution for the person that is getting sued and it would solve all the problems. And it would make Blizzard back off of him in a heartbeat so I do hope he is reading this. And I only offer the advice as I think it would be funny to stick it to the man. Otherwise if there was a way to erase this blight of video gaming from history I would rather see that.

1.)
Follow this site

[www.gnu.org]

Once you reg your software under open source either GNU or BSD copyrights your protected by Federal law and the program can't be forcefully removed from the market.

2.)
Release your programs code in the form of a binary since that would take years to decode. Also would only allow those with real knowledge of programing to compile the program.

3.)
open up a project on this site

[sourceforge.net]

This site will provide you with forum to build your project further. And extend you into the GNU community further.

4.)
Run a donation drive for the software and file it as a Non-Profit Corp. You can do this with your SourceForge site.

5.)
Laugh at Blizzard or present this to them so they either drop this B.S. case or come to new terms so they don't sue for 6 million.

6.)
????

7.)
PROFIT & LAUGH

cippycup

@Defoliantonthemoneytree: This is horrible news... Blizzard argued that its copywrite infringement to load a program into a computers memory... AND WON.

DaFox

Anyone who thinks this is about money is totally missing the point. There are two basic types of legal codes in the United States, penal and civil. When one violates the penal code they face criminal charges in a county/state/federal court.

MDY did not break any "penal laws" and as such the only recourse Blizzard had was to seek damages in civil court. Civil courts can only make monetary judgments, they can't punish, fine, jail, or otherwise prosecute anyone.

If you think it's wrong that Blizzard was awarded money, blame the justice system not Blizzard. Blizzard can't go into civil court and say "we already have lots of money so we just want you to say MDY is wrong and yell at them instead of giving us more money", that isn't how the justice system works.

Just because Blizzard is really good at what they do and make a lot of money doing it, does NOT mean they don't deserve the same quality of justice as everyone else. To deny someone justice because they are wealthy is just as bad as denying someone justice because they are poor, you can't have double standards.

Killalaz

@Ashkihyena: Come on. Seriously, STOP WHINING.
Just take a deep breath, have a glass of water or something, and THINK before you post. Sure you're angry...WE GET IT... now post something constructive and thought out for a change.

On another note, people have seriously got to start reading the EULA for products and services and if wow glider infringes on the EULA, especially of a product of such a high profile company, they ought to be sued.

Make an example of 'em, donchaknow?

shinratech_13

@Reavyn29:
No. I'd prefer them not to lie just to make it easier for lots of people to have level 70 alts.

The grouping that's mandatory at 70, SHOULD be introduced far earlier into the game.

orentholjames

@JRB: The whole link to antivirus programs is tenuous at best. Antivirus programs only match up certain parts of a program to patterns of known viruses. They do not alter the operation of a program, except to stop it once it has found a potential virus until the user can decide what to do with it.

The only people who would have motivation to sue are a virus writers or people who try to hide spyware/malware/[insert evil thing here]ware in a program, and I doubt those people want the publicity. Even then, I doubt that link would fly.

Tiber

@cippycup:

Step 1) Make it open source
Step 2) Only release the binary

Yeah, those don't really work well together

damncrackmonkey

@orentholjames:

They aren't lying, they are making it easier to get to 70 so that new up and coming players actually have a chance to play with the rest of the population. If anyone starts playing an MMO thinking that there will be zero grouping with others needed then they really need to actually think about what an MMO actually is.

Reavyn29

That hunter gear looks so lame.

Freetime000

@Shockadin:

I agree,

Also, if they are paying for the service. Who cares????

WTF

Doesn't this just alienate people from this game.

The cheaters that make me mad are the ones that actualy matter, like speed boots, hp boosts, aim bots etc etc. But if they want an autopilot to kill gremlins and snakes all day who cares.

leeallens

@shinratech_13: Yeah, you'd be saying the exact same thing had Activision or some other company canceled something that you've been looking forward to for a long time.

No, I got nothing constructive for this, just that Activision is run by a bunch of douchebags.

Ashkihyena