So people want to learn them.
Tag: Rules
Metacritic Is Delaying User Reviews
Steam: Devs Cannot Discount Within 30 Days Of Price Increase
With the Steam summer sale upon us, it might be useful to look back at a not-so-new but not-so-well-known policy laid out by Valve in terms of how and when developers can put their games on sale. According to the terms of service as laid out by Valve, vendors are not allowed to discount their games within 30 days of a price increase, cannot change prices while a promotion is live, and cannot run another discount for two months following a launch discount.
These rules were likely put into place to prevent a repeat of previous years where some developers would increase their costs right before a big Steam sale and then discount it to make it look like the game is at a big markdown, such as a $20 game boosting its price to $50, then offering 50% off and selling at $25 so people think they’re getting a great deal when really they’re paying even more than the regular cost.
The full rules breakdown as follows:
- You can run a launch discount, but once your launch discount ends, you cannot run any other discounts for 2 months.
- It is not possible to discount your product for 30 days following a price increase.
- Discounts cannot be run within 2 months of your prior discount, with the exception of Steam-wide seasonal events or other specific Valve-organized sale events.
- Discounts for seasonal sale events cannot be run within 30 days of releasing your title or 30 days from when your launch discount ends.
- You may not change your price while a promotion is live.
- It is not possible to discount a product 100%.
- Custom discounts cannot last longer than two weeks, or run for shorter than 1 day.
Eve Online Bans Input Automation
CCP Games has posted an announcement on their forums that, beginning in January, input broadcasting and input multiplexing will be policed under a two-strike policy. While multi-boxing, running multiple instances of the game at the same time, will remain a perfectly acceptable venture in Eve Online, using macros to control multiple ships at the same time with one button press will be punished under the developer’s two strike system.
Based on the discussion in this area and our will to be more clear and concise with the community regarding this part of our rules, we have decided to also apply this two-strike policy to prohibited forms of Input Broadcasting and Input Multiplexing as of January 1st 2015.
The new policy goes live January 1st and will not be applied retroactively. Creators of input broadcasting software are encouraged to contact CCP to come to an amicable solution.
(Source: Eve Online)
Jagex Steps Back On Multi-Logging Rule
Jagex has altered their rules on multi-logging, or multiboxing as it is often known in other MMOs. Previously players have been restricted from logging into more than one account at the same time, as well as from transferring money or items between accounts. In a new announcement, Jagex has revealed that players are now allowed to log into multiple accounts over all versions of RuneScape, as well as trade wealth between them, providing that the items were not acquired via rule-breaking methods.
You are free to create as many accounts as you like and you are welcome to trade between your accounts just as you would with any other legitimate player. However, if any of your accounts obtained wealth by rule breaking activity for example macro use (botting) or real world trading (buying gold or items from 3rd parties) then all your accounts will be banned. Similarly, multi-logged accounts must not interact with each other to exploit gameplay mechanics, such as attempting to rig the result of a minigame.
Selling or sharing accounts is still against the rules.
(Source: RuneScape)
Kickstarter Implements New Rules To Protect Users
Kickstarter is not a store, and the folks at Kickstarter Inc want potential backers to know this without question. In the Kickstarter articles here at MMO Fallout, I’ve made a point in reminding viewers that making a pledge is a risk, closer to investing in a company than pre-ordering a game. Regardless, there are a number of people who have invested in Kickstarters without realizing, or without caring, that there is no real guarantee that the project will ever come to fruition. And for that matter, there is no real guarantee that the project isn’t a fly-by-night scam.
So Kickstarter is adding in a few new guidelines to projects. For starters, Kickstarter projects must post clearly the risks of backing a program.
- Product simulations are prohibited. Projects cannot simulate events to demonstrate what a product might do in the future. Products can only be shown performing actions that they’re able to perform in their current state of development.
- Product renderings are prohibited. Product images must be photos of the prototype as it currently exists.
Additionally, there is now a limit on hardware:
- Offering multiple quantities of a reward is prohibited. Hardware and Product Design projects can only offer rewards in single quantities or a sensible set (some items only make sense as a pair or as a kit of several items, for instance). The development of new products can be especially complex for creators and offering multiple quantities feels premature, and can imply that products are shrink-wrapped and ready to ship.
While the new guidelines only affect hardware, gamers should be very careful about what products they pledge to. Just keep thinking: Kickstarter is not a store!
(Source: Kickstarter)
Community Concerns #3: The Revival
Today’s “Absolutely Brilliant!” comes from user Gnatbug on the MMORPG.com forums. Gnatbug has a list of rules for how to go about buying an MMO, and although he may be a little too selective (#4), he hits right on the money.
Rule #1) Never Pre-Order unless you have played in the open beta of a game!
Rule#2) Never buy a lifetime subscription before you have played a game!
Rule#3) Always google the game to find out what others think, then make up you mind.
Rule#4) If Cryptic is developing…a game WAIT 5days before buying it …Just to make sure it has content!
Rule#5) HE WHO HAS GAS …Travels at the back of the line!
#5 couldn’t be more true.
Take Note Others, Aika Cracks Down on Harassment
Here is a question to all of my…Runescape peeps out there. How many times have you had someone report you, maliciously, for something that was not against the rules, just to harass you? In all likelihood, at least a few. Now, Jagex claims that rule 10: abusing customer service does result in a punishment, however I have never heard of anyone getting much more than a warning for clogging up the customer support.
Earlier this week, Aika released the full list of rules, not only the rules but the punishment associated with breaking said rules. To put it lightly, gPotato is looking to provide “an experience at a very high standard.” (Their words, not mine) To put it more plainly, gPotato will not allow Aika to turn into other free games that we’ve seen, let’s single out Combat Arms for this comparison, the kind populated by children who can barely spell the insults they are flinging.
- Sending in a false abuse report on a player will result in a permanent ban on the first offense. If the character is new (unsure what this constitutes) than any accounts from that IP address will be banned as well, permanently.
- Impersonating other players may result in a permanent ban.
- Falsifying information about Gala-Net, Aika, and other players may also result in a permanent ban.
- Inappropriate guild demeanor will result in a ban for all guild members.
- Disrupting in-game events by harassing event coordinators may result in a permanent ban.
- NPC blocking may result in a permanent ban.
- Not taking offenses seriously (deliberately breaking the rules as a joke) may result in a permanent ban.
This is a comprehensive list of what can result in a permanent ban, and although some of these are pretty straightforward, I can see some eyebrows being raised at the grey areas. For instance, will the rule on “false abuse reports” allow free reign for griefing, because the players with their fingers on the report button are too afraid of gPotato not seeing the situation as they did, and receiving a permanent ban?
Or disrupting in-game events, or even NPC blocking. If any of you can give me a clear, concise explanation as to the process behind “npc blocking,” then by all means leave a comment below. My favorite of the list is without a doubt the last: Not taking offenses seriously, which can result in a permanent ban. How exactly does this work?
Harassing player = Temporary mute
Harassing player with a smiley face or an LOL in the message = Permanent ban?
Is there a form of numerical quantification where someone’s seriousness of a situation can be determined? At what angle must a person’s smirk be before it is considered not taking an offense seriously, where a temporary ban becomes permanent? It sounds like anything that is determined to be trolling is punishable by a permanent ban, but how do you determine who is cheating for an edge, and who is simply doing it for the lulz?
I’m going to keep this issue up and will be contacting gPotato as soon as Aika becomes a valid game to query Customer Support over, and will be following this up hopefully with a direct explanation for the rules. Until then, more news on Aika as it appears.
Rules: Why Do They Need To Be Repeated?
While logging into Lord of the Rings Online several days ago, I noticed the above warning on the main page. Turbine is banning anyone who exploits a bug with the skirmish system, without warning (no slap on the wrist) or appeal. They can tell who is doing it, and are watching for those who attempt to slip by.
This, alongside other examples I will get to, continues to make me ask: Why do MMOers need to be constantly reminded not to break the rules? Are we that exploitative, selfish, greedy, or ignorant that we have to be reminded that exploiting the system, cheating in some fashion, or otherwise break the rules is, in fact, against the rules and is punishable? Or does this small minority just have the mindset that they are invincible, that they won’t get caught. To me, this is akin to a police officer who greets with “now you know stealing is against the law, we will arrest you if we catch you doing it,” to everyone walking down the street, because a couple unruly teens in the neighborhood decided to ransack and beat the tar out of one of the older gentleman’s house down the street.
More after the break.
MMO Fallout 
