Abdiel Kavash
Paladin Order
Fidelas Constans
636
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Posted - 2012.06.29 08:41:00 -
[1] - Quote
I look at it in terms of abusing the information the EVE simulation has to your advantage, versus trying to fake the information to the EVE system. An exploit is somehow convincing the simulation to think that something is true, when it isn't.
The moongoo duping was an exploit. Players managed to convince the system that a silo was connected, when it in fact wasn't.
The FW ISK to LP conversion was an exploit. Players managed to convince the system that destroying a freighter full of crappy widgets was worth praise, glory, and one's weight in LP. Note that this is different from market manipulation. Market manipulation is trying to convince other players to pay more for the item than it's "worth" (however we define worth of an item). Intentionally trying to manipulate the CCP-determined market value of an item should, in my opinion, always be classified as an exploit.
(Worth noting though, in my opinion CCP shouldn't try to guestimate item values based off of anything. The value of an item is not a single number constant across the entire universe. Any attempts to assign a single number only screw with the market - making people think something is worth more or less than it actually is. Basing game mechanics on such a number is completely stupid.)
Insurance fraud was not an exploit. To my knowledge nobody ever intentionally faked mineral prices to the EVE system to make it profitable. People simply discovered that the existing prices and insurance values make it profitable, and took advantage of it.
As far as punishment handed out, Sreegs explained it well enough in the blog. The perpetrators of the moongoo duping exploit ran it quietly for nearly a year without saying anything. The exploit was revealed by a third party. This time the five people did it just to see if it could be done. If money was ever the incentive, you'd see way more tears and accusations. Once they saw they could, they promptly reported the exploit. I would argue that maybe a temporary ban would be acceptable - seeing as someone can be tempbanned for saying :words: outside of the game - but it's not my decision to make.
And last, all the lolgoons omgmysandbox EVEisdying posts are hilarious. Keep them coming, I need a good laugh! |