DICE Threatens Bans For Playing on Modded Battlefield 3 Servers

[Quellist]

Only in the games industry could a company get away with being such dicks. Seriously take all your games away for playing a beta game on an unofficial server? what next, they send a virus to delete your hard drive and steal your credit card numbers?

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Wow. People are already modding servers? Then again, I guess I shouldn't be suprised as there are people who have nothing better to do than mod severs and cheat.
...
Or are you allowed to mod games after they come out?
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...
...
Ok, now I just made myself confused. When is it ok to mod games and when is it not ok? I've seen mods for CoD 4, Left 4 Dead, Dead Island alnog with many others but...I...help, my brain is melting due to the confusion of this issue.

It isn't illegal to mod it, but some game companies do everything they can to make sure you CAN'T mod it, or that you DON'T. Some publishers do not like the competition that mods have to their DLC (Activision) while others see it as extra content they don't have to spend money making that people will buy the entire game for (Valve).

I am not entirely sure how legal banning people from their origin accounts since if they have any other games on it, EA is blocking people from getting to things they legally purchased.

 

[shadowform]

You know, it's probably for the best that stories like this come out while Origin is still trying to establish itself so people can avoid it like the plague, as opposed to say, two or three years down the line when you actually have $300-400 worth of games, DLC, and map packs that they can hold hostage.

Seriously. If they want to make Origin in any way competitive with Steam, this type of bullshit will not fly.

 

[Vrach]

Harsh, eh? Origin isn't the only digital service that can take your toys away for breaking the rules - I would assume they all can - but it's not the sort of stick that usually gets swung with such enthusiasm.

To quote House:
"You want people to drive safer, take out the airbags and attach a machete pointing at their neck. No one will drive over three miles per hour."

OT: I understand them as it's the beta. 64 player servers are one of their main treats, they don't want them to loose their cool before the game launches. People are welcome to host their own servers after the release, it was commonplace in BFBC2 afaik.

 

[Aprilgold]

So.. they are punishing people for helping them stress test their game.
uhm.. When did that become a bad thing?

EA: This game supports 32 players max.
Community: eh if we change this file here it runs with 128 people without a problem.
EA: NO BAD COMMUNITY, YOU ARE RUINING OUR GAME!!

That's how it sounds to me.

EA grabs near by spritz bottle and spritzes the bad testers.
EA: BAD TESTERS, BAD! WE WILL MAKE OUR GAME A COD RIP OFF WITH OPERATION METRO, WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE YOU FUCK IT UP!
Audience: Fine, then we'll just play Red Orchestra 2 which has actual realism including 100 or more soliders duking it out, or just play one of your earlier games.

Honestly, EA and Dice set a wrong foot in the door by having their starting, beta map be Operation Metro, why? Because it doesn't feel like Battlefield when playing it, just too CoD like with that map. Caspian is the much superior map. Here, I'll let a Cynical Brit tell what I mean.

Spoiler

[sub]part 1[/sub]
[sub]part 2[/sub]
[sub]part 3[/sub]

 

[DeadlyYellow]

isnt that stealing? if there taking away the games then its stealing.

It's covered in the ToS, same with Steam. The dark side of digital distribution: get banned from the distributor and lose EVERYTHING purchased through them.

Well except for the stuff on your hard drive, as that can be easily broken to play again. Or GOG, if you back up the installer somewhere.

 

[Baresark]

The best part? If you let it automatically place you in a server and it places you in a modded server, bye bye account. Nicely played EA. This is some funky way keeping peoples money and not giving them a product.

It's a Beta, so understandable. If they pull this crap after release, they officially suck.

Actually, any modding is FORBIDDEN!!! For real though, they are not allowing any modded servers, so you will not be able to play on a large map with more people than DICE and EA say is allowed. This is a big step down for DICE, that is for sure. What a let down.

Also, the map they are letting people open beta test is the worst map ever. It's so tiny, it's like a CoD map. There is no strategic placement of snipers, or setting up traps. It's just lame. The only thing that keeps a lot of people pre-ordered is the knowledge that they will never have to play on that shitty little map again when the game launches.

 

[Mahorfeus]

Is DICE not even allowing a saving throw?

Oh you. You're like a newer, 'impier' version of HankMan before he got banned.

He was banned?

Shit, I haven't been on here in forever. What'd he do?

I believe he was banned for being too awesome.

That, or low content posts. Either or.

If memory serves me correctly, he got banned/suspended for whatever reason, went around it by making a Hankman 2.0 account, then got instabanned for bandodging.

Shame though.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

I know that a lot of services do this, but not with so petty a reason. What the fuck guys?

 

[Your Fearless Captain]

This just in, EA really hates my money. Just another reason not to buy Battlefield on PC. As a PC gamer is had really high hopes for BF3 and am mighty disappointed that it uses Origin and has no Custom servers. I really don't think EA could make any more incentives to not buy BF3 other then full-screen adds that pop up every time you get in a firefight.

 

[Kapol]

Well, since Steam can do the exact same thing, it's not surprising. I think that most programs similar to the two that keep all your games so you can redownload them make it so you lose access to all of your games if you screw up. The ones that you just download the game but not any underlying system can't do the same, though they can stop you from redownloading it if you delete it from your system.

actually from what i have read Valve doesnt ban you...technically..they only ban you from playing on any server associated with them or there vac system. you can still download all games and all that from the store just you cant access serves wihich have vac gaurding them. or something like that. Valve is much more open though they actively encourage modding and stuff like that. they only really punish cheaters

I wasn't referring to them banning you over cheating or anything like that. I meant that they do have the ability to suspend your account for any reason, which makes it so you can't access your games at all. It's not uncommon. And it's not like DICE is saying EVERYONE WHO PLAYS ON THESE SERVERS WILL HAVE THEIR ACCOUNT CLOSED DOWN! They're saying it's a possibility that they can lead to things like having your information compromised and other issues that could result in your account being suspended.

In fact, I think the article is worded very poorly. It says that DICE is threatening to suspend those who play on these hacked servers. In fact, it sounds like it's one person on their forum who is supposedly working for DICE and saying that playing on modded servers risks issues occuring that could lead to account suspension. Totally different things.

 

[Andronicus]

Is DICE not even allowing a saving throw?

Oh you. You're like a newer, 'impier' version of HankMan before he got banned.

Spoke too soon, apparently...

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Is DICE not even allowing a saving throw?

Oh you. You're like a newer, 'impier' version of HankMan before he got banned.

Spoke too soon, apparently...

Yeesh, shouldn't have said anything should it?

 

[brainslurper]

Wow, Origin just wants my hate at all costs doesn't it? I mean, they could be like steam, and only ban you from the specific server you committed the offence on, but it seems this isn't even an offence, just clicking on a server in their shit server browser can remove all your games. There has NEVER been any Origin related announcements that made me like origin. I don't know how they plan on regaining the PC sales they lost by leaving steam, but this certainly isn't it.

 

[brainslurper]

It's a Beta, so understandable. If they pull this crap after release, they officially suck.

Agreed. Since it is a beta, players are supposed to test the game *as it is provided to them*. Testing a modded game doesn't really help with finding issues in the *product to be sold*. The punishment may be harsh, but then again, it is a bloody beta and people should be aware of that.

Now, in the main game, EA should better not pull anything like that. BF lives and dies with its modding community.

Yes, but the fact that modded servers show up in the browser AND the quick join means that you are one click from a ban. How about that? You click something on THEIR webpage,and it bans you. That is just beautiful.

 

[brainslurper]

Well, since Steam can do the exact same thing, it's not surprising. I think that most programs similar to the two that keep all your games so you can redownload them make it so you lose access to all of your games if you screw up. The ones that you just download the game but not any underlying system can't do the same, though they can stop you from redownloading it if you delete it from your system.

actually from what i have read Valve doesnt ban you...technically..they only ban you from playing on any server associated with them or there vac system. you can still download all games and all that from the store just you cant access serves wihich have vac gaurding them. or something like that. Valve is much more open though they actively encourage modding and stuff like that. they only really punish cheaters

I wasn't referring to them banning you over cheating or anything like that. I meant that they do have the ability to suspend your account for any reason, which makes it so you can't access your games at all. It's not uncommon. And it's not like DICE is saying EVERYONE WHO PLAYS ON THESE SERVERS WILL HAVE THEIR ACCOUNT CLOSED DOWN! They're saying it's a possibility that they can lead to things like having your information compromised and other issues that could result in your account being suspended.

In fact, I think the article is worded very poorly. It says that DICE is threatening to suspend those who play on these hacked servers. In fact, it sounds like it's one person on their forum who is supposedly working for DICE and saying that playing on modded servers risks issues occuring that could lead to account suspension. Totally different things.

I clicked quick join. I ended up in a modded server. My account is at risk of being banned. That is the definition of retarded.

 

[Garethp]

Am I the only one who reads this as "Using these servers means that the servers may modify your account in ways that will make it appear like a fake/pirated/modified account to our servers, and that's probably get you banned automatically, so it's best you stay away from them" rather than "Don't go on these servers because we'll be watching them and ban you specifically just for that"?

 

[brainslurper]

wait..........


A while back, wasn't there an article about how the PC version of Battlefield 3 would have a sort of matchmaking system, and the console version would be the ones with server browsers?


Has that changed since then?

Just makes me glad that if, IF, I get Battlefield 3, it will be for the console [since my computer would cry trying to run it].

Console version has server browser, PC version is launched ENTIRELY (Including offline campaigns, and the multiplayer server browser) from in one of EA's websites, and no launch data is stored on your computer. Before I get someone saying HURR steam does this too- No, steam doesn't do this. Steam games are entirely capable of launching offline, from a desktop UI. In a multiplayer game, and want to switch to another server? You have to alt tab out of the application, and open you browser, and join a new server there. Now EA, you know that it is possible to have a server browser AND a game, in one application? You know how I know this? Because you did it, in your last game. And the game before that, and the game before that.

 

[Kapol]

Well, since Steam can do the exact same thing, it's not surprising. I think that most programs similar to the two that keep all your games so you can redownload them make it so you lose access to all of your games if you screw up. The ones that you just download the game but not any underlying system can't do the same, though they can stop you from redownloading it if you delete it from your system.

actually from what i have read Valve doesnt ban you...technically..they only ban you from playing on any server associated with them or there vac system. you can still download all games and all that from the store just you cant access serves wihich have vac gaurding them. or something like that. Valve is much more open though they actively encourage modding and stuff like that. they only really punish cheaters

I wasn't referring to them banning you over cheating or anything like that. I meant that they do have the ability to suspend your account for any reason, which makes it so you can't access your games at all. It's not uncommon. And it's not like DICE is saying EVERYONE WHO PLAYS ON THESE SERVERS WILL HAVE THEIR ACCOUNT CLOSED DOWN! They're saying it's a possibility that they can lead to things like having your information compromised and other issues that could result in your account being suspended.

In fact, I think the article is worded very poorly. It says that DICE is threatening to suspend those who play on these hacked servers. In fact, it sounds like it's one person on their forum who is supposedly working for DICE and saying that playing on modded servers risks issues occuring that could lead to account suspension. Totally different things.

I clicked quick join. I ended up in a modded server. My account is at risk of being banned. That is the definition of retarded.

A little over a month ago, I was traded a DiRT3 code that ended up being from the massive key leak. I was at risk of having my account with thousands of dollars worth of games banned. That is the definition of retarded as well. No company should have the right to take away your ability to play every single game you've purchased through them. But they do because we let them.

And again, it sounds like you won't be banned for joining a modded server. Now people could have used that server's settings to gain access to your account, which they can then hack into. And if they do, then your account will be banned. And guess what? If someone hacks your Steam account, you're banned. That's nothing new.

 

[NLS]

I'm okay with this. Looking at all those fucked up stats where people have obviously been cheating their way up doesn't feel good.