Poll: It's really time to stop supporting Blizzard

[bob1052]

anc[is]Just because it's legal and in the EULA doesn't mean it's not a ***** move.

Whether you agree with it or not is not what matters here. It's the fact that they clearly stated that cheating of any kind would get you banned, so people who got caught have no right to complain, it was their own fault.

It's not the rule they hate, it's the fact they got caught and are now paying for it. If Blizzard had put that rule in the user agreement, but didn't enforce it, these same cheaters wouldn't be saying anything.

..and you don't question if they even have the right to tell you how to play the game in single player? That $60 players gave them, was that a donation or were they buying something?

That $60 players gave them was for the single player experience that they agreed to by signing the EULA.

The Starcraft scene is one of, if not the biggest pro-gaming scenes for multiplayer, and achievements carry prestige from the single player into that multiplayer. Saying they only cheated single player so it's no big deal is ignoring the fact they weren't cheating single player, single player already has cheats built into the game, they were cheating multiplayer through single player games.

Edit:

I think this is a good argument for keeping single-player games offline and keeping the single- and mult-player components of a game properly firewalled from one another, and we should probably strongly urge all game companies to do so.

It's not a good reason to boycott Blizzard. If, as stated, the single-player game has an effect on how the player is presented to the multiplayer community, Blizzard has an interest in maintaining the integrity of that presentation.

Though that should probably have been more explicitly stated from the outset, rather than in some dark corner of the EULA, I'll grant.

Even the obviously anti-Blizzard article quotes a Blizzard press-release in which they explicitly say cheating in "any form of the game" will get you banned.

 

[Motiv_]

Well, I feel like a bit of a tosser. Submitted this as a tip and then stumbled across this article.

Anyway, my feelings were sympathetic towards the banned, until I learned that there were cheats available in the game. Now, they totally deserved it in my mind.

 

[some1stolemyusername]

that is pretty BS... i can understand taking that action against competitive play with other ppl, but to do so against single player campaigners is just ridiculous

 

[EHKOS]

This is completely ridiculus, but I already dont buy blizzards stuff.Just because I'm not interested in it.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

THE FUNK HAS SPOKEN!

So they still have single player campaign and skirmish? Ok I'm a little more informed now. Still think achievements in general are retarded and how nobody cares yet somehow they're still here, but that's a different issue

 

[Snotnarok]

Here's an idea, don't cheat. I don't care if people want to cheat in a game, cheating never ever made sense to me, where's the fun in cheating? Smashing an opponent AI or human it's boring in games like this.

Edit: Also consider this from Blizzards view, these trainers work in single player, how hard could it be for these cheats to be used online in ranked matches? The whole game works with online so any 3rd party crap used in it is probably going to cause trouble.

 

[SkyKitty]

I'm a little mixed on this.

Were they banned from using the cheats PUT in the game?

Or banned for using cheats blizzard didn't make?

Third party software. Blizzard aren't THAT thick. Thus, they were unbalancing the game by unlocking a bunch of achievements, which affects multiplayer.

Oh, then I have no problem with what they're doing.

Sure, achievements don't mean that much, but people are still messing with their creation.

Besides, you have an invulnerability cheat and a bunch of others...Why would you need any more?

Their creation??? Geez, doesn't it count for anything that people BOUGHT the game?

But why did they need to make their own cheating software?

There's cheats to give you all the minerals you need, remove defeat conditions, and become an unstoppable god.

 

[JaredXE]

It's the Single Player game....so why is this a problem? Yes, it's cheating, but often times cheats are used to wring every last drop out of the game, to see things you might not have been able to see. If it in no way effects multiplayer, why is Blizz taking such a hard-assed stand?

 

[Nylis]

I'm a little mixed on this.

Were they banned from using the cheats PUT in the game?

Or banned for using cheats blizzard didn't make?

Third party software. Blizzard aren't THAT thick. Thus, they were unbalancing the game by unlocking a bunch of achievements, which affects multiplayer.

Oh, then I have no problem with what they're doing.

Sure, achievements don't mean that much, but people are still messing with their creation.

Besides, you have an invulnerability cheat and a bunch of others...Why would you need any more?

Their creation??? Geez, doesn't it count for anything that people BOUGHT the game?

But why did they need to make their own cheating software?

There's cheats to give you all the minerals you need, remove defeat conditions, and become an unstoppable god.

Well, the main reason they make their own cheating software is pretty simple. They wanted to bypass the whole "cheating, but no achievements" thing. They wanted to be able to cheat and then brag to the online community about how they got skills.

Then they got caught lol.

 

[Scarecrow]

You sir, are an idoit.

 

[Arisato-kun]

So Blizzard banned cheaters and you expect me to boycott them? Are you high?

 

[TheMann]

I'm way too much of a Starcraft addict to just boycott Blizzard. Can't wait till I have to dough to pick up SC2. I play the 7 hour guest pass and it was awesome. I'm not a simple minded idiot (or at least I hope not), but despite what the naysayers say, I loved the single player. I like the story and the interaction. Sure it was no think piece, but it was fun, and that's what really matters, right? Blizzard actaully said somewhere that they actually wanted it to sort of be like a popcorn sci-fi/action movie and they did just that. And in reality, how incredibly complex was SC1's story line? I think people who say the first plot was more mature are just sort of wanting to hate. Hater's gotta hate, right?

So no I won't boycott Blizzard. The reign of Kotick probably won't last forever, and I never play MMO's so I really don't care about the woes of World of Warcraft players. I pretty much just buy Blizzard for Starcraft, so when something about that pisses me off, I'll come back here and complain.

 

[VanityGirl]

*sips drink and watches the overreaction*

Sorry, I won't be boycotting a company for punishing cheaters. What if the person cheating took their beefed up character online with all of their cheated beefy armor and effectively raped you? I believe you'd be changing your tune mighty fast.


Also, since Diablo III's coming out, calling for a boycott is a little silly. It would be as effective as say... The Modern Warfare 2 boycott. Don't remember that? Yeah I don't even think Infinity Ward was aware of it either.

I still think Blizzard's a good company. They've helped my buddy out when he was hacked on WoW and gave him extra stuff, so that give them a check mark in my book.

It was a bit extreme, but most companies have in that magical Terms of Use that you CAN NOT use 3 party programs on the game. Trainers are, in fact, a 3 party program.

I don't think this is cause to boycott though.

 

[bob1052]

anc[is]Just because it's legal and in the EULA doesn't mean it's not a ***** move.

Whether you agree with it or not is not what matters here. It's the fact that they clearly stated that cheating of any kind would get you banned, so people who got caught have no right to complain, it was their own fault.

It's not the rule they hate, it's the fact they got caught and are now paying for it. If Blizzard had put that rule in the user agreement, but didn't enforce it, these same cheaters wouldn't be saying anything.

..and you don't question if they even have the right to tell you how to play the game in single player? That $60 players gave them, was that a donation or were they buying something?

That $60 players gave them was for the single player experience that they agreed to by signing the EULA.

The Starcraft scene is one of, if not the biggest pro-gaming scenes for multiplayer, and achievements carry prestige from the single player into that multiplayer. Saying they only cheated single player so it's no big deal is ignoring the fact they weren't cheating single player, single player already has cheats, they were cheating multiplayer through single player games.

Where do you draw the line then? When is the player who bought the game entitled to use unauthorized cheats when playing against the AI?

Whenever the EULA of said game allows it. Games on the source engine have an SDK available for download, and servers can disable VAC. If you want to hack away on your own VAC-disabled server, offline or online, valve allows you.

I draw the line somewhere between the above, and this:
-a game with an enormous pro-scene
-where the single player is so close to multiplayer
-where altering the game in single player shows that you can potentially alter the game in multiplayer
-where the basic built-in multiplayer has a ladder system which is the most basic form of the enormous pro-scene
-where the EULA and various press-releases warn to not cheat

I would like to know what you find absurd about this?

For the record, there are cheats in single player Blizzard allows (and they created) the players to use. The only reason these people used third-party cheats is so they could earn achievements, the only purpose of which is to carry them over into the multiplayer side of the game.

It's the Single Player game....so why is this a problem? Yes, it's cheating, but often times cheats are used to wring every last drop out of the game, to see things you might not have been able to see. If it in no way effects multiplayer, why is Blizz taking such a hard-assed stand?

There are already cheats in the game that do not affect multiplayer. The only difference that these third-party cheats allows the cheater to carry over their illegitimate prestige from single player into multiplayer

 

[Snotnarok]

I'm a little mixed on this.

Were they banned from using the cheats PUT in the game?

Or banned for using cheats blizzard didn't make?

Third party software. Blizzard aren't THAT thick. Thus, they were unbalancing the game by unlocking a bunch of achievements, which affects multiplayer.

Oh, then I have no problem with what they're doing.

Sure, achievements don't mean that much, but people are still messing with their creation.

Besides, you have an invulnerability cheat and a bunch of others...Why would you need any more?

Their creation??? Geez, doesn't it count for anything that people BOUGHT the game?

But why did they need to make their own cheating software?

There's cheats to give you all the minerals you need, remove defeat conditions, and become an unstoppable god.

Why do people do a variety of things when there are other options? Why do people use the Game Genie when they could use the controller Contra code? Maybe because it's just more fun to use cheats that aren't authorized.

That Blizzard added cheat codes doesn't invalidate cheat codes from other sources. If Blizzard had not added their own codes, would it really change many opinions on this issue?

Here's the thing, there's a EULA, if you violate the EULA, you're at fault and you get the consequences. You chose to buy the game, if you decided to violate them then that's your fault. There's no arguing it, you agreed to their terms and then willingly violated them.

 

[Jake the Snake]

Don't even own Starcraft. But I myself, having quit Wow and thus regained a hold over my life (for many many many months now, hell almost a year) and passively refusing to give them any more of my money, does that count?

 

[sinsfire]

Ummm I feel no sympathy, Blizzard has uild in cheats for Starcraft if you want to play through the game but don't have the time, or whatever other altruistic reason you may have.

Using cheats and trainers is a violation of the terms of use. Guess what, if you don't want to get banned and you still want to cheat you should probably read the user agreement a few times to make sure whatever you do isn't a violation. If you click agree then you agree to be bound by the terms.

That and I think you are asking for it when you are using a site called "cheat happens". Why not have a user name called "I cheat please ban my account"

 

[sativa121]

Who would wont to cheat in starcraft2 anyway.... i mean the games epic as it is the only reason i could see to cheat is to get achievements and well then you didn't really get them did you.

 

[Tanzka]

So Blizzard banned cheaters and you expect me to boycott them? Are you high?

This pretty much sums up my thoughts on this and for that, I salute you.

 

[TheMann]

I'm way too much of a Starcraft addict to just boycott Blizzard. Can't wait till I have to dough to pick up SC2. I played the 7 hour guest pass and it was awesome. I'm not a simple minded idiot (or at least I hope not), but despite what the naysayers say, I loved the single player. I like the story and the interaction. Sure it was no think piece, but it was fun, and that's what really matters, right? Blizzard actaully said somewhere that they actually wanted it to sort of be like a popcorn sci-fi/action movie and they did just that. And in reality, how incredibly complex was SC1's story line? I think people who say the first plot was more mature are just sort of wanting to hate. Hater's gotta hate, right?

So no I won't boycott Blizzard. The reign of Kotick probably won't last forever, and I never play MMO's so I really don't care about the woes of World of Warcraft players. I pretty much just buy Blizzard for Starcraft, so when something about that pisses me off, I'll come back here and complain.