http://www.gucomics.com/comic/?cdate=20090501

http://www.wowdb.com/item.aspx?id=17 (Note, the item even says "Cheater" in the item Use description.

http://kotaku.com/5235242/some-guy-gets-a-blizzard+only-wow-item-goes-on-wow-rampage

Damnit, someone got that Southpark joke first

And if someone hands you the keys to a top of the range BMW you'd just assume it's your right to keep it and not worry about the consequences?

If some random person on the street handed me keys to a random car that may or may not be theirs, then yes, I would be at fault for simply taking them at their word.

However, if the car showed up in my driveway, sent directly from BMW, with all the documentation saying it was in fact my car, then that is BMW's fault, not mine.

Was it a dumb move on the part of the guys that used the item? Certainly, but only because their use of the item occurs in a world in which Blizzard holds absolute power, can keep track of their every move, and can distribute punishments and rewards as they see fit regardless of any actual circumstances.

Only a complete dumbshit would have assumed this was legitimate. If you logged in one day and saw you had the maximum amount of gold, or your character was invincible, you'd know damn well it wasn't supposed to happen. And if you had half a fucking brain you'd know to report the problem.

Some GM screwed up, but this player screwed up even harder. At least the GM's mistake was honest, probably just a typo in the item ID. Any raider knows damn well how Blizzard customer service works, and knows they don't hand out magic items that insta-kill shit.

If this was some stupid level 3 guy who didnt know better, that's one thing. But a raider exploiting it on a raid? Ban them and send Derek Smart to their vending machine.

It had a limited use of 100 charges, if I received it in his circumstances (knowing blizzard sends random items to compensate for customer service in other instances), I'd belive it was a legit item too.

Adolph Hitler was a vegetarian. I am sure the executives at Blizzard are also vegetarians.

It was in-game mail from Blizzard. We just assumed it was something they sent him. We didn't think it was real. I honestly thought it was something Blizzard gave to one of Leroy's alts for four months of ignoring the problems with his account.

That's the most retarded cry of ignorance I have ever read in the history of Warcraft. Yeah, because if they provide poor support they'll just turn the other cheek and give the player a one-shot-kill item to make it all better?

How can they explain the fact that they thought it wasn't real? Did they not notice the mob went from 100% to dead in one hit? If I was involved in a raid with a compromised item or character, I would bail out and ask for an item link so I could screenshot it for later "pic or it didn't happen" moments.

It's not like it was a glitch on one mob; it was on an entire raid instance!

When Blizzard uses in game mail and sends him the item? They fucked up, plain and simple.

And if someone hands you the keys to a top of the range BMW you'd just assume it's your right to keep it and not worry about the consequences? Bullshit. Blizzard fucked up but the guy shouldn't have used the item, or should have at least immediately contacted a member of support to check if it was okay. CLEARLY the item should never have been in general circulation and CLEARLY it's a ridiculous unbalanced weapon - any excuse for using it is just that... an excuse.

By that arguement, any exploit or cheat is okay for players to use...because the devloeprs coded it to work that way.

When Blizzard uses in game mail and sends him the item? They fucked up, plain and simple.

"End of story."

The important thing here is not why they used it or why they didn't report it but:

# how did the item end up being set to a regular player?

# who sent it?

# why was it sent?


Blizzard sent it to him.

He shouldn't have used it, but even if he did, I don't think he should have been banned, when Blizz is the one that fucked up and gave it to him (actually, a guildie, who gave it to him).

And as others have said elsewhere, he could have used it for a lot worse purposes than achievements in instances.

I think Blizz is just trying to sweep this under the rug and forget about their fuckup.

By that arguement, any exploit or cheat is okay for players to use...because the devloeprs coded it to work that way.

He got what he deserved. I don't play the game and even I can see that the item was clearly not intended to be give or used by regular players. He should have deleted the item or at the very least contacted a GM and said "Hey, you gave me this thing that will insta-kill anything in the game...was that a mistake?"

But running around willy nilly and using it. Busted. End of story.

All we need now is comparing this player to Hitler and this thread will be complete...

Something something something darkside. Something something something complete.

Blizzard takes our money every month to provide a service. They give a paying customer an uberweapon and he uses it. They ban the player and everyone in the guild? Not kosher. Give the player a slap on the wrist but that's all that is merited here.

Nope, it's more like a gun store owner selling a gun to someone not allowed to own a gun.

Actually, the player is allowed to own a gun (sword, mace, etc), just not THAT particular 'gun' that was sent to him.

You guys can try and pick apart the analogy all you like, rather than using some brain cells to see the correlation...or better yet you can comment on the better analogy that I have since provided for the mentally shortsighted.

It's not Blizzards fault for the same reason a gun store owner isn't at fault for selling a gun that is used to kill someone.

Nope, it's more like a gun store owner selling a gun to someone not allowed to own a gun.

This comment was edited on May 1, 2009, 15:11.

Blizz should have figured out who sent it to him and given him a hand slap. They fucked up equally here.

Who's to say they didn't? It's not like most companies go around announcing when their employees are reprimanded. But really...a reprimand for what was probably a typo, other than a "try not to do that again" would be severe. But we also do not even know if this item was given intentionally by a Blizzard employee to a "friend". In which case, still not Blizzards fault as both parties knew what they were doing.

I fully disagree with banning the whole guild.

I disagree too, but that's speculation at this point as I noted in the other thread about this. The only thing that says the whole guild was banned was some supposed member of the offending guild, and it wasn't quoted or attributed to a specific person. You can see the other thread for what else I had to say about this.

This guy was like Hitler.

ROFL! Pure gold!

You see guys, this is like a situation involving nazi gun control laws!

Thanks Dag, I need the laugh after a shitty day at work.

Neither party played it honestly.

The guy should have stepped up and notified Blizz that they'd sent him the item. Yes, i was drunk in college for years and wouldn't have passed up such a gift either (except our gifts were sleeping cows...), so i understand why he did it. But i agree with whoever noted that maybe he should have tried it on something other than current world instances. Talk about fucking up in a big way. He's left with the smoking gun in his hand. Stupid.

Blizz should have figured out who sent it to him and given him a hand slap. They fucked up equally here. I fully disagree with banning the whole guild.

There was a post yesterday on the interwebs noting that the item number for the item was a 2 digit code item and most non-uber and regular in-game items are 3, 4 and 5 digit code items, so if someone fat fingered the item code number when they sent it to him, they really screwed the pooch. Someone even went so far as to note that the closest item code to this one was a 5 digit code item, so something here is hinky. You don't mistake a 2 digit item for a 5 digit item and play dumb.

And the guy is like Hitler.

This comment was edited on May 1, 2009, 14:43.

This guy was like Hitler.

Best.Thread.Ever.

Creston

I find this interesting.

This would have made any MMOG great. Finally, something other than the normal quests. A real game changing device.