Use American Keyboards Dammit!

In another example of great minds thinking alike, emailer Chuck of the Warcraft-Server-That-Is-Not-Mine (I checked) found this new farmer tactic:

Farmers' Market(ing)

On the same night, I had screenshot the same farmer/team on my own server — not Chuck’s server (I checked):

Farmers' Market(ing)

I’m not really sure why non-standard characters are allowed on U.S. servers in the first place. It’s not like we’re all that fanatic about typing &#0252ber over uber.

(If only my guild could see me now, using non-standard characters as if it was second nature. Their hope in ignorant, isolationist Americans would be restored.)

If some dude uses non-standard characters in his player name, I just don’t bother talking to him or ihr. Mostly because it would involve research to establish a friendship, but also it’s the principle of the matter.

30 Million Warcraft Gold GONE!

They tried to sneak this one past me with a late Friday afternoon post on the Warcraft front page: World of Warcraft accounts closed! There was no need to sneak — not like I’m getting rich in this game, or off of this game.

Ordinn, Blizzard economist wrote:

In keeping with Blizzard’s aggressive stance against cheating in World of Warcraft, we banned over 30,000 accounts in the month of May, and with that removed well over 30 million gold from the economy across all realms. The banned accounts were taking part in activities that violate the game’s Terms of Use, including using third-party programs to farm gold and items, which severely impacts the economy of a realm and the overall game enjoyment for all players.

We will continue to aggressively monitor all World of Warcraft realms in order to protect the service and its players from the harmful effects of cheating. Please note that selling World of Warcraft content, such as gold, items, and characters, can result in a permanent ban of the involved accounts from World of Warcraft.

Many account closures come as the direct result of tips reported to our GMs in game or emailed to hacks@blizzard.com by legitimate World of Warcraft players. If you suspect that a World of Warcraft player is using an illegal third-party program to farm gold or items, or is otherwise violating our Terms of Use, please report the suspected infraction via one of the means listed above. All reports will be investigated, and those that prove false will not result in corrective action.

Thank you for your continued support, and good luck with your adventures in Azeroth!

I’d like to imagine that this was one huge sting, set up over the past few weeks, involving undercover GM agents and late night interrogations of suspected farmers. Probably it was far less glamorous: players ratting out some guys who were stealing spawns in Eastern Plaguelands.

One of our guild priests is relieved he bought his epic mount last week instead of waiting — supply and demand being what they are. And when I say “bought”, you know I meant he used some real life scratch to IGE the damn thing because who has the energy to farm 1000 gold for their second, third or fourth level 60? Nobody I know.

(Furl archive of forum announcement)

16,100 That Won’t Be With Us for a Few Days

World of Warcraft recently banned 5,400 accounts and suspended an additional 10,700 for Terms of Service violations, including “… using third-party programs to farm gold and items.” (Front page item dated 4/12/06 and forum discussion.)

Also from the post: “Please note that selling World of Warcraft content, such as gold, items, and characters, can result in a permanent ban of the involved accounts from World of Warcraft.” Well, there it is, a line in the sand.

Upon reading this, I immediately became concerned about everyone’s favorite webcam bot: The World of Warcraft Bot. Did he escape the bloodletting or was he caught in their net too? I hadn’t checked on the little nipper for a few weeks, and I’m sorry to report that little World of Warcraft bot was indeed caught and banned recently. R.I.P. Bot 3.

You can review some stills from the prior bots’ lives at the gamecam site, currently disabled until Bot 4 is born … due date April 15, 2006.

Ya, I’m as excited about the new bot as you, but I’m going to need a few moments alone with my thoughts. (Taken from us, so young, and on the brink of starting his new life at level 60!)