Account Security- What Can Developers Do?

Recently I've read a lot about WoW accounts getting hacked into. The once thought impenetrable authenticators have been hacked, and used against players. Today BBB had an interesting post, A Call to End Prohibition – Sell Gold Now! Which got me thinking about MMO account issues in general. It's not just the buying and selling of gold, it's accounts too. There will always be people buying and selling accounts.What could gaming companies do to step in and avoid these problems?

First off lets talk gold.. plat.. money. Stop making massive money sinks!
Gold/Plat sinks. Take them out of the game. I am not saying make everything free, but the cost needs to be cut to stop having players resort to gold buying. Game companies could sell gold, or they could just up the rate of gold that is rewarded from quest etc. That would alleviate a lot of the need/want to buy gold from gold sellers. Blizzard lowered the cost of epic ground mounts and training. It was insanely more when I first started, why not do the same for flying mounts also? If designers would stop making gold and plat sinks it would really help players not want to resort to these measures. We could say people just need to quit buying it- that's not the answer. People will do what they will, no matter what you or I think. 

I really could care less who buys gold. However it's a problem when it comes to account security. It causes an avalanche of problems in the long run for games. Accounts stolen just to bot money, to steal from guild banks, characters, the list goes on. My Paladin was a gold seller bot at one point. I quit and realized the information was stolen. I had the loot 20k gold achievement... that's how I knew. I also had cloth out the wazoo in my banks, I suppose a perk for the trouble heh.

Accounts
Most players may not be aware just how many accounts get bought and sold. This causes several problems. The first problem is trying to sell an account and getting scammed. Another problem is people regret then recall accounts. People then just end up in most cases telling the company, I got hacked! I don't  know how. And.. it works. Trust me, it works.

SOE has a few games such as EQ2 (Specific Server) and Free Realms where you can sell your accounts with a company they go through: Live Gamer. You can even sell items for real money. I am not sure exactly how it works but I am sure there are records preventing players from trying to recall.

Putting trust in a little authenticator and slouching off on preventive security isn't working for Blizzard. They are swamped with account security problems. So what could they do? If they are interested in taking extreme measures they could stop making silly things like mobile armory mobile auction house applications and think of a fix for account security. Sell your account through Blizzard. Not just Blizzard, many other gaming companies. I just mention Blizzard because they are one of the largest, getting the most problems out of this issue.

Power Leveling is another I see, especially in Everquest. Buy a PL session, get 1000 aa's for x amount of money. Raid gear, we can get you raid sets! We can get you access to Void A, B and so on.. What can be done for these? This is a major safety hazard for accounts. First off, stop making access required. Blizzard got smart in this area. Making better gear more accessible to everyone. This was a huge step in the right direction. Unfortunately I don't know the answer to the power leveling problem. Stop being stupid and not wanting to play your character, that's all I've got. If you have to pay for a level, you don't need to play. The problem I have with this is- you are handing over account information to a stranger.

Where the problem lies...
But I don't want to play with eBayers! Chances are, you already do, you just don't know it. There are tons of websites dedicated to the buying and selling of accounts and game currency. It is a huge problem and it will not stop until developers take drastic measures to prevent it.

These companies and hackers will continue to find ways to steal accounts, breach security and in general make account security a massive problem. If enough measures are taken to prevent the market for them, these problems will shrink. Will we ever see them go away? I doubt it in the MMO scene we play today, developers have the power to get preventive, it just depends if they are willing to make changes.

Stay safe!
-kaozz

December - January Events (MMO Holiday Events)

Merry Christmas.. err Winter Veil.. err Frostfell.. err.. Bah it's too early for Merry anything yet! December holds promise for a lot of great Holiday Events! This is a work in progress so keep checking in! There really are not a ton of events listed on many sites yet. I am a fiend for all things holiday so if you are looking for some fun events I'm sure more will pop up as the month goes on, I like to list fun holiday events each month as I find out about them. Enjoy!
 

December  
World of Warcraft : Feast of Winter Veil. December 15th - January 2nd. Gift giving: Starts: December 25th Ends: January 2nd. This is a really fun event. Quests, achievements, snowmen, Metzen the reindeer, winter bosses for a chance at the coveted Winter Hats.. and presents!! Each yeah (well since last year) there is a new type of present under the tree. I wonder what this year's will be?! A very merry holiday event!

Everquest 2: Frostfell. Fun instances, quests, holiday items and decorations! Frostfell Wonderland Village is a really great part of this event. Holiday outfits, snowballs, food, house items. This is a truly fantastic event.

Wonderland Online: Warm and Fuzzy Christmas Events I. November 30th -December 6th. Winter's here and with it comes the holidays! That's right! Everyone's favorite time of year is here and Santa is preparing gifts for all! In the spirit of this time of giving, WLO has prepared a series of events for all our dear players, whether they're naughty or nice!

Runes of Magic: Christmas time is coming to Taborea. We have put in place a host of special events and offers to put Runes of Magic fans in a proper holiday spirit. In mid-December, we will launch the in-game Snowflake Festival, which will give the game world a truly festive look. With the release of daily quests, you will be able to play for gifts. You can even use Festive furniture and Christmas tree seeds to decorate your in-game houses. Also don't miss the cool Advent Calendar.

Aion: The Solorius Festival. This looks like a neat event. From the official website: "The Solorius Festival is not only one of the year’s most anticipated events, but also one of the oldest. Its origin dates back to before the Cataclysm. It is a festival of communion, sharing, and appreciation. Wealth and status are set aside each year as families make diligent preparations in advance to honor the ascended. Many Atreians travel to a capital city to immerse themselves in the festivities."

Champions Online: Attack of the misfit toys.  Confront and defeat Black Harlequin. New costume pieces, action figures and perks. Tis the season for spreading good will and good cheer, And to celebrate the holidays, The Toymaster’s here! Looks to be very exciting! Lots of nifty rewards listed on the official site.


DDO: Festivult. The Jester of the Festivult is now available in the game! He's looking for your copper, silver, and gold festival coins to exchange for wondrous festive treats!

Fallen Earth: First Night. December 14 - Jan 1. First Night is a holiday celebration that incorporates many of the traditions from holidays past. Players in the mood to spread holiday cheer can make their way to the various First Night mission hubs scattered throughout the wasteland. I'm dreaming of a wasteland Christmas! This could be fun!

Warhammer: Keg End. December 16 - Jan 1. A festive extravaganza packed with great new items, monsters, events and challenges for players to master. Keg End is filled with the things Dwarfs like best - Beer, Boasting and things that explode. Looks great!

LoTRO: Yule Festival. Looks to be fun filled check out the link to read more about it in the developers diary.

Lineage 2: Raising Rudolph. This event is really unique, you get to raise your own Rudolph and get a reward for it. Santa will also be handing out presents. I want my own Rudolph!

Guild Wars: Wintersday. Lots of Holiday fun. Can you feel that crisp chill in the air? It's that time of year when the cities of Tyria shine like beacons with festive decor, and the gods Dwayna and Grenth fight over who will control the weather during the coming months. Holiday vendors sell seasonal treats, and the air is full of snowballs and the sound of laughter. Wintersday is almost here!

Free Realms:  Snow Days. FR has had a major patch along with this. Tons of great things to check out including housing! This is looking to be really exciting!


Massively has an extensive list for those games I've missed. Be sure to check it out!


January
World of Warcraft: New Years. December 31st - January 1st. Fireworks, Food and Revelers! Ring in the new year in Azeroth!




Today is my Birthday so-- Merry Happy Birthday to me! The most important event of all, right?!

-kaozz

MMO Nostalgia: Everquest

I was reading over at Multiplaying and saw this great Questionnaire by Dickie at Rainbow MMO. I just had to do it also! Why? Because you just want to know so much about me maybe?! Well honestly because this was a special time in a game that will never be trumped by any game ever again.

Nostalgia, Your first MMO:

What was your first MMO?
Everquest! Your in our world now! Oh what a world indeed!

When did you start playing that game?
I started in August of 2000.

What drew you to that game?
I knew people who played and it was something that looked fun. At first I was hesitant but after watching others play, I was drawn in. All the people playing together in a fantasy world was just so interesting! If you want to know something ironic I use to make fun of people who played at work, I worked at a local ISP in tech support so a lot of people played. I asked if they were going to cast a spell on me with a magic wand. I was such a meanie.

What class did you play and why?
Necromancer, the idea of commanding a pet!! Wow to have my own skeleton to do my bidding which turned into a specter higher up. Why would you play anything else?! I moved onto Cleric next.

What level did you get your "main" up to?
My Necromancer Belladahna (She was deleted, not going to get into that messy sad story of her demise) to 60. Then I realized why you would play other classes and made alts. I still have a Necro, she is 66 I think.

Did you play solo, have a steady group, or did you have a guild/team/linkshell/whatever-it-was-called in that game?
I had a lot of friends I played with. Sometimes I often did a Necro duo, then on to Warrior Cleric duo for starters. I grouped with guildies and many pugs.. though that word wasn't around then heh. To this day the husband and I have many combos across three accounts we play together.

What was your first "holy wow" moment?
Oh geez.. I cannot remember because there were SO many! I was such a newbie.. I will just mention a few that have stuck with me over the years. My first Plane of Hate run. Seeing Dreadlands, that was wicked and a dragon roamed the place *Gorenaire. My first raid on Najena... lol. When I got promoted to officer in my guild Heralds of Destiny on Lanys T'Vyl which I ended up becoming Guild Leader for a time. I was in awe.

When did it sink in that you were playing a game with hundreds/thousands of other players?

I suppose when I saw so many people in every zone I was in,  oh and the EC Tunnel.. (Which was my first blog name ECTunnel.. it was a great place where so many people met up, so many memories). I remember when we didn't have special raid channels. People raided in /ooc and /shout. /shout -= PULLING A %t ASSIST ME!=- I saw just how much was going on in the game.

What about that game hooked you into the genre?
The community was a big thing. The people were the greatest part. Aside from that it was a fantastic place, nothing like any other game I had ever played.

Do you still actively play that game, or have you moved on to another title, and why?
Actually I do. I go in spurts. I am not currently playing although I am playing EQ2 (Old habits die hard). The husband and I reactivated out accounts earlier this year and played for several months. I think he would probably still be playing if it wasn't for me dragging him off to so many games. I am a gaming explorer sometimes heh. I played for five straight years then moved onto another new game but I have always came back. I currently have a  76 Beastlord, 73 Enchanter and 81 Mage as mains and a slew of alts in the 50-60+ range. After playing a game so long you need variation.

What lessons did you learn from that first game that you've carried into others?

Everyone is a newb once. Help someone out, you just might make a new friend. The community makes a game great.

What was your biggest noob moment in your first MMO?

Um.. which moment would you like me to list heh. I think back and this was by far the one I laugh the hardest over. I was a big grouper in the Dreadlands I often put together groups. I was there so often everyone use to say "Hi Bella!",  in /ooc heh. Anyhow.. If you could heal in my groups you did. Often Clerics were hard to find or in a group so I had Rangers and Paladins healing the groups. It was messy but we had fun. I was the biggest newb for so long. But ya' know what, we had fun and it worked for us. If there was a way, we made it work. I even remember healing groups as a necro with life transfers, even on raids.. those were the days.

What aspects or mechanics of that game do you wish other games would implement?
More groups out and about the world. Set up camp and xp for awhile. That is a big reason I like going back. The guide program. That is a fantastic aspect within this game. It involves the players, draws the community together. I participated in this program for a short time, it was very rewarding.

What was the worst part of that game?
Corpse runs, getting lost, xp loss. No mounts! However we learned a lot and you didn't have so many people doing things with no consequence.

What is your fondest memory from your first MMO?
My friends. I miss them all. I miss running through Neriak, I miss sergeant slate, selling bags of gear, the sense of people being everywhere. I have lots of fond memories doing LDoN runs. The newbie log in Nektulos Forest.

Do you have nostalgic moments you miss? I know we all have those found memories of places we will always remember, it's nice to revisit them sometime. Safe adventures all!
-kaozz

Do we need another 'X' MMO?

I sometimes wonder, do we really need another 'X' MMO game. What I mean is, do we need another Star Wars when there already is one. Another super hero game when there's already two out now? How many super hero games do we need, what is going to make the new one more interesting to players? Are these companies saying the previous games were not as good as they could do them?

Everyone wants to make a big hit, they promise bigger and better, but honestly how many types of the same game do we need. Sometimes it feels like a copy of a copy of a copy. Then there's the games that make a sequel to compete with their own games. Everquest 2, I was seriously let down when I heard about this game. It to me meant a decline on the first, which at the time I was really into still. Years later I'm actually happy playing it, though it took years for me to get over that. I suppose it's different when it's within the same company, you know the lore will be there, the things you liked in the first place.

Why do game companies make new games to compete with what they already have? In the same genre I mean, is it really to compete with the newer games out? I think that was the intention with Everquest 2. I think it's the same intent for NCSoft with Guild Wars 2. If Aion isn't a hit, they know people liked Guild Wars, they can always fall back on that.

When do companies realize what they have is good, well liked, popular enough to keep chugging along? Sometimes they seem to move on and leave the games that put them on the map, to fade away quietly. Take DAoC for instance, the game still receives updates, however to me it feels neglected when you compare it to Mythic's shiny new game WAR. No more expansions. But do older games really need more expansions? Look at Everquest. S.O.E. was wise enough not to make that mistake when the shiny new game came out. People still like the older games, Everquest is proof of this. Obviously it's still doing well enough to keep putting out an expansion each year.

I also wonder at the alternative ideas companies use, take the upcoming Star Treak MMO for instance. Who really is interested in this type of game? I've read about it, seen many articles, but nobody seems really hyped. Is it to widen an audience? It sure would be a trekkie's dream. I as a gamer have no interest in it though. Maybe that's just me.

Look at some of the niche games out. How about those PvP aimed games. Which of those is really a big hit. I'm not saying they are not doing well. Out of the all of them I would say Aion. But why? From my perspective it draws in PvE players due to the style of play we start out with. How many of those PvE players really stuck with it though?  They are niche games, you have to simply like PvP a lot to play them. Why do companies limit themselves after seeing the previous company flounder with this type of game? People say they love PvP. How come Fury didn't make it? It was strictly PvP. I thought it would be a PvP dream? Simply put, niche games don't offer to a big enough audience.

I sometimes wonder do many of these companies really pay attention to what the customers even like or want? No, I'm not saying we need another WoW! It seems a lot of companies compare success to this game. 

Just some thoughts I had recently. Feel free to comment.
-kaozz

ECTimes: What's new and some real steals.. I mean deals! MMO

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! 
Just some interesting things I've heard about this week. Some MMO news, some deals.. even some steals!

SWTOR
SWTOR  reveals Imperial Agent its newest class; "The Imperial Agent is heavily inspired by several classic Star Wars characters such as Zam Wessel and Grand Moff Tarkin. Imperial Agents work behind the scenes to get the work of the Empire done. Specializing in high-tech gear, the Imperial Agent always has the right tools at the right time. They use abilities of subversion and subterfuge to infiltrate and assassinate enemies of the Sith Empire with deadly efficiency. Players who choose to be Imperial Agents in The Old Republic (TOR) will see the underbelly of the Empire in a whole new light." You can read more about it here.

EQ2
Some interesting news from EQ2! "The Far Seas Trading Company is proud to introduce a traveling festival for all to participate in!  When this event goes live a different city will be chosen to host this week long event, once a month.  Gorowyn, Neriak, Kelethin and Freeport will each get their chance to host their version of the event.  On Test and Test Copy the great city of Qeynos is the first to find the traveling caravan outside it's gates in Antonica.  Adventurers will find new quests, collections and rewards, many of which are city specific!  And for those of us that don't want to wait for the festival to reach our city's gates, we don't have to. City Tokens are now being given as further reward for completing city writs!"

Interesting, more stuff for us to do! Not the first game to add this in *wink*! It's a great idea and I welcome this idea for sure. More events like this change the pace and add some more fun to games.
  
Free Realms
Community Event: Job Sampling Week. Didn't we already sample this game? Well, this is actually different, if you never were a member, you can try out those classes you never had a chance to. While it is sort of nice for players to try these out, I'm not so impressed with the direction of FR. It is quite cheap compared to most monthly subscriptions, I'd just rather pay a measly five a month and sample all I wanted heh.

I think S.O.E. could have done better with an Ever Realms type of game than Free Realms. Nostalgia with a bit of laid back play, none of this racing and soccer crap. Archery tournaments, Drogmor racing maybe? I love Free Realms but sometimes it feels like 'Disney' on crack...

EQ
Road to Underfoot:  Breaking the Seal and Event Progress!
Help protect Norrath and quell the threat of invading Cliknar soldiers with Breaking the Seal! This final event of the Road to Underfoot will continue until December 1, 2009. Sadly I'm not joining in on this area of Norrath this year. I am taking another break from earlier this year. However it sounds exciting.


Aion
1.5.1 Patch Additions. You can find them here. Some of the changes are pretty good in this patch.

Some of these make me glad I don't play anymore IE ;When you extract Aether, there’s a chance that Aether Poison Gas will infiltrate your body. The poison blocks gathering for a certain period of time unless you detoxify the poison. Once you are poisoned the only way to detoxify yourself is to utter the "Cleansing Word.”To utter the Cleansing Word, type the randomly given letters and numbers within the designated time. When you utter the Word, you get three chances to enter the correct letter/number sequence. If you fail three times, Vitality Extracting and Aether Extracting are prohibited..

Blah blah blah. Come on.. first they make it so you cannot mail or speak in channels or send tells till 10 now this? Instead of creating real fixes for players against gold spammers they end up punishing the players as well as the gold spammers. I'm glad to see some of the changes though. I know a lot of people enjoy the game still and I'm happy they are getting some changes for the better, good luck with some of those changes!


Oh yeah, those steals deals I mentioned!
Maybe your looking for something new to play? Maybe you want to try something new out and not pay a ton of money to catch up on expansions or even try it. Here are some games that offer just that! I'm not listing every game that has a free trial,  just some great deals I've seen lately.

Warhammer Online
Finally....Warhammer Online's endless trial is here. While it's a cool option for people looking to try the game, (It would of surely got me checking it out had I not bought it last year), it's probably a bit late showing up. I don't know why some of these companies wait so long on getting a trial out, and not one of those buddy key trials either. Nobody wants to bug people to get them a buddy key, what if none of your 'buddies' play? And another thing, is your game so golden you can't offer a free trial before it starts to decline? Sarcasm aside, it's a cool deal, very bold.  I think WAR is really trying to get subscriptions. Is it worth trying? Sure is, can't beat that deal just to try it out. Sometimes you may busy and can't come back to the game for some time, your trial doesn't expire!

They also offer Recruit a Friend. While it's not as good as what some other games offer out there, you get 30 days for every friend you recruit and a bonus to 5% xp items. You don't get a cool mount until you recruit six players. However players may recruit new players or invite back former players that have been gone for more than sixty (60) days. Not bad.

Everquest 2
Everquest 2 trial. This has to be better than any I've seen and if you get into the RaF action it gets even better, but more on that later. First off you only get 14 days of  free play but if you like it enough and buy it, you also get 30 more days of free play. Buy it? How much? This is the good part, you pay for one month's subscription and you keep the game free. If I recall right.. you get 7/9 add-ons. You also get a nifty cape with 25% run speed, too cool. All the digital download claims, tons of stuff there. By far it is the best deal I've seen.

Recruit a Friend. This is really a sweet deal on both sides, not only did the friend get all the things mentioned, they get the 3x xp bonus with you plus an additional 10% if you are mentored.  The recruiter gets a choice on two awesome Exclusive In-Game Mounts plus the (10% bonus mentored down with anyone). Several claim items such as LoN cards, a lovely house item, 250 station cash and thirty days of play time time added to the account. The recruit gets the mentored xp with the friend, ability to zone to your recruiter at any time, two packs of LoN cards, the awesome cape that grants run speed, potion packs and an in-game title for their character. I've found a really great FAQ here that offers more in depth information. Heck. recruit yourself if your a boxer, you can't lose!

Guild Wars
Guild Wars is actually a game with no subscription. Maybe you don't want to buy the game just to decide if you like it or not?  If you want to save a few bucks though and see how it is, they do offer a free trial which I think is great considering the game doesn't require a subscription to begin with. It's only a 14 day free trial, however you can pretty much tell if you like it or not by then. Check out the trial here.


And that wraps it up for today! Hope you are having fun wherever you end up in your adventures!
-kaozz

So many choices, where are you adventuring? (MMO)

I'm thinking more and more that Everquest 2 is the place I will set up camp, for awhile at least. I've hopped around to this and that with some of the new releases and just have not been so immersed in any of them as I am currently. I may not always write about the most popular or the new shiny game out there. I have to keep myself interested as well. Sometimes it's just all a pile of shiny crap anyhow. All that glitters isn't gold, try scratching the surface and see what's really there. But we have to find out for ourselves sometimes, right?

I'm sure it's not going to be the only game I play as I tend to flutter around from this to that. For now I really want to settle down for awhile though. I had said Aion was going to be the new thing for me, then I realized it wasn't a game that appealed to my gaming style. Beautiful but not enough depth for me. I had tried to get back into WoW briefly since my husband went back. My son got bored once again and I ended up playing less and less. I just can't stomach anymore of that game at this time. Maybe the expansion will liven things up for me.

It seems there are so many options to so many play styles. You just have to find what suits you. I end up playing alone mostly these days, I hope to make more friends. I don't mind soloing. I'm hoping I can convince the husband to pick it back up too. I'm going to try at least! I've found a nice guild, so I have people to talk to, I end up answering questions at times even though I'm the returning newb!

There are so many great games out there, it's tough to choose. I read a lot of really nice MMO blogs and love hearing about what others are playing and their thoughts. It seems so many people play multiple games. There are a few I read that are focused on one game in particular. How about you? Do you enjoy sticking tried and true to your game? Or do you enjoy having a variety? Or have you even had a hard time picking which you like the best? Where are you adventuring these days?

I'm fixing to head out for a bite to eat with the family, safe adventures to you wherever you may be playing!
-kaozz

Free Realms a real TREAT! More Spooky Goodness for EVERYONE!

Being the Halloween Event Freak I am, I've been logging into Free Realms each day to do the trick or treating. Today for logging in three days in a row I got a few extra spins on the wheel. I was pretty disheartened to win three pairs of dress shoes.. So I did the trick or treating quest and got a special item! It was the Chatty Squirrel Costume! I was pretty happy to sport this cute suit. Very happy that even the free players got in on cool neat items. The cash shop costumes and Halloween items are very neat. Makes you want to get them all!

There is also an event this week:
Wednesday October, 21st 4pm PDT – 6pm PDT (11pm – 1am UTC) Blackspore, Teleport to Bone Bog Cemetery Server 1

This really is a fun event indeed. One not to miss, everyone can enjoy. I love games that offer fun events, especially the ones that last the longest! So if you haven't checked this one out and you are looking for some Halloween MMO fun for free! If your willing to go the extra mile and add a subscription it's even better.

Why don't skeletons ever go out on the town?
Because they don't have any body to go out with...
-kaozz

Earth Eternal Open Beta, at a glance.

Today I thought I'd peek in at Earth Eternal's Open Beta. This seems like a very lighthearted, fun game. While it's not my type of game I thought it was simply adorable. Very kid friendly too. It's F2P, browser based, 22 choices of 'races' to pick from. The game offers four different classes. Knight, Rogue, Mage and Druid.

I can't give a real review on it as I just wanted to peek in today and see how it is. However I thought I'd give some thoughts on my first glance at it. The game offers many 'animals' to choose from which was neat, you can change the colors of fur/skin. Not a ton of options here but really how much do you need in a game like this? You also get to choose which clothes you start out in.

The game played smoothly, easy very easy to maneuver. It's really an easy game to hop in and play. There are many quests to do, lovely landscapes to see, decent UI and combat was pretty cool. The game had a 'magical' type feel maybe something out of your favorite story book, which added much charm.

I can easily see this one becoming a popular game especially for kids. It felt like being in the world of Richard Scarry, one of my favorite childhood authors ;) I'm not saying adults wouldn't like it either with that remark. It's definitely a niche game, charming and one of a kind in this aspect.

The game felt solid while playing it, quests were easy to figure out as well. It is browser based which makes it easy to access, there is also a full client available too. I only tried the browser client, if I was to play it I'd have to get the full client as the window is too small with the adverts on the side.

Definitely worth taking a look at. I'd rate t up there with the Free Realms type of game interest, solid and fun with out the pressure many other games can have.

Till Next time, !
'Cottontail Thumpwell' AKA-kaozz