Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

[Kirsteena]

Some members of my ls got suspended today for "not being in full screen mode" - meaning SE has been detecting windower.

When one rang up POL France, she was told 2k accounts have been suspended for 72 hours, though won't get full ban.

Just as a friendly warning to people to be careful when using windower (not that I am suggesting anyone does, but you know, you never know....)

[Maju]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Why do they even care? Last time I checked playing in windowed mode doesn't give you any unfair advantages and it doesn't bother anyone else either. It helps against falling asleep of boredom when LFG, though. I guess SE thinks that's bad.

I find it ridiculous how they have time to track down windower users who have no intention of cheating and leave all the obvious RMT groups to mess up the game as they please.

[Zamphire]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

I was banned too, but I dont think it was for using the windower, I think that was just what they said it was for. I was personally using POS (warp tool) to warp between zones quicker on my low level jobs, so I'm sure this is what happened.

[Kirsteena]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Some of my friends who were suspended were afk, and only were using windowed mode so....

And there is rumours this is 2k people on my server alone, let alone the rest...

[Haggai]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Why do they even care? Last time I checked playing in windowed mode doesn't give you any unfair advantages and it doesn't bother anyone else either. It helps against falling asleep of boredom when LFG, though. I guess SE thinks that's bad.

It's because windower opens up the door to make bots/hacks easier. That and it is a 3rd party app, which is anti-TOS.

[Maju]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

It's because windower opens up the door to make bots/hacks easier. That and it is a 3rd party app, which is anti-TOS.

The windower itself is a very powerful hack, but it does not allow bot macros and there are no plugins with cheats for it.

Sure, it's probably easier to run a cheat tool in the background if you can minimize the game, but it is not at all required. If SE ever thought they could somehow prevent cheating by simply locking the game to full screen they are fools.

Windowers are indeed against the ToS, but it only shows that the ToS is a failure. What if walking forward was suddenly made illegal and you had to walk backwards? I'm sure you'd agree that the law should not have to be followed. That kind of law would exist only for the purpose of being there.

[Zamphire]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Actually the windower plugins do indeed alow you to cheat. It's true when Cliff originally made the windower he said that he would keep it from doing things like sending movement and stuff that would alow you to automate stuff with the windower. He never allowed that. BUT, there's a file called WindowerHelper.dll that he didn't write, that will alow you to write plugins that will do ANYTHING through the windower, there is also a plugin called Lunar that alows you to write script in the Luna language and run it through a windower plug in.

I'll admit I was wrong in using the hacking programs, BUT I know for a fact not everyone using the windower was banned, because I had three accounts running last night, all three using windower, and only the one I was cheating on was banned. The other two are still on and running, so it wasn't purly the windower, it had to be something else as well. Also, my wife is currently playing atm with the windower.

[Ellipses]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

If they are temp-banning people for windower alone, clearly they're trying to send a message. I'd like to hope this means they're going to start taking a more aggressive stance on the 3rd-party software that actually should get people banned (like POS), and this is just the warning shot across the bow.

Or they could just be dicks.

[Zamphire]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

If they are temp-banning people for windower alone, clearly they're trying to send a message. I'd like to hope this means they're going to start taking a more aggressive stance on the 3rd-party software that actually should get people banned (like POS), and this is just the warning shot across the bow.

Or they could just be dicks.

I thought this was apparent from day one

Also, I seriously doubt it was windower alone. If so, it'd be more than 2k, I know 2k people alone on my server that use the windower, not to mention almost every JP player uses it.

[Ellipses]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

You don't ban half your player base as a warning shot, though. You ban enough to make people notice. I'm sure there was some other criteria, though not necessarily not a "fair" one. ("In Lower Jeuno," "First hundred people alphabetically from each server," "has made a GM call while in windowed mode in the past," etc.)

[Zamphire]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Probably was something, though I really think it's using hacks in the past 24hours. I've been watching the hacker forums I visit, all are reporting mass bannings. I havn't heard from anyone that used a hack in the past 24hours that has NOT gotton banned. (I was in Algorph Reef, and my name starts with a Z )

[Ellipses]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Here's what POL has to say.

Today, a number of accounts which were confirmed to have violated the user agreement by using unauthorized third-party software tools within FINAL FANTASY XI to enable abnormal in-game movement were discovered and have been permanently suspended.

Based on the results of an investigation, over 2,000 PlayOnline accounts have been either suspended or terminated on Jul. 21, 2006 for the malicious and intentional use of this third-party tool.

We would like to take this time to remind our players that the use of any third-party tools will not only destroy the in-game balance, but will also encourage RMT (Real Money Trade) activities. We will continue to take strict actions against those individuals that we have confirmed to have used such tools.

Please note that some of these third-party tools tools may cause character information to be altered, erased, or personal information to be leaked to unwanted third parties. If you come across a third-party tool over the Internet, we ask that you please refrain from the download of such a tool, no matter how minor it may appear to be.

To ensure our customers could enjoy their games safely, we will continue to apply measurements to combat these third-party tools and violations.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

[Kirsteena]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Edit: Nothign to see here - already posted...

[Aeolus]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

If the windower allows for hacks surely they are just banning the ppl using hacks and not the windower itself. That will just be the reason they give out. 2k ppl accross 15 servers isnt that much tho and ALOT more people than that use windower.

[Murphie]

Re: Sooooo 2k accounts suspended....

Permanently banned. Ouch.