DMCA Takedown for Gaming the (Game) System

Interesting one for any videogamers out there: Blizzard Lawyers Visit Creator of WoW Glider. The company behind World of Warcraft is none too happy about an unauthorized “add on” which automates playing some of the game.

Keeping in mind libraries’ own struggles with electronic licensing and online copying, read on for some related links and commentary.

Interesting one for any videogamers out there: Blizzard Lawyers Visit Creator of WoW Glider. The company behind World of Warcraft is none too happy about an unauthorized “add on” which automates playing some of the game.

Keeping in mind libraries’ own struggles with electronic licensing and online copying, read on for some related links and commentary.

• Hacks and other exploits are a constant problem for MMORPGs. This week, for example, a virtual item duplicator in Second Life caused quite a stir.
• This is largely because of the real-world money involved in the trade of virtual commodities. Some games have GDPs larger than those of countries, complete with outsourcing to China.
• The business model for online (subscription-driven) games makes for a different playing experience than a traditional “beat the last boss” game. Players expecting an ending can get as frustrated as those grumbling Lost viewers, while others have been snared by the bells and whistles — despite or perhaps because of the drudgery of level grinding, many players exhibit bona fide addictive behavior.
• To maintain subscribers, online games invariably reward mundane, repetitive, and habit-forming play. So, considering this and the market demand, it’s no wonder that bots have been programmed to automatically fish, train skills, or farm items for players in online games. Or, in other cases, cheat outright by hacking various statistics.
• The law on some of these third-party circumvention tools is shady. While Blizzard can freely ban users caught using them, in this case they’re going after someone who isn’t held to a license agreement. They did win the bnetd case, however.
• Until computer games can reward a playing style which will pass a Turing test, these problems will persist. In the meantime, anyone up for some holdem?