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Hmmm...
Seems MMORPG has decided to lock and "disappear" threads about the SOE TCG loot card gambling scheme.
I am not surprised given how pro-SOE biased moderation always has been here.
Considering that this is THE most controversial change to SWG since the NGE itself it's definitely on topic and should be allowed to be discussed, especially here on the "veterans refuge".
The TCG is highly controversial, and because it's "pay for play" and a form of RMT, it is certainly arguable that SOE is running a 50 state illegal unlicensed lottery in violation of US online gambling laws.
Comments
I would hope that they have not, that would be disgracefull jounalism !
Yah, I'd like some official confirmation from the mods on this. Have you been threatened by SOE or something?
S
Just look around the forums... Proof is before your eyes,
Yah, I've noticed a few threads concerning the TCG have been locked but others havent been touched. Maybe its just that there were several threads dealing with the same thing.
S
so why dont i see people making such a huge fuss over the the WoW trading card game that can randomly give you in game items?
I'm specifically aware of a desire to not have thread after thread focused on the TCG. I can respect that. In light of this, I've consolidated my thoughts on the subject in this thread:
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/213746
As for all the behind the scenes dynamics related to threads not authored by myself, I have no knowledge of these things. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if SOE has taken notice of all the fuss, and if I were them, it would cause me some stress.
Someone may wish to say at this point, "SOE doesn't read these threads, get over yourselves." Well, you can think that, by my P.M.s, forum replies and emails tell a different story. I've corresponded with a number current and former SOE employees. The majority of them have been very decent folks that share our concerns about the way business has been done. Smed just doesn't answer me though lol.
A : This is not relevant to this thread.
B : It has been answered in other threads in the main forum.
S
See the link to the thread I just posted if you like. The important differences between the WoW card game and the StarWars TCG are discussed in detail. There appear to be many. Also, of course, people who post on this board are current or former players of SWG, not WoW.
Oops lol Sharky beat me to it. What he said
Yah, I've noticed a few threads concerning the TCG have been locked but others havent been touched. Maybe its just that there were several threads dealing with the same thing.
S
that is correct. theres just too many threads about the same subject, it saves a lot of moderating by closing a few of the tcg threads. this happens in other forums too, just look at the DF forums on this site.
MMOs currently playing: -
About to play: Lord of the Rings Online
Played: Anarchy Online (alltime favorite) and lots of f2p titles (honorable mentions: 9Dragons, Martial Heroes, Dekaron, Atlantica Online)
You can bet your posterior that they are taking notice. They knew before they did it that it would cause trouble and Im sure their legal department told them it was all good. Im equally sure their legal team told them it was all good when they released ToOW.
The fact is that BECAUSE SOE has a history of reprehensible behaviour, people are going to point the finger etc. If SWG was properly supported etc, I doubt people would have really cared about the TCG, legal or not.
As usual, they are engaging in questionable practices with SWG and now EQ2. People aren't going to let this slide. I hope they have every legal possibility accounted for (and it looks very much like they don't) because this isnt going to go away until its properly resolved.
S
As I said in the locked thread, I did forward the details of the SWG RMT gambling scheme to the AG of my home state (West Virginia). I would advise everyone else with concerns to do the same.
(I also notified a friend who is in the state legislature)
After all, the government might very well confirm that this thing IS, in fact legal, by not prosecuting Smed and SOE. This would remove a cloud from their operations and would in fact increase sales of the loot card game since there would be no doubt of it's legitimacy.
Which would be a good thing for SOE.
On the other hand, if Smed and SOE are breaking the law, then justice must be done.
100% in agreement.
If its all above board, Ill have nothing else to say although I will never play an SOE game again. They are a dishonest company and even if it is legal, that doesn't make it any less reprehensible.
S
Law and justice aren't necessarily one and the same. Just because you CAN do something legally doesn't make it morally right.
Even if the NGE, the loot card game, the lies, etc are all legal meaning that Smed can't be perp walked for them doesn't make them right.
And you know what, sometimes the consumer makes moral judgements when it comes to whom to patronize. I note that SOE fell off the cliff literally with the NGE, across ALL games. Now I don't necessarily count the public's objection to SOE's lack of morality as the sole cause, the fact that the NGE itself was and still is an atrociously bad game, AND that nothing they've done since has been any less bad did have a part in it
Ever since I left SWG due to the NGE debacle, I have refused to deal with any SOE product. There were 1 or 2 titles that I was thinking about, but I saw the SOE label and decided to avoid it.
My money isn't going to support these incompetent, greedy, disloyal bast**ds. Not even the lint from my pockets.
"I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." (First Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, Soissons, 19 July 1918)
I've personally cost Sony over 200K in revenue by blacklisting anything made by them at my company.
Easy to do when you are in charge of deciding what "meets spec" and what doesn't.
Disgraceful but, unfortunately, absolutely par for this course.
A) The WoW trading card game gives you a physical object when you buy it
C) You cannot purchase virtual boosters inside warcraft and then trade them for in game currency, which is a soft real money transaction system.
D) Non of the WOW card game cards have any effect on the game what so ever.
E) the SOE is almost the exact oposite.
A) The WoW trading card game gives you a physical object when you buy it
C) You cannot purchase virtual boosters inside warcraft and then trade them for in game currency, which is a soft real money transaction system.
D) Non of the WOW card game cards have any effect on the game what so ever.
E) the SOE is almost the exact oposite.
The SOE TCG is a lottery where you pay real money to gamble on pixels.
A) The WoW trading card game gives you a physical object when you buy it
C) You cannot purchase virtual boosters inside warcraft and then trade them for in game currency, which is a soft real money transaction system.
D) Non of the WOW card game cards have any effect on the game what so ever.
E) the SOE is almost the exact oposite.
The SOE TCG is a lottery where you pay real money to gamble on pixels.
I also agree with that statement.
Just a curious question, why do you think the mods here are playing favorites with SOE on the forums? It isn't an impression I get, but maybe there is something I'm missing.
Probably because there's already other threads on the subject that already covers what's posted in the new thread?
We have a duty as veterans of a once great game to make sure that attention is payed to this topic, even if mmorpg staff deem the topic sensored.
I would personly deem it biased journalism if they keep locking the tcg scam,and i doubt they wish represent a single minded view ,and they should be neutral in this that is professional journalism as it should be.
I'd like to second that. MMORPG.com is an excellent site but, ultimately, it rises or falls by its impartiality. Whether or not the trading card game, as implemented by SOE, is actually legal is a legitimate topic for discussion.
Furthermore, MMORPG should write an article on this controversial issue imo.
I got a temporary ban the other day for talking about the TCG also and the legal implications that could be involved that if this blows wide open into the mainstream media. The desperation of the fanbois now is just too delicious to observe here now...
Could one of the "this is gambling" people please explain how the McDonalds Monopoly "card" game is not considered gambling, in that game you have to buy food and drinks to get game pieces to win real world items and cash.
I have not seen Micky D's having any trouble.