[Feedback] Chat and Trade rules

[Gerontius]

It is forbidden to sell or exchange in-game content (gems, codes,accounts, vouchers etc...) for real money or digital goods. Any type of purchase/exchange/trade that isn't fully supported by the tools provided by blue byte is at the user's own risk.

Gems, voucher codes and accounts cannot be traded for other in-game content on public channels, and any private trading of such items is at user's own risk. Resources can only be exchanged for digital goods that exist within this game.

This is a total mess... repetitive, unclear on definitions due to ambiguity caused by repetition, etc

As a consequence, it bans all trading under the most literal interpretation.

[Dorotheus]

It's is quite clear that BB attempted to impose generic rules which would apply to a international user base. However what is quite clear is that their legal department failed to invest in the time and effort needed to ensure that the resulting rules would be as they wished.

Any invitation to carry out, or planning or execution of any activity which, in accordance with prevailing law, could be categorized as unlawful or illegal is strictly forbidden within the discussion forums, in-game message system and chats, and may be immediately stopped by the moderators or administration at any time without prior notice.

Under English law this bans any resident if England from playing the game between the months of October to March due to a little known law dating back to Henry VIII. Effectively the rules ban themselves since the rules are racist. BB obviously need to spend more time on drafting a set of rules which work as they intended.

[Kotugo]

If players are getting banned by moderators for trading vouchers in g3, then the "at the user's own risk" bit needs leaving out since its a get out clause for the "do not trade them" rule.

I don't understand why they want to block the trade of vouchers though, if they are being traded then someone is buying them, its not reducing sales of them. The gems should be made into a resource you use on the mayors house like everything else, that way it could be traded on the TO without any scamming issues.

[Gavona]

I think what would be as helpful as fine tuning the words is a post from BlueByte which gives examples of the intent. Once the intent is clear then we can make sure that the Chat and Trade Rules themselves support it. However, to be realistic, examples will be better understood than the rules anyway.

So describe the trading and ask BB to indicate whether it is: (i) Banned (an infringment of the rules); (ii) Acceptable but at traders' own risk, (iii) Fully supported

(i) Banned (an infringment of the rules);

• xxx

(ii) Acceptable but at traders' own risk,
Generally these are multiple separate in-game transactions that the players have agreed, BB will not investigate if one of the parties does not do what was agreed

• Trading of adventure lootspots for in game resources/items that are supported in the trade office.
  I send a friend 300gc or 5k Steel Swords, he sends me an invite to his adventure.
• Trading of (non-tradeable) gem gift items for in game resources/items that are supported in the trade office.
  I send a friend 5000gc, he sends me a "gift" of a Jolly Explorer.
• Complex Trades. I agree to buy a Dark Castle for 400 gold coin plus 7000 Horses. This cannot be completed in a single in-game transaction
• Disclosure of a voucher code/Gem Code to another player whether as a gift or in return for in-game resources.

(iii) Fully supported

• Any trade that can be performed using the Trade Office tool in a single transaction

[Whizkeyjack]

So glad to see that we also have lawyers in this game

But only the people who were or will be affected would care about this issue. And then support will come and resolve it. This is the same with any MMO by the way. Even Blizzard has TONS of errors in their Rules.

There's always a hole, so don't act as BB would be the only one.

[Tierarzt]

The more rules you have, the more contradictions and loopholes you create. Rules need to be kept short and simple.

[Whizkeyjack]

The more rules you have, the more contradictions and loopholes you create. Rules need to be kept short and simple.

You can't keep people short and simple.

[Qualan]

If players are getting banned by moderators for trading vouchers in g3, then the "at the user's own risk" bit needs leaving out since its a get out clause for the "do not trade them" rule.

I don't understand why they want to block the trade of vouchers though, if they are being traded then someone is buying them, its not reducing sales of them. The gems should be made into a resource you use on the mayors house like everything else, that way it could be traded on the TO without any scamming issues.

Disagree, as this would lead to a proliferation of accounts for weekly login bonus for the sole purpose of selling gems. It is not in BB and the game interest to substitute paid items for free in game rewards. You do have to wonder about the restrictions on voucher trading though. If i was BB i would sell gem vouchers through the shop and make em into an in game item that can be traded as this will enhance money spent on the game

[EmperorScruffy]

I believe BB do not want players selling vouchers for in-game resource, because of the very fact that players then do not have to buy vouchers themselves. It DOES reduce sales of vouchers/gems, as has been discovered in the past, and in other games.

The trade shop has some items that can be gifted, and some that cannot, to force players to spend money to get the gems. Not to spend resources to get gems.

I believe the main reason BB wish to give bans for selling vouchers on main chat is simply to keep it OFF public sales. They do not support it, and would prefer it didn't happen at all. but to issue a complete ban on it would mean they must police it, which is a HUGE undertaking. They have no intention of trying to police it. But they will discourage it by any simple means, such as banning from chat.

It's a compromise, until they introduce a way to eliminate it from happening.

So, if you want to sell vouchers, then you do so at our own risk... If you do it obviously and in a way that is easily provable, BB will not hesitate to punish you. And while BB won't go out of their way to investigate/prosecute. They also won't give a toss if you get scammed, in fact they'll secretly smile and hope it deters you doing it again.

And that goes for anything that BB have not designed an in-game way to trade. They do not wish to have to give you support for being scammed on anything. so they say they don't support it, and it's at your own risk. Dont do it until BB have made an in-game way to do it safely.

[Kotugo]

Disagree, as this would lead to a proliferation of accounts for weekly login bonus for the sole purpose of selling gems. It is not in BB and the game interest to substitute paid items for free in game rewards. You do have to wonder about the restrictions on voucher trading though. If i was BB i would sell gem vouchers through the shop and make em into an in game item that can be traded as this will enhance money spent on the game

Sorry I didn't word it very well, I only meant the gem portion of the vouchers for trading, not all the gems you get.

I believe BB do not want players selling vouchers for in-game resource, because of the very fact that players then do not have to buy vouchers themselves. It DOES reduce sales of vouchers/gems, as has been discovered in the past, and in other games.

The trade shop has some items that can be gifted, and some that cannot, to force players to spend money to get the gems. Not to spend resources to get gems.

I believe the main reason BB wish to give bans for selling vouchers on main chat is simply to keep it OFF public sales. They do not support it, and would prefer it didn't happen at all. but to issue a complete ban on it would mean they must police it, which is a HUGE undertaking. They have no intention of trying to police it. But they will discourage it by any simple means, such as banning from chat.

It's a compromise, until they introduce a way to eliminate it from happening.

So, if you want to sell vouchers, then you do so at our own risk... If you do it obviously and in a way that is easily provable, BB will not hesitate to punish you. And while BB won't go out of their way to investigate/prosecute. They also won't give a toss if you get scammed, in fact they'll secretly smile and hope it deters you doing it again.

And that goes for anything that BB have not designed an in-game way to trade. They do not wish to have to give you support for being scammed on anything. so they say they don't support it, and it's at your own risk. Dont do it until BB have made an in-game way to do it safely.

The vouchers have to be bought before they can be traded, some players will never spend money on the game, but if they buy a voucher through ingame items (coins) then the result is the sale has been made to someone else, its still a sale.

The only restriction on gem shop items is for those with limited quantities, I presume this is a technical thing to stop people having 100 scouts or recyclers rather than something to force players to buy gems, otherwise why would they occasionally give the same items away to everyone?

I would think quite a lot of the first gem pack sales were due to players buying extra and selling the codes, its a very good way for mid level players to get coins quickly for upgrading buildings when other sources of coins are very slow.

I think the only reason they have to stop voucher trading is due to scamming, its too much hassle for support to have to refund every player who buys a fake code, banning them is the only way to deal with it other than programming support for trading them into the game.