Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

Hellarion — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:24 GMT

Warden=ultimate spyware..gotta love blizz :)

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

Arthuis — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:23 GMT

But we do agree to have the Warden installed when we play WoW. It's in that big service agreement that we scroll though when there is a new patch.

So, if you don't like the Warden, you don't get to play WoW.

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

Stonefist — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:22 GMT

But "The Warden" is still no good option for "securing" the world of warcraft. You have tons of Bots around, goldspammers etc. It's not like The Warden is the ultimate solution to make "make sure that rule breaking gameplay is not occuring."

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

Indelible — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:21 GMT

The Warden monitors activity related to World of Wacraft. From what I have read it attempts to detect lots of different types of rule breaking actions, such as automation, exploitation of the economy, third party cheat software and other things like access from other locations etc. What people have to understand is that the system is not fool proof. You can never have a system that is going to catch everyone doing everything. The Warden is written by Humans so Human error is always going to play a part in any anti-rule breaking solution.

I have yet to meet anyone who has claimed to be able to write a solution to every single problem faced by MMOs such as World of Warcraft because it is a completely implausible claim to make. For every rule breaking activity you are aware of there are more that you are not aware of and if you are not aware of them how can you counter them?

It's a similar thing to the way people slander Microsoft for having an opperating system that is suseptable to virus infiltration. Macs are only more secure statistically and those statistics generally don't mention the fact that Microsoft occupies 80% of the OS market so it is logical to assume that people are going to try to write viruses and the like for Windows because of the figures involved just like it's logical to assume that people will target World of Warcraft because of the figures involved.

<quote>But "The Warden" is still no good option for "securing" the world of warcraft. You have tons of Bots around, goldspammers etc.</quote>

The "tons" you speak of are a fraction of the total player base. The Warden does a good job with the resources it has access to and you can't expect it to do more. The only other solution that companies are using at this moment in time is Route Kits and Route Kits are far, far worse than The Warden.

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

phaden — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:20 GMT

Not to be an ass, but its Root kits, Great response though.

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

Zeroes — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:19 GMT

Well having any software on your computer that updates itself is, in my opinion, spy ware. The Warden does this on occasion, though I really think that it's nothing worth worrying over. So long as you aren't dead or dying, who cares about whether someone is watching you? I mean God, for those who choose to believe in him, is always watching, plus our minds are considered to be computers, thus through inference it could be said that when God gave us the breath of life, he was really installing the OS and some spyware (similar to Microsoft), that way he could always be watching.

LOL, sorry I ramble on.

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

kingdante — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:18 GMT

Zeroes, comparing the warden with god is a little scary in my mind. A program run by people that watches your every move is quite different (and has a lot more potential for harm) then the creator viewing his creation (if that's what you believe in).

While I might not like the ultra intrusiveness of the Warden, I realize it is a ... necessary evil. It is what allows wow to "trust" the user as far as where they are on the world map. Some other games don't have this trust and when there is a lag spike or temporary disconnection you find yourself back in the same position you were in 30 seconds ago being attacked by a mob that wasn't there when you ran by the first time.

I must also thank blizzard for using the warden and not going the way of FFXI and other such MMOs where you can't alt-tab out to prevent from hacking.

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

dargonia — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:17 GMT

The following is an outtake from one of our more recent posts. Now, insert the words Professional Sports, Little League, Highway Driving, Home Schooling, Constant Church Attendance, Dating, or whatever comes to mind as far as activities go for Online Gaming.

Online gaming has presented moral and legal issues since its inception. There are those who play by the rules and those who do not. These issues and the issue of security in onling gaming will present a preview of problems that will emerge in the coming years

'Nuff Said!

Online Gameplay a Cause for Concern

dietx — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:16 GMT

It's always good to wake up in the morning and see people complain about having a program that protects your assets. As Arthus has stated, you agreed to installing it so noone truly has any word here other then they agreed. But aside from the fact of the agreement, Warden is a great solution towards events and people like these that may not be flawless, but i still have yet to see anything perfect.

All i know is that im glad Warden is live, keeps the Speed Hackers and all the other bull**** these no-lifed hacking losers seem to want to bring to the life. Well, most of it.