THE BANHAMMER

What is a Ban Hammer?  The Urban Dictionary defines it like this:

Rockstar issues last chance warning to Red Dead Redemption cheaters.

Banhammers are fearsome weapons wielded by the Admins, a race of genetically enhanced people who have been created to serve and to protect online communities from the evil that fills the internet. The Banhammers are mighty weapons, and must be used carefully, as whoever holds one of these weapons have power over the accounts of all others.

While there is always an uproar when stories hit the media about a company resetting accounts or blocking users, I can’t believe that most of those who get banned know it’s coming, and know it is most likely deserved.

When gamers use online services, they agree to abide by the rules set forth by that service to keep the community hospitable for the masses.  This agreement is a legal and binding contract usually called “Terms of Service”.  This is a rarely read, often skipped step in the signup or setup process for all online services and games.

Let’s take a look at what very few gamers bother to read.  This is directly from the Xbox Live Terms of Service agreement.

Microsoft threatens to permanently ban anyone playing an unauthorized copy of Halo: Reach.

The Xbox.com Web Site may contain bulletin board services, chat areas, news groups, forums, communities, personal web pages, calendars, and/or other message or communication facilities designed to enable you to communicate with the public at large or with a group (collectively, “Communication Services”). You agree to use the Communication Services only to post, send and receive messages and material that are proper and related to the particular Communication Service. By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree that when using a Communication Service, you will not:

• Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.
• Publish, post, upload, distribute or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful topic, name, material or information.
• Publish, post, upload, distribute or disseminate any topic, name, material or information that incites discrimination, hate or violence towards one person or a group because of their belonging to a race, a religion or a nation, or that insults the victims of crimes against humanity by contesting the existence of those crimes.
• Upload or otherwise make available files that contain images, photos, software or other material protected by intellectual property laws (or by rights of privacy of publicity) unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents.
• Upload files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another’s computer.
• Use any material or information, including images or photographs, which is made available through the Xbox.com Web Site in any manner that infringes any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other proprietary right of any party.
• Advertise or offer to sell or buy any goods or services for any business purpose, unless such Communication Service specifically allows such messages.
• Conduct or forward surveys, contests, pyramid schemes or chain letters.
• Download any file posted by another user of a Communication Service that you know, or reasonably should know, cannot be legally distributed in such manner.
• 

  Valve offers L4D2 and apology to users auto-banned from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

  Falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is uploaded.

• Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Communication Services.
• Violate any code of conduct or other guidelines which may be applicable for any particular Communication Service.
• Harvest or otherwise collect information about others, including e-mail addresses, without their consent.
• Violate any applicable laws or regulations.
• Create a false identity for the purpose of misleading others.

Your use of the Communication Services is also subject to the Code of Conduct.

Microsoft has no obligation to monitor the Communication Services. However, Microsoft reserves the right to review materials posted to a Communication Service and to remove any materials in its sole discretion. Microsoft reserves the right to terminate your access to any or all of the Communication Services at any time without notice for any reason whatsoever.

Microsoft bans users with modded Xbox hardware.

While wordy, it’s pretty straight forward.  If you want to play in their house, you must be respectful and follow their rules.  While they MAY look the other way occasionally, they can and will send you packing if you get out of line far enough to get their attention.

Games with online connectivity also have their own rules called codes of conduct.  This is from Rockstar Games, makers of the excellent Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto series:

You agree, by using the Online Features, that:

• You will only use the Online Features for lawful purposes, in compliance with applicable laws, for your own personal, non-commercial use;
• You will not restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Online Features provided hereon (for example, by means of harassment, hacking or defacement);
• You will not use the Online Features to create, upload, or post any material that is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, obscene, profane, hateful, harassing, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of one’s privacy, in violation of any law, or is inconsistent with community standards;
• You will not post, upload, or create any copyrighted material using the Online Features provided hereon unless you own the copyright in and to such material;
• 

  WarHammer bans hundreds for gold farming.

  You will not post, upload, or transmit any information or software that contains a virus, worm, timebomb, cancelbot, trojan horse or other harmful, disruptive, or deleterious component;

• You will not post, upload, create, or transmit materials in violation of another party’s copyright or other intellectual property rights;
• You will not cheat or utilize any unauthorized robot, spider, or other program in connection with the Online Features; and
• You will not impersonate any other individual or entity in connection with your use of the Online Features.

So – you think you never agreed to these rules?  Wrong.  Your agreement is implied by your use of the service.

My advice is to stay out of the shadow of the banhammer.  Be respectful of other gamers and if you find an exploit – report it instead of abusing it.

Platform Nation writers have covered many swings of the banhammer in the past.  All of the inset pictures are links to past articles on this topic.  Be sure to take a look at those articles also.

WHAT OUR WRITERS HAD TO SAY

Jose Adrovet | Gui J | Profile |

The simple fact of the matter is…The banhammer does not apply to me, nor does it concern me. I game for fun and I treat my online interactions the same as my real life ones. If you think and feel that’s its o.k. to say hateful things online and or cheat and these things get you banned well guess what? Doing that in an anti-social setting with real people can get you in trouble also. No one should ever complain about the banhammer… if you did nothing wrong the truth will come out, but if you act like a scum bag don’t be surprised.

Microsoft sends message by resetting gamerscore and achievements of cheaters.

Scott diMonda | WCC5723 | Profile | Twitter |

The Banhammer is a great tool for companies to use against those that cheat.  Now is it good for boosting no.  I feel that the ban hammer if used properly is a great tool against those that just plain out cheat while playing a multiplayer online game.  But to be banned for boosting is a terrible idea unless that boosting gives you an unfair advantage.  Also I want to point out that the banhammer should not be “robot” controlled but it should be controlled by a physical person.  I have never be a victim of the ban hammer and not for nothing if the game developer knows there is a problem that could lead to banning shouldn’t they take measures to fix those issues in their games?

Brian Heitzenrater | FrehleyzComet | Profile | Twitter |

I totally support the banhammer. I can’t stand cheaters or exploiters and they deserve to be banned. I play games online for fun and to wind down after a hard day at work. The last thing I want to deal with is some jack-ass ruining my game because he is using a cheating device or an exploit in the game’s code to get an advantage on the rest of the people. The first time they “break the law” should just be a short ban like a couple of days to a week. But if they are stupid enough to do it a second time it should be permanently.

Jordan Silverthorne | Silverthorne | Profile |

You can’t mention the banhammer without also mentioning Bungie in the same sentence.  While some developers release a game into the wild and immediately move on to their next title, Bungie instead opts to keep a close eye on the community to ensure that players are sticking to the rules.  The banhammer should be used solely as a means of preventing exploits and unfair advantages, and for the most part Bungie sticks to that philosophy.

In the case of Halo: Reach, network manipulations and credit resets have resulted in over 15,000 users having their progress set back to zero.  Meanwhile, Gruntpocalypse and Sword Base farmers were safe; their means of obtaining credits were completely legitimate within the confines of the game.

Personally, I think resetting 15,000 players may be a little harsh.  From a marketing perspective, Bungie has just managed to alienate a substantial number of their most dedicated users.  Anyone could use credit resets, after all.

What’s most important is that modders be eliminated from the picture.  A player with an aimbot and a full-auto DMR is a complete nightmare for legitimate players just trying to have a good time.  If not for the banhammer, Xbox Live would be a hellish landscape of hackers and modders looking to get a leg up on everyone else.  The banhammer keeps things fun, and forces people to play by the rules.

MY FINAL STIR

Sony may have to swing the banhammer at trophy hackers.

Chris Forbis | MensaDad| Profile | Twitter |

Every time I see a story about mass numbers of people being banned from a service or having their accounts reset, or whatever the consequence - I have to chuckle to myself.  People know when they are doing the right thing and they know when they are cheating or taking unfair advantage, or worse, being disrespectful and offensive.  If these people have no clue that their actions can have direct and swift repercussions, then it’s about time they had learn.  ”But everyone was doing it!” just doesn’t cut it.  Looting during a riot isn’t justified by the circumstance.  It’s wrong – and it’s punishable.  Granted, some will unjustly be punished, caught in the net with the bigger fish – but such is the cost of swimming with sharks – and playing online can sometimes be just as unpleasant.  So if it takes knocking a few bullies over the head with a big stick to keep life tolerable at the village watering hole, I’m good with that.

The rules for Stir are simple

I pick a topic and ask the Platform Nation writers, editors and staff to send me their opinions.  Thanks go out to all the Platform Nation writers who contributed to Stir this week.  They are all part of the best writing team in the industry and I couldn’t do this without them.

Now, drop down into the comment box below and let us know what YOU think about the Banhammer.  Have you ever been banned?

Stay Stirred Every Weekend & Follow Us On Twitter!

Atten…hut! Skon-Kyskadi!

The year is 2009 and we rest on the 26th day of October. You’ve
each been recruited and selected to take part in the greatest
organized attack on gaming…code named The Invasion. Some of you
bring your own army into this attack while others bring only
themselves and the lint in their pockets. Each of you will play a
critical role in The Invasion.

We’ve identified the target ladies and gentlemen. And we’ve
selected our weaponry to invade.

Target: Xbox LIVE
Weapon of Choice: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Invasion: Time and Date TBA

We’re going to engage in a massive gathering of people at one time
for one single purpose. We’re going to all come together like
Voltron…synced up, linked up…one big pile of gamers
participating all at one time in a massive attack of gaming on
Modern Warfare to usher in the sequel. It will be the single
greatest attack ever organized. If you own it, great….if not,
prepare to rent it!

There are currently over 23 communities involved in helping stage
The Invasion and even more individual gamers. I wanted to thank
those of you standing at the ready. I’ve attached the first
propaganda to be used in identifying those in on the attack.

Only you will have the official propaganda bearing the mark of The
Invasion. Once the hour of attack has been decided upon, I’ll send
another mission alert with the final invasion kit. In the meantime,
wear the official mark of the attack and be an invader. Share it
with your friends and communities to prepare them for the attack.

Mission Alert. End.

-Foxtrot Oscar

Rodder and I will be retiring from Squad XP and along with us so will the brand that Squad XP has built over the past 5 years. It was fun to do the show and even up to today I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. But I feel, just like any good series on TV or radio sometimes it just has to move along. I don’t know what I’ll be doing next. Maybe something with video or I’ll just start other projects in my personal life.

If you would like to follow our future projects as well as our day to day lives, our twitter account are available below.

Twitter.com/krockxp
Twitter.com/rodderxp

The site will no longer be updated and our forums will be removed from the Platform Nation list. You can still expect to find Rodder and myself around Platform Nation from time to time.

I want to thank each of you that aided me in my success and I will be forever grateful that you gave us the chance to entertain you each week for the past 5 years.

If you would like to mail your thoughts/reflections or any physical materials, the information for that is as follows.

Mailing Info:

Squad XP LLC
16154 sw 44th LN
Miami, FL 33185

or Via Email ==> krockxp@squadxp.com & rodderxp@squadxp.com

—————————

Our last community event will be the “ Xbox Live Squad XP: Community Playdate”

Info can be obtained here or below.
Squad XP will be online Sunday, June 28 from 8:00 – 11:00 P.M. ET (5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. PT) playing Left 4 Dead. If you’re a Gold Member (if not, upgrade now!), look out for these Gamertags:

• K Rock XP
• RODDER XP
• method in chaos
• DirtyStreetz XP
• jj75 XP

—————————

Best Wishes,

Kelly Rock Gomes // Editor in Chief // GT: K Rock XP // SquadXP.com

Both games have room for improvement and, in a now much more crowded release schedule than in 2006 when both of these franchises launched, they will have to in order to please their respective fans and expand upon those numbers.

Gears of War was a technical marvel and had one of the largest online communities for the new generation. It did, however, lack online functionality, such as parties, that has become commonplace in the past two years. Making the online system more hospitable to friends trying to play together as well as delivering a deeper storyline, something else the game lacked, in the singleplayer will be crucial to Gears 2’s reception with gamers.

Resistance 2 comes in with less fanfare amongst average gamers but equal pressure with regards to being a tent pole title for the console it represents. Expansion is the key for the Resistance franchise the second go-round. Single player, taking a page out of the Gears of War playbook, has gotten bigger. Bigger bosses and bigger arenas of battle are being used to give gamers a more grand experience. Throw in a completely alternate co-op campaign and the offline component of Resistance should be great for fans. The game is also serving up a much larger online emphasis as up to 60 players can take part in multiplayer battles and follow their stats on myresistance.net (Insomiac’s version of the bungie.net hub that has served millions of Halo fans so well).

Hit the jump for a Resistance 2 trailer and some other notable releases…

Other notables this week:

Quantum of Solace 007 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS, PC)
Tom Clancy’s EndWar (Xbox 360, PS3)
Legendary (Xbox 360, PS3)
Naruto Ultimate Ninja: Storm (PS3)
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)

What will you be picking up this week?