Trial accounts used for ToU violations

#0 - Dec. 28, 2006, 8:36 p.m.

How many people are sick and tired of playing the game and all of the sudden, get a whisper to go to this site to buy gold or get power lvl'd? About every other day I get an in-game mail from one of these people and I for one am getting sick and tired of it. What's worse, Blizzard knows what's causing this and either is doing nothing about it or is working to slow to solve it. So I'll help them out. Do one of the following things, either stop selling trial accounts that people buy a box at a time, or create a separate server that all trial accounts log on to and offer a one time free transfer to a server of the individual’s choice if they choose to continue after the trial expires. There, problem solved. This won't stop all the gold sellers, but it will dramatically cut down on them.

Drysc

#9 - Dec. 29, 2006, 5:32 a.m.

We want to try to avoid taking trial accounts users out of the game and placing them in a sterile environment in attempts to curb a small portion of the trial accounts being used to violate the game's Terms of Use. The purpose of a trial account is to introduce someone to the game, to show them and get them involved in a functioning game environment. Placing them in a cage doesn't introduce them to the people and community that is really what makes an MMO an MMO.

There are also the logistics of that trial account being upgraded to a full account. Do we make them start over since their characters weren't on a real realm? That's certainly not something we want to do. We could transfer their character to a "real" realm, but how do they choose, and how can it really make sense to someone who may have no idea what realms are? It would also more than likely be subject to batch transfers, which means their characters may not be able to be used for a day or more. This all adds to a confusing and cumbersome experience for a new player, something we strive to avoid.

The vast majority of trial accounts are being used to try the game, legitimately. We would be isolating the trial accounts further, despite the many restrictions that are placed on them already (http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowbilling/?id=abl01925p), as well as expending resources to implement a very large system for coping with their separation for almost no gain.

We have and are continuing to take steps to ensure that the game and its environment are a pleasant place to play, and be free from the relative few that violate the rules. We ask that you please report any violations of the Terms of Use by opening a ticket (click on the red question mark), or by e-mailing [email protected] with their character name, realm, and brief description of the violation. Your reports coupled with our internal work and investigations go a long way in taking these players out of the game.

Drysc

#15 - Dec. 29, 2006, 5:43 a.m.

Q u o t e:
Disable being able to send out a whisper on a trial account. There, simple no?

TLDR huh? :\