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Massive game breaking exploit - And the coverup.
Wendetta
Member Posts: 30
It is common knowledge in certain circles that if you are a "Freep", ie a VIP player who might drop by the moors to partake in borked PvP, then you are more than allowed to cheat your way to the top.
With this mentality, some players have taken it upon themselves to exploit their way into not just PvPing but LotRO's Prized PvE experience as well. And the saddest joke that comes out from this is that, Turbine/Time Warner doesnt want to confess to having a problem nor even acknowledge it.
If you are a LotRO player, and know what the stats: Block, Parry, Evade, Finesse, Resistance, Mitigations, etc mean then you`d know what a boost these stats give you when you stack em up high. Now imagine, stacking up on EVERY ONE of these stats uptil the fixed limit. You are bassically left with a god-mode character that is capable of solo tanking entire creep raids or soloing group intances without breaking a sweat regardless of the class (not talking bout wardens or minis doing this without exploiting, thats another whole can of worms Im not gonna talk about).
This thread was made in respone to another thread that the mods closed and deleted without providing any explanation.
http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?478088-Stat-exploits-fixed-2.0
This thread has also been locked without getting any reply from the blue names.
To get an idea of how broken the exploited characters are, here is a pic to show you the lights:
Taken from the thread:
http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?478776-minnie-stat-exploiting
Turbine MAY or MAY NOT be able to fix this with the coming expansion, but this exploit is alive and kicking as of now on the live servers. But they dont want you, their precious customers / potential customers, to know this. And that folks is a slap to the face of any customer, to be treated with such contempt that the devs dont even acknowledge the existance of such a game breaking exploit. Decide for yourself, if this company and game deserve your money.
How far has Turbine fallen from what it used to be...Anyone remembers their motto, Powered By Fans...?
Proud Member of the A.F-D-A. [Anti Fanboy-Defense-Army]Association for a Better Tomorrow or [A.F-D-A.]AfaBT, in short.
Comments
I'm sure they'll get around to fixing it before RoR. Tbh dude if people are playing Lotro for pvp then they are playing the wrong game. Possibly some of the worst pvp on the market in this game
So many other games do it better. Not that that's any excuse for this exploit to fly, but I really don't think pvp is a priority for Turbine.
That bug still exists? LOL.
LOTRO is running on a skeleton crew at this point. It has to be a really tough environment for the devs to push out mandatory yearly expansions and fix bugs.
True- The PVP is abysmal-
But I think the OP is saying the PVP exploit can be taken across to your PVE toon- I think....
Freeps are your PVE toon. It's the creeps(monsters) that can't leave the moors.
Funny thing is, the OP is doing more harm then the people that use the exploit.
Congratulatins for letting people who didn't know there was such an exploit know, so that they can come to the game and use it. Ever think that maybe, just maybe, this is why they don't want you talking about it on the official forums and why they aren't openly talking about it themselves? To minimize the number of people who are aware of it until such a time as they're able to fix it.
Nope, there's always a few people who think they're ahead of the game and figured out that the big bad video game company is running a cover up because they don't care, then sperg about the issue all over various forums so that even more people are aware that such an issue exists.
Good job OP. There's a reason you're not allowed to discuss exploits.
This is how things get fixed-
Your line of reasoning is soooooo backword. You expose the problem until its fixed. Sometimes a company will ONLY fix things once the problems become public.
Kids are alway think of covering their mistake instead of solving it.
if you cover up a disease, it'll spread out and kill everyone. but if you let people know, they'll at least be able to prevent it while searching for a cure.
people who already exploire will keep doing it. new players not gonna run to a 10 years old game so they can exploire. so not much damage will be done when OP post the problem out. the gains is that this problem will be discuss by community and spread out, eventualy force/make turbin work on a fix for it.
Is it the first rule when you join Exploit Club?
This exploit has been public for quite a while. At some point, exploits need to be made public when the developer ignores them. Sometimes it's the only way to get them fixed.
Yeah. I imagine they are under alot of pressure. Especially that Lotro is bleeding players.
WB-Turbine eggs are in new under-development also-for consoles mmo and Lotro is left to make enough money until new mmo is ready.
This isn't the official forums, it has zero impact on getting anything fixed. It only brings something to light that most people here had no clue about.
Game studios don't like posts about this things made outside of bug forums because it exposes it to more people then they'd like it be exposed to as well. You're behaiving like Turbine is the only company that deletes posts like these and they aren't, and for exactly the reason I posted.
BTW, you just use the exact same excuse that the people who use the exploits use.
I imagine they keep it in maintenance until "The Hobbit" will be pouring in hordes of new players. At least I wouldn't be surprised if WB thinks so.
Lets bet how well this will go.
Proud MMORPG.com member since March 2004! Make PvE GREAT Again!
Man you really are too much. =P
No, you make it opublic in places Turbine (in this case) has no control over locking/deleting/hiding the issue. You take it outside their control until they are forced to fix it (or not).
This is why services such as "rip off reports" can be so valuable- (although I am not saying this entails a "rip off") to publicly shame a company and make waves outside of their sphere of influence when they fail to deliver.
If you are getting nowhere on the IOfficial Forums, taking it here is the next step-
Turbine is right up there with EA now. EA is a bunch of liers who cover up and dismantle all their mistakes to spin them positively.
It's unfortunatate that LotR has seen such misbehavior by dev's.
I suppose some would say they hit the big league ... but I frown on them.
Want a nice understanding of life? Try Spirit Science: "The Human History"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8NNHmV3QPw&feature=plcp
Recognize the voice? Yep sounds like Penny Arcade's Extra Credits.
You're doing great! I can tell you for a fact the difference you are making.
To start, they probably already are working on something, however no dev will ever say "Hey, for those that didnt know yet, there's this issue that really needs to be fixed because it gives a big advantage. We're trying to solve it and will implement a fix soon," because that just triggers a wave of people trying to drink from the golden well before the flow is shut off.
Forget about the extra work you are creating for the entire CS team and the nonsense you help to put the PR team through,
As someone who has been through this crap multiple times over the past decade and a half as a journalist, site manager and dev, I can tell you for a fact you are making a difference - you are making a bigger mess for the developer and you are creating more problems for an entire game community.
Some ways to help out in cases like this:
You more than lkely won't get feedback from many of those approaches. That doesn't mean they didn't read it or aren't doing anything. That you don't see or hear about work being done on it doesn't mean they aren't.
I know you don't believe a word of this. I know you are convinced you are the stalwart champion of justice here. This message isn't really for you. It's for others so that they can positively help their player community, work toward solutions with the devs, and don't do the same misguided damage that you are doing.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Things are fixed when they are in the open , bathed in light as it were-
Things do not get fixed if they are kept in darkness.
Its just the way it is- As a Journalist your job should have been to bring things to the light (be it Political, VCorpuptiomn, etc.) as the media is the watchdog of the people (unfortunatley its been a lap dog lately)-
Yes, like you say the PvP in this game is an unbalanced mess that favours the "good" side. But I wasnt bitching about the PvP was I?
You misunderstood me when I used the term "freeps". This exploit is applicable to only the 'Blue' side of the ring and Yes it also sticks as far as PvE goes. People have been running their exploited toons through Foundry, Saruman and whatever raid/instance the game has to offer. And thats why I said that this exploit gives the poor player an excuse to screw around with LotRO's highlighting point: its PvE gaming.
So consider people running toons with ridiculously high padded stats like the one I posted and consider the impact it might have on PvE raids. And after that, consider Turbine / Warner's stance on keeping mum on the subject instead of putting down the law and punishing the exploiters.
Proud Member of the A.F-D-A. [Anti Fanboy-Defense-Army]Association for a Better Tomorrow or [A.F-D-A.]AfaBT, in short.
Tell me Sir, how am I doing them "Harm" by showing this coverup the light of day?
I have adhered to all posing rules by NOT POSTING how to cheat. This thread is to show the mmorpg.com readers that such a problem exists right under the developer's nose and they dont care enough to enforce their own License Agreement. I can, as a game modder, think about a immediate quickfix to prevent further stat padding until a full fledged patch can be developed. Fixing the leak isnt the problem. But the problem lies on the water that has already leaked out.
Turbine / Time Warner WONT acknowledge the problem because doing so would mean >> They know of the exploit >> Will need to enforce their own rules and ban the exploiters >> God forbid they ban VIP players and lose subscription >> Will lead to bad publicity due to their poor coding and managing skills >> More subs lost.
So instead they take the coward's way out by muting all the voices that speak out on this exploit and keep a tight lid on public awareness even though people spread around the methods to exploit among their Kin and friends in hushed whispers. And best part, no need to worry about losing subs due to bans / bad publicity. This is what Turbine / Warner are doing as of now.
And again, Im not discussing on HOW to exploit. But I am showing others that such a problem exists and what stance the game house has taken towards the issue at hand. I am sure it is all blissful to live a naive little world where everyone should shut up and bear the bullshit of other's actions and inactions, but please dont commend me on doing a job when you got no clue what you are talking about.
Proud Member of the A.F-D-A. [Anti Fanboy-Defense-Army]Association for a Better Tomorrow or [A.F-D-A.]AfaBT, in short.
I assure you good Sir, at the end of the day it comes down to Priorities.
You make good points and put forth a convincing argument. But I do not know if you are aware of the state of this game. Bugs have existed here for Years. Exploiters have been dicking around for Years too. People have been reported over and over again. And strangly its only when the problem is brought to the public's eye is when action MAY be taken. It shows a complete lack of integrity. Of all the 'Positive feedback' methods you have mentioned, people have been doing it for a long long time and the general response from the developer's end would be:
1st time report a player / exploit : Dev says, "Yea we know about the problem."
2 Months after, reporting the same existing problem: Dev says, "Yea we know about the problem."
6 months later, reporting the same problem: Dev says, "Yea we know about the problem, but devs cant intervene in such instances. Now stop reporting what we already know."
You report the problem again: Dev says, "Ok Ive had it with you ticket abuser, exploit the ticket reporting again and I`ll get you banned." And you are 100% sure that this guy is giving you the finger behind the monitor screen.
So, since you state that you have been/are a journalist, among other things, can you not ascertain the lack of ethics involved in this matter? I can compare it to degree of editing and quality check a Popular Statewide Daily newspaper might undergo to that of a sleazy weekend tabloid print. The former cares about seeing to it that their work is pristine clear of any errors and false content while the latter will jump at any gossip from a friend of a friend of a cousin's ex who saw a celebrity with her blouse down in a club.
Proud Member of the A.F-D-A. [Anti Fanboy-Defense-Army]Association for a Better Tomorrow or [A.F-D-A.]AfaBT, in short.
Just like the envelope exploit, they receive tickets, forum posts, even pm's and just looked the other way.
And it's not even Turbine-specific problem, EA does the same with reported hackers, Sony did the same with macroers in DCUO (did, because finally they banned a few of them), Funcom did it with comboskippers (a buddy of mine even got kicked by a GM... when he saw a cheater, he said to him 'Dude, stop this lame comboskipping' ... BAM. you said comboskipping in chat. The cheater laughed his head off, and continued)
Dunno why companies think if they don't talk about something, that will disappear. Sure, they can govern and moderate their own forums, but there's this new stuff called internet
Turning away won't solve anything. And publicity CAN help, Sony's banhammer activated after someone, high enough in the food chain, saw the many youtube collections of cheating players. (Or this was just the official story, and they banned them for their conscience's sake 
)
comboskipping?
Conspiracy theorists unite!
Just because you haven't heard an official response does not mean it isn't known by Turbine. Jumping to conclusions due to lack of information is as bad as misinterpreting given information. Every single mmo I have ever played has had bugs that were never fixed since release. Even Wow STILL has them. The issue to a combination of extremely hard to replicate bugs and bugs caused by limitations in the very engine the game is built on.
It is obvious that Turbine chooses not to focus on that area of the game at this time. I would highly suggest waiting until the expansion drops when the dev team can refocus on other matters, use all avenues of communication available to the players to communicate the impotance of the issue and to stop frothing at the mouth on forums Turbine will never see. Chain responding 50 replies denouncing every other contributor with differing ideas does not help a cause.
You stay sassy!
Agreed and agree with OP. Turbine is not the Turbine it used to be. They need to stop milking the IP and get to Mordor. All of Rohan should have been released in this Expac. The game is sinking fast (89 on in glff the other night vs. 0ver 400 last year on any given night).