Thursday, September 12, 2013

Does CCP Enforce Rules Against Impersonation?

Much buzz has been buzzed about CCP's new anti-impersonation policies, which have been expanded to outlaw pretending to be a member of a "group of players". Later, I'll offer my thoughts about CCP's new policy. Today, I'd like to take you on a brief tour of the world of character impersonation in EVE.

Longtime readers of MinerBumping may recall that I have, on occasion, been the target of impersonation attempts, such as these:


Both James3l5 and Jemes 315 are phonies. Neither of them can save highsec. The EULA does not permit players to impersonate other players. CCP doesn't want people to do things like substitute a "1" in a character's name with a lower-case "L" and pass themselves off as someone else. But is this rule enforced? Let's find out!


Jemes 315 is still alive and kicking, but James3l5 is gone. CCP may have deleted the latter offender, or the person who created that character may have biomassed it. On the other hand, perhaps Jemes 315 is considered an acceptable "parody" character.


Take, for instance, Jane 315. Presumably no one would fall for this, as it's satire. Where do we draw the line? Here are some other examples, all of whom have escaped deletion at the hands of CCP:


Included among these is the genuine article, James 315. The rest of the names reference the original, but are any of them breaking the rules?


James315-1: An impostor, or an Agent of the New Order? You decide. (Actually, CCP decides.)


Other character names have merely been inspired by mine, but are different enough to escape the "impersonation" policy. Now let's see how CCP handles a genuine case of impersonation:


This is a pretty clear-cut case. Currin Tradlng went so far as to create a corporation to help him personate my alt, Currin Trading. Mr. "Tradlng" and the fake corp are still active.


Newer EVE players might not know that Currin Trading was notorious as a scammer, years ago. currintrading was created to impersonate him four years ago, and is still going strong.


...And when the Currin Trading scam was active, way back in 2006, Currin Trading1 registered a similar name, in the hopes of siphoning off investors. Over seven years later, he has yet to feel the sting of the banhammer.


A character search for Chribba, one of the most famous EVE players, returns 30 results. Many of them, obviously, would never be mistaken for the real thing.


But more clever impersonators, such as Chrlbba, are treated no differently. Four years and counting, but the ever-watchful eyes of CCP have yet to catch on to his trickery.


No study of EVE impersonations would be complete without a search for The Mittani, EVE's most famous player.


Don't forget to add the "The" in front of his name, or else you'll get quite a few misleading results.


Nor should you neglect the space between "The" and "Mittani".


The alternate spelling, with one "t" and two "n"s instead of the other way around, is of even less help. Dust 514 players, it seems, prefer this spelling.


Once-famous players like SirMolle, who used to be the most influential player in nullsec, live on through their impersonators.


How deep does the rabbit hole go? Erotica 1, celebrated isk-doubler and the New Order's largest shareholder, has a doppelgänger of her own, erotica1. The phony is a new player, reflecting Erotica 1's recent rise to prominence. Will erotica1 be deleted for violating the EULA, or will she join the ranks of her fellow impostors, who have grown old in peace?

It seems that impersonation is quite a common practice, and that it's not at the top of CCP's list of concerns. After reading this post, you might become curious: Is someone impersonating you, dear reader?

24 comments:

  1. Its simple logic as to why CCP isn't enforcing this rule very hard.

    It cannot be enforced to the extent James expects otherwise the game subscription would dry up.

    The reason for this being that there are only so many names in the world to use. They have to allow a small amount of parody names or risk having no more new players signing up due to having no available names at registration.

    People won;t play a game where they cannot create characters due to no avalable character names.

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    1. This is the dumbest thing I think I've ever read. You really believe that subscriptions will "dry up" because people run out of names for their capsuleers? Also James doesn't state his opinion on what CCP's policy "should" be anywhere. In fact, he explicitly states that he will address this question in a later post. Not only are you fucking retarded but you apparently can't read either.

      Delete
    2. Really? It takes, on average about half an hour to find a original character name for an eve toon, slightly less if you alter an existing names spelling. Would you have played eve if your first thirty minutes were spent seeing the message 'this name is unavalilable' appearing over and over as you fry to find a name you liked?

      For your info, at no did I say that I personally believed it...I just followed the logic.

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    3. Really? I created a new alt a month ago and got a name I liked on the first try. Try coming up with something not a ripoff of a pop culture name.

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    4. Have you any idea of how many original names are available when you can have a name and a surname? In EVE you can have a name, a surname AND a middle name. There are a LOT more name combinations that players will ever need.

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    5. @anon 10:21 am.

      Aside from the fact that there is LITERALLY a fucking button you can push to have the character editor create a name for you, can you actually be so retarded that it takes you half an hour to create a unique name when there is a surname involved? I can only imagine you sitting there frothing with rage as you desperately try every variation of xXxDarthVader420xXx that you can think of.

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    6. Is anyone else struck by the irony of everyone in this subthread posting anonymously?

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    7. I'll share my personal experience.

      My first character, the name I had planned out beforehand, the name I use now, Alistair Drake. This name worked the first time.

      My second character, his name is Cadicus Killraven, this one worked on the first try as well.

      One of the key features of the character creator is you can actually verify your character's name before you try creating the character. Plus this name generator sounds like it would be the way to go if a player has no idea.

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    8. I made up my own name with a general theme in mind. Could have gone with hundreds of variations and still accomplished the same thing. Most people who fail to get their name are tools.

      Delete
  2. "Both James3l5 and Jemes 315 are phonies. Neither of them can save highsec."

    If James isn't a stand up comedian somewhere, he should be.

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  3. John E Normus and his fans: John T Normus, Joann E Normus, and E Normus.

    I love them all, even though John T was made to kill me.



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    Replies
    1. T as in: John 'Terminator' Normus ?

      Better watch out for this one

      Delete
  4. There can be only One.

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  5. When I search my alt's name, I get 113 results.

    I'd say yes, I have some impersonators.

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  6. looks like a lot of sincere flattery going on

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  7. I have to say, Teh Mittani is a pretty good parody. A nicely derped face with the same template. A+ for that one.

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  8. I once reported "James315 Frozen Corpse" - got the reply that it would not violate the naming policy.

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  9. I guess the most obvious question is how many of these names have actually been petitioned? A lot of those names and avatars are not really all that close to their namesakes, but some of them should have been deleted, no question.

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  10. I am a little confused here maybe you James could clarify something for me.

    You said:

    'This is a pretty clear-cut case. Currin Tradlng went so far as to create a corporation to help him personate my alt, Currin Trading. Mr. "Tradlng" and the fake corp are still active.'

    then you pointed out that:
    Newer EVE players might not know that Currin Trading was notorious as a scammer, years ago. currintrading was created to impersonate him four years ago, and is still going strong.

    this was followed by:
    ...And when the Currin Trading scam was active, way back in 2006, Currin Trading1 registered a similar name, in the hopes of siphoning off investors. Over seven years later, he has yet to feel the sting of the banhammer.

    so as the GMs have kindly pointed out, this maybe be dealt with if (note 'if') you actually report/petition it. So if you or another player have not reported it, then why do you make the statement in a tone/wording that suggests your expectation is that it should have been done without said report/petition?

    The TOS change is also worded so that players (using said example above, you kind of prove the CCP point on this one) may not even know that this is how the rules are applied, they may not know that they even have the option to report/petition it in the first place (don't assume that I for one second think they should have this option, but if they have then they are entitled to know that).
    Shown in this statement on page one of the threadnought:
    GM stated:
    'The TOS update reflects the way reported cases of impersonation have been handled by Customer Support for a long time. The rules applied have been buried in our naming policy and EULA but have now been placed in plain view in order to better help players to make decisions on how they interact with one another.'

    Now on this point I am not going to debate whether this is true or not, is good or not, should be so or not, right now it just is and people need to know how the rules are applied with regards to how they play the game, then whilst this is the current application of the rules at least they will NOT get banned without knowing why.

    So, you seem like and intelligent person based on a lot of what I have read on this site, but on points like the above you seem to have missed the point about it needing petition or you deliberately left it out for reasons that only you know.

    If you are genuinly bothered about the game as much as you claim you are (I have no reason to doubt you on this point) then on topics like this TOS change and the examples that you use to make a point at least try to be impartial and give the whole picture accurately (referring to wording such as this: he has yet to feel the sting of the banhammer. As if it should have happened as stated above by me without any report/petition. which actually would be required before any action up to and possibly though not neccesarily, case by case basis etc, be a ban)so that people can take your information as a valid part of the debate which is in progress as this change is a great cause for concern to a lot of the player base.

    Apart from (for me, niggles like the above) that, I look forward to hearing your opinion and thoughts on the whole policy later on, as I do with all the content this site contains.

    All the best. o/

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    Replies
    1. You really only have one thing to say, a short question at that; and yet your comment is 10 paragraphs long.

      Delete
    2. I'm sorry its to difficult to read and I'm sad the education system has failed you.

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    3. "I'm sorry (you omitted the preposition "that here") its(you mean " it's ") to (you mean "too") difficult to read and (this is now a run-on sentence) I'm sad (forget a preposition again) the education system has failed you."

      FTFY

      Delete
  11. Elvis Presley would have impersonators like E1vis Pres1ey.

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  12. Also according to the TOS James cannot post as CurrinTrading as he is not a member of CurrinTrading.

    He is also not allowed to discuss any alts in a manner that would indicate he ownes that character unless the article is authorized and source provided from said character.

    ReplyDelete

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