Well, That’s One Way To Avoid Pick Up Groups

17Dec/08Off

Well, That’s One Way To Avoid Pick Up Groups

Maybe I'm the last one to hear about this, but saw this on an F13 thread: the Crown Prince of Dubai is providing backing for Europe's most notorious uberguild.

Ensidia is a joint effort by members of two of the top guilds in World of Warcraft, with the support and endorsement of a private entity based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

So if peak oil hits, the UAE can smoothly transition to primal motes.

Filed under: Uberguilds, WoW, _ Comments Off

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D-0ne
December 17th, 2008 - 13:22

This “support and endorsement” is a violation of the WoW, TOS and EULA.

“C. exploit the Game or any of its parts, including without limitation the Game Client, for any commercial purpose, including without limitation (a) use at a cyber cafe, computer gaming center or any other location-based site without the express written consent of Blizzard; (b) for gathering in-game currency, items or resources for sale outside the Game; or (c) performing in-game services in exchange for payment outside the Game, e.g., power-leveling;”

“Subject to your agreement to and continuing compliance with the Terms of Use agreement, you may use the Service solely for your own non-commercial entertainment purposes by accessing it with an authorized, unmodified Game Client. You may not use the Service for any other purpose, or in connection with any other software.”

“NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY HEREIN, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU SHALL HAVE NO OWNERSHIP OR OTHER PROPERTY INTEREST IN THE ACCOUNT, AND YOU FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT ALL RIGHTS IN AND TO THE ACCOUNT ARE AND SHALL FOREVER BE OWNED BY AND INURE TO THE BENEFIT OF BLIZZARD. ”

Let the banning begin… Oh wait the TOS and EULA are only enforced against people whom the employees of Blizzard dislike for one reason or another.
Jay
December 17th, 2008 - 13:44

More importantly, their transition to “primal motes” will be their downfall. Crystallized \ Eternal is where it’s at now, Lum.

http://www.wowhead.com/?items=7.10&filter=na=crystallized
Vetarnias
December 17th, 2008 - 13:47

I wish that were a joke. But seeing how seriously some people take WoW to be, it almost seems like the natural evolution of “elite” guilds that ask prospective new members to fill out an application and don’t want people less than maximum level, who don’t turn with the mouse or who don’t have the Exalted Armor of Uberleetness. If I’m being dictated my participation in a game as though this were work, maybe I’d prefer to do something that, you know, actually makes money.

If that’s the future of MMO’s, all inspired by Blizzard’s bottom line, I think I’ll return to single-player games.
wowpanda
December 17th, 2008 - 14:10

Different people got different play styles. With a lot of money on hand, I would not be surprised if some of those people want to play with style. We all heard of million dollar birthday parties, there will be million dollar lan parties too.
Korak
December 17th, 2008 - 15:02

Haha, I hope someone pushes hard enough for them to actually get banned. Two european guilds, one pissed off Arabian Prince, and the Forces of Good and Evil face off… TONIGHT ON FOX.
Fraeg
December 17th, 2008 - 17:17

“If this trend persists it could be the Fail of the Lich King.”

Statements like this make me wonder how bad it must suck to define so much of your life, your merit, your worth, based on pixels.
Freakazoid
December 17th, 2008 - 17:38

If anything, uberguilds exist not just to get the phattest loot, but to revel in their arrogance in new ways.

Does having a backer really do anything? Or is it just some well-off guy they managed to smooth-talk into parting with his money? Heck, I bet he isn’t rich at all, they just said “private entity” and “dubai” and let imagination make the connections.
Alex
December 17th, 2008 - 20:04

I’m confused: They aren’t involved in RMT, right? Their only goal is to be uber in World of Warcraft. Does the backer provide money so they can quit their jobs and play 18 hours a day? What’s in it for him? What purpose does this serve?
Vykromond
December 17th, 2008 - 20:47

He’s in the guild, that’s what’s in it for him.
Fraeg
December 17th, 2008 - 21:37

Vykromond :He’s in the guild, that’s what’s in it for him.

if true that is simply beautiful.

“Fuck I can’t catass, but hell maybe if I pay them, they will issue me my very own offical poopsock”
Shiro
December 18th, 2008 - 01:29

We should totally get Prince William into WoW and form an uber guild to match them.
DraconianOne
December 18th, 2008 - 04:32

The revelation that it was the Crown Prince of Dubai was not “officially” announced by Ensidia but was blogged by a former member of Nihilum. Much forum dramaz ensued.
DraconianOne
December 18th, 2008 - 04:33

Sorry – former member of SK-Gaming. Reading is hard.
Flimgoblin
December 18th, 2008 - 08:36

Korak :
Haha, I hope someone pushes hard enough for them to actually get banned. Two european guilds, one pissed off Arabian Prince, and the Forces of Good and Evil face off… TONIGHT ON FOX.

Which one’s playing “Good”?
hellfire
December 18th, 2008 - 12:42

Flimgoblin :
Which one’s playing “Good”?

The CS Rep…
With the Banhammer…
In the cubicle…
Drey
December 18th, 2008 - 13:54

@Jay: Damn, you beat me to it.
xzzy
December 18th, 2008 - 17:07

Gonna suck for them if Blizzard keeps doing what they did with Naxx.. making the content accessible for players of all skill levels.

Bet they start losing their “backing” if all they discover is that the game no longer caters to their elitism.
Vetarnias
December 18th, 2008 - 17:17

xzzy :
Gonna suck for them if Blizzard keeps doing what they did with Naxx.. making the content accessible for players of all skill levels.
Bet they start losing their “backing” if all they discover is that the game no longer caters to their elitism.

Wish that were so, but I still see all those guilds continuing to ask for level-80 players, sometimes for specific classes, and setting raiding times in stone as though nothing else existed.

Elitism is very much alive in WoW; I am, however, surprised that “hardcore” guilds would bother with such a superficial and risk-less game as WoW.
Montague
December 18th, 2008 - 20:00

Vetarnias :

xzzy :Gonna suck for them if Blizzard keeps doing what they did with Naxx.. making the content accessible for players of all skill levels.Bet they start losing their “backing” if all they discover is that the game no longer caters to their elitism.

Wish that were so, but I still see all those guilds continuing to ask for level-80 players, sometimes for specific classes, and setting raiding times in stone as though nothing else existed.
Elitism is very much alive in WoW; I am, however, surprised that “hardcore” guilds would bother with such a superficial and risk-less game as WoW.

If a hardcore guild stands in a city with head-to-toe epics but no one’s there to see it do they still have an e-peen?
daslog
December 19th, 2008 - 09:50

Fraeg :
“If this trend persists it could be the Fail of the Lich King.”
Statements like this make me wonder how bad it must suck to define so much of your life, your merit, your worth, based on pixels.

As opposed to making 100 million dollars throwing a ball and hitting it with a piece of wood
Mercury
December 19th, 2008 - 14:10

Yeah, go sue someone else for a change. They’re copyright infringers for running the game after that breach, btw.

No, really.
Fraeg
December 19th, 2008 - 15:31

daslog :

Fraeg :“If this trend persists it could be the Fail of the Lich King.”Statements like this make me wonder how bad it must suck to define so much of your life, your merit, your worth, based on pixels.

As opposed to making 100 million dollars throwing a ball and hitting it with a piece of wood

are you trying to equate the Uber guild in question’s members to professional athletes? While I would be the first to agree that in some sports athletes’ rewards are obscene. However comparing Raiders of PVE content to people who are, you know, actualy playing competatively against other people is not even in the realm of apples to oranges.
The Claw
December 20th, 2008 - 06:31

“..comparing Raiders of PVE content to people who are, you know, actualy playing competatively against other people..”

Compare them to, say, professional golfers, then. Golf is a PvE sport. The competition with other players is to see who can beat the environment using the fewest strokes, not so different to raiders competing with other raiders to see who can beat the environment fastest.
Cedia
December 21st, 2008 - 09:22

LOL at all the people buying into the whole “e-sport” marketing thing. Even golf takes some sort of physical training.
Iconic
December 21st, 2008 - 13:46

Not sure why the idea of “e-sport” is so offensive to some. As long as Blizzard is not catering their game to this phenomenon, it doesn’t bother me.

If I could get some one to pay me to play my favorite game 50 hours a week, I might do that.
Lee Quillen
December 22nd, 2008 - 08:00

“LOL at all the people buying into the whole “e-sport” marketing thing. Even golf takes some sort of physical training.”

Then Poker or Billiards then. The fair comparison between these things is someone’s willingness to devote their personal resources to being the best at their particular hobby… and other’s willingness to watch/follow/admire the groups they put together. Regardless of our own personal take on their merits (their are plenty of people who think all things sports are a waste of time and money), the comparisons are fair within the confines of those qualities (People want to be the best, and have the best… and others are willing to give them some attention about it).
Hatch
December 22nd, 2008 - 10:04

Lee Quillen :
“LOL at all the people buying into the whole “e-sport” marketing thing. Even golf takes some sort of physical training.”
Then Poker or Billiards then. The fair comparison between these things is someone’s willingness to devote their personal resources to being the best at their particular hobby… and other’s willingness to watch/follow/admire the groups they put together. Regardless of our own personal take on their merits (their are plenty of people who think all things sports are a waste of time and money), the comparisons are fair within the confines of those qualities (People want to be the best, and have the best… and others are willing to give them some attention about it).

I can’t help but quantify it… WoW ubarplayer < semi pro amputee bowling competitor.
Fraeg
December 22nd, 2008 - 14:57

Compare say, “professional” competitive FPS players, to “traditional” athletes, and I would be at least be willing to sit down at the table and talk. But Pve guilds? Not a chance.

In all the examples I see listed you are still actively in direct competition with other people:
Billiards
Poker
Golf
Bowling

Knowing that somewhere on some server there is a guild trying to kill some code before your guild does, is in no way shape or form “competitive” in the sense that the person you are competing against just got a hole in one, is on the 8 ball and you have 2 balls left to sink, has a better hand than you and you have to bluff, just got a strike.

Hey, I play MMOs, I enjoy raiding, and I enjoy pvp… However, I am not so delusional as to think getting the phat loots in Naxx puts me on par with Jordan, Woods, Phelps, Pele, Henderson etc.

For MMOS one of the biggest stumbling blocks is that “power” is based on time spent in game and not skill. Practice soccer all the time and hey you become a better player. Catass non-stop in WoW and hey, you might become a better player, but the increase in your power is based more on the loot you acquire than your skill. OR bypass the system completely and hit up Ebay, spend some time learning the ropes on your fully decked out purchase and presto you can be uber. Which after reading someone’s link sounds like what our dear friend the prince did.
Axecleaver
December 23rd, 2008 - 12:44

From reading that blog article, it looks like “support” includes:

1. Buying pimped out toons from competing uberguilds and giving them to guild members
2. Paying one guild member’s rent for a while
3. Paying for some travel for a couple of guys – not sure where.
4. A monthly paycheck for 2-3 of the guild’s leadership.

Sounds like a pretty sweet deal if you can swing it.