Ethics in WoW

[Axehandle]

Some of us might remember the "Martin fury" incident and it got me thinking about a scenario where if i could have virtually unlimited power in wow would i use it. I'm inclined to say no because of the ethical connotations like cheating, exploiting etc but the sad reality is a mistake was made by blizzard and someone benefited from it. The guy didn't ask for the power he just didn't return it or notify them when he discovered he was the most destructive force in the game.

So let's revisit an old scandal by asking the question,

If you could have almost immeasurable power in game that could destroy any player or npc with 1 hit but you have this power due to a mistake from the gaming company and the consequences will be a banning if you're caught would you use it or return it?

[Darsithis]

I'd love to say I'd take the moral high road and give it back...

...but I'd probably have a lot of fun with it, first.

[Axehandle]

I'd love to say I'd take the moral high road and give it back...

...but I'd probably have a lot of fun with it, first.

Even if you knew the consequences of getting caught will be a ban?

[Deleted]

I am with Darksithis, with the note that I would not obviously abuse my newfound powers (solo-clearing Orgrimmar, and such)

[Deleted]

Wait, so some player got god like powers like wow? when and how?

[WskyDK]

I'd use it, record the whole thing, and have a blast on my final day of WoW.

[Terahertz]

Seeing as the guy got banned, I wouldn't do it. Perhaps for minor stuff like killing mobs, but not for killing bosses/players.

[Axehandle]

Wait, so some player got god like powers like wow? when and how?

It's an old scandal players from early wrath might remember.

New players need more scandals.

[Korrah]

They have now changed it to " The caster commits suicide, instantly killing themself."
So ... I would use it. Again and again c:

Source; Wowhead: Martin Fury

[Deleted]

Use it, because it's the right thing to do.

[Sam the Wiser]

Power overwhelming!

[Slummish]

In the very earliest days of WoW (like within the first four or five months of the game), I had a guildmate log into the game one morning and his toon name had the letters GM in front of them. Naturally, we were all in awe. Oddly, he knew nothing about this "promotion" and he immediately opened a ticket. He was stripped of the title within hours and that was that. Apparently, Blizzard had meant to confer GM powers to someone else that had created a character with a similar name.

I still wonder how long he could have kept the title and powers and played it cool and not been overtly abusive of the system. I don't know if we knew about the .(dot) command powers of the GMs back then... Probably not. Most things about the game were still mysterious and we didn't have a billion websites we could turn to for answers. If we did know, I would have surely been very, very tempted to .kill a bunch of stuff if the mistake had been made on my account.

[schwank05]

If I got use it for lets say a month and then got caught. Hells yeah I would. Whats the worst that can happen get banned so I play another game or get a new account?

[Ineko]

I hack almost every game I can (except for WoW) after playing it for a while, especially FPS games, it's almost like another hobby, hacking/griefing.

Of course I would require a new account, if a ban was guaranteed when caught (which you definitely would be if you actually intend on having some fun with it), but if it had to be on my current account I would probably destroy it.

[Zaelsino]

I'd use it if there was no chance of getting caught. Which is... unlikely.

[Gilian]

Ofcourse I would use it. I wouldn't just destroy every player and npc I come across though.

I would try to get as much fun out if it as possible before being banned. I would first get my friends together and then go kill the hardest boss in the game or maybe wait for a new tier of raids and get world first on everything.

---------- Post added 2013-02-01 at 03:55 PM ----------

Even if you knew the consequences of getting caught will be a ban?

Yes, even if it is a perm ban.

[Deleted]

I hate cheating but couldn't care less about ethics in games so no, I wouldn't use it to kill everything I come across. I wouldn't return it either and keep it so if I spot a bot or a cheater/bug abuser (like standing on roofs to not aggro guards) I could go vigilante on them I wouldn't be tempted to use it normal players though, no matter what they do, even if they manage to kill me and camp me.

[glowpipe]

i would most likely use it cleverly. Muahahaha.

I would probably notify the gm team. It would eventualy be removed and my account banned

[Pull My Finger]

Why would I want to use it? Where's the fun in that? It's like sitting in your capital city, afking all day. Might as well turn the computer off and do something else.

[Gilian]

In the very earliest days of WoW (like within the first four or five months of the game), I had a guildmate log into the game one morning and his toon name had the letters GM in front of them. Naturally, we were all in awe. Oddly, he knew nothing about this "promotion" and he immediately opened a ticket. He was stripped of the title within hours and that was that. Apparently, Blizzard had meant to confer GM powers to someone else that had created a character with a similar name.

I still wonder how long he could have kept the title and powers and played it cool and not been overtly abusive of the system. I don't know if we knew about the .(dot) command powers of the GMs back then... Probably not. Most things about the game were still mysterious and we didn't have a billion websites we could turn to for answers. If we did know, I would have surely been very, very tempted to .kill a bunch of stuff if the mistake had been made on my account.

Ah man. I would have just teleported the whole realm to one spot and spawn all kinds of cool bosses, if that is even possible.