The EVE Online in-game scam

The EVE Online in-game scam

Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Y2kBen_2000 on Sun May 14th 2006 at 7:23pm
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Posted 2006-05-14 7:23pm
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I read this article on onrpg.com and thought that ya'll might like to check it out.

I think it is just hilarious the amount of dedication some mmo players will give in a game.
Enter: Guiding Hand Social Club.

The above is the name of a contract killer Corp in EVE, now noted as the best in the entire game. They are the group responsible for the feat in the title of this thread; a feat that is quite possibly the most intricate in the history of MMO gaming.

The GHSC was hired by an unnamed client to capture and kill the CEO of the Ubiqua Seraph Corporation -- a female player named "Mirial" -- and subsequently destroy the Ubiqua Seraph Corp; creating a domino effect that would cripple each and every one of its numerous subsidiary corporations and members. The GHSC could not do this with brute force. They are but a small mercenary corp and Ubiqua Seraph would most likely own them head-on. Even if they did match strength, war would take months, not accomplish their objective and leave them with substantial losses. None of that mattered though, because it wasn't GHSC's style anyways. They are spies and master infiltrators.

This infiltration job took a full year to pull off. GHSC worked their way into every level of the massive Ubiqua Seraph Corp. They worked people into the low and middle branches of the corporation. Eventually a double-agent worked their way up to becoming CEO Mirial's most trusted man. By the end of a year's time, the Guiding Hand had Ubiqua Seraph exactly where they wanted them.

The execution only took an hour on the issue of the code word "Nicole." At that moment, three things happened.

1. Low-caste GHSC operatives began attacking Ubiqua Seraph ships and facilities across the galaxies in battles and skirmishes. They were victorious overall and destroyed many high-cost battleships.

2. Middle-caste double agents earlier that day made sure they were positioned in Ubiqua Seraph coffers. When "Nicole" came, they looted Billions of in-game Credits worth of BPO's (will explain later), raw materials, and items.

3. Most importantly, GHSC's most trusted double agent convinced Mirial to fly her custom built battle ship across the galaxy when it contained Billions of Credits worth of minerals. The ship itself cost 2 Billion Credits and could easily be sold on eBay for several hundred US dollars. The double agent then flew off in an extremely rare ship that cost 12 Billion Credits (a few thousand dollars on eBay), of which only two are known to exist (GHSC owns the other one too). When the group setting the trap for the CEO heard "Nicole", they simply blew the hell out of Mirial's expensive flagship in the middle of nowhere. They then "podded" her, which is the extremely low-rate action of destroying someone's Lifepod, making their character revert back to a low-level clone devoid of any gained skills ("implants" in EVE). The contract, in the end, specifically required that Mirials frozen corpse be brought back to the contractor.

In the end, the Guiding Hand inflicted about 30 Billion Credits in damages, and looted 20 Billion Credits worth of in-game goods. The most significant thing they stole were BPO's, or "Blue Print Originals." These are purchased for a massive number of Credits (billions) which give you the ability to create product of whichever BPO you purchase and unlimited amount of times (for example: if you buy a Battleship BPO for 1 Billion Credits, you then have the tech to build them for your Corp). You can also copy BPOs. They stole expensive tech (upgrading) BPO's in addition to this, which are EXTREMLY expensive and rare (only a limited number exist). The total of their gains could be auctioned on gaming sites for upwards of $16,000.

You must keep in mind a few things when gauging this unbelievable rape.

A) It took a year of infiltration to do this. The GHSC move up in the corporation and attained positions only after earning the utmost trust of the CEO.
B) In order to even have access to BPO's and military coffers, you do not simply join a Corp and spy. You have to be granted access personally. This means that they really worked hard to earn the trust they needed in order to be deceitful, scamming bastards in the first place.
C) Mirial, the CEO, was convinced to fly her ship (with cargo) into no place of importance for the simple purpose of "showing off Ubiqua Seraph's might." Wow.

Follow-up:

This caused many people to quit the game (and MMORPGs in general) forever. You have to imagine, if you were in Ubiqua Seraph and you spent two years building up this Corporation only to be deprived of all your assets within an hour, you'd be crushed. The GHSC spared nobody in their execution of the corporation. They not only looted, but gimped many players' characters. Even if Ubiqua Seraph wanted to start over, it would be nearly impossible. Their officers had all their ships destroyed; they could exert little influence and provide little security. They also had Billions of materials and Credits stolen. Most importantly, all their BPO's, which take an unbelievably long time to obtain, were all gone.
I mean seriously, wouldn't any of you have given up after a week. I know I would have.
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Andrei on Sun May 14th 2006 at 8:18pm
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Nuts!
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Pvt.Scythe on Sun May 14th 2006 at 9:18pm
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I love it how real world tactics make things like these possible. :biggrin:
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Stadric on Sun May 14th 2006 at 9:50pm
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This is the first time I have ever had any respect for hardcore MMO(RPG) gamers.

Despite the fact that the game itself, in the long run, is a collosal
waste of time, I'm impressed at the tactical aspects of this operation.
Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Dark_Kilauea on Sun May 14th 2006 at 9:55pm
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Anyone else think that various real-world governments suddenly got interested in these people? :smile:
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Captain P on Sun May 14th 2006 at 11:04pm
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Anyone else think that various real-world governments suddenly got interested in these people? :smile:
Heh, now there's a use of MMORPG's: virtual spy training! :biggrin:

Nevertheless, that's a pretty evil thing to pull off, ruining the fun for (a lot of?) people. At the other hand, it is indeed pretty much a waste of time to invest years into a virtual company anyway... I don't think I'll ever understand MMO players...
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by French Toast on Sun May 14th 2006 at 11:14pm
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It was douchy, but incredibly awesome.
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by FatStrings on Mon May 15th 2006 at 3:33am
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ditto
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Naklajat on Mon May 15th 2006 at 4:34am
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It was douchy, but incredibly awesome.
qft

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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Yak_Fighter on Mon May 15th 2006 at 5:23am
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blargh

EvE sucks. I would love to bring down alliances and crush friendships but instead I get to dodge potshots from braindead 'pirates' who couldn't pvp out of a paper bag. Why have all mmos forsaken me?!
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Fjorn on Mon May 15th 2006 at 7:32am
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I just love pirate who think its okay to prey on newbies who are still using the starter frigate.. its why I quit after the 5th day of my 2 week free trial
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by wil5on on Mon May 15th 2006 at 9:49am
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I laughed all the way through that. That just reeks of awesome.

It is interesting though, that complex group behaviours like this do emerge in MMO games. You could do a psychology thesis on it.
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Dred_furst on Mon May 15th 2006 at 11:27am
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I read about this in PC gamer about 4 months ago, it what got me into eve, before quitting again. its quite impressive such tactics go on.
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Y2kBen_2000 on Mon May 15th 2006 at 5:18pm
Y2kBen_2000
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Posted 2006-05-15 5:18pm
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Maybe that's where the srticle origanally came from. I don't know. I have about 4 months of PCGamers piled up that I didn't have time to read do to school. Just started tryingto catch up last night. Any...

This article is a firm example of people getting way to obsessed with a game, especially an mmo. I wonder if the people who participated in the heist have any outside life any more, because that plan took a lot of in-game work.

There is another article on the web, suposedly the origanal scam, that is about 10 pages long. I didn't even read most of it, just begining and end. I figured ya'll probably have better time to spend.

welp here's what some people say is the origanal "Big-Scam" http://static.circa1984.com/the-big-scam.html
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by reaper47 on Mon May 15th 2006 at 5:32pm
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I find it kinda interesting. 5000 hours of playtime well spent :wink:
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Stadric on Mon May 15th 2006 at 8:47pm
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I just finished reading all of that, that's pretty damn funny.

That's just another reason not to play MMOs.
Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Nickelplate on Tue May 16th 2006 at 5:53am
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"hardcore mmorpg players" normally do not make $16,000 or more a year just to play their game of choice. THESE guys are awesome (though douchebags) whereas most hardcore mmorpg-ers are just kinda douchbags.

Fatstrings: the Crap-Treater was a MMORPG nut.
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Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Stadric on Tue May 16th 2006 at 6:23am
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Just think of how bad this kind of thing will be with Spore.
Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Gollum on Tue May 16th 2006 at 10:19am
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Posted 2006-05-16 10:19am
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Just think of how bad this kind of thing will be with Spore.
Not at all, given that Spore is not a multiplayer game :heee:
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by reaper47 on Tue May 16th 2006 at 1:12pm
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Just think of how bad this kind of thing will be with Spore.
Not at all, given that Spore is not a multiplayer game :heee:
I thought it is... kinda.
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by Gollum on Tue May 16th 2006 at 3:03pm
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Spore is supposed to use the content that other players create to build content libraries that are shared between all players connected to the internet. Thus the universe that you explore will be populated by other players' creations.

But all of the creatures/races/worlds/whatever are controlled by the computer.

You might say it is a massively singleplayer online game (MSOG).
Re: The EVE Online in-game scam Posted by OtZman on Tue May 16th 2006 at 6:17pm
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Wow, very interesting. Thanks for sharing. :heee:
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