An Interesting Solution to the Hacking Problem...

[NewSith]

...offered by the Russian publisher, despite the oddity - cellphone numbers tied to accounts.

I know SOE will most likely not take this step, but EU people may have a positive gain from Pro7 deal.

In general, the thing makes it so it costs [insert SIM cost here] to cheat. But unlike buy2play, in this situation at least 90% of concious PS2 playerbase already has cellphones and own phone numbers.

Any thoughts on the idea?

EDIT: It will add some weight to 1 Empire per Server rule on top of that.

[Figment]

As in text message verification?

[NewSith]

As in text message verification?

Yup.

[Figment]

Could work. After they depleted their friends and family numbers, they would run out of options.

[Galron]

Google call forwarding, VoIP, disposable cell phones. Hassle for all regular users that increases the bar of commitment to playing and deal breakers for people without phones.

So yeah, sounds like a good idea?

[Crator]

How about SOE requires a fee to activate an account? This account can be used on all SOE games, exactly how it is today. They could even give you the equivalent amount of SC for the money it cost to purchase an account. If your account is banned, you must pay another fee to open a new account.

I don't like it cause it kind of screws up the F2P scenario, my idea and the OP's. But what can you do that doesn't require money?

[Tatwi]

How about SOE requires a fee to activate an account? This account can be used on all SOE games, exactly how it is today. They could even give you the equivalent amount of SC for the money it cost to purchase an account. If your account is banned, you must pay another fee to open a new account.

I don't like it cause it kind of screws up the F2P scenario, my idea and the OP's. But what can you do that doesn't require money?

Now that is a good suggestion.

Throw in a clause that clearly states how any hacking/exploiting is considered a potential loss of revenue for SOE. Should your account be found to be hacking/exploiting, you will be fined $5,000 USD per incident if SOE internal investigation shows that you hacked/exploited intentionally.

SOE could be as lenient as they like, of course, but the clause would be in there and if you don't like, you don't get to play SOE games. I think that is entirely fair.

[Crator]

Now that is a good suggestion.

Throw in a clause that clearly states how any hacking/exploiting is considered a potential loss of revenue for SOE. Should your account be found to be hacking/exploiting, you will be fined $5,000 USD per incident if SOE internal investigation shows that you hacked/exploited intentionally.

SOE could be as lenient as they like, of course, but the clause would be in there and if you don't like, you don't get to play SOE games. I think that is entirely fair.

This, of course, would have to be tied to a credit card. But for the kids asking parents, it's a one time deal and doesn't cost much. But parents should read the license agreement and make sure they don't mess around.

[NewSith]

Google call forwarding, VoIP, disposable cell phones. Hassle for all regular users that increases the bar of commitment to playing and deal breakers for people without phones.

Burner phones usually still cost money. Basically everything you suggested still requires an account with fee requirement afaik.

Besides if a person doesn't have a cellphone and wills to play the game, he can always use a paid skype account or anything similar. But I really doubt that people, who can afford unlimited internet, can't afford a cheap black and white phone with a pre-paid sim.

How about SOE requires a fee to activate an account? This account can be used on all SOE games, exactly how it is today. They could even give you the equivalent amount of SC for the money it cost to purchase an account. If your account is banned, you must pay another fee to open a new account.

I don't like it cause it kind of screws up the F2P scenario, my idea and the OP's. But what can you do that doesn't require money?

SWTOR did something similar and it did not work well at all.

[Pella]

Sad thing is PS2 is going to have Hoards of hackers at the start.

SOE are keeping quite about what there going todo. But the system they have that generates data on players is somewhat amazing from what i have been told.

So expect hackers. But also Expect bans.

[Figment]

SOE already has an account protection device for sale. I don't think it'd be a weird step to link it to a cell-phone.

And really, how many people do you know who don't have a mobile phone?

That's like saying e-mail verification could be a problem to some people... 99,9% of cheats would not know how to deal with phone verification, but would definitely be too lazy to circumvent it beyond to them freely accesible phones of people who don't play.

[Sturmhardt]

I really like the idea. I also see no downside, because everyone has a phone. Of course there will be ways around it, but it will be extra work for the cheaters and maybe cost them money. So yes, do this please!

[Crator]

SWTOR did something similar and it did not work well at all.

Interesting. I wasn't aware that SWTOR was F2P. Why didn't it work out well?