I missed another cash exploit.

[Indygo]

...Guess I should spend more (some) time parsing code to find bad data checking/broken routines...

I think this is a good opportunity to mention how this should have been handled.  If you were to find a bug that gives you an unfair advantage over other players it is an exploit.  If you were to find one the appropriate thing to do is to contact a GM through /tell, IRC, or petition.  What you should not do is tell everyone on your buddy list then go off and rack up tria, stats, items, etc.  Anytime this has happened since I have been around the guilty are caught and usually innocent people suffer.  So please, if you come accross an exploit be sure to share it with a developer or gm and not with others.  In the end we all lose something on the deal.

[neko kyouran]

Hmm okay another question...what about people that have multiple people playing from the same IP? like family or something? I mean is it fair if someone's brother cheats and now his little sister can't play?

I am just wondering so that we can be fair to all. or is this an issue if it happens the sister needs to contact Kerol and you just deal with it on a as it happen bases?

In my experience, the GM team does a damn fine job to ensure to the best of their ability that only the person(s) actually violating the rules are the ones being punished.  Bans aren't just given out willy nilly.  A lot of time and effort goes into the research and reasons before ban are ever issued.  Contrary to what some people may want to believe, the staff are good caring people who were all once just regular players like the rest of you who through time and dedication to the project, have been given the opportunity to ensure that the rest of the player base and all new comers to the game are able to enjoy the game and not have to worry about exploiters, of griefers ruining their fun.

[Izzabella]

Hehe okay Neko thanks...and hey I never said they were doing a bad job! if anything I think they do a great job! I just was wondering if the IP ban was the best way to go about bans...don't get me wrong cause yes I am all for bans on cheaters, I mean its game after all and if your going to cheat you are only cheating yourself out of the  fun of the game. (yes evening mining for plaintinum can be fun if you bring a friend and RP  ) Not that I know of any other ways to ban people cause an account ban only makes it so they have to make an new account or whatever...anyways yeah I've said my peace I'll shhh now

[Prolix]

Well I half-jokingly suggested there might be a rogue developer, part of the team, but my thread is mostly about policy and what should be done. Any time there is that much money floating around it gets passed out into the player base and distorts things horribly. This is the third or fourth time it has happened in my experience and previously it seemed to me that only half measures have been taken.

I do not suppose all the banned character's transactions for the periods they were abusing the bugs will be reversed. Sure they will have their ill gotten gains stripped and money spent on training will have no effect but it is the rest that concerns me. How long are character transactions kept? Are they logged in such a way that forensic accounting can track them? And what about large glyph purchases that have been just dropped on the ground for a crony to pick up, can they be tracked?

How easy is it to launder dirty money in PS?

Anyway, I believe what I suggested would be appropriate. Of course what I really think should happen and should have happened long ago is unmentionable. I do support the developers right to do as they see fit but I do not have to agree with it.

[Pizik]

To set your minds at rest and to make people think twice before exploiting such bugs. Trades can be tracked, picked up/dropped money and items can be tracked, transactions with NPCs can be tracked. It all leaves a distinctive audit trail that you can not avoid leaving your mark on it. You can not launder money in PS.