Blizzard awarded $6 million in Glider suit
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Oct 1st 2008 at 7:30PM }
Not that Blizzard is done yet. The company originally wanted double or triple the damages awarded. The case actually goes back into litigation this January and Blizzard will push on some remaining issues, like whether MDY violated the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act and whether the Glider programmer will have to pay damages out of his own pocket.
[Via Massively]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Anam @ Oct 1st 2008 7:40PM
I generally dislike companies who attack independent programmers who develop add ons or mods to the software.
That said, that's what you get when you try to make money one someone else's property...
Nailio @ Oct 1st 2008 8:08PM
Yeah, because making a botting program to cheat, then selling that program, THEN getting busted over it is really a tragic story for the little guy, eh?
Besides, people agreed not to use botting programs and the like when they signed up for WoW anyway.
Gehodra @ Oct 1st 2008 8:06PM
I don't know anything about the Glider thing, but just from being described as something to "automate their avatars while they're AFK", I can take a guess.
That's not an add-on or a mod. It's a bot. That's a big difference.
devian @ Oct 1st 2008 7:40PM
Because Blizzard really needs $6 million...
Justin B @ Oct 1st 2008 8:18PM
The lawsuit has nothing to do with getting money. It has to do with stopping MDY Industries from making money off of Blizzard's game.
syrik zero @ Oct 1st 2008 7:41PM
Yeah, I think this is BS also. They don't need the money. Who cares if some people want to cheat
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 7:57PM
People who suffer due to cheaters?
p.s. people in on-line games stop playing due to cheaters.
Tom @ Oct 1st 2008 9:12PM
@brian
In world of warcraft these "cheaters" have no impact on the basic user. They even leave less of an impact then someone who is 5 boxing shamans in the battlegrounds or arenas. This is nothing like using wallhacks and aimbots in a multiplayer FPS.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 9:43PM
i used to play wow (quit a couple months ago, uni).
They destroy economies, occupy spawn points etc etc.
they let you lose in in battlegrounds when they walk in circles non stop etc.
Multi-boxers do suck, but either way someone is still playing those characters.
B @ Oct 1st 2008 9:56PM
Obviously some people don't know how MMOs work...
Using Glider is like having a top-of-the-line that you stole.
Bouille @ Oct 1st 2008 11:56PM
Using the glider can, for exemple, let you have an afk char in a BG that does nothing but leach honor and marks of honor. In this case this is a big piss of to the BGers who actually would like to win a few times.
Ichi the One @ Oct 1st 2008 7:52PM
Blizzard should have fixed their crappy game, instead of simply suing those who exploit the obvious flaws.
Justin B @ Oct 1st 2008 8:18PM
Because you can't make a bot to replace the player in an FPS or a Platformer either, right?
Moptimus Slime @ Oct 1st 2008 8:00PM
They had 2 choices
1. Spend their own money and just patch the game
2. sue the fuck out of the company smart enough to advantage of your games flaw
I think what really sent them over the edge though, was that they charged the players for the mod, meaning they were making money off of Blizzard's IP. If this was free, they probably would've just sent out a cease and desist and blocked the program, no biggie. But since they had the $25 price tag, Blizzard took what was theirs.
LaughingTarget @ Oct 1st 2008 8:10PM
1. MDY was profiting off of someone else's work. That is a clear violation of intellectual property rights.
2. MDY violated the Terms of Service, which is a voluntary contract. If you sign a contract and dislike the terms later, that's your own damned fault. Governments aren't put into place to wipe away your mistakes at the expense of someone else. Don't like the ToS? Don't sign.
3. This isn't exploiting a failure in Blizzard's programming. MDY is no different than those fake surfing programs back in the day that people were paid to look at ads on their computer monitor. The program mimics inputs from the mouse and keyboard, this isn't something any program is designed to detect and block. If they were, Blizzard would have a greater problem blocking an actual mouse.
4. This program negatively impacts Blizzard's business. The impact is minor, but it is still an impact inflicted willingly by a third party. Common decency dictates they get punished. David would have deserved to be hung if he killed Goliath by breaking into his home and beaning him in the forehead without any provocation. Just because MDY is the little guy and Blizzard is the behemoth doesn't mean we should protect MDY. Large companies are under no obligation to subsidize small ones because they're small.
The rich have no obligation to the poor unless there is a clear and direct wrong committed by a specific company against another, in this case, MDY committed the wrong against Blizzard. The concepts of Western political philosophy are built on equality in the eyes of the law, not inequality for the benefit of the small.
Tom @ Oct 1st 2008 9:08PM
1. Whats the difference between what MDY and what Madcats the control maker? Not a damn thing, they are making a profit off of someone else. Welcome to capitalism. MDYs "controler" played a script that didn't break the game. Same thing as 3rd party controlers with programmable buttons.
2. MDY violated the Terms of Service. -- Whoopie!! Terms of Service equates to banning of the account if you violate them. And don't use the Gov't as an example of wiping away other peoples problems at my expense. Have you heard of this 700 billion bail out in the USA?
3. You are correct this is not an issue of Blizzards code. It works fine, still can't see past anything if you know how to block warden but anyways. The only difference between this program and an acceptable program like keyclone is that keyclone doesn't run on scripts but it still automates key clicks.
4. Prove how this program negatively impacted blizzards business please? As I am willing to bet that the gold farmers that spam general chat are using their own program that blizzard has know idea about.
Vidikron @ Oct 1st 2008 9:39PM
"1. MDY was profiting off of someone else's work. That is a clear violation of intellectual property rights."
Wait... this happens all the time though. Hell, isn't pretty much any program written for any OS profiting from the OS? Or how about an aftermarket anything?
The reasoning in this case is very weak IMO.
Moptimus Slime @ Oct 1st 2008 9:51PM
"1. Whats the difference between what MDY and what Madcats the control maker? Not a damn thing, they are making a profit off of someone else. Welcome to capitalism. MDYs "controler" played a script that didn't break the game. Same thing as 3rd party controlers with programmable buttons."
i know, right? I mean, its almost like they paid for the permission to release their 3rd party controllers for a Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo system.How the hell have they been able to get away with this for so long. Obviously, their CEO has pictures of Miyamoto, Bill Gates, and Kaz Harai naked in some kind of drunken orgy
Tom @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:51PM
Hmm, I don't remember signing a contract when I bought WoW. OHH, you mean a bullsh#t click through EULA. Gotcha.
yojimb0 @ Oct 1st 2008 8:12PM
Can you imagine the lives of the lawyers working on this? Getting up in the morning and having this bullshit issue on your mind all day for more than a year?
zuburi @ Oct 1st 2008 10:21PM
Those poor bastards :(
I guess they only have the piles of money to console them.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 8:26PM
Hrm... yet another reason I'll never play a Blizzard MMO. I'm actually considering not purchasing Diablo III now, honestly is this really needed? Pretty sure Ford doesn't sue 3rd parties for making parts that make the vehicle more fuel efficient. Yeah I realize it's an entirely different issue and not a fair comparison but this does nothing for Blizzards image, they don't need that chump change. It's a pay to play game, people should be able to play it how they want, and if it violates the rules they should be punished, not the ones enabling them. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.
makesevenupyours @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:44PM
as LaughingTarget said: The program mimics inputs from the mouse and keyboard, this isn't something any program is designed to detect and block. If they were, Blizzard would have a greater problem blocking an actual mouse.
it would be VERY difficult to stop block a program that shows that the mouse and keyboard are being used since thats what is done to play the game.
Poppo @ Oct 1st 2008 8:35PM
Because you know... botting to achieve the same thing that other players have, and you want but decide "I hate working for anything, Gimme pl0x", is the same thing as enhancing something then selling it to said company...
WiiFTW @ Oct 1st 2008 8:40PM
Thing is, this devalues the in-game economy and is generally not good for those who follow the rules. They get pissed and quit, and Blizzard loses. Although I loathe WoW, they are defending their money legally.
But I pretty much ♥ everything else about Blizzard. I have PC Game Dev crushes on Blizzard and Valve.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 9:08PM
Exact same thing could be applied to a gun. Can be used for someone to quickly achieve their goals. The person should be punished not the one who gave them the item to achieve said goal. The player should be punished, not the people empowering them. Freedom and responsibility. You are free to cheat but you are responsible for the consequences. Silly to go after the person who gives them a means to cheat, they aren't forcing anyone to cheat.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:32PM
listen idiot.
This is nothing like a gun company selling guns etc.
IRL, people are allowed to own guns, as long as they have the appropriate license etc, you are not allowed to bot in Warcraft because it's not just unfairly beneficial to the cheater, but it is unfair to lawfully playing players.
Sure, blame the user for cheating (blame the person for a shooting), but when a company begins handing out the programs (i.e. guns) for free, for the sole purpose of cheating and causing pain (not physical duh!) to other players.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:32PM
then the company must be punished.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 10:42PM
@Brian
The company stated that it was against the game rules and it shouldn't be used from what I hear. They covered their legal proverbial asses.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:49PM
so if someone sells you crack, but first they say it's dangerous to your health, is it ok for them to be selling/making crack?
N00b @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:25AM
just because you pay for something doesn't mean you can do whatever you want with it. Next thing you'll tell me that it's ok to cheat on an exam because you paid tuition.. >_>
Anticrawl @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:29AM
I never said it was ok to cheat N00b, learn to read. I said the actions are wrong and the person is wrong, not the product.
brian @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:16AM
It's the fucking product causing the problem.
jesus damn, you are so ignorant.
Slaziman @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:16AM
That's like saying "go after the crack addicts, not the drug dealers!!"
Makeseven @ Oct 1st 2008 8:28PM
DON'T FUCK WITH BLIZZARD!!
DangerMouse @ Oct 1st 2008 9:24PM
Don't fuck with the internet!
Terribles @ Oct 1st 2008 8:34PM
blizzard sucks.
Terribles @ Oct 1st 2008 8:35PM
g
Tom @ Oct 1st 2008 9:00PM
I personally disagree with this. I don't think glider is a cheat program. Not like WoWSharp that manipulated packets. This program only automated gameplay. Similar to ACTools and EasyUO.
The funny thing is, a program like WoWGlider is so well known that no real goal farming company would use this. Blizzard should only worry about the ones they don't know about and not so much the 100,000 users that bought WoWGlider. As any programmer I know could make a program similar to wowglider and warden would only considered it to be a background process of the OS.
Now this would be a different issue all together if the guys over at WoW Glider made it's code open source with payment to get special content (IE botting scripts) then blizzard would not have got awarded 6mill.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 9:45PM
"I don't think glider is a cheat program."
you think that a program that plays the game for you, giving you an unfair advantage against other players isn't a cheat program?
fyi, automated gameplay in online games IS cheating.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 10:14PM
@Brian
Which is why you punish the player cheating! Not the program or its developer. I bet you are entirely against personal responsibility. Let’s go after the booze companies because drunk drivers are killing people instead of instituting strict punishment for such offenders or enforcing said laws. You are fucking brilliant, I can't wait until the day personal responsibility is entirely non-existent in our country, then I can start performing lobotomies on morons like you.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:21PM
and you're a fucking idiot.
It's a program, made for the sole purpose of botting.
If you think there is any legit reason for this you're a damn fucking tool.
And of course we should punish the players using the programs. And that is what is also being done.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:39PM
@anticrawl
also, i'm all for personal responsibility
someone crashes a car, blame the retarded driver, not the car company.
someone short circuits a house, blame the retarded technician, not the electric company.
someone shoots someone, blame the shooter, not the gun company.
This case is different.
This is a company producing illegal products to be used for illegal means, obviously in this case the company must be held accountable.
a more reasonable comparison to this in real life would be drug makers producing crack to sell to the public. The drug user, and makers are both to be held accountable.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 10:47PM
@Brian
I won't reason with you because there is no reason to be had. Also please learn the definitions of said insults if you are going to use them.
Tool (creature) - a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 10:49PM
@Brian
The product is not illegal, but it can be wrong if used the wrong way. Stand alone it harms no one. A gun was designed with the sole purpose of killing, killing is wrong, then by your twisted logic the gun is to blame.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:55PM
"I won't reason with you because there is no reason to be had. Also please learn the definitions of said insults if you are going to use them.
Tool (creature) - a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else."
I don't give a flying fuck about your oxford definitions, the fact of the matter is, that i have provided worthy arguments and you can do nothing but stick up for someone who is undeniably wrong.
i have already said that personal accountability is a factor, but if you can't accept that MDY is doing nothing wrong, you are indeed a tool to stick up for them.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 10:58PM
"The product is not illegal, but it can be wrong if used the wrong way. Stand alone it harms no one. A gun was designed with the sole purpose of killing, killing is wrong, then by your twisted logic the gun is to blame."
1) the product is illegal
2) The program doesn't work unless it is being used online.
3)A gun was designed for the purpose of defense, not for just killing mindlessly.
4) once again, i have already said that it would be the users fault as well, but in this case the maker of the product is also to blame.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 11:28PM
@Brian
I won't try to reason with someone who's so obviously swayed by a lifetime of abuse from lines of code. I'd still like to add there is nothing illegal with writing a program, growing pot, producing crack or guns. In a true free world it wouldn't be wrong to even sell these things but our world is slowly closing in on our rights again, this lawsuit being won is just chipping away more and more at freedoms. Honestly I could care less if a crack dealer sells to some person, they can harm themselves in peace, could fucking care less. But as soon as I am harmed I want the person responsible to be dealth with, which is not the dealer, it is the person who acted.
Anticrawl @ Oct 1st 2008 11:30PM
@Brian
A gun was created with killing or harming in mind, now whether you believe it is used in such a manner for defense or offense is up to you. A bullet proof vest was designed with saving a life. You are splitting hairs and picking and choosing to make your arguement seem more correct. It is all or nothing my friend, don't be an ass.
brian @ Oct 1st 2008 11:50PM
"
I won't try to reason with someone who's so obviously swayed by a lifetime of abuse from lines of code. I'd still like to add there is nothing illegal with writing a program, growing pot, producing crack or guns. In a true free world it wouldn't be wrong to even sell these things but our world is slowly closing in on our rights again, this lawsuit being won is just chipping away more and more at freedoms. Honestly I could care less if a crack dealer sells to some person, they can harm themselves in peace, could fucking care less. But as soon as I am harmed I want the person responsible to be dealth with, which is not the dealer, it is the person who acted."
FOR THE LAST FUCKING TIME,
i am not saying that buying guns/using guns is illegal, or using pot is always illegal, etc.
this has more to do with people buying guns on the black market, selling and buying in this case is illegal.
This is an unauthorized product, made for the sole purpose of profiting from illegal gains and casuign misery to the fair playing crowd.
also, i don't play this game anymore, i quit months ago due to shit like this, and school starting up.