virtual robbery?

[PvK]

Without getting into the specifics of Lineage II, in a game where players can rob each other, and deploy bots, as part of the game, and also are allowed to sell virtual items, this is a feature and not a crime, except in the game world. In theory, then, it seems like what may be the most unreasonable thing would be a game company trying to prevent certain activities by non-game means. If they don't want this sort of behavior, the natural and perhaps most appropriate way to accomplish that would be to design or implememnt the game differently.

PvK

[Atrocities]

OMG! Can you see the tort litigation cases now?

[Jack Simth]

There might be some jurisdiction issues....

[Atrocities]

If they can do it in Japan, how long do you think it will take a leech trial lawyer from the US to try it? Hell if they can sue fast food for making people fat through food addiction, then why not Sony for making addictive video games? Hell why not Microsoft for inventing an operating system that is as flawed as a cigerrette in that it kills your data every chance it gets? Your data being part of you, a vital part in most cases, lost because of a windows error or virus that MS could have prevented had they invested more time on safety than on fluff?

I can see the day now when players of EverQuest are suing each other over truma cased by the death of their ulter on line ego's at the hands of the defendant. OMFG that would just be the beginning as Quake players start suing each other over who claimed the flag first and the legality of spawn point camping.

Whe will it end? When each game comes with a hundred page legal document that you must sign before buying the game exsolving (sp) the game creators, publishers, and players of lawsuites resulting from game play?

I wouldn't be surprise to get suied one day from some disgruntled ex-PBW player who's empire I had conqured during a game back in 2001. The lawsuite will read "Caused the Platiniff irrepitable interpersonal relationship problems as a direct result of having defeated his mighty empire through the use of tactical sun destroying weapons. An empire that the plantiff spent a year culitvating and building. We seek damages in the sum of $100,000.00 for lost time invested in this PBW game, and for personal and emotional damages as a result of having to surrender to the defended."

It will happen!

[Mephisto]

Don't be so modest! 100k$. Pah! Add some zeros!

[Jack Simth]

By jurisdiction issues, I meant more along the lines of:

Someone in Great Britian logs in to the magical land of Xandu, and has his character beat up and rob the character of another player (who is based in Sweden), on a server based in Japan. Where do you hold the trial? Which country's laws apply? The Japanese case is a bit more straightforward - someone in Japan is accused, the game is hosted in Japan, the game maker is based in Japan, and the "victim" is also operating out of Japan; it's reasonable to have the courts of Japan settle it - but the Xandu situation above?

[Atrocities]

I can see it now, lawsuits filed against players for backing out of treaties with other players. LOL

As to Jacks question, you hold the court in the land of Xandu of course. The judge should be from Sweden, the lawyers from Japan.