Are all modifications legal ?

Discussion in 'General Gameplay Discussion' started by Londoner, Oct 15, 2020.

  1. Londoner Member

    Some mods really help and are appreciated however when a player installs a mod that gives a distinct advantage over other players then it can totally disrupt gameplay.

    There is a mod that notify a player that he or she have been undercut on the broker they get notified which eliminates the tedious checking of your items which can take a considerable amount of time.

    I can hear players that use the broker great where can I obtain this modification as I could do with a time saver.

    However if a player plays the game for 18 hours a day and has this modification installed that player has a distinct advantage over others.

    Ok I know the replies are going to be well why moan install it yourself and be done. There is not much point to this as if the player is playing longer than yourself then when you log he just drops it again.

    The only way to combat this is to lower the broker prices so low so that what they take home is negligible and hope that you can sell something as the player with the mod feels its too low to be concerned with.

    It in the end destroys the economy for other players which in the end drives players from the game.

    Why are modifications like this allowed as I throughly enjoy this game and I am not looking to play any other game.

    It would be nice to get how other players feel about this, whether they feel the mod is great as it lowers the broker prices for new players etc or whether the mod is spoiling the game as the broker prices are too low.

    Have other players any thoughts to this please ?
    Hartsmith likes this.
  2. Tanto Done, finished, gone.

    There's still an economy in EQ2? Imo best to be patient. If someone repeatedly undercuts you, just chill and wait to see what the prices are doing in a few days time.
    Nothing sells right now though.
  3. Londoner Member

    I am not worried about being undercut that is what the game is concerning the broker.
    Nor have I the right to say how anyone can play a game, everyone has the right to play it how they wish.
    What does concern me is a modification that gives someone the blatant right to cheat if they have installed an illegal modification and that is the reason I titled my post that way.
    Also not concerned about making plot as items ⎌are selling you just have to know what is selling so your statement about items not selling is not entirely true but thank you for you reply.
    Hartsmith and Fangrim like this.
  4. Fangrim Active Member

    At the start of Kaladim there was someone constantly undercutting me on the brokers, I'd do one sales crate and then check the top item and it was already undercut so the mod you describe explains this. The person doing it was running 5 accounts (that I found) He'd have his main (a monk) picking up enchanted bones in OOLS, another stood in blackburrow picking up wolf chits and gnoll bones and another picking up shinies in the commonlands. He was online like you say 18+ hours per day and it was just impossible to stop him with normal fair play.
    It wouldn't surprise me if he had more than those 5 either.
    Edit: He also had one selling all the shinies that was level 1
  5. Mercychalice Well-Known Member

    These mods are illegal per the EULA and are usually reported if found out. Do not take yourself to their level. It's frustrating sure, but within time, these players usually end up banned.

    The only passable change to EQ2 that is allowed are things that change the default ui to something like drums, darq, or profit, etc, for a more personalized customized ui, and things like ACT, and the map updater.
    Cyrrena, Breanna and Hartsmith like this.
  6. Tanto Done, finished, gone.

    lol, you play on Thurgadin by any chance?

    NM "at the start of Kaladim".. ignore my stupidness.
    Fangrim likes this.
  7. Sigrdrifa EQ2 Wiki Author

    There is? If it's botting, i.e., causing changes in-game without the player sitting at the keyboard pushing buttons, then that's not okay.

    But my sales toon goes through and checks all her boxes at least twice a day, and reprices as necessary. How exactly do you KNOW there is such a tool? What evidence can you present?

    If you have such evidence, you need to /petition or open a Support Ticket and explain the problem, along with any and all supporting evidence that automation is in use.
    AOE1 and Cyrrena like this.
  8. Sigrdrifa EQ2 Wiki Author

    If someone undercuts you a lot, and you think the price is too low, buy their low priced trash and sell it yourself for what you think it's worth.

    However, don't make the mistake of thinking that pixels on the broker have and retain actual value (apart from Krono). It's pretty much impossible to "corner the market" on anything, because the rest of us will go harvest or hunt or craft more. If an item sits in your broker boxes more than a week or two, you probably are asking too high a price for it. You do better to move inventory fast and rely on sales volume.
    AOE1 and Cyrrena like this.
  9. Mercychalice Well-Known Member

    Yes, a mod like this exists. However, it's extremely difficult to prove use of these by someone else. The best you can do is note that a certain person has several things for sale, the same as your own items. If you reprice your item, and either close the broker, or recheck the price of the item within 5 minutes, and re-price, and check again within a short amount of time, and that person has dropped prices literally after each re-pricing, chances are someone is using this mod. I can't imagine anyone sitting at their desk just hovering over a particular item all day just to get the "best price".

    I caught someone doing this several years ago. I placed an item for sale, closed the box, re-checked, and did this over a dozen times, and then watched them purchase the item that was driven down in price and re-listed it much higher over the course of half an hour. I turned them in and within a week their name disappeared from the broker board.

    I would never recommend risking your account using it. Personally, my account is almost 15 or right at 15 years old (I forget now) and I'd be completely devastated if I lost it due to such nonsense.
  10. Londoner Member

    I think unless it’s actually happening to yourself it’s really hard to explain you know it’s going on, however when you craft something multiple times each time something obscure and you are undercut within minutes even though the under utter has several boxes to go through it becomes fairly obvious that something is not quite right.
    E.g If I have crafted a spell called Devastation fist place it on the broker and that combat art is undercut by the person using the mod within minutes even though they have multiple items sales crates to check, and if this is repeated on a repetitive basis then it becomes fairly obvious there is a mod at play.
    Also if the player who is using the mod becomes selective and only chooses to do it too the players that sell items on a regular basis and leaves the rest of the server alone then the rest of the players are not very concerned or do not know it is going on.

    However if Daybreak were able to check my items that I have placed on the broker and see the amount of time it is happening and in what time they would have to agree that something is not right.
  11. Feldon Well-Known Member

    If there's a mod that scans the broker and notifies the player if any of their listed items have had a price change and the player must take action to lower the price themselves I'm a little puzzled as to how this could be against the EULA.

    Remember in 2009 -- in partnership with Sony Online Entertainment -- Allakhazam proudly introduced an out-of-game Broker Monitor webpage. Realtime broker data was provided to Zam for all the servers for almost 2 years by EQ2. The service was shut down due to low usage.
    Cyrrena, Breanna, Pixistik and 3 others like this.
  12. Hartsmithx New Member

    Technically if it relies on an app that isn't working directly from your own computer then it violates #13 "You will not attempt to play EverQuest II on any server that is not controlled or authorized by Daybreak Game Company LLC or its designees."
    As you mentioned, EQ2's partnership with Allakhazam ended quite a few years ago. It is also worth mentionin that tthat was with SOE and not DBG or DP, which means the EULA has changed since then.

    The point is that an unauthorized third party app is being used to give players an unfair advantage while they are not even playing the game.
  13. Smashey Well-Known Member

    I still think its hilarious that after 12 years people still try to teach Feldon about how the inner works of whatever the company name is in the year XXXX, census and 3rd part apps. Like cmon man.
    Feldon, Geroblue, Cyrrena and 4 others like this.
  14. Pixistik Don't like it? You're not alone!

    My thoughts...


    Just charge half of what the lowest price is, you sell twice as much and make plenty of money...don't worry about what other folks are doing and you will have much less stress over something you have no way to control in the first place.

    10 plat for a striped moth? really???? its an item a level 1 player can go pick up off the ground...charge 2 plat and sell 10 of em, I mean seriously if you cant find a way to make serious money in this game, bots or no bots, you should really rethink your whole approach.
    Geroblue, Cyrrena and Breanna like this.
  15. Hartsmith Well-Known Member


    Correct me if I'm wrong, but seems the point the OP was trying to make was that people using 3rd party apps are preventing others from being able to sell items regardless of how much they post the item for since they are swooping in to change their listed prices as soon as other people post a lower price.
    AOE1, Cyrrena, Sigrdrifa and 2 others like this.
  16. Benito Ancient EQ2 Player: Lavastorm Server 2004.

    This now-locked thread is from EQ1 in 2018 with 32 pages on the subject.

    https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/regarding-third-party-cheat-programs.250451/

    Post #1
    Post #629

    --------------


    Additionally, I was reading Fortnite's (Epic Games) lawsuit against Apple and Apple's response.

    Apple contends that they retain strict control of their app ecosystem because of the threat of malicious software. Apple has argued that Fortnite's last iOS update, which bypassed the sole Apple-approved App Store Purchase option, was in itself proof of Apple's defense against a malicious action.

    (The judge in the case has sided preliminarily with Apple in two hearings before a jury trial scheduled for May 2021).

    I suspect Daybreak would use something akin to Apple's argument to protect their consumers. Daybreak has no control over third party apps which may result in future updates that are malicious in nature (violate user privacy and data). They, therefore, err on the side of caution by not allowing third party apps (and third party data mining) generally. (Apple has also argued for quality control and that point can be made here as well).

    Daybreak has carved out exceptions for custom UIs and parsers (and player-made maps on EQ1) but have not officially endorsed such projects either. I suspect they can close those exceptions just as quickly if those projects crossed the line.
    Hartsmith likes this.
  17. Dogwood Member

    A player who can play 18 hours a day has a distinct advantage over others. Should we put limits how much a person can play in a day to make it "fair" to those who can not?

  18. Ra'Gruzgob Well-Known Member

    you did right thing by writing word "fair" by putting it in quotes, but perhaps you meant player's "bots" (no one can play so much time every day, unless of course he/she ate weeds fried in olive oil. and even if he/she can, will be most of time, stare through screen with look detached from everything that happens). besides, eqii isn't game that creates benefits for someone one or group of people over others through owning part of game world, levying taxes inside this world and possibility to decide what will be sold and what isn't in Norrath. in addition many games, also in this, many years ago introduced principle of limiting experience gain over time. and somes benefits presented in imited time frame, as events. and it was during events that you could watch, how you write an 18-hour game, for example, useless throwing of pumpkins in order to become owner of rare mount:eek:
    Geroblue likes this.
  19. Sigrdrifa EQ2 Wiki Author

    Those of us who are retired can and do play that many hours a day.

    If someone is running a broker bot, then stand there and keep downpricing the item, let it follow you down, then buy theirs ultra cheap and go about your business. Run FRAPS or Twitch or something to show how fast the repricing is happening while you do it, then upload the video to YouTube or somewhere that others can access it. Finally, open a Support Ticket and report the suspected automated play, explain why you think that's so, and include the URL to the video you made.
    AOE1 likes this.
  20. Mercychalice Well-Known Member

    i believe you underestimate the power of plat and krono duping, both of which actively have happened within the last few years multiple times.

    there are some folks with billions, yes billions, of plat in the game.
    Pixistik likes this.