Are mule accounts "legit"?

• Omegatronic wrote on 2010-09-13 17:47

  Exploit errors in design, features which are not documented and/or bugs to gain access that would otherwise not be available or to obtain any competitive advantage;
  

  
  
  Which error in design, undocumented feature, and/or bug was exploited? If you use legitimate information to make multiple accounts I don't see the problem there.
  
  

  We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to take any actions we deem necessary and appropriate to preserve the integrity of the Service and Software. We further reserve the right to determine what conduct is outside the "spirit" of the Service and games provided therein.

  
  
  Has Nexon came out and said that use of multiple accounts was against the spirit of the service? If so, show me?
• EndlessDreams wrote on 2010-09-13 18:06
  Are you even able to use the same exact personal information (except email) for multiple accounts without it blocking you?
  
  If you can use the same exact personal information, it is technically legal according to the ToS, assuming that personal information is completely accurate.
  
  But going back to the OP's case, Nexon would most likely thing the OP is an unauthorized person trying to access someone else's account.
• Eternal wrote on 2010-09-14 03:51
  I didn't think I would get too far with the email request form anyways. Still some of those fields are quite ridiculous even for the main owner. Who seriously remembers when they created their account or when they last logged in (Assuming you've been inactive for awhile).
• Kueh wrote on 2010-09-14 15:30

  Quote from Omegatronic;154033:

  Which error in design, undocumented feature, and/or bug was exploited?

  
  
  Using a mule's inventory, bank, and mail space is technically an exploitation.
  
  

  Quote from Eternal;154648:

  Who seriously remembers when they created their account or when they last logged in (Assuming you've been inactive for awhile.)

  
  
  They asked for those?
• Omegatronic wrote on 2010-09-14 16:08

  Quote from Whyrainfalls;154879:

  Using a mule's inventory, bank, and mail space is technically an exploitation.

  
  
  But none of those things are errors in design, undocumented features, nor bug. I exploit my melee skills to kill things quickly which gives me a competitive edge, but it is not against the ToU because my use doesn't fall into one of those categories.
• Cryosite wrote on 2010-09-14 20:32

  Quote from Justified;153995:

  The ability to have free characters and service?

  
  
  Assistant giant and assistant elf characters? And there is nothing stopping you from, on your main account, keeping free service forever as well... aside from your personal choice to gain exp and level beyond 30.
  
  

  Quote from Justified;153995:

  I don't see free "new character" cards in the cash shop.

  
  
  I don't see Free character card (usable to make a human, elf, or giant) there either, nor the above mentioned assistant cards. You'll also never see the card that will be handed out for completing Project RM there either. Yet it is perfectly legitimate to use those things, and benefit from multiple free characters in the convenient location of a single account already.
  
  

  Quote from Justified;153995:

  I don't see free "premium service" in the cash shop.

  
  
  That actually used to be there! Under the old service style, you could get 1 week each of Nao and Extra Storage services! For free!
  
  

  Quote from Justified;153995:

  in the cash shop.

  
  
  Maybe you're used to things being handed out in the cash shop (like free hp100 potions!) but this is a relatively new trend for Nexon to do, and mostly just a subtle opportunity to advertise their cash shop (since you at least briefly look at the other things in the shop when looking for the free item).
  
  But things don't have to be in the cash shop to be legitimately used. Like Storage/shop bags.
  
  

  Quote from Justified;153995:

  Thus, it's obvious we're not intended to have unlimited characters, or free beginner service. If they wanted to let us have those things, then they would provide it for us. Instead, there is a price tag on these things and they are available for us to buy.

  
  
  Only obvious to you. What nexon intends is generally not all that obvious actually. In the past, things have required payment to use (ego, mainstream quests, transformation skills) with no documentation at all in the cash shop or anywhere about that requirement. You could only make use of those things if you were a premium user (had active 1 of four premium options) and if you had paladin and/or an ego or quests in you queue for mainstream and your service ended, you lost the ability to use those things. Quests wouldn't advance, ego couldn't be talked to, and paladin transformation just sat there nonfunctional.
  
  As for buying "those things" read my post again. A mule account is far less convenient storage option as the ones you can pay for. And you can already store nearly infinite amounts of things without using separate accounts or paying for extra storage/characters/pets. It's called gold. Sell things to store them, then use the gold to buy them again when you want to make use of them. That is a form of storage, and also perfectly legitimate, if you want to ignore convenience concerns. Further, overseas servers get non-service bags to store things in. Crystal bags for alchemy crystals, or multiple generic space bags to hold whatever you like in. They aren't as big as the extra storage/shop bag and can't be used to open shops, but you can get multiple of them and they're a ton of the most convenient form of storage... main inventory.
  
  

  Quote from Justified;153995:

  Access that would otherwise not be available - Unlimited Characters, Mailbox Storage, Premium Service
  Competitive advantage - Personal Shops
  
  It's called Free Beginner Service. It's meant for beginners.

  
  
  The unlimited characters... is a pointless argument. It's simply dumb to run alt characters for things like lifeskills, just do that stuff on your main. There really is no advantage to having multiple characters to actually play them... especially if they're on separate accounts (can't share pets or bank for example). The only useful purpose of multiple accounts is storage.
  
  You can get mailbox storage without making any extra accounts... that only lasts for 30 days anyway, just coordinate with a friend. Or mail to some random stranger with an absurd pricetag attached. Feel free to mail such to me if you're on Ruairi, if/when I get such mail I'll decline it, and it can sit in your mailbox for as long as you like.
  
  As for the personal shop thing... again, lack of convenience. You're selling things to make money. yet you have to pay a transfer fee to mail the item, normal shop license and bag costs, then assuming your stuff sells you have to pay the cost of making a check, then the fee of mailing said check. And if you're trying to sell multiple small items, you have to mail 10, log off, log on mule, recieve, log off, log on main... repeat for every 10 items. With how long pleionne engine takes to load up, one cycle of that could easily take over 10 minutes.
  
  It is seriously a freaking ton of hassle. The convenience factor is something you can't simply blow off and ignore.
  
  

  Quote from EndlessDreams;154037:

  Are you even able to use the same exact personal information (except email) for multiple accounts without it blocking you?

  
  
  As has been stated a couple of times at least already in this thread, yes. You can fill out 100% accurate information about yourself for each of several accounts. The only information that must be different to each account is the username (obviously) and email address.
  
  
  Further, there are even parts of the eula that make it seem that it is intentional that you are able to. A parent could make 2 accounts, both using their correct information (to comply with the eula), then let their minor child use one of those accounts.
  
  The intent of the eula seems more obvious to me to be concerned with one account being used by multiple people not with one person using multiple accounts. I know people who used to be roomates doing college/part time jobs and had schedules offset so that at any given time at least one of them was usually home and awake and able to game. They'd have a character in Everquest logged in 24/7, grinding levels and quests and gear nonstop. Mabi seems even more rewarding to that sort of exploit... being able to level grind and money-hunt nonstop.
  
  Operating multiple account has you doing the opposite... you're dividing your time/attention and getting less progress on any one of those characters because of it. What nexon might lose in terms of premium service being paid for, they're gaining in the long run for keeping a person playing... and potentially buying things like pets and rebirth cards.
• Kueh wrote on 2010-09-14 20:43
  You aren't exploiting if you use melee to play the game.
  
  You're exploiting if you use separate accounts to have access to things that only one account (and thus one person) should have access to.
  
  I would say that using mule inventories falls into "errors in design". It's exploiting if you use a mule to get two of an event item that you should only have one of, just as it is exploiting if you use a mule to get two of every inventory space that you should only have one of.
• Justified wrote on 2010-09-14 20:54

  Quote from Whyrainfalls;155078:

  You aren't exploiting if you use melee to play the game.
  
  You're exploiting if you use separate accounts to have access to things that only one account (and thus one person) should have access to.
  
  I would say that using mule inventories falls into "errors in design". It's exploiting if you use a mule to get two of an event item that you should only have one of, just as it is exploiting if you use a mule to get two of every inventory space that you should only have one of.

  
  
  This is exactly the point.
• Omegatronic wrote on 2010-09-14 21:45

  Quote from Whyrainfalls;155078:

  You aren't exploiting if you use melee to play the game.

  
  
  No, I am exploiting the use of my melee skills, however, my melee skills are not an error in design, undocumented feature, nor bug. Thus they are not the type of exploit which are prohibited by the ToU.
  
  

  Quote from Whyrainfalls;155078:

  You're exploiting if you use separate accounts to have access to things that only one account (and thus one person) should have access to.
  
  I would say that using mule inventories falls into "errors in design". It's exploiting if you use a mule to get two of an event item that you should only have one of, just as it is exploiting if you use a mule to get two of every inventory space that you should only have one of.
  

  
  
  You are using circular logic, because you first assume that having more than one account isn't allowed.
  
  If the system is designed allow multiple accounts with legitimate information, then creating two accounts and utilizing both can only be a flaw in design if and only if one person is limited to one account.
  
  I have yet to see any proof that such a limitation exists.
• Cryosite wrote on 2010-09-15 06:21
  It is a fact that some advantage can be gained for using more than one account. It is an opinion that it is against the rules. Until an official representative states as such, or a change is made to the eula to clearly indicate that having more than one account is not acceptable, it can be assumed safely that it is acceptable.
  
  Where you see a loophole being exploited, I simply see a feature that Nexon obviously doesn't care about. All of the various ways of getting extra characters (ultimately useful only for storage mostly), pets (more storage) or extra storage service are tied in with convenience of accessing that storage, and other effects (character cards can be used for rebirths, and seems their main intended function, pets useful for traveling/combat/gathering/roleplay, and extra storage (old version) allowed for things like guild creation). None of which mule accounts can provide.
  
  Nexon's primary interest seems in making you pay for things that accelerate your main character's progress. Rebirthing each week for faster AP gain, double exp potions, double skill training potions, and so on. Pets are often described (by nexon) for their advantages in helping you in combat, travel around, or in the stat boosts they give you. Their ability to store things is not often advertised.
  
  Secondary to that, nexon is interested in making you pay to look pretty. Premium cards cost more than basic, dyes, gacha, age potions, name color potions, etc. Even pets are often described based on their looks.
  
  Giving you the ability to store more stuff seems at best third most important in their efforts to get your money. And having more characters to play is something they give you for free (elf and giant assistant card), but is mostly counter to their primary interest... since time you spend on any alt is time you could have spent on your main.
• Omegatronic wrote on 2010-09-15 11:53

  Quote from Cryosite;156379:

  It is a fact that some advantage can be gained for using more than one account.

  
  
  Advantage over what? If it isn't against the ToU to have more than one account, the only advantage gained is over those who choose to limit themselves.
• Kueh wrote on 2010-09-15 14:55

  Greetings Rain,
  
  This ticket has been closed by a GM. See below for more details.
  
  Having multiple accounts does not violate the Terms of Use in any way. You will, however, need to keep track of your accounts and the information pertaining to them on your own. Additionally, we are not able to assist you with any account that is not the one you are submitting a ticket from, but as long as you keep track of your information, you will not run into this problem.
  
  I hope this helps!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  GM Causk
  Nexon America Inc.
  
  GM Fact: GM Causk is excited that summer vacation is over, because it means that fall is just around the corner!
  
  Security Tip: Please do not give your password to anyone for any reason. Nexon representatives will NEVER ask you for your password.
  
  Ticket Information:
  Ticket #: 19000-326837
  Date Created: 9/13/2010 7:03:13 PM ET
  

  
  
  /thread
• Cryosite wrote on 2010-09-16 00:49

  Quote from Omegatronic;156450:

  Advantage over what? If it isn't against the ToU to have more than one account, the only advantage gained is over those who choose to limit themselves.

  
  
  I meant an advantage much in the way that loading smash gives you an advantage against something using defense. Using mules for storage is an andvantage over not using them, with costs in time.
  
  

  Quote from Whyrainfalls;156504:

  /thread

  
  
  R.I.P. thread. So who all is gonna make themselves some storage mules and let them afk with shops open overnight that wasn't already doing so, eh?