Microsoft Changes How Xbox Live Indie Games Are Rated 39
Two weeks ago we discussed news that some indie developers had found a way to manipulate ratings for their games on Xbox Live. Now, Microsoft has amended the rating rules so that only Xbox Live Gold members can rate such games through the service's website.
"By implementing this change, we believe our customers will experience more consistent ratings and a significantly reduced potential for abuse across the entire Xbox catalog. We have also investigated rolling back suspect votes, however, we determined it will not be possible to do this. In addition, we are investigating users who may have violated their user agreement during this series of events."
In other words (Score:2, Insightful)
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I don't know what problems that will fix, but french revolution will fix the problems caused by that system a couple of decades after.
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The big difference is that we can't just trivially make loads of false identities for voting in national elections. By tying it to paid accounts, anyone trying to game the system effectively has to pay $10 per vote, since that's the cost of the shortest Gold subscription. Considering that the ratings affect the sales and reputation of the games, we may still see some manipulation even at that price.
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You don't have to have a console, you can vote directly on the website. These guys were just creating loads of free accounts and voting online.
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MS has family accounts when multiple people share the same console. what if one kid loves a game and the other one hates it?
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Or tie it to both consoles and accounts.
If you have a Gold account, you can vote no matter what.
If you don't, you have to have a console associated with your account, and nobody else can vote with that console's ID (unless they have a Gold account).
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just stick with gold accounts. MS has the right idea. because how are you even gonna tie an account to a console? some type of hardware MAC address? you know how easy it is to spoof a MAC address right?!
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Speaking of wasted over engineering, each 360 has a unique identification number which is different from a MAC address and presently un-spoofable. It's how they ban hacked systems from accessing Xbox Live.
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At least on some 360 models, the MAC address can be changed. It's very helpful for beating MAC based network access at colleges.
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The big difference is that we can't just trivially make loads of false identities for voting in national elections.
Tell that to ACORN.
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"Vote early and vote often" was a republican policy, so ACORN learned from the best at election manipulation.
(William Hale Thompson and Richard Daley are attributed with the quote along with the paragon of virtue himself, Richard Nixon.)
Re:In other words (Score:4, Insightful)
Your analogy kinda breaks down once you realize that there is infinite land that is available to anyone willing to put forward a mere $10 for the cheapest Gold subscription. Really, it's more analogous to them requiring voter registration and insisting that you provide identification for yourself when you vote so that you can't game the system...which is what usually happens today in the political system in America.
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They play for hours on end, have all the accessories, and chat online about there lives—I mean their games.
What about Australia? (Score:5, Informative)
We pay the frigging Gold Subscription per month & still can't get indie games. I want to have a fit playing Techno Kitten Adventure god damn it!
How are state governments elected? (Score:4)
We pay the frigging Gold Subscription per month & still can't get indie games.
As I understand it, AC is right: states have banned the sale of video games that haven't been locally rated. How are state legislatures and Attorneys General chosen in Australia?
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How are state legislatures and Attorneys General chosen in Australia?
With an IQ test. Lowest score wins.
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To my knowledge, Australian state government elections was where the secret ballot was first implemented.
And therein lies the problem, if you let a bunch of idiots pick something with absolutely no oversight or scrutiny you cannot be too upset if they pick the wrong thing. Try to increase taxes, the people will rise up. Get caught taking bribes, the people will rise up. Make it impossible to get the latest games, the people will generally not even know what they are missing.
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Wanna know the solution? Contact your representing politician, and ask for some intervention with the OFLC.
How about only people who actually bought the game (Score:4, Interesting)
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a solid, logical and stringent solution. no chance this will ever implemented
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I've never gotten that with any of the various rating systems out there (Amazon, XBox, or otherwise).
You lose some number of people who felt motivated to vote for a product they actually do know, but IMO, the noise you cut out is far higher of a benefit than a few lost reviews.
Amazon and Apple's reviews are equally worthless.
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Evidence of Lousy Programming (Score:1)
ORLY?