New World Ban and Appeals Process

[Jim]

Good afternoon,
I'm sharing this not because I think AGS will change their tune, but as a cautionary tale.

I have been permanently banned from New World, accused, according to the email I was sent after appealing, of breaking a section of the Code of Conduct,
Quote
"Do: play within the rules of the game.

Do not: exploit bugs or other unintended uses of game features.

Do not cheat, bot, hack, or use other software or services that give you an unfair advantage through, for example, unattended gameplay or game modifications.

Do not engage in real-money trading of in-game items and in-game currencies."

Now, I have not been engaged in exploits, cheating, botting, hacking, other software, afk-avoidance, mods, or RMT.

Whilst I am sure the staff at AGS are diligent folk, they are simply incorrect in this instance, it happens, I suppose. Hence the appeal process, which I followed, explaining my bewilderment at not being able to log in to play - their response being

Quote "We reviewed the information you provided on appeal and have confirmed that the original disciplinary action was merited in your case."

and Quote
"We reserve the right to determine what constitutes unfair play and to take corrective action we deem appropriate

As a result, your New World account remains permanent suspended.

We can’t share any further information about our decision, and we won’t reply to further emails about this issue.

Best regards,"

So, the AGS staff have I'm quite sure innocently made an error, and now I'm sure quite innocently refuse to engage in discussion or review of that error.

They have, with best intentions and I'm sure the interests of all gamers at heart, stolen my money I paid for the game, and falsely accused me of behaviour I have not engaged in.

Enjoy your time in New World friends, because you're just an innocent and well intentioned decision by AGS staff away from having yourself permanently banned and your money stolen.


You're welcome to accuse me of being some kind of cheater who "knows what I did" but it simply isn't true, I'm a mostly PVE player who does quests and collects wood and fibres for crafting with my wife. I've been robbed by AGS, and they offer no path for me to dispute it.

[Caduryn]

Th1rtysilver.TTV님이 먼저 게시:

jimmyjbeans님이 먼저 게시:

Good afternoon,
I'm sharing this not because I think AGS will change their tune, but as a cautionary tale.

I have been permanently banned from New World, accused, according to the email I was sent after appealing, of breaking a section of the Code of Conduct,
Quote
"Do: play within the rules of the game.

Do not: exploit bugs or other unintended uses of game features.

Do not cheat, bot, hack, or use other software or services that give you an unfair advantage through, for example, unattended gameplay or game modifications.

Do not engage in real-money trading of in-game items and in-game currencies."

Now, I have not been engaged in exploits, cheating, botting, hacking, other software, afk-avoidance, mods, or RMT.

Whilst I am sure the staff at AGS are diligent folk, they are simply incorrect in this instance, it happens, I suppose. Hence the appeal process, which I followed, explaining my bewilderment at not being able to log in to play - their response being

Quote "We reviewed the information you provided on appeal and have confirmed that the original disciplinary action was merited in your case."

and Quote
"We reserve the right to determine what constitutes unfair play and to take corrective action we deem appropriate

As a result, your New World account remains permanent suspended.

We can’t share any further information about our decision, and we won’t reply to further emails about this issue.

Best regards,"

So, the AGS staff have I'm quite sure innocently made an error, and now I'm sure quite innocently refuse to engage in discussion or review of that error.

They have, with best intentions and I'm sure the interests of all gamers at heart, stolen my money I paid for the game, and falsely accused me of behaviour I have not engaged in.

Enjoy your time in New World friends, because you're just an innocent and well intentioned decision by AGS staff away from having yourself permanently banned and your money stolen.


You're welcome to accuse me of being some kind of cheater who "knows what I did" but it simply isn't true, I'm a mostly PVE player who does quests and collects wood and fibres for crafting with my wife. I've been robbed by AGS, and they offer no path for me to dispute it.

Wondering why you didn't use your account that had new world on it. Vac ban perhaps?

But..... he did......

[Jim]

jimmyjbeans님이 먼저 게시:

Th1rtysilver.TTV님이 먼저 게시:

Wondering why you didn't use your account that had new world on it. Vac ban perhaps?

What are you talking about? This is my only account.

When I click profile I can see my New World game and achievements.

Edit: In any case, there's nothing in it for you to believe me. I'm telling you the situation. If it never applies to you, then I am happy. I hope this is a rare event that does not plague any other players who would otherwise enjoy the game.

[Clail]

Given recent exploits and calls on the official forums to permaban those who made use of them I have a hard time believing the whole "I did nothing wrong" bit. Even more so since it looks like to observers you are using a throw-away steam account.

Goodluck with your next game.

[Aeryonis]

You can tell us about all the stuff you're supposedly not using all you want, but it doesn't make it so. New World has an anti-cheat software. If you were using programs of any kind, it will have picked it up.

This is different than the mass reporting harassment/abuse bans. This is a macro/bot ban, detectable by Easy Anti-Cheat, which is the anti-cheat service used by multiple games. It's not coded by New World, so it most likely has zero bugs, unlike the game itself.

Just take the L.

[Jim]

Clail님이 먼저 게시:

Given recent exploits and calls on the official forums to permaban those who made use of them I have a hard time believing the whole "I did nothing wrong" bit. Even more so since it looks like to observers you are using a throw-away steam account.

Goodluck with your next game.

Or it looks like I have a new Steam account because I only just got Steam so I could purchase New World to play? I mean, I guess that's a real possibility and matches all the evidence and my story?

Since this is my first experience with buying and playing a game with Steam, I'm not sure there will be a next game. It's left me with pretty serious doubts about games I can't own and play.

Back to AOE II on CD for me.

[Jim]

Aeryonis님이 먼저 게시:

You can tell us about all the stuff you're supposedly not using all you want, but it doesn't make it so. New World has an anti-cheat software. If you were using programs of any kind, it will have picked it up.

This is different than the mass reporting harassment/abuse bans. This is a macro/bot ban, detectable by Easy Anti-Cheat, which is the anti-cheat service used by multiple games. It's not coded by New World, so it most likely has zero bugs, unlike the game itself.

Just take the L.

You mean take the theft of my money by a game company.

I was not using any cheat software or hacking or exploits or bugs. I have played in good faith, and AGS has permanently banned my account without providing evidence or even allowing me to dispute it.

This is not an issue with my behaviour, as you are so keen to believe, it is an issue with the game and AGS staff, their banning system, and the appeals process.

An issue that I sincerely hope does not affect you at any point.

[Komarimaru]

This is actually becoming quite common. Others will doubt you, but ever since AGS removed the ability to post in forums after a ban, people can't post there looking for help so you're stuck here with the whiteknights and fanboys.

Best bet, try your best to appeal again, that's your only option.

[retsam1]

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

Aeryonis님이 먼저 게시:

You can tell us about all the stuff you're supposedly not using all you want, but it doesn't make it so. New World has an anti-cheat software. If you were using programs of any kind, it will have picked it up.

This is different than the mass reporting harassment/abuse bans. This is a macro/bot ban, detectable by Easy Anti-Cheat, which is the anti-cheat service used by multiple games. It's not coded by New World, so it most likely has zero bugs, unlike the game itself.

Just take the L.

You mean take the theft of my money by a game company.

I was not using any cheat software or hacking or exploits or bugs. I have played in good faith, and AGS has permanently banned my account without providing evidence or even allowing me to dispute it.

This is not an issue with my behaviour, as you are so keen to believe, it is an issue with the game and AGS staff, their banning system, and the appeals process.

An issue that I sincerely hope does not affect you at any point.

Let's see if we can get more to the bottom of this. Answer as honestly as possible because, if a dev or similar reads this and they can prove otherwise, you're basically going to put yourself into hotter water potentially.

To be clear, answer the following yes or no:

1. Do you have --ANY-- 3rd party cheats on your comp, even from other games but not used on NW? It doesn't have to have been used on NW if the anti-cheat program detected it on your comp.

2. Have you at -any time- chatted on -any- communication channel in game and, even if by your standards, name called, insulted others or engaged in racial, creed, national origin, political, religious, sexual, or similar discussions, be it for or against any side of such discussions?

3. Have you killed the same silver or gold nameplated mini bosses in the world multiple times in a short period of time?

4. Have you initiated or participated in any in game gambling for gold or items?

5. Have you given or received large sums of gold to or from other players?

6. Have you created yourself or been given by others items that were duped, up to and including gold?

7. Have you had someone higher level than you taking you around to specific locations to level fast in or with other similar fast level methods?

8. If yes to number 7, did you give or communicate with that person regarding payment, either with in game currency, items or real money for that service?

9. Have you engaged in pvp and used things such as invulnerability bugs to prevent yourself from dying.

10. If you use -any- method, even putting something on your keyboard to keep you moving, to keep you active in game when you were not actually playing the game?

11. Have you spent long long times fishing and similar to point 10, prevented yourself from going afk in some manner?

12. Have you set up macros(from your mouse or similar) to automate -any- actions in game, even something you consider small?

13. Were you using a VPN or similar to play?

14. Did you at any time use/lead mobs in game to attack or kill someone else?

15. Were you a member of a company that you knew had members of that company engaging in ---ANY--- of the points above?

16. Were you the member of a group in game in any capacity that engaged in --any-- of the points above that you either had benefit or enabled directly or indirectly such things?


-----

Next set of questions:

1. When did you buy NW?
2. What is the total hours you have played the game?
3. What level was your highest character to this point?


While all these questions aren't going to necessarily reveal readily any information from you to us, it may help serve to have you think more on some actions or things you've done in game that could have been easily construed as not following the rules.

So let's start with all of those and go from there.

[Fairgamer]

/ᐠ・ᆽ・ᐟ \님이 먼저 게시:

Amazon is fair and if your appeal is denied then it is denied and that is the end of it. Please try to learn your lesson and try to do better on your next account.

There's nothing to suggest that the OP is lying, so how, from your distant viewpoint, do you know that Amazon has been fair????

[Haze]

I have no issue believing this, given the petty ban reasons they've thrown at other people. Sorry to hear about your circumstances. This game really is a disaster.

[Jim]

retsam1님이 먼저 게시:

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

You mean take the theft of my money by a game company.

I was not using any cheat software or hacking or exploits or bugs. I have played in good faith, and AGS has permanently banned my account without providing evidence or even allowing me to dispute it.

This is not an issue with my behaviour, as you are so keen to believe, it is an issue with the game and AGS staff, their banning system, and the appeals process.

An issue that I sincerely hope does not affect you at any point.

Let's see if we can get more to the bottom of this. Answer as honestly as possible because, if a dev or similar reads this and they can prove otherwise, you're basically going to put yourself into hotter water potentially.

To be clear, answer the following yes or no:

1. Do you have --ANY-- 3rd party cheats on your comp, even from other games but not used on NW? It doesn't have to have been used on NW if the anti-cheat program detected it on your comp.

A - No I do not, other than typing "cheesesteakjimmy's" into AOE II every now and again to give myself more food, I have no cheats or cheat programmes, or key macros or anything on my computer, or anywhere else.

2. Have you at -any time- chatted on -any- communication channel in game and, even if by your standards, name called, insulted others or engaged in racial, creed, national origin, political, religious, sexual, or similar discussions, be it for or against any side of such discussions?

A - Yes, I chat all the time. The most controversial thing I've said that I can think of is that the Australian Federal Government needs an ICAC. I understand this is highly controversial for the Australian Government, but probably less so for Amazon, in fact, the small server size and the possibility of chatting to the same people in the same world each day was probably the best part of this game - even if they were in a different faction, you felt like you were playing with comrades, also the part of the Code of Conduct that AGS quoted in my appeal was relating to cheats/bots and real money trading.

3. Have you killed the same silver or gold nameplated mini bosses in the world multiple times in a short period of time?

A - Yes, I farmed a tree dude for a legendary sword. It was regular spawn rate, I sat there (with three other players) and we killed that tree dude about 40 times. Also killed the tree wolves and took their wood-skin.

Also killed a fast spawning wolf or something (no name, just a random spawn point) in the very early days of the game before I realised it was a bug, and boring.

4. Have you initiated or participated in any in game gambling for gold or items?

A - Nope.

5. Have you given or received large sums of gold to or from other players?

A - A stranger gave me 1,000 gold for having quality banter.

6. Have you created yourself or been given by others items that were duped, up to and including gold?

A - Nope.

7. Have you had someone higher level than you taking you around to specific locations to level fast in or with other similar fast level methods?

A - Nope.

8. If yes to number 7, did you give or communicate with that person regarding payment, either with in game currency, items or real money for that service?

A- Nope.

9. Have you engaged in pvp and used things such as invulnerability bugs to prevent yourself from dying.

A - I have engaged in PVP, I was in one war that mostly seemed to crash from AOEs. I was literally the worst player in that war and got the 100th best score :D

10. If you use -any- method, even putting something on your keyboard to keep you moving, to keep you active in game when you were not actually playing the game?

A - No, I use autorun (standard keybind) to give my W finger a break when trekking from wherever to Everfall. Sometimes I run into trees or rocks, and it might take me a moment to navigate around it.

I play on a laptop - I'm not running a high demand game for the hell of it, if It's running, I'm playing.


11. Have you spent long long times fishing and similar to point 10, prevented yourself from going afk in some manner?

A - No, fishing is the worst minigame in this game!

12. Have you set up macros(from your mouse or similar) to automate -any- actions in game, even something you consider small?

A - No, I can't even get the middle button on my mouse to work so I can put the little yellow markers on screen for people.

13. Were you using a VPN or similar to play?

A - No.

14. Did you at any time use/lead mobs in game to attack or kill someone else?

A - Not intentionally, obviously when there's been multiple players in an area sometimes the mobs change target. It's happened to me when other people have grabbed a chest and run off, so I have to assume sometimes mobs I've aggro'd chase other people - but not as a PVP or griefing tactic.

15. Were you a member of a company that you knew had members of that company engaging in ---ANY--- of the points above?

A - I was a member of a company. I have no idea what they get up to.

16. Were you the member of a group in game in any capacity that engaged in --any-- of the points above that you either had benefit or enabled directly or indirectly such things?

A - Mostly grouped with friends who I'm pretty confident would answer the same as me. Sometimes grouped with strangers for specific quests or boss kills, I can't speak for them.
-----

Next set of questions:

1. When did you buy NW?

- Early October

2. What is the total hours you have played the game?

- 190 Hours as per my profile.

3. What level was your highest character to this point?

One character, level 58.


While all these questions aren't going to necessarily reveal readily any information from you to us, it may help serve to have you think more on some actions or things you've done in game that could have been easily construed as not following the rules.

So let's start with all of those and go from there.

It's entirely possible that SOMETHING I did SOMEWHERE broke the Code of Conduct - hell, most of us have probably broken half a dozen meatspace rules since lunch.

I can only say I've played in good faith, with no intentional cheating.

The Ban process (zero notification is sent to your account or email) is an issue

The Appeal process (basically still zero information, with the polite but firm note that they don't intend to tell you why you are banned, they don't intend to tell you their moderation decision, and they don't intend to respond to any further enquiry) is outright bizarre.

If they had perhaps provided ANY useful information at all during the appeal process I would at least know *why* I was banned, even if I disagreed with it, which is still a better end result than a game company simply making arbitrary decisions and refusing to engage with the customer.

[Fairgamer]

Anyone who gets a perma-ban from the game should get a 100% refund. If they are going to take away the game and your money, then that's ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.

[Grailer]

Lets be honest. we all know he had a hatchet

[Jim]

Grailer님이 먼저 게시:

Lets be honest. we all know he had a hatchet

I know you're being facetious because Hatchet apparently has balance issues, but for the record

Longsword and Hammer for mobs,

Musket for turkeys and rabbits and other cull quests for town boards.

[retsam1]

Ok let me address your answers then:

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - No I do not, other than typing "cheesesteakjimmy's" into AOE II every now and again to give myself more food, I have no cheats or cheat programmes, or key macros or anything on my computer, or anywhere else.

I'm not sure if you mean you were typing in chat at the time(which could be flagged as spam or you were meaning something else with that like a joke. Spam would be a potential ban possibility but usually, unless it was way too much, not a perm one. That is, unless you've had a previous ban for something before this.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - Yes, I chat all the time. The most controversial thing I've said that I can think of is that the Australian Federal Government needs an ICAC. I understand this is highly controversial for the Australian Government, but probably less so for Amazon, in fact, the small server size and the possibility of chatting to the same people in the same world each day was probably the best part of this game - even if they were in a different faction, you felt like you were playing with comrades, also the part of the Code of Conduct that AGS quoted in my appeal was relating to cheats/bots and real money trading.

Sounds like from the above you were getting involved in a political discussion which could be grounds for a ban, but unless you were also using bad language and saying a lot more than what you just stated, it more than likely would've only amounted to a short term ban.

As an example, there was some racist stuff on a server I was on a couple of days ago, and you can imagine, that person pretty much was a perm ban waiting for a place to happen.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - Yes, I farmed a tree dude for a legendary sword. It was regular spawn rate, I sat there (with three other players) and we killed that tree dude about 40 times. Also killed the tree wolves and took their wood-skin.

Also killed a fast spawning wolf or something (no name, just a random spawn point) in the very early days of the game before I realised it was a bug, and boring.

That right there is abusing/exploiting and since it was more than one example given, very highly likely an easy perm ban, if its happened in the last week and a half or so.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - A stranger gave me 1,000 gold for having quality banter.

If said stranger was duping gold or a known gold farmer account giving it to you, this too could be perm ban territory.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - I have engaged in PVP, I was in one war that mostly seemed to crash from AOEs. I was literally the worst player in that war and got the 100th best score :D

If that was coupled with the potential spam you were talking about with typing out what you were eating thing, it could've been something reported by many for(and contributing to the input lag issues in that pvp situation.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - Not intentionally, obviously when there's been multiple players in an area sometimes the mobs change target. It's happened to me when other people have grabbed a chest and run off, so I have to assume sometimes mobs I've aggro'd chase other people - but not as a PVP or griefing tactic.

Yes if that's the extent of it, that's unlikely a source of why.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - I was a member of a company. I have no idea what they get up to.

Its good to know. Many mmo's ban entire guilds/tribes/companies in the cases of mass abuse of things and that could be why but perhaps not.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

A - Mostly grouped with friends who I'm pretty confident would answer the same as me. Sometimes grouped with strangers for specific quests or boss kills, I can't speak for them.

Did any of your friends get perm or even just short bans? This would be telling if so.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

Next set of questions:

1. When did you buy NW?

- Early October

2. What is the total hours you have played the game?

- 190 Hours as per my profile.

3. What level was your highest character to this point?

One character, level 58.

Nothing too amiss except that when coupled with the mob farming you were doing could be connected.

Jim님이 먼저 게시:

It's entirely possible that SOMETHING I did SOMEWHERE broke the Code of Conduct - hell, most of us have probably broken half a dozen meatspace rules since lunch.

I can only say I've played in good faith, with no intentional cheating.

The Ban process (zero notification is sent to your account or email) is an issue

The Appeal process (basically still zero information, with the polite but firm note that they don't intend to tell you why you are banned, they don't intend to tell you their moderation decision, and they don't intend to respond to any further enquiry) is outright bizarre.

If they had perhaps provided ANY useful information at all during the appeal process I would at least know *why* I was banned, even if I disagreed with it, which is still a better end result than a game company simply making arbitrary decisions and refusing to engage with the customer.

If we take your answers into account, there is at least 1 situation that very strongly could be why you got a perm ban.

However, another possibility is that you engaged in multiple different things you mentioned above and the reports accumulated within a short period of time that made for a recipe for your earning a perm ban as 1 may not have accounted for the perm but multiple in a short time was enough for them to decide to perm it feeling you were a player prone to and most likely would engage in bad behavior in the future.

All in all, you gave people at the beginning an extreme impression that you'd done absolutely nothing wrong what so ever, but from your answers, you've given multiple possible ways that you could've gotten yourself in trouble that could've basically been considered into one lump sum by gm's.

In their eyes, they're not obligated to tell any details of a situation they feel warrants a ban, especially a perm one. When a game typically gives a perm ban, its because the evidence and or conduct is so pervasive and or chronic as to have them weigh the benefit or the detriment a player is to the game.

Windsward (dev) weeks ago on here also made it clear to everyone: while other games have been extremely lax in upholding their CoC/ToS's, New World strictly intended/intends to not be the same. Thus they don't give warnings/strikes, they just issue bans up to and including perm ones. Having a system where they transparently tell players you can get a warning then x time for a ban and so on basically is akin to telling someone they get 3 strikes. Said person then knows they got 1-2 freebies with which to conduct themselves poorly with.

That's basically the things I can think on regarding your situation. Best I can tell you is if you still feel really adamant that it is undeserved after all that's been stated, you can only try to address it further as others have mentioned but it is very very likely it will not result in a reversal.

Thus at this point, its best to perhaps just consider moving on.