New Zealand Laws About Software Companies Altering Player Loot?

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Clivos wrote:

For example, I criticise a software company on their forums and I suspect they alter my chances of certain loot dropping in their online game.

Another example, I buy in-game items with real money. Does my chances of dropping great loot then increase?

OK OP, me and you, we're about to go Full Cynicism Mode. This assumes that a company acts as selfishly as possible, maximizing benefit while minimizing effort, with zero regard for ethics or law.

Now would it make sense to actually raise drop rates for people who spent money on the game? The answer is no. The company already has the customer's money, and oh yeah no fuckng refunds. I don't know why you would think for a second that a self interested company would give benefits that weren't promised to paying customers in addition to the agreed purchase, but... no.

One down. On to the next one.

So would a selfish, completely unregulated company lower your drop rates as a result of your criticisms on the forums? Well first off, we need to judge how likely it is that they are aware of your criticisms on the forums, and the more selfish the company is, the more likely the answer to that question is: completely unaware. Actually reading your comments in the forums would probably mean paying someone to read comments in the forums, and unless the company cared very deeply about the community there is basically a zero chance that they'd hire any more than the absolute bare minimum staff necessary to maintain any sort of public forum. And even these people would not be reading your comments carefully to determine if your point is valid or not — that isn't their job at all. They'd be skimming quickly for indicators your post is threatening (by which I mean: threatens to generate a lawsuit if left up) or spam, and make a fast decision on that basis.

So let me spell this out: Unless you are an e-celebrity of some kind, GGG has most likely never read anything you've ever posted, and if they have "read" anything of yours, it's been a speed-read skim where they were looking specifically for the types of language that have nothing whatsoever to do with actual gameplay.

And if you were some kind of e-celebrity: the core problem would be your reach, influence and platform. So if you were, say, a PoE streamer and they really hated what you said, they wouldn't reduce your drop rates. They would ban you outright and hope your audience leaves you.

Now again, it's almost certain that GGG hasn't considered anything you've ever written. But if they did, would they respond? Absolutely not. Your conspiracy theory, if believed by other players, encourages people to pay in the hopes of higher drop rates and to avoid criticism of PoE to avoid lower drop rates. Your post here does not represent a threat, but a benefit to the company. So the rationally self-interested response would be to have no official response to you whatsoever.

Well, I hope that was as fun for you as it was for me, and in the future I suggest you introduce yourself to critical thinking. It might not be your cup of tea, but I really enjoy it.

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Now would it make sense to actually raise drop rates for people who spent money on the game? The answer is no. The company already has the customer's money, and oh yeah no fuckng refunds.

Well, it's basic psychology, you pay, you get better rewards, you like the game more, you pay again and the cycle repeats.
I'd have thought that as a critical thinker you would have deduced that though, Sherlock?

As for your second rambling point, it's a moot one in regard to my original question.

Just for you, I'll try to clarify...

Are there are any New Zealand laws that prohibit a software company from altering loot in an online game (ie. give more or give less) WITHOUT informing the user/player, that they do such practices?

No such law exists, because there is no legitimate need for it to exist.

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because there is no legitimate need for it to exist.

Well, again, I disagree with you!

even if there was some law, how would it be enforced? someone paranoid would report a company because he thinks his loot is being altered and then what? surely he would get ignored unless he had proof

Again, I ask this question in my original post. If I knew the answer, I wouldn't have a need for this post!

I already told you: there is not.

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Clivos wrote:

Are there are any New Zealand laws that prohibit a software company from altering loot in an online game (ie. give more or give less) WITHOUT informing the user/player, that they do such practices?

The closest relevant law here in NZ are the ones that regulate gambling, and they don't apply in this case.

Thinly veiled cry threads are so funny, OP please take them to court for all the perceived injustices done to you and report back to us how you get on.

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RandallPOE wrote:

Thinly veiled cry threads are so funny, OP please take them to court for all the perceived injustices done to you and report back to us how you get on.

Get over yourself!
This is not a "cry" thread. I'm asking perfectly legitimate questions.

Since, I posted this in the POE forums, can I say that I love POE! My post is a generic one. I'm curious about NZ laws surrounding software companies. Ok, I should have probably stated this in my first comment, but hey-ho.