Xbox live Banned for life.

jetpack101

The **** at Microsoft just banned my sons profile for life because he changed his Avatar.

He used a custom piece of software to change the colour of his avatar from skin colour to bright green. A friend of his did it for him so he thought it was alright.

When I contacted them this was the reason they gave then locked the forum post so I could not reply.

I understand a ban for a day/week/month but a life ban for such a minor offence.

Bunch of little Hitlers playing god. I hope Bill Gates Choke's on a scabby black micky.

.E_C_K_S.

jetpack101 wrote: »

The **** at Microsoft just banned my sons profile for life because he changed his Avatar.

He used a custom piece of software to change the colour of his avatar from skin colour to bright green. A friend of his did it for him so he thought it was alright.

When I contacted them this was the reason they gave then locked the forum post so I could not reply.

I understand a ban for a day/week/month but a life ban for such a minor offence.

Bunch of little Hitlers playing god. I hope Bill Gates Choke's on a scabby black micky.

While a harsh outcome, you must understand ANY modding is against Microsoft Terms of Service and they are fully entitled to ban your son. sorry

Kinetic^

If your own language is anything to go by, it was probably for abusing other people by text or voice messages.

kirving

If he modified the xbox's software, it could be looked on by microsoft as an attempt to play copied/downloaded games. I think you'll find that microsoft specifically prohibit the use of custom software.

tman

jetpack101 wrote: »

I hope Bill Gates Choke's on a scabby black micky.

Any particular reason it has to be a black one?

Healium

I'm sure that hack can do a lot more than chnge skin colour. Any modifications to an avatar is basically piracy of the avatar marketplace (even though I don't think you can buy green skin )

Lesson learned!

Lenny

Was it a profile ban or a console ban?
I think changing the avatar skin colour is a profile ban.
anyways the software he used to change the colour can do many other things, such as change gamer score etc.
changing your avatars colour is just asking to be banned to be honest, cause if anyone files a complaint against the profile for *anthing* the profile is brought to the moderaters attention & profile colour that is not listed as being in the standard set is an instant ban, if his friend thinks its so safe whny don't you file a complaint against him so he'll get banned shortly

dave1982

Get him a PS3 for christmas,support Sony instead;)

stimpson

jetpack101 wrote: »

Bunch of little Hitlers playing god.

Worse than Hitler. You wouldn't catch Hitler banning people from XBox Live for breaking the terms of their EULA.

jetpack101

It was a profile ban.

While I do understand (somewhat) the terms of use.
Its very harsh to have a lifetime profile ban for something so small. The Avatar was the only thing he changed. As for bad mouthing, he never chats in the lobbies as its just to annoying. He plugs in his headset and if he is not talking to his friends he leaves it sitting on the bed next to him.

Nothing else was done on his profile except the Avatar.

As for my language, I'm really pissed over the issue. More to do with the fact that the ban was so harsh.

Kinetic^
Just because I used bad language dose not mean my son uses it.

TerrorFirmer

You did something you weren't supposed to do. End of, it's that simple. If your son or his friend hadn't been messing around custom software with the intention to modify, this would never have happened. From MS point of view, it's not the skin color or 'only changing the avatar', it's running and using custom software on their console which is a big no no regardless of the reasoning. Good lesson for your son, at least, he won't do it again, and it's only a profile ban, could have been a console one.

Lenny

its got nothing to do witht eh chat, people may even file complaints against people cause their better, their connection or crap or as usual for nothing!
I know what you mean your son used a slight mod, but as far as they're concered he could have done more but they don't need to look any further.
they'll ban him, and no doubt he'll setup a new account shortly and pay for a new memebrship. just count yourself lucky that its just a profile ban & not a console ban as then its not able to go on live at all!

Sabre0001

jetpack101 wrote: »

It was a profile ban.

While I do understand (somewhat) the terms of use.
Its very harsh to have a lifetime profile ban for something so small. The Avatar was the only thing he changed. As for bad mouthing, he never chats in the lobbies as its just to annoying. He plugs in his headset and if he is not talking to his friends he leaves it sitting on the bed next to him.

Nothing else was done on his profile except the Avatar.

As for my language, I'm really pissed over the issue. More to do with the fact that the ban was so harsh.

Kinetic^
Just because I used bad language dose not mean my son uses it.

If you used anywhere near that kind of language on their forum it's no wonder the thread got locked.

They do not know that nothing else was done to his profile / system, etc...In the end, the terms of the EULA were broken (whether read or not, they were agreed to by a party) and thus, warrants the punishment.

jetpack101

Sabre0001 wrote: »

If you used anywhere near that kind of language on their forum it's no wonder the thread got locked.

They do not know that nothing else was done to his profile / system, etc...In the end, the terms of the EULA were broken (whether read or not, they were agreed to by a party) and thus, warrants the punishment.

I simple asked why he got banned as we where not sure what the reason was.

The reply I got was that he had used unverified software to change his Avatar.
Then they locked the post. Simple as that.

As for the comment of "They do not know that nothing else was done to his profile / system, etc..." thats a ridiculous statement. If they knew he changed his avatar then they know if he had done anything else. He didn't

As I have said before but you seem to be ignoring. I agree with a ban if you are in breach of the rules but the ban should fit the offence. A lifetime profile ban for changing an avatar is in my opinion way to harsh.

Its like going to prison for the rest of your life for breaking a read light.

He made a mistake and he knows that now. With some of the comments here I hope to god none of you every get into power.

Jerichoholic

If you're "hacking" your system, you're done. Simple as that.

charlemont

stimpson wrote: »

Worse than Hitler. You wouldn't catch Hitler banning people from XBox Live for breaking the terms of their EULA.

Hitler loves his Xbox

Kells...

Set up a new profile = problem solved

Sabre0001

jetpack101 wrote: »

I simple asked why he got banned as we where not sure what the reason was.

The reply I got was that he had used unverified software to change his Avatar.
Then they locked the post. Simple as that.

As for the comment of "They do not know that nothing else was done to his profile / system, etc..." thats a ridiculous statement. If they knew he changed his avatar then they know if he had done anything else. He didn't

As I have said before but you seem to be ignoring. I agree with a ban if you are in breach of the rules but the ban should fit the offence. A lifetime profile ban for changing an avatar is in my opinion way to harsh.

Its like going to prison for the rest of your life for breaking a read light.
He made a mistake and he knows that now. With some of the comments here I hope to god none of you every get into power.

No, it's not. Profile ban = get different profile = no change.
It's like having to get a new car because you modded the other one when you signed an agreement not to.

An Avatar is one of the more obvious mods - the avatar represents you and if he's glowing green, you can be pretty sure that something is up. It's not those who set up lobbies and you have little idea anything is up til you get a kill and thousands of points for said kill.

You asked a question, they answered it...Otherwise, it's like a merry-go-round as we're seeing. Mailing them for correspondance is probably a better bet...

Grumpypants

It may seem harsh as you are looking at it from the point of view of this this one event. But if you look at it from Microsofts point of view with millions of these cases to deal with each week it is impossible to judge every one of them on their own. Thats why a blanket ban is in place.

Lesson learnt, create a new profile move on.

Liamario

He got what he deserved. The alterations he made are against the terms of service and while MS may not be too worried about someone having a green avatar, they're intention was to nip any future breaches in the bud.
Had your son decided to hack the console so he could cheat in games, then the console would be worthless for online play and rightly so.
Personally, I would have banned the console, as I would have seen the avatar alteration as just a stepping stone on to hacks that affect legitimate players.

jaykhunter

jetpack101 wrote: »

It was a profile ban.

While I do understand (somewhat) the terms of use.
Its very harsh to have a lifetime profile ban for something so small. The Avatar was the only thing he changed.

I imagine that MS just carpet ban anyone that does anything even slightly dodgey in the modding sense; no matter how insignificant. It's sh!t because your crime doesn't fit the punishment, but I guess MS have a zero-tolerance on this stuff.

Profile Ban's not the worst in the world. Who cares about gamerscores anyway? At least you can still use the 360, AND online on another account. Best of a bad situation, really. I bet they've a self-destruct "Brick your 360" button they could've pressed.

Godwin's Law in full effect man, try calm down on the Hitler references!

Zillah

jetpack101 wrote: »

Its very harsh to have a lifetime profile ban for something so small. The Avatar was the only thing he changed.

It's a bit like walking around in public with a loaded weapon. You might only have been using it to scratch yourself but you can't blame the police for arresting anyone with guns in public regardless of what they claim they were to be used for.

Varik

jetpack101 wrote: »

When I contacted them this was the reason they gave then locked the forum post so I could not reply.

They always do that, the reply they give is the last word on the matter and there is no compromise or any possible arguments. If they didn't you would have people relying and complaining or cursing after they get told what happen.

jetpack101 wrote: »

As for the comment of "They do not know that nothing else was done to his profile / system, etc..." thats a ridiculous statement. If they knew he changed his avatar then they know if he had done anything else. He didn't

The moderator who did the ban had no need to look which would require some extra work as the mod was very visible and was probably reported by someone who was bored or angry and saw this as an easier way than reporting you son for being good/bad at a game.

ShaneU

Surely they would ban the console if it has been modded, and not just the profile?

Jim

Running custom software is bannable offence, even if he changed his avatar skin colour or not.

It's like owning a gun illegally, but only using it as a paper weight. You still have the gun.

calex71

charlemont wrote: »

Hitler loves his Xbox

Indeed he does, and has had his own problems with being banned too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfkDxF2kn1I

Shocked it took 2 pages of this thread for this to get posted

TheMooseInNam

jetpack101 wrote: »

As I have said before but you seem to be ignoring. I agree with a ban if you are in breach of the rules but the ban should fit the offence. A lifetime profile ban for changing an avatar is in my opinion way to harsh.

Its like going to prison for the rest of your life for breaking a read light.

Actually, I completely disagree with you on this matter. I think the ban wasn't hard enough. Your son tampered with MS's software to hack into their system. I don't believe that your son didn't know what his friend was doing, I'm sure he's not stupid. Frankly, I'm surprised that your console wasn't banned too.

Online gaming, in general, is rife with cheaters and hackers that are ruining the online experience for other gamers. Xbox Live offer's a brilliant service but it charges it's members for that service. In return, they police the system and remove anyone who carries on like your son!

As a paying member of the Xbox Live service, I have a zero tolerance for anyone attempting to hack the system. We pay decent money to ensure that this doesn't happen. Complaining about the severity of your son's punishment, seems ridiculous to me. He broke the rules and compromised what we all pay money to MS to avoid.

Consider yourself lucky that it's not a console ban.

TheMooseInNam

jaykhunter wrote: »

I imagine that MS just carpet ban anyone that does anything even slightly dodgey in the modding sense; no matter how insignificant. It's sh!t because your crime doesn't fit the punishment, but I guess MS have a zero-tolerance on this stuff.

Profile Ban's not the worst in the world. Who cares about gamerscores anyway? At least you can still use the 360, AND online on another account. Best of a bad situation, really. I bet they've a self-destruct "Brick your 360" button they could've pressed.

Godwin's Law in full effect man, try calm down on the Hitler references!

Jay, as I've just posted, I pay good money to MS to ensure that the servers aren't tampered with. Regardless of the level of hacking, I'm paying to ensure that doesn't happen. MS's zero tolerance is because XBL gold members are paying them to have zero tolerance.

Would you be happy if every person who could write a bit of code or follow a youtube instruction video could unfairly get advantages in games against you? Screw that, I pay to ensure that the system isn't hacked. If an XBL hacker gets banned, that's my money well spent and all honest gamers are better off.

TouchingVirus

There is a great difference between modifying your avatar and modifying game files. The game file mod affects other users, the avatar mod doesn't.

You're not paying your money just to ensure hacking doesn't happen. You're paying for the upkeep of the XBL service and everything that goes with it. A byproduct of this payment is that everybody agrees to the EULA which forbids modifications of any kind. You are not directly paying to stop hacking, and even if you were, a profile mod has no bearing on your XBL experience - it doesn't give the modder any unfair advantage in anything so the high horse can head back to the stable

OP, you are lucky that your console was not banned from xbox live. Your son can just create a new profile and play away, knowing full well never to do anything like this again.

Bob_Harris

tman wrote: »

Any particular reason it has to be a black one?

Any particular reason it can't be?

Or do you just get a warm feeling inside every time you get outraged by "racism"?

jaykhunter

lol, I wrote that because I'm trying to make the poster feel better about his situation

I find these gun analogies complete hyperbole. Permit me to do one of my own : One guy stole a pen from work, the other stole 10 million euros. Both guys get life in prison. Fair? They both did commit a similar crime.

I don't agree with modding but I think changing the colour of a sprite is not a serious offense. I would agree with the banning if the guy started hacking his gamerscore or any mod that gives him an advantage online - but he did not do that. I think that all of those actual cheaters should have their consoles bricked and their credit cards banned, but that is not the case here. His absolutley minor modding did not effect anyone else negatively in the slightest so in my books, I think it's a bit harsh.

That said, it's only a profile ban, so who cares?

Touchingvirus wrote:

a profile mod has no bearing on your XBL experience

Exactly. I gather we're split in 2 camps; one that believes that any modding, no matter how insignificant, should be banned; and the other that believe that minor modding, if doesn't affect anyone else on XBL in the slightest, is ok. I reckon this conversation will just circle because nobody's ever gonna change camp.