Let's clarify a few things :) - Mea culpa!

[richpoepaap]

I can't believe everyone's so forgiving to you. Let me get this straight, you deceived TIPIT; you deceived us; you deceived JAGEX; and you violated the worst of the rules, yet everyone's expected to forgive you?

 

 

 

I am a college student as well, but I will never consider trading for cash as an option. JaGex and TipIt both believed in you, and gave you their highest honor. Both the RS and TipIt community respected and trusted you, yet you threw our trust like a rag doll.

 

 

 

You have no respect from me. What kind of example you are setting, as a former pmod and tipit admin, to the rest of the community? You have no right to even show up here again.

 

I think taht's a bit harsh, I mean, he did confess...although I must agree with the fact that he did betray us in some way, and, that he set a bad example. I'm principially against ANY rulebreaker, but I do feel a bit of sympathy for Duke.

 

Also, I don't ditch a guy for making one mistake .

[frizoid]

You have lost any respect I once had for you, you broke the rules and deserve any punishment that jagex gives to you.

 

 

 

Your excuses don't wash with me, I am a student myself so I am at college 5 days a week and I work for the other 2 days, yeah thats right I don't get a break at all, but this is the price I have to pay for good education. If you spent half the time doing work instead of playing runescape then you would have been able to afford college without stooping down to sit next to some of the lowest scum of Runescape.

 

 

 

Goodbye.

[r2-pleasent]

Well, in my opinion, if you earn your money legitamately, it should be your property. Give it a few years, the courts will be dealing with cases on the subject a lot in the next little while. I know we had our differences Duke, but I've always had respect for you as a Merchant. It's really a shame that you've become mixed up with the autoing community when it comes to Real World Selling, because the fact is, your money is NOT dirty, and I think Jagex knows that. However, like you said, it's a risk you take when you sell money for real-world cash, and Jagex is obviously pursuing any offenders aggressively.

[jabraulter]

Well, in my opinion, if you earn your money legitamately, it should be your property. Give it a few years, the courts will be dealing with cases on the subject a lot in the next little while. I know we had our differences Duke, but I've always had respect for you as a Merchant. It's really a shame that you become mixed up with the autoing community when it comes to Real World Selling, because the fact is, your money is NOT dirty, and I think Jagex knows that. However, like you said, it's a risk you take when you sell money for real-world cash, and Jagex is obviously pursuing any offenders aggressively.

 

 

 

That was a very sincere thing to say. I respect you for that. You could have just as easily flamed him.

 

 

 

Duke, I'm terribly sorry for your loss. However, it seems to me that you have fully accepted why you were banned and don't seem regretful either way. Sure, it was against the rules, but you made your money in a fair manner. Plus, you'll still go down in "history"...I still tell people that "Duke and r2 are the richest in Runescape" if they are trying to convince me otherwise ;)

 

 

 

I bid you fairwell. Good luck in university!

[XM1L1TANTX]

how much IRL cash did u make?

[xjulianx]

As most of you know by now, I've been permanently banned from RuneScape as of the third of may. The reason of it is because I have broken rule 12: Real World Item Trading. The permanent ban is there to stay.

 

 

 

In two days I'll be turning 19. Anyway, the reason why I did it is because I'm university student doing two studies. The real life selling of runescape gp's was a nice option for me to afford my expenses somewhat. Furthermore, I was merely a "peon" in the whole real life trading scheme (despite my richness) and no I'm not responsible for any of the real life trading adds here on tip.it nor did I sell directly on ebay.

 

 

 

Ironically I had actually stopped with the selling 1.5 month ago and didn't do any trades since then anymore. Apparently it was already too late and inevitable though - Jagex probably already had the plans to ban me, or it may have happened because they caught my main buyer.

 

 

 

I want to stress that the real life trading rule is the only rule I ever broke in runescape. All my gp's were made fully legally by merchanting and investing in rares.

 

 

 

Whether this will change your opinion about me is something everyone will have to decide for himself. According to Jagex' news item of 3 may (coincidence or what?) I belong in the group of "dishonest" players :?. Their advice to stop breaking the rules now seems a bit hilarious to me, since that's what I did 1.5 month ago already and it apparently made no difference.

 

 

 

But I know what I did and Jagex knows what I did. The only sad part is that I actually stopped doing it already, but I guess that doesn't really matter anymore. In the end, I consciously took the risk and now I have to face it.

 

 

 

I guess it's now the time to say a few thank you's now :).

 

 

 

Firstly, I want to thank the tip.it staff for the fun time on the team. It was great to have worked with you guys and you're all nice people. I'm sorry it has to end like this, but it really makes no difference in my respect for you guys. You didn't had an other choice then to remove me from the team. Keep up the great work. :)

 

 

 

Secondly, since I have been a pmod for about half a year as well, I want to wish good luck to the whole pmod team plus the Jagex staff directing the pmods. Most of you are doing one hell of a job as well, and I feel the community is really appreciating it too little.

 

 

 

Furthermore I want to thank tfe2, ajl221893 (also called ajl :P or Adam007 on here), blackrazor, darkzlayer, andyawz, furious f, thehate, killwarrior, thenext88, unleash1, lasallite2, gavin 05, bacon2003, uwillbeowned, soccastar, me poulin, dr nuck, sliceman, fighter ss4, skeletorus09, dnt mess and nubstyle for the great time they gave me in the game.

 

 

 

There are tons more people I could name, but I really don't want to provide a ten-page list here :P. Don't feel saddened I didn't name you - you know who you are! :)

 

 

 

I'll see if I can find a bank pic, but anyway, to prevent people from going to speculate ridiculous stuff about what I owned in rs, I'll just post it here.

 

At the time of the ban I owned 200 santa hats, 200 pumpkins, 20 mask sets, 1 phat set, 3 half wines, 450mil pure gp and a bunch of other rares. Total value of about ~4bil I think.

 

 

 

I'm not sure what I'll do now. I'll probably continue to publish articles every now and then like I used to do, even though this happened. For the rest I just don't know yet.

 

 

 

~Duke Freedom

 

~The True Master Merchant

 

~Permanently Banned

 

 

 

Oh god, the economy is SO going to get screwed with the lost of his items.

[The_Valor]

I'm not really impressed by everyone stating that they are ok with it as you were using the money for yourself. You are part of a community now that try to ruin games like this for your own personal gain, which makes you no better than someone using a macro.

 

 

 

 

 

Its not like that.... Duke made one mistake A very understandable one... I'm guessing your still a kid and don't really understand yet that money matters when you get older....Personal Gain yes but it was necessary for survival. :wink:

 

 

 

Very true. Also, read the title of this thread "mea culpa" is latin for "my fault." He never ducks the blame for his actions, and his punishment is pretty severe, deserved, but severe nonetheless. I'd be furious if I was banned, and I've been playing this a lot less and have a lot less to lose than Duke did.

 

 

 

Ok, so we find out that all the people running macro programs are just here cos they have bills to pay? Thats fine then, cos im just a kid who has no idea about what money is all about. WE do not OWN anything on RuneScape, we pay to play on Jagexs property, if you sell stuff from it for personal gain then it is stealing. Dont tell me that anyone who breaks the law should be let off because they can make a few easy bucks because its not like that at all.

 

 

 

Get you head out of the dark hole it is in and look at the big picture.

 

 

 

He was banned for stealing. Period.

[fulkwulf]

Hey Duke :)

 

 

 

I always have and will respect you 100% for your merchanting abilities. I always looked up to you as a great merchant.

 

 

 

And like most everyone else, I respect you for admitting you mistake, and taking the punishment.

 

 

 

DonÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t think what you did hasnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t crossed just about every rich merchants mind. Good Luck man.

[Timmaaaay]

I am truely sad to see you go duke. You may remember me, and may not. I was the one that went to you when I found a bug where I could get barrow effects without the sets. Even though you broke a runescape rule, you will still probably go out as being one of the most respected players, because in my eyes you were one of the players that I respected most. I started out as a noob merchant and you were the one to tell me to merchant supplies, and so i merchanted until I finally got a purp phat.

[tugrul88]

Hey Duke, I was hoping that the rumours of you being banned were not true. I'm very sorry to find out it actually is true.

 

Don't worry about people losing respect for you. You were always a great merchant, earning your cash honestly, avoiding manipulation and scamming, and also helping others - including me - to learn how to merchant honestly. You've always been mature and polite and it really is a shame that you are banned :(

 

I'm sure the majority of players, me included, have had their moment of breaking rules, whether it was scamming, manipulating or so on.

 

You really are a good role model (not including this incident - a stupid mistake). I hope to see articles from you if you have decided not to create a new account and continue with RS.

 

Good luck in your life.

[Banim]

I can't blame you for choosing a future instead of a game, but if I'm not mistaken, you were a Player Mod. You accepted the invitation, and then basically you backstabbed Jagex. I'm not judging you, but I think being invited to form part of one of the two Mod teams is an honour. And you were trusted aswell to help in Tip.it, but your views on these cases may be different than mine.

 

 

 

I hope you luck, but I hope you figured out and learned the lesson.

[Adam007]

Can't say I wouldn't have done the same if I was in your position.

 

 

 

However, the fact you took the position of Moderator knowing for well you were breaking the rules, deceiving us all on tip.it, abusing your position of role-model and friend, that saddens me.

 

 

 

No dice with me. I respected you (past tense), don't get me wrong, but you got your cummupence. I'm surprised you're not banned here as well.

 

 

 

Despite this, all the best with your education and your future career.

 

I'm really surprised that anyone's opinion on him would be changed at all. I don't see how he was 'deceiving' anyone of anything. What he did was on the side, and the way he presented himself was as a rolemodel. Him coming out and telling the truth now is really honorable. We were surprised that people found out this soon, but he could have easily just played innocent and people would have believed it. In no way was he 'abusing' any 'position' at all. What he did he kept hidden, which had no connection with the actual game and these forums as a rolemodel. Way to generalize a person by one action Bubsa.

[frizoid]

Can't say I wouldn't have done the same if I was in your position.

 

 

 

However, the fact you took the position of Moderator knowing for well you were breaking the rules, deceiving us all on tip.it, abusing your position of role-model and friend, that saddens me.

 

 

 

No dice with me. I respected you (past tense), don't get me wrong, but you got your cummupence. I'm surprised you're not banned here as well.

 

 

 

Despite this, all the best with your education and your future career.

 

I'm really surprised that anyone's opinion on him would be changed at all. I don't see how he was 'deceiving' anyone of anything. What he did was on the side, and the way he presented himself was as a rolemodel. Him coming out and telling the truth now is really honorable. We were surprised that people found out this soon, but he could have easily just played innocent and people would have believed it. In no way was he 'abusing' any 'position' at all. What he did he kept hidden, which had no connection with the actual game and these forums as a rolemodel. Way to generalize a person by one action Bubsa.

 

 

 

There is nothing honourable in admitting your crime once it has been commited, this is mostly done to attract sympathy off the readers, which is obviously working. To be honourable would be to have owned up straight after the deed, but he didn't hoping he wouldn't get caught, thats not honourable, thats cowardice.

 

 

 

Presentations are nothing, its whats inside that counts, he broke one of the runescape rules that has no grey areas, you simply cannot trade rs items for any items outside of game. To do this as a player mod and as a tip.it forum mod shows disrespect to both parties, especially if the people he traded with knew he was in these positions. If he broke one rule so easily whats to say he didn't lie about breaking the others?

 

 

 

How can you say that what he did had no connection with the game? Every time someone sells gp for real life items it means someone that would not have been able to aquire that gp otherwise has, and they will use it most likely to gain skills or afford items they shouldn't have, thus affecting all of us.

 

 

 

Just a shame jagex didn't catch him til so late, when damage was already done.

[miracleman58]

lol !! rule 1 : dont break other rules

[me_poulin]

I'm not really impressed by everyone stating that they are ok with it as you were using the money for yourself. You are part of a community now that try to ruin games like this for your own personal gain, which makes you no better than someone using a macro.

 

 

 

 

 

Its not like that.... Duke made one mistake A very understandable one... I'm guessing your still a kid and don't really understand yet that money matters when you get older....Personal Gain yes but it was necessary for survival. :wink:

 

 

 

Very true. Also, read the title of this thread "mea culpa" is latin for "my fault." He never ducks the blame for his actions, and his punishment is pretty severe, deserved, but severe nonetheless. I'd be furious if I was banned, and I've been playing this a lot less and have a lot less to lose than Duke did.

 

 

 

Ok, so we find out that all the people running macro programs are just here cos they have bills to pay? Thats fine then, cos im just a kid who has no idea about what money is all about. WE do not OWN anything on RuneScape, we pay to play on Jagexs property, if you sell stuff from it for personal gain then it is stealing. Dont tell me that anyone who breaks the law should be let off because they can make a few easy bucks because its not like that at all.

 

 

 

Get you head out of the dark hole it is in and look at the big picture.

 

 

 

He was banned for stealing. Period.

 

 

 

 

 

Yea so he sold stuff but. He's not just one of those random autoer noobs. This is Duke freedom were talking about one of the greatest and nicest players to have ever graced the world of runescape. He made one mistake and he is paying for it now But one mistake like that shouldn't change anyones opinion about him. Duke was a nice guy who will live on in the mind of many as one of the best of all time.

[Shadow93]

appeal your ban dude, if you say the story and that you needed the money and that you won't do it again, i'm sure jagex will unban you if they actually listen to appeals

 

 

 

and it's sad to see that much runescape gp gone, i mean just imagine how big of a drop party you could of done if you knew you were leaving

[flamestrike]

is it safe to ask how much rl cash you made before the banning?

[Guest]

I can't believe everyone's so forgiving to you. Let me get this straight, you deceived TIPIT; you deceived us; you deceived JAGEX; and you violated the worst of the rules, yet everyone's expected to forgive you?

 

 

 

I am a college student as well, but I will never consider trading for cash as an option. JaGex and TipIt both believed in you, and gave you their highest honor. Both the RS and TipIt community respected and trusted you, yet you threw our trust like a rag doll.

 

 

 

You have no respect from me. What kind of example you are setting, as a former pmod and tipit admin, to the rest of the community? You have no right to even show up here again.

Thank you for staying this. I lost any respect I had for you. Ive had the money and items to sell and its never crossed my mind to risk it and sell them for real money. Granted I didnt have as much but with my skills I can make a mil a day easy and it would be a great second job. You had modship here and in game and just pissed on it. Im glad you were banned and can't wait for the others to be banned. Ya ya its just a game blah blah doesn't matter what you are doing have respect for the rules. Saying you're just a peon doesn't excuse you.

[Adam007]

Can't say I wouldn't have done the same if I was in your position.

 

 

 

However, the fact you took the position of Moderator knowing for well you were breaking the rules, deceiving us all on tip.it, abusing your position of role-model and friend, that saddens me.

 

 

 

No dice with me. I respected you (past tense), don't get me wrong, but you got your cummupence. I'm surprised you're not banned here as well.

 

 

 

Despite this, all the best with your education and your future career.

 

I'm really surprised that anyone's opinion on him would be changed at all. I don't see how he was 'deceiving' anyone of anything. What he did was on the side, and the way he presented himself was as a rolemodel. Him coming out and telling the truth now is really honorable. We were surprised that people found out this soon, but he could have easily just played innocent and people would have believed it. In no way was he 'abusing' any 'position' at all. What he did he kept hidden, which had no connection with the actual game and these forums as a rolemodel. Way to generalize a person by one action Bubsa.

 

 

 

There is nothing honourable in admitting your crime once it has been commited, this is mostly done to attract sympathy off the readers, which is obviously working. To be honourable would be to have owned up straight after the deed, but he didn't hoping he wouldn't get caught, thats not honourable, thats cowardice.

 

 

 

Presentations are nothing, its whats inside that counts, he broke one of the runescape rules that has no grey areas, you simply cannot trade rs items for any items outside of game. To do this as a player mod and as a tip.it forum mod shows disrespect to both parties, especially if the people he traded with knew he was in these positions. If he broke one rule so easily whats to say he didn't lie about breaking the others?

 

 

 

How can you say that what he did had no connection with the game? Every time someone sells gp for real life items it means someone that would not have been able to aquire that gp otherwise has, and they will use it most likely to gain skills or afford items they shouldn't have, thus affecting all of us.

 

 

 

Just a shame jagex didn't catch him til so late, when damage was already done.

 

What are you saying? That once he sold his first gp he should have reported himself and asked to be banned? It's not as if he was unaware he was breaking a rule. He had so much rs cash, and to him it just made more sense to trade the time getting virtual currency in one medium for virtual currency in another medium.

 

He knows he broke a rule - I just don't think anyone needs to view him any differently. If he broke a rule outside of runescape would people freaking out? No, he's still the same person. He had no use for the money in the game, so instead of letting it rot away gradually he made some use out of it(not that I support breaking rules in any way though - just in his case it made sense to). Again, since jagex makes it illegal in their game to do it, it's now a bad character trait apparently that he didn't follow this.

 

When I mentioned the 'no connection' deal, I meant that what he did outside of the game on forums isn't necessarily connected to the actual game itself, and that you don't need to link his forum identity with his runescape identity, because that could go on really far, and doesn't hold.

 

Now I know you're the most ultra-conservative-righteous type poster I really can remember, so I'm taking that into consideration, but really, why would you view him any differently?

[uk_swat]

You broke a rule,You got punished maybe a bit too harshly though.

[Gamerr]

Mea Culpa? I don't think so.

 

 

 

I've respected (and still do) as a player, but what you have done is really normal. When you work so hard on a game, you want to have something in real life to "compensate" that. I'd like to point out it's also JAGeX fault, they could make a lot of transactions impossible by asking EBAY to block the selling of runescape accounts, or runescape related things.

 

 

 

I know a few people who think they same way as you, on the end of their "rs career" they want to sell their stuff to have something behind their hand.

 

I'm not going to do it, i love the game too much for it. But think this, there are professional gamers who practise 4 years on a game and make 10000+ dollars out of it on tournaments. It's kinda logical you want something too in real life, to compensate your no lifing.

 

 

 

Have fun in real life duke, i've enjoyed you from the early RuneScape times, and i still will. Adios duke, and enjoy college!

[DDA]

He is still the same person no matter what way you look at it. However he did deceive us and for that reason I am very dissapointed. I know that as a moderator I have more than once gotten someone banned for real life item trading (atleast on forums) and I am sure that Duke has done the same (especially considering his activeness in market boards). That to me just seems very hypocritical. So yes this does not make him a different person, but I think it exposes a different side. Whether you choose to continue to respect him after this is your choice.

 

 

 

Coming forth and telling us all about this (although we still would have found out eventually) does show some guts. Its obvious you knew what you did was wrong. But still, you decided to keep it to yourself until Jagex found out. That to me shows cowardice, and well, now I really do not know what to think about you. In the end it really does not matter though, or for that reason what any of us think. He has the choice of appealing and Jagex has the choice of accepting or declining, and for me thats a good place to leave off.

[Ellipsis]

Can't say that was expected.

[The_Valor]

I'm not really impressed by everyone stating that they are ok with it as you were using the money for yourself. You are part of a community now that try to ruin games like this for your own personal gain, which makes you no better than someone using a macro.

 

 

 

 

 

Its not like that.... Duke made one mistake A very understandable one... I'm guessing your still a kid and don't really understand yet that money matters when you get older....Personal Gain yes but it was necessary for survival. :wink:

 

 

 

Very true. Also, read the title of this thread "mea culpa" is latin for "my fault." He never ducks the blame for his actions, and his punishment is pretty severe, deserved, but severe nonetheless. I'd be furious if I was banned, and I've been playing this a lot less and have a lot less to lose than Duke did.

 

 

 

Ok, so we find out that all the people running macro programs are just here cos they have bills to pay? Thats fine then, cos im just a kid who has no idea about what money is all about. WE do not OWN anything on RuneScape, we pay to play on Jagexs property, if you sell stuff from it for personal gain then it is stealing. Dont tell me that anyone who breaks the law should be let off because they can make a few easy bucks because its not like that at all.

 

 

 

Get you head out of the dark hole it is in and look at the big picture.

 

 

 

He was banned for stealing. Period.

 

 

 

 

 

Yea so he sold stuff but. He's not just one of those random autoer noobs. This is Duke freedom were talking about one of the greatest and nicest players to have ever graced the world of runescape. He made one mistake and he is paying for it now But one mistake like that shouldn't change anyones opinion about him. Duke was a nice guy who will live on in the mind of many as one of the best of all time.

 

 

 

I find it amazing that there are not more people like Myself, Trixstar Bubsa and Frizoid coming out and not lowering ourselfs to giving sympathy a RULE BREAKER.

 

 

 

If Trixstar came on tommorow and said 'Yeah sorry all, it was me and 2 mates playing my account, but its ok, I was only doing it for myself, no-one got hurt by it so thats ok right?' She would be a rule breaker and no better than ANYONE else who breaks the rules.

 

 

 

I am a nice guy, and i rekon that there are a lot of nice people who run auto programs, or buy ingame cash, or sell ingame cash. But that does not push aside that he stole money from a company that provides fun for millions of people.

 

 

 

[scorpion999]

Too bad to see THE most amazing merchant banned and never got to meet him in runescape. Ah well, you shoulda been temp banned and giving a black mark or two. :?