Closed Illegal to trade items

Discussion in 'Discussions Archive' started by KhalDrogo, Sep 13, 2022.

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  1. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    If it is illegal to trade in game items for gift cards, why are players allowed to trade in game items for gift cards?

    i.e "Selling $100 gift card for 100 stacks of grass."

    upload_2022-9-13_21-13-45.png
     
  2. Boarder
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    Boarder Active Member

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    Because Skyblock Giftcards can only be used to purchase ingame items, whereas other GCs, like amazon are used in reallife. So that would be IRL trading, which is forbidden. I guess the "or ANY other GC" is just a poor choice of words, because clearly SB giftcards are good to go.
     
  3. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    That's not exactly true though. Skyblock gift cards, like any gift card, are transferable either by gifting or by sale.
    The laws about gift cards are not set by the retailer or vendor and are the same for all gift cards, whether they be Netflix, Amazon or Skyblock.
    So while they will be used to purchase in game items, ranks, etc. eventually, they can also be sold for cash. Legally.
    Just as Netflix vouchers can only be used for Netflix, they can also be sold for cash. Same goes for Itunes, Spotify, Xbox. etc.

    Drogo suspects, when you used Amazon as your example, you'd ruled out those actually listed in the rules as being able to deliver your point.
     
  4. Boarder
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    Boarder Active Member

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    I didnt know that SB giftcards could legally be sold for cash, that`s pretty interesting. Yet, I`d guess Skyblock doesnt want their Giftcards to be sold for cash, so they just ban the players( I think they do?), as they cannot take legal actions against them, because it`s legal to sell any GCs for cash like you stated. So I´d guess why SB does that is so you cant buy SB GCs with grass, then sell them for IRL money. That would somewhat "outplay" the EULA rules of irl trading (yet again, these are just my though/ideas). Taking away the possibility of buying GCs with grass would ruin the fun for all free2play gamers. So SB uses their domiciliary rights to ban the players that are rl trading GCs (which is legal, but I think you have to agree to the rules of the server if you wanna play it, so banning them if they broke the rule of irl trading GCs is fairplay?), otherwise they cant enforce the IRL trading rules. And I think its great that you can pay grass for rank upgrades, because my myself is free to play.

    And no I choose amazon randomly, it just popped in my head.
     
  5. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    Skyblock shouldn’t be banning players for selling gift cards. There’s nothing illegal about doing that.
    Also, Drogo doesn’t think selling in game items for irl items is against Minecraft’s EULA. The Skyblock rules state it is, and refer to the EULA’s “One Major Rule” but that rule refers to the sale or distribution of the software, or profiting from use of the Minecraft name, logos etc. Drogo thinks whoever wrote the Skyblock rules misinterpreted the EULA. Wouldn’t be the first time.

    If it is against the EULA, then they should not permit the trade of grass for gift cards, because there is no restriction on the sale of gift cards.
    They are by definition, a ‘gift’ and if you can gift something, then you can sell it.
    If Drogo spent $100 on gift cards but then decided to give the game away, he’d be well within his rights to sell that to recoup some cash spent.

    Players can still rank up by paying with grass, the trade just needs to be a direct grass for rank trade. Once you include gift cards, you’ve got a non in game item that is not restricted.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2022
  6. Boarder
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    If the EULA was rlly missinterpretated it would change lots of things for certain. But even if it was, I doubt a change of rules on anything within the next century.
     
  7. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    Who knows. All Drogo can say is that selling of gift cards (not just Skyblock giftcards) for cash is legal and the only way to prevent it is to ban the practice of trading grass for giftcards.

    Staff have been known to change rules pretty quickly. Like when it’s pointed out that they are violating their own rules or if they need to do so to justify unfair punishments already issued.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2022
  8. Boarder
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    Now I'm confused, we'd prevent selling GCs for cash by banning the practice of trading GCs for grass?
     
  9. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    You prevent it by making it pointless. If the only way to get gift cards is by spending cash it makes no sense to resell them.
    As it is now players could trade grass for gift cards and then sell those gift cards for cash. And the only point at which they technically break any rule is when the make the initial trade of grass for gift cards.
    Because gift cards are not in game items and are legal to sell.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2022
  10. Boarder
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    Well,thats true but still I´d hate to see that. Then the only way to get rank upgrades without paying money would be to get top voters.
     
  11. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    You can pay them grass to upgrade you. Rather than pay for the coupon and then upgrade yourself
    They’d have to be removed as prizes from casinos too.
     
  12. athena_x
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    athena_x Well-Known Member

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    The problem is Mojang’s EULA. It doesn’t clearly define what is okay to monetize versus what isnt. This led alot of servers to scramble removing donation items under fear of being terminated and blacklisted. Mojang states it is disallowed to “make commercial use of anything we've made” or to “try to make money from anything we've made”

    This doesn’t define what is actually considered as ‘making money’. Is trading in-game items for real world cash falling under these? Are “donations” in exchange for perks breaking the eula?
     
  13. LeoSteel
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    LeoSteel Active Member

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    What's the problems with gift cards now? or is this just another attempt to nit-pick wording in rules? Because you've raised a point that doesn't seem to be an issue at all.

    If a person wanted to buy a gift card for cash do you really think they'd come around searching for someone with a gift card to "IRL" trade it or do you think if they had the cash then they'd just buy the gift card themselves from the store?

    What is your actual concern? Gift cards or the rule?
     
  14. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    Actually the EULA is pretty clear on servers receiving “donations” in exchange perks. That definitely violates the EULA.
    With regards to selling of in game items, it is a bit vague, yes. Skyblocks own rules omit are pretty clear though, but still, they allow it.



    The rules clearly state, we’re not to sell in game items for gift cards. There’s no other way to interpret that so your snide comment about this being nitpicking only shows your lack of understanding.

    The concern is, a player could, let’s say sell 45 stacks of grass for a $50 gift card. This happens all the time through advertising in game and on the forum despite the rules clearly stating it’s not permitted.
    Now this player has a $50 gift card that they can sell for, say $40 cash.

    Just so it’s clear for you Leo, the concern is, that players can turn their grass into cash by making two transactions. Only the initial trade of grass for gift cards is illegal as per the server rules, but the server allows it.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2022
  15. LeoSteel
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    LeoSteel Active Member

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    So if your concern is the rule. It will be changed. If your concern is people selling gift cards for cash, what evidence have you found to suggest this is a large concern of the server?
     
  16. SuperCoolWimp
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    SuperCoolWimp Active Member

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    SuperCoolWimp agrees with LeoSteel here. SuperCoolWimp doesn’t know why this thread was created, it isn’t relevant at all. SuperCoolWimp takes his claims one step further by saying this: the rules are correctly worded here. This is for “non-minecraft” + the bullet it’s combined with makes it obvious that they are talking about gift cards OUTSIDE of Minecraft. Not an issue, never will be, never has been.
     
  17. LeoSteel
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    LeoSteel Active Member

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    Problem solved.
     
  18. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    Do you really think if players start advertising gift cards for cash, that wouldn’t be a concern.
     
  19. LeoSteel
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    LeoSteel Active Member

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    Do you really think it’s a current concern? Or are we playing a game of premonition lol I have never seen a player advertise selling a gift card for IRL cash, I believe it’s because IRL trading rules and common sense say it shouldn’t be done.
     
  20. KhalDrogo
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    KhalDrogo Experienced Member

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    Let’s assume your correct and it’s perfectly fine to sell grass for Skyblock gift cards.
    There is nothing to stop people from selling the gift cards for cash. So it just takes one extra step to make money from in game items, because gift cards are not in game items and perfectly legal to sell.
    Basically, allowing players to trade grass for gift cards, creates a work around that enables you to profit from in game items without breaking any rules.
     
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