Special Task Force Q&A – GameInside (Japanese Premier Site)


Q) How big is the Special Task Force?

A) We cannot at this moment disclose the exact number of staff, but the Operation team is independent, full-time and separate from the GM team and the Information Centre.

Q) Regarding the methods you use and the areas you cover, are there any fundamental differences when it come to the way you deal with RMT or third party tools users?

A) There are no fundamental differences when it comes to action regarding infraction of the terms of agreement. The Special Task Force cannot close any accounts due to activities outside of the game. However, we have at our disposal several new means to investigate and collect evidence to prove a user’s involvement with RMT. Please forgive me for not disclosing the concrete measures that the team takes, as this would have a negative impact on the work we perform.


Q) With regards to RMT -your main responsibility- it has been said that you would investigate trade of this nature and penalise all parties involved with such activities. What sort of penalties would you consider?

A) Appropriate penalties would be enforced. This could range from a warning to the actual closing of an account. The team would react appropriately to the seriousness of an infringement. The team would also take into consideration a user’s previous record. As for the structure of the penalties, please refer to the GM policy which will soon be made publicly available.


Q) You have previously referred to “users of mass/continuous RMT”. However, one could expect first-time participants to develop an addictive attitude in regards to this problem. What is your position regarding this? For example, if you systematically warn users who participate in RMT, even if this is an apparently insignificant trade, you might be able to tackle the problem at an early stage and thus significantly decrease the number of traders.

A) This statement only refers to a specific target. We regularly review the effects of our investigations and take into account the resulting responses. We modify the breadth/scope of our work accordingly. We have considered the possibility of issuing warnings to the sort of users which you mention. However, if we targeted such users, we would end up having too many cases for us to handle realistically. We are therefore continuing to make an effort to improve the scope and accuracy of our investigations.


Q) I believe that there are a small number of users who sell gil to RMT traders. I would imagine that such cases would be extremely hard to investigate. Do such users fall within the scope of your investigations?

A) Indeed they do. We have come across quite a few of these cases, from the individual level to organised groups of traders. When one looks at this issue, one realises that these types of trade often have a direct impact on gameplay for other users (for example, some specific areas where a unique monster appears can end up being quasi monopolised). This has become a serious concern within the Final Fantasy XI community. Therefore, as a swift response is required, we are considering the possibility of cooperating with the GM team


Q) There seems to be positive results following the banning of accounts en masse. On the other hand, it is likely that traders are beginning to form large and organised groups. For example, one sometimes sees a spawn area, a battlefield or another similar type of location with numerous PCs having almost identical names, all walking in line. Who will supervise such users in the future? Will it be the Special Task Force instead of the GM team?

A) We are hoping to deal with these cases by teaming up the Special Task Force with the GM team as well as the Account-Admin team. We are currently elaborating a number of factors required to undertake various activities, so that in the not too distant future, players will actually see some results.

Whereas the Special Task Force is efficient at banning multiple accounts by accumulating information drawn from various sources (such as logs), the GM team has more manoeuvrability as well as being able to operate 24 hours a day. We are hoping to merge the strengths of both teams in order to yield the highest results.

We will, however, never exclude any user without an adequate and well-founded reason, that is to say they won’t be excluded because they are reported as sharing the same name or not speaking the same language as the informer. The only thing that concerns us is a user’s breach of the terms of agreement. This is the only way to ensure that false accusations have no consequences.


Q) At the moment, it is said that dealing with traders in a legal framework is fairly difficult. Bearing this in mind, how are you hoping to reach traders based abroad?

A) No matter where RMT websites may be located geographically, it would be impossible for them to operate without a connection to the virtual world of Final Fantasy XI. As previously stated, we always need proof of a breach of the terms of agreement as grounds for any action taken. Therefore, it is unimportant to us as to where such sites are being operated from.


Q) There is a rumour that in some cases you may ask players to provide information about other players breaking the rules. Will you use any other methods aside from the ones, such as GM calls, currently notified in the game?

A) To take an example, the Special Task Force is already gathering substantial information about RMT sites, and, to confirm this information, we may need to ask users to confirm certain cases.

The GM call line would collapse if absolutely all issues related to breaches of agreement terms were reported through it. We are therefore hoping to set up a mail form which will permit users to extensively report or give details about cases during specific periods. We expect to disclose specific criteria when we initiate a programme of investigation.


Q) I understand that gil currently held by RMT users and traders will be confiscated. However, what will happen to gil purchased in RMT that have already been spent –that is to say traded in Auction Houses or exchanged in any other way?

A) This may seem unusual, but gil purchased via RMT has not necessarily been obtained through an unfair process. We are therefore not considering the confiscation of gil which has been handed over to a third party or circulated on the market if the origin of these exists within the framework of the game.

This has no consequence to the fact that RMT is banned, and anyone who has been a confirmed participator in RMT will be penalised. However, this is a separate issue when one considers where gil originates from.

It has been confirmed that gil has been created unjustly through cheating, duplication and other means. In these cases, gil does not exist within the framework of the game and therefore should not be present: we pursue users who are in possession of these and confiscate them. This is something which we have always done and which we’ll continue to do.

* We would like to hear your comments and questions from our European Community too!

my problem with this is that they took way too long to develop something like this. Its basically just them trying to save whatever groups of people are left.

One day I bet we are all going to find out that mikey is the master mind behind IGE. Hes probably been selling gil since he was lucky enough to meet me.

He prolly wouldn't need you pick him up at the bus station then.

my problem with this is that they took way too long to develop something like this. Its basically just them trying to save whatever groups of people are left.

Nope. I never called S-E about it. Dead made such a stink about it on the forums, I didn't want to have to deal with it. haha. Still sucks to only see Ridere logged on when he's healbotting, though, or bazaaring. lol

Yeah I cancelled my IDs and they were all cut and inactive as of this morning. A friend told me he'd hold onto my character in case I wanted to come back but I am not going to start playing again.