We've all had that moment of moral conflict over whether we should totally screw over a stranger in an online game. Maybe it was in EVE Online, after finally being trusted with the keys to your corporation's coffers, or maybe it was in Diablo 2, using exploits to swindle some poor sucker out of a coveted item. In that same vein, we've also known the sting of realizing that your parents were right and that, even in a videogame, you shouldn't trust strangers. If a deal seems too good to be true, then it usually is.
If writing about EVE Online has taught me one thing, it's that no matter who was scammed or how it went down, it usually makes for one hell of a story. That's why we want to know yours. If you've enjoyed a stint as a swindling bastard in an online game, this is your chance to confess those sins and come clean. Or, if you've been harboring that secret shame of getting hoodwinked by an obvious scam, we want to know that tale too.
Inspired by this Reddit thread, we're going to take your funniest, most savage (or tragic) tales and arrange them this weekend into a chronicle of our community's sordid history with scamming. We're hoping we can all come together as wolves and sheep and share a good laugh.
Just to give you an idea, here's ironzerg sharing their ingenious plot to punish greedy players:
It probably won't surprise you to learn that Ultima Online was a complete hive of scum and villainy. As one of the first sandbox MMOs ever made, there was little you couldn't do if you were dastardly enough. Here's our collection of five stories of murder and theft that prove why Ultima Online deserves its great legacy.
"My personal favorite was from [Ultima Online]. Back in the day, you could trap treasure chests, and if your tinker skill was high enough it was almost assuredly a one-shot kill. I was at the bank at Minoc, and I whispered to a random guy there if he wanted to see something cool. I told him to play along, and no matter what, don't pick up the chest I drop.
So we go a few steps away from the bank and start 'talking.' I said something along the lines of 'Hey, this is too heavy to trade. I might have to drop it on the group. It's filled with too many weapons.' And as I'm saying this, people start creeping closer and closer. I finally say, 'Hey, get ready, I'll drop it real quick and you pick it up fast.'
Of course, as soon as I drop it, people swarm to try to pick it up. It disappears off the ground, and a few seconds later, some well-dressed character explodes, leaving his body. People immediately swarm him, stripping his character down to his undies, taking all his stuff. It was hilarious."
Can you out-do that? If so, hop into the comments and share your worst.
