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It appears that Blizzard is indeed aware of the problems with stream sniping, but their initial responce gives little hope for changes to be made.
This was the original post of a stickied thread on the Blizzard forums by Community Manager, Bashiok:
We’ve continued to see reports regarding someone live streaming their match, and their opponent watching the stream in order to gain an in-game advantage (also known as stream sniping). While this is obviously poor sportsmanship on the part of the one viewing the stream, we’d like to clarify that this is not a violation of any current policies. In fact, we cannot enforce any ‘fair play’ policies if a user chooses to provide their opponent an advantage. If someone in-game chooses to tell their opponent every move they’re making, thereby informing them how to counter it, we cannot conclude that any violation has taken place. Even if this could be considered a violation, we simply cannot micro-manage every streamed match to ensure the opponent was not looking at it, or using it to their advantage. It goes far beyond the scope of what we’re able to enforce. It’s advisable for those streaming to take precautions, including delaying their streams by a significant amount of time, to avoid any potential advantage they may be providing their opponent.
We are absolutely able to enforce, and will continue to do so, violations that include harassment of others in-game, use of hacks, abuse of our reporting tools, and attempts to disrupt the gameplay of others. If you believe that someone is in violation of the game rules it does not warrant behavior, language, or abuse that would earn you, yourself, a suspension from the game. If you'd like to report an offense, please report the player using clear and descriptive language only once; support will review that report and take action based on the validity of the complaint, not the persistence of the reporting.
The intent with our policies is to ensure a fair and fun experience in Blizzard games, but the act of providing a window into your game for your opponent to see is not considered a violation, should they choose to use that to their advantage. We encourage anyone streaming to keep this in mind while doing so.
TLDR: Blizzard is aware of stream sniping, but have no policies against it because streamers are willingly making their games viewable. They suggest that streamers take extra precautions, as they cannot possibly deal with the problem. They will, of course, still be working against hacks and other such violations.
Personaly, I think their argument is fine. (Wait, don't rage at me). As much as I would like all stream snipers/cheaters to be permanantly demoted to bronze league, streamers are putting themselves at risk, and Blizzard has no rules against such things. For the record, I watch pro-gamer streams all the time, and it's annoying as a viewer as well as the streamer, as there is nothing fun about watching a game where somebody is cheating.
Feel free to discuss, don't get mad if you disagree.
P.S. It's been brought up that Blizzard seems to be confused between "stream sniping" and "stream cheating", being that one is queuing up to get a game with a pro, and the other is watching their stream during the game to win. I don't think this matters, thats like correcting somebody's grammar or spelling in an effort to defeat their argument. Blizzards position is quite clear, word choice regardless.
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Of course their argument is fine. It is impossible to enforce or guarantee for sure someone is sniping (besides 1 or 2 people in the community.)
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I agree with their argument that they can't do anything because they have no current policies against stream cheating. What they could do however is add stream sniping to their policies and ban people who have been reported on multiple accounts since it's easily verifiable by looking at their match history. Doesn't seem like any more of difficult than looking into harassment cases.
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It's exactly what we all knew it would be, and what it should be really.
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honest question. how hard is it to add delay...
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Blizzard has FAR more important things to fix that directly relate to the game and bnet. Stream sniping is an outside issue that should hopefully be last on their list.
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On January 20 2012 13:51 Leeoku wrote: honest question. how hard is it to add delay... its clearly easy and it clearly doesnt work.
not suprised blizz doesnt really care.....but dont they agree that some people turn it into harassment? (deezer)
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On January 20 2012 13:51 Leeoku wrote: honest question. how hard is it to add delay... I don't stream, but I can't imagine that it's very chalanging. I think the reason many streamers don't add a delay is because it limits their interaction with their audidiance, which is the basis of them running a good stream.
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Encouraging to know that Blizzard can't even be bothered to figure out what stream sniping actually is.
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On January 20 2012 13:53 hytonight wrote:Show nested quote +On January 20 2012 13:51 Leeoku wrote: honest question. how hard is it to add delay... its clearly easy and it clearly doesnt work. not suprised blizz doesnt really care.....but dont they agree that some people turn it into harassment? (deezer)
Again, this type of harassment is one of the prices of streaming. Blizzard can't punish someone for abusing their ladder system via a stream.
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While I think stream sniping is deplorable, I never thought it to be Blizzard's issue. If someone makes their live games public, that is their issue.
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Yeah I wouldn't expect Blizzard to do anything about stream sniping, like they said it is out of their reach as to what they can actually enforce, and it isn't a direct problem with the game so it isn't really their problem either. If anything, the problem really lies on the streaming website (twitch, owned, etc.), but even then the stream sniper isn't doing anything wrong by their policies. They are just simply watching the stream. Unfortunately I don't think stream sniping is going to be dealt with in a formal way by Blizzard, Twitch, or any other organization, but rather by streamers using overlays to hide when they are queueing etc, much like the overlays many Liquid/EG guys use when they stream.
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On January 20 2012 13:50 SKTerran.117 wrote: What else did people REALLY expect them to do?
that's what I wondered to lol. Why do people expect blizzard to do something about stream sniping? Its not their responsibility at all for that kind of thing lol.
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On January 20 2012 13:51 Leeoku wrote: honest question. how hard is it to add delay...
How can blizzard add delay ? The streamers have to set up delay on their streaming program. However they choose not to do so because it makes viewer-streamer interaction much worse.
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The problem I have with this is in cases when combatEZ and deezer prevent a progamer from practicing because they stream snipe them so much (others players do it too but none nearly so well-known). They're trying to make a living, especially in the case of destiny, where viewer numbers matter(ed?) while the sniper is trying to be a nuisance. There's a huge difference.
Actually, I really dislike this decision by blizzard There is no difference between stream sniping and maphacking. It's not the streamer's fault that hes streaming, its the maphackers/snipers fault for looking at the stream. They can choose whether or not to do so, and only affect themselves. If the streamer decides to delay or shut off the stream, then he loses hundreds or thousands of viewers.
Demuslim handles this very well, he just makes fun of the sniper and mercilessly beats him game after game while giving him tips. When he was losing games, he put the camera on his face and every few minutes would talk about how hes facing combatEZ and trashing him, and he made us have a good time regardless.
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Yeah silly to even complain about this to blizzard in the first place...
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On January 20 2012 13:54 blah_blah wrote: Encouraging to know that Blizzard can't even be bothered to figure out what stream sniping actually is.
Not sure if trolling or just didn't read
User was warned for this post
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That's not even the definition of stream sniping, what!?
Stream sniping is merely watching the other player's stream to try and get matched vs them, then you CLOSE the stream.
What they're describing is stream cheating.
Massive difference.
On January 20 2012 13:57 nicknack wrote:Show nested quote +On January 20 2012 13:54 blah_blah wrote: Encouraging to know that Blizzard can't even be bothered to figure out what stream sniping actually is. Not sure if trolling or just didn't read
He's right, you're wrong.
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