Modern Warfare 2′s Javelin Glitch Will Get You Suspended from Xbox Live
By Benjamin Opal
Update: At last, the fix is here.
As expected with big multiplayer game launches like Modern Warfare 2, it’s only a matter of time before someone finds a cheap exploit in the code, but Microsoft’s taking a particularly aggressive stance toward the so-called “Javelin Glitch,” which turns the player into a suicide bomber. While Infinity Ward comes up with a patch, anyone caught using this exploit will be booted from Xbox Live for 24 hours, according to Xbox Live policy enforcer Stephen Toulouse, but egregious offenders can be banned for up to two weeks. Essentially, the glitch gives players “Martyrdom,” allowing them to drop a grenade after dying. To use Martyrdom without glitching, you’d have to activate its specific Deathstreak, and even that requires a skill level of 27 and four deaths in a row before the ability activates.
To activate the glitch, players equip the javelin or other rocket launcher, hold the grenade button and switch weapons. The player can then knife, sprint or jump with the grenade ready to blow. It doesn’t seem like a particularly useful glitch to me, but it’s probably bad enough to make playing unenjoyable for other players. The problem will be fixed in Modern Warfare 2′s first title update, but no date has been announced. Meanwhile, Sony told Connected Consoles that the javelin glitch won’t result in bans from the Playstation Network. Unfair players are welcome, then? [via Playstation University]
Sunday, December 6, 2009 3:05PM
Enraged gamer, not only is your argument lead entirely by opinion, without the slightest hint of a fact to sweeten the pot, buy you also betray a woeful ignorance of the intricacies of software development.
If I could draw your attention to the Xbox Online Policy*, section 5: How You May Not Use The Service – "exploit a bug, or make an unauthorized modification, to any software or data to gain unfair advantage in a game , contest, or promotion.". The issue isn't that the fault in the software exists, or that it might, from time to time, have an impact on the game, rather, the issue is the exploitation of such a bug. For instance, people taking advantage of the bug knowingly and frequently for their own advantage.
You could also argue that the use of the "Javelin Glitch" is tantamount to cheating, in that it violates the accepted rules of the game. Microsoft's Online Code of Conduct** states users should not, "cheat in a game unless cheats have been deliberately enabled". In this case, it is fairly clear that cheats, such that the "Javelin Glitch" is, have not be deliberately enabled.
Personally (and note how I’m offering my own opinion alongside some actual facts), it’s an issue of impacting other users of the service. It’s fairly safe to assume that the people you’re playing against on Modern Warfare 2 have paid for their Xbox Live subscription and their copy of the game expecting to be able to play online against others in accordance to the rules of the game. Infinity Ward and Microsoft have a responsibility to safeguard their customer’s right to play the game as it was intended. If some user’s wish to disrupt the service for others, then, unfortunately, what choice is there other than to suspend those users’ access to the service?
Regarding your assertion that, “90% of the time when a glitch is found it's posted for everyone to see all over the internet.”, firstly, I’m not sure where you get the figure of 90% from, secondly, I’m not quite sure where ‘all over the internet is, and thirdly, according to http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm, only about 25% of the world’s population have regular access to the internet, so I’m not quite sure that it’s there for ‘everyone’ to see.
And in answer to your theory that if everyone knows how to make use of these bugs it’s somehow ok, allow me to present an analogous argument that I hope will highlight how ridiculous your argument actually sounds. Consider that it is common knowledge that stabbing a human being through the face repeatedly with a 12 inch blade will result in the death of the human who has been stabbed through the face. Would it be considered to be acceptable to execute such actions, given that everyone has the knowledge required to perform them? Would it have an impact on other users of the service (life), such as the person who has stabbed-in-the-face-to-death, or his family and friends? Would you stab someone repeatedly through the face just because you knew how?
And on to your claims that software developers should be penalised for releasing software with bugs and that Infinity Ward have failed to fix this bug quickly enough for you. The nature of software development is such that it is highly unlikely that a software release will contain no bugs or errors. If you penalised developers for that, they wouldn’t publish software. The nature of software development, especially in big projects such as MW2, also makes fixing code difficult. Are you really expecting it to be a case of changing a single line of code or them adding in if(gotJavelin && holdingGrenade && areDead){explode = FALSE} ? If the bug managed to slip past their test team and made it to the release version, it’s far more likely that the cause of the fault is obfuscated somewhere within the code. They’re going to have to isolate the exact behaviours that cause it, fix the code and then do some pretty extensive testing to make sure that the changes haven’t impacted on the existing code in a way they did not expect (or they’d have people moaning about the glitch where you can turn yourself into a jet and fly around the map shoot riot shields into people’s faces).
In conclusion, if you’re going to spout nonsense because you’re a bit upset, do it somewhere I’m unlikely to see it, like on your own blog or something.
*http://www.xbox.com/en-US/legal/LiveTOU.htm
**http://www.xbox.com/en-US/legal/codeofconduct.htm
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 9:20AM
I agree with the first guy. These I have used the glitch before. We are not hacking, or anything, just doing something that is allowed in the game. I asked someone and they told me how to do it, and I have told others. Other glitches, such as going under levels (COD WaW), is often available online like he said. When you say only 25 per cent of the worlds population has internet, how many of those people who don't have it have xbox live? Zero. So I don't understand where that statement comes from, as you would need the internet to have xbox live. I'm sure a lot more people have internet than have game systems.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 4:55AM
hi ya buddy, you and your little friend enraged gamer can go glitch together in a private match but please stay out of public games if you're gonna be a little cheat thanks
Friday, December 11, 2009 7:41AM
I personally see all sides of the argument, but my biggest concern are those who care about the leaderboard standings. It is not fair for someone to lose their standing that they earned from hours of game time and skill they developed to be bumped down due to someone who is exploiting a bug. On top of that as a paying xbox live customer I find myself more and more annoyed when i am trying to play a fair game (which can be frustrating enough considering the average players' skill level :0 ) and there is one player whom is at the top of the round for exploiting this "glitch." In addition to this does anyone notice how ridiculous the damage area is. I have personally shot one of these exploiters at a "normally" safe distance to find that I am dead as well. I can understand someone using this to goof around, but i find that around 25% (my estimation) of my matches have a player using this bug.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 3:11PM
Ok i agree with enraged gamer, but besides the point vincent i don't see where someone knowing how to kill someone and using that to kill someone has anything in common with someone using glitches because they know how to.The 25% that you say that have internet like 23% of them have a system and have live.I don't see where using something that is found in the game is so bad that people should be banned for 24 hrs.I know some people get mad because they get killed all the time by these glitchers, but if you get mad just figure out how to do it yourself and don't cry about being killed by glitchers.It's not that they're in glitch to kill you easier it's just you suck so please don't cry about getting killed noobs.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 6:41PM
Do people have to complain about everything? I have played MW2 from its release and have never once used or been killed by anyone using this glitch. Infiniti Ward should just add the ability to vote to kick players. The glitch is just a new strategic way of getting kills. If Microsoft is banning players for using this glitch then they should ban campers and people who jump up and down. Those people are way more annoying than the players using the javelin glitch and they don’t get banned because its all part of the game. As far as I’m concerned, if you don’t have to hack the game to use the glitch, then you shouldn’t be banned for it. Not to mention that Xbox LIVE is a complete rip off compared to the FREE PSN. If they want to ban you then they should give you a refund. It’s not the gamers fault that a glitch slipped through the cracks. Fix it if you want, but let the game be played as is until then.
Monday, December 28, 2009 10:59AM
soo true
using tht clitch is just a representation of how certain gamers skill level is so low,enough to clitch rather then play the game normally.And why annoy every one else doing so