Salvage Server Exploit needs addressing ASAP

[BST]

Entry to the Silver Sea Remnants I and II Salvage Server is again denied, because of a group of Automated Bots exploiting the entry Door, the "Gilded Gateway".

On Asura the Door no-longer works and the area is offline with an error "Server not found". A search of the area fails or returns 0.
Currently we have 28 bots jammed on the door for over 5 hours, non-stop attempting to enter all at once. Nobody can enter.

This has happened before.

This needs attention.

Currently, if you click the Door, and select area to enter, and select Yes, what happens is you are placed in a state to enter, where you can't move, you can't exit, you can't do anything.
Now, when someone else shows up and clicks the Door and selects the same area, if they do this while you wait for what seems to be 15 seconds, you are REMOVED from the queue-process. And the next person attempts to enter.

We need something to be done about this, a change to how the entry process works for Salvage. Right now its being exploited to prevent any entering.

[Miragem]

How long do we need to endure this onslaught from bots and RMT??? Soon there will be no players on Asura, just bots and mercs lol.
Please support my other thread if you can; We need SE to execute countermeasures to address these issues.

[Zehira]

How long do we need to endure this onslaught from bots and RMT???

Heavily addicted players just can't quit. If they try they will suffer and come back to Vana'diel. Many people don't understand that the STF apparently is non-negotiable. If this offical forum was never made then the STF and GMs would still be around.

Soon there will be no players on Asura, just bots and mercs lol.

Not really. 2.8k online players right now. I can understand why FFXI is too old. It really needs a party finder because most of time when players read /yell messages they have no idea what the requirements are. Either you be a lonewolf or in a social/endgame linkshell with others.

We need SE to execute countermeasures to address these issues.

FFXIV is here. Even though, there are bots and RMTs too but they won't impact on your experience at all.

Please support my other thread if you can.

I won't touch your thread.

[Miragem]

Many people don't understand that the STF apparently is non-negotiable. If this offical forum was never made then the STF and GMs would still be around.

You are not saying anything we didn't know before-- the main purpose of these threads is to raise awareness.


Not really. 2.8k online players right now. I can understand why FFXI is too old. It really needs a party finder because most of time when players read /yell messages they have no idea what the requirements are. Either you be a lonewolf or in a social/endgame linkshell with others.

I highly doubt this game can accommodate a PT finder feature, let alone allocate resources towards that. I do believe they tried to add something akin to what you mentioned though, it should be under 'Party' in the main menu and don't think most are using it.

FFXIV is here. Even though, there are bots and RMTs too but they won't impact on your experience at all.

....

I won't touch your thread.

That's fine. You are not obliged to; You don't have to let me know either. This isn't about me, but rather the game itself.

[BST]

Not long after I made my post all but one Bot was still at the Door, so we know the Character doing this "manipulation" or exploit to prevent anyone from entering, I have reported said player, hopefully the GM actually investigated.

I found the response to be alarming, that someone is able to manipulate game mechanics and remove access to an area and event for everyone, and it doesn't fall into the category of "Disruptive or Harmful" by default.

What the hell? I mean, because it was still going on after ten hours! And might even still be going on.

Entry to Salvage needs attention, and something changed so it isn't possible to replicate, and hold the area hostage.

[BST]

Still on-going after 24 hours.

(Name REDACTED) which is a known salvage bot, is still jammed on the Door doing something to it, that stops everyone from accessing Silver Sea Remnants.

Shall ask for Senior / Lead Game Master to assist, everyone on Asura needs to do this, we need action!

[Catmato]

Just Asura Things

[BST]

The matter is being investigated!

Unfortunately, while they do, the Bot's have to stay in place, so no Silver Sea Remnants action for anyone yet.

Game Master's need more direct power in these instances, they should be allowed to remove an obviously disruptive Player/Bot, Obvious because its been going on over 24 hours, Bot because it factually is a Bot, 24/7 same path, KI > Door > Enter Salvage > 365 days of the year, doesn't ever answer /tell, trades, Stands at Doors even when they are Open already, then moves through (Whitegate).

[Alhanelem]

Once again my advice is move off Asura, this problem is pretty much exclusive to it.

[Pixela]

The matter is being investigated!

Unfortunately, while they do, the Bot's have to stay in place, so no Silver Sea Remnants action for anyone yet.

Game Master's need more direct power in these instances, they should be allowed to remove an obviously disruptive Player/Bot, Obvious because its been going on over 24 hours, Bot because it factually is a Bot, 24/7 same path, KI > Door > Enter Salvage > 365 days of the year, doesn't ever answer /tell, trades, Stands at Doors even when they are Open already, then moves through (Whitegate).

I disagree, the reason they have a separate entity is because it's a form of think tank. They think through implications of the policies they have and this is why they don't just take action on every bot or RMT group.

A GM just banning every bot and RMT can make the issues worse, it can lead to mass DDOS campaigns that end up costing them tens of thousands of dollars, it can lead to disruption of key endgame content like Ambuscade or dungeons etc.

The point of the special task force (the same people work on ffxi and ffxiv) isn't to destroy bots and RMT in a zero tolerance policy (they tried this 10 years ago and failed miserably), it's to handle them and try to keep them working in a fashion that has the least impact on other players. It's good to report this stuff but you need to put some faith in them that they are spending a lot of effort figuring out how to deal with things that you haven't thought about.

The special task force work from an office, they have meetings every morning and they spend more time coming up with strategies than roaming around banning people. Again, keep in mind they don't just deal with FFXI. They are a Square Enix created group that deal with cheating / rmt in general.

These games bring in tens to hundreds of millions of dollars a year, it's serious buisness.