Attention devs: Game Surveillance Unit re: open world Bots.

I like the intentions of the OP, and if keeping this thread active is the only way to draw attention from the devs on this matter *Shakes head*.. Then have a free bump on me!

I support any positive improvements for the game so.... bump~

I don't believe that the GSU exists. I think we're all just victims of a huge mistranslation. When they say "GSU," I believe that they're actually trying to use an acronym for their anti-cheating policy: "Guys, Shut Up." The policy is very simple:

1. Do nothing. Stopping cheating is too much work, so don't bother even trying.
2. People will whine about the cheating, so just tell them to shut up.
3. Run bots in spare time and sell the gil online.
4. Profit.

Given how lazy and uncaring SE has been about handling bots, I'd be extremely surprised if they weren't getting kickbacks from the gil sellers. The people in charge of ARR certainly seem complacent and corrupt enough.

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Originally Posted by Nyalia

I don't believe that the GSU exists. I think we're all just victims of a huge mistranslation. When they say "GSU," I believe that they're actually trying to use an acronym for their anti-cheating policy: "Guys, Shut Up." The policy is very simple:

1. Do nothing. Stopping cheating is too much work, so don't bother even trying.
2. People will whine about the cheating, so just tell them to shut up.
3. Run bots in spare time and sell the gil online.
4. Profit.

Given how lazy and uncaring SE has been about handling bots, I'd be extremely surprised if they weren't getting kickbacks from the gil sellers. The people in charge of ARR certainly seem complacent and corrupt enough.

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You;d think they'd be a little better with their translations after their "Horsebird" fiasco

Lala bots still at it in the center of Gridania. Some of them are the same as I previously reported, some are new names. But they are all lv50 Archers and all still do the same thing - pop in and out of duty in groups of 4. Right now there are 2 groups (8 Lalas all together) around the central aetheryte of Ultros' Gridania going in and out of duty. I reported the new names, as well as the ones I previously reported.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bz7PcNYIQAAYKV4.jpg:large


EDIT: Also of note, they are now programmed to automatically cancel trades, where they weren't before, lol.

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Originally Posted by SalemP

EDIT: Also of note, they are now programmed to automatically cancel trades, where they weren't before, lol.

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Oh well. :(

still no response..
at this point i feel want to use all the bad word in my dictionary for SE... because this is so F-ing stupid, it seems all those people in SE do is turn on server then restart the server once a week
other than that no F given, AFK waiting for next restart

also, if someone here understand japanese, is there a similar thread on jp subforum?

Some spirit bonding botters on moogle.....

North shroud (23,24) Mor'dhona (18,17) South shroud (29,23)
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ps2832d0ba.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ps1158b85e.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ps0e6583f5.jpg

All reported lets see how long they're there for.

Not hard to find them just search for level 50 thm, you also get to see the ones botting dungeons that way too...

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ps235c7fd4.jpg

i have a feeling that there is a few botter reading this thread and laughing at us -_-

Hyperion ~

These guys have been at it at that same spot forever.
http://oi58.tinypic.com/1z14vgz.jpg

seems legit
http://oi60.tinypic.com/2nk3oyt.jpg

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Originally Posted by VesperiaTonberry

i have a feeling that there is a few botter reading this thread and laughing at us -_-

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Yeah that's basically what the 1.0 DOL/DOH botters did back in 1.0 when they came onto the forums and read anything regarding botting...all while their characters were working on their luminary tools for them 24/7 till it was done.

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Originally Posted by Meshico

If you target the mob you can see what they are attacking and you can get the name that way. fyi

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I've seen some invisible bots, but problem is they are mining bots, so there is no monster to target to get their name.

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Originally Posted by Aleczan

I've seen some invisible bots, but problem is they are mining bots, so there is no monster to target to get their name.

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usually they are hitting from under the ground

You can't post names

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Originally Posted by shawnaus1986

You can't post names

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no, but you need the names in order to report them in game.

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Originally Posted by VesperiaTonberry

usually they are hitting from under the ground

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It's funny cause I noticed some flying in the sky in gridania in the rafters inside the adventures guild but you had to go into first person view to see them.

Same gathering bot I mentioned earlier in the thread. Except now he's in Eastern Thanalan. I reported him again.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bz-QiCJCcAAxCM1.jpg:large

Alright, I caught a glimpse of something along the line of "the GMs can't really do anything about the bots because they do not directly harm other players" but just today my unfortunate run-in with some FATE-farming bots speaks otherwise.

I'm on WHM, and it became an instinct to cast Regen on everyone that I see that is having life-threatening situation. Sometimes it attracts a hell lot of enemies to me. Sometimes in trying to save strangers, I almost died myself. Sometimes, the person thanked me or tried their best to get back the enemies, or both.

In many FATEs today, I found at least 3 people who were about to die in FATEs, and I threw Regen on them. Sometimes if I have enough time, I threw them a Stoneskin, too.

Now let's see, as the bots do not acknowledge me or my assistance, 100% of the time that I happened to help a bot, they let enemies beat me to half death. Unlike legit players who are nice and well-mannered, they don't appreciate my help and never said "thanks" or show their acknowledgement of my presence or my assistance, and never even try to help me kill their mobs that now became mine. Of course that ticks me a little, but it's not as brutal as getting beaten up by 8 enemies at once in return for trying to help a dying "person."

Most of the times, I had to run away from the FATE, losing my chance to get more credits in the FATE. Sometimes I might be able to Repose many of the mobs and keep myself alive and manage to stay in the FATE, but it's still aggravating and exhausting to have to struggle for my life where I shouldn't have to. In one instance, the botting player had enmity of the FATE boss, and instead of asking for a cure like a normal person would, and instead of staying there when a WHM cure them like a normal person should, the person ran away, dragging the FATE boss along with them which made it eventually reset, recovering from below 50% back to full health. All the previous effort of everyone in the FATE now went down the drain. =_=;;

Being stomped by enemies that the bots aggro so often, it is getting to the point where I'm becoming unwilling to extend a helping hand to a stranger in need (of cure), which is quite a mentally unhealthy thought. I feel that a nice and kind community in a game is a key factor that makes a game enjoyable. I want to help others, yet I'm now scared to. :(

If anything, botting and endangering other player's life (in-game) should at least be as illegal as PK attempt. Because even if it is not on purpose, someone might die in-game and have their quest/mission/errand interrupted or ruined from it.

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Originally Posted by Casca_Vallis

Some spirit bonding botters on moogle.....

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Yeah this cheater have two characters (I know of) - I see him / her on the same locations as you every single day in past 6 - 8 weeks, reported numerous time in game and via Lodestone GSU Report link but to no avail ... :( He's using names with ' after second character and Tia as last names - clearly autogenerated during character creations. On permanent Busy so can't disrupt them via trade and placed in "strategic" spots so it's hard to lure in the mob to have him attacked, at least in one player. Maybe in more it could be possible.

Maybe we should organize some in game protest / march to attract more attention to the issue?

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Originally Posted by Nuinn

Also, reporting is tedious and clunky in this game.

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^^^ THIS! ^^^

WHY the hell we need to fill up always all the crap like world, location, date & Time and Character name? The F-ing game client KNOWS all those details and it should be automatically populated in the form and all you need to do is to Right-clikc on character and select report for cheating and have just one Comment field to fill in with description of what is happening, nothing else! The whole "support desk" in game looks like programmed by 5 years old ;(

I used to care but I stopped reporting entirely. There's bots 24/7 Near Fallgourd Float in North Shroud (killing those Will-O-Wisp mobs). They were there 2+ months ago when I went on a hiatus, and they're still around after I've returned. Same goes for the multiple BLMs at Ul'dah main Aetherite.

Also, reporting is tedious and clunky in this game.

http://i.imgur.com/zuDjaOf.jpg

The FC of bots in Zalera are back to crafting


http://i.imgur.com/mHxPLOc.jpg

I noticed when I did a player search in The Steps of Nald that this enormous group of bots shows up, it varies from around 3 to 20, and they all basically have the same name.

http://i.imgur.com/OFqB8EY.jpg

I also noticed this bot that keeps popping in and out, he's been doing it for awhile

Did some digging around today (was bored) took note of all the level 50 thm names on moogle queing for dungeons constantly.

Managed to find 44 of them although couldn't actually find them ingame - no idea where they're queuing from in Uldah, used to see some by the aetheryrte though. I checked each one on lodestone and surprise! all wearing spirit bonding gear.

Then managed to find other bots from different servers with bot free companies 209 IN TOTAL so thats 253 bots i've managed to find in a couple of hours. Whats the best way to report them? I have a word doc ready. ¬_¬

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Originally Posted by Casca_Vallis

Then managed to find other bots from different servers with bot free companies 209 IN TOTAL so thats 253 bots i've managed to find in a couple of hours.

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Jeez. I never even tried to search. I befriended one of the ones I've reported and she is constantly in Wanderer's Palace. I had off yesterday, so I was logged in/playing all day. This bot was botting from AT LEAST 10am EST on Tuesday to 4am EST early Wednesday morning. Since she and her group were already there when I logged in, and were there when I logged off, I can only guess that they are botting 24 hours. I don't know if this is a fluke day, or if this is just how they operate. It's really insulting too considering they're right in the middle of the plaza. I feel like I'm being laughed at and flipped off, and SE is just laughing right along with them.

EDIT: And you know what? SE should care bc it makes them look stupid and incompetent at their jobs. Any good businessman knows rep is as good as money.

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Originally Posted by Casca_Vallis

Whats the best way to report them? I have a word doc ready. ¬_¬

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You can make a report in game, but you'll have to hand-type all the names into the report. It's really a pain in the ass. Also you can report via the Lodestone. I would also encourage you to post any screenshots here if you can, but you have to block out the names. As for what good any of that will do? ?????? No one knows.

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Originally Posted by ToffeeCoffee

You used to be able to pose as AFK and still be able to play but SE changed it. Now if you have the AFK status and use your keyboard/mouse controls in the active game window, the status is removed.
Haven't seen someone explain how you can legitimately do this yet so we can conclude that anyone with AFK status on and moving around (with an exception being if the character is on follow) or performing actions, is running on automation software.

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I'm pretty sure it's Busy not AFK that prevents the trades and such, correct me if I am wrong but Busy can be on while moving around. On another note I believe I'm seeing more and more legitimate players who have given in to botting, the alternative is they have had a hell of a lot of hijacked accounts.

I'm the game needs to be less grind-centric, its basically RNG Simulator 2014. And that kind of play style encourages botting and RMT activities. Want to gather or craft really awesome stuff? Better go GRIND with appropriate gear on so you can get your materia or go GRIND items to sell to purchase the materia. Not to mention materia melding for gathering and crafter requires overmelding which just adds fuel to the fire.

Want to upgrade your relics? Hope you are ready for this to get pants on head retard. Go farm Fates and pray that you get 12 atma within a timely manner, farm Myth to obtain a book to go clear more dungeons, mobs and fates. Repeat that what, 12 times? Novus, Again go grind some more mobs mindlessly to convert items to get the materia that you hopefully need and hopefully doesn't break. Nexus, go grind more stuff for glow.

Grind, Grind, Grind. I feel like Orc Peon from warcraft 3. Zugzug man. I understand its a japanese game, grind is part of it but this just seems excessive to the point where they are doing it to pad out content until the next patch, so to give themselves time to add more content they are inadvertently harming other parts of the game. I come from games like FFXI and EVE online, those have grind to it but at the very least, it felt rewarding. Spending some of my spare time I can play spirit binding to get crap materia I do not need or to break 12 of them is not rewarding.

Yes, bots are bad. But they need to take a long hard look at some of their game mechanics, reducing the grind will reduce the temptation to bot the tedious parts of the game and for people to resort to RMT for things like housing, materia, ranking cho's, etc.

I've reported the same group on Balmung seven times now and I have yet to see any result WHATSOEVER. Everyone on the server knows who they are and how they spend 99% of the time in North Shroud, spiritbonding with bots on the Plasmoids. I don't know what to do any more. I started reporting them when they used to do this outside of Amdapor Keep, but nothing has been done to stop them. I've tried Cheating reports and Harrassment reports and gotten the same result, but oddly enough, I did actually get a reply from a GM today telling me to go to the SE Support site and report them there.

I do find it highly suspicious that nothing is ever done to remove them. What's even more suspicious is that any report containing any of their names is never logged in my Service Desk history, almost as if it's being auto-deleted. I mean, in these situations where they are openly operating and being reported daily by several people, what other reason do we have left to believe?

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Originally Posted by Applesnap

What's even more suspicious is that any report containing any of their names is never logged in my Service Desk history, almost as if it's being auto-deleted.

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yeah I noticed this as well. There's no record of these in my report log. I don't understand why. I tried to check to see when I had reported that group the first time but there was no history of it. That really bothers me.

Also, I had mentioned previously that when I reported another player for harassment (he randomly called me a name), I heard back almost immediately (I would say within 30 mins). There is also a log of my report and their response in my history. But I have not heard a peep from any of the reports I've made on bots and that has been days or weeks. Without it being in my history, it makes me wonder if my reports have even been going through. I don't like it.

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Originally Posted by SalemP

yeah I noticed this as well. There's no record of these in my report log. I don't understand why. I tried to check to see when I had reported that group the first time but there was no history of it. That really bothers me.

Also, I had mentioned previously that when I reported another player for harassment (he randomly called me a name), I heard back almost immediately (I would say within 30 mins). There is also a log of my report and their response in my history. But I have not heard a peep from any of the reports I've made on bots and that has been days or weeks. Without it being in my history, it makes me wonder if my reports have even been going through. I don't like it.

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I think the only things that get to be stored in Report History are those that were sent through "Report Harassment". I've used both and it seems the "Report Harassment" is more live service (a GM sends tell to discuss the matter), while "Report Cheating" is like an online form for non-live support, therefore it doesn't get a history record, and doesn't get live response (/tell from GM).

Found more bots, searched out another 30 this time black mages. Reported to SE in total over 70 from Moogle alone today. Looks like they're all THM/BLM couldn't find any gathering bots.

It's so obvious whats going on, only need to look at the materia market and see the same retainers selling masses of materia.

Heres some in action teleport hacking in whitebrim - they're both standing on the exact same spot with the same gear same last names (same as some that I reported a few days ago).

Watched them dissapear and reappear at different points in whitebrim think they were questing?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ps64a41ca7.jpg

Hope to see them banned soon....

http://i.imgur.com/ead7ZGG.jpg

On Balmung, Central Shroud (29 19) some bot's farming Microchu's one of them is running around with the AFK symbol above his head

don't want this thread to fall to far behind, those stupid bot's are still on Balmung, they've been at it for at least 12 hours

just a bump

LMAO those aren't bots, those are event characters for the upcoming fanfest

This bot and her group are in wanderer's palace every time I am logged in. All day, every day. In and out of this dungeon.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B0IGta6CIAAwKSz.jpg:large

I guess I can take small solace in the fact that they will be booted out when maintenance starts. :/

So I noticed after this latest "RMT and Illicit Activity" kick that an FC of bots on my server haven't logged in at all so I assume they were caught in the wave but I noticed when I searched for their FC that it still exists with all it's members intact, their just offline, so I guess what my question is, do they only temporarily ban automated bots?

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Originally Posted by DizzyDragonfly

So I noticed after this latest "RMT and Illicit Activity" kick that an FC of bots on my server haven't logged in at all so I assume they were caught in the wave but I noticed when I searched for their FC that it still exists with all it's members intact, their just offline, so I guess what my question is, do they only temporarily ban automated bots?

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If they do I can understand why. As one early post said, crafts and gatherers do bot like things (mostly involving macros and quick synthesis), And SE is not omniscient, they would probably have trouble distinguishing players from "manual" bots.

It's either that or the "they just only ban the spammers/advertisers becuase bots make up a significant portion of the playerbase" thing people keep mentioning

Not sure if this is the right spot. But I needed lot of windshards. There was someone also there all the time i went. But as they were moving the afk symbol would pop up. What was funny one day the bot got caught on a rock higher then a jump. It literally tried to jump over the rock for 90 mins. Then it switched to going counter clockwise.

It was probably a regular player running a bot though, since only during the day would it gather like that. At night I would see it in reg bard gear.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DizzyDragonfly

So I noticed after this latest "RMT and Illicit Activity" kick that an FC of bots on my server haven't logged in at all so I assume they were caught in the wave but I noticed when I searched for their FC that it still exists with all it's members intact, their just offline, so I guess what my question is, do they only temporarily ban automated bots?

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If someone is caught, and SE cares enough to do something, they will ban the account. What this means is the user controlling the character(s) will no longer have access to the character(s) on that account. However, they do not delete characters. So those characters (and the FC) would still exist. But they'll never be online bc the account was banned.

The reason for this was something along the lines of: in case the ban was in error or the account needed to be restored for whatever reason, the character information would still be stored in the system.

Another mining bot in Southern Thanalan. This one's fairly new I think. He's only level 37.

At first I thought maybe it was a regular player botting since he has a fairly normal name, but searching him on the Lodestone shows that he is indeed only used for botting. He's THM lv 10 and MIN lv 37, no other classes leveled. Reported him all the same. I hope he gets banned.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B0NjEeaIUAA9Y_3.jpg:large

Tonberry
Mor Dhona
X18 Y17

http://i.imgur.com/z7SL2Q4.png

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Originally Posted by ToffeeCoffee

Mining bot - Eastern Thanalan. Been there all day moving between nodes with AFK sign on the whole time. X23 Y19.

http://i.imgur.com/MxqLLTg.png

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This mining bot is still in operation, same location with afk status on, almost a month later.

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Originally Posted by ToffeeCoffee

Tonberry
Mor Dhona
X18 Y17

http://i.imgur.com/z7SL2Q4.png

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Still botting, same location, no action taken.