Botters

Does the developement team or GM planning to do anything about botters. They are so many of them that they dont even hide it anymore, i know some people doing it, what i am saying, i know some entire linkshell doing it. In fact im pretty sure ill make no friend speaking about it so many there is.

So is there any plans to adress the matter?

I feel alone in a sea of soulless faces looking for one just to say, "Hi".

Report them on the task force page

people are getting banned, just not fast enough

GMs will also point you to this page

include details not just claim so and so is a bot too, the more detail the better they can do their job

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Originally Posted by TheVedis

Report them on the task force page

people are getting banned, just not fast enough

GMs will also point you to this page

include details not just claim so and so is a bot too, the more detail the better they can do their job

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Any tips on how to find evidences? only evidence i got so far is crafter not responding to tells and some of them admited using 3rd party programs

I realise now that there is already a thread going on about botters in general discussion forums, unfortunately there is no light at the end of the tunnel, botters will just keep going as they were in ffxi. I did proposed a solution idk if its doable/realistic. but introducing an action every now and then htat the player would have to click to continue synth would block botter programs, just like security numbers blocks wrong subscription programs (when you got to type back funky looking letters and numbers to create an account)

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Originally Posted by Shinigami

Any tips on how to find evidences? only evidence i got so far is crafter not responding to tells and some of them admited using 3rd party programs

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there are a couple farm bots, one in specific named "the desperado" that we caught on besaid(the one that was in my shell), he has a nice youtube video of him up doing it
he was even actualy at his comp when they started recording him, and then he used it anyway

the guy who did it was running ahead of him trying to take all the mobs before he got to them
so hed auto run into the mobs, and continue to do so even after they were claimed til they died, then hed course correct and try to find the next mob
the guy who was recording it stayed ahead of him, did it again

it went on for hours apperently, the bot barely got any mnobs, he kept auto running into mobs that were claimed, and continued to do so each time til they were dead, was rather funny

The little mobs of Lalafell with similar names are getting annoying as well. There is a group in Limsa Lominsa on the Mysidia server, all around Bango Zango on the top level, who are bots. They rarely move, all are wearing r1 ALC starter gear, and do nothing but grind lightning shards. They have been doing it so long they are all r21+.

Never really understood what bothers people so much about bots. So what? They want to cheat, let them cheat, and let them face the consequences. It doesn't affect you, and remember that RMT are commonly responsible for upholding the economies on the realms.

Wouldn't do it myself as I like the sense of accomplishment, but if others want to, not really any of my business.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

Never really understood what bothers people so much about bots. So what? They want to cheat, let them cheat, and let them face the consequences. It doesn't affect you, and remember that RMT are commonly responsible for upholding the economies on the realms.

Wouldn't do it myself as I like the sense of accomplishment, but if others want to, not really any of my business.

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I agree if someone want to bot craft let them i don't mind that type of bots but when it come to bots out taking your NM or HNM or speed hack or anything that may break the rule set in the game then yes i don't agree. But really can't do noting about the bots there is a website which cost 5$ a month for a crafting bot they even made a free version. The only way to stop bots is to take down the website and sadly SE did that for sometime but they give up. Look at windower for ffxi is still up and running.

I hope at least once this goes P2P the players who are boting would get ban and maybe they would learn. Too then all we can do is report them.

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Originally Posted by Shinigami

Any tips on how to find evidences? only evidence i got so far is crafter not responding to tells and some of them admited using 3rd party programs

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TBH I for one don't particularly like responding to someone when crafting or fishing, that doesn't instantly make me a bot though does it ? lol

That's not enough reason to assume someone is a bot.

It is not your job to catch botters it is SE's they need to add software to detect people using 3rd party applications and then make a list of 3rd party applications which are against the rules.

Even then they have to be careful because banning someone for listening to music in windows media player is not guna win them any favour.

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Originally Posted by Jinko

TBH I for one don't particularly like responding to someone when crafting or fishing, that doesn't instantly make me a bot though does it ? lol

That's not enough reason to assume someone is a bot.

It is not your job to catch botters it is SE's they need to add software to detect people using 3rd party applications and then make a list of 3rd party applications which are against the rules.

Even then they have to be careful because banning someone for listening to music in windows media player is not guna win them any favour.

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This is my problem too, people are all up in arms when they see one, but why? What difference does it make. You aren't going to change the world by reporting one, as in the case of RMT, one goes down, 2 more take their place in seconds. Best to just be like me and exploit the hell out of the RMT's, such as forcefully undercutting items to force their silly bots to purchase your stuff for stupidly over the top prices.

The smart person doesn't point at it and cry, the smart person takes advantage of it.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

This is my problem too, people are all up in arms when they see one, but why? What difference does it make. You aren't going to change the world by reporting one, as in the case of RMT, one goes down, 2 more take their place in seconds. Best to just be like me and exploit the hell out of the RMT's, such as forcefully undercutting items to force their silly bots to purchase your stuff for stupidly over the top prices.

The smart person doesn't point at it and cry, the smart person takes advantage of it.

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Its not about being smart its about fairplay

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Originally Posted by Shinigami

Its not about being smart its about fairplay

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If you ever cheated at Sonic the Hedgehog, or other games, then it really doesn't matter.

I have this opinion that if you don't want to actually play a game you shouldn't be playing it, rather than stupidity like have a program play for you. RMT on the other hand is making a profit from the people that don't want to play the game yet won't go far enough to be botting but are willing to pay others IRL Funbucks that bot to do the grunt work for them.

In XIV's case it doesn't give any help in that area by being heavily bot friendly with more straight grinding than older Korean MMO's.

Xiv has been overrun by botters. As if it needs more of a bad name.
Well on the bright side it barely matters at this point.

Botting is a problem. All forms of it. I know there is a lot of different opinions on the matter. I am not really worried about the whole thing, i just want to know one thing.

PLEASE Square-Enix, all i want to know is if YOU know who is botting. just a simple "yes Kaiser, we know" would be the most perfect thing and restore A LOT of faith and hope in the game for me.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

If you ever cheated at Sonic the Hedgehog, or other games, then it really doesn't matter.

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Cheating while youre playing a game alone dosent matter, cheating while youre with others does matter. You can cheat all you want playing solitair, try cheating poker and get caught people will have your skin. Obviously i am talking to a botter

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

Never really understood what bothers people so much about bots. So what? They want to cheat, let them cheat, and let them face the consequences. It doesn't affect you, and remember that RMT are commonly responsible for upholding the economies on the realms.

Wouldn't do it myself as I like the sense of accomplishment, but if others want to, not really any of my business.

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The consequences? as far as I know.. there isn't any.. and it is getting out of control.. As a legit player.. it is my business to know that the game will be fair for me as well as everyone.. I am sure that it would be completely different if we were paying to play, but as Kaisersose said.. I would really like some type of recognition that SE knows who cheats.. and some sort of punishment will be done.. I cant imagine this botting shit going down when they release the PS3 version.. all the new players that are actually paying to play will riot

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Originally Posted by Peregrine

Xiv has been overrun by botters. As if it needs more of a bad name.
Well on the bright side it barely matters at this point.

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Overrun? I see like 3 in Ul'dah. Overrun would mean you cannot level, claim NM's, craft or even move for them.

You see what you have done here is make a gross exaggeration of something that isn't real.

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Originally Posted by Shinigami

Cheating while youre playing a game alone dosent matter, cheating while youre with others does matter. You can cheat all you want playing solitair, try cheating poker and get caught people will have your skin. Obviously i am talking to a botter

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No you aren't, you are talking to someone who has seen this passive aggressive attitude too often. You are bored and have started to want to act like a vigilante, as you have nothing else to do. Trust me, you people are a dime a dozen, and I assure you SE have systems in place to remove these players, the problem being, the only limitation is making a new account, which costs next to nothing, and they probably have hundreds of them just waiting to be levelled en masse.

You are pointing the blame at the wrong source, as it isn't something you can fix just by pulling a big red lever.

I really do not understand how you guys can say that craft botters are harmless... When you work hard to grind your crafting ranks the sense of achievement hitting 50 is great and all but when you start seeing people undercutting you on all your products cause they actually did bot their ranks and so do not care about undervaluing their product, it gets really annoying.
Shinni is right, people are really starting to do it out in the light, in the middle of Uldah. What should I think when I see someone breaking shards in the same spot for more than 20 hours straight and then sitting there doing nothing for another 10 (out of mats)? If he is not botting surely he must have a hell of a lot of patience...

I am still hoping SE is keeping a record of it and will act on this issue one day once they have settled more urgent matters.

It just never bothered me that much Galadrios. I always just get on with my own thing, and enjoy my game, earning rewards and grinding etc. Botters can be part of their little underworld, but I am not wrapped up in it enough to bother myself with them.

It is the vigilante approach that amuses me. Same as people who report players to GM's, not because they are offended or upset, but because they see any opportunity to make a little drama. People have changed in the age of the internet, it's all me me me, and very few people give 2 monkeys about anyone else around them in virtual worlds. This is why I have never cared about botting, I am not so wrapped up that I should have to worry. Crime happens in the real world, rules get broken in the virtual one, but the world keeps turning and life goes on.

You isolate yourself from the rest world and play a single player RPG on an MMO and claim bots aren't causing problems? Go figure.

I surely appreciate your chilled out approach, I did not mean to attack or anything. I was getting all upset by botters at first but I finally I have come to the same conclusion: it is not our job to deal with them, it is SE's. The best we can do is just ignore.

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Originally Posted by Tiraelina

You isolate yourself from the rest world and play a single player RPG on an MMO and claim bots aren't causing problems? Go figure.

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You are part of the problem, you could not have miss-quoted me further there. You won't see the whole picture when you are reluctant to discuss something like a grown up. I didn't say I play alone, I said I get on with my own thing. I am in a fantastic LS and we do alot of stuff together, and support each other well. Please read more carefully when you are misjudging someone.

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Originally Posted by Galadrios

I surely appreciate your chilled out approach, I did not mean to attack or anything. I was getting all upset by botters at first but I finally I have come to the same conclusion: it is not our job to deal with them, it is SE's. The best we can do is just ignore.

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I didn't mean to imply you attacked me :) - I am very chilled out indeed, as these are just non-issues to me. I literally just get on with my own stuff, (by which I mean not worrying about botters etc, not soloing an MMO as Tiraelina so wonderfully misquoted). The only people that really find botters in games are the ones that are out on a vendetta to stop them. Do I like them? No I don't, but do I care? Not at all.

No actually my friends and I are part of the solution making life as difficult as possible for bots. If you just watch a bot and don't report it you and others like that are part of the problem, also failing to realise most of the systems rely on them being reported. Clearly only people that don't have lives and nothing better to do have time to take a minute to report it.

Brings me back to your previous post about exploiting them. Undercutting an RMT isn't making it harder for them in fact you are making it easier because they will more than likely resell it for a profit leaving yourself at disadvantage.

All you've been doing is downplaying the effect bots have with no idea what problems they are causing and even go as far to state they are the economy. You don't care about whats going on in the world, others do.

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Originally Posted by Tiraelina

No actually my friends and I are part of the solution making life as difficult as possible for bots. If you just watch a bot and don't report it you and others like that are part of the problem, also failing to realise most of the systems rely on them being reported. Clearly only people that don't have lives and nothing better to do have time to take a minute to report it.

Brings me back to your previous post about exploiting them. Undercutting an RMT isn't making it harder for them in fact you are making it easier because they will more than likely resell it for a profit leaving yourself at disadvantage.

All you've been doing is downplaying the effect bots have with no idea what problems they are causing and even go as far to state they are the economy. You don't care about whats going on in the world, others do.

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Please stop incorrectly telling me what I am and what I am not thinking. You do not know me from Adam, and your arrogance is insulting. You assume you know how these systems work, without any evidence or proof to work from. You are not the police, nor would I hope you ever become part of the force. Stop acting like the world ends with you.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

Please stop incorrectly telling me what I am and what I am not thinking. You do not know me from Adam, and your arrogance is insulting. You assume you know how these systems work, without any evidence or proof to work from. You are not the police, nor would I hope you ever become part of the force. Stop acting like the world ends with you.

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You shouldnt talk about arrogance while you are the one who started lacking of respect to Tiraelina and i quote " you are reluctant to discuss something like a grown up." who is arrogant there? Maybe for all you know Tiraelina is married and have kids youre age.

As for the main discussion the main idea of this thread was to know if SE was planning to do anything on botters, i associate their silence with a negative answer. Oh and yeah botter dont annoy you right, thats might be because youre highest craft is alchemy 18, someting i can reach in a single day. And absolutely no gathering class, gathering classes are the most affected by botters, how would you like to be a fisher trying to sell your fish while some other dude have 4 botter fishing tirelessly all day and all night, making 7mil/day. You said that eorzea is not overruned by botters, that might be because youre just a level 32 and you are with a beginners linkshell. Dont get me wrong i have all respect for casual players but you didnt see what i saw. Join the largest linkshell of your world....oh wait they wont accept you, develope a DoL and they will accept you on the spot, you know why? Because they need people to feed their botters. I know personally somebody that have only to his account 3 fishing bots keep fishing all day and night, i personally know a linkshell with over 15 people botting, i could actually put names on every single one of those 15.

I perfectly understand why a level 32 thaumaturge and a lvl 0 DoL is not affected by the people botting. I personally have a lvl 45 DoH and a lvl 40 DoL and i dont see the thing the same way you do

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Originally Posted by Galadrios

I really do not understand how you guys can say that craft botters are harmless... When you work hard to grind your crafting ranks the sense of achievement hitting 50 is great and all but when you start seeing people undercutting you on all your products cause they actually did bot their ranks and so do not care about undervaluing their product, it gets really annoying.
Shinni is right, people are really starting to do it out in the light, in the middle of Uldah. What should I think when I see someone breaking shards in the same spot for more than 20 hours straight and then sitting there doing nothing for another 10 (out of mats)? If he is not botting surely he must have a hell of a lot of patience...

I am still hoping SE is keeping a record of it and will act on this issue one day once they have settled more urgent matters.

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Any product that isn't HQ is going to be pretty much worthless the more time goes on. Even HQ's will be because there is no system in place to take out anything coming into the market. Won't just be bots that destroy it, but old age..

The only thing that will be worth anything will be rare craft drops ala FFXI, if they go that route.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

People have changed in the age of the internet, it's all me me me, and very few people give 2 monkeys about anyone else around them in virtual worlds. This is why I have never cared about botting, I am not so wrapped up that I should have to worry. Crime happens in the real world, rules get broken in the virtual one, but the world keeps turning and life goes on.

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I may be mistaken here, but are you trying to say that the age of the internets has changed to more selfish view or a "me me me" mentality? furthermore you say that "very few people give 2 monkeys about anyone else around them in virtual worlds." and because of people not caring about anyone else around them you, therefore you don't care about botting?

So your saying that the internet has turned into a selfish place where people don't care about others and because of this you are going to take the same approach? that seems like a pretty poor attitude to me... "because everyone else doesn't care, I am going to not care..."

it is easier for one to understand your view on botting with this kind of outlook on the game.

You may not care about the botters, you may be laid back or "chilled out" but I hate to break it to you bro, but people do care about the game and the players in it. so your comments about vigilantes amuses ME! I would rather be the person trying to make the game more enjoyable and fair for EVERYONE than the person who is "chilled out" and doesn't care because "very few people give 2 monkeys about anyone else around them in virtual worlds."

oh btw, the names Kaisersose Lionguard.

Why are people so up in arms about my lacklustre response to this? I haven't ever said I support or like botting, but in the same vein, I don't care about it as much as some people stating things like "They are everywhere", "This is getting out of control" and "The servers are flooded with them". These people are seeing one group of RMT and then throwing up mental claims that they are drowning in a sea of them.

All I ask is that people take some perspective and stop trying to act like it's the end of the world. If this is really your biggest issue, then I feel sorry for you.

Also when you get to the point where you are commenting on my current class levels and jobs, then you are running out of points to make. How do you know that I don't have all 8 slots filled with rank 50 DoL and DoH classes? How do you know this is my main character? What next, you are going to comment on my spelling and grammar too?

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

Why are people so up in arms about my lacklustre response to this? I haven't ever said I support or like botting,...All I ask is that people take some perspective and stop trying to act like it's the end of the world. If this is really your biggest issue, then I feel sorry for you.

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The reason everyone is "up in arms" is because you're down playing a major problem in the game. Botting is a PROBLEM! whether you care or not, thats your opinion/problem but for the rest of us we do care. this thread is a question towards SE if they know about the botters and if they are going to do something about it.

Also no one is really making it seem like it's the end of the world.

we are not tryin to troll you or flame you, we are just disagreeing with you and providing evidance why your claims may not be as valuable.

All we want is for SE to let us know they know!

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Originally Posted by Kaisersose

The reason everyone is "up in arms" is because you're down playing a major problem in the game. Botting is a PROBLEM! whether you care or not, thats your opinion/problem but for the rest of us we do care. this thread is a question towards SE if they know about the botters and if they are going to do something about it.

Also no one is really making it seem like it's the end of the world.

we are not tryin to troll you or flame you, we are just disagreeing with you and providing evidance why your claims may not be as valuable.

All we want is for SE to let us know they know!

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You are asking if SE are aware of botting. I am sorry, and I really don't mean to sound offensive here, but you cannot be that stupid. Of course they are aware of them, they have the STF in place for this very reason. Posting on a forum about an issue that has been in games since I can remember isn't going to change it, all it will do is add another wall of text to the already massive wall of text about this pointless subject.

Yes botting exists, yes it sucks, but it is like telling the police there is crime (non specific, just running up to one and going ARE YOU AWARE CRIME EXISTS). They are in that job for the very reason to prevent it, now every country has police, and every country still has crime, therefore, by your reasoning, the police do nothing at all and aren't aware of any crime.

Please, at least try to use the grey matter.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

You are asking if SE are aware of botting. I am sorry, and I really don't mean to sound offensive here, but you cannot be that stupid. Of course they are aware of them, they have the STF in place for this very reason. Posting on a forum about an issue that has been in games since I can remember isn't going to change it, all it will do is add another wall of text to the already massive wall of text about this pointless subject.

Yes botting exists, yes it sucks, but it is like telling the police there is crime (non specific, just running up to one and going ARE YOU AWARE CRIME EXISTS). They are in that job for the very reason to prevent it, now every country has police, and every country still has crime, therefore, by your reasoning, the police do nothing at all and aren't aware of any crime.

Please, at least try to use the grey matter.

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Please dont ask anybody for good manners or speak about arrogance after this one:
quote: "Please, at least try to use the grey matter."

Yeah ok Vahzl i think we got youre point. From your point of view botting is not an issue and you dont mind it. That wall is only getting massive because of your own comment. If somebody dealing drug in your street you are the type of guy that says bahhh its cool I dont mind it, so its your own choice and i am not to discuss that. But I am the one that gonna ask the police if they plan to get rid of the scum.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" (Edmund Burke)

Alright Vahzl, You have made your point. To each is their own. I just want a hint towards whether or not SE is going to do something about it. I never meant to start an argument. I believe this thread has come to its end. I suppose we will just have to wait and see whether the botters get banned or what not.

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Originally Posted by Kaisersose

Alright Vahzl, You have made your point. To each is their own. I just want a hint towards whether or not SE is going to do something about it. I never meant to start an argument. I believe this thread has come to its end. I suppose we will just have to wait and see whether the botters get banned or what not.

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I am not trying to argue, the point is the STF are advertised on the official site as doing exactly what you are asking. Why do you need further confirmation in a forum post?

This thread is giving me a migraine.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

I am not trying to argue, the point is the STF are advertised on the official site as doing exactly what you are asking. Why do you need further confirmation in a forum post?

This thread is giving me a migraine.

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OMG allrigth allright vahzl i did point out that i realized there was a similar post in general discussion, all the rest was pretty much answering to youre own post. So allright you know what, botters are cool and we are all stupid for not thinking the same way you do..... are we cool now??? are you gonna post once again your oppinion with no solid argumentation what so ever? i mean if that thread giving you the migraine just do yourself a favor would you?

Bots use to directly impact more when the game first came out. It use to be that you had competition with bots on mobs to grind ranks. I think their main purpose was to farm shards as it use to be the most effective way to farm shards. Then the fish to crystal synths where introduced and that effectively got the bots off the mobs and into their crafting corners. I hardly run into any gathering bots. Perhaps I am not looking hard enough. The bots on lindblum seem to stick to just shards/crystals. As someone that has been reluctant to spend gil I find it nice to look at hundred of stacks of shards cheaply priced. All the shards ill need for R50 blacksmith is going to come in at under 15 million. Instead of spending 60ish hours hasty handing the shards I need to be a cheap skate I can buy shards from the RMT bots at what I consider a more than fair price. Perhaps I am being short sighted but for now they seem to be helping me more than they are hurting me. Without the shard bots I can not imagine how expensive shards would be. Would we all be spending our time making shards to support crafting?

What I found interesting was that lodestone post. It was to the effect of, we know people are botting and you better cut it out before shit happens. Well, I haven't seen SE follow through on that threat. If they did we would perhaps see less players taking advantage of botting.

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Originally Posted by Vahzl

I am not trying to argue, the point is the STF are advertised on the official site as doing exactly what you are asking. Why do you need further confirmation in a forum post?

This thread is giving me a migraine.

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GM's don't roam the world getting rid of bots in their spare time, they investigate players that are reported. Automated systems also barely catch anything because they don't want to autoban legit players. If you think it works any other way you should try finding someone that works as a full time GM or takes part in the development of these games.

Reporting is the backbone to the system. You don't know what you are talking about.