What is the official stance on botting that does not involve RMT?

Gathering and FATE botting for personal use.

Is it held to the same standard as parsing, where you need to keep it to yourself?

Too lazy to look up the ToS. My initial assumption would be that it is not allowed under any circumstances, but it's prevalence makes me think it is allowed to an extent.

Botting is against the rules as far as I am aware. And even if it isn't it is strongly disliked and berated by any serious player. If you are found to be botting you'll generally be seen as something akin to scum.

But as I said, I'm pretty sure it's against the rules.

Officially, bots of any kinds are banned - found here (under 'Activities That Negatively Affect Game Balance', and specifically, 'Third-party Programs or Tools') - relevant portions are bolded:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Final Fantasy XIV Support Centre

Activities that Negatively Affect Game Balance

Third-Party Programs or Tools
SQUARE ENIX strictly prohibits the use of third-party programs or tools – including programs and tools that permit automated or “absentee” play – in FINAL FANTASY XIV. Accordingly, the following activities are prohibited:

- Modifying, analysing, integrating, and/or reverse engineering game software or data.
- Creating, distributing, using, or promoting utilities that interact with the game.
- Exploiting SQUARE ENIX programming bugs or glitches.
- Automating gameplay processes.

During the course of an absentee play/automation investigation, SQUARE ENIX may request that players respond to or comply with certain instructions. Failure to do so may result in SQAURE ENIX taking disciplinary action against the account.

Real Money Trading (“RMT”)
RMT is the selling and buying of virtual assets for real-world money, property, or services. “Virtual assets” include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Accounts
- Characters
- In-game currency (gil)
- In-game services
- In-game items or gift codes
- In-game property

SQUARE ENIX has a zero-tolerance policy for third-party tools and RMT. Items and gil obtained through third-party tools or RMT can affect the game’s economic stability and disrupt gameplay balance. Moreover, some third-party programs contain viruses and spyware that can harm players; this can lead to unauthorised disclosure of users’ personal data, character deletion, identity theft, and other unfortunate circumstances.

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So that is pretty cut and dried to me - basically, botting is not allowed under any circumstances (for good reason too, as has already been stated).

Much obliged.

They definitely don't treat them the same as parsing, you're talking about automated gameplay, that's an ensured ban if you get caught

I'm pretty sure they don't ban those, even though it's against ToS.

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Originally Posted by FabricioRF

I'm pretty sure they don't ban those, even though it's against ToS.

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They generally won't ban you for parsing unless you're being a jerk about it, but botting ... yeah, that'll get you hammered.

Any parse results dropped in the chat is liable for punishment as long as someone's sending a report, just that being a jerk's the best motivator for that.
Any mention of bot use will have you investigated, joking in chat that you're botting may also count as "evidence", so don't do it.

I reported several known players, who obviously botted in northern thanalan back when it was a thing

each of them is still playing, they dont do anything against it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ServerCollaps

I reported several known players, who obviously botted in northern thanalan back when it was a thing

each of them is still playing, they dont do anything against it

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You'd be surprised how many Players there are on Odin who Gather 24/7 with afk Icon or Busy Status and even get stuck in front of a Unspoiled Node or stack together with other Players on Ground / Air.
I gave up to Report them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mwynn

You'd be surprised how many Players there are on Odin who Gather 24/7 with afk Icon or Busy Status and even get stuck in front of a Unspoiled Node or stack together with other Players on Ground / Air.
I gave up to Report them.

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ya. same here xD

or while collecting anima crystals... there are so many bots doing fates there

I knew someone that recorded such a player (saw the video and it was noticeable that this was botting) and yet that player is still in the game..so not really sure if they do something against it..A video should be enough as evidence imo.

I don't think they take screenshots/videos as proof. I've had mixed results myself. There was a free company that started off botting and kept expanding with more bot characters that after around two months finally was put down (as far as I know, none of the characters have been active). I've also had one person that has been known to bot timed nodes and was caught doing tight vertical circles and stopping to kill any goats whom still logs in from time to time but hasn't left their private house after being caught in the vertical loop a second time. It can be frustrating, but they are doing something to some of them, it just seems rather random (they do like their rng).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dustytome

I don't think they take screenshots/videos as proof. I've had mixed results myself. There was a free company that started off botting and kept expanding with more bot characters that after around two months finally was put down (as far as I know, none of the characters have been active). I've also had one person that has been known to bot timed nodes and was caught doing tight vertical circles and stopping to kill any goats whom still logs in from time to time but hasn't left their private house after being caught in the vertical loop a second time. It can be frustrating, but they are doing something to some of them, it just seems rather random (they do like their rng).

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They can't take third party evidence, given how easy access to video/photo editing software is. Some people are even quite skilled at using them. A report on botters generally requires a GM to go have a look themselves.

Also they don't ban RMT/botters on an 'as reported' basis, they take time to correlate evidence against those responsible and presumably once the STF completes the investigation and decides that they are bots and have violated the ToS, SE will mass-ban all RMT/botters at once that have been investigated.

They regularly report this on the Lodestone (the most recent botter/RMT mass-banning report can be found here.)

As mentioned, a GM needs to do a proper investigation so it can take some time. And for all we know, they may have been warned to not do it again instead of an outright ban.

As for parsing, it itself isn't against the ToS in that Yoshi is fine with it. However, the line is crossed when it is used to harass a player. There is also the fact a parser can't be detected without actively scanning your PC's memory.

I've reported two people for botting.

But it took several several several reports.

Finally, they are gone.

One of them was botting in low-traffic area, so many only I reported them.

The other one was botting in high traffic area, so maybe several people reported him. He was gone within a month.
Very sad thing is, the person was on my friend's list. But for more than 12 hours they are online, following same exact route. Getting off their chocobo at same exact location at same exact time every single time. It's VERY obvious when someone bots, especially when you do it for half a day without logging. chatting, or reacting in any way to the people sending you messages, waving to you, etc.

Hate botters more than RMT. Good riddance.

Someone in my server is apparently notorious for botting, has been reported on several times (not by me at first) and nothing has been done. They have several FC houses and not just alts, but different accounts with similar names. I won't obviously drop names but I have witnessed this person in their own party with gathering classes, then suddenly watched one of them teleport away from the area, watched one member turn to the same class and then accept the teleport, and again, another member changing class and then taking the teleport.

What struck me was the timing of it too. Three second intervals between each character changing classes and accepting the teleport - they had 4 party members do this in addition to the person who actually teleported. I recorded video, submitted it to the GM with the link and they told me they have ways of determining and cannot use my video as it links to an external site (youtube link) I am sure there's people in my server who know who it is - it's talked about often... I've set the video on private so it's not set to the public.

Just saw the person with the same bot army again a few days ago when I was farming Wattle bark. I made the report two weeks ago. So yeah... either it takes forever to investigate these claims or nothing happens to one person who has a marionette army of accounts... I've given up on trying to do the right thing because these people always seem to get a pass.

Also, please don't ask me who it is or what FC it is. If you're in Excal and a long time player, you'll know who it is... it isn't hard to do the research and find that online paper trail.

In addition, there's post dating back to 2007 from a forum and this same person and some associates were accused of doing a gil selling ring in XI. Not sure what the total outcome of that was, but again, you look up the right names it kind of paints them into a perspective of what scummy practices they do and how long they've been getting away with it for. Spans two different MMOs. No love for botters and gil sellers at all.

Credit where credit is due, they're doing something right to not get caught somehow...