I'm being taunted by a bot farmer...

Deleted in interest of letting this thread die since I can't lock it.

You might not like how GMs respond since sounds like you were harassing them first.

I wasn't aware that using an emote on someone on two distant occasions could be considered harassment, but it by no means would justify borderline impersonating someone with malicious intent.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I wasn't aware that using an emote on someone on two distant occasions could be considered harassment, but it by no means would justify borderline impersonating someone with malicious intent.

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I was referring more to the stalking.

We can only ever take anything posted here at face value, regardless of the truth.

o.0

So the guy you've been "stalking" named his retainers after you. Ok. Well we each can name our retainers whatever we want. How's that malicious on his part though?

I kind of regret even posting this because I forgot that most of the time, people end up assuming I'm the one in the wrong for whatever reason.

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Originally Posted by DeaconMoore

So the guy you've been "stalking" named his retainers after you. Ok. Well we each can name our retainers whatever we want. How's that malicious on his part though?

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The GM who PM'd me did acknowledge that it can be considered harassment depending on the intent and the names involved. In this case, he's obviously doing it to spite me now that I know that he's the face behind the bots (He specifically changed the names of his retainers after this fact and it was extremely easy to identify them just based on what his bots are farming as he has no restraint and sells several hundred aethersands simultaneously), which ultimately amounts to nothing due to the "action team" that deals with cheaters being absurdly incompetent or a myth.

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Originally Posted by DeaconMoore

o.0

So the guy you've been "stalking" named his retainers after you. Ok. Well we each can name our retainers whatever we want. How's that malicious on his part though?

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Probably because he has a reputation on his server's free marker, so players who see something being sold there with a name similar or exactly like his will probably be more likely to buy from the bot account, not knowing that they aren't buying from Kage's character. That's what I'm guessing.

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Originally Posted by KaivaC

Probably because he has a reputation on his server's free marker, so players who see something being sold there with a name similar or exactly like his will probably be more likely to buy from the bot account, not knowing that they aren't buying from Kage's character. That's what I'm guessing.

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I still fail to see the malicious part. Granted I haven't researched it in depth myself by any means but how can you even tell who's retainer is who's on the market board? As far as I knew, you couldn't.

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Originally Posted by DeaconMoore

I still fail to see the malicious part. Granted I haven't researched it in depth myself by any means but how can you even tell who's retainer is who's on the market board? As far as I knew, you couldn't.

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Normally, you shouldn't be able to, but like I said, the bot farmers on my server have zero restraint and list several stacks of 10 to 99 aethersands simultaneously.

This player happens to be the only individual sending his bots after everdeep aethersands on my server, so it doesn't seem unreasonable to suspect his retainers are the ones listing several hundred of them, moreso when they're the ones who conveniently changed their names to match mine.

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Originally Posted by KaivaC

Probably because he has a reputation on his server's free marker, so players who see something being sold there with a name similar or exactly like his will probably be more likely to buy from the bot account, not knowing that they aren't buying from Kage's character. That's what I'm guessing.

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This.

Two people already mentioned specifically buying from him because they thought it was me. If they were just using my forename, I wouldn't have an issue, but I specifically made my surname to be unique, so it's really unlikely someone would just randomly happen to start using it.

The bottom line is that I take a lot of offense at having my name associated with one of the server's premier bot farmers. If they weren't doing something like that, I wouldn't have an issue and would just think it's cute if anything.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I kind of regret even posting this because I forgot that most of the time, people end up assuming I'm the one in the wrong for whatever reason.

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I have no idea why anyone would think that...

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

There's a pair of gathering/crafting bots that have been my server forever. I've spent a great deal of time stalking them and have also reported them multiple times, but naturally, nothing was ever actually done about them...

...So yeah. This is just me venting because my attempts to get someone banned for years of cheating have only ended up causing problems for me in the end.

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...Oh...

Teasing aside, while your name and variations are being used how do you know another player isn't the guilty party? Sure you say this guys a bot farmer, but someone else could be behind those retainers. Nothing stopping someone from buying up and relisting mats or just dumping farmed ones for that matter.

Really though I'm still having a hard time seeing this hurting your rep. Anyone can name a retainer based on your toons name if it isn't already taken. Anyone. Honestly, you say you have a rep on your server, you could have a stalker of your own.

I suppose "stalking" isn't really the right term, unless you call deliberately going to the same unspoiled nodes as the bots stalking. I wasn't like I was constantly hovering around them specifically to watch them.

But in any case, I think I'll just try to get over it and not let it bother me. The novelty will probably wear off sooner or later, and I can just try to make people aware that I'm not the one selling the stuff until then.

you stalked the bots and prodded the main. Bots are bad, anyone who bots should be banned, im not going against that.

however this is an situation that is entirely caused by YOU, you could have reported the bots and moved on, you could have not prodded the main and moved on, but you didnt.


i get it, dont blame the victim, what he did is wrong, obviously. im just saying next time, be a bit more careful of what you do, if you arent prepared to face what your actions might get you into. All of this could have been avoided

He already changed the name of one of his retainers back to what it originally was.

I guess I'll just loathe him quietly instead of being more open about it from now.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

Eh. He already changed the names of one of his retainers back to what it originally.

I guess I'll just loathe him quietly by undercutting his everdeeps instead of being more open about it from now on.

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It's very frustrating I know we have one on siren doing all the legendaries and aethersands, clusters and so on. i've reported him a number of times along with friends and others who gather who were talking about him in shouts in the Lochs. It's pretty easy to figure out his retainer names and he posts stacks and stacks of mats killing the market prices and making gathering at times not even worth the effort.

Good luck.

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Originally Posted by DeaconMoore

I still fail to see the malicious part. Granted I haven't researched it in depth myself by any means but how can you even tell who's retainer is who's on the market board? As far as I knew, you couldn't.

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It's not a guarantee, but if retainer sells a lot of gear with same crafter tag, that's probably who belongs too.

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Originally Posted by LeeraSorlan

i get it, dont blame the victim, what he did is wrong, obviously. im just saying next time, be a bit more careful of what you do, if you arent prepared to face what your actions might get you into. All of this could have been avoided

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No. You're wrong. This is a system of the game you don't understand. As a gatherer, it's very, very, VERY hard to not stalk people and it's completely by happenstance. This is something you wouldn't understand if you don't have max level gatherers. This is because special nodes spawn at certain times and in fixed locations of the world. This means there's one place in the entire game where you can gather something and these pop up at set times. You have no choice in this. If you want X, you have to be at Y at a certain time of the EO day. This makes it really easy to pseudo-stalk people. You get to know ALL the end game gatherers on your server this way and it's absolutely unavoidable -- unless you suggest giving up that whole aspect of the game.

I'm not necessarily only directing this at you but at everyone in this thread who doesn't understand how you can stalk someone but not really stalk someone.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I guess I'll just loathe him quietly instead of being more open about it from now.

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At least they aren't whispering you and telling you how terrible you are and how they own the market. We get those on my server.

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Originally Posted by Alisi

I'm not necessarily only directing this at you but at everyone in this thread who doesn't understand how you can stalk someone but not really stalk someone.



At least they aren't whispering you and telling you how terrible you are and how they own the market. We get those on my server.

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That's being in same place, not same thing as stalking.

OP look I get where you're coming from rmt and botters are lazy scum and people who do it deserve to be mac banned but you should honestly let the whole thing go. If the person has been doing this for so long then it's obvious they know how to get around the system and probably won't get touched for what they're doing ever. I know that sucks but you've said it yourself they've been around for this long there's only so much a gm can do in these situations anyways seeing as how it can be verrry trick in terms of who to ban since you wouldn't ever want to ban someone unfairly who isn't a bot but got reported.
If you've really been stalking and emote spamming, that's more than sufficient grounds to get YOU reported and get a strike on your account or worse case scenario completly banned. It's just not worth it especially if you really like this game. Forget the guy exists and let it go.

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Originally Posted by Alisi

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Not sure how i can be wrong when i didnt make any statements regarding stalking. The op himself said he was stalking, thats not something i can be wrong about, its a fact, based on what was said, that the bot was being stalked. ...but if you dig deeper...there is literally no way this was unintentional stalking....he followed the bot, lets say at first because of the node situation...sure, coincedinces...but then he proceeded to find the bots main on the market board..find the bots main IN THE GAME PHYSICALLY and spam emotes at the bots main every chance he saw the bots main..thats not unintentional stalking..its going out of your way to stalk

...I didn't spam emotes.

I saw his alt standing by a summoning bell in Limsa on one occasion, and did a single /huh at it. One of his bots came by the timed node in Middle La Noscea while I waiting for it to spawn the S rank and did the same thing then (Because a bunch of other people were waiting there for the same reason). It was the day after that that I noticed his little stunt.

I've never actually bothered interacting with his main (I had meant to say "his bots", but was in a hurry) in any way because he just stands around by the summoning bell in front of his house in the Lavender Beds all day long as of late and almost never shows his face in the main cities. I ran through there on one occasion out of curiosity just to see his house (Which was reasonably well-decorated) and what he was doing, then left. I also stopped purposely following his bots around months ago, and was mostly doing that back pre-SB when I was trying to record their movement patterns for reporting purposes (Which I've given up on at this point).

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Originally Posted by Cakekizyy

That's being in same place, not same thing as stalking.

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I never said it was. I'm trying to translate what the OP said. It *feels* like stalking.

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Originally Posted by LeeraSorlan

Not sure how i can be wrong when i didnt make any statements regarding stalking. The op himself said he was stalking, thats not something i can be wrong about, its a fact, based on what was said, that the bot was being stalked. ...but if you dig deeper...there is literally no way this was unintentional stalking....he followed the bot, lets say at first because of the node situation...sure, coincedinces...but then he proceeded to find the bots main on the market board..find the bots main IN THE GAME PHYSICALLY and spam emotes at the bots main every chance he saw the bots main..thats not unintentional stalking..its going out of your way to stalk

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It seems like stalking but it isn't. You don't understand because you do not gather end game. These things are on a rote cycle. That means you can literally follow someone throughout the game, from one thing to another, from one map to another, while not stalking someone. You both are simply gathering the same item. It can feel like your stalking someone, or someone is stalking you. These bots are gathering bots and the bots work for the main -- which mean the main would know likely be at these spots. And you can throw emotes at people because you're literally standing right next to them. They are right there and there's not much else to do when you're waiting for them to pop up. This isn't an issue where you have a whole map or even individual nodes. The nodes spawn in the same place for everyone, at the same time for everyone. I will warp to the map and I know 90% of the time who will warp in after me, because they are gatherers, I know they're doing the gathering thing because I just saw them, and I know what's about to come up. It feels like stalking you're stalking these people when you're not.

As for the MB, if you're gathering and selling, you will see that person's listing when you list your own. There is an option to bring up the current prices of any item you're selling on the MB (and an option to see who bought stuff.) I'm sorry, but if someone has retain of your name, it'll stand out more. And you can tell who owns the retainers either by the stuff they sell. Equipment you make has your name on it. I know the retainer names of all my competition -- not because I go out of my way but because their name is on the stuff they sell.

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Originally Posted by Alisi

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how you can assume what i do ingame is beyond me..but its stalking, its not about what you feel like it is, its not about coincedince, its stalking, it doesnt matter what your personal opinion is regarding a fact

He was stalking.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I also stopped purposely following his bots around months ago

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

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im not trying to defend the bot, and im not trying to downplay how rude it is for someone to do this to you..im just trying to let you know why a GM will likely not see this as something against the other person.

From the way you worded the post.. a summary sounds like "i stalked some bots...i found the main of the bots and purposfully (essentially) harrassed him with emotes, he then changed his retainers to my name"


Wording is key, and i might have read the message differently if the wording didnt seem to suggest what ive said

I suppose I could've gone into more detail to make it clear that I was not "spamming" emotes at the characters in question (I know how just how touchy some players can be from the experiences of others, and avoid doing anything they could use as an excuse to report me).

In any case, I've learned from this that it's probably best to just not show any hostility or negativity to other players period. Which is really difficult when you have to see so many bots on a daily basis and you know precisely who owns all of them. It honestly frustrates me enough that I don't even want to gather while they're online at times.

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Originally Posted by LeeraSorlan

how you can assume what i do ingame is beyond me..but its stalking, its not about what you feel like it is, its not about coincedince, its stalking, it doesnt matter what your personal opinion is regarding a fact

He was stalking.

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You don't have an end game gatherer ergo you don't end game gather. Simple.

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Originally Posted by Alisi

You don't have an end game gatherer ergo you don't end game gather. Simple.

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TIL my 3 alts i have dont exist simply because my lodestone features my main character.

But the subject of me and what i do is off topic and unrelated to how they were stalking, regardless of whatever excuse you would like to handfeed me

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Originally Posted by LeeraSorlan

TIL my 3 alts i have dont exist simply because my lodestone features my main character.

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I see. That's why you knew all this about end game gatherers, huh. I am just trying to explain to you why what she said about the gatherers isn't as terrible as it sounds. If you wish to take offense at someone trying to give you some 'handfed' information, that is all on your own.

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Originally Posted by Alisi

I see. That's why you knew all this about end game gatherers, huh. I am just trying to explain to you why what she said about the gatherers isn't as terrible as it sounds. If you wish to take offense at someone trying to give you some 'handfed' information, that is all on your own.

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im not offended at anything, and what is there to know? all youve explained to me is that gatheres have timed nodes that require u to be somewhere specific..this is common knowledge that anyone who plays this game should know even a little bit about. you didnt explain anything i wasnt already familiar with.

The main point is he was stalking, thats it. its not about whatever gathering specific thing you want to talk about

Im quoting this again because it literally is not about being at the same place at the same time due to a timed gathering node.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I also stopped purposely following his bots around months ago

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you cannot purposfully stalk someone by accident.

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Originally Posted by LeeraSorlan

you cannot purposfully stalk someone by accident.

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But they're GATHERING bots. How hard is this for you to understand? I get you're invested in this person being evil but he's not. Just because he decided to gather a couple extra things doesn't mean he's stalking in the traditional sense. It just means he knows what sells on his server and so he chooses to gather a little bit extra. Ooooh! He's a stalker! I don't know if you know this, but bots do the same things over and over and over again. That's why they're BOTS. And these are GATHERING BOTS. Meaning, anyone with half a brain can pinpoint where they'd be. You can stalk bots without having to think about it. Why? Because we all (eg, every single end game gatherer) gathers the same thing at the same time. It's not rocket science. You want to spin his actions into this nefarious tilt and I gave you the benefit of the doubt that you simply didn't understand how ridiculous you were sounding. I guess I was wrong. Forgive me for assuming.

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Originally Posted by LeeraSorlan

you cannot purposfully stalk someone by accident.

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But she was stalking a bot, a thing, not a person. Trying to get information for a report.

I've done it too, to someone teleporting, to get information on patterns for the sake of the report. Not like the person got banned though for that, since Square also doesn't take video proof of the guy teleporting accross a zone while still in range of /follow.

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Originally Posted by Jijifli

But she was stalking a bot, a thing, not a person. Trying to get information for a report.

I've done it too, to someone teleporting, to get information on patterns for the sake of the report. Not like the person got banned though for that, since Square also doesn't take video proof of the guy teleporting accross a zone while still in range of /follow.

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im not trying to argue specifics, im simply trying to state, this was intentional stalking..thats it. im not saying its right, im not saying its wrong..im just saying its stalking...defending this as not stalking...is incorrect.

That sucks, sorry this happened to you. I found some bots once farming for "I'm assuming" coral skins or exp/gil?. Every time a baby coral would spawn like 4 or 5 of them "low levels" would appear out of no where and would kill it. It was really bad because I had a friend who was trying to kill a few of them for a quest. I had to party up with that person who was also a low level and kill the coral before they all ganged up on it. After they finished the quest a few of my FC mates went to go see what was going on since we were talking about it in the FC chat. We stuck around for a good 30 minutes killing all the corals that spawned just to try and mess things up for them. I was able to quickly examine a few toons before they would kill the coral and disappear again. My friend reported them, they all had the same name just different variations like yours. Also, I had found another toon well hid behind a tree with a similar name to the others but was more unique as if it were the main. This happened a good two or three months ago...never heard anything back, I also "followed" them not stalking but the command follow. So, it seems as if all the toons would go underground where you couldn't see them and then appear when the corals would spawn. They were going under the map kinda like you can in skyrim...Furthermore, people need to chill out a bit, the real issue was never emotes/following, it was the bots. Same deal with RMT I've sat there for a few seconds just "hurling something" at them and "slapping" them...besides, don't sweat it, your a Ninja anyways, that's what we're known for hehehehe NIN NIN NIN :D :P

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Originally Posted by Alisi

You don't have an end game gatherer ergo you don't end game gather. Simple.

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He literally referred to it as stalking himself. As well as saying he "purposely followed" the bots. That is stalking.

I'm more baffled at why u guys are arguing about stalking more than the actual rmt problem this community sometimes.

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Originally Posted by Bernkastelx

I'm more baffled at why u guys are arguing about stalking more than the actual rmt problem this community sometimes.

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what are we sposta argue about for RMTs? They are bad, they should be reported...no arguements needed

Hate bots.
Hate people selling accounts that have been botted.
Hate seeing the same bots months and years on end.
Hate the creators and sellers of bot programs.

I've given up hope any sweeping enforcement will happen.
Must accept that if cheating can happen, it will happen.
Will just have to try not to dwell on the negativeness of all that it affects.

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Originally Posted by Bloodb

Hate bots.
Hate people selling accounts that have been botted.
Hate seeing the same bots months and years on end.
Hate the creators and sellers of bot programs.

I've given up hope any sweeping enforcement will happen.
Must accept that if cheating can happen, it will happen.
Will just have to try not to dwell on the negativeness of all that it affects.

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What's really fun is a herd of bots all phasing into an FC chest and causing it to not work for 20 minutes.

Just report it, I'm sure the GM will make him change his retainers names. I had dirty names used for my retainers a year ago and a GM teleported me and told me to change them lol.

It would probably fall under prohibited activities in the ToS:

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3.4 Impersonation. You may not impersonate any person or entity or fraudulently hold yourself out as a Square Enix employee, representative, or any other Square Enix-connected person or being affiliated with any such person or entity. This means you cannot log into someone else's account, or deceive or mislead other people as to your identity. For your own safety, we encourage users to safeguard their privacy, remain anonymous, and never give out personal information to other users.

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I believe the OP stated their retainer's name was changed already though.