A Thought on the Forthcoming Live Letter QA

Hello Community!

Previous thread has been removed, but MyOpinion still stands.

There is a QA on April 14th during the Live Letter with Global Community Producer Toshio Murouchi who oversees the Community Team that handles live events and broadcasts, but mainly the Support Team that handles inquiries from players and the Special Task Force (STF) Team that handles illicit activities.

I encourage you to ask a question related to the producers job responsibilities or like the posts if it is similar to your question.

A few examples (Will update if anyone posts something new):
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...oshio-Murouchi (From Sovasin, Texa, Cidel)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4632641 (Stormfur)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Murouchi/page3 (Tranquilmelody7, JLW)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Murouchi/page5 (MyOpinion, gbe931, Bourne_Endeavor)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Murouchi/page7 (Kisama, Vahlnir, Vnolan)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Murouchi/page8 (Vnolan, KageTokage, Vstarstruck)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4633518 (PonifiedBeast)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4633728 (JLW)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4634339 (Rufalus)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4634641 (Llus)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4636620 (yuki-)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4637528 (HyoMinPark)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4638824 (Tridus)
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...urouchi/page23 (Alucard135, dmcincubus)

Main Thread Link: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...oshio-Murouchi

I'll add on to the list above if you just recently added a comment on the thread to keep everyone up-to-date.

Post a comment to let us know why you asked that specific question to better understand your perspective :).

The fact that they were even able to find a grounds to remove the original thread in the first place is worrisome to me, since as far as I'm aware, there wasn't any actual ToS violations going on there and more likely the people who were very indirectly being mentioned by the TC noticed it and started spamming it with reports because it was making them feel insecure.

Given the number of comments addressing botting (of all kinds, from PvP to crafting/gathering to the trickling of them into content like Eureka), and given the likes each comment is steadily accruing, I will be severely disappointed if the guest at the Live Letter does not answer a single one of them.

Just because botting isn’t an issue on the JP servers does not mean it’s not an issue elsewhere, or that it should be ignored. Frontlines is already nightmarish if your GC ends up having the most bots, and even though I do not craft or gather much for profit, the dominating bots are doing in the crafting markets—and I’m not just talking about Cactuar here; there are other servers that have it worse than we do—is just not right, and prevents legitimate crafters from making a profit (not that legitimate crafters need bots to make bank; sounds like the crafting bots just need to git gud). Something needs to be done.

Why was that thread removed O_o
Censorship? protecting the botters? is that why they never respond to these bot concerns?

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Originally Posted by Vstarstruck

Why was that thread removed O_o
Censorship? protecting the botters? is that why they never respond to these bot concerns?

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Pointing out that botters are violating the ToS is mean. Can't do that.

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Originally Posted by Vstarstruck

Why was that thread removed O_o
Censorship? protecting the botters? is that why they never respond to these bot concerns?

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It was likely linking one of the posters to the group which could open them up to harassment if not being construed as harassment in itself. Perhaps the thread was taken to the back room for cleaning, some threads have made it back before.

I'd like to hope that's what happened, because deleting an entire thread because of one person making a remark like that is hardly reasonable.

It wasn't deleted, just moved to events forum. I thought it was so they could translate the question they want to ask.

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Originally Posted by Stormfur

It wasn't deleted, just moved to events forum. I thought it was so they could translate the question they want to ask.

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That thread started off in the events forum and was started by staff, the thread in question was started by a user and is no longer listed in the general forum. :)

The total number of likes on these posts has exceeded a thousand. Hope that's enough to gain their attention.

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Originally Posted by HyoMinPark

Just because botting isn’t an issue on the JP servers does not mean it’s not an issue elsewhere, or that it should be ignored.

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Haven't seen PVP bots, but I have seen Gathering & FATE bots on my JP server. So they do exist.

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Originally Posted by Xiomara

Haven't seen PVP bots, but I have seen Gathering & FATE bots on my JP server. So they do exist.

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Have you tried reporting them and what was the result of that? I think it would be a helpful insight to learn how things are handled on JP servers and if questions are being raised regarding botters from JP server players for the upcoming live letter?

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Originally Posted by XenoCranel

if questions are being raised regarding botters from JP server players for the upcoming live letter?

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As far as I've seen from browsing the JP Q&A thread, the majority of the popular questions are just personal ones regarding the dev's work history and such, and nothing actually pertaining directly to XIV.

There was one person asking about what the most common type of misdemeanor the STF has to deal with is, but not one person complaining about bots.

I assume the issue is so minor on the JP servers that most people don't even notice/care.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

As far as I've seen from browsing the JP Q&A thread, the majority of the popular questions are just personal ones regarding the dev's work history and such, and nothing actually pertaining directly to XIV.

There was one person asking about what the most common type of misdemeanor the STF has to deal with is, but not one person complaining about bots.

I assume the issue is so minor on the JP servers that most people don't even notice/care.

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Yeah, I just checked their market. Prices are very low compared to most NA servers by like 80% for most end-game content items I saw at least.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...EF%BC%89/page3

Here's one from the Japanese Q&A. One of the questions from KOTATU_is_Devil is talking about botting issues (Thanks to google translate...if it was correct). We can push that question by giving it more likes (If anyone knows Japanese, maybe they can translate the question correctly).

I've noticed there's a different type of blight on the marketboards aside from straight crafting bots, and that's undercut bots who make it extremely difficult to sell anything when they're basically constantly cycling through their stock and undercutting by one gil whenever someone tries to sell lower then them.

I can understand why a large amount of Cactaur's crafters seem to have backed out of the DoW/L gear market when these individuals are making it such a hassle to sell anything...

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Originally Posted by Alucard135

Here's one from the Japanese Q&A. One of the questions from KOTATU_is_Devil is talking about botting issues (Thanks to google translate...if it was correct). We can push that question by giving it more likes (If anyone knows Japanese, maybe they can translate the question correctly).

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Originally Posted by KOTATU_is_Devil

BOT産アイテムがマケに与えている影響
（シャードはBOT産が○割あるとか）

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If I am translating correctly, they are mentioning concerns about the effect/influence botting has on the Market Board. And then they make a mention about how a lot of the shards (on the MB) are gathered by bots.

Little different from the situation on NA servers with crafters botting products, but it at least relates to gathering bots in a way. Only 7 likes as of this post, though.

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Originally Posted by HyoMinPark

If I am translating correctly, they are mentioning concerns about the effect/influence botting has on the Market Board. And then they make a mention about how a lot of the shards (on the MB) are gathered by bots.

Little different from the situation on NA servers with crafters botting products, but it at least relates to gathering bots in a way. Only 7 likes as of this post, though.

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Thanks for that! Good to know it was related to the topic. And yeah, the number shows how it isn't much of an issue on JP servers.

So far, no changes even after the announcement of bans. Seems like they changed the formatting(?)

I will continue to report botters while waiting for the upcoming LL.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

I've noticed there's a different type of blight on the marketboards aside from straight crafting bots, and that's undercut bots who make it extremely difficult to sell anything when they're basically constantly cycling through their stock and undercutting by one gil whenever someone tries to sell lower then them.

I can understand why a large amount of Cactaur's crafters seem to have backed out of the DoW/L gear market when these individuals are making it such a hassle to sell anything...

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Tbf, and this will definitely not be a popular thing to say, I will admit to undercutting by 1 gil all the time. And given my personal situation, I tend to be on throughout the day and night, and can update fairly frequently (while I'm playing). I actually get annoyed by people undercutting by more, because it just drives the potential revenue down much faster.

However, I understand that if someone doesn't have as much time as me, the idea of undercutting by 1k, 10k or 50k makes sense if it's an effort to stop someone from selling lower than they feel comfortable with.

As for bots doing that... well, it certainly feels that way with the amount of time I spend checking the boards only to see that I'm being undercutted again. But my first thought is that someone else doesn't have a life just like me. =P

It's kind of weird when the individual in question is literally never doing anything other then undercutting/crafting from within their private home, spends upwards of 20 hours online daily, and also only has SCH/SMN at 70 as far as DoW/M classes go.

Other people who are known to bot exhibit all of these same qualities, so I tend to just assume they're the same.


Also, SE apparently decided to include people banned specifically for botting in their latest illicit activity report, and it doesn't seem to include the RMT gil farm bots judging from the low numbers and temporary bans. Whether this actually means they've stepped things up or if they're just trying to get people off their back by basically saying "But we do ban bots!" remains to be seen.

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Originally Posted by KageTokage

Also, SE apparently decided to include people banned specifically for botting in their latest illicit activity report, and it doesn't seem to include the RMT gil farm bots judging from the low numbers and temporary bans. Whether this actually means they've stepped things up or if they're just trying to get people off their back by basically saying "But we do ban bots!" remains to be seen.

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Most likely they are starting to make specific categories . I don't really think there has been any real changes unless someone can confirm this on their server?

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Originally Posted by drchesed

Tbf, and this will definitely not be a popular thing to say, I will admit to undercutting by 1 gil all the time. And given my personal situation, I tend to be on throughout the day and night, and can update fairly frequently (while I'm playing). I actually get annoyed by people undercutting by more, because it just drives the potential revenue down much faster.

However, I understand that if someone doesn't have as much time as me, the idea of undercutting by 1k, 10k or 50k makes sense if it's an effort to stop someone from selling lower than they feel comfortable with.

As for bots doing that... well, it certainly feels that way with the amount of time I spend checking the boards only to see that I'm being undercutted again. But my first thought is that someone else doesn't have a life just like me. =P

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I doubt anyone who has brought up the botting issue on Cactuar is concerned over 1 gil undercuts. That is standard practice, and I prefer it as the market remains competitive. You needs only look at the Infusion/Cider market to see what has caused such an uproar.

Welp, it seems they did acknowledge the questions on the US Q&A thread, but the response they gave seemed like it could be summed up as "We know about it and we're trying to fix it. Please understand".

I'd like to hope something might actually come of it, but I'm feeling doubtful at this point.

Honestly speaking, just like viruses, ppl can only work reactive on the issue saying that they heard it should be enough FOR NOW, It's worth pointing out that they are reporting bot measures in the RMT report notice, which is cool, anyway seems we have been heard but it's not the end, we must keep vigilant and see how the situation evolves.

I will continue to report botters on my server regardless of what they said in the LL until action is taken. I encourage everyone to do so as well.