Bots Bots Bots.... Is this normal!??

I have played FFXIV since launch but I've never seen 10-15 bots swarm an npc then disappear and another 10+ more show up a half second later to do the same thing, then rinse/repeat a few times more for good measure....

It's excessive!!

I was trying to do a playthrough of New Game+ ARR Chapters when theseguys showed up in droves.
Whats going on? Was there a recent purge and they are just surging back or what?
...
Never seen this many in single go bombard the poor npcs and mobs on Goblin. I chose to go to Coeurl server to avoid them, but they are there right now too! Is this happening on every server at the same time?

jeez...

Normal, yea actually. Bot swarms are pretty normal. That actually seems like a small one. I've seen some 50+ ones. Don't try to interfere with them or you'll get banned.

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Originally Posted by Bsrking5

Don't try to interfere with them or you'll get banned.

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wh- wait whu?

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Originally Posted by Ammokkx

wh- wait whu?

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Yea, you'll get reported like 100 times and the GM will see its a large number targeted to one person and just ban the one person. Its the special task force job to handle bots so just avoid any interaction with bots and hope the STF gets them is the best you can do.

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Originally Posted by Bsrking5

Yea, you'll get reported like 100 times and the GM will see its a large number targeted to one person and just ban the one person. Its the special task force job to handle bots so just avoid any interaction with bots and hope the STF gets them is the best you can do.

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Feels like I'm gonna need a few reported cases of this actually happening to somebody before I take your word on this. Even if the system did freak out and ban a guy, any investigation would find the reports fraudulent so I doubt there's any lasting consequences attached.

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Originally Posted by Bsrking5

Yea, you'll get reported like 100 times and the GM will see its a large number targeted to one person and just ban the one person. Its the special task force job to handle bots so just avoid any interaction with bots and hope the STF gets them is the best you can do.

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I've never heard of this happening.
What's more realistic is that nothing will happen to you because there is no human driving those characters. They're all scripted for gil farms that are (usually) overseas in places that do this for profit.
You could go trade to interrupt one for example (don't actually do this as it is technically griefing a yet unproven to be guilty player) and they'll simply try their step over again.

Mostly they poshack away instead of teleporting in a player accessible area.

Just report the names as you see them and go about your way, hopefully those specific hydra heads will fall thanks to you.

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Originally Posted by Canadane

Just report the names as you see them and go about your way, hopefully those specific hydra heads will fall thanks to you.

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I would have tried to catch a name or two and report them but they are fast as lightning or hidden beneath the ground. I could see damage while talking to Minfilia in the Waking Sands at one point and questioned how it was even possible to see damage when the closest monsters are outside the town well away from view.
At this point is was more mildly annoying as I was trying to record my New Game+ playthrough for myself in case I ever decide to quit and feel nostalgic and want to watch the story again but their characters were blocking the npcs, etc or would pop up in front of my view while killing monsters...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bsrking5

Yea, you'll get reported like 100 times and the GM will see its a large number targeted to one person and just ban the one person. Its the special task force job to handle bots so just avoid any interaction with bots and hope the STF gets them is the best you can do.

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Email the stf with deets on url the gm provides

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Originally Posted by Vespar

I have played FFXIV since launch but I've never seen 10-15 bots swarm an npc then disappear and another 10+ more show up a half second later to do the same thing, then rinse/repeat a few times more for good measure....

It's excessive!!

I was trying to do a playthrough of New Game+ ARR Chapters when theseguys showed up in droves.
Whats going on? Was there a recent purge and they are just surging back or what?
...
Never seen this many in single go bombard the poor npcs and mobs on Goblin. I chose to go to Coeurl server to avoid them, but they are there right now too! Is this happening on every server at the same time?

jeez...

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Ever since I started back before HW, they were not a real issue, not they control the market boards making crafting and gathering a class or set of, you no longer need as everything is super cheap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vespar

I would have tried to catch a name or two and report them but they are fast as lightning or hidden beneath the ground. I could see damage while talking to Minfilia in the Waking Sands at one point and questioned how it was even possible to see damage when the closest monsters are outside the town well away from view.
At this point is was more mildly annoying as I was trying to record my New Game+ playthrough for myself in case I ever decide to quit and feel nostalgic and want to watch the story again but their characters were blocking the npcs, etc or would pop up in front of my view while killing monsters...

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You can use your battle log or just take a screenshot when you spot one

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Originally Posted by MsMisato

Email the stf with deets on url the gm provides

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The gms dont provide that and the STF rarely accept player feed from what i've seen.

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Originally Posted by Ammokkx

Feels like I'm gonna need a few reported cases of this actually happening to somebody before I take your word on this. Even if the system did freak out and ban a guy, any investigation would find the reports fraudulent so I doubt there's any lasting consequences attached.

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Dont believe me and go try it for yourself if you believe im wrong. By the time the investigation happens your ban would probably be over so they wont care. Gms do the act first questions later style.

Your future is bots. SE isn't gonna ban a single account that isn't explicitly an RMT suicide bot.

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Originally Posted by Bsrking5

Dont believe me and go try it for yourself if you believe im wrong. By the time the investigation happens your ban would probably be over so they wont care. Gms do the act first questions later style.

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Burden of proof isn't on me here.

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Originally Posted by Ammokkx

Burden of proof isn't on me here.

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Never said it was. You dont believe, thats fine. Believe me, well thats fine too.