Bot's on Market Board...? Really?

[ElazulHP]

It is definitely NOT under control. I crafted a few test pieces for the MB(to gauge the market) yesterday and I'm seeing bots that update prices every 30 minutes on the dot. It's really annoying and essentially kills my enjoyment crafting.

EDIT: I feel like a broken record saying this too. But really what else is there to say? Crafting is completely busted because of the bots.

[Jojoya]

It is definitely NOT under control. I crafted a few test pieces for the MB(to gauge the market) yesterday and I'm seeing bots that update prices every 30 minutes on the dot. It's really annoying and essentially kills my enjoyment crafting.

EDIT: I feel like a broken record saying this too. But really what else is there to say? Crafting is completely busted because of the bots.

A few test pieces isn't going to give you much information when there are thousands of different items to be crafted.

Bots are a problem in a few narrow crafting markets, primarily end game gear. There are plenty of other items to craft and sell for profit that bots aren't touching.

[ElazulHP]

A few test pieces isn't going to give you much information when there are thousands of different items to be crafted.

Bots are a problem in a few narrow crafting markets, primarily end game gear. There are plenty of other items to craft and sell for profit that bots aren't touching.

Few being 1 of my retainers full. There are bots in all the food, tinctures, crafting, gathering, and DoW/DoM gears & weapons/tools markets. I recognize the names as I've been crafting for years and used to live next door to one and saw the endless parade of naked bot alts rotating and updating prices at the bell right outside our homes. Some of those bots have been around since HW without being banned. Saying that it's "in a few narrow crafting markets" is also ignoring the fact that those are the markets that are most frequently purchased right after a patch releases and where it's most profitable at the right time. Why should I ignore them in favor of markets that sell less over longer periods. It's not worth my time and that is where the problem is. Crafting just isn't worth the time invested anymore unless you're crafting for the sake of crafting. Especially, when faced with bots that gather and craft 24/7 without logging off and have a bot updating prices literally every 30 minutes until whatever the set minimum level is. They'll bottom out prices until the margins are so razor-thin it's not worth it.

I'm legit been thinking the last few months of unsubscribing in protest tbh. Crafting has been one of my favorite activities for years in this game and with it ruined half the game isn't fun anymore.

[Sqwall]

A few test pieces isn't going to give you much information when there are thousands of different items to be crafted.

Bots are a problem in a few narrow crafting markets, primarily end game gear. There are plenty of other items to craft and sell for profit that bots aren't touching.

This is an issue and one that shouldn't be overlooked. This basically cheating when you boil it right down. I can't be on 24/7 to gather mats as I have a life, and i'm not a computer program that can just run and run and run. This isn't like I put a rubber band on my controller! This is a program someone put the time into to make and exploit the game to make actual real money for personal gain. If that doesn't offend the EULA I don't know what will anymore.

The real way to report this I suppose is to put in a real help desk ticket, but this could lead to unsubstantiated evidence and consume the help desk team considerably. It WAS a real problem in FFXI and destroyed the markets there. It wasn't until around Aht Urgen expansion that SE started to really see it impacting the game as it was nearly impossible to buy anything on the AH as a new incoming player. Which lead to loss in revenue for the game.

When it starts hitting their revenue stream is the only way SE will attempt to counter this. Currently now it doesn't as the sub's just keep going up for this game.