Botting: Good or Evil? lol

[Dragonblanco]

Macros are part of the game, not a third party tool. They're part of the limited automation SE has built into the game.

You still need to be present to start synthesis on the recipe then start the macro. You're going to have to use manual input at least every 45 seconds if not more often. You're not going to be able to walk away for 2 hours and come back to a stack of finished collectables.

Someone using a third party tool to bot can walk away for that two hours.

One is allowed by the game. One isn't. Playing by the rules is what makes the game experience fair for everyone.

In-game macros are part of the game. SE controls what we can or cannot accomplish using them.

Macros that are created by using third party tools are outside of SE's control and may do things that SE does not want players to do. Therefore they are not allowed.

It shouldn't be difficulty to understand that

So what you quoted me on was me responding to you when you were saying it shouldn't be allowed because it impacts other players. The example I gave was of using third party macros to do Ishgard Restoration, which many do. You create a game macro for the things, then set Razer Synapse or other programs to keep it going. It doesn't take from the economy, it doesn't really give that player a benefit over others, etc. So it was just a comparison.

That said, I already know about macros and botting. If you've read my many responses in trying to educate people, you'll see where I've fully described what they are, how they work, acknowledged what is and isn't allowed by ToS, quoted what is said to be gray areas because they can't monitor what is on our computers, and so much more. Yet, none of that was that my forum post here was supposed to be about. I didn't ask for definitions or what is allowed by SE. I asked what players personally think about botting, what the pros and cons of them are, and if they (you) would bot IF SE were to suddenly modify ToS and say all players would be allowed to use those programs?

[Jojoya]

The example I gave was of using third party macros to do Ishgard Restoration, which many do. You create a game macro for the things, then set Razer Synapse or other programs to keep it going. It doesn't take from the economy, it doesn't really give that player a benefit over others, etc.

Except it does give that player a huge advantage over others. It does take from the economy. You do know that scrip can be converted into items to sell on the MB, don't you?

Someone who automates that via third party tools gets to spend their time doing other things. They can run it while they sleep or they're at work then spend their normally limited game time doing other content.

Someone who only uses the in game macro that requires manual input to restart the macro each time does not. They have to make choices about whether they use their limited game time on the Restoration or on other content.

Please, just stop with the bad rationalizations on why it's okay to cheat. It's not.

If you've read my many responses in trying to educate people, you'll see where I've fully described what they are, how they work, acknowledged what is and isn't allowed by ToS, quoted what is said to be gray areas because they can't monitor what is on our computers, and so much more.

There are no grey areas here.

Use of third party tools to automate game play is not allowed.

Those who choose to do so are cheating and are subject to ban if caught. That simple. Just because someone does not get caught does not make it okay to do.