The Botridden Land, Eureka Pyros

[Jojoya]

This morning, I've noticed another player that I felt wasn't botting previously, in their botting this morning . I guess their is no end too this, I had thought if SE didn't remove the bots it would embolden others, and it seems it already has. Seeing how many people are noticing the bot problem, it's weird too see SE leave them. You can't even report them, they just direct you too the forums, or the special task force, and then nothing happens. But they claim the special task force is the right way too go, until they decide forums are

To report a bot, contacting the STF through the website link is the way to go.

https://support.na.square-enix.com/c...382&la=1&fty=2 (bottom of the page)

The forums would be for discussing the botting issue in general and suggestions, like making it easier to report bot activity from within the game instead of having to switch to a browser app to make the report, which would potentially leave out valuable information.

[CandyTicklefingers]

Agreed, but now the in game option is sending me here, telling me this is the place too complain also. Other wise I wouldn't have even known this existed. I've been reporting them too the special task force each day, and yet too no avail. It's sad that other players are now using the same method they were complaining about previously ;(. But I guess if they see the bots not receive any penalty or removal, guess they think it's a good way too make gil I have not put the names of the players that I believe arent RMTs into the special task force but I have asked them too take a look at the instance. The 16 on the actual fate 24/7 shouldn't be rocket science too work out they are bots, who knows maybe this area of the game is under staffed, or the number of bots is too great too address. Thank you for your reply, and I will keep reporting them too the Special task force, until I think it's hopeless. But I truly don't think I am far off that.

[Jijifli]

To report a bot, contacting the STF through the website link is the way to go.

https://support.na.square-enix.com/c...382&la=1&fty=2 (bottom of the page)

The forums would be for discussing the botting issue in general and suggestions, like making it easier to report bot activity from within the game instead of having to switch to a browser app to make the report, which would potentially leave out valuable information.

Better idea. Keep both going.

Because if Square is going to continue to completely ignore the issue, why should we not make it public knowledge? Clearly, it's not a problem, since they hadn't been doing anything about it, so there's no harm, yes?

I'd be more trusting on just the report thing if they actually did anything, but they rarely ever ban bots outside of rtneorbge rjhbtr under the ground teleporting around and chargebacking himself (You know, the lowest of fruits).

[Jojoya]

Better idea. Keep both going.

Because if Square is going to continue to completely ignore the issue, why should we not make it public knowledge? Clearly, it's not a problem, since they hadn't been doing anything about it, so there's no harm, yes?

I'd be more trusting on just the report thing if they actually did anything, but they rarely ever ban bots outside of rtneorbge rjhbtr under the ground teleporting around and chargebacking himself (You know, the lowest of fruits).

Certainly discussing the problem in the forums is something that should continue, and I never said anything to indicate I think otherwise.

But reporting specific bots here doesn't accomplish anything if the intent is to get the bot banned. It's not like we as players can take direct actions against a known bot without potentially landing in hot water ourselves because of ToS violations. As Archlord Pie said, you absolutely could get reported for Monster Player Kill if you intentionally dragged other creatures into the bunny FATEs that really shouldn't be there.

We do know that SE does take action against at least some bots other than the disposable RMT bots. There have been a few that disappeared. Sometimes I wonder if SE deletes bot characters when their accounts are banned instead of leaving them in limbo on the banned account. Deleting them would free up the name, allowing the bot operator to reuse it on a new account and creating the appearance that nothing is being done because the same name is still active. That could explain the occasions when those who track bots notice a specific bot will disappear for a few weeks then reappear.

I'd be curious to hear from players on Aether whether all their usual suspects remained active while Aether was Congested or if many of them slowly disappeared. If some had disappeared, will they suddenly start reappearing next week now that there's been a few days to make new characters again.

[Jijifli]

Certainly discussing the problem in the forums is something that should continue, and I never said anything to indicate I think otherwise.

But reporting specific bots here doesn't accomplish anything if the intent is to get the bot banned. It's not like we as players can take direct actions against a known bot without potentially landing in hot water ourselves because of ToS violations. As Archlord Pie said, you absolutely could get reported for Monster Player Kill if you intentionally dragged other creatures into the bunny FATEs that really shouldn't be there.

We do know that SE does take action against at least some bots other than the disposable RMT bots. There have been a few that disappeared. Sometimes I wonder if SE deletes bot characters when their accounts are banned instead of leaving them in limbo on the banned account. Deleting them would free up the name, allowing the bot operator to reuse it on a new account and creating the appearance that nothing is being done because the same name is still active. That could explain the occasions when those who track bots notice a specific bot will disappear for a few weeks then reappear.

I'd be curious to hear from players on Aether whether all their usual suspects remained active while Aether was Congested or if many of them slowly disappeared. If some had disappeared, will they suddenly start reappearing next week now that there's been a few days to make new characters again.

I feel like part of the intent is to show it's still going. People here tended to pretend too often it doesn't exist, so proving stuff of it existing, even just to show it, is honestly being helpful still.

But also, even if I do pretend they take care of the bots, the answer would be no, based off the plenty enough list I check every now and again. Any that have seemed to finally go inactive (And these were like... HW old) still exist on stone. Including their FC, to boot. So that wouldn't be why.

[KageTokage]

I'd be curious to hear from players on Aether whether all their usual suspects remained active while Aether was Congested or if many of them slowly disappeared. If some had disappeared, will they suddenly start reappearing next week now that there's been a few days to make new characters again.

Most of our "usual suspects" have been around since Stormblood and few of them have actually disappeared or ceased activity since then. There was a later secondary surge of bots in the tail end of Shadowbringers due to them basically cracking the system and making a "one and done" script that can take a freshly-skipped account through the 5.0 MSQ as well as grind every DoH/L job to 80.

The only time they tend to be gone for any noticeable amount of time is immediately after major patches, and in the case of Endwalker they just stuck to botting 5.x content until the scripts got updated for 6.0 maybe about a week after release because it typically only takes a day or two for the developers to patch up existing scripts.