Thread: 3.0 Quality of Life Suggestions

Originally Posted by KokonoeAiyoko

3. Add a captcha code when you send a /tell via Player Search so RMT will stop.

TL;DR: While I'd love to see some form or technical barrier to RMTs, I don't think Captchas will work here.

(open the spoiler if you want to know why)

Here's why I don't think aaptchas could work here:

First, a Captcha relies on a server randomly generating an image and sending it to your client. You then have to enter the random text displayed in the image in order to do whatever it is you're doing. Unfortunately, doing that in an MMO would vastly increase the bandwidth it requires (think how many tells are sent every day, with most of them actually being legit), and generating the code client-side won't affect RMTs (they'll just develop a "sniffer" that'll tell their bot what the code is each time).

Second, how in the heck would you be able to tell if someone's sending a tell from player search? All /tells are sent via the chat box as /tell <character name>. Any solution, captcha or not, would have to be based on friend lists, fc mates, parties, and/or linkshells (existing player "links").

Third, it's a major inconvenience to legit users - SE would get tons of complaints about this feature, if it were implemented.

Finally, even when done right, Captchas don't work very well (or didn't the last time I heard - this may have changed with video and/or picture captchas, but both of those require more bandwidth in general than a basic captcha would). This is because a captcha has to be readable. If it's clear enough to be read by the naked eye, it's also usually clear enough to be read by OCR software - and don't think RMTs wouldn't try it if they could still make a profit.

There are other ways - less intrusive ones - to fix this. EVE Online has a great system that could probably be used here (where anyone sending a /tell to anyone else has to pay a recipient-decided amount of in-game currency to a central authority), or just restrict /tell to level 21+.

--Erim Nelhah

Super minor request:

When we reassign our retainers the same venture, don't make the next default option "cancel". I've already pressed left to select reassign. If I wanted to choose something different I would have selected "confirm". I just want to be able to quickly double tap X after I select reassign.