Should the ToS be updated to allow botting?

[HyoMinPark]

No one want botting be allowed the problem is more that alot of ppl who arent RMT not getting any bans. Trust me raiders have reason to bot too dont make it look like only casuals do it. I mean if a raider leveling 3-4 alts to bypass lockout with bots they kinda do have reasons too.

The OP specifically asked for botting to be included as being allowed in the game's ToS. And, if another poster is right, this isn't their first thread about allowing botting/including it in the ToS.

I never once said that only "casuals" bot. I said that I don't see the purpose of ANYONE botting: casual, raider, gatherer, anyone. I asked what purpose does botting serve a "top raider." But I never said that "casuals" don't use bots. I don't care if raiders have 3-4 alts to bypass lockouts. Still don't see the need for them to bot. If they chose to have 3-4 alts, then they need to accept the amount of effort that comes along with it. Sorry, but I disagree with any and all botting for this game, and I don't see 3-4 alts/weekly lockout bypassing as an excuse to bot.

If you don't want to put any effort into the game, and would rather a botting program do the work for you, then I think you shouldn't even be playing. My two cents.

[Texa]

I remember running into 2 people who were obviously playing on characters they bought from bots before. They were both level 55, had the exact same jobs leveled, wearing the exact same mix of darklight and ironworks gear, and using yell in Limsa (not shout) to ask about how to join "a guild". When I asked one about the weird gear setup one of them just confusingly told me "this gear is supposed to be appropriate for our levels". They also said that they didn't know what a tell was and this was back before SE cracked down on RMT spam.

The whole thing was surreal and I'd really hate to imagine how they fared going straight into heavensward content when they didn't even understand the difference between basic chat functions.

[TiaHariberux3]

The OP specifically asked for botting to be included as being allowed in the game's ToS. And, if another poster is right, this isn't their first thread about allowing botting/including it in the ToS.

Can you read? I agreed that "top raiders" have also a reason to bot because it sounded like you dont think they do raiders ofc they have to accept the effort but they simply dont. Also Im against botting but to me OP sounded like "if they cant punish botters why not just allow it".

[HyoMinPark]

Can you read? I agreed that "top raiders" have also a reason to bot because it sounded like you dont think they do raiders ofc they have to accept the effort but they simply dont. Also Im against botting but to me OP sounded like "if they cant punish botters why not just allow it".

No need to be rude. But...can you read?

If people are botting on their mains, then it's not being enforced. Why not update the ToS so that not only a select few benefit from it?

Sounds to me like the OP wants botting to be added to the ToS. The second sentence sounds like they would like it to be allowed so that they, themselves, can legally bot.

While it's true that some elude bans, SE posts notices on the Lodestone about the accounts they punish for RMT and illicit activity. That includes botting. GMs can't be everywhere to stop all the bots, which is why they need help from the community to find them. If people don't report, they don't get banned. However, unfortunately, some still manage to stick around, as other posters have noted. This, however, does not equate to SE/GMs not policing, or just ignoring the bots. I know that some I have reported have been banned from this game (though, they probably just made another account to circumvent that ban anyways).

Again, MY OPINION: I do not think botting has a place in this game. Regardless if it's for gathering, or if you are some world first raider who sees the need for 500 alts to bypass lockouts. If a raider has 3-4 alts and chooses to bot rather than play the game, that just tells me that they're being lazy. Doesn't give SE a reason to legalize botting, or give, not just "top raiders", but ANYONE, an excuse to bot, except to fuel their own laziness.

My quote about "What purpose does that even serve????" is a rhetorical question. I already know what purpose it serves: fueling and promoting laziness. I wasn't looking for an answer.

[Atoli]

Next thing you know, people will want RMT legalized because people should have the ability to buy gil.

That has literally been asked for already. A few weeks back, there was a thread here by a Roegadyn that asked SE to just legally let us buy Gil directly from them in the Mogstation so we do not 'have to' go to competitors

I've never understood this. Why get a bot to essentially play a game for you? Doesn't that take all of the meaning out of it?

The point is to let the bot do the non-enjoyable parts for you so you can only do what you like without missing out on the rewards for doing what you consider boring or a waste of time. So for example, if you enjoy endgame raiding, you ofc do that yourself. But that boring, pesky daily roulette? You'd rather skip that and watch some Netflix instead. But you need the tomes to gear up for raiding, so - as a normal player - you resignate and do those roulettes even when you do not want to. The botter instead starts up his bot, then goes relax on the couch while you struggle to get through the dungeon with a healer that only uses Cure I and has problems following behind and is completely unresponsive.

Same with gathering, leveling alts, etc. of course.
I understand the thought-process behind it, but I am still very glad it is illegal.

[HyoMinPark]

That has literally been asked for already. A few weeks back, there was a thread here by a Roegadyn that asked SE to just legally let us buy Gil directly from them in the Mogstation so we do not 'have to' go to competitors

Good lord. Missed that thread, but....good lord.

The point is to let the bot do the non-enjoyable parts for you so you can only do what you like without missing out on the rewards for doing what you consider boring or a waste of time. So for example, if you enjoy endgame raiding, you ofc do that yourself. But that boring, pesky daily roulette? You'd rather skip that and watch some Netflix instead. But you need the tomes to gear up for raiding, so - as a normal player - you resignate and do those roulettes even when you do not want to.

Eh, different folks, different strokes. But, I guess I've always been the type who is like:
"I don't feel like doing my dailies today." So, I just don't do them.
"I feel like watching Friends re-runs instead." So, I just log or AFK in my FC's or bondmate's house, and watch Friend's re-runs. XD

I'm glad it's not allowed, and I still don't really see the need for it. I know people will be lazy (I can be extremely lazy myself), but if you don't wanna play the game, then just don't play. Or don't do the things you don't wanna do. But that's just how I always think about those sort of things, I guess. ^^;;

[Lyraele]

I'll just go with "no". I really don't think encouraging bot's is a good idea, at all.

[MihaelB]

You might as well just write yourself a script on excel with level prompts going "GREAT JOB YOU SCRIPTED 24 HOURS".

[Avenger]

No. If you desire a game reward but don't think it is worth whatever time and effort it requires (maybe because it is boring, tedious, difficult, random, or just not fun) then it makes sense to avoid it and do something else.

Bots detract from the game experience and are appropriately forbidden.

[Avenger]

You might as well just write yourself a script on excel with level prompts going "GREAT JOB YOU SCRIPTED 24 HOURS".

I recommend something like Progress Quest or other "fire and forget" RPGs.