Why do they even have a "Report cheating" option in-game when I'm told not to use it?

[KageTokage]

Whatever stance they're taking, it clearly isn't working, because there are frequent complaints of the same players getting away with botting, hacking, win trading, etc. for months, if not years on end despite being reported multiple times, sometimes by multiple players.

I've been reporting the same three bots on my server for upwards of a year now, but they're still going strong and now currently trying to expand their activities judging from the sprouts in their guild that are botting FATEs to level as I speak.

Something seriously needs to change, because I really don't understand why they can be so prompt in dealing with harassment reports, yet seemingly overlook cheaters entirely.

[Akor]

Simple: if u get caught by cheating (using bots/hacks) your account will be terminated, while if u caught by player harassment you can only get few days of ban. Take guess why is this a thing.

[KageTokage]

Simple: if u get caught by cheating (using bots/hacks) your account will be terminated, while if u caught by player harassment you can only get few days of ban. Take guess why is this a thing.

Sadly, that's a really, really big "if", in the former case, considering the laundry list of obvious signs of botting the players I've been reporting give off, yet the so-called "action team" (I think "inaction team" would be more appropriate at this point) seems to think they're totally legit.

Also, you kind of missed the point of my topic, which is that despite there being a "report cheating" option in-game, I've received direct word-of-mouth from the GMs that using it is unlikely to accomplish anything, as it's not sending the reports to the mythical action team I mentioned earlier who supposedly are the ones who actually handle cheaters, not the GMs. For all we know, the main reason people aren't getting banned could be that everyone is simply using the in-game report and expecting something to happen when the Lodestone report function is secretly the only one that's functional. Overall, the whole situation just reeks of "They don't actually care" if they're not making something like this clear to people.

Oh, and even if you do somehow get caught, a perma-ban isn't likely to happen if it's the first offense, because a certain player was notorious for hacking in PvP, and got away with it for several months, but was ultimately only given a temporary ban of a few days once the countless reports being made against him finally spurred them into doing something. Last I heard, he was still hacking, just outside of PvP where he's less likely to be reported,

[Ssmiley_Bjakkzz]

Just go in trade mode little bit and the player will notice that hes bot isnt moving :P

[KageTokage]

Just go in trade mode little bit and the player will notice that hes bot isnt moving :P

I did that before and ended up getting reported by the botter not long after, so I'd suggest against doing that. I was honestly kind of hoping that would happen under the silly assumption that the GM might actually heed my complaints about the player, but like usual, he just pointed me in the direction of the useless Lodestone report function.

A good number of the bots seem to be only half-AFK much of the time and are likely being multi-boxed with the player's main, so even if a GM did decide to contact them, they'd be able to get them off their case quickly.

[Ssmiley_Bjakkzz]

Hellluuuuuu