Curse

Zebideedee · May 27, 2010, 10:31 AM // 10:31

Hahaha would have loved to have seen that

headlesshobbs · May 27, 2010, 10:35 AM // 10:35

If Dhumm was in JQ cleaning house, I wish I was there earlier to see it. I know more then a couple bot's named "FU" who were asking for it a looong time now.

Chuba · May 27, 2010, 11:03 AM // 11:03

Was this Eric Flannum's idea? Those images reminded me of Sacrifice, the legendary RTS game by Shiny, where Eric worked a while back... The game had a spell called Death that summoned... well, Death in the form of a laughing Grim Reaper that continued to kill stuff randomly. Luckily this wasn't as random

Devil Luca · May 27, 2010, 11:08 AM // 11:08

Damn i don't see it, but what i can say?

Really Applause to Anet, this is the Best thing i see in game in the last 4 years!!!!!!!!! GZ!!!!

Kc Quipor Ultra · May 27, 2010, 11:08 AM // 11:08

I missed

but what if people get killed and they are no botters :O !!
edit : just saw the movie , so not everyone got killed :P

Dark Paladin X · May 27, 2010, 11:19 AM // 11:19

Nice, ANet. Despite the anti-farming stance, at least you figure out a very creative way to deal with bots.

Bring in the banhammer...I mean...banscythe!

aspi · May 27, 2010, 11:32 AM // 11:32

It was a good idea untill I read that even texmodders are banned. Hmm I have to go see if I am banned when I get home, I was using this program to get my Elona cartagropher cause I had No idea what I missed.
That would be kinda harsh to get banned for using a relative innocent program like that.

Amy Awien · May 27, 2010, 11:38 AM // 11:38

Maybe the people getting banned for botting are saying they only used Texmod just to make others nervous about using Texmod.

Fusylum · May 27, 2010, 11:38 AM // 11:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regina Buenaobra

It was kind of amusing to read the in-game chat when they were getting banned.

Haha, she was probably like... /ban
and at home she wispered to herself 'pwned, yeah'
lol

Dzjudz · May 27, 2010, 11:54 AM // 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by aspi

It was a good idea untill I read that even texmodders are banned. Hmm I have to go see if I am banned when I get home, I was using this program to get my Elona cartagropher cause I had No idea what I missed.
That would be kinda harsh to get banned for using a relative innocent program like that.

Nah, they are probably conveniently omitting information regarding what they did or did not use prior to their bans. I've been using KSMod, Texmod and Multi-Launch for a long time and haven't been banned, neither have dozens of people in my alliance who use all those 3 programs. I know of only one person in my alliance who has been banned, and he used a raptor farm bot.

Also, if you read through the whole thread about the bans, you will find a post by and a screenshot of Anet officials stating that KSMod, Texmod and Multi-Launch (in their current forms) are okay and not banworthy.

So if all you use is Texmod, you will be alright.

jonnieboi05 · May 27, 2010, 11:59 AM // 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dzjudz

Nah, they are probably conveniently omitting information regarding what they did or did not use prior to their bans. I've been using KSMod, Texmod and Multi-Launch for a long time and haven't been banned, neither have dozens of people in my alliance who use all those 3 programs. I know of only one person in my alliance who has been banned, and he used a raptor farm bot.

I've used TexMod in the past to play with textures and I was never permbanned for "Third Party Software". I have also been using KSMod for as long as it's been out (both the old one and the injected one) and I have still yet to be banned for "Third Party Software".

I think it's pretty darn safe to assume that TexMod and KSMod are ok to use (for now).

Although... I still consider mapping with the cartog texmod thing as cheating and should warrant a permaban. Regardless what people want to believe, cartog via texmod is giving people an unfair advantage whether disagree or believe otherwise.

aspi · May 27, 2010, 12:30 PM // 12:30

Ok that would be good news, I think I am save then. Probably will be a while before I have the nerf to start texmod again :P

Killamus · May 27, 2010, 12:58 PM // 12:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerel

Okies, so no technically minded person ever downloaded a bot just so they could see the code, to see how it works, to understand what they're up against?

No player ever downloaded a bot, but then thought better of actually risking their account by using it?

No, of course not, impossible!

Except that the source code for these bots is actually on google.com, not on the sites. Any simple search for the name of the DLL over at code.google.com would've returned it; I know that I've looked at it myself (And it was really well done - Seriously, whoever they are should look to working at ANet.)

Quote:

Where in the EULA does it say you can't download third party software or bots? I know you can't use them, but where does it say you can't download them but not use them? Yeah, right...

I never said that it was in the EULA. I said they used this as a way to determine who botted.

Quote:

Onto your PS3 comment, yeah, nobody ever bought a PS3 and just used it for a Bluray player back when they were a fraction of the price of a standalone Bluray player did they? Oh wait, yes they did. Not that your example makes any sense... multi hundred dollar piece of hardware versus a free download, uh huh...

I used this as an example, and it still works. If you read, I stated

Quote:

I'll never hook it up or take it out of the box.

, not "I'll use it as a blu-ray player and not as a gaming system."

Quote:

Banning based solely on an IP list of bot downloaders would also be contrary to what Anet assures us is there standard practice of INVESTIGATING their server logs to make sure they are correct in issuing the bans. Throwing out blanket bans and then having to deal with the shit load of bad publicity and the incredible amount of support time needed to deal with all the indignant wrongly accused people would be far more expensive than just investigating the server logs and following up on player reports.

I want to say this; I never said there were not investigations. It's entirely possible there were in conjunction with the IP lists (Think of the IP lists as starting places.) I'll agree, it's hard to believe that ANet would blanket-ban based on a few sites that offer bots for downloads.

Somehow, they recently obtained a large amount of knowledge of people that bot. It's possible that they modified the game to detect which DLLs are being used by it, but that wouldn't explain people who only used bots for 5 minutes then removed them, several months ago. Unless, of course, they did this a long time ago, arranged a list of names, then suddenly went ban-scythe-happy on 3700 people collected over the course of whatever amount of time it was.

Also, following up on player reports is cumbersome, and is also only effective when people report. Banning a lot of people, and in this fashion, is HUGE publicity for ANet, brings them into a positive light, and throws up a billboard saying "Hey, look, we did something right!". Believe it or not, it's actually quite easy to hide under the "We really did investigate, and found you guilty" default auto-reply given to people who complain to ANet. Not only this, but people who really did NOT bot, but were caught up in this whirlwind of bannings by accident wouldn't believed by the community (You see it all the time "Hey, I got banned but didn't do anything!" "Yea, you did. You just don't know it.") and ANet can hide behind the clause in the EULA "We have the ability to terminate your account for any reason we deem necessary."

I'm not saying that I like it, I'm not saying I want to believe it. However, it seems to me that this is the most reasonable explanation for what they did. I'm also not saying that they did not do investigations as well - They might have done full investigations on every single one of the 3700+ accounts that were banned. If you can show me any other reasonable explanation that would put Anet in a positive light for this, I'd love to hear it. I want to believe that I paid 100$ to a company that isn't going to shit on me one day because I got linked to a site once by a guild mate, and that didn't do this whole event for little more then a publicity stunt.

LightningLeaf · May 27, 2010, 01:01 PM // 13:01

roflcopter @ vid. Judgment of Dhuum! That was inspired

Iuris · May 27, 2010, 01:57 PM // 13:57

Quote:

Banning based solely on an IP list of bot downloaders would also be contrary to what Anet assures us is there standard practice of INVESTIGATING their server logs to make sure they are correct in issuing the bans.

Agreed. Where did the idea that Anet followed IPs of those who downloaded bot programs from websites get started, anyway? How would Anet even get that data? They have the data of their own servers, not 3rd party servers. Would the people who host bot files tell Anet "We host something you don't like, and these are the people who downloaded it"

I mean, having access to those files, not THAT would be grounds for paranoia...

P.S.

Quote:

I can can has Dhumms job please?

Will work for cookies.

Pumpkin, Green rock, Blue rock or Red rock ones? And that's quite a paycheck you demand

~ Angel ~ · May 27, 2010, 02:02 PM // 14:02

Kudos, Anet! That's the funniest thing I've seen! Nice way to put it out there for everyone to see and know that you aren't messing around!

*in my best Gir voice* I'm going to sing the Dhuum song now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqcn_TPu4qQ

chessyang · May 27, 2010, 02:03 PM // 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunfallE

I would have loved to see that happen to someone.

Same here. be cool if he did this again but doing it for something else.

EPIC!!

Nerel · May 27, 2010, 02:17 PM // 14:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

Except that the source code for these bots is actually on google.com, not on the sites. Any simple search for the name of the DLL over at code.google.com would've returned it; I know that I've looked at it myself (And it was really well done - Seriously, whoever they are should look to working at ANet.)

That's awesome, and you failed to respond to or acknowledge the other example I gave of how somebody might down load but not use a bot... or are you still insisting that it's inconceivable? Uh huh...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

I never said that it was in the EULA. I said they used this as a way to determine who botted.

You insisted that ArenaNet banned people based purely on an IP list of downloaders with no actual in game checking to see if they'd actually botted... if that's the case then surely downloading a bot MUST be a violation of the EULA?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

I used this as an example, and it still works. If you read, I stated, not "I'll use it as a blu-ray player and not as a gaming system."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

That's like saying "I bought this PS3, but I'm not going to play it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerel

Not that your example makes any sense... multi hundred dollar piece of hardware versus a free download, uh huh...

Really, you compare something that is free and easy to download to spending hundreds of dollars on a game console? I've downloaded crap that I never ended up using... I don't recall ever buying an expensive gaming console with no intention of ever using it... I mean, sure, if you're retarded...

Yeah... you still didn't address that did you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

I want to say this; I never said there were not investigations. It's entirely possible there were in conjunction with the IP lists (Think of the IP lists as starting places.) I'll agree, it's hard to believe that ANet would blanket-ban based on a few sites that offer bots for downloads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

Unless they suddenly invented a way to detect bots out the ass (Doubtful, at best), the best explanation is a list of accounts or IPs they just blanket banned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

Probably. They really just got a list of IPs that downloaded from a few sites and banned the IPs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

Nah, my guess is that someone leaked a list of IPs that recently downloaded from botting sites and just blanket-banned them.

Yeah... you never said that they just got an IP list of bot downloaders and blanket banned them based on those IP lists... lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killamus

Somehow, they recently obtained a large amount of knowledge of people that bot. It's possible that they modified the game to detect which DLLs are being used by it, but that wouldn't explain people who only used bots for 5 minutes then removed them, several months ago. Unless, of course, they did this a long time ago, arranged a list of names, then suddenly went ban-scythe-happy on 3700 people collected over the course of whatever amount of time it was.

Also, following up on player reports is cumbersome, and is also only effective when people report. Banning a lot of people, and in this fashion, is HUGE publicity for ANet, brings them into a positive light, and throws up a billboard saying "Hey, look, we did something right!". Believe it or not, it's actually quite easy to hide under the "We really did investigate, and found you guilty" default auto-reply given to people who complain to ANet. Not only this, but people who really did NOT bot, but were caught up in this whirlwind of bannings by accident wouldn't believed by the community (You see it all the time "Hey, I got banned but didn't do anything!" "Yea, you did. You just don't know it.") and ANet can hide behind the clause in the EULA "We have the ability to terminate your account for any reason we deem necessary."

I'm not saying that I like it, I'm not saying I want to believe it. However, it seems to me that this is the most reasonable explanation for what they did. I'm also not saying that they did not do investigations as well - They might have done full investigations on every single one of the 3700+ accounts that were banned. If you can show me any other reasonable explanation that would put Anet in a positive light for this, I'd love to hear it. I want to believe that I paid 100$ to a company that isn't going to shit on me one day because I got linked to a site once by a guild mate, and that didn't do this whole event for little more then a publicity stunt.

*Yawn* Sorry you were saying something? Oh um right... something about a reasonable explanation for the sudden shit load of bans being dished out?

Okies, how about this... Anet has been monitoring and detecting bots for a while, refining the detection algorithms used on their servers automated bot flagging, this involves studying the bots behavior/response times and such until they have a set of factors that can accurately discern bot 'behavior' from regular player behavior for all known bots (that is, bots that they know about)... voila, after much work they create a script to flag bots behavior and use it to monitor both in-game activity, and to back check the server logs for such tell tale signs of botting... much banning follows.
All without a conspiracy theory, all without accusing them of blanket banning people based on an IP table from a bot site, all without having to be a genius.

morenovec · May 27, 2010, 02:37 PM // 14:37

It would be amusing Dhumm with a BANana scythe

Dark-NighT · May 27, 2010, 02:52 PM // 14:52

Shame i missed it, looks like epic fun!

Great way of swinging the ban scythe around, and i thank you Anet.