Curse

Be Vigilant · Jan 08, 2007, 05:55 AM // 05:55

It's impossible to join a game now without having a bot or leech in your party.

The bots are incredibly obvious as they follow the same pattern of skill usage and constantly attacking the nearest target -- they'll do no damage trying to attack through terrain all day if you let them. A couple will constantly just follow around random party members and do nothing.

The leeches are obviously using a script. They often move just a little to the same spot once they enter a game. And who just sits around hitting "enter" and doing nothing else 24/7 anyway?

Isn't all of this third party program usage against Anet's policy? I reported a couple awhile back and Anet has done nothing. In fact the problem is only getting worse now that everyone's seen they can get away with it. I have a larger list of bots and leeches now, but I haven't bothered reporting them since Anet doesn't appear to care.

I've gotten around 15k points legitly, but I feel it's been for nothing with all of the people earning afk points. I've played this game since release, but I'm so disgusted now I've pretty much decided to quit. If Anet can't allocate the small amount of time it would require to catch the most chronic abusers, then why should I spend my time in this game at all...

Gaile Gray · Jan 08, 2007, 06:15 AM // 06:15

You're right. Botting and leeching is a persistent problem. I don't necessarily know if it's growing, but whether it's growing or just staying at the same level, we do agree that it's not a good thing in any way. We made a game to be played, not AFK'd, and I would love nothing more than to give a big boot with my Extra-Sylish, Uber-Powered 15K Boots of Banning to those who abuse the game, and by doing so, demean the accomplishments of legitimate players who actually earn their rewards.

I will check with the rest of the team and see if there is anything to tell players at present about this issue. I'll also check with Support and see how they deal with tickets or incident reports about botting, AFKing and leeching, just to be sure we're all on the same page.

Be assured, none of us is indifferent to this problem!

The Ernada · Jan 08, 2007, 06:31 AM // 06:31

Oh man. I hope you finally do something about botters and afk leechers. Any present (and future) PVP arenas will never be any fun as long as these problems persist.

Anarkii · Jan 08, 2007, 06:34 AM // 06:34

Such a nicely designed and promising place like Aspenwood went down to oblivion because of leechers, and nothing has been done about it yet.

But there's always hoping things will change...

Jan 08, 2007, 06:36 AM // 06:36

theres a guild of ab afkers that are constantly there. on the kurzick side.

its rather sad.

I pwnd U · Jan 08, 2007, 07:46 AM // 07:46

Yes Aspenwood is plagued with them usually. I have seen half a team leech before. Also when one person leeches i have seen players actually leave so that that player doesnt get faction. Stupid of them to do because the player still gets faction. But still something needs to be done about it. Its annoying and takes up the space that a player that actually will do something could occupy.

Gusnana1412 · Jan 08, 2007, 10:27 AM // 10:27

Just an Idea, by using Symbol/Image verification for everyplace that contain of possible botter or leecher or AFK'er.

Every time player start the mission, each player need to type in some verification code before they can join in, not to many words/symbol (maybe 4) for the verification.

Or put NPC agent that collect the points of the player (with verification code), every time player finish the mission they need to collect their points from NPC before they start another mission, if not their points will be lost/overwrite with the new points.

Clord · Jan 08, 2007, 10:34 AM // 10:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusnana1412

Just an Idea, by using Symbol/Image verification for everyplace that contain of possible botter or leecher or AFK'er.

Every time player start the mission, each player need to type in some verification code before they can join in, not to many words/symbol (maybe 4) for the verification.

Or put NPC agent that collect the points of the player (with verification code), every time player finish the mission they need to collect their points from NPC before they start another mission, if not their points will be lost/overwrite with the new points.

Ruining players experience even more when trying to stop bots what find way from it anyway eventually is not very good idea.

Makkert · Jan 08, 2007, 10:36 AM // 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

my Extra-Sylish, Uber-Powered 15K Boots of Banning

We want pictures!

unspokenglory · Jan 08, 2007, 10:43 AM // 10:43

Ok Gaile ..... Now her eis an idea .. and i know it can be done its been done in other games on there net .. but was not really inforced ...

Perhaps your programmers could get ahold of these "third party programs" and decypher key " actions,etc.. that would indoubtly run with gw " and creat a patch for it or yet .. a program that you all could run on gw servers every 15-30 minutes .. just a wide spread sweep .. and pick up on these "bot user's...." . and simply ban them .. i know diablo use's a program called rust storm that detects *bots third party programs* and it simple reports the name to the only admin at the time and it gets delt with .. perhaps you all could implement somthing like that into this game ^_^... and sorry to say leeching will be a tough one to deal with .. just and idea tho ^_^

LONGA · Jan 08, 2007, 10:43 AM // 10:43

Better late than later. Goodthing for random PvP players.

RTSFirebat · Jan 08, 2007, 11:50 AM // 11:50

I've come in contact with one of these bots in Snowball Arena a couple of days ago.

It was really weird. All it did was follow me around constantly, it didn't do anything else, and it really annoying. I had the other team kill it for me, but as soon as it respawned it zeroed in on my location!

I still find it surprising that there is so many bots running about ingame. Something really needs to be done about them.

Tookis Elite · Jan 08, 2007, 11:56 AM // 11:56

i kinda tend to look like a bot when i do snowball fights for

a) zig-zag is fun and u dodge snowballs

b) follow your teammates when they have a present so if they drop u can resume the carry-in
c) i have all chats turned off so i just keep goin on my happy way

and thats about it. and i usually sit in the same spots waiting for presents or un-knowing targets

so not all "solid pattern of movement / followers / noobs who dont know what obstructed view is" are bots

Sophitia Leafblade · Jan 08, 2007, 12:05 PM // 12:05

I think if Anet gets a set number of complaints about the same person leeching they should ban them ie, if 3 different people send in a screenshot for the same person leeching at different times.

^ na u woulnd look like a bot because u actually do something, bots generally dont do anything at all in PvP aside from stand there, or just follow a set player (to make them appear active)

ericdanie · Jan 08, 2007, 12:12 PM // 12:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophitia Leafblade

I think if Anet gets a set number of complaints about the same person leeching they should ban them ie, if 3 different people send in a screenshot for the same person leeching at different times.

^ na u woulnd look like a bot because u actually do something, bots generally dont do anything at all in PvP aside from stand there, or just follow a set player (to make them appear active)

That would be abusable. Let's supposed you're from a large guild and alliance. You're all friends. You come across someone that you didn't like (might not even be for a legit reason, ie: you simply did not like his build), you report him and ask the whole alliance to do the same.

I prefer the suggested system of an image verification requirement in order to claim rewards, but there would still be bots for general harassment. Some verification would be good, but there would still be a need to try to create mechanics to discourage botting (or punish) before you even start the mission, so innocent players do not have to face situations in which he does not deserve to be part of.

silara_jorinset · Jan 08, 2007, 12:28 PM // 12:28

Well an option that I've seen suggested here before is to provide a /kick option where if the rest of the team all issue the kick command (e.g. /kick 2 for player that party slot), that player is kicked from the area. Possibly abusable I guess but something I would prefer to having people leech faction or mission/high level areas (e.g. tombs where we had a leecher who was afk until right at the end of HOH...).

Sarevok Thordin · Jan 08, 2007, 01:36 PM // 13:36

Anet should take a look in the following locations too...

1. Fort Aspenwood
2. Jade Quarry (if they are there....)
3. RA
4. Granite Citadel
5. Elona Reach
6. Yohlon Haven

Gun Pierson · Jan 08, 2007, 01:54 PM // 13:54

A few days ago I saw a documentary about mmo's and bot farmers on TV and for the first time I witnessed how big that business actualy is. They interviewed a few farmers and managers. The funny thing was that one manager was a seller of mmo's at first but he switched to selling ingame gold as they earned way more money than selling the games.

One farmer explained she was constantly deleting and making new characters to deliver the gold to buyers and she said this was a waterproof method. Some companies had 30 pc's constantly running. They're everywhere in the world, USA, Europe, Canada, etc. The employees looked like enjoying their job and had everything they wanted in the office and earned a good salary. The story of the poor Chinese sweatshop farmer abused by his boss is defenitely out of date.

I now understand this goes way beyond Anet's control at this point, same goes for Blizzard, that's why bots are all around us. And people are making big money out of it.

Aegeroth · Jan 08, 2007, 02:01 PM // 14:01

Mabye they should just make up a really basic quiz which can fit in afterwards to claim your prize. Like, where did this battle occur?
1 - Fort Aspenwood
2 - Jade Quarry

bla bla bla son so on, however the answer rotates so that you cant just press 1 all the time.

However, seeing technology today, i think they'd find a way to pass it.

Jetdoc · Jan 08, 2007, 03:06 PM // 15:06

I still don't get why botters are in the Snowball Arena...

1. It's very infrequent that a team with an AFKer will win a battle, so the CC Shard rewards would be very infrequent.
2. The Balthazar Faction you win cannot be sold (and cannot be used in PvE), so what are they selling?

Is there some substantial experience gain that allows them to level up that I don't know about?