Curse

Numa Pompilius · Aug 23, 2006, 12:40 PM // 12:40

It's hard to suggest anything when they don't say what third party program they feel they witnessed you using, but fwiw... it doesn't have to be an outright guildwars hack.

Extremely well-timed repetitive action (e.g. popping in to town, running the exact same line to a sign before sidestepping the exact same number of steps, then running out of town - over and over and over) suggests using scripts, for instance through Ghostmouse (there's many other scripting programs, up to and including Visual Basic!).

Sometimes the people who use that kind of scripting don't even realize what they're doing. I saw a person yesterday who, every two seconds, wrote a line of lyrics from a Mars Volta song. I'm a fast typist, but I'd bet good money that person was using some sort of software to enter the text, basically cut & pasting. I'm pretty sure he didn't think he was cheating.

Ghostmouse, Visual Basic, whatever the Mars Volta fan was using etc aren't GW hacks, but very much third party programs, and using them in GW is very much a violation of the terms of the EULA.

Also, the games moderators have the ability to see exactly what you see on-screen, including when you're in instances.

But without some clarification on what the moderator saw, or think he saw, it's hard to guess what might have happened.

However, for a permanent ban, they'd have to be pretty sure not only that you cheated, but even what software you used, quite probably, like someone said, through analysing the data packets. I *strongly* doubt just farming repeatedly is sufficient.

wilderness · Aug 23, 2006, 12:52 PM // 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius

However, for a permanent ban, they'd have to be pretty sure not only that you cheated, but even what software you used, quite probably, like someone said, through analysing the data packets. I *strongly* doubt just farming repeatedly is sufficient.

Well, this part suggest they didn't have any of that information:

Quote:

Originally Posted by AreaNet

A game moderator did witness automated behaviour in game while observing your character, this indicated the use of an automated third-party program, which is why we closed the account.

To me, it seems as though they saw my character do something that could have been automated, and found that strong enough reason for a ban.

I've asked them to let me know exactly what that behavior was so I can make sure I avoid it in future. If they give me a decent and informative response, I'll post it here in the hope that we can all avoid such situations in the future.

Caged Fury · Aug 23, 2006, 12:54 PM // 12:54

Congrats on getting account back!

However, that is worrying. Most of the time when I play and go farming for things I need, I can be considered as using a bot. I zone to outposts, go out, kill, return and sell - rinse and repeat. I don't talk to people in outposts, I do bump into things and walk into walls

(but I' blame that on lag

). Looks like I need to act less robot like from now on and maybe talk to myself or to the things I'm killing.

brian3 · Aug 23, 2006, 12:54 PM // 12:54

congrats on getting ure account back, man its like a-net want us to act more like humans on a game!!

Draxus · Aug 23, 2006, 12:55 PM // 12:55

Im glad u got your account back but for future reference break out into dance at random times, comeon what bots gonna do that :P

chessyang · Aug 23, 2006, 12:56 PM // 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilderness

Thank you all for your help.

Sorry i didn't help in anyway and congratulations on getting unbannded. but after reading your comments and replys. how many times did you contact anet? or e-mail them?

i'm just wondering when the day i get accdently banned how long it will take me to get unbannded.

WOW didn't know anet had moderators in game. I wonder if they run some sort of root kit or system/processer scanner.

wilderness · Aug 23, 2006, 01:02 PM // 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by chessyang

Sorry i didn't help in anyway. but after reading your comments and replys. how many times did you contact anet? or e-mail them?

i'm just wondering when the day i get accdently banned how long it will take me to get unbannded.

The ban occured on the 17th, I believe. And I've sent 5 emails in that time. Two were updates of existing ones. So to be fair, they've responded quite quickly considering the amount of cases they must have to deal with.

My faith is restored, a little.

Loviatar · Aug 23, 2006, 02:54 PM // 14:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilderness

I've asked them to let me know exactly what that behavior was so I can make sure I avoid it in future. If they give me a decent and informative response, I'll post it here in the hope that we can all avoid such situations in the future.

so every bot maker knows what to avoid ................right

Silver_Fang · Aug 23, 2006, 03:01 PM // 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by chessyang

Sorry i didn't help in anyway and congratulations on getting unbannded. but after reading your comments and replys. how many times did you contact anet? or e-mail them?

i'm just wondering when the day i get accdently banned how long it will take me to get unbannded.

WOW didn't know anet had moderators in game. I wonder if they run some sort of root kit or system/processer scanner.

They cannot install and run any kind of rootkit or any form of scanner on your system unless you agree to.

I cant remember but only 1 MMO i have played did install a anti-hack program and i happened to have a Hex Editor running, no big deal, i just close the hex editor and run the game again.

TheUndertaker · Aug 23, 2006, 03:21 PM // 15:21

Gratz on getting account back.

Now we know, just yell out some obscenities before selling your stuff in ToA, so you won't look bot like.

Maria The Princess · Aug 23, 2006, 03:38 PM // 15:38

[edit] congradz on winning your account back man.

so ANET ASSUMED that you wer ebotting because you were repetitly farming a spot so difficult that you cant afford to make 1 extra step to the right.... YA GOOD ONE ANET!!! you cant even prrove that there was a third party program used and yet you still ban...

next thing that we will hear is them banning all the monks that want to keep their income at ~10/k day from 55ing...... then its gonna be all the ToPK rangers.....then its gonna be all thechest runers

anyways, in the end were gonna have nobody but ascalon noobs left if they keep this going

Gwmaster · Aug 23, 2006, 03:43 PM // 15:43

ok this is freaking me out.....i mean i could be on my monk in droks, im going in and out shouting "domo arigato mr roboto" and they will ban me for this ?

edit: thats why since i saw a gm warning a guy in the old random arena, i always type something while farming.
that happened long ago before they put the boat on the map. there was a guy in random arena saying racist things to another guy.
wen suddently there was that orange text that appeard in the chat. sayin : thats not nice from you "insert name". and every1 was like "omg" Lol pwn. so yes they are watching us. >_> <_<

Alias_X · Aug 23, 2006, 03:46 PM // 15:46

I trust Anet more than I trust you. Any botter could post a compelling story such as the one you posted and hope for an unban.

On the login page, there is a WARNING about Third Party Programs, and as your virus scan picked up, you had a program that would qualify.

You should have known to turn off that program.

Res Ipsi · Aug 23, 2006, 04:01 PM // 16:01

After the mass (erroneous) bans during the Festival, I am less inclined to believe ANet is infallible, and more inclined to give the banned player the benefit of the doubt.

Gratz on getting your account back, Wilderness!

fgarvin · Aug 23, 2006, 05:00 PM // 17:00

The other day I (amazingly) got bored so I decided to run Elona Mino's for one hour just to see how much money I could accumulate. After one hour and a little warning popup later, I had quite a bit of money....and then days of worrying if I was gonna loose my account 'cause an ANet employee decided I was a bot.

Yes, I know that bots are perceived to be a problem, but there has got to be a way for an honest farmer to earn some fast cash without the fear of loosing an account that may have hundreds or even thousands of hours on it.

english storm · Aug 23, 2006, 05:01 PM // 17:01

gratz on getting your account back

but i am with Anet on this one, you already said someone else has access to your computer you honestly don't know what they could of done. You might trust them completly but be honest about it theres no way you can be 100% sure they (or someone else) didn't use some kind of 3rd party software.

A keylogger on your system could get your password giving them access to your account. Just because your system is clean now doesn't mean you didnt have once. They install one, grab your password then remove the keylogger so you don't even no you have been compromised.

Honestly if i was you i would change your password and give your system a good going over. Nod32 is the best virus scanner and a firewall like zone alarm helps as well.

wilderness · Aug 23, 2006, 05:05 PM // 17:05

I can tell you now a computer technician friend of mine has just left my house after completing a thorough check of my pc, and it is entirely clean. (Using Nod32, among others) There is no trace of any third party program.

Believe me or not, but in this case I know that arenet banned my account based on an assumption. Nothing more. Until we find out exactly what they based that assumption on, there's little more that needs to be said here.

If your account does get banned and you are 100% innocent, then don't panic as I did

I have faith that with the proper correspondence you'll be reinstated in no time.

Thanks for all your help here.

(requests lock)

Clone · Aug 23, 2006, 05:36 PM // 17:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Res Ipsi

After the mass (erroneous) bans during the Festival, I am less inclined to believe ANet is infallible, and more inclined to give the banned player the benefit of the doubt.

Amen to that. Seeing that many innocents banned in one go pretty much proved to me that whatever system they're using to determine bots is shoddy at best. Earth to Anet, normal players farm for gold too! If someone is farming, it doesn't mean they're a bot.

At any rate, welcome back man, even though it might not really be the best place to be anymore

Sir Skullcrasher · Aug 23, 2006, 05:41 PM // 17:41

This makes me wonder if anything i do in game is being watched and possibly consider as bot or doing something illegal.

neocloud · Aug 23, 2006, 06:01 PM // 18:01

Well, now my question is, what if he decides to go buy a new account, just in case he wants a little more security on his items. So if his main is banned the items are at least still around. Would transfering those items for free, on his flagged account now, iniatiate bans thinking he was an ebayer?
It just seems like a sticky assumption filled way to keep thier game clean...