Curse

Mewcatus · May 11, 2008, 09:24 PM // 21:24

Seriously I have no idea how really bad it is in GW, but from my understanding, several good ideas like the one from this thread(below) drove up some concerns that it might serve to be a boon to Botters.

Mini-pets picking up gold
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10287920

I seriously think that the idea itself is good, but the concern is a possible valid consideration.

I have heard that Anet has put some anti-bot coding, like measuring rates at which items are picked up or bought or sold (Although I am not sure whether its true, not really seen it in real action, nor do I know whether it really runs ).

These type of coding, can be easily circumvented, simply by lowering sale/purchase items rates and item pick up rates. As such, from my perspective are actually not really that effective.

Before I move into the idea, a very short introduction. A bot is mainly an automaton, a program which runs by itself, without any human assistance. Its main aim is to allow the computer to complete a task effectively, probably even more efficiently then a human.

More advanced bots can even possess certain levels of AI, allow them to exhibit even more human like behaviour.

In the case of GW here, the bot is likely a farm bot, whereby it goes into a combat instance, kills, then picks up loot, go back into town, and repeat the process over and over again.

That being said, it can arguably be more efficient then a human, given that it is tireless and relentless.

But for all the effectiveness of a Bot, and the strength of its AI, it has still one major fault. Image recognition. Thus the idea to deal with Bots is a simple one. In fact, this idea is already in use. ( You see it in action, whenever you sign up for a new email account )

Thus my idea is this:
Upon entering any new instance, force the players to do a one time image verification entry similar to the one below

Image from Google Image email account creation verification system.

Edit: Simplier, yet more effective ideas.

1. A slow 3-D floating and revolving singular alphabet or a number. ( Please guys, don't tell me you cannot even recognise 1 of those right ?

)

2. An image or a singular alphabet or number which is moving randomly in a confined space.

To the normal player, this is nothing more then a minute hindrance. After all, if you are a player of GWs, you can sure recognise letters and alphabets, and type out what you see accordingly.

Since it only occurs only upon entry of the instance, it won't impede any form of human game play greatly.

The reverse however can be said of a bot. For all its capabilities, even with the best AI nowadays, image recognition is not exactly its real strong point. A simple image verification system like this will severly cripple a bot, as chances are, it is unable to recognise what the numbers or letters are typed within the image.

While it won't stop botting 100% of the time, it would force a botter to have to constantly monitor every run a bot makes everytime it changes an instance.

That in essence in itself, impedes if not cripples him. As, the bot is NO longer as efficient as it seems.

N1ghtstalker · May 11, 2008, 09:27 PM // 21:27

oh god i hate those things
sometimes the image is so unclear i gotta do 5 tries before i'm even right -.-
those things are seriously annoying to fill in -.-

Mewcatus · May 11, 2008, 09:28 PM // 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by N1ghtstalker

oh god i hate those things
sometimes the image is so unclear i gotta do 5 tries before i'm even right -.-
those things are seriously annoying to fill in -.-

If you have a hard time, imagine what type of image recognition program an AI has to possess to be able to do it

Earth · May 11, 2008, 09:30 PM // 21:30

I, and many others, will hate that.

Seriously, upon entering any new instance? I would probably smash my keyboard because I'm so annoyed with them after 3 of them.

Tatile · May 11, 2008, 09:33 PM // 21:33

I'd feel sorry for people doing Raptor runs for festival items. Plus, I do a lot of exploring and Prophecies is usually a series of instances to the next outpost.

Gods, could you imagine what a Drok's run would be like?
Nice try, but a little off the mark. Points for originality, have a raisin cookie (blech).

/notsigned

Elena · May 11, 2008, 09:36 PM // 21:36

i'd go and play something else >.>

those things are evil

miskav · May 11, 2008, 09:36 PM // 21:36

No,no,no,no >_>
Heck no.
I enter instances 100+times a day, and I'd defo quit if that happened.

xPIMPx · May 11, 2008, 09:38 PM // 21:38

I hate botters, but not as much as I hate this idea of yours.

Mewcatus · May 11, 2008, 09:41 PM // 21:41

It doesn't have to be a 15 letter/number sequence.

Just a simple 2 to 3 letter / number one would do. The main aim is to force a botter to actually have to sit in front of his monitor to execute an effective run.

Maybe per new instance is bad. But what about per click on the Merchant then ?

All in all, I just want to drive home the point:

Bot AI's often have lousy image verification capabilities. Making it verify certain letters and numbers, requires some really tough mathematical algorithms.

Earth · May 11, 2008, 09:47 PM // 21:47

I click on merchants about 5 times every time I sell/buy something...

I wouldn't like it. I'm sure there has to be a simpler (and less annoying) solution.

-rightuos- · May 11, 2008, 09:50 PM // 21:50

no way, takes away from the roleplaying experience not to mention they are annoying.

How about Anet bans these supposed accounts i read alot about on here as "known sellers" If their known why are they still in the game...

RedStar · May 11, 2008, 09:50 PM // 21:50

It could be a good idea.
But for me (and many other persons) it would be annoying...

Let's take a simple example : Raptor Farm (it's the fastest I think ~1.30min).
The first time it won't annoy you, but as you do it more and more it will become a torture and then you'll quit GW (I may be exaggerating a little).

The good point of that idea is that it will protect the Raptors xD.

Turbobusa · May 11, 2008, 09:55 PM // 21:55

ho please chuck norris save us from this

[M]agna_[C]arta · May 11, 2008, 09:57 PM // 21:57

Might be better if we add that while logging in to GW.

EinherjarMx · May 11, 2008, 10:02 PM // 22:02

/NOTSIGNED

jeez, have you ever tried rapidshare's cats and dogs captcha? annoying as hell

toastgodsupreme · May 11, 2008, 10:03 PM // 22:03

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!

Captchas are RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOing evil. And the day I enter one while playing a game, is the day I stop playing that game.

Yasuda · May 11, 2008, 10:05 PM // 22:05

No =/

Would be pretty annoying if you FFF..

natural_Causes · May 11, 2008, 10:22 PM // 22:22

/worstIDEAever
and I really mean that

RotteN · May 11, 2008, 10:45 PM // 22:45

hell no, wtf did you smoke ?

/notsigned

Savio · May 11, 2008, 10:47 PM // 22:47

This is a game, not a website signup form. Losing unhappy players is a bigger concern than botters.