Cheating and Exploits

maxlacab16_ESO

I've been running across these bot trains lately, every day!
Shadowfen, Bangkorai, Auridon... Rubberbanding/Mirroring through the landscape, killing whatever they come across.
All of the trains i've seen are 6 toons, 1 sorc, 5 templars; maybe one DK insted of a templar.

I find it disgusting and intrusive and I loose the interest in playing the game.
I wrote a ticket, but as you already guessed, I did not get a response.

This is seriously affecting my gameplay enjoyment and NOT what I am subscribing for!!!!!!!!!!!!

Truly turned off by this and disappointed that ZOS is unresponsive about this.
Unacceptable.

PS:
The other day in Cyrodiil, a DC toon came flying by me on his horse.
I mean i didn't even see the horse move its legs as he raced toward me and then away from me.
It was like a jet plane flew by me!
From one horizon to the other, he was gone in less than 3 seconds!

So, I remember when Everquest started getting hacked and exploted. Yes, I;m that old.
And they didn't do anything about it...and had to scrap the entire game because people left in droves.
So they brought out Everquest II...
Fixed some of the exploits, but it must have cost them millions to loose their flagship game in the fist place!
Will happen to Elderscrolls Online as well!

koralr33fer

I've noticed a bug in the game, haven't really seen anyone exploit it but I could see how it could be used in pvp situations.

On a sorcerer you can cast crystal fragment with the 1 sec cast, and before it casts....start a heavy attack with ur staff (if using). As the heavy attack charges the crystal fragment won't launch until the heavy attack sends too. This results in 2 heavy attacks that would usually have a delay between them coming at you at the same time. Would be a great way opening move on an unsuspecting pvper. I noticed this in a delve, on a new sorc alt, so I haven't used this in pvp. But hey once I level I may.... .big opening hit for an unsuspected ebony art or dagger fall covenant toon.

InvitationNotFound

StackonClown wrote: »

Hi Zenny,

Thanks in advance for an as yet absent response!

you must be new here. they created this thread as a black hole where everything they don't like disappears.

Voltranox

Here's a list of traits that make it easy to spot a cheater in pvp.
Each point below might be explainable on its own...but not all on one character!
Even the most clever build has some kind of limitation or weakness.
The cheating 'super-character' is commonly visible in pvp, and often several in a group.

• hits with several skills within 1 second - including ones with cast times.
• extreme speed.
• incredibly difficult to damage ('super-tank').
• hits for extremely high damage - even with light attacks.
• heals to full health within one second.
• non-stop sustain.
• constant dodges - consistantly dodges 9 out of 10 shots at them.
• casting ultimates every 10 seconds (or less!).

You can also easily spot any players who aren't cheating, because they behave as you'd expect.
They conform to the game mechanics, have limitations, and can be beaten with smart, concerted attacks.

I played with a full pug group the other day, and we were attacked by a small group of 4 players.
This small group totally wiped every one of us (24) five times in a row, with ease. We utterly melted each time.
Is it any wonder really? What kind of competition is that?

I sometimes identify a cheating player within my own group, that displays the same traits.
Increasingly, the only competition in pvp is cheater vs cheater, and it comes down to who dares to have their settings most blatantly turned up.

The players who cheat but to a more subtle extent are harder to spot.
One of the worst things about the cheating is that when you are beaten by a truly legitimate player, you instantly wonder if it was their skill and their build...or if they too were cheating.

Sigh. Come on Zenimax Online Studio. Can you at least state whether it is being worked on?
Maybe you want to keep quiet so you can work on it in the background, and not draw attention to it.
Maybe you want to keep silent so that you can bust the cheaters in a big 'surprise attack'.
A single reassurance would go a long way though.
I think this will be my last post on the subject.

SteveCampsOut

As much as everyone raves about Tamriel One. I blame T1 for the rise of the Bots! Why? Because now that mobs are the same level in every zone, there is no longer any penalty for farming the same mobs over and over ad infinitum! You no longer outlevel mobs and stop getting rewards and xp because you're scaled to the mobs CP level no matter what your level is. Thanks T1! And Thanks ZOS for allowing this thread to go on Ad Infinitum with no honest response from your team other than to pull posts that break the TOS. Way to show interest guys!

White wabbit

Basically it seems those that cheat don't get punished

koralr33fer wrote: »

I've noticed a bug in the game, haven't really seen anyone exploit it but I could see how it could be used in pvp situations.

On a sorcerer you can cast crystal fragment with the 1 sec cast, and before it casts....start a heavy attack with ur staff (if using). As the heavy attack charges the crystal fragment won't launch until the heavy attack sends too. This results in 2 heavy attacks that would usually have a delay between them coming at you at the same time. Would be a great way opening move on an unsuspecting pvper. I noticed this in a delve, on a new sorc alt, so I haven't used this in pvp. But hey once I level I may.... .big opening hit for an unsuspected ebony art or dagger fall covenant toon.

Got hit recently in PvP with 3 heavy attacks with in a second so wonder if this guy was using it

Amadis001

maxlacab16_ESO wrote: »

I've been running across these bot trains lately, every day!
Shadowfen, Bangkorai, Auridon... Rubberbanding/Mirroring through the landscape, killing whatever they come across.
All of the trains i've seen are 6 toons, 1 sorc, 5 templars; maybe one DK insted of a templar.

I find it disgusting and intrusive and I loose the interest in playing the game.
I wrote a ticket, but as you already guessed, I did not get a response.

As bad or worse as the bot trains wrecking play at dolmens, etc., is their effect on the economy. Every morning you get the same gamertags hawking 1000 rubedo leather, etc. for good prices and wrecking the market for the rest of us who come by our tradeables legitimately. My assumption is that these guys are farming gold this way and selling it for cash.

jimshrum3b14_ESO

Ethical question here: As a healer if I heal and buff someone that is cheating am I cheating too?

johu31

My sources tell me the maw chest farm was fixed for the 3rd time with today's patch on consoles.

StackonClown

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

wolveman

Zenny don't care there making money all they care about .There rating from the better business bureau "F" that's no joke .
They will not make changes unless us as the players stop paying into the game call it a strike if you may get enough players together start a petition stop paying into the game then maybe they see there gross income drop then they do something about it.
This game going to fail like other games online it's already putting a very negative affect on a lot of players who don't even want to play in pvp same crap day and day out daggerfel got most of the map always has the yellows have been with the blues for a while helping Am on Xbox version a lot of us have it on video and posted it on YouTube etc.
They ruin pvp to the point that most of us lost interest in it some even quit the game for months it will never end this company has allowed it to happen I even been told they stated they don't care if yellows and blues kill the reds I have that in a email I saved from a ticket.
So the point is the game is broken way to much cheating etc. Zenny don't care and the pvp system stinks so what's left oh the racism in the rift and in other play areas the swearing,racist remarks, bullying, which is against the tos. In Microsoft and all platforms. So this is the future of the game companies?

Enodoc

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

Details on the Community Ambassador programme can be found here. ZOS are not really doing much with it at the moment, and we don't have any more access to them than the rest of the community.

StackonClown

Enodoc wrote: »

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

Details on the Community Ambassador programme can be found here. ZOS are not really doing much with it at the moment, and we don't have any more access to them than the rest of the community.

Yes I had a quick read - but this seems to be an odd definition of ambassador - the key of an ambassador is to *represent* - you don't need special access to anyone, just ANY access to follow up key issues would be handy!

ambassador
amˈbasədə/Submit
noun
an accredited diplomat sent by a state as its permanent **representative** in a foreign country.

Elsonso

Enodoc wrote: »

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

Details on the Community Ambassador programme can be found here. ZOS are not really doing much with it at the moment, and we don't have any more access to them than the rest of the community.

An amazingly high retention rate, as well.

StackonClown

SirAndy wrote: »

vamp_emily wrote: »

Has it been resolved? Can we now play without thinking that everyone is cheating?

@vamp_emily

No. CE and similar Apps still work just the same as they did 2 weeks ago. Or 2 years ago for that matter.

Has anything changed Zenny ?

StackonClown

Enodoc wrote: »

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

Details on the Community Ambassador programme can be found here. ZOS are not really doing much with it at the moment, and we don't have any more access to them than the rest of the community.

So what is it you do as ambassador? or are you more a community *helper*?

InvitationNotFound

StackonClown wrote: »

SirAndy wrote: »

vamp_emily wrote: »

Has it been resolved? Can we now play without thinking that everyone is cheating?

@vamp_emily

No. CE and similar Apps still work just the same as they did 2 weeks ago. Or 2 years ago for that matter.

Has anything changed Zenny ?

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

Details on the Community Ambassador programme can be found here. ZOS are not really doing much with it at the moment, and we don't have any more access to them than the rest of the community.

So what is it you do as ambassador? or are you more a community *helper*?

lol, you aren't expecting an answer from ZOS, are you?

Enodoc

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

Details on the Community Ambassador programme can be found here. ZOS are not really doing much with it at the moment, and we don't have any more access to them than the rest of the community.

So what is it you do as ambassador? or are you more a community *helper*?

Yeah, pretty much that. Helping out around the forums, which for me usually involves helping with quests.

StackonClown

Enodoc wrote: »

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

StackonClown wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

EtonZilla wrote: »

I have very little concern about skipping stages in group dungeons & trials. Only player affected is SELF.

Depends if it has a leaderboard or not. Anyone using unintended mechanics that improves their leaderboard position will definitely affect others.

BTW - what is a community ambassador?
Can you follow this up with Zenny somehow as our *ambassador* ?

Details on the Community Ambassador programme can be found here. ZOS are not really doing much with it at the moment, and we don't have any more access to them than the rest of the community.

So what is it you do as ambassador? or are you more a community *helper*?

Yeah, pretty much that. Helping out around the forums, which for me usually involves helping with quests.

Yes I do see the oddly worded 'ambassadors' on the forums and I do find you mainly really helpful.

saybot2011eb17_ESO

hits with several skills within 1 second - including ones with cast times.
extreme speed.
incredibly difficult to damage ('super-tank').
hits for extremely high damage - even with light attacks.
heals to full health within one second.
non-stop sustain.
constant dodges - consistantly dodges 9 out of 10 shots at them.
casting ultimates every 10 seconds (or less!).

Voltranox wrote: »

Here's a list of traits that make it easy to spot a cheater in pvp.
Each point below might be explainable on its own...but not all on one character!
Even the most clever build has some kind of limitation or weakness.
The cheating 'super-character' is commonly visible in pvp, and often several in a group.

• hits with several skills within 1 second - including ones with cast times.
• extreme speed.
• incredibly difficult to damage ('super-tank').
• hits for extremely high damage - even with light attacks.
• heals to full health within one second.
• non-stop sustain.
• constant dodges - consistantly dodges 9 out of 10 shots at them.
• casting ultimates every 10 seconds (or less!).

You can also easily spot any players who aren't cheating, because they behave as you'd expect.
They conform to the game mechanics, have limitations, and can be beaten with smart, concerted attacks.

I played with a full pug group the other day, and we were attacked by a small group of 4 players.
This small group totally wiped every one of us (24) five times in a row, with ease. We utterly melted each time.
Is it any wonder really? What kind of competition is that?

I sometimes identify a cheating player within my own group, that displays the same traits.
Increasingly, the only competition in pvp is cheater vs cheater, and it comes down to who dares to have their settings most blatantly turned up.

The players who cheat but to a more subtle extent are harder to spot.
One of the worst things about the cheating is that when you are beaten by a truly legitimate player, you instantly wonder if it was their skill and their build...or if they too were cheating.

Sigh. Come on Zenimax Online Studio. Can you at least state whether it is being worked on?
Maybe you want to keep quiet so you can work on it in the background, and not draw attention to it.
Maybe you want to keep silent so that you can bust the cheaters in a big 'surprise attack'.
A single reassurance would go a long way though.
I think this will be my last post on the subject.

Until this is fixed, I will not play in TECO. I'm sick see exploiters.

GreySoul

Does ZOS have a deffenative answer on what "botting" is?

Is "Shadowboxing" - Using commonly/freely available software to multiplex one characters (direct/human) input across multiple virtualization of the client on a single physical PC "botting" or is it allowed (as often claimed by those I see doing it)?

Sheezabeast

This should not be on the 2nd page, and this neglected by Zos.

Please give us freedom from having to report bots These XP events are fun but it feeds the bot community, and its annoying and not fair for us to have to be the ones to point the finger Please free us from this obligation.

Rohamad_Ali

GreySoul wrote: »

Does ZOS have a deffenative answer on what "botting" is?

Is "Shadowboxing" - Using commonly/freely available software to multiplex one characters (direct/human) input across multiple virtualization of the client on a single physical PC "botting" or is it allowed (as often claimed by those I see doing it)?

No third party software is allowed so that program would get you banned and the account characters on follow .

Enodoc

GreySoul wrote: »

Does ZOS have a deffenative answer on what "botting" is?

Is "Shadowboxing" - Using commonly/freely available software to multiplex one characters (direct/human) input across multiple virtualization of the client on a single physical PC "botting" or is it allowed (as often claimed by those I see doing it)?

So this is multiple characters being controlled by one input? That wouldn't be allowed, as the following characters are being controlled by an automated program that is copying human input, not by human input directly.

You agree not to use any hardware or software or any other method of support that is not authorized by ZeniMax or that may in any way influence or advantage Your playing abilities, or influence or advantage Your use of the Services. Third party tools, the use of "bots", "speed hacks", "deep-link", "page-scrape", "robot", "spider", algorithms or other programs that copy or monitor any part of the Services (including, but not limited to, the Game(s) and/or forums), software that transmits, manipulates, or distributes (including, but are limited to, "mirroring") the data stream or any aspect of the Services to another computer, server websites or other publication or distribution media, or software that permits You to use Services without human input are examples of methods not authorized by ZeniMax.

Elsonso

GreySoul wrote: »

Does ZOS have a deffenative answer on what "botting" is?

Is "Shadowboxing" - Using commonly/freely available software to multiplex one characters (direct/human) input across multiple virtualization of the client on a single physical PC "botting" or is it allowed (as often claimed by those I see doing it)?

As has been said, shadowboxing is against the ToS because it automates game play.

I think that having multiple accounts logged in at the same time is legal, as long as each account is manually controlled by the player that owns the account at all times that the character is doing something. No automation software. No macros. No rubberbands. No rocks placed in the keyboard or mouse button. No "hold down mouse button" features of the operating system. No assistance from other people. A key indicator is that the accounts cannot be actively playing the game at the same time, even though they are logged in at the same time.

However, ZOS is cagey on this subject, for obvious reasons. Anything that ZOS says is legal, that could be "worked around in the extreme", will complicate things. I am sure someone would crawl out of the woodwork and claim that they have incredible dexterity in their extremities, and this is why they can run 4, 5, and sometimes even 6, accounts at the same time while farming in a circle in Shadowfen.

GreenhaloX

CP toons in non-CP PvP campaign, what the f?! 400 and 500 CP toons.. really, come on?! Go to the other campaigns that are made for CP toons, you whimps, and quit bullying us scrubs!

a_Beautiful_Mind2

There is a serious glitch causing problems in game and disrupting the free market. There is a glitch in a delve in Craglorn that people have been exploiting to earn close to 1 million gold a day and using it to fund activities and hinder gameplay of others that have been using the game correctly. Please fix this ASAP!!!

XDragonDoomX

GreenhaloX wrote: »

CP toons in non-CP PvP campaign, what the f?! 400 and 500 CP toons.. really, come on?! Go to the other campaigns that are made for CP toons, you whimps, and quit bullying us scrubs!

Doesn't matter if they have CP's or not, in the non-CP campaign - CP's are disabled there.

StackonClown

Daily update 28Mar:

Came across a bot train of 4 or 5 templar noob alts in Shadowfen, they were all on top of each other doing a crocodile/alit route in a swamp... I kited one of those 'large' wamasu's onto them and they all died - hehe.. wanted to see if they would re-spawn so i could report (futile - i know) but they didn't respawn

uzbachchi

I'm on PS4 and saw something today that I didn't even know was possible. There were four or five groups of identical toons in Camlorn, farming werewolves. Three or four player names, but 12 or more toons, dressed identically, standing on top of one another in clusters of two to four. They had so many clannfear and twilight matriarchs running around plus their heavy staff rubber band attacks that I could barely make out the werewolves I needed to kill for the quest objective, let alone actually kill one. They've been reported as best as I could, but it was hard because 1) they were standing on top of one another in huge piles of werewolf carcasses so it was hard to get them individually, and 2) the player/toon name seemed to be identical in each group of 2 to four so it seemed like I was reporting the same one over and over when each report was of a different instance.

IDK what that was but I've never seen anything like it. I thought PS4 made it difficult to bot like that but somebody's got a way around it.