How to report BOT's?

DanteYoda

Should have seen it at release haha...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q9NbAm6Ms4

Its a main reason i left back then..

Yinmaigao

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,

The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.

If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

Am I just reading too far into this, or is it kinda dismissive and snarky?

I get it that they get tons of reports and feedback, but it is obviously still a problem.

Just yesterday I reported a bit train in shadowfen after 2 days, and they were still there this morning.

It is what it is... but we can all agree it is ineffective for more than 1 target who is moving.

Elf_Boy

The fact someone took time, effort, and energy to create and maintain an app for bot reporting says a whole lot.

Prospero_ESO

AchlysNox wrote: »

phileunderx2 wrote: »

Reporting bots is a waste of time.

Really? Are you basing that on something or are you just expressing an opinion?

I report bots on a daily basis. In general, it takes ~2 weeks until I do not see certain names again, Zenimax is so *** slow in reacting to bots, it is hilarious. So I do understand why people say it´s pointless to report them.

Gargath

Yesterday evening the same train of 8 bots running in Reaper's March, they were clearing everything alive in a range of few clicks. Not many mobs left for me to kill. I didn't stop to report via in game tool, also think it's a waste of time and annoying.

If you ZOS know there are bots in game let your Gamemasters - if you have any - to actually react and punish fast. Please.

Happily the bots were not interested in picking nodes.

NovaMarx

DanteYoda wrote: »

Should have seen it at release haha...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q9NbAm6Ms4

Its a main reason i left back then..

^ This.

The bot problem has been waaaaaaaay worse in the past, and us veterans can attest to that there has definitely been a huge improvement since then.

I agree, it would be nice with a quicker way to report especially bots, as it would mean more people would take the time to report. (But I can also understand how making reporting "easier" could potentially lead to people being wrongfully reported by someone who may be a bit too trigger happy, or just likes to troll.)

Note to those saying reporting is a waste of time:
That botting still happens is a shame, but if you don't want to use your time to report them (I know it's tedious), then 100% nothing will be done, and then complaining about the bot situation becomes hypocritical. Be part of the solution, not the problem I will keep reporting bots no matter what - be it ESO bots, YT spam bots, etc. #BotSlayer

Walting

NovaMarx wrote: »

The bot problem has been waaaaaaaay worse in the past, and us veterans can attest to that there has definitely been a huge improvement since then.

Not sure if bots were a bigger problem back the past but nowadays bot trains are just everywhere. ZOS knows about it but does not take actions anymore.

I am pretty sure in the early days when GMS were still around bots were banned after some time - they aren't anymore

Zapzarap

Yes, its true. After release it was way worse... But ESO had a lot of problems after release. Ton of bugs that kept you from progess. I remember the story quest in coldharbour where everybody got stuck and after each server reset ~100people could complete it before it was bugged again^^
Yes, they still have a ton of problems in the game... but I (as others here) think they should react faster. 2 Weeks is to slow. The only way to get rid of them is to ban them faster as they earn back the money from the game.

Gargath

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,
The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.
If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

What is your official statement for the Bot Scanner 2000 addon? Do you approve? Is it efficient and helpful like or more than your in-game reporting tool? Or maybe your statement is already posted somewhere in the forum?

PlagueSD

Walting wrote: »

For PC you can use the addon Bot Scanner 2000 which helps to report all accounts with ease.

Yep, I use that all the time.

DuskMarine

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,

The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.

If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

just a question how many times do you actually have to report them. theres a bot train in glenumbra thats been in the swamp area for over a year their still not banned and people have reported them hundreds of times if not thousands

aquiella

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,

The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.

If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

I've reported recently and was told to contact Microsoft. A week ago I went back to Alik'r Sentinel and the bots were gone only to show up in a location where bears spawn for a quest.

Today, I saw at least three running around Crag collecting specific nodes. One was set up to collect Blacksmithing material, another Clothing and the other not sure. They were too fast to even get their names to report.

aquiella

Has PVP been infected by bots? Sometimes I wonder.

AdicusDio

aquiella wrote: »

Has PVP been infected by bots? Sometimes I wonder.

There are some "blob" groups that seemingly run in tight formations that follow routes that don't really make any sense, and have to be boring as hell if it's actual players coordinating on ts. By not making sense, I mean they might run on the upper walls, stop in a corner, run back, run through the court yard, back on the wall, ignore people attacking them unless in direct running path while they are running, etc. when it'd make more sense to wipe everyone defending the keep flag, fix the door, then go to the next keep, etc. etc.


To everyone else wondering why the accounts aren't banned, it's no different than FB, Twitter, etc. allowing "fake" accounts to persist. It inflates their numbers of active users.

MajBludd

Maybe Zos are the bots? Would explain why they are incredibly inept at handling them or they just don't care about them. I mean it adds to their overall "players" for the game. How many bot accounts account for all those people supposedly playing ESO?

Zapzarap

The Bots are changing... At least every couple of weeks. I sometimes go through the BOT farming locations that I know and report them. Bot Scanner 2000 is a realy nice addon to get and report them fast. I can only suggest to everyone: Report them. If they are not reportet, ZOS can not ban them.
Also it might be usefull to write down a list somewhere with known farming locations... ^^

SlippyCheeze

Since this has come up again, my personal suggestion:

ZOS, please consider publishing a weekly report on the number of actions taken on accounts. Not details, not who, just numbers, and put it in the launcher news section, etc. Nice and visible. Something like this:

• 1,734 accounts were banned due to botting
• 158,932 accounts were temporarily banned from chat due to hate speech
• 8.234 accounts were banned for real money trading

The benefit of this is that it becomes clear that ZOS is doing something. Not what, not who, not personal feedback, but absolutely concrete evidence that things are happening.

This reduces the "ZOS does nothing" idea from "popular, and unprovable" to "fringe tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theory".

LadySinflower

I don't know if anything will be done about it but I just used the in-game form to report a group of 12 bots farming mudcrabs in Alik'r Desert. I've got several screen cap videos that show me moving among them and getting all the gamertags. This one wasn't that difficult even though they are stacked up on top of each other. So we'll see what happens.

Dusk_Coven

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,

The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.

If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

I have reported bot trains in the past but the process is extremely tedious since I have to chase them around, take multiple screenshots to find the names, then use the website form to manually submit.
This wastes an inordinate amount of time AND there is no evidence that bots get removed, and instead reports to the contrary,.

I don't have endless hours a day to play as it is and a single report to use up half my time.
Not going to report them at all while I am subscribed. Got better things to do while I am paying ZOS when they should be paying ME to catch bots.

The BotScanner addon can grab name and location data, but without screens of the bot train, it makes for an inferior report.

At the very least, ZOS should have a monthly report on a count (not name/account) of bots and cheaters and trolls and other players banned. Then we can at least know something has been done. Since an individual would have the reported account on their ignore list, when that name disappears from the list, individuals can know something has been done.

Dusk_Coven

LadySinflower wrote: »

I don't know if anything will be done about it but I just used the in-game form to report a group of 12 bots farming mudcrabs in Alik'r Desert. I've got several screen cap videos that show me moving among them and getting all the gamertags. This one wasn't that difficult even though they are stacked up on top of each other. So we'll see what happens.

make sure to add them all to your ignore list.That way, when they disappear from your list and your list gets shorter, you know they didn't just name-change.

Heady

i made a video of a bot train with all of @ names clearly visible and sent it to one of the devs directly on discord through dm's.....bots were still going 2 months later lol

Mitrenga

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,

The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.

If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

Clearly, you are not playing the game Edward.
Bot groups can not be targeted individually and reported, as they move a lot and stay together.
You guys need to find a more efficient way to report these geckos, but your answer here just shows your attitude against the bot problem.
"Just report it guuuuys"....

MajBludd

Zos are running the bots.

Haenk

MajBludd wrote: »

Zos are running the bots.

And probably sell off the gold via ebay to make a living

p_tsakirisb16_ESO

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,

The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.

If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

Sorry but I have also reported them using ingame tools, and many others have as they are "locals" at Reapers March (PC EU) for days now. (Actually last time was Saturday 30/8 with ticket 190830-004425)

Voltair

Zapzarap wrote: »

Yes, its true. After release it was way worse... But ESO had a lot of problems after release. Ton of bugs that kept you from progess. I remember the story quest in coldharbour where everybody got stuck and after each server reset ~100people could complete it before it was bugged again

I remember the story quest being bugged for that library gate/labyrinth quest : You stepped in to a mass of players (without armour on) trying to light those blue fires to open the gate. It was take a spare or strip off to preserve it.

And I agree it was bad then and a different bad now. Then they would farm nodes by popping up out of the ground beside it and you couldn't harvest that node. Then they started quest harvesting in Reapers March at the wood elf (grown) village. they would walk (in the sky) from that quest to the next quest marker off in the distance.

And of course they were out of the way of mobs killing them and players reporting them as you couldn't reach that high to do so...

*Thanks for the heads up with that add on, will go looking for that.

deviousthevile

One thing people don't realize about dealing with ZoS support is you HAVE TO RESPOND to the automated email. The first email is just to let you know your complaint was received and that's it. Only by responding to that email will you ever get a real live person. Personally, as long as you make your case without being a butt nugget, someone will do their best to help. Never dealt with support over bots, so I can't say anything WILL get done, but I do know how to actually get to a real person. Hope this method helps you on your quest to clean Tamriel! Happy Hunting everyone!

Trinity_Is_My_Name

I report Bots on almost a daily basis and often make a short video of the Bot train and upload it to youtube. I then link the video to my Bot report in game to Customer Service.

Usually the Bots disappear within a month or two but they do not go away quickly. I watched one particular Bot go from level 3 to CP 426 before it disappeared. Now that doesn't mean ZOS banned it but I hope they did.

There are several areas that are rich in Bot trains.

A sure fire way to stop Bots is for ZOS to have resource nodes spawn in different locations instead of the same spot.

There is an Addon for PC called Bot Scanner 2000. It's outdated yet it works perfectly. It is very easy to use and generate a Bot report which puts the Bot name, location (x,y coordinates), time, etc in the report. Only takes minutes to report a 12 Bot Bot train.

I'm sure we wish ZOS would jump on Bot reports and rid us of Bot trains within minutes but that is not the case. We have to be patient and report them when we see them. Sooner or later the Bots will be banned.

Link: https://www.esoui.com/downloads/info1818-BotScanner2000.html

redlink1979

@ZOS_Edward Console player here with a question.

I don't know if this only happens with consoles but...
Why can't we report an account id instead of reporting chars?
Last time I reported bot farming I had to send 8 tickets instead of one since we can only report chars and not accounts...
I think it would be better, and a lot more practical, to report accounts since I'm always seeing that the same account has several bot chars in the same location farming.

Dusk_Coven

Mitrenga wrote: »

ZOS_Edward wrote: »

Hey @Zapzarap,

The in-game reporting tools are there for this type of thing. We don't accept reports via the forums.

If you have feedback on how the in-game system works, you're welcome to provide it.

Clearly, you are not playing the game Edward.
Bot groups can not be targeted individually and reported, as they move a lot and stay together.

On top of that, the ZOS form wants you to enter BOTH the @name and the toon name.
So I have to take screenshots, flip my settings to see the toon name, then take even more screenshots?

@ZOS_Edward I feel your response is not only inadequate but extremely insulting and completely inconsiderate of the time involved. I suspect most people don't even bother to report because of the excessive amount of time involved.
It would be good to be able to call for a LIVE person to inspect the bot train as it happens but chances are people would abuse that feature, even though other games actually have live GMs who can respond.