Where are the GM's?

Amphithoe

I have been playing ESO now for quite a while since launch really (on the EU Server). and I still have never seen a GM in-game. What I have seen is lots and lots of bots running around in circles killing mudcrabs. So whats ZOS excuse of lacking in-game moderation?

Have anyone else on the EU server seen a GM?

pauli133

Game Masters don't generate revenue, so they were replaced with more cosmetics.

Stebarnz

KnightsMentor wrote: »

I have been playing ESO now for quite a while since launch really (on the EU Server). and I still have never seen a GM in-game. What I have seen is lots and lots of bots running around in circles killing mudcrabs. So whats ZOS excuse of lacking in-game moderation?

Have anyone else on the EU server seen a GM?

GM do not exist in this game.

SirAndy

I haven't seen a in-game GM in several years, they use to come around and announce themselves in zone chat, but that hasn't happened in a loooong time ....

shaielzafine

Never seen anyone with a GM tag in game either. I don't think they walk around on GM accounts like GMs in other mmo's I've played. I've run into people like zos_gilliam in BG's though. That wasn't a very fair or fun match since they just killed everyone easily.

Amphithoe

Would be interesting to hear from a ZOS official. @ginabruno

Alpheu5

pauli133 wrote: »

Game Masters don't generate revenue, so they were replaced with more cosmetics.

Is that why I got so many skeletons during October?

phermitgb

I'm not on the EU server, but on the NA server, GM's in the past have shown up within 10ish minutes or so of being requested, at least in my experience - not that I did it often, but they were there for me when I needed them and asked for them

if you're expecting a constant roaming patrol of gm's, it's possible they don't exist, it's possible they just don't announce themselves, it's possible that they play incognito until they get a specific gm request and then log in with their gm accounts...in short, I imagine there are a variety of ways to get a hold of them

however, my other experience has been that gm's don't necessarily patrol for bot clearing - that, at least in the past on the forums, has been a feature of people reporting them using the in game reporting tool, and then periodically ZOS or some aspect of it does a purge or ban or whatever of those accounts

In short, I don't think ZOS does bot purging the way you might wish them to, but they have done it before in the past, they may still be doing it and just not advertising it, they may be doing it but you're reporting your offending bots in the wrong places, or maybe they don't do it much or at all anymore - hard to tell

Uryel

In here, GMs have no physical existence in the game world. You can contact support and they will (sometimes) work their magic through the database, but you won't see them in game.

And sometimes, it's for the best...

https://www.engadget.com/2011/01/10/anarchy-online-player-hijacks-gm-account-runs-amok-in-game/

Jaraal

KnightsMentor wrote: »

I have been playing ESO now for quite a while since launch really (on the EU Server). and I still have never seen a GM in-game. What I have seen is lots and lots of bots running around in circles killing mudcrabs. So whats ZOS excuse of lacking in-game moderation?

Have anyone else on the EU server seen a GM?

They all got reassigned to the crown store monetization crew or the Destruction of Racial Identity crew.

Amphithoe

@phermitgb You get a "insightful" for good answer and James T. Kirk quote.

Greg11jkalfa

I've only played on EU a handful of times, but even with my countless hours between PC and PS4 NA, I've never seen a GM. I always get slightly excited when I see the loading screen tip that says "Don't be fooled by impostors" or something along those lines. But as far as I can gather, they just don't play on those accounts. Perhaps they do once in a while, but you may as well consider it equivalent to seeing the Aedra in person, because the chances are hairline thin.

phermitgb

KnightsMentor wrote: »

@phermitgb You get a "insightful" for good answer and James T. Kirk quote.

glad I could help a little and yes...words to reduce stress by But seriously, if the bots are upsetting you, I know some people put in tickets with customer service (it's possible that you're allowed to name/screenshot player names during cs reports of bots) or, I haven't used the report tool in awhile, but there's probably a report tool for harrassment/bots using the in-game menu.

after that, I suppose all you can hope for is that ZOS will take some kind of action at some point, but per most business terms of service, even if they did/do what you asked them to do specifically to the person you asked them to do it to, they won't tell you, or post it anywhere, so you'll really never know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO21ze8Up34

also, just to rain on your parade a little more - even if they do successfully ban the bots that are bothering you, from what little I understand, the MMO bot industry pretty much works those kinds of purges right into their business model and have deliberately spent time and resources finding ways to work around it - so, the bots that you hate today might be gone only to be replaced by more bots tomorrow

truth be told, and this gets a little meta, but the only real solution is to eliminate the demand. Convince ESO players that they don't need/want to buy piles of gold or crowns for real world money (or whatever the bot sellers sell) and the bots will go...well, they'll probably sell heroine or whatever other inelastic demand product makes real money

again, I know, not particularly helpful - but the best I can do given the state of the world at the moment...

Tandor

GMs are in the game to watch, not to party. I've seen one in the past tho', and mighty effective he was in clearing out a delve of bots.Mostly, however, they are invisible - and for a reason.

In the past, MMOs used to have server-specific GMs, but in other games I've played they've been replaced by GMs that log in to whichever server they're investigating, and maybe that's the case here. Also, data logs have probably got a lot more extensive in recent years meaning that GMs can do a lot more without actually needing to be in the game.

I much preferred the old system where you got to know the GMs a lot better because they were often around in the game, but that isn't necessarily the most effective method and has in the past led to abuses in other games through GMs being over-familiar with some of the players and guilds. In any event, just because we don't see GMs doesn't mean they're not there or that they're not doing their job. I don't doubt that some bots are being removed but the problem these days is that as soon as one account gets closed down another one is opened, often stolen from gold sellers' customers or bought using stolen/hacked credit cards. Get rid of the buyers and the sellers will go away. Moreover, the presence of bots and gold sellers in a game is an indication of its success, they don't bother to invest resources in unsuccessful games that few people are playing.

Tasear

They are invisible. I remember back when they made a mistake and showed their pets and quietly got that fixed.

Elsonso

Tandor wrote: »

GMs are in the game to watch, not to party. I've seen one in the past tho', and mighty effective he was in clearing out a delve of bots.Mostly, however, they are invisible - and for a reason.

In the past, MMOs used to have server-specific GMs, but in other games I've played they've been replaced by GMs that log in to whichever server they're investigating, and maybe that's the case here. Also, data logs have probably got a lot more extensive in recent years meaning that GMs can do a lot more without actually needing to be in the game.

This is my line of thinking. It might be slower for them to enter the game and run around than to check logs or run queries against the game database.

Emma_Overload

Haven't seen one since 2014.

eso_lags

They dont exist, at least not like they used to. I know there are old videos of them clearing out bots, and trolling players oddly enough, but I dont think they exist anymore. I havent seen one in 3 years of playing. Maybe they exist to clear bots, but i doubt it. And they certainly aren't as prevalent as they are or were in WOW or other games.

pod88kk

pauli133 wrote: »

Game Masters don't generate revenue, so they were replaced with more cosmetics.

Or turned to the dark side and realized there was more money to be made being a bot

mairwen85

Cloaked.

jazsper77

You know it never amazes me that any thread that shows ZOS disregard for the player base . The white knights show up to defend. Beta and console launch player , 2 platforms and 4 servers never have I seen a GM.

Further more anyone who says they SUMMONED a GM and they showed up is a BOLD FACE LIAR.

Period.

Jayman1000

KnightsMentor wrote: »

I have been playing ESO now for quite a while since launch really (on the EU Server). and I still have never seen a GM in-game. What I have seen is lots and lots of bots running around in circles killing mudcrabs. So whats ZOS excuse of lacking in-game moderation?

Have anyone else on the EU server seen a GM?

Why do you assume you would see GM's ingame? Being GM's they can just use a camera to fly invisible around in the game world, jumping to any location they want anytime.

freespirit

Back in the good old days...… early 2014 ish…. I remember on two occasions being helped by a GM to progress a quest that was stuck!

Once was a quest where the mobs needed to advance were spawning in walls and the other was the one where you have to follow the monkey through a small gap(the prompt to go through the gap wasn't appearing).

On both occasions a GM appeared and progressed everyone, one by one.

I heard about them clearing bots that were camping Delve Bosses(before they added the loot timers) but never saw that.

Never seen or heard of any since then!

Tandor

freespirit wrote: »

Back in the good old days...… early 2014 ish…. I remember on two occasions being helped by a GM to progress a quest that was stuck!

Once was a quest where the mobs needed to advance were spawning in walls and the other was the one where you have to follow the monkey through a small gap(the prompt to go through the gap wasn't appearing).

On both occasions a GM appeared and progressed everyone, one by one.

I heard about them clearing bots that were camping Delve Bosses(before they added the loot timers) but never saw that.

Never seen or heard of any since then!

That's what I saw. A GM stood in the centre of the bots, and asked everyone present to stand back. Everyone did, except of course the bots. He then did an AOE kick from the server and the bots were gone.

D0PAMINE

I've seen one a few years back intervene when Zone Chat got really really bad. The dude who started the convo knew a few of the GM's from past warnings.

MagicalLija

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIZ_jpwy9XY


this is one of the only videos i could find. I wish they did more meet up type of events where like every time you're there you get like 1 gold

Elsonso

jazsper77 wrote: »

You know it never amazes me that any thread that shows ZOS disregard for the player base . The white knights show up to defend. Beta and console launch player , 2 platforms and 4 servers never have I seen a GM.

I saw one twice on PC NA. Never summoned one, though.

TequilaFire

Seen one once on PC helped during being stuck as a monkey when I asked for help in zone chat and once on PS4 clearing bots from the dolmen In Alik'r near Goats's Head Oasis. But both were some time ago.

AcadianPaladin

PC NA here for 2 years. Never seen a GM in game or chat.

It would indeed be helpful for us and ZOS if ZOS provided a bit of info on how they moderate in game. No need to compromise their ability, just some general info about what they do, how they can help and how we can help them.

For example, I suspect many here feel that reporting bots is a time consuming effort that drops into a black hole. Am I right or is it actually worth reporting things? A few words from ZOS could certainly help us make informed conclusions instead of assuming who knows what in a vacuum.

ezio45

im ok with no game masters. zos is like government, best they dont get involved

DocFrost72

Have seen, and had a GM solve a quest problem for me before. They certainly exist, but they don't exactly announce their presence.