So the legends are true....

Dunhilda

Could the legend of the end time be true? We have Game Masters? I always thought them to be a myth.







Removed all players names but left the Game Master name in the game



Thank you GameMaster Bot-Smasher

Shimond

hopefully not a bot itself :P

Aballister

Great name

zaria

also note that most of the bot fighting is done by analysis of the logs.
yes this might be part of it too, learning how to differentiate farmers from bots.

Knootewoot

I was a warden in Starwars Galaxies and could silence gold-spammers. That way they where also targeted for a GM to investigate. I wish we could apply for something like that here and we could insta-kill bots. Of course this should not be misused so if you do it on normal players there must be a penalty.

Edit: nvm not a good idea. I am pretty sure it will be misused in PvP

Sharee

Knootewoot wrote: »

I was a warden in Starwars Galaxies and could silence gold-spammers. That way they where also targeted for a GM to investigate. I wish we could apply for something like that here and we could insta-kill bots. Of course this should not be misused so if you do it on normal players there must be a penalty.

Just the thing i was thinking about yesterday. I often see obvious bots - "if i only could ban him now".

Maybe a volunteer player force, given limited ban rights by ZOS. Given to accounts who applied, and are in good standing. Have to meet certain criteria (like being a certain veteran rank, so that freshly created accoutns are not egligible).

As a member, you have the right to instantly ban a bot for 24 hours(or however long is needed for a review). Every such ban case is reviewed by an actual zenimax employee. If it turns out you banned a real player, you get a warning. If you do it again, you lose your good standing forever, so better be absolutely sure you are banning a bot. If not sure, use normal report (maybe with a higher priority than regular player).

This would accelerate the speed at which gold farmers lose accounts past the breaking point - they would lose more money than they could gain from gold sales.

Cepeza

Big time kudos to ZOS here! They actually listening to the community. Keep that up guys!

Saihung423

Word. Tis a beautiful thing there.

Sharee

Knootewoot wrote: »

Edit: nvm not a good idea. I am pretty sure it will be misused in PvP

That's easy - disable it in Cyrodiil. Any bots there can be deal with the old-fashioned way

knaveofengland

oh my pins a medal on that gm

Thete

Cepeza wrote: »

Big time kudos to ZOS here! They actually listening to the community. Keep that up guys!

That's what you think the community wanted? A small number of bots being cleared out from an equally small number of instances. It's like spending the fire defence budget on a few guys with water pistols and being cheered for doing it.

I'd rather they ignored the pointless and uninformed suggestions and just did what they thought best for the long term solution rather than delaying the whole project for what is nothing more than a publicity stunt.

Yankee

Thete wrote: »

Cepeza wrote: »

Big time kudos to ZOS here! They actually listening to the community. Keep that up guys!

That's what you think the community wanted? A small number of bots being cleared out from an equally small number of instances. It's like spending the fire defence budget on a few guys with water pistols and being cheered for doing it.

I'd rather they ignored the pointless and uninformed suggestions and just did what they thought best for the long term solution rather than delaying the whole project for what is nothing more than a publicity stunt.

I have no doubt they are working on some automated solution, which I think will be our only hope. But I would rather have them insure it does not ban legitimate players like their anti-hacker solution has done on occasion.

Meanwhile, what harm does it do to accomodate those who wanted to see a GM presence looking at bots? Why do you think sending in a few GM's stops them from using programming resources towards a better solution?

Thete

Yankee wrote: »

[Why do you think sending in a few GM's stops them from using programming resources towards a better solution?

Because there are things they could be doing to actually improve people's gameplay. A GM can't give you a bot-free public dungeon experience. Even the OP will go into a dungeon later (or even the same one) and find it infested again. However, GMs could be spending their time advancing people who choose past the bugged quests which are preventing progress in the game.

Cepeza

Thete wrote: »

Cepeza wrote: »

Big time kudos to ZOS here! They actually listening to the community. Keep that up guys!

That's what you think the community wanted? A small number of bots being cleared out from an equally small number of instances. It's like spending the fire defence budget on a few guys with water pistols and being cheered for doing it.

I'd rather they ignored the pointless and uninformed suggestions and just did what they thought best for the long term solution rather than delaying the whole project for what is nothing more than a publicity stunt.

I think they do not know what exactly to do about bots, so they did the first reasonable thing that came to their minds, following the advise that was given by MANY people on these forums, to throw in some gms to ban bots. I never said this will fix the issue. I just like them reading these forums.

dagnome

We dont need a "PLayer force" to deal with bots, thats just asking for trouble from a immature community. Besides according to the ToU:
"In an effort to continuously improve the Services, You and other players discovering exploits, cheats, cracks or other inconsistencies are required to report them to ZeniMax;"

Elsonso

Well, from a public relations perspective, it is very effective. Pictures plastered in the forum. People will be cheering.

However, they need to follow this up by actually eliminating the problem or people will start to wonder whether Gamemaster Bob is actually doing anything.

mutharex

First Rule of game Masters is, you do not talk about Game Masters.
Second rule of .... ack you know the drill

trinta

dagnome wrote: »

Besides according to the ToU:
"In an effort to continuously improve the Services, You and other players discovering exploits, cheats, cracks or other inconsistencies are required to report them to ZeniMax;"

Mmkay, but what does that have to do with the suggestion that was presented? Firstly, the presence of bots is not a discovery that is covered under that. Secondly, the "player-run force" that you were responding to included an auto-flag to Zenimax to review.

Assuming you just wanted to up your post count!

Ygge

Indeed we are cheering!

That this would be the last step in bot-extermination is unlikely, they are obviously putting resources on the issue. Patience.

dagnome

The report system in game is exactly that, you flag a player and they are looked into. From my end botting is a exploit on the user end, it is a form of cheating and it sure as heck is inconsistent with the way the game was designed to be played. I would constitute that as a grounds to report them as required.

Yankee

Thete wrote: »

Because there are things they could be doing to actually improve people's gameplay. A GM can't give you a bot-free public dungeon experience. Even the OP will go into a dungeon later (or even the same one) and find it infested again. However, GMs could be spending their time advancing people who choose past the bugged quests which are preventing progress in the game.

Sadly, based on posts I have seen the GM's do not seem to have the capability to do that function.

Csub

The prophecies have foretold us.

dreildragb14_ESO

I love the pictures but still 2 problems.

1. A GM does show up but it seems to be the PVP area only, not the open world.
2. The GM only seemed to area AoE the camp site, then moves on. Bots simply use the auto rez timer and their going again. No bann nor disconnect from server, and if they are simply disconnected odds are they have reloggers to get them back in automatically.

mutharex

Csub wrote: »

The prophecies have foretold us.

It is written in the Elder Scrolls

zaria

dreildragb14_ESO wrote: »

I love the pictures but still 2 problems.

1. A GM does show up but it seems to be the PVP area only, not the open world.
2. The GM only seemed to area AoE the camp site, then moves on. Bots simply use the auto rez timer and their going again. No bann nor disconnect from server, and if they are simply disconnected odds are they have reloggers to get them back in automatically.

Well if I designed an function to ban bots in an area in game i would also used an AoE DoT spell with the scripted bonus effect of banning everybody killed.

Add that its has been lots of people reporting that GM is hunting.

demendred

Interesting indeed...

Sharee wrote: »

Knootewoot wrote: »

I was a warden in Starwars Galaxies and could silence gold-spammers. That way they where also targeted for a GM to investigate. I wish we could apply for something like that here and we could insta-kill bots. Of course this should not be misused so if you do it on normal players there must be a penalty.

Just the thing i was thinking about yesterday. I often see obvious bots - "if i only could ban him now".

Maybe a volunteer player force, given limited ban rights by ZOS. Given to accounts who applied, and are in good standing. Have to meet certain criteria (like being a certain veteran rank, so that freshly created accoutns are not egligible).

I myself wouldn't mind volunteering. I love hunting down bots/rmts. Its fun!

Xexpo

Thete wrote: »

Cepeza wrote: »

Big time kudos to ZOS here! They actually listening to the community. Keep that up guys!

That's what you think the community wanted? A small number of bots being cleared out from an equally small number of instances. It's like spending the fire defence budget on a few guys with water pistols and being cheered for doing it.

I'd rather they ignored the pointless and uninformed suggestions and just did what they thought best for the long term solution rather than delaying the whole project for what is nothing more than a publicity stunt.

Yes I do think it's what some of the community wanted and yes I do think you probably have a stick up your butt. Some people can never be pleased, or even happy for two seconds.
I saw a GM in action (name was Gamemaster Keening , getting extra points for an awesome name). It made me feel like they were doing something which is better than nothing. I don't know how anyone can come up with a negative comment to GM's cleaning up the bot problem.
So.. what is your "informed and not pointless" suggestion @Thete?

Requiemslove

OK, so GMs are FINALLY in the game. That is all well and good but unless I see first hand or hear report of GMS going into ANY dungeon where a bunch of bots are farming a dungeon boss, its just a publicity stunt. I GET this is just a temporary measure while they formulate something bigger and more permanent...but it wont be enough if the GMs are NOT rampant and going wherever reports of bots are. Personally I do not understand why they have not taken my suggestion of making bosses invincible to players who are actually bots. Am I missing something here...is there such a thing as bot invincibility where they cant be harmed by the boss they farm? I think not, I been in dungeons and watched some bots actually die to a dungeon boss and have to come running back.

Don't get me wrong I am happy to see GMs in the game...but its going to take quite a lot of convincing me, that this is not more than just publicity. At the least its good to know they ARE bothered.

demendred

Im going to goto Del's Claim and see if I can't find me one of these GMs.

Thete

kaer426 wrote: »

I saw a GM in action (name was Gamemaster Keening , getting extra points for an awesome name). It made me feel like they were doing something which is better than nothing. I don't know how anyone can come up with a negative comment to GM's cleaning up the bot problem.
So.. what is your "informed and not pointless" suggestion @Thete?

Letting them do what they need to do. This is a common situation in all industries. In order to convince customers you are responding to their needs, you have to take time out from actually responding and put on a pointless stunt to 're-assure'.

But if you're happy going into public dungeons tonight (or whenever) and seeing lots of bots camping the boss but consoled with the fact that in one or two dungeons a GM came along and put on a show for some people, then that's great. Just don't ever complain about bots again. Me? I'd rather they just got on with the job of defending the game against bots in the first place and it will take as long as it takes. Bottom line is that I want them to prevent bots ever being a part of my gaming experience. Bots were a serious issue in the early days of WoW. They didn't put on pointless shows for the punters, they just kept developing the game to the point where I haven't come across one since 2006. That approach suits me down to the ground. With what you are happy with, they will never be gone.

Thesiren

You know what was so weird? There was a group of about 10 bots yesterday who were very obviously asadada and rlrlryltl types, and they were camped in a L11 dungeon around one regular L11 cultist trash mob. I wondered if that used to be the location of a boss mob, and Zenimax subsequently moved the boss, but didn't leave a big flashing sign for the group of hacker gold farmers to let them know it had moved, lol.