So the legends are true....

Awacs_Tragedy

Requiemslove wrote: »

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.

How would you make bosses invincible to bots when a program cannot detect them, and if it could they should just auto-ban the bots instead so your suggestion is quite... strange honestly.
Also I would say a publicity stunt is better than no stunt as it shows something and that is always better than nothing.

Thechemicals

Quest that activate bossess through a series of simple questions.

Holycannoli

This is what a lot of us want them to do. An automated system is asking for trouble, just look at the number of false bans recently. Active GMs teleporting around to the various dungeon bosses is what's needed right now.

They're not going to catch every bot in every instance of every dungeon all the time, but if they go around regularly and ban any they find it will have an impact over time.

They also did something recently to significantly cut down on gold spam. I saw very little of it yesterday. There was probably a mass ban but maybe it's something else, I don't know.

Dovel

It is wonderful to see the GMs in action. Nice to know they are there taking care of the bots. It was great to see them in game last night.

Keep up the good work!

Requiemslove

That made me ROFL...to think of bots gathered around a lowly trash mob going ZERK ZERK and the poor bugger is like "wtf did I do?"

SDZald

One of my characters has the spell to pull the mob to you, whenever I am playing him and I am in a dungeon with bots I make an area announcement that I will be pulling the boss to me and if they are real players come stand next to me. I then pull the boss from the bots and let the real people have at him. Sometimes I will do this for a good stretch of time, it is fun watching those bots swing away at nothing.

As far as seeing a Gamemaster, no matter the reason, I like to see them out and and about. It is reassuring that I know someone is keeping an eye on the children and I wished we saw more of them.

Yankee

Thete wrote: »

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.

Oh please. I just came from WoW, and it still has many bots. The more casual PVP battlegrounds (where most people play) are infested. They made progress out in the world PVE, but there are still bots. They farm resources underground just like here.

And I played WoW on and off since 2005.....they sure the heck did not solve the issue in two weeks. It took them years to hone it. And they did use GM's for a period to hunt bots.

Danjc2

SDZald wrote: »

One of my characters has the spell to pull the mob to you, whenever I am playing him and I am in a dungeon with bots I make an area announcement that I will be pulling the boss to me and if they are real players come stand next to me. I then pull the boss from the bots and let the real people have at him. Sometimes I will do this for a good stretch of time, it is fun watching those bots swing away at nothing.

As far as seeing a Gamemaster, no matter the reason, I like to see them out and and about. It is reassuring that I know someone is keeping an eye on the children and I wished we saw more of them.

I think you have some fellow DKs doing something similar. I was in a level 30ish dungeon about a week ago, and there was just a pile of these bots stood a good 1/3 of the dungeon away from the boss. Someone had dragged one boss all the way out so the bots followed past their point of return, and they were just stood there killing some corridor trash and the boss was mostly clear.

Good community service I say!

Catches_the_Sun

This brought a tear to my eye. I love seeing these guys out there ridding Tamriel of the bots. Hopefully, this is just the beginning & the bots are near their end.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

demendred

I hear if you kill a GM, and drink its blood, you gain admin powers that far surpass the system itself. Just a myth I'm totally not making up, but I really am. Shhhh! Keep it under your hat.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

SirAndy

At this point i wouldn't be surprised if that was just another bot ...
;-)

demendred

Spectral_Lord wrote: »

demendred wrote: »

I hear if you kill a GM, and drink its blood, you gain admin powers that far surpass the system itself. Just a myth I'm totally not making up, but I really am. Shhhh! Keep it under your hat.

Reeaaaallllyyyy?

So the legend says, my friend.

Shimond

Thechemicals wrote: »

Quest that activate bossess through a series of simple questions.

I love it, dungeon exploring via captcha

Ashigaru

Its amazing that ZoS finally does something visually that everyone can see and confirm and the quacks on the forums still are not happy.

I dont know if anyone of you have ever been a GM or a "Guide" or a "Follower" as they have been called in other games but it is a pain in the arse to be able to do anything. You have no control of what you do period, you are monitored you are controlled and you have someone on you worse then a known hacker does.

I was a Guide for EQ and a Follower of Asura, a guide for EQ wasn't so bad but being a follower of asura for AoC was not even really worth the time. There was so much red tape that if you actually saw someone with your own eyes there was still nothing you could do, you had to submit it just like everyone else, even though you were in IRC with GMs it still didn't matter.

I guess my point is that the gm's can't just go in there with a ban hammer and start removing players or bots (whatever the case maybe) without the ok from someone above them, so all you people talking trash need to realize that if this is going on and they are being as open and verbal about it, it means that the upstairs knows what's going on and is getting involved for immediate action until other means can be found. This is a step in the right direction for temporary relief now lets hope that they are working on something behind the scenes that is a more permanent fix.

ClaudiaMay

Yay for physical GMs! It's wonderful to see. Step by step, ZoS, you can do it!

Ashigaru

Thete wrote: »

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.

The reason that you have not came across one since 2006 is because of Warden, the bots have gotten smarter to have to work around that. WoW is full of them, don't kid yourself about that. There are bots and communities that work on these bots that don't run to youtube to post videos and try to get customers and they are nasty bots that can do some amazing things that don't even need a client installed on the pc. There is a thing called ISX that puts any bot program to shame and it is in multiple games, games that they do not even list on the main site (once you get into the IRC network its like a shadow community). So ya you can live in your own smug little world and think what you want to but the reality is they are there you are just to blind and illiterate to even know what you are looking at.

dreildragb14_ESO

SDZald wrote: »

One of my characters has the spell to pull the mob to you, whenever I am playing him and I am in a dungeon with bots I make an area announcement that I will be pulling the boss to me and if they are real players come stand next to me. I then pull the boss from the bots and let the real people have at him. Sometimes I will do this for a good stretch of time, it is fun watching those bots swing away at nothing.

As far as seeing a Gamemaster, no matter the reason, I like to see them out and and about. It is reassuring that I know someone is keeping an eye on the children and I wished we saw more of them.

People like me who are not DK's love when people like you do this, its the only chance we have at getting a loot drop.

Yankee wrote: »

Thete wrote: »

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.

Oh please. I just came from WoW, and it still has many bots. The more casual PVP battlegrounds (where most people play) are infested. They made progress out in the world PVE, but there are still bots. They farm resources underground just like here.

And I played WoW on and off since 2005.....they sure the heck did not solve the issue in two weeks. It took them years to hone it. And they did use GM's for a period to hunt bots.

Short version is yeah Blizzard did sue and shut down some sites, but if you read the public legal documents one didn't even put up a fight, but later started a new site under a different name. Also a different bot got sued and was only not allow to sell from the country of said court, which was Germany. So they can keep the site and sells going just not in Germany so nothing really changed.

Another thing people don't understand or know is WoW has took a number dive in subs. Now since WoW is a $15 a month game and 20%+ has and still is leaving the game the once hated bots becomes the company's best friend. They still get $15, the bots don't complain, and it buys Blizzard time to come up with an excuse or a plan to get those numbers back before the Board and CEO see a need in new and fresh leadership and replaces all manager's and department heads.

JJDrakken

So the legends are true of the Big Willy!

TerraDewBerry

Nice to see ZOS paying attention to player suggestions! Nice job!

Rainingblood

The 10th Devine

Zakua

I think it is awesome to see and I'd guess that it is not their only answer to the Bot situation but a part of the answer. Make a showing/presence, change policies/systems/code/reporting and narrow the situation down a bit with each attempt.

I wont lie, I have sat and killed a few bosses upwards of 10 times to try and stock up on Potions, gems and maybe get a green or blue drop...so an indirect detection system (done in the back end) could've maybe flagged me but a real GM sitting in front of me would have noticed me playing the Lute and chatting it up with my friends as we took part in a little loot farming.

I think this is great to see them proactive, it is symbolic more then anything...I am sure they do not have 100 GMs online in all the dungeons all the time but it only takes one player to post a pic and spread the word.

devolutedub17_ESO

Thete wrote: »

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.

Gamemasters aren't programmers, they aren't the ones working on the long term solution.

awkwarrd

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My faith in ZOS grows.
I hoped GM's would jump into the game and wage some war on bots.

This is how i imagine a GM entering the game nuking bots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbZq2MPYHoY

Think i would have the same reaction too, stunned/amazed.

Knovah

Awesome sauce... so glad that they are doing this.

Nice to see the active smashing of bottopia go down.

Keep at it ZOS

zaria

dreildragb14_ESO wrote: »

SDZald wrote: »

One of my characters has the spell to pull the mob to you, whenever I am playing him and I am in a dungeon with bots I make an area announcement that I will be pulling the boss to me and if they are real players come stand next to me. I then pull the boss from the bots and let the real people have at him. Sometimes I will do this for a good stretch of time, it is fun watching those bots swing away at nothing.

As far as seeing a Gamemaster, no matter the reason, I like to see them out and and about. It is reassuring that I know someone is keeping an eye on the children and I wished we saw more of them.

People like me who are not DK's love when people like you do this, its the only chance we have at getting a loot drop.

Yankee wrote: »

Thete wrote: »

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.

Oh please. I just came from WoW, and it still has many bots. The more casual PVP battlegrounds (where most people play) are infested. They made progress out in the world PVE, but there are still bots. They farm resources underground just like here.

And I played WoW on and off since 2005.....they sure the heck did not solve the issue in two weeks. It took them years to hone it. And they did use GM's for a period to hunt bots.

Short version is yeah Blizzard did sue and shut down some sites, but if you read the public legal documents one didn't even put up a fight, but later started a new site under a different name. Also a different bot got sued and was only not allow to sell from the country of said court, which was Germany. So they can keep the site and sells going just not in Germany so nothing really changed.

Another thing people don't understand or know is WoW has took a number dive in subs. Now since WoW is a $15 a month game and 20%+ has and still is leaving the game the once hated bots becomes the company's best friend. They still get $15, the bots don't complain, and it buys Blizzard time to come up with an excuse or a plan to get those numbers back before the Board and CEO see a need in new and fresh leadership and replaces all manager's and department heads.

awkwarrd wrote: »

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My faith in ZOS grows.
I hoped GM's would jump into the game and wage some war on bots.

This is how i imagine a GM entering the game nuking bots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbZq2MPYHoY

Think i would have the same reaction too, stunned/amazed.

This proves that you can not have to much firepower.

MercyKilling

I would have dearly loved to have seen that.
It's a great morale improver, I'll say that much.
Kudos to the Zenimax team for this.

Dunhilda

Thechemicals wrote: »

Quest that activate bossess through a series of simple questions.

Hrm that sound a lot like Aion Recaptura....

Holycannoli

I'm hearing reports that the bots are just reappearing a short time after the GM leaves which tells me the accounts aren't getting banned. Their accounts need to be banned right there on the spot.