Bots - Bots - and more Bots - This game is going to lose customers unless you get this under control

Reykice

Zab101 wrote: »

So the gold farmers have moved on from the dungeon delves and are now invading overland areas and quest instances? HAHAHAHA! Pricelsss. Maybe the devs can just nerf or put a diminishing return on overland mobs so no one gets any loot.
The gold farmers were camping bosses: response was a boss timer that affects everyone.
The gold farmers were going after provisioning containers: response was a nerf to the containers and an account wide diminishing return.
The gold farmers are going after harvesting nodes. Maybe they can nerf the spawn timer of all nodes.
God forbid had they just banned them when they had them isolated in the dungeon delves.

Quoted for truth.

Kililin

@alexandru987eb17_ESO‌
It is not only hacked accounts, a big part is stolen credit card infos, it must be. It would be impossible to hack that many accounts.
I think the account acquisition of botters is the point ZOS must block, ingame measures will not help anymore i am afraid.

PF1901

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

Epona222 wrote: »

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

Epona222 wrote: »

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

How is it ruining the economy? How is it ruining immersion? They are in one small part of one small map. I understand the need to get rid of people who are selling gold (or buying gold for that matter) but I dont understand this whole sky is falling mantra I keep hearing. Prices if anything have dropped the economy is just fine. Advantage of not having an auction house.

OK here's an example. Yesterday I did the final faction quest in Auridon, I was lvl 16, nearly lvl 17 when I started. By the time I had finished and got the quest reward, I was still only lvl 16 when I finished, because I had not had to fight any standard mobs (which tend to give I think 51XP each) because there were NONE in any questing zone I had tackled that day.

I had not had to think "oh I don't think I can take on that group, I'd better find a way to sneak round". I had not had to think "that pair at the bottom of the stairs I need to go up are 2 casters, how best to tackle this?" Because all mobs were dying as soon as they spawned due to massive amount of bots circuiting round the quest zone. I could just run from A to B with nothing to fight or get past.

That is how it spoils immersion. And robs you of XP (and perhaps a bit less important, the occasional white drop that might be useful for research or deconstruction, or maybe a green armor set drop that is in the random mob loot table).

So in other words you dont like people in your mmos. Not every mob in every zone in every area of the game is camped by bots. Again more hyperbole.

That is NOT what I said in the slightest. I love other PEOPLE in ESO. I have had massive fun grouping, or running with other players in a loose group when questing.

Do you even know what a bot is? What a mass of 50 bots all programmed, not controlled directly by a human player, can do to a quest area?

So what lvl 17 area has this massive network of bots? I want to go see this for myself.

What 's wrong with you? I can't even understand what you're aiming at - defending, advocating or downplay the problem? In your case the only thing I can come up with is "if you don't see the problem you are part it"!

Epona222

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

I just went to three different starter areas. While yes its packed with people there were no massive bot swarms like being described here. So ya big ado about nothing as far as the starter areas being swarmed with bots. Coldharbour yes thats another story. They still didnt stop me from completing my quests because they arent farming what I needed.

Im not saying something doesnt need to be done about gold sellers I do think we should stick to factual information and not making things up or exaggerate.

Right, so I'm making it up or imagining it that bots ruined 2 quest areas at the end of the first zone for me yesterday.

Nice. Now go away.

Reykice

Kililin wrote: »

@alexandru987eb17_ESO‌
It is not only hacked accounts, a big part is stolen credit card infos, it must be. It would be impossible to hack that many accounts.
I think the account acquisition of botters is the point ZOS must block, ingame measures will not help anymore i am afraid.

If its hacked accounts ZOS has no control over the way hackers hack people and get their account info. They can swiftly ban them all and sort it out later...

Anything to get it done as i know of a lot of people who unsubbed due to this... it pisses of a lot of people.

Epona222

alexandru987eb17_ESO wrote: »

Kililin wrote: »

@alexandru987eb17_ESO‌
It is not only hacked accounts, a big part is stolen credit card infos, it must be. It would be impossible to hack that many accounts.
I think the account acquisition of botters is the point ZOS must block, ingame measures will not help anymore i am afraid.

If its hacked accounts ZOS has no control over the way hackers hack people and get their account info. They can swiftly ban them all and sort it out later...

Anything to get it done as i know of a lot of people who unsubbed due to this... it pisses of a lot of people.

Exactly - If my account got hacked, I would want ZOS to lock it down INSTANTLY, to prevent as much damage to my characters and credit card as possible, then work with me to resolve the situation and hand my account back to me.

Mistamichal

I think it's pretty clear that @jamesharv2005ub17_ESO‌ is nothing more than a troll . . . . either that or, as stated earlier by someone else, a very dumb human. My bet is on troll.

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO

Lol this guy made up the whole swarms of bots in every starter area yet Im the troll. Obviously you guys are exaggerating BIG TIME.

Epona222

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

Lol this guy made up the whole swarms of bots in every starter area yet Im the troll. Obviously you guys are exaggerating BIG TIME.

Haha "made up", yes of course. Also I am not a guy, I'm a respectable 43 year old married woman, not some daft kid who goes around making bizarre statements on internet forums for fun.

Why are you so defensive about the bot situation? Is it really just a severe case of being a fanboy and refusing to believe that anything is wrong, or are you running bots yourself?

It isn't just me who has seen it btw, check out the number of threads about bots.

Enkil

Mistamichal wrote: »

I think it's pretty clear that @jamesharv2005ub17_ESO‌ is nothing more than a troll . . . . either that or, as stated earlier by someone else, a very dumb human. My bet is on troll.

Exactly.. Don't feed the trolls.

SantieClaws

I wonder if the situation is different on the US server and the EU server? We are trying to discuss the situation here as if we were all in the same place at the same time looking at the same things - we aren't. The problem may be more or less visible depending on your server and when you play.

For anyone who says they have never seen a bot in game please take a look at some footage I have taken. This is dungeon footage taken before they seemed to clean up the bots in there a bit. I haven't yet seen the big overland groups of bots myself but I mostly only get game time at the weekend. I did see a couple of suspected bots by the bank in Davon's Watch and one by the clothing crafting station there.

gladen5rwb17_ESO

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO what is your problem?

Yesterday in Auridon I was down at the beach head at the the South Beacon. This is a low level quest area, level 8-9. It is a big quest for that level and awards a skyshard inside the tower. The quest is to sneak into the camp and free the Captain and her crew.

There were no mobs. Three of us stood there and watched, get this, thirteen bots farm a small area of single and double target mobs in a tight circle. There were not enough mobs for the bots, never mind about players. They just kept running in a circle till a mob spawned and mass attacked. Some did not get a hit on the mobs.

We walked in, untied the prisoners and were just gob smacked at this scenario.
None of us got any experience at all, not 1 exp for doing that quest other than the final finish after burning the light house fire.

Moving on. I went into the first dungeon. They are pathing everywhere. In every hall. Not a single mob alive. I moved onto the next dungeon, same thing. Got my skyshards, left.

I went to the town of Methiason. The bots are running the entire area killing the mobs needed for rescuing the citizens of the town. Not one mob standing. Instead the alternative is to put out the fires at the doors as there is no other option to do the quest.

I went to town in Mistral the starting town. Bots were standing at the wayshrine. Zooming off at incredible speeds sinking into the ground, gone. There are no harvests. They are camping everything. All along the mining shore, they are harvesting along the small islands, along the beach, inland.

I logged off and got on my another higher level character. I went to Grahtwood. No harvests, bots in dungeons, bots on mobs. Flying bots, underground bots, speed hacking bots, bots at the bank.

I ported to Elden Root, bots were standing by the bank, then teleporting out. I went to a dungeon, same pathing bots, no mobs. I went down to Haven, they are along the beach. I traveled to the top most northern map, bots harvesting and one standing in the Frost Giants wayshrine.

I watched a level 38 character in what appeared to be good gear, sword and board bot harvesting a log for half an hour before I reported it. This character appeared to be an account stolen, as no bot would dress their character like this and it is not the first time I have seen high level well dressed characters being used as bots.

I logged off in disgust. Your persistence of denial that this is not a problem astounds me. It effects the players, our game, it effects how we feel about being in a game that is not under the companies control. It effects me. And that is the point. You are being deliberately obstinate.

LadyDestiny

In reference to Cold Harbor, I just started the area yesterday and when I loaded in and walked to the first quest giver, I believe The groundskeeper was what she was called, there was a pile of bots standing on her and tons of bots just running to her from the wayshrine. This went on all day and ended up being in the hundreds easily. Mind you these bots were all level 3, still in coldharbor rags and this is mid 40's content. I ran to the wayshrine and sure enough a constant flow of bots teleporting in, I assume teleport to player by the bot Masters that were hiding out somewhere. I watched for a long while, unable to report due to the fact there was just too many. I hate bots, but after seeing this I was really angry. What on earth are these bots doing anyway? Are they actually doing this quest walking through the city with the quest giver? I am somewhat confused here and not sure how they can even get a quest at this level. I would disable the wayshrine and make them port in to one where they have to run through the agro in order to get to the city. Watch them all die. Seriously, why can't they make these areas off limits to low level characters? Can't they implement some sort of requirement for certain level content like make it so you have to be level 25 or 30 to get there or you get a message saying you do not meet the requirements to travel to that region even if you are grouped with said higher level chinese gold farmer? Doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to do as I have seen it in other MMOs. I know some crafters may not like it, but hey I would gladly sacrifice that ability to see less of this garbage cluttering up my ESO experience.

Beast85

jackub17_ESO23 wrote: »

Coldharbour - it must be 80% bots.i HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW THIS? Tower of Lies - nothing but bots running the same circle endlessly in a chain. Cliffs of Failure - same thing. I go into these thinking I will have a challenge - but no - it is completely ruined by endless bots just killing the mobs over and over and you are lucky if you can get a single dot/hit in. Every area of the map that has mobs you will find bot chains running non-stop 24/7.

This completely removes the fun/challenge. And it is not just Coldharbour - it is everywhere. Ok, you moved the bots from the dungeon bosses with the changes, but they just reprogrammed to dungeon mobs and fast spawn points.

Bots are running this game and you are going to have a mass exodus unless it is dealt with soon. You have a very short window and it is almost beyond comprehension that you did not anticipate this and put in detection code.

Don't worry dear friend. The 2 are linked. More bots, less devs to fix will lead to unsubscription of players, causing bot farming useless. So... it will fix from itself. Jokes apart i would love to see this game fixed so i could get back and enjoy it again.

ttwinklerub17_ESO

It's already happening ...people are leaving in numbers
between nerfs to battle the bots and then the bots it's a nightmare
it hasn't gotten better it's worse
the bots are getting better - better scripts - better mechanics -more stamina- more varied actions - more measure to defeat ZOS attempts to detect them or us to detect them

hence the speed hacks, flying thru air - going thru rock
and now unable to tag-report them
looting nodes before they appear as well - you hear the pick or ax come down - but no node appearance (taken before it can actually appear)- and you hear the bot

I know I sat on an area try to catch the bot - saw the monsters spawn for 20mins - I killed and watch them spawn (did that to kill time - and gain some leather)
heard the ax come down and saw no wood appear and actually did hear the bot

so I decide to check the area - the whole area -I mean wide area was barren - no jute,iron,plants or wood and the most of the mobs are going down do to other bots just doing them (mainly for leather)

Quite honestly the best cure is to kill trading - at least for awhile
no mail gifts or trading - then the gold sellers can't sell anything - no revenue -why do it?
at least it put a dent in it
you would still have those using bots for material gathering rather than use a skill point on a hireling

what we need is a better store system or auction house

most can deal with no trading for awhile til things are fixed - because we can still sell goods and make $$

Big_Bob

Either this james guy is a troll or an ignorant person who can't tell the difference between a human-controlled character and a scripted farm bot

p.hurst1b16_ESO

KerinKor wrote: »

If there's one thing I hate more than bots .. it's threads complaining about them being spammed on here.

YOU DIDN'T NEED TO CREATE ANOTHER ONE IN ORDER TO POST YOUR WHINE, there are umpteen of them already.

It DOES need to be raised again and again. ZoE NEED to know that it is getting ridiculous. That kind of bot zergs ruined many MMO's and I am one who left Aion and took a guild of over 50 with me for that very reason. THINK about it. Forums are here to keep the devs informed that players are facing great difficulties.

That is what people do, not what YOU want them to do. If the CS on here need to consolidate these then they will also be aware that it is a BIG problem and needs more attention than anything else.

If you do not like a thread then why not skip it and move on, or do you just like venting at people for some strange reason ?

The bot zergs are very worrying indeed.

YourNameHere

If you don't have this already, i found this to be helpful in reporting bots.
~~~~
Here is an add-on that was suggested to me by another forum user.

I got it, and it works wonderfully.

http://www.esoui.com/downloads/info181-FastReport.html

If you haven't already, get the addon client used Minion: http://minion.mmoui.com/

Then you can search there for FastReport by thelegendaryof

Once you install that in Minion, go into TESO then go to settings. You'll need to set up the report key (I used F5 in the key bindings).

So when you hover over someone, it will save the last name you captured, even if they disappear quickly. Hitting the key you chose for the report will bring up two windows, as shown in the screenshot http://cdn.eso.mmoui.com/preview/pvw554.jpg

Highlight and CTRL + C the information on the left hand window into the report window on the right hand side, then fill in the rest of what you saw, making sure to click from the drop down menu.

Hope this helps!

Sariias

@jamesharv2005ub17_ESO you're playing devil's advocate to the point of being a troll based on sheer tenacity. Trying hard to be the counter point of reason is entirely pointless, because all of your defending of bots is rendered moot because botting is against ESO's TOS.

Bots should not be in ESO, like all MMO's ESO wasn't designed to support botting (even if they've had some additional creative measures added against them), and we as a community do not like them. And again, they're against the TOS, so ultimately our sentiments are aligned with the TOS.

I don't want bots farming jute 24/7, or keeping zones cleared just so they can loot gold (as opposed to questing, unlike actual players who quest and move on these don't), or spamming zone chat and disrupting the line of communication (my spam filter is already maxed). This stuff gets players angry, unlike interacting and competing with other players for resources or PvP, because the bots simply shouldn't be there. Bots are not players, they're programs driven by greedy companies who have no desire to play the game and do not care about the game's welfare.

So play devil's advocate all you want, but you're basically denouncing the TOS and supporting bots and goldfarmers.