New form of botting?

davidnewman1993_ESO

Recently i decided to go back and level enchanting and alchemy. So i go back to daggerfall to look for mats. none, no where. i spent about 30 minutes looking for anything when i saw an iron mine. "screw it i might as well get something here" i go to mine it and it wont let me. i look a little closer and i see 3 heads barely out of the ground.

These little [snip] are teleporting all over the map (underneath the map) stealing EVERYTHING. its just *** annoying. something has to be done.

Reenlister

yeah, not new. They have been flying and traveling underground for some time now..

Chomppa

These guys are just everywhere and I hope measurements are taken to at least decrease their numbers .

Vanathi

I sometimes go back to Stros M'Kai for fun and stuff and yeah.... nothing but bots. Although Alch mats were unharvested there. Everything else... no chance. More bots than there are anything else. Very sad.

Seravi

I just left Stros M'kai and literally 8 out of 10 characters on that island are bots. They are moving through the air and through walls, buildings, underground, you name it. This has gotten totally out of hand! I will be deleting my clothier character. I am tired of being totally frustrated because I can't even find one single jute plant! The zone chat is FULL of idiots purchasing wood, and other mats because they are all being harvested by the bots. I am done with trying to be the one in the guild to make gear for our group. I can spend all day and not get enough mats to make anything.....

Reenlister

At this rate all that will be left are bots..
Wonder how the sales will go then for them?

babylon

Seravi wrote: »

I just left Stros M'kai and literally 8 out of 10 characters on that island are bots. They are moving through the air and through walls, buildings, underground, you name it. This has gotten totally out of hand! I will be deleting my clothier character. I am tired of being totally frustrated because I can't even find one single jute plant! The zone chat is FULL of idiots purchasing wood, and other mats because they are all being harvested by the bots. I am done with trying to be the one in the guild to make gear for our group. I can spend all day and not get enough mats to make anything.....

Hearing this ZOS?

Get your GMs out on the field as often as possible (not just 15 minutes once a day) and start BANNING entire accounts and tracking IPs and machines and anything else attached to the trail of mats and gold that comes from this source.

Sakiri

Just sitting in Bal Foyen.. not seen a single Jute.

Did see some in Bleakrock but as soon as I saw it disappear I saw a name under my crosshair. Bot likely.

My question: does ghosting work? Old school EQers might remember ghosting. Auto run down a dangerous hall, pull your ethernet and plug it back in right before you dc and the game rhinks youre at where your client says you are. Was a way to not get killed while getting places faster(ghost in and summon folks).

If it works here it means movement is done client side which leaves it vulnerable to these bots.

They work by altering ram so the game thinks youre in a different place than you actually are.

michaelpatrickjonesnub18_ESO

Enchanting is a nightmare to level with the hordes of bots.

My vet character got stuck at level 24 enchanting before I finally gave up on this game. You'd have to schmooze with the chat hucksters if you want the required runes.

Not for me.

Bad game design.

Jim_McMasterub17_ESO

They must be making (...possibly more at this point of subscriber loss) as much from the bot runners as they are from us, or they would be taking greater steps.

They are not banning accounts to keep numbers in a respectable (paying their wages) level.

babylon

Jim_McMasterub17_ESO wrote: »

They must be making (...possibly more at this point of subscriber loss) as much from the bot runners as they are from us, or they would be taking greater steps.

They are not banning accounts to keep numbers in a respectable (paying their wages) level.

That would be insane - it will shortly get to the point where there were more bot accounts than real player accounts, then once people stop buying from the goldsellers the bots would leave also and head on to greener pastures.

Far better to start attacking the bots and defending the real players of the game...they still have time to turn this around if they're quick.

They need to get extremely aggressive in stamping out these bots - send all GMs into the fields AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE and ban and otherwise track everything to do with the bot accounts.

Jim_McMasterub17_ESO

babylon wrote: »

Jim_McMasterub17_ESO wrote: »

They must be making (...possibly more at this point of subscriber loss) as much from the bot runners as they are from us, or they would be taking greater steps.

They are not banning accounts to keep numbers in a respectable (paying their wages) level.

That would be insane - it will shortly get to the point where there were more bot accounts than real player accounts, then once people stop buying from the goldsellers the bots would leave also and head on to greener pastures.

Far better to start attacking the bots and defending the real players of the game...they still have time to turn this around if they're quick.

They need to get extremely aggressive in stamping out these bots - send all GMs into the fields AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE and ban and otherwise track everything to do with the bot accounts.

I couldn't agree with you more.

starkerealm

Jim_McMasterub17_ESO wrote: »

They must be making (...possibly more at this point of subscriber loss) as much from the bot runners as they are from us, or they would be taking greater steps.

They are not banning accounts to keep numbers in a respectable (paying their wages) level.

No, if those bots are being bought with compromised cards, then ZoS will be on the hook for the fraudulent charges after a point. There's also an unconfirmed report that Visa or Mastercard has already opened a fraud investigation against ZoS because of the sheer number of fraudulent charges.

Sakiri wrote: »

If it works here it means movement is done client side which leaves it vulnerable to these bots.

Movement and collision almost certainly are client side. It's why the bots can phase through walls, fly, and teleport. The client is passing invalid data to the server, and the server's just, "oh, cool, you did that? That sounds awesome!"

Soulshine

Unfortunately, it seems that some people who are attempting to help by reporting the botters are actually getting banned themselves. I read about this on TF today. If there aren't any GMs in sufficient numbers to remedy some of this, and then you ban players for reporting the bots, I would say the writing is on the wall...

Myself, I am getting spammed with gold seller mails every single day sometimes two messages a day. It is getting so I don't want to read my mail anymore.

Other games do get a handle on this. Let's hope they will shake it out soon here as well.

starkerealm

Soulshine wrote: »

Unfortunately, it seems that some people who are attempting to help by reporting the botters are actually getting banned themselves. I read about this on TF today. If there aren't any GMs in sufficient numbers to remedy some of this, and then you ban players for reporting the bots, I would say the writing is on the wall...

Myself, I am getting spammed with gold seller mails every single day sometimes two messages a day. It is getting so I don't want to read my mail anymore.

Other games do get a handle on this. Let's hope they will shake it out soon here as well.

What.

Reykice

I just reported 5-10 bots in Khenarthi`s roost... they have been doing this for a while and any new player will see just that: bots moving through terrain towards nodes... that`s the first impressions.

IMO they lost more due to bots that they did due to the bugs.... and i think they want to stop them they just don`t know how to do it.

GlassToTheArson

Maybe this is why I can't find ANY Orichalcum ore in Shadowfen.

Sakiri

alexandru987eb17_ESO wrote: »

I just reported 5-10 bots in Khenarthi`s roost... they have been doing this for a while and any new player will see just that: bots moving through terrain towards nodes... that`s the first impressions.

IMO they lost more due to bots that they did due to the bugs.... and i think they want to stop them they just don`t know how to do it.

Making all movement server side will break a lot of them but screw over people overseas.

Live GMs in every zone every channel would help. All day every day. Not these every few hours stings.

And warden.

Sakiri

ZOS doesnt make anything off bot accounts.

Theyre paid with stolen cards. ZOS has to refund charges made on an account that was stolen.

Heres how that works.

I use your CC to buy an account. You report your card stolen. Bank makes ZOS give back the money I charged on your card plus a fine if theres enough complaints.

These botters get a full month free. Completely, and ZOS doesnt get to keep a dime charged. In fact, they lose money in the long run.

Moderator Edit: Removed moderated quote.

Jim_McMasterub17_ESO

*deleted*


Absolutely classless.

mowind

if they dont ramp up trying to get rid of the bots, we will have a game played entirely by bots...

then who are they selling gold to, themselves?

Soulshine

starkerealm wrote: »

Soulshine wrote: »

Unfortunately, it seems that some people who are attempting to help by reporting the botters are actually getting banned themselves. I read about this on TF today. If there aren't any GMs in sufficient numbers to remedy some of this, and then you ban players for reporting the bots, I would say the writing is on the wall...

Myself, I am getting spammed with gold seller mails every single day sometimes two messages a day. It is getting so I don't want to read my mail anymore.

Other games do get a handle on this. Let's hope they will shake it out soon here as well.

What.

Just what I said. There was a person who had been reporting the bots to ZoS and he reported that he got his account banned for the effort. He is still trying to work that out. He claims he was told his reporting violated to ToS. Not sure how but that is what he said they told him.

ciannait

Soulshine wrote: »

starkerealm wrote: »

Soulshine wrote: »

Unfortunately, it seems that some people who are attempting to help by reporting the botters are actually getting banned themselves. I read about this on TF today. If there aren't any GMs in sufficient numbers to remedy some of this, and then you ban players for reporting the bots, I would say the writing is on the wall...

Myself, I am getting spammed with gold seller mails every single day sometimes two messages a day. It is getting so I don't want to read my mail anymore.

Other games do get a handle on this. Let's hope they will shake it out soon here as well.

What.

Just what I said. There was a person who had been reporting the bots to ZoS and he reported that he got his account banned for the effort. He is still trying to work that out. He claims he was told his reporting violated to ToS. Not sure how but that is what he said they told him.

Makes me wonder what sort of nasty thing he said in his report about ZOS' momma, then...

Gilvoth

this is unbelievable, wow ...

Seravi

The bots are traveling underground with speed hacks. Watched it all day in Khenarthi`s Roost. That is why the item disappears and no one is there. Sometimes you are lucky enough that you arrive when they are harvesting and can get their player names. Also if they harvest around beetles or anything that will attack you can see their name even though they are underground.

seneferab16_ESO

Soulshine wrote: »

Just what I said. There was a person who had been reporting the bots to ZoS and he reported that he got his account banned for the effort. He is still trying to work that out. He claims he was told his reporting violated to ToS. Not sure how but that is what he said they told him.

People claiming to have been banned for X and/or Y wierd reason seem to be a rising trend, so I would not take this player seriously.

That player is probably banned, but rightfully so. Claiming to be banned for doing something good/playing the game is an easy way to stir up the masses and make them hate on a game.

Zenimax did a lot of strange blanket bans before; but from the look of these forums they have learned their lesson. If they were banning people for sending in masses of bot reports I would have been banned ages ago, and I am sure many other of our bot hating posters would be too. Posters that are active on the forums and would be very vocal about this kind of ban.

starkerealm

seneferab16_ESO wrote: »

Soulshine wrote: »

Just what I said. There was a person who had been reporting the bots to ZoS and he reported that he got his account banned for the effort. He is still trying to work that out. He claims he was told his reporting violated to ToS. Not sure how but that is what he said they told him.

People claiming to have been banned for X and/or Y wierd reason seem to be a rising trend, so I would not take this player seriously.

That player is probably banned, but rightfully so. Claiming to be banned for doing something good/playing the game is an easy way to stir up the masses and make them hate on a game.

Zenimax did a lot of strange blanket bans before; but from the look of these forums they have learned their lesson. If they were banning people for sending in masses of bot reports I would have been banned ages ago, and I am sure many other of our bot hating posters would be too. Posters that are active on the forums and would be very vocal about this kind of ban.

On the other hand, they did warn people that they would hand out bans for falsely reporting players as bots... Which is the only reason I find this slightly credible.

seneferab16_ESO

starkerealm wrote: »

On the other hand, they did warn people that they would hand out bans for falsely reporting players as bots... Which is the only reason I find this slightly credible.

This is true.
Maybe the player used the report addon and went around reporting everything he saw. Could have been plenty of AFK players in those reports.

Edit:
People getting a skillpoint from the skyshard in a public dungeon and having a hard time deciding what skill to get/morph comes to mind. It'd hide that chat and make you stand there looking suspicious for a lenghty amount of time.

Naisho

Soulshine wrote: »

Unfortunately, it seems that some people who are attempting to help by reporting the botters are actually getting banned themselves. I read about this on TF today. If there aren't any GMs in sufficient numbers to remedy some of this, and then you ban players for reporting the bots, I would say the writing is on the wall...

Myself, I am getting spammed with gold seller mails every single day sometimes two messages a day. It is getting so I don't want to read my mail anymore.

Other games do get a handle on this. Let's hope they will shake it out soon here as well.

Not sure about people that attemt to report - but some legitimate players that DID NOT cheat or use exploits or bots or whatever got banned - i created thread about my friend amongthem - but drop that - read

reddit

to see lots of complains.
This isn't going to end well i tell you

Seravi

I deleted my two characters that were blacksmith/alchemy and clothier/enchanting. I am not dealing with this frustration anymore. Started a new one as a sorcerer and I am enjoying playing the game without the frustration of trying to find mats, flowers and runes. My husband refuses to purchase the game due to the bots and our friends that DID purchase the game have quit and cancelled subs because of the bots. I really hope ZOS takes the bot issues seriously and deals with them quickly. With every update I hold my breath hoping I won't log on and see all the bots. Every time I am disappointed because nothing has changed. I am willing to give it some time but the fact that I had to totally change how I play the game due to the bots is very upsetting and not many PAYING LEGIT customers are going to hang in while ZOS tries to deal with the bots.

Dita

Soulshine wrote: »

...Just what I said. There was a person who had been reporting the bots to ZoS and he reported that he got his account banned for the effort...

Damned if you do, damned if you don't . . .