Be careful of botting...the bots are making a comeback...

ZOS_JessicaFolsom · January 2017

Preyfar wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Cyrodiil hardmode right there. x_x

Can that be a Crown Store ability? 25,000 Crowns. And it has to one of those Captchas that's like "Highlight all the pictures that show a cup of coffee." AND a secondary captcha of the "Type in the Text" variety where you have to contort your head into 50 different uncomfortable positions, squint your eyes, do a backflip and recite an incantation JUST to figure out what the squiggles actually say.

When the Captcha is successfully used against another player everyone on the server is rewarded with the infamous "YAAAAY!" sound effect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtEljxur6eI

Haha! Wow, that's um...special. ;D

@rotaugen454 @starkerealm and @Preyfar I'm following up with our TOS team about your questions. @IndyWendieGo I also mentioned to them the bots you noted, too.

FleetwoodSmack · January 2017

Preyfar wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Cyrodiil hardmode right there. x_x

Can that be a Crown Store ability? 25,000 Crowns. And it has to one of those Captchas that's like "Highlight all the pictures that show a cup of coffee." AND a secondary captcha of the "Type in the Text" variety where you have to contort your head into 50 different uncomfortable positions, squint your eyes, do a backflip and recite an incantation JUST to figure out what the squiggles actually say.

When the Captcha is successfully used against another player everyone on the server is rewarded with the infamous "YAAAAY!" sound effect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtEljxur6eI

But something has to explode like that. Confetti and bunnies everywhere! Maybe deer for those werewolves frolicking around with a flower tucked behind their ea- Nevermind. That'd give Razum-Dar ideas

And awesome @ZOS_JessicaFolsom - Hopefully the train of people leaves after a while!

Preyfar · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

@rotaugen454 @starkerealm and @Preyfar I'm following up with our TOS team about your questions. @IndyWendieGo I also mentioned to them the bots you noted, too.

I've admittedly may have had far, far too much coffee today.

But back to seriousness, I definitely care about the community and want to help things improve. Botting impacts the economy and the game as a whole, and I like to try to stop it when I see it.

zuto40 · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

@Preyfar & @DHale if you guys are reporting bots and you are still seeing them in the game weeks later, we do want to know. Has that happened recently? The best way to reports bots is in-game via the Support interface (called "Customer Support"), and select the "Report a Player" category from the drop-down, or the Support portal on our website if you want to include a screenshot or video.

if i rubberband my controller to heavy attack for a week straight will i get banned, if so can i have my 50k scraps transferred to a new account

Xelrick · January 2017

Prof_Bawbag wrote: »

Xelrick wrote: »

I like my method of bot detecting on PS4. You drag an add and watch their reaction toward the add. Like it the don't react and/or get kill (in a series of multiple hit)... then it determine they are bots or rubberbanding, I do this all the time in Sanguine Barrows as it seems to be a gold and wax grind spot for the bots and the "gold for money" farmers. When I catch them off guard with a Troll they react by moving one or two characters at a time.

What I been doing is annoying the farm enough that the guys running it invite me to group to reveal other locations and all that involved...

People on the PS4 version claim you can't bot on the PS4 however if there are macros for controllers then it possible to technically bot a location.

I think you're giving too many people too much credit. A lot easier and quicker to just rubber band the controller. I used to do that to level up my sneak in Oblivion. 'Twas great back yonder.

Oh I figure this out base on data(character name, profile info, and character itself) than a single person grinding for levels by rubberbanding and attacking a enemy spawn point.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom · January 2017

Answers!

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Is there a specific "Report a Bot" section where I can post video? I've done it before under other categories, but having one specifically for this would be nice, as I'd know it went to the right people.

You can attach a video or screenshots to your ticket by replying back to our auto-email after you submit the initial bot report.

starkerealm wrote: »

Something I've noticed, there's supposed to be a semi-automated bot reporting form. Which skips the full, "what's their name, what're they doing, what's the speed of an unladen sparrow" question set. But, selecting "report bot," brings up the normal reporting form anyway. This could be a glitch with my client, but it might be interfering with bot reports from others.

To reported a bot right-click on their name and select "Report Player” or hold F and select “Report Player” then E for “Report Botting” and the name will automatically generate in the bot report then they can describe the behavior. If this isn't working, please let us know!

Preyfar wrote: »

Follow up question: When I report a player in such a manner, and it has report player name, I often put in multiple names into the "Player Name" field AND the Description both. Is that an issue? Does putting in multiple names in the "Player Name" field cause a question? I've had it where I've reported them, and weeks have gone by (even recently) where they were still there. I think the most was about two weeks recently.

Including multiple names in the player name field does not cause issues. We are still able to obtain the information from the ticket.

SwaminoNowlino · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Answers!

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Is there a specific "Report a Bot" section where I can post video? I've done it before under other categories, but having one specifically for this would be nice, as I'd know it went to the right people.

You can attach a video or screenshots to your ticket by replying back to our auto-email after you submit the initial bot report.

starkerealm wrote: »

Something I've noticed, there's supposed to be a semi-automated bot reporting form. Which skips the full, "what's their name, what're they doing, what's the speed of an unladen sparrow" question set. But, selecting "report bot," brings up the normal reporting form anyway. This could be a glitch with my client, but it might be interfering with bot reports from others.

To reported a bot right-click on their name and select "Report Player” or hold F and select “Report Player” then E for “Report Botting” and the name will automatically generate in the bot report then they can describe the behavior. If this isn't working, please let us know!

Preyfar wrote: »

Follow up question: When I report a player in such a manner, and it has report player name, I often put in multiple names into the "Player Name" field AND the Description both. Is that an issue? Does putting in multiple names in the "Player Name" field cause a question? I've had it where I've reported them, and weeks have gone by (even recently) where they were still there. I think the most was about two weeks recently.

Including multiple names in the player name field does not cause issues. We are still able to obtain the information from the ticket.

Is there anything console players can do to make reporting this easier?

rotaugen454 · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Answers!

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Is there a specific "Report a Bot" section where I can post video? I've done it before under other categories, but having one specifically for this would be nice, as I'd know it went to the right people.

You can attach a video or screenshots to your ticket by replying back to our auto-email after you submit the initial bot report.

Thanks, will do!

Tandor · January 2017

While I appreciate that no response can be made to individual botting reports on their outcome, might it not help to reassure people that those reports are taken seriously if monthly/quarterly/whatever figures were produced showing the number of accounts closed as a result of botting investigations? This would surely go a long way to countering the view that players are wasting their time reporting these incidents as the suspected botters never seem to disappear.

Did I dream it, @ZOS_JessicaFolsom , or did you suggest a while ago that the provision of such information might well be considered possible? If so, what was the outcome? If I did dream it, can anyone suggest suitable medication to prevent such nocturnal obsessions occurring again

?

Stormahawk · January 2017

I have seen bots in the game for months in Bleakrock Isle, Kanarthi's Roost, and starting zones. I became aware of them 4 months ago when they would join a large trading guild in Mournhold and dump their raw mats there for cheap making millions in sales in one week. One bot I saw sold 15 million in raw mats in ONE WEEK. They would then become inactive after a week and new bots would join and the cycle would continue. Sometimes it would be 3 to 5 bots making 2-3 million in sales each before going inactive after a week. They would all have nonsense names like werwqe and be low level.

I followed them around to verify they were bots and reported them, sent videos to ZOS, but now I have given up because they just keep coming and coming and I feel like nothing is being done about it. We really need a way to have the game automatically flag someone as a bot and social ban them if they display bot-like traits such as excessive online presence (aka farming 24/7), trying to harvest with a full inventory, and/or performing the same repetitive action consistently for extended periods of time (even players on a farming marathon need a pee break).

That large trading guild in Mournhold still continues to this day to have these bots join and sell their items on the trader. I worry that with the housing patch the bots will have insane gold sales due to mat price increases, and will continue to ruin the game for the legitimate players.

RoyalPink06 · January 2017

SwaminoNowlino wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Answers!

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Is there a specific "Report a Bot" section where I can post video? I've done it before under other categories, but having one specifically for this would be nice, as I'd know it went to the right people.

You can attach a video or screenshots to your ticket by replying back to our auto-email after you submit the initial bot report.

starkerealm wrote: »

Something I've noticed, there's supposed to be a semi-automated bot reporting form. Which skips the full, "what's their name, what're they doing, what's the speed of an unladen sparrow" question set. But, selecting "report bot," brings up the normal reporting form anyway. This could be a glitch with my client, but it might be interfering with bot reports from others.

To reported a bot right-click on their name and select "Report Player” or hold F and select “Report Player” then E for “Report Botting” and the name will automatically generate in the bot report then they can describe the behavior. If this isn't working, please let us know!

Preyfar wrote: »

Follow up question: When I report a player in such a manner, and it has report player name, I often put in multiple names into the "Player Name" field AND the Description both. Is that an issue? Does putting in multiple names in the "Player Name" field cause a question? I've had it where I've reported them, and weeks have gone by (even recently) where they were still there. I think the most was about two weeks recently.

Including multiple names in the player name field does not cause issues. We are still able to obtain the information from the ticket.

Is there anything console players can do to make reporting this easier?

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom

I would also like to know this. Reporting on console is a bit tedious and there is no separate category for reporting bots. I usually report them under the cheating category. Is there is a better way for us consoles?

Tandor · January 2017

Stormahawk wrote: »

I have seen bots in the game for months in Bleakrock Isle, Kanarthi's Roost, and starting zones. I became aware of them 4 months ago when they would join a large trading guild in Mournhold and dump their raw mats there for cheap making millions in sales in one week. One bot I saw sold 15 million in raw mats in ONE WEEK. They would then become inactive after a week and new bots would join and the cycle would continue. Sometimes it would be 3 to 5 bots making 2-3 million in sales each before going inactive after a week. They would all have nonsense names like werwqe and be low level.

I followed them around to verify they were bots and reported them, sent videos to ZOS, but now I have given up because they just keep coming and coming and I feel like nothing is being done about it. We really need a way to have the game automatically flag someone as a bot and social ban them if they display bot-like traits such as excessive online presence (aka farming 24/7), trying to harvest with a full inventory, and/or performing the same repetitive action consistently for extended periods of time (even players on a farming marathon need a pee break).

That large trading guild in Mournhold still continues to this day to have these bots join and sell their items on the trader. I worry that with the housing patch the bots will have insane gold sales due to mat price increases, and will continue to ruin the game for the legitimate players.

Agreed. It doesn't take a genius to work out that with manor houses costing millions of gold as well as furniture being absurdly priced there will be an enormous increase in the number of players tempted to buy illegitimate gold and so the number of botters can only escalate to meet the perceived demand. It's another reason for the alternative option of Crown Store purchases of housing to be very realistically priced for those who don't have the necessary gold to buy the house(s) they want in-game. Meanwhile, it's imperative that botting is not only brought under control, but seen to be brought under control.

DHale · January 2017

Hi Jessica, I found it I submitted a ticket on 11/22/2016 at 8:57 pm ticket number 161122-003516 still shows unresolved as assumed. No one acted upon this ticket is my hypothesis. 4 bots that ran around for at least three weeks.

Artemiisia · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Prof_Bawbag wrote: »

I don't agree about the whisper method. I've been playing this game around 2 years and it was only around 2 months ago I realised I may have missed 20,000,000 whispers because I'm an idiot and didn't have it set up properly.

That's fair. We won't use lack of whispers as a singular sign that someone is definitely botting, and just ban based on that. We do check other details as well. As a few others have mentioned, there are some other visual "tells" such as gibberish names (though I've seen some legitimate players with those as well. )

I would say, if someone whispered me "are you a bot" ill probably ignore the person

Immortal_Dark410 · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

@Preyfar & @DHale if you guys are reporting bots and you are still seeing them in the game weeks later, we do want to know. Has that happened recently? The best way to reports bots is in-game via the Support interface (called "Customer Support"), and select the "Report a Player" category from the drop-down, or the Support portal on our website if you want to include a screenshot or video.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom Would this also work for lets say "Gold Sellers" someone who syphons Mass amounts of gold through Trader system as if to stay hidden. If we report them would that work & help? . Like for example someone sells an Ornate random white Normal Item for 200k. Thanks for the response in advance

nimander99 · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

As @Lord-Otto mentioned, if you see any of these soulless ones running around, please report them. (And thank you for doing so.) We do take action. If you're unsure whether or not a person you're seeing is a bot or not, try sending a whisper. Usually a player who is actually there will respond with something.

That's not always true though, I minimize my chat and sometimes miss it when its glowing because someone whispered me...
I had someone whisper me two days ago and they just said "hey" and I'm not sure how much time went buy but I finally responded with a "whats up"

They never responded back, I wonder if they were testing to see if I was a bot...

Edit: Okay, I see someone already raised this, so never mind... Will leave up for posterity though

Prabooo · January 2017

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom Thank you so much, good work!

NovaShadow · January 2017

I've reported 6 in the past 3 or so days alone.

4 in Grahtwood farming mudcrabs for some weird reason.

2 in Bleakrock. I was bored and followed them, killing the wolves and looting the nodes on their route.

Caligamy_ESO · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

As @Lord-Otto mentioned, if you see any of these soulless ones running around, please report them. (And thank you for doing so.) We do take action. If you're unsure whether or not a person you're seeing is a bot or not, try sending a whisper. Usually a player who is actually there will respond with something.

Really? How about send someone over to look at these locations that have been botting since One Tamriel release...

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/306005/botting-locations-pc-na

WanderingBeithe · January 2017

I think I had someone watching me farm in my super awesome farming spot and thought I was a bot.

Sometimes it's relaxing to make the loops.

This adds nothing. Sorry.

Wonky_Jr · January 2017

On XBOX EU. Camlorn has about 10 pet sorc bots farming the werewolves constantly. They are all stood in certain places using heavy fire staffs. Fireballs constantly hit the werewolf spawn points(even when there is no werewolf there) then every couple of minutes they run the exact same route and collect from the corpses.

Hard time on the quest to turn the werewolves back to citizens when they spawn and die within 2 seconds!

BlueViolet · January 2017

I saw a LOT of them in the Coldharbour tutorial the other morning. There must have been over a dozen of them parked at the foot of the stairs, not even moving but just killing the nearby enemies. They all had either a staff or bow.

starkerealm · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

starkerealm wrote: »

Something I've noticed, there's supposed to be a semi-automated bot reporting form. Which skips the full, "what's their name, what're they doing, what's the speed of an unladen sparrow" question set. But, selecting "report bot," brings up the normal reporting form anyway. This could be a glitch with my client, but it might be interfering with bot reports from others.

To reported a bot right-click on their name and select "Report Player” or hold F and select “Report Player” then E for “Report Botting” and the name will automatically generate in the bot report then they can describe the behavior. If this isn't working, please let us know!

Okay, the way it the report screen is written, I assumed that selecting "report bot" would be more automated than it is. From reading it, I was under the impression that selecting that shouldn't even bring up the form.

Jaronking · January 2017

zuto40 wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

@Preyfar & @DHale if you guys are reporting bots and you are still seeing them in the game weeks later, we do want to know. Has that happened recently? The best way to reports bots is in-game via the Support interface (called "Customer Support"), and select the "Report a Player" category from the drop-down, or the Support portal on our website if you want to include a screenshot or video.

if i rubberband my controller to heavy attack for a week straight will i get banned, if so can i have my 50k scraps transferred to a new account

No send them to me and I'll hold on to them for you just incase.

Bonzodog01 · January 2017

Legitimate question - how do you even bot on the Xbox One? The Xbox One has no apps that would allow this, you cannot Jtag the XB1, its almost impossible to rig it as such. I just don't understand how people would do it?

arena25 · January 2017

Bonzodog01 wrote: »

Legitimate question - how do you even bot on the Xbox One? The Xbox One has no apps that would allow this, you cannot Jtag the XB1, its almost impossible to rig it as such. I just don't understand how people would do it?

Bots use memory cards with a bot program preloaded onto it. It works the same on PS4.

And hey everyone. Thought I'd bring an update:

Yesterday, I caught 2 bots in Stros M'kai, bringing the grand total of number of bots caught to 5.

5 bots being caught may not seem like much...but it still sends a message.

Let's send them bots back to whence they came.

Arena25

Cryptical · January 2017

Bonzodog01 wrote: »

Legitimate question - how do you even bot on the Xbox One? The Xbox One has no apps that would allow this, you cannot Jtag the XB1, its almost impossible to rig it as such. I just don't understand how people would do it?

There's the method of a bunch of sorcs with clan fear and twilight, using a lightning staff for the auto target, and sending a constant 'right trigger is pressed' signal.

Only a couple times have I seen the method of a bunch of sorcs all crouched on the same single square foot of space, taking turns leaving that 'home' to go to a spawn spot while in lightning form, do some aoe attacks, and return to 'home'. First character A, then B, then C, then D, E, F, G, H, then repeat with A.

I saw method 2 at the Bears in bangkorai just a couple/few weeks ago, Xbox na. First saw it at the werewolves in kerbol line a year ago.

There needs to be a better way to report these on console. Going through whole 10-toon groups is time consuming.

arena25 · January 2017

Cryptical wrote: »

Bonzodog01 wrote: »

Legitimate question - how do you even bot on the Xbox One? The Xbox One has no apps that would allow this, you cannot Jtag the XB1, its almost impossible to rig it as such. I just don't understand how people would do it?

There needs to be a better way to report these on console. Going through whole 10-toon groups is time consuming.

If you can remember the names, you can put multiple names in the ticket. ZOS said they can get the info they need, including the multiple names, from the ticket.

Cryptical · January 2017

arena25 wrote: »

Cryptical wrote: »

Bonzodog01 wrote: »

Legitimate question - how do you even bot on the Xbox One? The Xbox One has no apps that would allow this, you cannot Jtag the XB1, its almost impossible to rig it as such. I just don't understand how people would do it?

There needs to be a better way to report these on console. Going through whole 10-toon groups is time consuming.

If you can remember the names, you can put multiple names in the ticket. ZOS said they can get the info they need, including the multiple names, from the ticket.

Yeah, good luck when you're looking at strings of letters and numbers, O0 and 1Il used interchangeably, and various sets of letters put before and after the names for decoration. You end up with one name like ooIlIO0Dr4stlcF4eR0OIlIoo.... Drastic fear.... All obfuscated.

After noting the decorative double o... Is that 3 capital i at the start? 3 lowercase L? A mix, in which combination? And by sight, tell the diff between a O and a 0 in that screen font. Can't forget the misspelled 'fear' that was muddied by the leet 4/A swapping. And what about the i in drastic, is that actually a lower L? This time it was, but the odd use of capital letters makes you suspect it could be a capital I.

On console there really is no choice but to grind your way through each individual bot in a group

Malamar1229 · January 2017

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

@Preyfar & @DHale if you guys are reporting bots and you are still seeing them in the game weeks later, we do want to know. Has that happened recently? The best way to reports bots is in-game via the Support interface (called "Customer Support"), and select the "Report a Player" category from the drop-down, or the Support portal on our website if you want to include a screenshot or video.

Can you guys add "report bot" as an option in game? Its REALLY bad in Rivenspire. Go check right now where all the trolls and skeevers are, and youll see them farming leathers.

Its bad on Xbox 1 as well. Looks like players (sorcs) will be in the same area with pets summoned, and they will use a fire staff and just heavy attack at the spawn area (use a rubber band around the controller trigger) and pets aill do the rest. Not sure how they are lottig unless they come back physically later to loot.