Bots Apocalypse - Please stop them

Universe · July 2017

Hello,
Every day I find bots in different parts of Tamriel.
The bots are ruining the game's economy.
ZOS needs to do something about this.

Recent screenshots of bots farming south of Karthdar, Grahtwood, PC Europe server(NO naming & shaming, UI is hidden):

The bots are still there

Server: PC EU
Bots count: over 40+
Please stop them and implement anti bot system @ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_GinaBruno

jcaceresw · July 2017

I get pretty tired of seeing posts about bots, people cheating on PVP and people who can make insane amounts of mats and selling them for millions gold everyday. I guess it's high time to stop subbing and moving on. No, you can't have my stuff. I may give them to my friend.

Stovahkiin · July 2017

*starts to make a comment about bots*

*gets drowned under a tidal wave of bots*

Universe · July 2017

Someone made a youtube video about this too 4 days ago, same spot, PC EU server(UI is hidden, NO naming and shaming):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njmc0TUm9Us

twev · July 2017

Bots used to be paying memberships under the old subscription service, so they were tolerated by management to a certain degree for a long while.

Then we went f2p after buying the game.

I don't know whether the bots we're seeing now are ESO+ members, or not, but it makes me wonder whether they get a wink/nod as long as they keep chipping in the $$.

ETA:
I will admit that I really like not getting the spam mail to buy mats from those guys anymore, tho.

PsNES · July 2017

Mhm. I've seen this problem in every single region EXCEPT DLC ones. Gee, I wonder why?
I usually report every single one if I can. I did see a few mysteriously 'vanish' after my report, so that was funny.

Here's hoping ZOS takes a more forward approach to this and implements a system that tracks player movement or something? Because your average human player doesn't move like that. It's not natural, and I'm sure it couldn't be impossible to just see if several players stacked in one area are moving in the same path. Once detected just give them like a day ban. If it happens again perma ban. Not hard. (Probably.)

Rex-Umbra · July 2017

Ran into like 100 a couple weeks ago reported about 20 before giving up. They were all samish level heavy attacking bears in stormhaven.

Rex-Umbra · July 2017

Xbox na

Belidos · July 2017

I've still yet to see one of these bot groups, i'd love to have a few weeks of bot hunting with a giant group of players, every night for a few weeks, zerging around killing everything before the bots can get to it, hopefully dent their income a little.

majulook · July 2017

Belidos wrote: »

I've still yet to see one of these bot groups, i'd love to have a few weeks of bot hunting with a giant group of players, every night for a few weeks, zerging around killing everything before the bots can get to it, hopefully dent their income a little.

Go to Reticulated Spine Dolmen in Shadowfen and wait a bit, you will see them.

Universe · July 2017

jcaceresw wrote: »

I get pretty tired of seeing posts about bots, people cheating on PVP and people who can make insane amounts of mats and selling them for millions gold everyday. I guess it's high time to stop subbing and moving on. No, you can't have my stuff. I may give them to my friend.

I'm getting tired of all this too.
I hope ZOS will listen to player feedback this time and something will be done to stop the bots & if possible other exploits and cheating.
It seems there isn't any software at ZOS side which can detect the botting.
An effective anti bot system is needed.

KeiruNicrom · July 2017

We need another Bot purge like back in the day

notimetocare · July 2017

Eh, its w.e to me. Ive seen the bots farm,it is ungodly inefficient. There are other issues harming the economy of ESO

Zalicius · July 2017

Botocalypse? Botolopagas? Think I saw some bots running around Auridon last night but I didn't stick around to confirm. Too much lag.

LadyNalcarya · July 2017

I saw and reported them as well.
This train can even sell loot to a merchant in Elden Root (the one near navigator npc), and it has been active for a while, but I guess no one cares.

Malacthulhu · July 2017

ZoS just needs to track the gold and mats on these accounts and ban them after a certain amount. Free gold sink, valuable for any mmo ecosystem.

Smasherx74 · July 2017

We need the bot killers back!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bll9maEJtDA

Blutengel · July 2017

There are bots in all active MMO's. I just take it as a sign that ESO is successful otherwise gold sellers wouldn't bother. Don't let it drive you away from the game just file a report and move on.

SSlarg · July 2017

I think Zenimax just needs to unleash

#TheBotBanHammer!!!

Blud · July 2017

So many bots now. I saw a mini-train of 4 in Silsailen Auridon just now and reported them for the second time. I reported the same exact bot characters in the same exact place last week. They were new characters then and now they are up to CP 430ish. Really? Is this ok?

Questing sucks when I need to compete with a bot train to kill the npcs for the quest.

Qbiken · July 2017

Smasherx74 wrote: »

We need the bot killers back!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bll9maEJtDA

When the first bot was removed I was like: Another one

Balsagna · July 2017

Console master race?

Universe · July 2017

SSlarg wrote: »

I think Zenimax just needs to unleash

#TheBotBanHammer!!!

Indeed.
But having game masters to login after reports isn't efficient.
Currently, it seems there isn't enough game masters to handle them.
Also, the bots may hide for a very long time until anyone will report them.

There is a need for an auto detect and ban system.
Though the risk with such system is false positives, so ZOS needs to be 100% sure it is working properly before implementing it.

DisgracefulMind · July 2017

Massive amounts of bots on PC/NA as well /:

drakhan2002_ESO · July 2017

I saw bots, yesterday, at the same location as the OP on the PC/NA server.

Feanor · July 2017

DisgracefulMind wrote: »

Massive amounts of bots on PC/NA as well /:

Maybe that's why it's called Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.

Raeph · July 2017

Aggressively eliminating bots would cost them money.

The bots aren't going anywhere.

Asmael · July 2017

I very rarely see bots (in big part because of what I am doing usually), however I did found a bunch when going for those trophies achievements - especially the one requiring you to kill wolves.

5-6 dudes following an absolutely perfect pattern for hours, following each other in the exact same steps, high number of templars (not surprising, since they're good with their self-healing due to jabs), killing wolves.

I reported the first ones, did a trial, came back and found another group of differently named bots doing the exact same thing.

At this point, I stopped bothering, reported one and told Zos to check the area themselves, there are way too many to report every single one of them individually once you find one of their farm spots...

Tan9oSuccka · July 2017

Balsagna wrote: »

Console master race?

Sadly, no. Bots are a huge problem even on PS4.

Reverb · July 2017

The free ESO+ event this week is a gift to bottlers. No more pesky inventory problems while farming wolves and lions, thanks to the free crafting bag.

rotaugen454 · July 2017

Blud wrote: »

So many bots now. I saw a mini-train of 4 in Silsailen Auridon just now and reported them for the second time. I reported the same exact bot characters in the same exact place last week. They were new characters then and now they are up to CP 430ish. Really? Is this ok?

Questing sucks when I need to compete with a bot train to kill the npcs for the quest.

Was this PC NA? I have seen a small train with fighting pets and the NPC tagging along for months if not years. It's an obvious program where they follow the same route down to the exact step of where they turn each time.