The BOTS are winning.. And ZOS doesn't care.

Zweible · January 2019

Bots are multiplying. Instead of the trains, we are now getting resource node BOTS that run a specific route, decked out in invisibility and speed gear. Report them? It doesn't matter. Have reported the same 3 BOTS in the same area running the same routes for the last 3 months. They are still there. And all I have to show for my effort in reporting them is a string of automated email responses (Bot responses!). I do think it is now a waste of time to report them and that the BOTS have won. As a normal player, you cannot compete with the speedgear and computerized movement. The average player stands no chance against the BOTS.

dazee · January 2019

This issue is exacerbated greatly by the bad design of overland nodes, other people can take your node, its not per player per zone.

So the bots are taking mats that legitimate players could be taking.

Tandor · January 2019

No idea what platform and server you're talking about, but what you describe is hardly new. It was evident on PC EU at launch, but they were seemingly dealt with and I've not seen more than the odd one or two harvest route bots in the years since. I did see a single node afk'er a few months ago and reported him. Whether it was down to being reported or other things I've no idea but he was gone a couple of days later and I haven't seen one since.

Salvas_Aren · January 2019

Are nodes per dimension/instance?

If yes, then there are many of them running below the ground layer, completely invisible. Last time I was farming on a small island, nodes disappeared like 5 ingame meters away without any player being there.

AlboMalefica · January 2019

As much as I hate bots I’ve akways said

“When the bots leave, that’s when you know the game is dead”

So I take the bot problem as a glass half full thingy

Callous2208 · January 2019

Tandor wrote: »

No idea what platform and server you're talking about, but what you describe is hardly new. It was evident on PC EU at launch, but they were seemingly dealt with and I've not seen more than the odd one or two harvest route bots in the years since. I did see a single node afk'er a few months ago and reported him. Whether it was down to being reported or other things I've no idea but he was gone a couple of days later and I haven't seen one since.

PC/NA has seen a great resurgence of bots, akin to the older days when it was a huge issue.

Tandor · January 2019

Callous2208 wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

No idea what platform and server you're talking about, but what you describe is hardly new. It was evident on PC EU at launch, but they were seemingly dealt with and I've not seen more than the odd one or two harvest route bots in the years since. I did see a single node afk'er a few months ago and reported him. Whether it was down to being reported or other things I've no idea but he was gone a couple of days later and I haven't seen one since.

PC/NA has seen a great resurgence of bots, akin to the older days when it was a huge issue.

I'll keep a lookout as I've recently started some additional characters on that server, but I haven't seen any bots yet. If I do, I'll report them as I always do although they've never actually bothered me or impacted on my play.

Callous2208 · January 2019

Tandor wrote: »

Callous2208 wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

No idea what platform and server you're talking about, but what you describe is hardly new. It was evident on PC EU at launch, but they were seemingly dealt with and I've not seen more than the odd one or two harvest route bots in the years since. I did see a single node afk'er a few months ago and reported him. Whether it was down to being reported or other things I've no idea but he was gone a couple of days later and I haven't seen one since.

PC/NA has seen a great resurgence of bots, akin to the older days when it was a huge issue.

I'll keep a lookout as I've recently started some additional characters on that server, but I haven't seen any bots yet. If I do, I'll report them as I always do although they've never actually bothered me or impacted on my play.

Its more of a minor annoyance than a hindrance at this point really. I don't even report.

Minno · January 2019

AlboMalefica wrote: »

As much as I hate bots I’ve akways said

“When the bots leave, that’s when you know the game is dead”

So I take the bot problem as a glass half full thingy

Might as well let them run wild. The bot server protections is what is throttling ESO laggy performance.

Tandor · January 2019

Callous2208 wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Callous2208 wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

No idea what platform and server you're talking about, but what you describe is hardly new. It was evident on PC EU at launch, but they were seemingly dealt with and I've not seen more than the odd one or two harvest route bots in the years since. I did see a single node afk'er a few months ago and reported him. Whether it was down to being reported or other things I've no idea but he was gone a couple of days later and I haven't seen one since.

PC/NA has seen a great resurgence of bots, akin to the older days when it was a huge issue.

I'll keep a lookout as I've recently started some additional characters on that server, but I haven't seen any bots yet. If I do, I'll report them as I always do although they've never actually bothered me or impacted on my play.

Its more of a minor annoyance than a hindrance at this point really. I don't even report.

Oh fair enough, probably why I haven't noticed any yet then. I was responding to your comment that it was now akin to when it was a huge issue.

Elsonso · January 2019

Locations where they can be found in the game?

AbysmalGhul · January 2019

The bots already won. The bot farmers are rolling around in their riches as we speak

D0PAMINE · January 2019

lordrichter wrote: »

Locations where they can be found in the game?

I saw 2 max level bots almost completely invisible in Rivenspire running a bit faster than I was with Coward/Fiords Steed Mundas setup. In combat with mobs, they would constantly get knocked back, get up and heavy attack. It would usually take 2-3 minutes fighting a daedric portal spawn.

Caligamy_ESO · January 2019

The ones I have seen recently are near the Shada's Tear wayshrine in Craglorn, they run some long route to the southeast and then wayshrine back to the starting point. And here's a few screenshots from the Wailing Prison on PC/NA which sometimes looks like some kind of twisted bot manufactory.

StormChaser3000 · January 2019

I usually report them, however recently I got an exception. There is a bot train in the area where I used to open treasure chests often. They clean up the area from mobs and thus I use less time to unlock chests and travel further.

For the first time I kind of benefited from them xD So I just ignore it for now.

MajBludd · January 2019

Waste of time to report. Why is it we need to report them and spend our time doing a job ZoS should actively be doing itself?
If I buy a home security system do they expect me to call if something happens? They just put up an ADT sign and that's it, "give us a call if somebody tries to break in."

Does the security, anticheat-bot etc, not work to the point they can't detect these things? From the things I've seen over the years, I already know the answer, unfortunately.

Besides, those bots contribute to the player base, right, @ZOS_RichLambert

Also, why is it when you report a bot or bots, the email says, "We will assume your issue has been resolved if we do not hear from you within 96 hours (4 days)." So, if I don't respond back it's resolved in their eyes?

Elsonso · January 2019

MajBludd wrote: »

Waste of time to report. Why is it we need to report them and spend our time doing a job ZoS should actively be doing itself?
If I buy a home security system do they expect me to call if something happens? They just put up an ADT sign and that's it, "give us a call if somebody tries to break in."

Does the security, anticheat-bot etc, not work to the point they can't detect these things? From the things I've seen over the years, I already know the answer, unfortunately.

Besides, those bots contribute to the player base, right, @ZOS_RichLambert

Also, why is it when you report a bot or bots, the email says, "We will assume your issue has been resolved if we do not hear from you within 96 hours (4 days)." So, if I don't respond back it's resolved in their eyes?

Security system? What about the police? It is their job to catch criminals, and if they were doing their job, no one would be seen breaking the law? Someone breaking into the car down the street? Cops don't care, so why bother calling them. If they cared, they would have someone standing there watching that car. Right?

Report the bots.

Callous2208 · January 2019

lordrichter wrote: »

MajBludd wrote: »

Waste of time to report. Why is it we need to report them and spend our time doing a job ZoS should actively be doing itself?
If I buy a home security system do they expect me to call if something happens? They just put up an ADT sign and that's it, "give us a call if somebody tries to break in."

Does the security, anticheat-bot etc, not work to the point they can't detect these things? From the things I've seen over the years, I already know the answer, unfortunately.

Besides, those bots contribute to the player base, right, @ZOS_RichLambert

Also, why is it when you report a bot or bots, the email says, "We will assume your issue has been resolved if we do not hear from you within 96 hours (4 days)." So, if I don't respond back it's resolved in their eyes?

Security system? What about the police? It is their job to catch criminals, and if they were doing their job, no one would be seen breaking the law? Someone breaking into the car down the street? Cops don't care, so why bother calling them. If they cared, they would have someone standing there watching that car. Right?

Report the bots.

Last three times I reported bots I didn't even get the standard acknowledgement mail back. Screw it. Let them flood the market so I can buy everything cheap. I see no action against bots. And how can I be arsed to take time to report bots when there are dailies to run ad nauseum and things to buy on the crown store.

Trinity_Is_My_Name · January 2019

For those on PC's there is a fantastic Addon called "Bot Scanner 2000" on www.esoui.com that does it all. It will scan the BOT Train as they pass and then all you have to do is right click on each BOT in the Report Window and generate a report, click Submit and on to the next BOT. It puts the location in map coordinates and the BOT's name and what it is doing so you don't have to.

Link: https://www.esoui.com/downloads/info1818-BotScanner2000.html

MajBludd · January 2019

@lordrichter Does law enforcement have a criminal detection system that tells them when somebody is committing a crime? No, not a dispatcher but a system that automatically detects crime? If so, let me know what it is?

Elsonso · January 2019

MajBludd wrote: »

@lordrichter Does law enforcement have a criminal detection system that tells them when somebody is committing a crime? No, not a dispatcher but a system that automatically detects crime? If so, let me know what it is?

Report the bots.

MajBludd · January 2019

Done reporting, let their systems catch the bots and cheats.

Gracous · January 2019

Getting rid of bots is like trying to empty the ocean with a small cup. Until they start banning IP addresses the problem will always be there.

MajBludd · January 2019

That won't happen, ip address bans. Those alt accounts count towards the overall copies purchased and makes eso look good on paper.

How many of those accounts have been banned? How many have come back and started cheating again and repeat that cycle?

Then you have those that seemingly never get banned at all. Several I have reported in the past for using scripted programs and they are still here.

notimetocare · January 2019

AlboMalefica wrote: »

As much as I hate bots I’ve akways said

“When the bots leave, that’s when you know the game is dead”

So I take the bot problem as a glass half full thingy

This, 100%

notimetocare · January 2019

Gracous wrote: »

Getting rid of bots is like trying to empty the ocean with a small cup. Until they start banning IP addresses the problem will always be there.

IP bans are pointless. Many ways around that

Androconium · January 2019

Here's some hypothetical treachery:

Bots take your mats.
You spend more time farming.
You renew your subscription.

I can't stop bots
I can't reduce my farming time.
I have stopped subscribing.

RedGirl41 · January 2019

I hate to be that person... but bots are the reason wax is like 5k on PS4 NA etc for other prices. Its annoying when youre trying to farm your own mats but just go to an un populated zone instead of the ones they are in.

Finviuswe · January 2019

They beat me as well lol

Beat me badly. It was bad, let me tell ya

UppGRAYxDD · January 2019

notimetocare wrote: »

Gracous wrote: »

Getting rid of bots is like trying to empty the ocean with a small cup. Until they start banning IP addresses the problem will always be there.

IP bans are pointless. Many ways around that

Zweible · January 2019

RedGirl41 wrote: »

I hate to be that person... but bots are the reason wax is like 5k on PS4 NA etc for other prices. Its annoying when youre trying to farm your own mats but just go to an un populated zone instead of the ones they are in.

That statement holds no water. You are saying that if an illegal act benefits YOU, you are OK with it. Doesn't matter who it hurts, as long as you benefit from it. I have to change my farming area to get away from BOTS because YOU will get cheaper mats without cheating yourself. That about sum it up? Pitiful.