Suggestion to limit botting nodes

Kipyre · April 2014

I doubt I'm the first to discuss the issue of the increasing number of bots running around the world. I doubly doubt I'm the first to recommend a solution.

I have an idea that could limit the possibility of bots and I haven't seen anyone else post anything similar, though I do not claim to have read everything ever written about ESO. Simply, bots "teleport" around to various possible nodes harvesting if they exist. I've noticed I've never seen them go after chests. The reason behind this is likely the mini-game required to unlock said chests. Introducing a mini-game to harvesting shouldn't require much additional code or interface in the game (admittedly, I've never gotten a look at the code behind ESO, so I am willing to be wrong here).

As it stands, the avatar runs to a node, presses E (default) to interact with the node and the user waits the appropriate 2-3 seconds for the avatar to "collect" the resources. My proposition is to introduce a "mini-game" where instead of waiting 2-3 seconds the user must do something. This can be anything from pressing 1-3 correct keys within a timed window, pressing a key/mouse button for a period of time and releasing when visually cued, really anything that requires a visual element that bots are bad at replicating.

Additionally for gameplay/immersion, nodes can be coded to be difficult; just as chests range from simple to impossible, nodes can range from rich to decayed and subsequently be easier or more difficult to harvest.

As I've said, I don't believe the coding would be difficult or complicated as most of what I have proposed is already in the game in other forms (mostly the chest mini-game). I'm curious what others think about this suggestion. If it has already been suggested somewhere that I missed, I'd love to see a link so I can give a thumbs up in the appropriate area.

TL;DR Version: Introduce a visual mini-game to node harvesting where bots will have a hard time replicating human interaction. Replace the 2-3 second waiting period for the user with said mini-game.

Odditorium · April 2014

I like that idea. Another addition would be to have a semi-challenging mini-game where the better your skill, the more you harvest

Odditorium · April 2014

Like random button prompts or something like Guitar Hero

Asawasa · April 2014

i disagree. i don't like fishing in any mmo just because its a mini game.

Seedyman · April 2014

Bots can do [most]anything you can do

the_Burne · April 2014

I remember the days of Glider, that thing could do anything a normal player could... was amazing.

I don't want more mini games.. I don't pick locks because its a pain in the rump... wastes time I could be killing. and as for dislikes.. I dislike the stupid puzzles in game too. =p

zittylolb14_ESO · April 2014

It is getting rediculus when you run up to a item and it disappears because the bot is in a different phase of the game...it would be easy to just not allow bots to harvest if they haven't complete a few quests in that area or were higher lvl toons just harvesting...would be nice if any game actually banned gold-bot-farmes cpu isp addresses along with there cpu numbers....permanent...don't think they could afford to keep buying a new cpu every time that cpu was banned.

Brennan · April 2014

1. The elimination of harvest bots should not be cause to make it more difficult for human players to play.

2. Any suggestion or idea you have for a counter to bots will be countered by the bots.

I think it's great that you're thinking on this but the best thing you can do is report any bots you see to a GM. I know it's difficult. I know it's time consuming. But they've already banned thousands of accounts, much of them based on reports filed to GMs from us vigilant players with a modicum of integrity.

clocksstoppe · April 2014

the developers for RS managed to create the ultimate antibot technology, but it took 10 years.

as they discovered, no minigame will save you from them, just behind the scenes stuff.

Dagget · April 2014

Well, they 1st need to acknowledge the speed hack bot issue. Then fix the underlying code. Just mass banning accounts isn't going to solve the issue, these outfits can fake CC #'s forever and get into game long enough to start their farm scripts. it is already frustrating with the lack of inventory space versus crafting needs, and also having to compete with automated bots (now invisible) for resources is a big negative.

Tetujin · April 2014

I didn't realize there were people that could do this, that is awful. So they can just vacuum up everything without even being at the keyboard by moving from one place to another without travelling the space between? Wonder if this is why I was seeing so few nodes for a while there.

Dagget · April 2014

Couple of videos I took, 1st when they were visible, 2nd after most were invisible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BrJvPNFZfs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ifEiuGpeS8

MysticAura · April 2014

Guess I've been lucky. I've not run into any bots so far (that I've noticed), having leveled up two characters in two different alliances.

However someone mentioned that they think the game tries to put you in a different phase than people you're ignoring and I've got a ton of gold sellers ignored. Kinda curious if that's why I'm not having the problem.

The only way to deal with them is for them to get banned. Make no mistake, they will get banned, they're just harder to catch. When anyone does catch one, report it immediately with a screenshot if possible. Or better yet a video like above.

Dagget · April 2014

The ones in the 1st video were reported 2 days ago, and still active yesterday. As for banning, I would expect they are back in action 20 mins later on a new account. For this particular issue, a code fix is the proper solution.

Dagget · April 2014

Here's a video from today where I caught a visible bot farming and held them up at a node for a bit by farming, but not looting the node:

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

Aenra · April 2014

My apologies (don't take this as insulting please), but i disagree with the OP's idea, or any idea that would extra time sinks to be honest;

A fully dedicated crafter has time sinks aplenty as it is, thank you very much!

Why don't we insist a bit more on Zenimax doing their part and simply enhancing their security systems? This is not F2P, this does not have a trial. With a barrier to entry, and a pretty much known culpit, stands to reason we should cry for the immediate solution first, no?

So for --now--, i would like to think our priorities should be on urging Zenimax to do their part, ie allow the game to be played as is meant to. As we are paying to do so. Or in some peoples' case, paying to try to do so

Sarenia · April 2014

Kipyre wrote: »

TL;DR Version: Introduce a visual mini-game to node harvesting where bots will have a hard time replicating human interaction. Replace the 2-3 second waiting period for the user with said mini-game.

While I agree this is a problem that needs a solution, I think a mini-game is an optimistic, ineffectual, unenjoyable solution.

The average dedicated crafter is going to harvest _thousands_ of nodes in their lifetime. Thousands. That's thousands of repeated mini-games.

Furthermore, if they are running around looking for nodes and nothing else, they're going to end up playing that same mini-game potentially dozens of times in a row.

There's a reason not many people play Pong anymore. Even the classics get old after awhile, for most of us.

mattriddle · April 2014

I like the chest unlocking mini-game, so I'd approve of other mini-games. They could be like Guitar Hero to hit the rock, hit the wood, or pick the flower at the right time.

RylukShouja · April 2014

I harvest every node I come across, because I am trying to level every crafting skill. Playing the inventory management minigame is enough of a time sink...I don't want something that will slow down my questing that may or may not (but likely won't) fix the bot problem.

While I appreciate the thought, inconveniencing crafters is not the answer.

Trainerdc · April 2014

Bots are a huge problem in any mmo. I havent seen any here yet, but as the videos show it is quite idiotic that people do this.

Kipyre · April 2014

Aenra wrote: »

My apologies (don't take this as insulting please), but i disagree with the OP's idea, or any idea that would extra time sinks to be honest;

A fully dedicated crafter has time sinks aplenty as it is, thank you very much!

Just to set the record straight for a moment, I actually agree with you in regards to the time sink. My original suggestion was to replace the 2-3 seconds we wait at nodes for our character to "harvest". I'm very much opposed to time sinks in a pay-to-play model. I didn't take your post as insulting in anyway, just wanted to clear that up real quick.

As a whole, it seems this idea was pretty unpopular - and I'm okay with that. It's the main reason I ask for community opinions on my ideas rather than phrasing them as if I was the self-appointed ambassador of the ESO community. I don't really understand some of the comments in the key of "I don't want to play this game more than I already am", but I understand it seems to be widely held and I accept it.

Anyway, I'll be content to let this idea die. Anytime I see a bot (which is anytime I set foot in a shared instance in ESO), I am always trying to think of a way to stop them - and, of course, reporting them as I am able. Thanks for the constructive criticisms to the idea everyone!

Brennan · April 2014

Kipyre wrote: »

Anytime I see a bot (which is anytime I set foot in a shared instance in ESO), I am always trying to think of a way to stop them - and, of course, reporting them as I am able. Thanks for the constructive criticisms to the idea everyone!

Reporting every bot you see is the best thing any of us can do.

We report the bots, and the chat spammers, and the mail spammers, and the guild invite spammers, and we let ZOS manage how to counter them. They know the software that runs this beautiful world and are the best equipped in knowing how to mitigate the effect of these <expletive deleted>.

In the meantime, why don't we use this thread to create a new Daedric Prince to be added to the lore whose sphere of influence includes spam and cheating?