[UIP] A couple ideas for solutions to bots

First and foremost, look at what we did before. We removed Streuner and Lordakia from the rank points. We implemented the reduced reward system dependant on what level you are in X-1 maps, so let's do the same to X-2. If the bots aren't getting any rewards from X-2, they'll move on to other maps where they can be shot and scared off to port.

Second idea, if the top one doesn't work. Use traps.

Idea: Place a couple traps in each map. The traps can be either NPC or Boxes. For the NPC, give it the same code as a similar NPC and same graphic as a NPC in that map. Let's use the Sibelonit for example. Use the exact same name for it. But when you shoot it, it has infinite health. Real players will recognize the trap but the bots have no clue and will continue to shoot it.

Same idea with the boxes. Put a trap box. The bots will continue to attempt to collect it whereas real players would notice it's not working and move on.

Now this keeps the bots occupied, but how do we start banning them from here?

Simple solution. Implement a point system on the trap npcs/boxes. When bots are spending hours shooting the same npc, then it's kinda obvious. Regular players (even noobs) aren't gonna shoot an npc for 3 hours thinking it'll die eventually. But like I said, the bots wouldn't have a clue.

Once a botting player reaches a certain threshold (let's say 4 hours), then their UID automatically gets sent to support to be run through the detection script or their logs monitored.


Now if this doesn't work, then we need to go to last resorts. Evidence of botting needs to be thrown out the window. What we need to do is send support usernames and servers (if you search a players username, you can get their registered server code from the URL), and then support runs it through their detection software.

And put a zero tolerance on it from now on. No more 30% reductions because bots aren't afraid of reductions, they make it back in a weeks time easily. If detected, go straight to ALL UFE equipment removed (Prometheus lasers, Apis/Zeus drones, drone designs, pet gear, LF4s, upgraded LF4s, all upgrade progress reset, Skylab reset, gates reset, uri/credits reset.) Reset their accounts back to level 17 basic FE status and fill their ships with saimon shields and lf2s.

And the second time they get detected, account termination.

We need to stop pandering to the bots and how they want to play the game. It's become a serious out-of-hand problem, and player's can't do anything to help control it with the introduction of pushing penalties.

Being on the US East servers, I could fly for an hour and give you every ship name I can find in that time. I guarantee you 7 of the top 10 are active botting right this very minute.

 

same at GL1 europe
i am playing sinds 2008 it was fun at that time now i dont know
its being taking over by the bots
the most people i know are playing
fair

i agree with -DiminisheЯ- by penalty's

 

1)
They already tryed to do the same thing (both ideas) in 2014-16 period, but as u can see it didnt work(so they removed it).

To evade the NPC with inf.hp they just added a delay time, for example after X seconds switch target, the same for box bonus ...

2)
for them this situation is kinda good, cauz "afk-ers" pay money, for premium, rebate in weekend, 50% ep/hon at x3/4, etc.

3)
if they ban all botters (like 90% of the players) this game will close, so they dont have any interest in doing it (they want only money money money), they are losing less players (the fair ones) in comparion of the one which will leave after a massive ban wave

In my opinion the only thing they can do is to make a Bot developed by BP and put it in payment section making it "legal", so everyone can have it and "fight equal"... And this is soo sad...

 

Funny they ban all the botters in 2012 i mean there was nobody left and the game was full not long after, there are players no playing cause of the bots they will all come back, and what game on the internet doesn't have a problem with bots. Saying that what ones ban all the botters in there game also. If DO is scared if they ban them all then nobody would play. Then that right there should tell them they have to change things to attract players back that's all.

They want to talk fair play but legit players get ban from chat for talking about bots but we are not bot users and we get punished, Also they know there are botters and don't do anything about them at the same time tell us we will be punished if we use a bot and get caught in my eyes it's DO that drove the fair players away not the botters.

There is really only 2 choices either ban the botters or allow them, how can there be an in between? As I said before can ban them for a month and take away 50% honor and xp then give their accounts back and the next time there caught botting it's perma ban.

 

Decent bots see the HP of npc, can even switch ammo depending on own HP and shield, on npc HP and shield...

It will stop and fly away if it is unable to collect a certain box...

Swell there is no point in blocking certain low level maps, as bots are farming upper maps, shooting cubes, doing gates with kami gear, farming bl maps...

There just can be a graphic solution, in direction of what .†ι¢є_gяιмσιяє†. wrote.

 

My grandson watches me play occasionally and he wanted to try. So I got him his own ship. As he's just starting many of the missions he can do are in x-2 and x-3.

Last time he was playing there were so many bots in those maps he couldn't even do a simple lordakia/struener mission. They kept swarming in and popping everything around him. He quit playing after a few minutes.

He asked what was going, I explained and he asked "Why do you still play this then?"

Got me thinking.

PacificNW
USA west & east

 

Another idea came in my head recently:

Be able to KOS somebody similar to how you declare war on a clan. You could do this in the Contacts menu (like blacklist function). Then you get positive honor for popping bots.

 

They already have an official thread post for bot concerns, just post there.

 

The X-1 reduction on rewards wasn't because of bots, it was to encourage newer players to explore the maps instead of just sitting in one.

This is a good idea but it comes with the same idea that banning all the bots will result in the same thing that happened in 2013; a very dead game.

The only way Bigpoint can legally ban accounts is through detection scripts on code so they can be 100% accurate they are actually banning cheaters. Any other methods will result in lawsuits and unideal things for the company. But incase you haven't noticed, because of what I said above they are just making events and trying to improve the game to stop people botting, I think? But they aren't improving PvP, which is the main obvious way to stop people playing and start playing again.

Support will be spending their entire day doing this if this is how bots were being banned, which of course, they have other things to do like help people having actual issues with the game.

Most of these last ideas have been suggested on the remove cheat/bots thread as well but Bigpoint still aren't doing it. I like the effort you put into this, but like I said Bigpoint gain something from bots that we don't see, that's why it's still happening.

 

Hi All,

Well the Censors were at it again. They didn't like my post so they deleted it. I must have hit the nail on the head. My opinions must have some truth in my words. What I had said they are afraid that people my leave. I don't know, I'm here and I have spent too much money to leave the game.

The game is a PvP type of game. Yes there are some of us like PvE only. There are tons of missions to kill other players/ships, and I haven't done one in all the years I've been here (I think). Well BP/DO bots are players/ships too so we should be able to kill them too. Why protect them? Why are we punished for doing what the game wants? We are given a "Time Out" for killing a Bot to many times. If they know we killed a bot then they must know it was a bot in the first place. Hello!

They are there, so, they should be fair game. They (DO/BP) protect them because they are the wallet warriors for BP/DO. They bring in the money to Bot. How you ask? Well I believe that DO created the botting program. Who knows more about the game then the programmers themselves. It wouldn't be hard to make a secondary program to run your ship.

If DO/BP follow their own laws. It stats that outside program is illegal. If it isn't an outside program but a program the DO programmers created. Then the rule doesn't apply. Then they can bot all they want and we the legal players are out in the cold.

Angus

 

interesting point Angus.
But...
Why should a bot pay money ,for ? ,for what ?
to sell the account when it reached its last level ? ,such account is to expensive to buy.
for grinding money ? ,money cant be transfere unlike bots in other games do to sell money for big cash.
a bot grinds for 1 reason only imho, lame player that goes to sleep, or work ! and can play a bit after it.
i noticed in 5.3 maps pala bots that act agresive when u come to close to them and shoot u down
grinding pala is a long grind run, i try to do it for a hour a day, and i am happy if i make 900 pala a day.

 

I've noticed bots become more sophisticated, from bots being able to shoot only a certain type of NPC to bots automatically triggering abilities or fleeing when reaching a specified amount of HP.

Regardless of what we can do against the use of bots (and yes I do believe something needs to be done). I think it may be far more rewarding to look at why people use bots in the first place. Now this may sound obvious: to save time and no longer be stuck to your computer to do a pointless task over and over again (shooting NPC or collecting boxes / palladium). In that regard the fair players will have to do the same task over and over again and let's be honest: it can be really boring. Logging in and then seeing nobody else around (other than super UFE players / clans ruling the maps) and then realizing that the only thing you can do is shoot some NPC's for uridium is exactly what keeps me away from this game for weeks, sometimes months.

What I'm trying to say is that the current systems just isn't rewarding enough, especially not for newer players. Even if we could ban all the bots, it still wouldn't change the rewards we get for shooting an NPC or collecting some bonus boxes. In the end I feel like jealousy plays a huge factor here: while honest players have to spend hours actually 'playing' the game in order to get something done, bots do not.

Unfortunately the problem is even more complicated in my eyes due to balance issues and the game being much more about hit-and-run, good equipment but above all: pay-to-win rather than actual strategy.

Apart from banning botters, we need to make fair play and strategic cooperative play much more rewarding!

 

Hi All,

Well, I look at this way. We pay every week, month, or year for premium package so we have some deals. I think people who buy Bot programs have to pay like wise. That way money comes in all the time to the Game. Then the player can bot all he wants for that time limit. It wouldn't be profitable for a company to sell it once to let the person have full advantage of the game. Look at the gaming of today. You don't see computer stores selling computer games. Most of the games are on line and there are hundreds if not thousands. I'm not talking about Xbox or other type of games like that. You know old games you once buy. There use to be shelves after shelves of game. Now I only see a few game on hand.

People like you and me play a little each day trying to make levels and rewards in the game. Why should we let people play the game when they aren't here. It isn't fair to the ones who work hard. Then there are the mission. Most of the missions I have completed (Not the new ones that are out) when I started out and for a long time. The missions that were left were attacking this or that type of ship, or even killing another company person. I don't want to do those missions. I like PvE missions. I have friends who do all missions and have killed bots (who are players) and was punished for doing it. Why? A mission to kill a ship/players, well kill that ship, and if it is a bot you are fair game in my book.

But DO/BP don't want you to kill bots. There has to be a reason why. My reasoning is that they are Wallet Warriors and are paying to play. Why burn down the bank and destroy your money. So you keep the bank safe. That is what this game is doing. Bots have special treatment in this game and it isn't fair.

It isn't hard to figure out who is a bot. Look at the times they are playing. Most people play about the same time everyday. Because of their schedule. Most people have a set time limit too. Now bots don't. You turn them on and let them go. They may play hours or around the clock. I don't know for sure. I'm guessing. They may be window for them to play so they are trying to hide themselves.

How to fix the problem. I don't know. Over the year or so I have seen great ideas on this. I can't begin to tell you how many post on this subject there have been. People have gave suggestion on how to fix the problem, but DO/BP won't. A lot of them were very thought out and good ideas too. Why kill the golden goose. That is why I post my thought over and over again. My words a lot times have been censor or deleted completely. Like here. One post was deleted when I responded to Pacific NW and olleH, and I gave my views on the game.

Before the merge the problem wasn't as bad because there were few on each server. In my book the mergers was to save money because the big drop in players. Now the servers are combine and we see more bots. Like USA server. It was 4 servers and playing wasn't bad or Auction House either. Now it is crowded, and hunting for PvE is harder because of all the people. I like to hunt on x-6 because of the Boss K. a lot of points and everything else. Now I have to wait for someone to finish kill it so I can hope to fine the next one free and kill it, but it is hard.

I'm sorry it is a little long. I hope you understand my words. I have a hard time writing because I'm dyslectic. I don't see what I write. My mind and hands don't always match. Because it is in my mind, the words that are wrong on paper may not be the same that is in my mind, and I don't see it. So I have to go over and over it again trying to find the problems words. I still miss them.

Angus

 

Hello -DiminisheЯ-,

Bots and cheats must be detected by the scripts, a process which is fair for everyone.

Will be closing as common concern, before it goes off track.