Guild Wars 2

Spetsdod.9608:

See, the thing is… Using a program to play the game for you, even if you are sitting at the keyboard and paying attention to the game, is still against the rules, and whether you call it botting, or automated gameplay, or whatever, you got caught, and you’re paying the price.

I watch and report bots all the time. If you watch a bot for 2 minutes, it is plainly simple to see that they are automated. They run an identical pattern for hours and hours, with no deviation, because the script can’t be random. You can watch EXACTLY where they are going to turn, where they run to, and how they move.

And innocent people will speak up, but the guilty ones are the ones who get really indignant and insist they weren’t doing anything wrong. Protesting too much is commonly a sign that they are guilty. And while this might not be a “happy happy touchy feely” thing to say, 90% of the bots I report have names that are clearly Asian in origin, which seems to have some relevance here.

Using a program – you mean the Guild Wars 2 client, is that what you’re talking about? Hmm didn’t think it was illegal to use the Guild Wars 2 client to play the game. Didn’t think it was illegal to to press the same buttons over and over again.

Well clearly I must be botting as well since I’ve played with this person (my brother) and farmed in Cursed Shore and Frostgorge Sound. And pressed the same buttons over and over again. And used the Guild Wars 2 Client to play the game. And bought gems for myself and my brother – oh that must be botting too. That means all the players in that area are bots since they do the exact same thing. Oh and talking in game – that’s botting as well. And apparently you can’t be Asian or have an Asian name since you must be a bot.

Also I must be guilty since I’m so defensive. My account should be investigated too for all my “botting activity”. Or “automated programming” as you call it.

Oh look at the wonderful botting activity….

Mohmohchan.4120:

just a quick note, you don’t get banned when you bot right away. you get banned after a specific time. so it doesn’t matter what you are doing that time you get booted out of the game.

Well that would be true IF the players being banned were botting, which is not the case (check topic Blocked/Suspended/Terminated — Player Comments). They were doing “bot”-like activities according to Arena Net’s data system; based on the information like Farming karma events and/or Ore for a couple of hours over a long period of time (couple of months) which was the case with my brother. That does not deem him a bot OR justify why he should be banned. A lot of non-botting players (including my brother) have been accused for botting then having to submit tickets, and/or buy new accounts then having to wait 3-5 days or more just to get a reply back from Arena Net.

This is not acceptable, the system is flawed and needs to be fixed.

Cook.9375 your points are invalid. I would say something but my brother said it for me. Just keep quiet before you say anything else, since clearly you’re the “straw man”. Go troll someone else.

Clearly a moderator(s) would have fully investigated these issues with actual players being confused as bots. Which means being contacted by Customer Service, has this been done? No. Have any players been sent a email to state that they have been investigated for botting? No. So clearly a computer system, not a moderator, is auto banning players based on presumably “botting” activities. If that wasn’t the case these issues would have been dealt with correctly and they WOULD have checked other activity on the account – since prior to being banned my brother was running an instance with myself, my other brother and friends.

Does this conclude botting activity? No, so what reason does Arena Net have to justify their decision on perma-banning actual players? Based on their data collecting in SOME of the activities (farming etc), these “botting” activities? Please do not insult me on your failed attempt to defend something that is broken.

Quote from Gaile Gray (ArenaNet Support Liaison):

“Your friend was not blocked because he was reported. He was blocked because the evidence pointed to him being involved in botting. I assure you, even a dozen reports will not get someone’s account terminated — each report is reviewed before action is taken on an account.”

Taken from post: Friend Banned for Botting

So according to your statement you rely on a “BOT” (as in their computer detection system to find bots) to ban players for BOTTING, clearly this is proof that your system as of current is FLAWED. How can you put so much faith into a system which only partially monitors a player’s activity i.e. farming events, npcs or ore? For example, a player farms trolls for about an hour, now that player pulls the Champion (which takes longer to kill) and kites them – because you system tries to distinguish a player from a bot and permanently bans them for “acting like a bot”. This is ONLY PARTIAL EVIDENCE that an player MAY be a bot. That’s like a police officer arresting an innocent bystander on the basis that they walked past a murder and stumbled onto some blood which ended up on their shoes – where’s the logic in that? Why isn’t any other activity checked on said accounts? Like in-game chats, party activity etc etc.

The system needs to give a warning system to a player that may be showing signs of “botting” – e.g. an email, in game mail, tell a player to move out the area or tell them to log – that should be sufficient enough. At the moment it’s ‘shoot first ask questions later’. That is just bad programming, of course you may not have enough people to attend to issues with botting but relying on your system to do all your work has clearly failed. How many other players (which seems like a lot) have been falsely banned according to your system bot’s data gathering?

Yet, your reporting system is in vain, basically what you are telling us that you’re relying on the program before your players; the players who support your game. You should have your system bot review the report system, instead of throwing down the ‘ban hammer.’ Players are now forced into paying for another account based on false accusations.

We will even test your system right now and have my other brother farm trolls for an hour or two for a week or two – while streaming it – and if he gets banned then obviously your system is flawed. Your system needs to be fixed and you will loose a lot of players based on your reliance on your system. If you can’t take criticism for you game and system then you game which forever be flawed.

We enjoy your game, we even defended your game but with issues like these it ruins it for players.

note: this player has been farming items (ore, blood etc) and karma over the past few months so that he can get his legendary weapon. I know this because this player is my brother, in case anyone cares >_>

Display Name: Sanayumoki.3057
Ticket Number: 121118-000653

I am posting on behalf of my brother since he was permanently banned a couple of hours ago for apparently “botting”, and can not access the forums.

Honestly Arena Net, I love your company and your games BUT your monitoring system within game is clearly flawed. Especially since within the last week or so people that I have played with (including my brother) have been permanently banned for botting or other similar behaviors. You monitor SOME activities on these accounts and yet not all – I’m sure there is a BIG difference between a bot’s activity and a player’s activity. Yes, my brother has farmed crafting materials and events hours on end, and played with others that have done the same but does this conclude that he is a bot? I see no reason to justify your decision in permanently banning actual players based on that.

His display name is Sanayumoki.3057
His Ticket Number 121118-000653