Can we ban the automation groups please?

Since this thread is not a name and shame thread its irrelevant whether Bigs is correct or not about that particular group. He didnt ask for that group to be banned, he asked that bot groups in general get the ban. There sure are bot groups, and they sure are handing out bans. Joy

The naming and shaming was sent with the /report and petition.

I think there are multiple strategies to put an end to cheating (automation).

1. The current regime of reports and investigations. Obviously, there are capabilities that are probably kept under wraps. They can extend suspensions or increase bans.

2. Daybreak contracts Easy Anti-Cheat or Punkbuster to monitor game clients for rule violators. Players are instantly booted from the game and suspended or banned.

3. Daybreak sends legal notices (cease-and-desist letters, threats of legal action) to cheat software developers, web hosts, and even search engines.

4. Daybreak could establish an automation prison server where players can transfer in but not transfer out. Krono can only be traded on the prison server and not transferred to any other server. Any automators not on the prison server will be permanently banned. (Prison server would probably be another type of Test Server).

5. Daybreak could suspend or ban the Krono trading privileges of accounts flagged for automation or other severe rule violation. (While I first suspected legal issues, Daybreak is already taking action against accounts and maintains EULA). Players would still be able to play the game but wealth acquisition would be limited to platinum and items. Only legitimate players would be able to buy/sell Krono and Krono traded to flagged accounts are returned/destroyed. This would require IP address identification to enforce. I suspect Daybreak already maintains a ledger for Krono transactions so tracing may not be as difficult as some would think.

I will spin off this post to its own thread if it is not proper for this thread.

You want to discourage this behavior yet your offering to reward them with their own server

I wouldn't call it a reward. Two elements will benefit Daybreak:

1. A prison server would give Daybreak political cover to permanently ban botters on Live. There would be no need to entertain suspensions as an "ethical" option: we gave you an option but you still persisted - incoming ban.

2. Damage would be self-contained to that server. Items, platinum, and Krono would remain on that server. Griefing would be between botters.

Botters would need to run on a different patcher. To "discourage" that style of gameplay, the prison server could be 1 expansion behind, no access to raids or raid gear (no NPCs), or other restrictions.

It would undermine that pro-cheat argument of deficient game design by cutting them out of the broader community. They will have no audience and we shall see if they truly mean what they say.

Again, a prison server is only one of several options.

For all of the posting you have been doing on this topic Benito this post really shows how little you know about the situation at hand.

They 100% already have a method of detection and have the lists made of who is using. If you have followed this issue over the last few months and see what has been happening this is obvious in my opinion.

They don't need a Punk buster, and there won't be a legal action, there won't be Krono suspension because all of that would have a massive impact on revenue.

As far as the prison server concept I have seen that thrown around but you will find it will be far more than 1 server required, I would wager closer to 50% of the current servers would be required. The thing is this would not provide the desired outcome you are expecting. The automated bot groups monopolizing camps and selling powerlevels would be of little to no use on a server where everyone has their own bot group. These bad actors would still be on the live servers and latest TLP to make their money because that is why they play. You would be left with the same complaints on the "live" servers where the "prison" server population would be playing their way, having fun and glad to be rid of the bot groups.

I can fully get behind wanting to rid the game of farming bot armies and AFK play, but the people who are mad because someone else has an advantage in this game that they don't have is pretty ridiculous. This isn't a competitive game, it isn't healthy to focus on what others have in life, worry about what you have. If you aren't happy with what you have then find a way to make it better without taking away from someone else.

Jenn is playing in to the RMT hands. I don't know who is investigating all this at Dark Paw, whomever you are, these findings weren't hard to uncover.

It's all a smoke screen.

1. There are two versions of the software. One called "PRO" and one called "Jester".

Pro is currently undetected by Dark Paw. Dark Paw apparently sat down with the creators and told them what they DP look for. When in use you can't tell it apart from a player group. It uses SMS to keep the owners updated as to what is occurring in game and is controlled via SMS. It's been under development for two decades. The RMT have earned a substantial living and have no intention of quitting.

Jester is currently, intentionally, made to be obvious to Dark Paw and other players. It's offered to the public, has an installation package that anyone can use and install it with. For an extra fee, players can get an "addon" for a yearly subscription fee that will automate game play and doesn't require any knowledge of the characters it's used on. The users of this version are being used as a smoke screen.

The RMT know how fanatical and frustrated your player base is and they are getting rich off them.

Cheaters will want to be firing up that hex editor and look for 'Jester' before you execute that thing.

Now this is comedy.

I hear Pro gives CheatBot the ability to see your desktop in real time.

I heard Jester only gives CheatBot the ability to see your password keychain and stored credit cards.

Prison server would be locked to 1 expansion behind and raid NPCs would be removed. Krono, platinum, and items stay on the server. Anyone left automating on Live would receive a perma-ban.

As for the other options, I eagerly look to the future. The suspend/ban waves seem to be growing!

Grabbing my tinfoil hat while I eagerly await the source material.

Would be super interesting if true.

Despite my earlier comment, I doubt you could hex edit browse the file and find Jester or PRO. And code has been out there. There are more than two builds running around in the wild.

Each specific build will have a unique 'footprint' though, and can be viewed in a hex editor and specifically identified. It's not hard to 'blacklist' things, it's hard to make a good list.

Tinfoil statements are not needed on that forum.
You are supposed to play EQ by the rule!

Seriously kindertime you should look for help.

Been away from the forums for a bit now and come back to this juicy thread. I see some things will never change.

Feel free to go after the botter, but leave the boxers alone. We're half the reason the game is even still around.

And now that I am more caught up, holy crap a lot has actually changed.

Unfortunate to read about DPG hard stance change.

I resubbed 7 accounts and probably just going to let them expire now.

It's a shame people feel the need to be all up in other people's business about how they play the game when many of us boxers just want to play the game on our own time and not be bothered by others.

It feels like a toxic few on both polar ends of the boxing argument have ruined it for the majority that didn't abuse it.

Oh well. It was a fun ride. Wish I didn't just buy 6 expansion packs. Back to the unofficial means of play I guess.

I've still been trying to understand this logic. Daybreak suspends and bans cheaters, and that makes you want to unsubscribe. Why?

Boxers are not being punished, cheaters are. I'd be running for the exit too if Daybreak was suspending boxers that aren't cheating, but they aren't.

It's the old botters vs boxers argument, the gray area in between, that has been ongoing for years that I don't have the energy to even talk about anymore. Reading about the ban waves here and elsewhere has told me what I need to know.

LOL, that's your response to the possible realization that boxer servers might be more popular than non-boxer servers? If you're going to accept automation at all, why not go all-in? Fine, make it a sealed off economy, then your petty squabbles about damaging your economy are gone. What further arguments do you have then to justify additional penalties like removing raid mobs? Paid accounts are paid accounts, and the server would only contain people who WANT boxers around.