I understand the great caution which must be taken by NCsoft, or any company, when banning people because of alleged infractions, such as third-party program use. It's true, it's like in the criminal justice system, where it's better to let 10 guilty men go, than convict an innocent one.
Yet, we need to get real with this. The fact that bots are found everywhere, almost all the time, shows that the response time is way too slow.
I've yet to see a player who has played for over a month or so who cannot recognize a bot train instantly. The simple truth of the matter is that it's just plain obvious. Sure, the names are but a hint, but it's the way they move and attack.
No real group walks in a line, and once the monser is dead, spreads out by first standing almost on top of each other, and then moving diagonally.
It's not so much a matter of describing how they move as it is recognizing it when you see it.
I was training bots in branded last night, bartz, and it was just so obvious who they were (not to mention that you could tell they were all being monitored by the same person, because once they started realizing what happened, two groups moved to the hall, while the one group tried to deal with me).
Sure, you're saying, it's not just bots that move to the halls when someone's training. That's true. Yet, real groups don't just stand there and buff in slow sequence, some of them standing right up against the wall, facing it.
My gripe is that I just find it strange that a normal player can recognize bots within a few moments, and yet the GMs seem to take ages to "recognize" them.
Perhaps the GMs have to perform those "bot" tests, where they get the bots to perform certain actions. This clearly wont work because the bots are MONITORED.
If any of you reply that you can't honestly recognize a bot group within a few moments in the catas, you're either botting yourself or you're lying, or you're really just new to the game.
The irony of all of this is that if NCsoft was to recruit one honest player on the pay-roll with the ban button for bots, you would see a noticeable difference within weeks.
Yes, NCsoft says they're doing something about bots. But when you look at how easy it is to recognize them, it just doesn't hold a lot of water.
I understand the great caution which must be taken by NCsoft, or any company, when banning people because of alleged infractions, such as third-party program use. It's true, it's like in the criminal justice system, where it's better to let 10 guilty men go, than convict an innocent one.
Yet, we need to get real with this. The fact that bots are found everywhere, almost all the time, shows that the response time is way too slow.
So you would rather have the system changed where it is better to remove 10 innocent people just to get 1 guilty person?
Perhaps the GMs have to perform those "bot" tests, where they get the bots to perform certain actions. This clearly wont work because the bots are MONITORED.
And thats why it takes so much time to get them.
Yes, NCsoft says they're doing something about bots. But when you look at how easy it is to recognize them, it just doesn't hold a lot of water.
Going on a witch hunt is one thing, removing them because of policies is another
It's true that it's easy for an experienced player to recognize a train of bots, but it's also true that it's easy for them to make a mistake now and then. More than once in my L2 career I've been messaged by GMs asking random questions, which I can only assume were bot checks in response to someone's petition who was certain I was a bot.
Personally I'd rather have NC taking their time and banning bots only when they have proof, since banning even one innocent player who's invested time in L2 is a horrible crime.
I'm sure there are GMs that would like to go crazy with the ban button, but if that were to happen then a few innocent players would fall through the cracks of the system.
I agree that the bots are a problem, and it's something that needs to be addressed. The last thing we need is a ban on sight policy however. As spam has said countless times, they're doing their best, and it's up to you whether or not you have faith that they're trying to fix the problem.
1 innocent person being banned at the cost of 10 guilty people is just as terrible a crime in my book, which is something that would occur with a ban on sight policy.
Maybe not 1 in 10, but 1 in 100, or 1 in 1,000. Either way some guy who followed the rules is being destroyed.
Well...you know this one is headed for the lock-bin. That being said...you cant' help but getting angry at third party users that flagrantly set up their groups in areas needed by legit players. I was in abandoned mines trying to do part of Artisan quest and competing with a 7 member bot trains for the MOBs i needed. I asked in chat if I could have the mobs I needed. no response...they attacked anything and everything even if I was fighting already. I petitioned them (which does nothing for me in the short term)...and eventually got the drops I needed...but it took ALOT longer than it should have. Look...when they force log if you hit them or train them, when they don't say or do anything when you heal their mobs, when there are drops lying next to trees or rocks even tho they pick up everything else, and when they immediately re-target another MOB when you target their intended first target....You KNOW it is a third party user whether they are at the keyboard or not
Wow, you know what happens to these types of posts. But since it isnt locked yet I'm going to suggest a solution. Rather than ban the 3rd party users, just instant delete all the their characters and items. That would be hilarious. :)
another solution though highly inpracticle . . . set a cap on the amount of adena you are allowed to trade . . . and make it low . . . like . . 100 :D lol