General bots/botting discussion

[loftar]

The main point being that all automatic methods of bot detection can be easily circumvented. Captchas don't help a bit -- just pop in from your web browser once an hour when they happen to solve them. If you aren't at home, just solve them from your smartphone or whatever. Or cache ten up. Or implement OCR. &c&c. On the other hand, they are certainly annoying for all people playing honestly.

The only way to try and detect botting somewhat reliably would be to monitor people manually, and, honestly, ain't nobody got time for that. I'd much rather spend that time trying to decrease the incentives to bot. As has been said from time to time, the fact that a mechanic is bottable or even something one wants to bot is at least an indication that said mechanic is perhaps less than optimal in and of itself.

[dageir]

So because a minority of players would cheat anyways, we will not make it harder for those who do it without any effort these days? Ok..

[jorb]

But you don't understand. We wouldn't be making it more difficult for those who bot. They would have the problem once, develop a solution, and then automate around whatever our latest fix was. This is exactly how Glider shadowed Blizzard for years. There's just no point to it.

[loftar]

those who do it without any effort.

They'd just use the standard bot client anyway, so I don't see the difference.

these days

Isn't that how we've always done it?

[dageir]

Can we get an official bot client? I do not trust others than the developers of the game.

[loftar]

Don't mistake that for us condoning botting. We hate it just like everyone else. It's just a matter of how to deal with it. I mean, really, what method are you even suggesting? Surely you aren't seriously considering Captchas?

It's not like I don't consider going around and just smiting obvious bots from now and then just for the fun of it, but honestly, they aren't easy to find even with manual effort.

[pimotimo]

Player base is not so big, wouldnt take that much time imo. Just like somebody else said, warn that everyone that is caught botting will get a ban and once a month/week check for botters, that wouldn't take that much time I think, and would be fair to ppl who doesnt bot at all.

[loftar]

wouldnt take that much time imo.

You would be wrong, IMO. Again, what method are you even proposing?

[jorb]

Player base is not so big, wouldnt take that much time imo.

Sure. Just keep manual watch over some 200-300 people. No biggie.

>implying we can detect anything even then.

[pimotimo]

Teleporting to players who have been online for many hours without loggin out and check if they answer, or you can also randomly check villages and ppl who forages and try to get an answer from them. Basically if ppl knows they can be banned less ppl will take that risk and won't bot. Probably those are not very good ideas, but didnt have much time to think