Is bot reporting pointless?

[Jhadur.8027]

There's about 10 accounts I see all day every day at the trees in Malchors. I've reported all these accounts dozens of times but they are still there all day every day, and I've been reporting them for over a year now.What's the point of having a bot reporting function if nothing is ever done about them?

And to the people that will say "maybe they have been checked and they aren't bots".Character appears, pauses, draws weapons, pauses, uses gathering tool(roughly on the 7 second mark since spawning), (I'm guessing using reaping glyph), pauses, uses utility skill(roughly on the 16 second mark) then the char stands there doing nothing until they vanish (roughly on the 33 second mark).Watched 20+ chars do this exact same routine over several accounts one after the other. If that isn't bot behaviour then I don't know what is. So the owner of the accounts is making somewhere in excess of 200g per day from botting and reporting them time after time doesn't seem to make a difference.

So is bot reporting pointless?EU severs btw.

[Ayrilana.1396]

Same 10 accounts? It’s also fairly easy for someone to stick with that timing when cycling through their characters.

[mercury ranique.2170]

All reports are being looked at and investigated. However, for us, as players it is impossible to identify someone as a bot. Specially cause afk farming is allowed as long as one is at the keyboard able to respond to a GM.

[tatte.5389]

The key probably is "one after the other". Ten accounts at the same time, in perfect sync, would be bots. As long as each start harvesting on their own turn, it likely fits under the Multi-Boxing policy (and alt-tabbing doesn't really take that much time).

In any case, that sounds like an interesting show to witness. Can you give directions and rough time of day?

[Jhadur.8027]

Another thing I forgot to mention, if one of the chars spawns in dead(I guess the vet mob killed them) then they stay there for the same 33 seconds before vanishing, even if someone is in the middle of reviving them. Also if they've been moved and ressed using scourge skill or the like(occasionally a mesmer will drop portals on them to move them) then they will stand where they've been moved to for the 33 seconds before vanishing.

@Ayrilana.1396 said:Same 10 accounts? It’s also fairly easy for someone to stick with that timing when cycling through their characters.

Yep same 10 accounts and yeah I know it's easy enough to stick to timings as I've got lots of chars there myself but I go through each char in about 6 seconds, if that. Also why would they draw weapons and use a utility skill?

[Vince.1695]

@"Jhadur.8027" said:There's about 10 accounts I see all day every day at the trees in Malchors. I've reported all these accounts dozens of times but they are still there all day every day, and I've been reporting them for over a year now.What's the point of having a bot reporting function if nothing is ever done about them?

And to the people that will say "maybe they have been checked and they aren't bots".Character appears, pauses, draws weapons, pauses, uses gathering tool(roughly on the 7 second mark since spawning), (I'm guessing using reaping glyph), pauses, uses utility skill(roughly on the 16 second mark) then the char stands there doing nothing until they vanish (roughly on the 33 second mark).Watched 20+ chars do this exact same routine over several accounts one after the other. If that isn't bot behaviour then I don't know what is. So the owner of the accounts is making somewhere in excess of 200g per day from botting and reporting them time after time doesn't seem to make a difference.

So is bot reporting pointless?EU severs btw.

I took some time and paused there for 15 minutes. As an amateur it was impossible to detect a potential bot so I assume you're neither. Logging from char to char is not botting.

[Jhadur.8027]

@"tatte.5389" said:The key probably is "one after the other". Ten accounts at the same time, in perfect sync, would be bots. As long as each start harvesting on their own turn, it likely fits under the Multi-Boxing policy (and alt-tabbing doesn't really take that much time).

In any case, that sounds like an interesting show to witness. Can you give directions and rough time of day?

When I say one after the other I mean there's 1 char appears goes through the routine I mentioned then vanishes. Then next char appears does the same, then next char and next etc. Then next account will start 1 char at a time, then next account etc. And they are there 24/7.

I work shifts so sometimes I'm playing during the day and sometimes I'm playing overnight and whatever time I go to harvest elder wood they'll be there one char after another.

[Ayrilana.1396]

They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

[Vince.1695]

@Jhadur.8027 said:

@"tatte.5389" said:The key probably is "one after the other". Ten accounts at the same time, in perfect sync, would be bots. As long as each start harvesting on their own turn, it likely fits under the

Multi-Boxing policy

(and alt-tabbing doesn't really take that much time).

In any case, that sounds like an interesting show to witness. Can you give directions and rough time of day?

When I say one after the other I mean there's 1 char appears goes through the routine I mentioned then vanishes. Then next char appears does the same, then next char and next etc. Then next account will start 1 char at a time, then next account etc. And they are there 24/7.

I work shifts so sometimes I'm playing during the day and sometimes I'm playing overnight and whatever time I go to harvest elder wood they'll be there one char after another.

So, like logging to a char, chop the wood, log out, log in, chop the wood, rinse & repeat, maybe sometimes accompanied by other actions like moving a bit forward e.g.Again: That's not botting.

[Paradoxoglanis.1904]

yep its pointless

[Jhadur.8027]

As people don't seem to read what I type:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

No, I said that no matter what time of day or night I go there they are always there.

@"Vince.1695" said:

So, like logging to a char, chop the wood, log out, log in, chop the wood, rinse & repeat, maybe sometimes accompanied by other actions like moving a bit forward e.g.Again: That's not botting.

Yes logging one character to another and not "maybe sometimes" accompanied by other actions. It's always the same actions at the same time on every character and I've never seen them move. Even if there's a banner planted where they spawn you can see the character turn to take the banner buff rather than chop the wood then they stand there do their utility skill same as normal and do nothing until they switch chars, then the next character will take the buff and not chop wood etc. Rinse and repeat. If this was someone quickly switching characters then they'd move away from the banner to be able to farm the wood, correct? Whereas a bot won't because as far as it's concerned it's done it's job.

[Vince.1695]

@Jhadur.8027 said:As people don't seem to read what I type:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

No, I said that no matter what time of day or night I go there they are always there.

@"Vince.1695" said:

So, like logging to a char, chop the wood, log out, log in, chop the wood, rinse & repeat, maybe sometimes accompanied by other actions like moving a bit forward e.g.Again: That's not botting.

Yes logging one character to another and not "maybe sometimes" accompanied by other actions. It's always the same actions at the same time on every character and I've never seen them move. Even if there's a banner planted where they spawn you can see the character turn to take the banner buff rather than chop the wood then they stand there do their utility skill same as normal and do nothing until they switch chars, then the next character will take the buff and not chop wood etc. Rinse and repeat. If this was someone quickly switching characters then they'd move away from the banner to be able to farm the wood, correct? Whereas a bot won't because as far as it's concerned it's done it's job.

That would be a macro or someone watching netflix or doing other stuff and just not realizing that he only takes the buff. Still no proof of being a bot and since you reported specific accounts several times and I assume many others as well it has already been checked by Arenanet. And if not I couldn't care less because I'm not the ingame police.

So, even if you really think it's an issue it is most likely not. I'm more concerned about the game as a whole than some random guys making gold via wood. These account don't disturb players nor do they have an impact on players making enough money in the game.

[Ayrilana.1396]

@Jhadur.8027 said:As people don't seem to read what I type:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

No, I said that no matter what time of day or night I go there they are always there.

And maybe they think you’re botting as well since no matter what time of day or night they go there, you are always there.

[Healix.5819]

Some have been there for years and are using simple macros, which is very obvious when they get knocked back / feared or die and continue their loop as if nothing was wrong.

[Goettel.4389]

Just report & leave it I'd say, they're not hurting you.

[kharmin.7683]

@"Jhadur.8027" said:There's about 10 accounts I see all day every day at the trees in Malchors. I've reported all these accounts dozens of times but they are still there all day every day, and I've been reporting them for over a year now.What's the point of having a bot reporting function if nothing is ever done about them?

And to the people that will say "maybe they have been checked and they aren't bots".Character appears, pauses, draws weapons, pauses, uses gathering tool(roughly on the 7 second mark since spawning), (I'm guessing using reaping glyph), pauses, uses utility skill(roughly on the 16 second mark) then the char stands there doing nothing until they vanish (roughly on the 33 second mark).Watched 20+ chars do this exact same routine over several accounts one after the other. If that isn't bot behaviour then I don't know what is. So the owner of the accounts is making somewhere in excess of 200g per day from botting and reporting them time after time doesn't seem to make a difference.

So is bot reporting pointless?EU severs btw.

How does this behavior, in any way, affect your ability to play the game? I am no advocate for GW2 farmers, but I see these types of complaints and wonder how these actions really affect other players? Even if it were true, and the owner is making over 200G per day, what does it matter? There really isn't anything that such a player could buy from the gem store that would grant any significant advantage over other players, especially in open world.

So why care? Just report and move on.

[Trise.2865]

To answer the question: No it is not pointless.

See, unlike on Facebook or YouTube, the Report function is not a "make this thing I don't like go away" button. It's a "This reasonably violates rules and terms of service, please investigate this." button... in other words, a "report".

[Vash.2386]

Sounds like this is someone multiboxing and gathering with their alts, not botting. And sounds like you spend way too much time monitoring what they are doing.

[Mewcifer.5198]

If you are REALLY that concerned you can try and get a video that gets all the behavior you have talked about in this thread in one unedited go and then file a help ticket about it.

But you should also keep in mind that most games do bans in waves so people who use cheats can't be entirely sure which cheat was the one that got them banned and find a way to keep cheating. So just because you don't see anything happening immediately doesn't mean they aren't going to get punished.

[Daddicus.6128]

That isn't necessarily botting. It may be simply logging in to multiple characters and farming a resource.

Now, it's possible that they're running a program outside of GW2 that opens and closes the window. But, I don't think it's possible to know that for certain.

[Sugar Min.5834]

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

No, I said that no matter what time of day or night I go there they are always there.

And maybe they think you’re botting as well since no matter what time of day or night they go there, you are always there.

Why are you defending the botter so aggresively like OP is accusing you? Botters are forever around because many don't bother to report them and when finally someone did, ANet do nothing and there are always players in the forum to defend them. Makes me wonder...

[Vince.1695]

@Mil.3562 said:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

No, I said that no matter what time of day or night I go there they are always there.

And maybe they think you’re botting as well since no matter what time of day or night they go there, you are always there.

Why are you defending the botter so aggresively like OP is accusing you?

Because he as a player has no proof that his observations are definitive bots. The only thing he can do is assume since he has 0 tools or competences to check the backbone. People have been accused of botting since aeons in PvP games and even myself have been insulted in several competitive matches in the past where the skill difference between me and the other player was so big he was just not able to realize what was happening. In most of the cases you have no evidence or possibility to convict somebody of using a bot.

[Ayrilana.1396]

@Mil.3562 said:

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

@Ayrilana.1396 said:They’re there 24/7? So you sat there 24/7 and watched them?

No, I said that no matter what time of day or night I go there they are always there.

And maybe they think you’re botting as well since no matter what time of day or night they go there, you are always there.

Why are you defending the botter so aggresively like OP is accusing you? Botters are forever around because many don't bother to report them and when finally someone did, ANet do nothing and there are always players in the forum to defend them. Makes me wonder...

Pretty much what Vince said above. I'm not defending botters, just those that have accusations thrown at them with no proof. Anecdotal observations are not evidence and especially if the same "evidence" can easily be used against the accuser..

[Leablo.2651]

Without evidence, anything you're claiming is 100% hearsay and you have a clear vendetta which makes your hearsay particularly unreliable. If it's as consistent as you claim then you've had many opportunities to record it. Let's see what you're seeing. (Turn off nameplates in the UI to avoid privacy violations.)

[Dante.1508]

@Paradoxoglanis.1904 said:yep its pointless

This in my opinion, agreed pointless.. By the time they are removed, if they ever get removed, there are way more added.

@kharmin.7683 said:

@"Jhadur.8027" said:There's about 10 accounts I see all day every day at the trees in Malchors. I've reported all these accounts dozens of times but they are still there all day every day, and I've been reporting them for over a year now.What's the point of having a bot reporting function if nothing is ever done about them?

And to the people that will say "maybe they have been checked and they aren't bots".Character appears, pauses, draws weapons, pauses, uses gathering tool(roughly on the 7 second mark since spawning), (I'm guessing using reaping glyph), pauses, uses utility skill(roughly on the 16 second mark) then the char stands there doing nothing until they vanish (roughly on the 33 second mark).Watched 20+ chars do this exact same routine over several accounts one after the other. If that isn't bot behaviour then I don't know what is. So the owner of the accounts is making somewhere in excess of 200g per day from botting and reporting them time after time doesn't seem to make a difference.

So is bot reporting pointless?EU severs btw.

How does this behavior, in any way, affect your ability to play the game? I am no advocate for GW2 farmers, but I see these types of complaints and wonder how these actions really affect other players? Even if it were true, and the owner is making over 200G per day, what does it matter? There really isn't anything that such a player could buy from the gem store that would grant any significant advantage over other players, especially in open world.

So why care? Just report and move on.

They massively effect the economy and destroy the Auction house.. to be honest the richest players running the Auction house should be monitored as botters as well.. Its just another version of botting.