[Previous entry: "Monday, sodding bloody stupid filthy stinking horrendous Monday..."] [Main Index] [Next entry: "From my Sister"]

09/21/2004 Archived Entry: "Concerning Game "Bots""

Wow, and I thought the bots on Ragnarok Online were a pain!

Are poker ‘bots’ raking online pots? (Some suspect computer programs have infiltrated Internet games)
Concern is growing in online chat rooms and news groups devoted to poker that sophisticated card-playing robots – known as “bots” in the nomenclature of the Web – are being used on commercial gambling sites to fleece newcomers, the strategy-impaired and maybe even above-average players.

Bots suck ass... AI's are wonderful, AI's are essential for progress, but "bots" must be the biggest pain in the ass for a gamer ever. A bot (nickname for "robot") in this case is a program that is used for repetetive playing where you progress by continual play. For example, Ragnarok Online leveling and in the article's case poker. There are bots that are programmed to perform other functions, like spambots, channelbots (for iRC), and all sorts of little virtual robots that gather information. Bots on the whole aren't what's the problem. Bots designed for cheating -are- the problem.

You don't know how BAD it burns me up to see a level 99 -bot- on Ragnarok Online. Just last night, an Assassin bot was kill stealing and looting from me in Byalan Island. Bots ruin the game economy, steal kills from legitimate players, and violate the Terms of Service. Even if bots were allowed for iRO, I'd still pitch an unholy fit. I report game bots as often as possible because some get away with it if people don't report them. There's one that got away and it totally ticked me off.

I was in Byalan Island playing my Dancer, when this PecoKnight named ".Pegasus." comes up to my kill and steals it! Just flat out walks up to my monster while I'm attacking it and starts wailing on it. I usually say something, so this time I said "NO!!" That usually gets a respsonse from real players who kill steal from me, but this asshole doesn't respond and just goes his merry way. I go and kill something else and who shows up? My little friend the PecoKnight to kill my monster yet again! So I report it, knowing now it's a bot. I had a screenshot of it KS-ing me and everything, but apparently he wasn't caught.

I know he wasn't caught because the day Amatsu showed up, guess who decided to actually play as a real person? That's right, my friend the PecoKnight!! He's walking around like he's been playing the whole time to explore Amatsu. And the following day, I think "Great, now he's going to play legit now. That's okay, I guess." and so I go back to level in Byalan. GUESS WHO?? The PecoKnight bots again! GAH!! I hope he's finally been banned with a big fat "L" branded on his ass.

Bot users piss me off to no end. Not because they're using a bot program, but because they're typically people who try to legitimize a BAD thing! "It's my time, it's my money so I can sell my account on Ebay with all the zenny I didn't earn using this bot! Go me!" Or the people with lots of rare items in their -one- merchant store... "Gee, four Raydric cards. Could this be a bot??" Like the level 80 bots with rare headgear... or the botting melee characters with a false guild and then sell their wares claiming they're "selling for the guild"!

I wish long-time players were given special benefits. Like those of us who've had accounts since iRO beta! There are still a few of us around, Gravity! Give us incentive to help you make this game still kick ass! I keep hoping long time players (not just level 99's!) get something after playing for a year or more like me and John. Even something simple, like a little star appearing by each of your character's names or something goofy like that. Like those little foil stars you'd get in grade school or something. LoL!

So, yes... *ahem* I can sympathise with people who find game bots aggrivating. Bots playing poker is kinda funny, though. I'm suprised, actually, that they weren't doing it already since there's been AI's playing you against poker in every electronic poker game you've played. This time, they're just being controlled by sneaky people (who should be dragged out into the street and savaged by rabid badgers).

I'm not bitter.... ¬__¬"