Buff and Healbots

[Osilon]

Hey There

In my opinion Buff-/Heal-Bots are damaging every Buff/Heal Class. Everytime i try to get some people from Uthgard on Storm they stop think about joining me on Storm when i mention there are Buff-/Heal-Bots. Sine i still hope for new player from Uthgard (probably some of them will stop after old RAs) I want to ask what do you think about:

-Forbid double log in RvR
-Forbid Buff-/Heal-Bots in RvR (buff range)
-Forbid Heal-Bots in RvR
-Stay how it is

Greetings Osilon
(sry for bad english)

[Graveen]

You can play D2 shard on Storm. For classic Storm, we aim to be live-like. We don't have the manpower to target something else, and i'm not sure we would change this aspect of the game at first sight.

I can remember now on live you have buff NPCs.

[Osilon]

I'm just talking about normal Storm Server and only about RvR

[Graveen]

yes, me too. My first sentence invites you to try D2 shard because it is not sensible to BB/HB, while the remaining is an explanation of why we could not really tweak this aspect of the game.

[Phen]

I'm glad you brought this to the forums Osi, I have been hearing more and more complaints on this issue.As far as having buffbots I have no issue, as long as they are not in area of play effecting the fight. We have buffbots assigned to each NF portal keep for those who don't have access or don't want to log in their buffbots,we also have auto buffs for the arenas which should essentially eliminate the need for buffbots as well,these offer more balance to those using a buffbot.

Now running around with a bot in close proximity or hidden in a tower or keep is something I look down on this includes anything from a buffbot,healbot,stunbot,mezzbot,speedbot,blockbot,stealthbots(used for personal intel) etc etc.. and wish people would stop doing this. As far as being against the rules it is not, and as Graveen pointed out we just don't have the manpower to enforce this,it would also take more effort to inhibit this through coding, which again would have to be monitored and enforced for any of those who find a way around it. In the big picture it's a waste of time and resources.

But then we get the other side which is players who find themselves outnumbered and their only survivability comes from heals/speed etc,etc from the help of a bot, they think it's unfair that Realm A is running so many people killing with uneven odds and Realm B doesn't have the numbers to compete, or Class X is more overpowered then Class Y. Some only use it in Keep/Tower defense this is seen as doing everything possible to protect your territory. Now some of this might seem justifiable although it isn't, but where do you draw the line?

I'm truly sorry that this effects the game we have today, and it is something I have had to deal with on a frequent basis.My advice is to politely ask players your playing with or against to leave their bots behind, notice I said politely ask, this does not mean to start griping over irc/chat that their playstyle is lamenoobgaysuxxor, or that they only won because they have a bot etc etc, it's worth a shot and maybe players will think twice and give others that sort of respect.If not then their aren't worthy of your RP's just leave em hanging with noone to fight and no RP's to gain.

[Langtre]

I think Phen about hit it on the head. And as Phen stated, if you dont like it ask nicely for them to stop. Ok, lets say you asked them to stop and they say no, what next? Well whatever you do next be nice or say nothing else. Because too many people are ready to FLAME the /irc, and Tola, Phen and I are tired of Flame Jobs lol. Anyways i am against the dragging of Heal/Speed/Block/Bubble/Spy bots or dual logging in RvR except for a bot or two at the PK. Tired now, too much typing going get a beer.

[Phen]

allow me ...
/holds door for Khloee

[Khloee]

I was wondering when someone would step up to the plate and say something about the bots being used in RVR. Kudos to you for doing so, Osilon. I, for one, am not happy about the bots in RVR. Whether they are in a group that I am in or on the opposing team, I am noticing more and more that they are being used as a crutch for a lot of players. I realize that the GMs on the server can not be around 24/7 as they do have lives apart from the game. These are the choices that I make If I am in a group and there are buff bots, I will politely ask them to leave them at the PK, if they choose not to then I will drop from the group. If the bots are being used on the opposing team, well, I refuse to go back out. They can't play if there is no resistance unless they just want to take keeps and towers. I do enjoy playing the game, but I also like knowing just how skilled a player really is without having a bot by their side.

[Tolakram]

I have no objection if the GM(s) on duty set the rules for RvR. When I think bots I think buffers at the portal keeps.

[Graveen]

in addition, we could really discuss quick fix, such as no /stick command for player on the same ip in RvR zones, or whatever you could propose

[Argo]

I would suggest a general prohibition on Buffbots in any RvR zone. Actually it is not even necessary to have a Buffbot or whatever bot in a PVE zone since we have those realm enhancers in every start town. I remember those days when i was playing a cleric within a group, be it rvr or pve... it was an incredible feeling to be responsible for the health of your group and besides that it was fun to play in a group. i am aware that Storm has only a low population but still i'd say NO to Buffbots. But as usual

just my 2 cents
Argo

[baradien]

well i kinda hate buffbots. It's kinda cheating, i agree with argo. Still with Buffbots the pop is sometimes low and sometimes not it's all how the server itself is.

[Sand]

How do you expect us to forbid it in RVR???

It be impossible to do that without coding similar to Uthgard, which like Graveen we do not really have the time for and it is not livelike (an we are not a classic server to do the live like method either). I hated Uthgard, because their rules/code to stop botting, not only because I like playing multiple characters, because it detrimental to regular play as well.

So like buff bots or not, you going to have to deal with it.

My personal opinion is that buff bots do hurt live support classes in that they are not as desired for groups BUT they are advantages to having an actual live player there instead a bot sitting at keep or whatever. If someone can effectively play multiple characters, then more power to them with respect to their ability to play in rvr, imo.

I am an avid multiaccount player, I can't be content to play a single character, most of the time, but in rvr, if you see me out there, your apt to be able to kill me easily because playing each effectively in that setting is not easy.

Using bots for spying is against Mythic's rules and if I know someone is doing that kind of thing, then I would ban them.

IMO the legitimate complaints (and the whines too) in our rvr mostly come from limited players not bots, fact that with only so many people on if some get to gether to do rvr then the person playing the other realm is easily overwelmed.

[Sand]

Big opposed to blocking /stick in particular, as there are plenty of uses for it by live players too.

I was out yesterday and stuck to another live person.

This is kind of the point that I was making, if you try to stop buffbots, you are taking something from active players as well, or your relying on a simple rule which would end up hurting the honest players who wont' use as you have no way of really catching the people that don't.

That character called givemeboofs at the portal keep that I noticed yesterday could be a bot, might not be, could be a player just afk for a little while. The character "myalbbot" was obviously created as a bot and they are not ashamed to deny it, you ban bots in rvr, they will just rename it, if they want to get away with it.

[Khloee]

When I think bots I think buffers at the portal keeps.

They are being used as more than just BBs nowadays, my dear.