Tree of Savior Forum

Suggestion for BOT problems

Suggestions Game
#1

First of all, I’m sure a lot of people has already giving so much suggestions for this “Anti-Bot” things. But most of them just “another” old ways for bot handling, which in my opinion, it is not satisfying and not ToS like.

Despite the fact that IMC team has worked hard every day to ban lot of bot user, they are still scattering around. Yes, this kind of players is persistent. They probably bot on day, and harvest the stuff on night (a.k trade the loot) to avoid the loss from banning on the next day.

My personal view of old Anti-Bot mechanism,

  1. Pop-up “Captcha” is used in most game. It is a correct method, but annoying for normal players. Imagine how it happens when you are on a massive mob or boss tanking. I don’t think you would like that.
  1. Spawning non-aggro monster with high damage? Sounds good. But, it won’t work when people set this bot to specific monster name and level.
  2. I remembered an old game which warp players who has been determined as bot to a prison field. They must stayed there for a certain hours, from three to eight then become fifteen and finally permanent after the third times of prison. This method is actually working, but people still can bot three times before getting banned.

Since ToS applied the “Report Bot” mechanism, why don’t we expand this feature further more.

My “Anti-Bot” idea is this:

  1. Any player which has been “reported as bot” by other players will be warped to a special field.
  1. Since most bot only detect monster, then there will be nothing in that special field but NPC.
  2. After the teleportation to that special field, players was required to finish certain quest with time limit from NPC in order to prove that they are not bot.
  3. After finishing the quest, player will be rewarded with an “item” and exp card (based on their level). The “item” will show random 4 digit number near a certain “exit” NPC (just like the quest item “Flask of the King’s voice”).
  4. To exit the field, player must input that number.

Example of quest which could be used:

  • Killing a specific monster (same or lower level from player)
  • Answer a simple math question
  • Specific item crafting, NPC will provided the material.
  • etc

Important Note:

  • Any kind of teleportation including warp skill or warp scroll will be disabled in this field.
  • There is a time limit in the field. Fail to exit it in time limit will be determined as bot and you’ll get your ban immediately. You can contact support and let IMC team analyze your log action in that field and last couple minutes before you were warped. For reference, AFK player will keep attack on the spot while bot player will mostly stop or moving weird.
  • This method will give an disadvantage to AFK players. But why should AFK if you really want to play a game? Too lazy to play? Go to city and AFK is the best choice :slight_smile:
  • Some players will definitely try to abuse this feature. That’s why we need countermeasure like: certain usage limit of bot report and point deducting reference, which will make player who make a false report to be banned after the point reach a certain point limit. So, be careful.
1 Like
#2

I’ve already played three games with Pop-Up Captcha systems: Kitsu Saga, Angels Online and Mabinogi. The captcha was bypassed by bots. In most cases, the captcha was bypassed within a millisecond of using the captcha system on the bot.

I’ve never seen an MMORPG that “spawns a non-aggro monster with high damage” to counter bots. Elite enemies are usually made for solo’ing or at least with the upper bracket levels for the area.

Currently, Tree of Savior uses a Bot Report Index system which flags a user with a certain number. A GM will observe the user when this number gets higher, and if they are deemed a bot, they will get a ban of a sort. Sending them to a specific area won’t do any good, bots can and are scripted to automatically delete themselves and re-create themselves in seconds if need be (For instance: if a bot receives an error when they try to whisper or send a private message, they can and will likely do that. This is why blocking bots on a blacklist isn’t a good idea, usually.)

Making a time limited thing occur is what Mabinogi had, if you didn’t answer a question or input a captcha within the time limit, you were banned or logged out of the game as a warning. This was removed from the game after it was used to grief legit players selling items AFK in stalls, etc.

“Simple” math questions can be hard, I usually have to use a calculator for most addition problems save for lower end numbers (Decimals are just a derp for me.)

As for “Any kind of teleportation,” that can be bypassed pretty easily, they do that all the time in Final Fantasy XIV, able to teleport hack around area maps to quest NPCs and whatnot (Since FFXIV doesn’t have a quest teleport system like Tree of Savior does.)

All of your anti-bot recommendations will harm players more than the bots. Considering most bots nowadays use vector-based tool-assisted systems that allow them to guess based on 3D-Space where they should go, etc. This can usually hook straight into DirectX or OpenGL.

1 Like
Yet Another Anti-Bot/Hack/Spammer Suggestion
#3

:stuck_out_tongue: this might sound really un intellectual, but can’t the devs take it to the big guy of the company who’s spawning all the bots? aren’t all the bots coming from 1 huge server? they probably have the same ip or something, not an actual suggestion… just wanted an explanation and why wouldn’t it work

oh Edit: and this one is a suggestion, does IMC bans the gold buyers as well? that should be done so gold buying from bots are discourage, i’ve seen these suggestion floating around so i thought i would bring it to the table

#4

“The Big guy” is the Better Business Bureau. Unfortunately for you, non-USA companies are exempt from BBB jurisdiction unless otherwise noted.

#5

Thanks for the opinion. Let me try to answer the best I could

It’s true that most bots nowadays use a vector-based tool to let them guess the map path. I’ve seen couple of bots moving on map in auto to the destination they’ve set. And from my past experience in lot of games, anything is actually possible.

As you said, teleport could be still possible, if the analyze was based on the 3D mapping. But what I mentioned above as special field was referred like as in the event quest map, or something like Alchemist outer world dungeon. The possible exit options available are character selection to force exit, or finishing the quest. You finish the quest, you safe from ban. You quit or abandon, you are banned.

As I mentioned already in my post, there is a possibility for abuse, and some disadvantage of course. That’s why it needs a lot of countermeasure. What I’ve mentioned in my post is just a couple I could think of, Report usage limit and the current points deduction.

Yes, it a tough work actually. Checking activity log and observe the numbers. It then puts me to a consideration to help that burden with a simpler way to catch the bots. The only work left is activity log. I think it’s still natural to be a daily basis works.
I haven’t really try the delete character feature from ToS, as now I wonder to what you had told me. If ToS implemented a timer in character deletion, then I guess it should had answered that bot can’t just easily delete and re-create themselves, unless a new account.

Last but not last,
Depending on what kind of 3D works that IMC team had integrated, I guess there is still an open possibility to implement my idea.
I’m sure it will help IMC team to do faster job in catching bot, instead of waiting for point and doing log analyzing.

#6

:slight_smile: thx for explaining

#7

Similarly, Nexon USA has opted out of BBB, and you cannot get your ticket with Nexon USA noticed through the BBB.

#8

Restricted 1:1/NPC Trade and auction based on level.

Why they Bot? usually for gold or item for sale for gold. I Suggest limited gold transaction per month based on level. under lvl 25 maximum 10k per month, between lvl 26-50 max. 50k per month, between lvl 51-100 max. 100k per month, above lvl 100 not restricted.

This because I found out, Bot and Gold seller usually using low level character. This will limit they activity. IMC can also make untradeable item rewarded in main story quest to remove restriction.

We cannot stop Bot completely, but we can make it harder for Bot and Gold seller. This also rewarded for normal player because as story progressed this restriction will removed.

#9

They had actually limit the trade even for token user.
And from how I view this BOT things, BOT happens most in games with potion to survive a.k health potion and mana potion. Second choice is games with trading system a.k in-game gold trade.
You may try compare it or count the statistic.

I wished the next development could follow how GW2 works.
You can’t trade gold. You could only get it from gems or buy things in market. It keep the game in balance. No more gold seller because it had its own market in-game.

#10

Not quite that way. You haven’t met 150++ bot with random names in less crowded map. I’ve met three each day.

#11

I really like your idea, but I think I would like to build upon it / Change it up a bit. I wouldn’t allow the players to do anything other than Report bots. The way they have it now, is fine.

:heavy_check_mark: How I would like to see it done:

  1. Place coding into every mob in the game with a 0.1% chance of triggering a special event on the player.

:trident: Special Event:
Triggers a “Bot Check” button that would appear and glow in one of the 4 corners of the player’s screen. This event is account wide and will not be lifted until the player clicks on the button. Timer will only be paused, if the player is disconnected or logs off in the middle of the event and then will resume upon login. This event will not allow the player to set up shops, trade, buy, or sell anything. Players will have to use the mouse to click on the “Bot Check” button within 5 mins of it appearing on screen. Clicking on this button will root and make the player invisible to mobs so they can play a small bot check mini game without disruptions.

:innocent: If they win, they will get a Captcha that will have to be typed in with an on screen keypad. Typing this right will give the player a reward and be immune to the bot check for 1 hour.

:rage: If they lose, type the Captcha in wrong, or do not click on the button in 5 minutes, they are kicked and are given a debuff that decrease drops and money rate by 50% for 500 mobs.

:warning: If they get kicked 2 times (on any of their characters) in a week, the 3rd time will warp the player’s whole account to the special field. (That way, they have to complete the special field’s quest line before they can play any of their characters.)

:trident: Special Field:
A Small jail looking Map with nothing but an NPC standing in front of three gateways. May not exit, warp, or leave this map unless the player completes the quest given by the NPC. The player is also reported as a “Botting Risk - Needs Investigating” to the GMs.

This quest has 3 parts:

  1. Go to 4 randomly picked points of the map where it will give you 1 puzzle piece. Will have to right click on them and in the “drop down menu” the player has to select the name of the right puzzle piece. (Hints are given by the NPC in the form of images.)

  2. Take puzzle pieces and then craft them together making a game piece.

  3. The NPC will then tell the player to burn the crafted item. The player will have buy a special bonfire from that NPC, build the bonfire and then click on the bonfire. It will burn and Black, White, or Gray smoke will rise from the fire. (This is for those that are colored blind.) Then all the player has to do is walk through the right colored gateway.

They are stuck in this map until they get it right. Each
Time the player fails, it will reset with different puzzle pieces and spots.

:warning: :bangbang: If the player fails the quest 3 times or is sent to the Special Field within 14 days of each other, the players account will be kicked for 72 hours. The system also alerts the GMs with a “High Bot Alert” message which will allow them to deal with that account.

(Nothing is given to the player as a reward on this map either, as
this map is the final chance to redeem themselves.)

…anyway… at this rate, I fear, the bots are going to run us all out of this game before IMC decides to implement anything to stop the bots… It seems like they gave up the second they opened the game to F2P…