Automation and Scripting - An investigation into further abuses of BGS and Powerplay

[Vorxian]

Cudos to the OP for a most awesome investigation.

That said... how exactly does the BGS actually mess up game play? If there's morons stamping sand castles, just go somewhere they aren't. I personally have never dabbled in the BGS, most likely because it's like a grain of salt in the Pacific for me.. whatever i do is so insignificant that it genuinely feels like I'm wasting precious game time. I have more fun on my own inside jumponium taking screenshots.

:-|


PS : Slopey, my 7yr old daughter made a bot today at school... cardboard shoebox, foil wrap and some tissue rolls

 

[Stigbob]

Cudos to the OP for a most awesome investigation.

That said... how exactly does the BGS actually mess up game play? If there's morons stamping sand castles, just go somewhere they aren't. I personally have never dabbled in the BGS, most likely because it's like a grain of salt in the Pacific for me.. whatever i do is so insignificant that it genuinely feels like I'm wasting precious game time. I have more fun on my own inside jumponium taking screenshots.

:-|


PS : Slopey, my 7yr old daughter made a bot today at school... cardboard shoebox, foil wrap and some tissue rolls

She should name it Tinribs.

 

[Globusdiablo]

...
Your game is one of a kind and it's disgraceful that people abuse it. This needs fixing ASAP.

And to think that some would say that Elite: Dangerous is just a game. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, but I can appreciate the dedication on display in your post.

 

[Globusdiablo]

In my mind I always had the feeling when you want to do something doubtful, the best way is not to be suspicious. The users of the bot might had thought FD would be more focused on detecting automated scripts in solo/PG modes as the 'hiding modes' instead of the plain sight of open.

Ah yes. So stupid it's clever.

 

[Globusdiablo]

To be honest I don't really believe that.

If you've ever followed an NPC around you'll know they just jump around aimlessly.

Try it, find a nice trader ship a T7 or similar, manifest scan it, to see it's carrying a 200 domestic appliances (or whatever), then follow it from system to system. You will see how important those domestic appliances are to the economy as the NPC just jumps around never actually delivering them.

Are you stalking NPCs?!...[where is it]

Sorry, sorry. I was just leaving.

 

[Globusdiablo]

...This seems personal.

Prudent point.

 

[CMDR Tom D]

Are you stalking NPCs?!...[where is it]

Don't even, you've missed the drama around the s word.

 

[Globusdiablo]

Don't even, you've missed the drama around the s word.

I didn't. Hence the silly comment... I actually read through this whole debacle. Quite enlightening.

I hope your efforts are rewarded btw.

 

[znôrt]

So either FDev makes bots available for everyone to use or for no one. The cats out; there is no going back now.

i think you vastly underestimate the size and weight of frontier's cojones ...

 

[Backelaer]

I know you're all very clever and all that, but could we leave the instruction manual style, how to hack ED comments out of this thread.

Just don't see the point unless you're trying to encourage folk to write bots.

At least that would level the playing field a bit. And it'd force FDev to do something about it. But I trust them to acknowledge the severity of this issue anyway.

Kirby's got a point here perhaps, Bitstorm. It's a weird twist on the Streisand-effect that might force FDev to actually act on this.
I know a lot of people don't do PP and couldn't give a rats behind about all of this, but don't the people that do actively participate in PP deserve a fair and level playingfield?

 

[DNA-Decay]

MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION
The rise of SKYNET.

Vectron said a while back that he wouldn't use a bot in 10,000 years.

I'd like to advocate the opposite.

When our enemies use chemical attacks, we should use chemical attacks.
When our enemies drop nukes, retalliation should be nuclear.
Their athletes use performance enhancing drugs? - Ours should too.

Power Play should no longer be the realm of who can command the most loyalty, put in the most hours, have the most vibrant community.
No.
It can now become who has the most talented programmers. Who can write the most inventive and invisible bots. Who can leverage the most value per alt account. Who can cover their purchasing tracks the best. Who can automate processes the most efficiently.

I know there are brilliant coders in The Alliance.

Coders who build robust infrastructure for tracking, command and control.
Coders with wit and talent.
When I walk the halls of Alliance Discord comms I see Chat Bots that engage with external databases.
They are funny and engaging as well as informative.

If the enemies of the Alliance use bots, the Alliance should develop better bots.

Gloves off.
War by all means necessary.

The ides of March will bring the Rise of SkyNet.

My Voice Attack and my Alt Account stand ready.

 

[raeat]

Silence, as they say, is consent.

The only response we've received from FDev in this thread has been a call for silence (go through official - read: inefficacious - channels). They hope the matter will just go away, but it is not just going away for we players.

And now we are being told talk of how to make bots work is not permitted here. So non-cheaters are not even allowed to have the information to get back on an even footing with the cheaters, who, remember, are still are not being dealt with by FDev.

That is favouratism for the bot-makers, and is utterly deplorable and shameful.

And the cheaters look gleefully on as their bots break the rules and the game.

 

[raeat]

Lave Radio interviews our JTrinity and TomD from this thread on the topic of the botting:

Lave Radio Episode 191
Just use the above in a search.

 

[CMDR Tom D]

Gloves off.
War by all means necessary..

Did you just advocate for bot use DNA?

 

[DNA-Decay]

Did you just advocate for bot use DNA?

If PowerPlay is to be fought with bots.

Then let the best bots be Alliance bots.

 

[raeat]

I suspect DNA-Decay is just jumping a bit to a possible, very unfortunate eventuality. I do note his latest statement is in the form of an if->then conditional.
Hopefully FDev makes such an eventuality unnecessary, but what if they don't or won't? There will be no choice if you want to remain competitive.

 

[DNA-Decay]

No Prisoners.

NO PRISONERS!

 

[Deareim]

Kirby's got a point here perhaps, Bitstorm. It's a weird twist on the Streisand-effect that might force FDev to actually act on this.
I know a lot of people don't do PP and couldn't give a rats behind about all of this, but don't the people that do actively participate in PP deserve a fair and level playingfield?

there are more than 3 people that still playing PP ?? I am huge fan of them then..

Silence, as they say, is consent.

The only response we've received from FDev in this thread has been a call for silence (go through official - read: inefficacious - channels). They hope the matter will just go away, but it is not just going away for we players.

And now we are being told talk of how to make bots work is not permitted here. So non-cheaters are not even allowed to have the information to get back on an even footing with the cheaters, who, remember, are still are not being dealt with by FDev.

That is favouratism for the bot-makers, and is utterly deplorable and shameful.

And the cheaters look gleefully on as their bots break the rules and the game.

who is we ? Just curious.

 

[raeat]

Anyone participating in this thread, including you.

 

[Deareim]

To be honest, i have played a lot of online game before and i know already it is a lost battle. Just live with it or change game (no offense in my words).
That is why I don’t really care even if i feel for OP. And it just a game, not your life.

And finally, all the drama on this thread, i think it is exactly what the guy was lookong for when he put the bots in open.