We've been nice. We've been sitting on this information since September and they've done nothing despite knowing.
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Automation and Scripting - An investigation into further abuses of BGS and Powerplay
- Thread starter CMDR Tom D
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We've been nice. We've been sitting on this information since September and they've done nothing despite knowing.
No. I'm miffed because I had (or I chose, whatever) to buy more accounts so that I can vote 'Consolidate' more to counter the Bots who bought more accounts to vote to prepare a loss making PowerPlay system.
You said some of the bots were perma'd and some were temp banned during the two previous incidents, that's not doing nothing.
Yeah, read that but not sure I buy into the script not being able to determine the mode - that would likely be trivial if bypassing the launcher.
But anyway, as others have said the more grindy the game the more common this type of thing will be used. If this was developed purely for BGS manipulation then the folks that did it (or are doing it) certainly have lots of free time on their hands! Probably think of a few thousand other things to do instead...
The key word there is chose.
Actually, what you're doing also sounds 'exploity', no? One player using multiple accounts to gain an advantage over another player (or to affect the BGS) unfairly.
Hi CMDR Tom D,
Awesome documented investigation!
I’d like to throw in a suggestion your way, and if you agree, you could pass it on to FDEV. So, I suggest a simple image-based security access to Station Services like CAPTCHA e.g click on the limpet:
There are many other forms of CAPTCHA but something that works in with some Elite Dangerous lore would be nice, and I for one wouldn't mind just a little CAPTCHA when I dock to ensure our game rolls with less cheating.
Awesome documented investigation!
I’d like to throw in a suggestion your way, and if you agree, you could pass it on to FDEV. So, I suggest a simple image-based security access to Station Services like CAPTCHA e.g click on the limpet:
There are many other forms of CAPTCHA but something that works in with some Elite Dangerous lore would be nice, and I for one wouldn't mind just a little CAPTCHA when I dock to ensure our game rolls with less cheating.
No, and FDev said as such on a live stream (in relation to buying a second account for purposes of crewing up with yourself to get an extra power management pip). You buy the game once, you get all the entitlements that brings. You buy it again, you get all those entitlements again.
Although i can see this becoming annoying quickly, an idea similar to this is a fantastic idea. thanks for sharing. Will definitely mention to FDev if we get any communication with them
That is genius.. and should be so obvious.
I've said this elsewhere..
Let's look at the evidence; They were previously banned, and bought new accounts to continue whatever it is they are doing. I'm still not convinced why? And 'paying real money' to win power in the BGS on an online game? This just doesn't make sense.
Anyway; if FDev do close/ban the accounts, then one assumes, they'll buy more accounts. Then what? You're back to square one.
So; you have to close the benefit. And that's the tricky thing here. There is no economic gain to massaging the BGS? or am I missing something?
Further; Looking at this pragmatically, why are they doing it in open? If there was economic sense to this; One would think they do all this in PG or Solo, where they cannot be seen? I am convinced that there are bots and this looks like bot activity, how-ever I am not convinced that FDev can turn some switch to change it.
Additionally; Fdev are coding at the frontiers of something that has not been done before; I shout and moan about bugs and imbalance, but I am not naive to think that it is so easy. FDev I assume have some plan for the continuing year, and a limited resource to attach to that plan. How much of that resource do we want taken off and assigned to stopping one group of people attacking on system? What is needed is a more viable solution to make the entire thing a complete waste of effort for the botters. Take away the gain and you ruin their grand plan.
For sure, botters are bad and we need them gone, but focussing on just this is wrong; We/they [fdev] need to find out why. There's an old maxim in anything to do with business 'show me the money' and indeed, 'what is the benefit' and 'who gains'. Answering these questions will lead to a more general effective solution.
Let's look at the evidence; They were previously banned, and bought new accounts to continue whatever it is they are doing. I'm still not convinced why? And 'paying real money' to win power in the BGS on an online game? This just doesn't make sense.
Anyway; if FDev do close/ban the accounts, then one assumes, they'll buy more accounts. Then what? You're back to square one.
So; you have to close the benefit. And that's the tricky thing here. There is no economic gain to massaging the BGS? or am I missing something?
Further; Looking at this pragmatically, why are they doing it in open? If there was economic sense to this; One would think they do all this in PG or Solo, where they cannot be seen? I am convinced that there are bots and this looks like bot activity, how-ever I am not convinced that FDev can turn some switch to change it.
Additionally; Fdev are coding at the frontiers of something that has not been done before; I shout and moan about bugs and imbalance, but I am not naive to think that it is so easy. FDev I assume have some plan for the continuing year, and a limited resource to attach to that plan. How much of that resource do we want taken off and assigned to stopping one group of people attacking on system? What is needed is a more viable solution to make the entire thing a complete waste of effort for the botters. Take away the gain and you ruin their grand plan.
For sure, botters are bad and we need them gone, but focussing on just this is wrong; We/they [fdev] need to find out why. There's an old maxim in anything to do with business 'show me the money' and indeed, 'what is the benefit' and 'who gains'. Answering these questions will lead to a more general effective solution.
A captcha within the game?! What a fantastically ridiculous idea. 
To clarify... In a bad way.
To clarify... In a bad way.
It just seems wierrd to me to spend so much time and energy stalking people in the video game taking notes on what they do its strange u know?
Like do u also do this to ur neighbors i mean keep notes on there comings and going in note books or a spreadsheet or something?
Weirdo stalker obsession
Like do u also do this to ur neighbors i mean keep notes on there comings and going in note books or a spreadsheet or something?
Weirdo stalker obsession
If you want to make this about money, imagine someone had an idea to sell Elite Dangerous accounts which have a huge bank balance, or several end game ships, or Elite ranking etc. Then think about a low effort way to get those accounts.
That's one idea.. But.. would you do it in open? And is that much credits made by the activity mentioned here? Fighting over systems? (I don't do PP or mess with the BGS so I'll admit to being totally ignorant to it)
If it was only about money, you wouldn't. ergo, it's not about money; or, it's not only about money.
That's not just exploity it's also really really lame, but they want your cash so whatever.
If you want to play with yourself you crack on.
Everyone enjoys doing different things in their free time. For example you seem to enjoy making poorly spelled comments deriding how someone chooses to have fun and that seems ridiculous to me.
Thats a really obnoxious stance to take when we've just explained to you the scale of battle we're dealing with here.
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