Bot-Using Accounts Banned

[nobbie]

Bot-Using Accounts Banned - Indoflaven on 12/7/04

We have recently verified that certain individuals were using third party "bot" programs to automate their characters in World of Warcraft. A bot is used to play an account non-stop, allowing its user to accumulate money, items, and experience without actually requiring the user to be physically present to play the game. The use of bots is a violation of the World of Warcraft Terms of Use and is absolutely prohibited. Therefore, the accounts identified as having used bots have been banned.

Blizzard Entertainment is committed to maintaining an environment of fair play in World of Warcraft. As stated previously, the company has a zero-tolerance policy for cheating or hacking of any kind. Players caught using a bot program to automate any of their characters' actions will have their characters removed and their account banned. They will not receive a warning. Over 300 accounts have already been banned for offenses of this nature.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. If you suspect someone of using a bot, or wish to report other instances of cheating, please email us at hacks@blizzard.com or submit a GM ticket in-game. Thank you again for your continued support.

[Occhidiangela]

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Interesting. A friend at work is a dyed in the wool EQ II player, having become addicted to Evercrack. He described using bots for a level one character at the bazaar to sell stuff to other players while he was off line, doing such mundane things as sleeping or going to work. I wonder if that is an in game tool, or a bot.

Glad to see Blizz taking no prisoners.

Occhi

[Kevin]

Interesting.  A friend at work is a dyed in the wool EQ II player, having become addicted to Evercrack.  He described using bots for a level one character at the bazaar to sell stuff to other players while he was off line, doing such mundane things as sleeping or going to work.  I wonder if that is an in game tool, or a bot.

Glad to see Blizz taking no prisoners. 

Occhi
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I believe that there were some in game tools with EQ for stuff like that from other people I know who have played the game and mentioned the same thing.

[Rinnhart]

I believe that there were some in game tools with EQ for stuff like that from other people I know who have played the game and mentioned the same thing.
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In EQ (and EQ2 apparently), you must leave a character online as a vendor, tagged as a vendor via the /trade command, in a restricted area. Other players then buy from you like you're an NPC vendor. So long as the server stays up, so long as you don't camp out, your character will stay in the bazaar selling. This is the limit of EQ automation.

Botting will get you banned from EQ. Tradeskill bots (generally glorified macros) have been used since the early days of EQ and will result in warnings or bannings if you're caught using them.

Glad to see Blizz taking no prisoners.

All MMOs take this stuff seriously, most all of them have "zero-tolerance" policies, as well.

Part of what you're paying for is more security.

[Malakar]

It was inevitable... but so soon? :( It seems a bit early for an advanced bot to be out, unless it was being developed during beta. I hope it's not just a matter of simple macros.