Is Jagex doing SOMETHING about the autoing problem? 600+

[WookieeMania12]

Hello people! 8-)

 

 

 

There has been a lot of macro-chants lately; some people like it and some people think that Jagex is doing nothing to autoers. However, I will post things about Jagex and macros that may shock some of you.

 

 

 

Before that day in May, macroners were at their all-time high in fishing, wcing, and any macro infested skill. Before, sharks were at 800gp-1k ea; when the bots had their infestation, now sharks were at 300gp-400gp ea. It was a dark time for shark fishers and a good time for the buyers. The buyers admit those good days were over when Jagex managed to have an important announcement that the bots got a big-time sucka punch. This spewed a lot of controversy from buyers and possibly the people who run macro-shops. Here's why:

 

 

 

On May 1, 2007, Jagex tells the public of RS this:

 

 

 

"Over the last couple of weeks we've had a sudden increase in reports of people apparently using 'bots' to play the game automatically (which is in breach of Rule 7). Firstly, we want to let all our honest players (and that's the vast majority of you) know that we are aware of this problem, and that we are taking immediate steps to tackle it. We currently ban about 8000 accounts every week for trying this sort of cheating, and for a long time that kept things under control. Things have clearly moved on, however, and that is no longer enough, so we are in the process of upgrading our detection and prevention systems. We also have logs of historical activity, so we'll be able to make sure that dishonesty doesn't pay. Please bear with us while we sort it out! There are also ways you can help us, so please read on.

 

 

 

What's happening is more complex than it first seems. What's actually going on is that the VAST majority of the level-3 characters you see playing the game repetitively and not talking to anyone, are actually people from countries such as China and Korea, who are trying to collect RuneScape gold to sell for real world money (obviously against the rules). Some of them aren't even using bots, they are just playing the game very repetitively with a single-minded purpose to collect gold. These people have no interest in playing the game properly, and therefore don't care if they get banned. The final effect is the same, though ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Ãâ it spoils the game for everyone else.

 

 

 

We can (and do) ban them - including using IP bans - but they still find ways to make accounts. We seized 6 billion in RuneScape gold by banning real-world traders last week! Unfortunately, these people are obliged to work such long hours and are paid such low wages that if even a tiny fraction of gold makes it to the market, those running the sweatshops will be encouraged to continue. This is why we are now further increasing our efforts.

 

 

 

So how to stop it? The answer is clearly to tackle the black market. As long as there is the potential to make money, they won't stop trying, even though it damages the game for everyone else. Of course, if nobody spent real world money on RuneScape gold these unwelcome groups would just switch to a different game.

 

 

 

Therefore, we are going to be cracking down HARD on people who breach Rule 12 (no real world trading). We can catch people who break this rule, because we have a sophisticated trade monitoring system and we can trace suspicious activity all the way back to the original bot accounts.

 

 

 

If you break Rule 12 and buy RuneScape gold you are directly funding this problem. You are funding underground gangs who run Chinese sweatshops, and creating the black market which causes this botting problem. Therefore, this rule will now be enforced as a priority, with no second chances. If you break Rule 12 and we catch you, then you will not only lose the money you spent, but also your entire account. Obviously, we will always be careful to make sure nobody is banned in error.

 

 

 

Finally, we have noticed some 3rd party sites, which call themselves 'fansites', but then advertise black market trading sites. This will no longer be tolerated. By running such advertising these sites are directly supporting these gangs, and are thus causing the botting problems they then complain about! We don't consider sites that encourage our players to break the rules and endanger their own users to be 'fansites'. (i.e. They're advertising things to their users, which, if the advertising works, will serve to get their users banned!) We consider them cheat sites, and they will be treated accordingly. True fans of the game donÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t encourage cheating!

 

 

 

This brings us to the last point. HOW YOU CAN HELP! You can help us by:

 

 

 

1. Using the in-game 'report abuse' facility to tell us about players you see breaking rule 7. Of course we're not going to ban anyone just on the basis of a player report and will always thoroughly check them ourselves, too - but such reports still help us know who we should be checking up on.

 

 

 

2. Boycott any corrupt 'fansites' which advertise RuneScape gold for sale. There are plenty of genuine fansites out there who don't support cheating in this way, and we fully support those sites. Use those ones instead. Also, don't advertise, link to, or talk about any of these corrupt fansites. Obviously, if they stop supporting cheating, you can start using them again.

 

 

 

3. Under absolutely no circumstances buy RuneScape gold/items for real money! Doing so causes this whole problem, and we'll ban you if we catch you doing it.

 

 

 

The number of honest players still far, far outweighs the tiny minority causing trouble. Now weÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re on the case you can be sure weÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ll have this sorted out asap."

 

 

 

They tell us that these bots are from many Asian countries like China and Korea and that they want to make a buck by running illegal programs. Also encouraging us to boycott any corrupt fansite and asks us to report "suspicious behaviour" seemed to have ruined RS or did it?

 

 

 

Soon after this message there were very few bots around the fishing guild and the popular F2p yew spot. Shark prices started rising higher and higher to the price it deserved: 850gp-1k ea. But why did people have such an uproar over this?

 

 

 

Many people considered this as a racist issue; they either didn't understand or encouraged the rumor just to make sure that bots win. Even buyers didn't like it and had all kinds of examples that bots "help" the economy. However, this does nothing but damage the economy as bots ruin the game for everybody else.

 

 

 

Already Jagex faces controversy over its rule 12 enforcement and possibly accidentally banning people for exchanging large amounts of gp or items to each other. Many people decided to make it look like a trade and ever since that idea went out; very few posts claimed they were banned unfairly.

 

 

 

Jagex may not be there for you 24/7 but they are there when it comes to a full-scare macro invasion like the past few months before the May 1 Bot massacre. It may get tiring just to report those autoers but as long as they get a higher chance of getting spotted; it makes things good for everybody.

 

 

 

According to many examples ingame, Jagex is doing all kinds of hard work on macros and keeping all kinds of rules safe. Although making certain updates that people dislike, they still care about the community or it wouldn't be be as popular as it is. Bots will never die but neither will the people that report them as very few quit the job.

 

 

 

 

 

Any posts regarding this will be gladly (and sometimes unfortunately) taken. However, one rule should be noted before posting:

 

 

1. there will be NO flame wars or name calling or abusing someone due to their beliefs or the person who wrote it :P

[mrmyk]

Well them saying 8000 accounts have been banned a week kinda answers the question for this one.

[Danqazmlp]

Well them saying 8000 accounts have been banned a week kinda answers the question for this one.

 

 

 

Yup, as long as jagex are banning accounts, i'll be happy.

 

 

 

Even if say 1/100 of those accounts are unfaairly banned, Its the lesser of 2 evils, a world full of macros or a few wrongly banned accounts?

 

 

 

also 2/3 of wrongly banned accounts can probably appeal the ban, as macros probably don't even try to appeal.

[Owned_Nex]

They ban 8k acts. 10k is made. Personally, im an Asian(Chinese actully) and im fairly offended. True, alot of people in China does this, but thats simply racist.

[WookieeMania12]

They ban 8k acts. 10k is made. Personally, im an Asian(Chinese actully) and im fairly offended. True, alot of people in China does this, but thats simply racist.

 

 

 

However, if they said "people from Mexico" they'd be all up on Jagex. We all know for sure Jagex is referrencing the "underground sweatshops and Chinese gold farmers." It may sound racist but if you read it carefully, it is far from that.

 

 

 

P.S If Jagex said certain Americans were responsible then Americans would be up against this.

[Danqazmlp]

U know though, they probably ARE right on there locationioning of these sweatshops (cant imagine a sweatshop full of computers and lil kids playing them ), but remember, jagex are a MULTIMILLION doller company, im sure they did thier research on this and they are probably right.

[ChickyBee32]

They ban 8k acts. 10k is made. Personally, im an Asian(Chinese actully) and im fairly offended. True, alot of people in China does this, but thats simply racist.

 

 

 

If a lot of people do it, then how is stating it racist?

 

 

 

Edited to add: I think you're missing the point. Jagex are not banning the accounts because they are based in Asian countries. They are banning the accounts, which happen to be based in Asian countries because they are breaking the rules.

[highlanders]

In China, some people are paid to gold farm on Rs.

 

Then they just sell the money on money selling websites.

 

I don't see why anyone from China should get offended, not more than getting offended by Chinese sewing shoes. It's just the same, but a different industry.

[Latinoking]

Well them saying 8000 accounts have been banned a week kinda answers the question for this one.

 

 

 

Yup, as long as jagex are banning accounts, i'll be happy.

 

 

 

Even if say 1/100 of those accounts are unfaairly banned, Its the lesser of 2 evils, a world full of macros or a few wrongly banned accounts?

 

 

 

also 2/3 of wrongly banned accounts can probably appeal the ban, as macros probably don't even try to appeal.

 

 

 

How would you feel if you got wrongfully banned?

 

 

 

Pretty mad no? So why let Jagex wrongfully ban people?

[WookieeMania12]

he never said anything about any joy of banning innocent accounts. Yes, Jagex is doing their best to make things fair for us but they will make very few mistakes.

 

 

 

Jagex told us and did not cover up the fact of the Asian gold farmers which was the right thing. We shouldn't get offended as they are telling as it is; they are referencing the sweatshops that have gold farmers and not all of Asia.

[Rollyboy]

"For many online gamers, the point is no longer simply to play. Instead they hunt for the fanciest sword or the most potent charm, or seek a shortcut to the thrill of sparring at the highest level. And all of that is available - for a price." (New York Times, 2005)

 

 

 

Get rid of gold buyers, you eleminate the majority of bots.

 

 

 

Game over for bots.

 

 

 

If the majority are Asians who "farm" the gold, who buys them?

[WookieeMania12]

evidently people that don't want to work for gp

[highlanders]

If the majority are Asians who "farm" the gold, who buys them?

 

They sell it to certain websites who then re-sell at a higher price and make a profit. Even you or me could sell money to those websites. I recall I have something like 170USD worth of Rs money, so I could sell it for ~85USD to one of those websites. :lol:

 

 

 

And people who buy from those websites, well, probably newbies who want to get some money in order to start the game with an advantage, or mid-lvl newbies such as ~lvl 50-70.

[Alg]

 

And people who buy from those websites, well, probably newbies who want to get some money in order to start the game with an advantage, or mid-lvl newbies such as ~lvl 50-70.

 

you'd be surprised...i've seen 90+ who bought their gold, one of which went straight to w6... the next person was a level 70 generic p2p staker, then came average players.

[Kiriyama]

They ban 8k acts. 10k is made. Personally, im an Asian(Chinese actully) and im fairly offended. True, alot of people in China does this, but thats simply racist.

 

 

 

You are right it seems, so if theres this level 3 skiller from China, not talking because he doesn't understand much english, he gets banned because of Jagex's stance, seriously if some fat [bleep] can win a suit against a fast food company for making him fat, then how can Jagex hope to win if someone takes that statement the wrong way?

[Solidus_77]

Not only they ban macroers but they ban the buyers too. Less people have the incentive to buy rs gp from real world money which is the same as saying the demand for rs gp falls. So less money means a big dent in the profits for macroers. Good thing. The idea I think is to get to the point where these underground sweatshops are better off polluting another MMORPG.

 

 

 

I havn't looked at the current "exchange rate" so to speak of gp to $ (partly out of fear) but it would be interesting to know if the price of gp is going down and the rate at which it goes down.

 

 

 

They ban 8k acts. 10k is made. Personally, im an Asian(Chinese actully) and im fairly offended. True, alot of people in China does this, but thats simply racist.

 

 

 

That's not racism, you're misinterpreting their accusations. Racism would be "all Asians playing runescape are macroers" because it would have to target all Asians which isn't anywhere near what they said. In fact, they didn't even say "Chinese are causing the problem" they say "Chinese underground sweatshops are causing the problem". They are accusing a specific group of Chinese people which, I assume, you are not part of. So they are not all Chinese people, let alone all Asian people so therefore there's nothing to be offended of.

[WookieeMania12]

Exactly, the point of macroning is to support the buyers but if you get the buyers first, it'll kill a lot of macro-techs. You may not get banned for an item scamming trick but you'll get banned for the biggest issue in RS. I think that's pretty fair as Jagex wants this macro s*** (censored for a reason) taken care of.

[ChickyBee32]

They ban 8k acts. 10k is made. Personally, im an Asian(Chinese actully) and im fairly offended. True, alot of people in China does this, but thats simply racist.

 

 

 

You are right it seems, so if theres this level 3 skiller from China, not talking because he doesn't understand much english, he gets banned because of Jagex's stance, seriously if some fat [bleep] can win a suit against a fast food company for making him fat, then how can Jagex hope to win if someone takes that statement the wrong way?

 

 

 

But you know what? That's not Jagex's problem. If a player understands enough english to create an account and play the game, they should be able to appeal.

 

 

 

As for a case? Oh please. This is easily one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard. It is not racism to say that a certain ethnic group are doing something when you have evidence to back up that statement. Also, can you point me in the direction of the case where the fast food company actually lost the case? I can't find anything.

[WookieeMania12]

Yeah, the point of Jagex to tell us the truth should be taken in as the truth. If they were Mexicans I'd believe it.

[Halo_2_4_U]

Just last Saturday I found hundreds of macroers cutting yews between Lumbridge and Draynor on a free world.

 

If that many macro accounts can make it past 60 WC, Jagex doesn't seem to be stepping up to the plate very well. :thumbdown:

 

 

 

I reported around 200 of 'em, resulting in five letters of recognition from Jagex. \

 

 

 

Yeah, the point of Jagex to tell us the truth should be taken in as the truth. If they were Mexicans I'd believe it.

 

 

 

Mexicans? Why? Getting a little racy there. -.-

[highlanders]

 

And people who buy from those websites, well, probably newbies who want to get some money in order to start the game with an advantage, or mid-lvl newbies such as ~lvl 50-70.

 

you'd be surprised...i've seen 90+ who bought their gold, one of which went straight to w6... the next person was a level 70 generic p2p staker, then came average players.

 

It's pretty pathetic lvls 90+ need to buy their gold, but it's plausible.

[TheWilch]

wonder what kind of other things jagex could do?

 

 

 

terminate free 2 play? :twisted:

 

add an extra $5 to the membership fee.

 

 

 

i could see a huge decrease in auto'ers with just the extra $5 on the fee, but the removal of f2p would probably cause a drastic flop with jagex's future members so that would never happen.

 

 

 

those were the only 2 other solutions i could think of and there terrible ideas and i never said i supported them so dont start flaming me because your short another $5 please.

 

 

 

but any 1 else have any other good ideas to stop the autoing or gold farming? specifically the gold farmers because thats just pathetic, reguardless of race, location, history, or poverty level.

[WookieeMania12]

There are rants on the forum about getting banned and somehow they slip in the fact that they bought gold online. Then they covered up the fact and spewed that Jagex banned them for no reason. :^o

 

 

 

The thing is, as long as people buy gold, autoers would exist. If people stopped buying them, autoers decrease. Some use autoers for bank purposes but some are doing it as in gold farmer-style.

[Ginger_Warrior]

I'll divide this post into two main parts. The first about the racism claims, the second about the actions on macroing.

 

 

 

Firstly, I feel that Jagex were pretty irresponsible in saying that Chinese sweatshops were the main problem. If they'd have had any sense about them, they'd have just said "foreign", to avoid that kind of controversy. And while there are places in China that employ people to earn RS gold and sell it for real money, such places exist all over the world where RS can be played. On an additional note, if most (in fact, nearly all) of RS's players are non-Asian, then does that make it a Chinese-exclusive issue? No. According to basic economics of supply and demand, someone has to buy the product in order for that market to exist, and therefore need a supply. Therefore, it would make more sense to me to point the finger not at those which provide an illegal service to players, but to those who actually use that service and, in doing so, fuel its need and growth. So, yes, Jagex were pretty judgemental (I don't know about racist as such) regarding this issue. Also, they made it quite clear that most shops were in China. Now if that's true, then fine I'll accept that statement, but it does imply that they understand this is not an Asia-exclusive problem.

 

 

 

Secondly, I think the whole policy of "Getting rid of macroers" is incredibly dillusional. Macroing is seen by many as a form of cheating - a way to get from A to B using a quick, easy way, albeit unintentional by the game's designers. Cheating has existed ever since the dawn of time in all walks of life, just more prominently so in gaming. What Jagex is effectively asking for is to remove the culture of cheating in gaming. Now, I don't condone cheating, but I find this deeply misguided. There will always be people who want to beat the game in an easier way to the normal way, just as there are people who would rather cheat their way to the top in their careers in real life. While that (arguably natural) human desire exists, there will always be a market to supply ways to fulfill that desire, and hence, there will always be people who code and locate possible cheats/hacks/glitches. Therefore, when Jagex goes around saying "We're going to get rid of macroers from this game", I think they're being quite stupid actually, and it's clear they've not actually thought of the problem, or at least the causation of the problem, in any detail.

 

 

 

Has Jagex done enough? Hmm... I would be quick to say they should have dealt with this in the bud at RSC, but that would be like saying you didn't support the Iraq War, yet don't have any solutions to solve the current problem - it's a pointless view. 8,000 accounts sounds all very good, but how do we know they're just calling our bluff here? When you think about it, that's one account in just over a minute. That seems like a very high rate of accounts being disabled, and it almost leads me to believe that it's too high, and they're lying. Jagex needs to provide its own in-game updates to reduce players' dependacies on Gold shops before it can even hope of solving this. Take away the market, you stop the trade.

 

 

 

As for people saying they need to close the shops... well... how can they? They can ban the people playing the game, I'll agree, but they can't physically tell them to close down the shop for it. They're under their own laws, and just because Jagex doesn't like a shop for promoting what it sees as unethical ways of playing its game, doesn't mean they can demand the shop's closure. If they did have that power, Tip.It would have been closed a loooong time ago...

[m4tty]

they should just ban all chinese ip's from rs, problem solved.