Botting in Runescape

[Excels]

Given that Jagex is now requiring the usage of signed Java, does anyone else find it probable that Jagex - given the ability to run arbitrary code on your system through JNI - has implemented something like Warden, Punkbuster, or VAC? They could scan the memory space and your hard drive for botting programs.

 

Also, they may have rewritten key parts of their client in native code and used something like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASLR to hide their locations, preventing reflection. A further method of defence would be to somehow encrypt their network packets...

[Makoto_the_Phoenix]

Given that Jagex is now requiring the usage of signed Java, does anyone else find it probable that Jagex - given the ability to run arbitrary code on your system through JNI - has implemented something like Warden, Punkbuster, or VAC? They could scan the memory space and your hard drive for botting programs.

 

Also, they may have rewritten key parts of their client in native code and used something like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASLR to hide their locations, preventing reflection. A further method of defence would be to somehow encrypt their network packets...

 

Mm...not likely.

 

They can only get so far (in terms of both legal/ethical ramifications) with software that looks in memory. Then, if it were to actually look in memory, what would it find besides potential bot scripts? What about false positives? Sensitive information? They could be looking anywhere on the machine for all you know, and shrinkwrap agreements allow them to do that. Irritating.

 

Ultimately, no matter how you look at it - if you obfuscate your code, encrypt packets, do whatever you want to the source - the computer has to decrpyt, deobfuscate, and make sense of what this software is doing, or it simply will not run. This is why I feel that technical solutions, no matter how well thought out or effective in the short term are tantamount to building a concrete wall on sinking sand.

 

Then again, I have to consider also - what does this mean for the game's portability and edge on mobile devices, as well as its potential (although unlikely now) console market? Will this move lock out users of Mac OSX and Linux at some point in the future? I see more technical problems than solutions here.

[Excels]

Yes, there are ramifications. All anti-cheat software has them.

 

It's would be a very high impediment to bots. And yes, in the end the computer has to make sense of it; but other processes don't have to. The rs process must make sense of it, but neighboring processes don't have to make sense of it. Rs could store its keys in a hard to find memory location, and continually zerioize and change it. It could hook into available cryptographic APIs intended to hide the keys from every process but the source process. (encrypting the packets is my idea as to a countermeasure against a reverse engineered client that basically is a drop-in replacement botting client; not something I think jagex is using or needs to use).

 

I assume that they will have to port code to each device separately. It may not be necessary with Android and iOS, given the strong separations between apps. Of course, you can modify the OSes themselves...

[jasignhagj]

82,640 people currently online

 

So our 50 - 60% bot estimates were spot on, seeing as there's normally 150 - 200k on right about now.

[Kthx]

That sounds like a perfect solution for removing a significant amount of the playerbase.

 

 

You say that like it's a bad thing ... :rolleyes:

I know I'm never active, but do you always argue over the smallest details in people's posts and end everything with a :rolleyes:, :unsure:, or :huh:? I mean, it always seems like you take the fact that you're a 30 year old woman to your advantage, and post the stupidest, most annoying posts here. I'm sorry if this is considered a flaimbait post, but after almost a year of continuous lurking, I'm getting tired of it.

 

Must be doing something wrong when you even get a quiet lurker to post.... :rolleyes:

 

/rage [hide] :rolleyes: [/hide]

[RS_Qet]

That sounds like a perfect solution for removing a significant amount of the playerbase.

 

 

You say that like it's a bad thing ... :rolleyes:

I know I'm never active, but do you always argue over the smallest details in people's posts and end everything with a :rolleyes:, :unsure:, or :huh:? I mean, it always seems like you take the fact that you're a 30 year old woman to your advantage, and post the stupidest, most annoying posts here. I'm sorry if this is considered a flaimbait post, but after almost a year of continuous lurking, I'm getting tired of it.

 

Must be doing something wrong when you even get a quiet lurker to post.... :rolleyes:

 

/rage [hide] :rolleyes: [/hide]

Lol I love you. [lurkers unite]

 

@Blyaunte - you do seem to be very negative about everything..

 

I haven't managed to log on today, but from what I gather, Jagex have actually done a decent job - credit to them and let's hope this "fix" continues to work!

[Sly_Wizard]

If you look at the population graph for the 25th, you'll see that that members counted for the majority of the drop in players online. I found that a bit shocking, actually. At least that means that Jagex is serious about getting rid of bots, even if it's costing them money in membership to do so.

 

And, no, Runescape isn't a dead game. At least not yet anyway.

 

Edit: Also, from my understanding, some people are still having trouble logging in/connecting to the login server. I'd wait for maybe a week before trying to gauge the actual number of players versus bots. That is assuming the bots don't come back.

[Excels]

The idea that "getting rid of bots doesn't hurt the game" ignores the fact that the continued grind, along with bots, was decimating legitimate player activity. Bots served to mask this.

[swagcake]

don't get so excited folks...i bet bots will be back within a couple of months...it sucks, but i'm pretty sure that will happen

[pal2002]

Over the past week...bots are back in masse (I estimate about 5000-10,000) - however all the injection/reflection bots are still dead - the old pixel/color based bots are the ones back - the 2% Jagex mentioned. I won't mention the site but I'm sure it is well known by now. By the freaking cheaters as well.

 

These bots should a be a ton more easier to detect than the reflection bots -

I urge Jagex to stem the tide again this time before we get overran with these old school bots too!

 

again my advice...PERM BAN THEM! IP BAN THEM! DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN KEEP GIVING CHEATER CHANCES!

 

before RS become a sea of bots again. Also, if you care, hit some bot hot spots in F2P and use the new right click reporting function for some good. This 2nd wave of bots needs to be stopped dead for RS to remain bot free.

[Sy_Accursed]

Jagex already said they have plans in the work to break screenscrapers aka the old colour/pixel based bots.

Besides those things are bloody useless anyway; sure they can do basic tasks eg picking flax, but certainly not complex tasks like the dead bots can do; and even then they can be easily broken eg wear tht top tht is same colour as a flax and march them all away from the field so they get confused.

 

Besides I am yet to see a single bot back, and as you are a known doomsayer who doesn't even play RS, I'm wondering where your evidence for these "thousands" of bots are?

[Bxpprod]

Over the past week...bots are back in masse (I estimate about 5000-10,000)- however all the injection/reflection bots are still dead - the old pixel/color based bots are the ones back - the 2% Jagex mentioned. I won't mention the site but I'm sure it is well known by now. By the freaking cheaters as well.

 

 

[citation needed]

[Guest jrhairychest]

I'll third that.

[Trojann2]

You know what sucks about these bots being gone?

 

Dag Kings respawn a hell of a lot slower. I have to fight for worlds now.

[Marduk_God]

Some bots do seem to be back online, though. I pass by Sorceress' Garden several times a day, as I use the broomstick to bank in Shantay Pass (I train combat at bandits). Ever since the bot nuke, it's been positively deserted, but right now there are between 1-10 people there in several worlds, whereas others are deserted still. They're almost all level 3 too. In fact, there are more of them coming online as I post this (logged in to world 6 10 minutes ago, there were 2 level three's there whereas now there's nearly 10).

 

Also note the white dots on the screenshot (it was somewhat difficult gathering multiple of them into a single shot, as there's not oodles of them... yet :/).

 

 

Their pathfinding does seem to be broken, though.

[turothking]

i hope the bots never come back.

[Marduk_God]

i hope the bots never come back.

 

 

I should hope so as well, but it doesn't seem likely, does it? I haven't seen a soul there since the nuke (despite visiting three to four times a day), and all of a sudden dozens of people are coming there (all worlds combined, mind you - I visited multiple worlds to be sure). Not to mention they're almost all level 3 as well. The chances of these being legit players are rather slim, I fear.

 

EDIT: by the way, you can edit your signature in your profile, that should save you the hassle of copypasting this link in your post every time. ;-)

[turothking]

i hope the bots never come back.

 

 

I should hope so as well, but it doesn't seem likely, does it? I haven't seen a soul there since the nuke (despite visiting three to four times a day), and all of a sudden dozens of people are coming there (all worlds combined, mind you). Not to mention they're almost all level 3 as well. The chances of these being legit players are rather slim, I fear.

 

EDIT: by the way, you can edit your signature in your profile, that should save you the hassle of copypasting this link in your post every time. ;-)

 

we can always hope :P and also, those players/bots might be part of the 2% jagex were talking about.

 

oh and thanks for pointing the signature thingy out :P

[Jadinko]

Slaying is kinda screwed atm. Wish they took into account 200 pop worlds DO NOT WORK.

[Kaida23]

You should try mining on a sub-200 world. :wall: Still, it's better than having to fight bots all the time.

[turothking]

the spawn time of mobs and resources is a very low price to pay in my opinion :)

[Ieyfura]

the spawn time of mobs and resources is a very low price to pay in my opinion :)

 

 

I'm going to have to agree to a degree. The slow times may be annoying, but at least we're not always fighting for spawns all the time. But, they could have sped up the timer maybe just a little for us legit players? Pretty please? :D

[Merre]

I just passed by sorceress garden and around 20-30 L3's there running around (some stuck others working well...)

I reported every single one of them, let's hope that alarms Jagex to shutdown the stupid minigame nobody plays...

[Trey]

I just passed by sorceress garden and around 20-30 L3's there running around (some stuck others working well...)

I reported every single one of them, let's hope that alarms Jagex to shutdown the stupid minigame nobody plays...

 

Yeah I dont even know why they keep it now

I did 1 click summer garden for like 1.2m thieve exp.

[Gradeskip]

I just passed by sorceress garden and around 20-30 L3's there running around (some stuck others working well...)

I reported every single one of them, let's hope that alarms Jagex to shutdown the stupid minigame nobody plays...

 

Yeah I dont even know why they keep it now

I did 1 click summer garden for like 1.2m thieve exp.

Same, and still go there from time to time for thief xp.