EVE General Discussion

... CCP Sreegs, why not use Quantum key distribution alongside simple data encryption to secure data going from the CCP servers to the Client to basically eradicate the injected Python and packet sniffing Bots??

ideed it is chrib! =)

v0v

I'm waiting for someone to make a bot that consists of a webcam pointed at the screen, a board of solenoids over the keyboard, an X-Y mechanical plotter to move the mouse and a separate computer to run it all.

This coupled with custom ship paint could yield hilarious results.

would love for you to expand on that sentence Nephilius.

The conspiracy is strong in this one...

You will never stop the mass bot operations that do it for profit. Here or in any game. If there is a demand, someone will be more than happy to meet it. Selling currency for real money has been around since the 90's and so has game automation. It's not going anywhere.

Now If you want to stop the average player(s) in eve that use bots you need to look at why they bot. If you can't figure out the game mechanics that turn an average 'player' towards automation, take your blinders off. It's the eve developers that would have to institute changes to the game to curb this behavior.

I'm sure CCP already has their own detection methods for all the popular bot software. Do you really think a company does not have their own security team that purchase this software break down it's functions and devise ways of detection? Give them some credit. What do you think would happen if CCP perma banned every account that ever used some type of automation? I would lay odds that their active user account graphic would be taking a serious nose dive. Just watch the stats after a major patch and all the bots are down to get a general idea of how much botting activity goes on in Eve.

The average player 'botting' is not hurting CCP if anything it's keeping them in business. I would gather that majority of bots users are not botting to RMT. They are doing it to support multiple accounts. Which if you play this game for any length of time you will see most players have 3,4,5+ accounts to play it efficiently. A guy in my last corp had 10 accounts! This leads back to eve real time mechanics.

Eve's mechanics push it's customers into multiple accounts. This artificially inflates their customer numbers. It also lets them garner more $$ out of a single customer than any other game. This is much needed when your game is so micro niche it doesn't attract a large customer base to support itself. They also have an insanely high turn around of eve / new players to the game because of it's general game play. Everyone knows eve is 'different' and is a 'higher' learning curve. (least that's what they like to say) Doesn't take a rocket scientist to play eve.. Just a patient player that's willing to spend years to get anywhere in quite honestly some extremely boring combat. Then right when the player thinks they are at a good place and want to try something new they load up evemon and find out they can easily fill up another 365 day plan to take another year of their life. ... (ok, so I'm a little bitter)

So what does hurt CCP....

The large scale bot 'operations' that sell ISK. These operations hinder CCP's own RMT system. If people are purchasing ISK via websites or through in game traders this takes money out of CCP's pocket. These players are not purchasing time codes and turning them into plex to 'buy' their ISK properly. Thus CCP plex system is not working to it's full potential. So whom should they go after first. Joe-Bob that's simply trying to support his multiple accounts (that eve's own mechanics force him into) or (insert cheap labor cost country) that's running mass operations and selling ISK & Plex for $$ causing CCP to take a loss?

I'm not saying that normal players botting is right or wrong. I'm just pointing out that people should be more objective on this subject instead of just picking up a torch and pitchfork. Want to stop 'normal' players from botting look towards the developers of the game to address the issues on why a 'normal' player that would never use a bot turns to automation after coming to their game.

A legitimate suggestion should be emailed directly to CCP Sreegs, I'm sure someone can give you the specific email address as my memory isn't that precise anymore (wouldn't want to steer you wrong).

I have a feeling this is probalby something they have already, or currently are, looking into.

As to the others that leap to the conclusion that CCP would be hurt by decreasing the bot population... you don't understand the full ramifications of the problem and how it affects their bottom line in a multitude of ways.

CCP would end up being miles ahead in the game, as would the player base, if it were possible to flip a switch and banish all bots from EVE. Not to mention all that good press for making history.

If CCP Screegs reads this, please know, it is not a false idea.

I have had the idea many times, and none of those times was it false. It was a real idea.

Also, just have a captcha phrase on every action in eve lol

it doesnt matter... the part that i was asking has been elaborated on and explained.