Mini-pets picking up gold
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10287920
I seriously think that the idea itself is good, but the concern is a possible valid consideration.
I have heard that Anet has put some anti-bot coding, like measuring rates at which items are picked up or bought or sold (Although I am not sure whether its true, not really seen it in real action, nor do I know whether it really runs ).
These type of coding, can be easily circumvented, simply by lowering sale/purchase items rates and item pick up rates. As such, from my perspective are actually not really that effective.
Before I move into the idea, a very short introduction. A bot is mainly an automaton, a program which runs by itself, without any human assistance. Its main aim is to allow the computer to complete a task effectively, probably even more efficiently then a human.
More advanced bots can even possess certain levels of AI, allow them to exhibit even more human like behaviour.
In the case of GW here, the bot is likely a farm bot, whereby it goes into a combat instance, kills, then picks up loot, go back into town, and repeat the process over and over again.
That being said, it can arguably be more efficient then a human, given that it is tireless and relentless.
But for all the effectiveness of a Bot, and the strength of its AI, it has still one major fault. Image recognition. Thus the idea to deal with Bots is a simple one. In fact, this idea is already in use. ( You see it in action, whenever you sign up for a new email account )
Thus my idea is this:
Upon entering any new instance, force the players to do a one time image verification entry similar to the one below
Image from Google Image email account creation verification system.
Edit: Simplier, yet more effective ideas.
1. A slow 3-D floating and revolving singular alphabet or a number. ( Please guys, don't tell me you cannot even recognise 1 of those right ?
)2. An image or a singular alphabet or number which is moving randomly in a confined space.
To the normal player, this is nothing more then a minute hindrance. After all, if you are a player of GWs, you can sure recognise letters and alphabets, and type out what you see accordingly.
Since it only occurs only upon entry of the instance, it won't impede any form of human game play greatly.
The reverse however can be said of a bot. For all its capabilities, even with the best AI nowadays, image recognition is not exactly its real strong point. A simple image verification system like this will severly cripple a bot, as chances are, it is unable to recognise what the numbers or letters are typed within the image.
While it won't stop botting 100% of the time, it would force a botter to have to constantly monitor every run a bot makes everytime it changes an instance.
That in essence in itself, impedes if not cripples him. As, the bot is NO longer as efficient as it seems.
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