Regarding Malicious Third-Party Programs used in FINAL FANTASY XI (12/24/2009)

[Aksannyi]

People said the same thing when the salvage bans dropped, and there were still quite a few people of worth that didn't get caught up in all that. We had two people get banned from that, both of whom were temp only. To say "everyone of note" is a bit of bullshit. Sure, plenty of well-known and high profile players were caught, but just as many of them were still around with their original characters.

To be fair, I don't claim to have been one of those high profile players. But my linkshell was full of them and we lost no one to the salvage bans.

It's some retarded breakup mentality, "You'll never get by without me, etc." that people seem to have, when really, the game went on without them. Yeah, it changed a bit, but for people saying "No one of value is left," you're all retarded, and for people saying, "Oh, good, all the cheaters are gone now," you're also retarded.

My point is there's still plenty of both.

[Yabby]

People said the same thing when the salvage bans dropped, and there were still quite a few people of worth that didn't get caught up in all that. We had two people get banned from that, both of whom were temp only. To say "everyone of note" is a bit of bullshit. Sure, plenty of well-known and high profile players were caught, but just as many of them were still around with their original characters.

To be fair, I don't claim to have been one of those high profile players. But my linkshell was full of them and we lost no one to the salvage bans.

It's some retarded breakup mentality, "You'll never get by without me, etc." that people seem to have, when really, the game went on without them. Yeah, it changed a bit, but for people saying "No one of value is left," you're all retarded, and for people saying, "Oh, good, all the cheaters are gone now," you're also retarded.

My point is there's still plenty of both.

Man i don't know what your talking about. If you don't post on BG and all endgame shells know your name, you are a no body, You suck at the game, and when the important great players of the game get banned you sir will quit because you have nothing to live up to.

[Aksannyi]

Touche.

[Yabby]

lol it was a joke.

[Julian]

I don't think you realize how many people bot. Claim bots, craft bots, fish bots. If they were serious about it, we're talking 3-4 servers worth of people easily. Think about it. At least one full ls per server plus other botters. Also, like it or not, windower and all the accesories like ap radar are equally against the rules as botting are. Everyone who thinks they're above botters, the tos doesn't discriminate. ALL third party apps are against the tos. Personally, I think people who ignore the fact that windower is against the rules too are the arrogant ones. I await them going on a crusade. I have my WoW account ready if I get banned.

I don't think you realize how many people don't bot.

The game lived on after salvage bans, and it will continue to live on after this "ban," assuming it ever happens.

I personally think the game would be a lot more peaceful and enjoyable with those kinds of people gone, tbh.

[Destinye]

lol it was a joke.

Yet its so true lol.

[Aksannyi]

lol it was a joke.

I know lol

[Alathar]

I've read that appeal before. I know SE haven't made any claims regarding that, but I said IF SE goes so far to punish the people behind this, they would most likely follow Blizzard's footsteps. Even then, it is a very gray area, and may not even succeed.

They're going to try very hard to succeed. I'm not sure about the US system, but I know that the Canadian one is precedent-based. i.e. much of the ruling is based off of previous cases. If SE can win their first case, following ones shouldn't be too hard to win. On that note, since Blizzard has already brought forward a case, they can use that case to strengthen their own (provided it wins).

[NynJa]

Something else that's funny is that a hell of a lot of "bot" users (myself included) hardly use the claiming function at all, so please focus more on how me not getting locked in position whilst activating a JA without having to blink out is ruining your gameplay experience. Merry Christmas, idiots.

this, a lot of ppl cry bot, but much of whqt app did is reqdily usable in a lot of approved
programs. Apradar shows mob corpses, which is all you need for ixion/sandworm camping. Spellcast is the same thing as a scripting function, more powerful even than what u could do wth scripts via pre/post spell clauses.

Most of the people who cry about bots use spellcast, use apradar, and other various game enhancing tools, tools that do the very same things that app did. Bunch of fucking hypocrites imo.


Once again, SE's opening to shut down app was not the fact it was a bot, it was the fact it infringed on copyrights, via using its models and name without SE's
permission. Thats why when it shut down, he blocked out the ff images and changed name.

[Yabby]

I know lol

damnit....

Anyways the one thing i missed about app users.... teleports. I remember /sh for a tele for 10 mins before a LS mate gave me one... at one point i was /sh for 10k and nothing.

[Phraust]

I don't think you realize how many people don't bot.

The game lived on after salvage bans, and it will continue to live on after this "ban," assuming it ever happens.

I personally think the game would be a lot more peaceful and enjoyable with those kinds of people gone, tbh.

Addendum:

Not saying no one bots, but I do agree people overestimate how many do. It's the same egocentric brain process that makes you cheat that makes you think everyone else does too. When these threads come up it's the same 20-30 people, not hundreds and thousands, that chime in about how everyone bots... Thats' not the majority. If anything its probably the top three to four linkshells on each server, which is at best 80 or so people per. Some people are in those linkshells and don't even bot. Most people avoid those linkshells cause they'd rather play the game instead of just watch it.

To the individuals saying "It's too late, they should have done ______ earlier." They're not X years behind, they're about a year ahead. This isn't "They should have done this back in 2004." This is "They're sending a clear message to the users of thier game in 2010." Also note, I doubt Nasa and App was even available in 2004... So saying they should have done something about about something that doesn't exist is kinda wierd. And coincidentally, they are doing something about something that doesn't exist RE: Bots in FFXIV.

And to the folks saying: "Blah blah blah this game will die without us." Um... no... in fact a lot of you came back. You were played lol. You got you shit taken away so you started up again in a game that is very much healthy, which is why you came back, and is why you still troll the boards if you didn't come back. And you're not going to boycott FFXIV if you get banned... You're going to go there and try and cheat too, and get banned, and make new characters, and be the same people complaining when you do.

When y'all say "They won't ban us, that'd be like banning two server's worth of people." They ban a server's worth of people every month, if not more. Sure, most are RMT; but on one day in January 2009, they banned how many people? If you admit it was a lot you're admitting SE has the balls to do it again. If you deny it was a lot, then you're agreeing not that many people cheat...

[Shamaya]

I personally think the game would be a lot more peaceful and enjoyable with those kinds of people gone, tbh.

Ah, man, this ticks me off.

You guys aren't on Asura (most of you). I'll tell you this, Asura sucks right now, terribly. This server's community used to be very strong, but was about destroyed last year, and it definitely is not recovering. Every major endgame linkshell, save the transfer NASA shell and one other, was taken out. Endgame on Asura has definitely not been impressive since. This is the kind of server that, at its current rate, will never claim a PW kill. Before, I could have seen that.

A lotta good people were lost. Peaceful and enjoyable.. don't act like any sap who picks up an app to defend their server's endgame against the invaded NASA shell is scum. "A lot" of people being affected by this is a relative word. But if I were to predict how Asura would be after another holocaust (this one would be smaller I expect), I just don't want to think about it. It would definitely not be a better place.

Since the salvage bans (but also due to other events) I've seen a very noticeable decrease in activity in server endgame, and also on forums. Asura forums were the server/drama forums of KI. Totally dead now. Same with KI and Allah Thf forums. BG seems a lot slower too.

[Yabby]

It seems slower because this game has lower and lower people. Keep telling yourself this game isn't dieing but when SE does the lotto thing right before doing there XXX,XXX people are playing are game to make it seem like they have a strong player base when they don't.

Also this "The game was never the same after the bans" thing is just dumb. It's like the guy who was fishing and got a 10 pound fish, the longer the story is told the bigger it gets. by the time the fish is 40 pounds we are at soloing AV for fun. Yes, some of the players banned were elite, great players that are hard to replace. No, not all the elite and great players are gone and when people leave other step up. The people that step up are those that wouldn't otherwise because they didn't have the chance to. You can't get better at fighting XXX mob if you never get to.

Ether way it doesn't matter. I doubt there will be a massive banning but if there was it wouldn't change shit. Those that are banned would ether A. get another toon, or B. wait for 14. If B happens others will replace them till the servers go down its that simple.

[Eanae]

I just still think it's funny how everyone condemns botting, and then trots along on their merry way with spellcast and apradar like nothing they're doing is wrong.

[Yabby]

You are 100% correct in a black and white world my friend.

[Eanae]

Spoiler: show

Definition
Usage of a 3rd party programs is defined as usage of a program, made and distributed by an individual other then Square Enix, which impacts the game play in any way. Usage of any of these types of programs, regardless of if they give the player an unfair advantage over others or not, is strictly prohibited. The following are some examples of such prohibited activities:
- Use of a program or tool within any PlayOnline service that allows any actions to be performed automatically and continuously.
- Changing, combining, reverse engineering, or analyzing game data, as well as creating or distributing utility programs for such purposes.
- Use of any unofficial program to the benefit of any users.

* Please note that players who take advantage of in-game mechanics not intended as normal means of game play even without the use of unofficial programs may also face penalties such as account suspension. If you become aware of any such issue, please report it to a GM or the Special Task Force immediately.

Response
Any players caught using 3rd party programs will be severely penalized. If the investigation, which may include log checks and various other techniques, reveals that the player has gained an unfair advantage through usage of a 3rd party program, the account will be immediately suspended and reviewed by the Account Admin for permanent account termination.

If you have witnessed players moving at unusual speeds or otherwise exhibiting suspicious behavior causing disruptions in game play, please contact a GM so that the matter can be investigated.

GMs may approach players during the course of these investigations. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Reasons
The usage of 3rd party programs disrupts the overall balance of game play and items obtained using this method can disrupt the economic stability of the game. Additionally, some unofficial programs contain viruses and spyware which can be harmful to not only the user of the program, but to other players as well. This can lead to personal data leaks, character deletion, and other unfortunate circumstances.

How to Place a GM Call
If you have witnessed behaviors outlined above or have been directly affected by these actions, please contact a GM. Select the "Help Desk" -> "I want to report a violation of the PlayOnline Member Agreement" and place a call.

The Special Task Force
The Special Task Force is dedicated to stopping the use of both third-party programs and RMT-related activities. All data gathered by our GMs is also investigated by our Special Task Force. The Special Task Force allows us to take action against 3rd party program users and RMT-related activities in a manner that would not normally be possible using only GMs.
To report an issue directly to the Special Task Force, please visit the official website at, www.PlayOnline.com, and select "Service & Support" then "Email Support" and click on the "Report to Special Task Force" link.

Usage of any of these types of programs, regardless of if they give the player an unfair advantage over others or not, is strictly prohibited.

Quoted my favorite part. SE must live in a black and white world since we're all grouped as one. <3

[Myrrh_Quetz]

Oh joy, this argument again.

[Yabby]

Yes but windower has been around as long or longer as app. If they cared they would of done something about it.

[Eanae]

Yes but windower has been around as long or longer as app. If they cared they would of done something about it.

Doesn't change the fact that it's against the rules.

[Yabby]

yea having something auto claim a mob is doing the same amount of harm as a switching gear. Keep telling yourself that and it might come true.

I don't care if people bot, use windower, or play with their dicks its just a game. I can have fun without all that stuff, if others can't that's fine too, It's their choice. But really trying to say something that claims, makes you move faster is the same as switching gear is just dumb and your dumb for thinking so.