Question of the Day, December 18, 2010

[The Escapist Staff]

Question of the Day, December 18, 2010



The battle between Blizzard and the makers of the "WoW Glider" bot - which allows players' characters to play World of Warcraft without being at their keyboards - is far from over [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106241-Legal-Battle-Between-Glider-and-Blizzard-Will-Likely-Continue]. Should players be allowed to use bots?

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[SnipErlite]

I'm under the final category. Surely people buy games to play them, and have fun. Leaving a bot to grind is...stupid, in my opinion.

 

[NeedAUserName]

No. It takes away any sort of reward system from the game. If you don't have to strive to get something, its not as good. Take Runescape, the most grindiest game in all the land, if Bots were legal in that game the whole game would collapse in on itself, and everyone could get level 99 in all their stats with no effort.

Sure grinding is boring, but its an integral part of any MMO. Without grinding then MMOs just become ridiculous, the whole idea for an MMO is starting of small, and getting better and improving, if you jump in at the endgame theres no sense of commitment, it just not a good thing.

Also, I'd take it as a personal insult to anyone that uses Bots. What makes them so special that they don't have to work to get anywhere? Why do they just get it? Theres nothing special about them. There dicks.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I don't think they should be allowed, as it puts them at an unfair advantage over those without bots, as their in-game rewards are not earned.

 

[Nincompoop]

It's f*cking ridiculous that one can risk getting prosecuted because one has cheated in a f*cking GAME!
I voted they can do what they want because they paid for the game, but after a second thought, I think they should be able to be banned or restricted in somehow. But going outside the jurisdiction of the game is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[ultimateownage]

Well people idle a lot in TF2, so it's not a rare thing. I don't hate it, but I think it's silly paying to not play the game yourself. At least when idling the only costs are to keep your PC running.

 

[New Troll]

It sucks playing a game for hours/ days/ months and feel like you haven't accomplished a damn thing since someone else's bot has earned more than you. If I wanted to be playing against computers, I wouldn't be playing social games.

 

[Hippobatman]

Bots aren't intended to be a part of the game, and they create an unfair advantage over those who want to play the game as the way it was designed. Thus are bots a bad thing, which shouldn't be allowed.

A lawsuit is a bit too much though. IP-ban the fellow so he can't play anymore, or something.

 

[Lacsapix]

Playing against bots (like a npc) could be fun(tf2), but playing against a bot (like a computer-controlled death machine)can destroy good games(mw2).

 

[6unn3r]

So you spend XXX $/£/? on this game then you dont play it? I fail to see the point really. Where's the fun in that? It's a strange person who buys somthing then makes no use of it....like a shinny new red bike but then you dont want to scratch it so you leave it in the shed for 10 years.....Why bother?

 

[veloper]

Same reason why you shouldn't use aim hacks in an online shooter: unfair advantage over players who do play by the rules.

 

[_Janny_]

I'm not that familiar with how WoW works, how exactly can this affect other players? Everyone can play at any rhythm they want, IMO. If some want to cheat and get around faster then it's their business. Where's the harm?

 

[Jedoro]

If those players aren't willing to earn the higher-tiered rewards, they shouldn't get them.

 

[sunburst]

People can do whatever they want with something they've paid for provided it doesn't negatively affect others. And no, it does not hurt you other players when someone grows faster than you without "earning it." Being offended or annoyed or whatever is not the same as being harmed.

Still, I almost voted for the "Why would you" option because playing a game that feels like work to the point that you instead create a machine that plays it for you seems utterly ridiculous. I guess this is why WoW and its ilk have never been able to hold my attention for extended periods.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I tend to put it about the same level as people who just buy maxed characters. Seriously, what's the point?

 

[GeorgW]

Like the poll says, why not play the game you pay for?
But the thing is that if a game isn't fun enough to warrant you playing it yourself, then there is something very wrong with that game. The example they give is WoW, and the reason I don't play WoW is this exact reason.
Any cheat is just wrong, but I would like to have the option of AI opponents (bots) in multiplayer.

 

[Ganthrinor]

If a developer allows bots, then it's a short step from the game itself being designed in such a way that the players NEED a bot to get anything done. Which is stupid.

 

[justcallmeslow]

I think bots would ruin most games. But I think it would be interesting to see a game where bots are not only allowed, but encouraged. They'd have to be integrated into the design. Perhaps be in-game created and trade-able or something. Could be cool in a way.

 

[Lyri]

I don't think they should be allowed, as it puts them at an unfair advantage over those without bots, as their in-game rewards are not earned.

It isn't unfair if everyone has access to them - which they obviously do, seeing as they are playing an online game.

You know you pay for the right?

Not everyone can pay for things online.

That said, I don't think people should use them at all. I've played countless MMO's on release that after a few short weeks of play have had bots designed for them.
The botters whilst all but disappear for a while, soon start to get the edge in levels, gold & thus begin to dominate in pvp for those facts alone.

F2P games like Rohan:Blood fued had an interesting war mechanic that was only ruined by those guilds that promoted botting.
They won the wars and where able to set the tax rates on sales of all items from shops in those towns. It wasn't fun.
I remember once such person who was some 20-25 levels ahead of everyone else and she was terrifying if she came into a fight.

I've used a clicker tool for Aion when that came out as the gathering was truly dull (much like the game).
Seemingly simple and harmless as that is, anything that mindlessly farms for you is bad for the players around it.
Auction houses and trade prices sky rocket or plummet simply because of one person being able to sleep and come back to a bag full of rare items when players who can't, don't.