So, my mother plays the F2P web browser game Runescape which has famously been totally inundated with bots and macros for the past few years, crushing its economy and driving prices so high it's "RMT or grind for weeks." With seemingly little action from the developers despite big words and long blogs.

As she's a game moderator for them she gets things on the vine a little early, a few weeks ago over one of my visits she started to excitedly tell me all about some new software they were introducing which prevented the macros from operating entirely and that they had started a mass banning campaign, planning to ban some 40% of their active subscriber base.

When I saw her yesterday she tells me how much of an amazing success it was etc etc. "Yeah sure, heard it all before, some sporadic week bannings followed up with nothing as the owners just create new accounts and everything goes back to normal next week." Thinks I.

But she was insistent to the point I couldn't help but go and log in to my old Runescape account to have a look, after about an hour trying to remember my old password I finally get in and find my way to the old macro hotspots and she was right; they were completely empty.

So I take to the Internet to gather some more information where I found their official announcements and but nothing with any real substance as I don't have access to the Moderator forums like she does, but I then found this http://runescape.wikia.com/wiki/ClusterFlutterer. Which puts their efforts into perspective.

Furthermore they have started sending out emails to known botters[/url] offering them amnesty if they stop, but kindly reminding them that breaching the EULA is a prosecutable offence, they have their details, if they carry on they will be taken to court. http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/jagex-levies-a-lawsuit-against-runescape-botters

In addition to this (Some insider info) they are currently in legal proceedings against several companies which create and sell macro programs to use on their game.

If a smalltime F2P game company are able to introduce effective anti-botting software, happy to ban half of their subscribers and take the legal route to better their game why cant CCP?

**Links will be fixed shortly.

Runescape developer Jagex posts profits of GBP 18.3 million in last financial year

..generated turnover of GBP 38.4 million which is up 19% on the previous year ..

That is because kicking all bots would FUBAR the economy, at least for a while. Suddenly mineral prices would go up and up and up, everything would cost more, people who didn't mine before will still not mine, money made from other sources will stay the same and everyone will unsub because a ******* drake will cost 200m.

Until people realize that they can now turn a profit with mining themselves. But by that point the subscription base might be too far gone for anyone to care.


Also, good luck with prosecuting any of your players =). Runescape won't do it, they can't take legal action against people outside its country of origin. Well actually they can, but its far too expensive for it to matter.

actually most courts make the defendant pay court fees and possibly ALL lawyer fees if they are found to be guilty. its very doable. ccp won't do it however simply because banning all the bots, all the PAID accounts, is incredibly bad for business. also why do people keep thinking "mining bots?" most bots are mission/ratting bots.

actually most courts make the defendant pay court fees and possibly ALL lawyer fees if they are found to be guilty. its very doable. ccp won't do it however simply because banning all the bots, all the PAID accounts, is incredibly bad for business. also why do people keep thinking "mining bots?" most bots are mission/ratting bots.

People in the UK have gone to prison for trolling people's Facebook memorials before :P

But as I said, empty threats of lawlsuit will be enough to put off most clueless script kiddies and I think that's the angle they were going for.

So, my mother plays the F2P web browser game Runescape

F2P web browser game Runescape

my mother plays

my mother

So, my mother plays the F2P web browser game Runescape which has famously been totally inundated with bots and macros for the past few years, crushing its economy and driving prices so high it's "RMT or grind for weeks." With seemingly little action from the developers despite big words and long blogs.

Nearly every response in this thread is a justification for not getting rid of botters.

Have we really come to this?

Botters and botter apologists taking over the forum as well as game?

I give props to Runescape as most F2P games are ignoring the problem completely. You people are pathetic sometimes.

Mr Epeen

That is because kicking all bots would FUBAR the economy, at least for a while. Suddenly mineral prices would go up and up and up, everything would cost more, people who didn't mine before will still not mine, money made from other sources will stay the same and everyone will unsub because a ******* drake will cost 200m.

Until people realize that they can now turn a profit with mining themselves. But by that point the subscription base might be too far gone for anyone to care.


Also, good luck with prosecuting any of your players =). Runescape won't do it, they can't take legal action against people outside its country of origin. Well actually they can, but its far too expensive for it to matter.

That is because kicking all bots would FUBAR the economy, at least for a while. Suddenly mineral prices would go up and up and up, everything would cost more, people who didn't mine before will still not mine,

You say Runescape is now "RMT or grind for weeks". You see the advantage to the developer here, don't you? If you don't then let me put it another way. RMT is not necessarily an illicit or separate operation from the game itself. What I mean is, surely a game's developers, it's company recognize there is a lot of income to be had from RMT. Why then would they not actively promote and profit from that while playing it down to their customers that it's a bad thing and they're doing everything possible to rid themselves of it?