Another suggestion for PvE Leaderboards (no h8 m8s)

[arcanefid]

We had some discussions about this topic in another thread, and I also saw Slllllaaaayyyerrrrr'ssss thread in here too, so I had some idea for *fixing / changing* the PvE leaderboards.

We know that botting is pretty popular among leaderboard runners (sorry to the fair guys), that's pretty much the only issue we have with PvE leaderboards. STS already knows how botting works, and making random layouts for each map is a pretty good solution. I think that's been working pretty well for avoiding farming boss APs so far.

We still have people who use bots for raid zones, or just some old elites like ESG for money, I think making a few randomized starting points will help avoid that too (I saw this suggestion in another thread). Might need to change a few maps here and there, but it could work for the new maps that will come in the future.

In addition to those two solutions, I think making the new Achievements give 1,000 (or some other high number) points instead of 100 will give a boost to the active end game runners, and also clean out the cheaters from Leaderboards pretty fast.

It's a pretty simple solution, and maybe the devs already thought of this, but I don't really see any serious drawbacks if it happens.

[PsychoNuke]

We had some discussions about this topic in another thread, and I also saw Slllllaaaayyyerrrrr'ssss thread in here too, so I had some idea for *fixing / changing* the PvE leaderboards.

We know that botting is pretty popular among leaderboard runners (sorry to the fair guys), that's pretty much the only issue we have with PvE leaderboards. STS already knows how botting works, and making random layouts for each map is a pretty good solution. I think that's been working pretty well for avoiding farming boss APs so far.

We still have people who use bots for raid zones, or just some old elites like ESG for money, I think making a few randomized starting points will help avoid that too (I saw this suggestion in another thread). Might need to change a few maps here and there, but it could work for the new maps that will come in the future.

In addition to those two solutions, I think making the new Achievements give 1,000 (or some other high number) points instead of 100 will give a boost to the active end game runners, and also clean out the cheaters from Leaderboards pretty fast.

It's a pretty simple solution, and maybe the devs already thought of this, but I don't really see any serious drawbacks if it happens.

I was thinking and reading about this too, then I came across this: https://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/99067/how-to-detect-and-prevent-abuse-botting-of-online-game-api.

Then I thought... STS knows this business better than any of us. I am sure they already tried everything possible in the early stage of their games. After trying similar thing mentioned in that thread they might have decided that its in their best interest to channel their time and energy on more productive things than a LB that effects small % of players.

SO I moved on...

[arcanefid]

I was thinking and reading about this too, then I came across this: https://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/99067/how-to-detect-and-prevent-abuse-botting-of-online-game-api.

Then I thought... STS knows this business better than any of us. I am sure they already tried everything possible in the early stage of their games. After trying similar thing mentioned in that thread they might have decided that its in their best interest to channel their time and energy on more productive things than a LB that effects small % of players.

SO I moved on...

Well yes it's good if STS will focus on new things and that LB is definitely not worth spending a lot of time for, but the link you posted is about a strategy game, possibly 2D and no fighting action involved, which is much easier to bot than a game like AL.
I never really heard of someone that was able to bot randomized layouts like Mausoleum. I mean, you can make a bot to kill a few minions in the beginning, but not the bosses and stuff. So that's a good start.

Sometimes we can see how the botters go out of sync and there's videos of them where they go in Guildhalls and Towns doing the same moves over and over, and if STS makes 3 random starting points for each map, we will see even more botters in towns doing that, but that means at least they're not getting what they really intend to.

So basically, 3 random starting points with maps that are randomly generated (or just 40-50 variants like Maus) will be pretty damn hard to bot.

And by the way, it's not just about LB, it's about farming too. You know there's botters who also farm Lost Mage's Mine for Arcane Weapon Chests, or in ESG who just keep getting tons of gold, or the ones in Hauntlet where they just kill minions for their KDR.

[PsychoNuke]

Well yes it's good if STS will focus on new things and that LB is definitely not worth spending a lot of time for, but the link you posted is about a strategy game, possibly 2D and no fighting action involved, which is much easier to bot than a game like AL.


Its not about if its good that STS focus on new things, but its more about the resource utilization.
You should go through the whole article, the answers on that thread applied to most modern mmos.
And if you read my previous post after reading the answers on that link you will understand where I am coming from.



I never really heard of someone that was able to bot randomized layouts like Mausoleum. I mean, you can make a bot to kill a few minions in the beginning, but not the bosses and stuff. So that's a good start.


This is what I meant when I said "STS knows it better". May be they already covered most of the possible grounds of protection against botting. May be the limitations are at the API level now, only they know.



And by the way, it's not just about LB, it's about farming too. You know there's botters who also farm Lost Mage's Mine for Arcane Weapon Chests, or in ESG who just keep getting tons of gold, or the ones in Hauntlet where they just kill minions for their KDR.

Haunt KDR is again LB.
If bots are used to farm gold or chests then its sad but I don't see how it affects a normal player's game-play. It might affect economy in long run but I think there are bigger threats to economy at present then bots.

[arcanefid]

It’s true I didn’t read all of it, only like the first 10-15 replies there.

Making different layouts for the same map and also different starting points doesn’t really take a lot of resources. I think it’s worth a try.

And about farming chests and gold... it’s sad for those who farm but it’s also sad and unfair for the others that work hard for the same thing. That is the reason why I made this thread.

[PsychoNuke]

And about farming chests and gold... it’s sad for those who farm but it’s also sad and unfair for the others that work hard for the same thing. That is the reason why I made this thread.

Thats true man, but its beyond our jurisdiction. The ball in the almighty devs court :p
*Snaps* - price manipulators, botters and cheaters are still here - *it seems my gauntlet is hacked*