Distinguishing Bots and Exploits

[Emya]

What are some less known distinguishing characteristics of arena bots and exploits in arena?

Please tell us what to watch out for (visual/audible cues, descriptions, anything that may help).

This question is mostly for the benefit of some who don't frequently do the arena.

 

Some that I know of (and prolly most of you already know):

1. Strange name like jkkjsalskfasd which is a giveaway, though I've also seen proper names, but that's in pve content.

2. Bound character/ dead character rotating as you move around him/her.

3. [Summoners] No cooldown for skills / permanent invisibility / unlimited dodge

4. [FMs] Fly high, walk in the air, bombard enemy below

 

Any more less-known bot characteristics and exploits, please let us know.

Please, no posts on how to do them (we only need the cues) and kindly make posts constructive/ non-toxic.

 

Added to list (as contributed by fellow posters below):

5. [Detecting macros] As an example: If a KFM ever fail a 3rf combo (you manage to roll back or you used a tab escape that doesn't daze), if they are not in melee range but continue using melee attack (LB) with a specific timing (3rf timing), that's a sign of macro. (Basically, a set of skills done in a consistent order with very precise timing, which goes on even if some of the skills don't hit. - @Kanosaki

6. Enemies starting off combo-ing you just as your screen fades out from black. -  @Akula69 (Timing lag or slow load times can't be excluded as a factor, but if you're immediately down to 50%HP, an exploit might be at play)

7. Destroyers using melee skills but can still hit you even if you're far away (8m) - @Phorni

8. Destroyers spinning/walking out of snares/roots/freezes with awkward animation - @Phorni, @Vynnx

9. Destroyers using fury buff with no focus penalty - @Mariester

 

 

 

[Kanosaki]

Can I add in something not related to distinguishing the bot (cause you already mentioned most of it).

If anyone see a bot in the arena, please report the bot by right clicking the bot and click report > bot.
Do the right click part when you or the bot dies, you'll be brought back to the waiting area for the next spar WITH the right click menu still being displayed.

Please don't just complain and do nothing :)

[Emya]

^ Nice addition :)

 

We really need to know what we should report so that we can act on it.

Who knows, someone might have already fallen victim and missed the opportunity to report -- because he/she wasn't aware of the exploit.

 

Also, if a certain char (say KFM) does the same skill pattern over and over regardless if the first few skills hit or not, will it be safe to assume that he's using a macro? Though I've read somewhere that it is allowed, so long as the char doesn't become bot-like.

 

 

 

[Kanosaki]

@Emya

 

The only macro that are allowed are "Key swapping" and "Single action only" macros.

Allowed example:

• Changing keybind with 3rd party software that does only 1 action per press
  • EG: pressing "control" key will fire "R" instead.

Not allowed:

• Changing keybind with 3rd party software that chains multiple action per press
  
  • EG: Keybind a button to do 3rf per press.

 

How to detect KFM macro:

• If they ever fail a 3rf combo (you manage to roll back or you used a tab escape that doesn't daze), if they are not in melee range but continue using melee attack (LB) with a specific timing (3rf timing), that's a sign of macro.

 

[Akula69]

Yesterday my KFM went up against a KFM. First round he was in my face before my screen was loaded. I didnt even move off my starting spot. I was dead in less than 5 seconds in. I just perused the logs and he unloaded every stun at least once or twice and just about every non airborne skill. Yea that is one inconspicuous hacker.  /s

 

Anyways round 2 I decided to hit ice guard right away and try and throw him off his bot/hack program. So I spammed at constantly at the end of the count down. And it worked...Yeah! I loaded in ice with still half my health. I watched him unload everything over and over again (no cooldowns at all) on my soon to be corpse suspended in ice. Tried to SS out by spamming to no avail. I was dead in less than 4 seconds after I broke ice. Out of two matches I got two skills off, ice guard and tab. Simply stupid. 

[Phorni]

There is a new one I encountered today... the bot des will now spam lmb while rooted and u r in front of them... he will hit u even if u are 8m away XD 

 

Another exploit also des bot has now is... they can now "walk" out of roots and snares orz... before they spin out of it.. now they walk out of it... the animation is awkward af.. when u see it u can literally tell it's a glitch... it basically looks like wall glitches in other mmos 

[Kanosaki]

3 minutes ago, Akula69 said:

Yesterday my KFM went up against a KFM. First round he was in my face before my screen was loaded. I didnt even move off my starting spot. I was dead in less than 5 seconds in. I just perused the logs and he unloaded every stun at least once or twice and just about every non airborne skill. Yea that is one inconspicuous hacker.  /s

 

Anyways round 2 I decided to hit ice guard right away and try and throw him off his bot/hack program. So I spammed at constantly at the end of the count down. And it worked...Yeah! I loaded in ice with still half my health. I watched him unload everything over and over again (no cooldowns at all) on my soon to be corpse suspended in ice. Tried to SS out by spamming to no avail. I was dead in less than 4 seconds after I broke ice. Out of two matches I got two skills off, ice guard and tab. Simply stupid. 

Please save a video of those so that we can help determine if he's using a macro/hack or not.
(I'm trying not to doubt anyone, but too many forum people exaggerate stuff so a video requirement has been my policy lulz)

[Phorni]

5 minutes ago, Kanosaki said:

Please save a video of those so that we can help determine if he's a bot or not.
(I'm trying not to doubt anyone, but too many forum people exaggerate stuff so a video requirement has been my policy lulz)

How do u record a video?  

 

BTW the des bots are still easy beams even with the walking glitch... met over 15 of them today only 2 did it (was 1800 ish before I beat them... )

 

I'm about 1850 now.. but I can't play cost working... played about 25 games? Then gtg stuck on that elo till tmr so at least XD

[Kanosaki]

@Phorni I personally uses Open Broadcaster Software (FREE, yay!) to record local video (quality to cpu stress wise, not so good IMO, but it works well)

(click think link to set it up for local recording: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/how-to-make-high-quality-local-recordings.16/ )

[Phorni]

Just now, Kanosaki said:

@Phorni I personally uses Open Broadcaster Software (FREE, yay!) to record local video (quality to cpu stress wise, not so good IMO, but it works well)

(click think link to set it up for local recording: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/how-to-make-high-quality-local-recordings.16/ )

Thx... I'm not sure if my toaster machine can handle the game and recording app at the same time but I can give it a try...

 

Since I had 3 games today in arena where I failed to load the enemy... so basically they we're perma invis to me hahaha 

[Akula69]

20 minutes ago, Phorni said:

 

 

Another exploit also des bot has now is... they can now "walk" out of roots and snares orz... before they spin out of it.. now they walk out of it... the animation is awkward af.. when u see it u can literally tell it's a glitch... it basically looks like wall glitches in other mmos 

Ahh that is what that is. I was wondering why I could not lock down some of the Des bots yesterday. And yes they do glitch and almost skate in  your direction for a brief second. Thought it might be lag or something. 

19 minutes ago, Kanosaki said:

Please save a video of those so that we can help determine if he's using a macro/hack or not.
(I'm trying not to doubt anyone, but too many forum people exaggerate stuff so a video requirement has been my policy lulz)

TBH I dont know if I have the will to bother anymore. This may be one of the most addicting and fun games I have played in a long time, but I dont see them getting a hold of this problem. From my understanding the other regions also have a medium density bot population as well. The problem with that is that these regions dont have the impulse buying culture that the U.S. has. So the bots will continue to grow and not shrink until the last mofo is left fighting bots. Stupid f2p game problems. 

[Vecejj]

I think this happened to me on my FM, never had issues with KFM before but had a match the other day where I was forced to use my tab with daze after about 15 seconds, didn't do anything then I died in about 4 seconds. 2nd round I opened with frost sheathe to freeze myself, then use q / e to i frame and get around him for stun, did about 5% Hp dmg then he stun locks me, can't use F at any point so I have to SS, few seconds later stun locked again, use tab nothing happens then I die... 

 

Slightly broken. 

[Macabre75]

2 hours ago, Kanosaki said:

Can I add in something not related to distinguishing the bot (cause you already mentioned most of it).

If anyone see a bot in the arena, please report the bot by right clicking the bot and click report > bot.
Do the right click part when you or the bot dies, you'll be brought back to the waiting area for the next spar WITH the right click menu still being displayed.

Please don't just complain and do nothing :)

This...I take a minute even while he has me in a hold and report the bot.....I have seen several that are 45 level 2-3 already...that means no one is reporting these guys.

[Vynnx]

I'm still kinda new to detecting new bot skills, but the other day I played a few Destros that managed to use that distance closing jump skill and jump out of every freeze and stun as soon as I caste it on my FM. That was really annoying. Then I played a Summoner, not sure if it was a bot or not, but she resisted every single atk and was casting that rooting vine skill immediately after it ended : / 

[Akula69]

4 minutes ago, Vynnx said:

I'm still kinda new to detecting new bot skills, but the other day I played a few Destros that managed to use that distance closing jump skill and jump out of every freeze and stun as soon as I caste it on my FM. That was really annoying. Then I played a Summoner, not sure if it was a bot or not, but she resisted every single atk and was casting that rooting vine skill immediately after it ended : / 

 

 

Thing is that a hack is a hack whether it is a bot using it or a human. Most bots now are using at least one type of hack hack or more.  But now we have a large subset of real people also getting in on the hack use. So disappointing TBH. 

[Mariester]

An exploit that been around since beta is when a destroyer uses fury when hes about to teleport inside the arena. He starts the fight with a fury buff active. Once it's gone, he can reactivate it again and kill anyone for easy kill as they probably blew their escapes to that exploited fury buff. I don't know why they still haven't fixed it. Just today I saw a destroyer using it against me and it wasn't a bot.

[Vynnx]

I truly wonder how much effort NCSoft is putting into fixing these issues. Surely they must know that bots and hackers don't spend any money since they're cheating to get what they want and the people with actual wallets will leave without spending a dime as a no fun game is not worth paying for. This is def the most hacks and bots I've see in any game...ever.... All that money spent to convert the game to english and operating costs and they may not recoup any of it. Maybe this will win an award for biggest fail for most anticipated game? 

[Kanosaki]

23 minutes ago, Vynnx said:

I truly wonder how much effort NCSoft is putting into fixing these issues. Surely they must know that bots and hackers don't spend any money since they're cheating to get what they want and the people with actual wallets will leave without spending a dime as a no fun game is not worth paying for. This is def the most hacks and bots I've see in any game...ever.... All that money spent to convert the game to english and operating costs and they may not recoup any of it. Maybe this will win an award for biggest fail for most anticipated game? 

We understand your frustration in the game, but I highly recommend that all of us here focus on finding solution than pure complaining :)

[Vynnx]

27 minutes ago, Kanosaki said:

We understand your frustration in the game, but I highly recommend that all of us here focus on finding solution than pure complaining :)

 

I'm fine with helping to find a solution. I can say the biggest obstacle a community based solution faces is.. you need everyone to understand how every skill on every class is "supposed to work" so they can notice if it's being tampered with. Now the issue is with this huge amount of bots.. in most rankings people will rarely ever see a non-tampered skill so they won't be able to distinguish between a hack and the real thing.. This thread is good, for those who have the time and ability, I would recommend they create a small guide that quickly outlines a few tells that can easily identify if you are fighting a bot or hacker based on that bots class. And a complementing guide from the perspective of the player's class and what to look out for. Such as.. If you're playing assassin, and the enemy is following you when invis, it's a bot. Or, If you're playing FM and none of your knock backs or stuns work against this class who instantly casting this spell over and over again, it's a bot. etc. 

[Emya]

Thanks all for your contributions.

Currently editing the list on first post.

Should there be any need of modification/clarification, please let me know :)

 

If there are still other not included on the list, please feel free to contribute.

[Velo16]

13 hours ago, Vynnx said:

If you're playing assassin, and the enemy is following you when invis, it's a bot

This is not always true. When you are in stealth but in mid-range (~8 meters) i can see your silhouette. When i see that silhouette i will keep chasing it.

 

One of the biggest give-aways of destoyer bots = they pop fury then grab you and do nothing. They just stand still. Fury is our burst cd. A human destroyer won't let fury get wasted like that.