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Trade chat auto-spam?

11 replies [Last post]
Fri, 04/29/2011 - 06:40
tysta
Legacy Username

Alright. I've been skeptical about the global trade chat ever since it was implemented. They fixed a lot of issues by adding a 30 second flood filter.

Now I've got something else nagging me;
idle people auto-posting a message in trade chat every 30 seconds. Also sending automatically generated whispers if you try to contact the person.

Why are they allowing this? Do they want people to make second accounts and mules? I always thought this kind of bot-usage is something developers want to avoid at all costs. What's the story behind this?

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 06:48
#1
Senshi
Legacy Username
It takes time...

It takes time to write code to detect this behavior or time for a support person to check on these things, but you could file a complaint against players that are obviously using automated scripts to sell with. I don't imagine they are going to write the code to detect these cases when they're writing code for an auction house instead and I think the support people are busy with other things.

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 06:51
#2
Green-Lantern
There are already bots?

There are already bots?

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:01
#3
tysta
Legacy Username
It looked more like

It looked more like it was an existing function in the game. An automatic whisper-system. It even notified the recipient that it was an automatic message.
But why would there be one? Why isn't it publicly known how to use it?

It isn't too bad at the moment, but imagine if more people started using this...

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:07
#4
Shoebox's picture
Shoebox
I thought when you typed /afk

I thought when you typed /afk you could leave a message afterwards.

Maybe I'm thinking of another game but I think you can leave automated messages when you're idle that way.

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:10
#5
tysta
Legacy Username
Looked it up

I looked it up. /away indeed lets you set a message for when you're idle.
So why is this person idle, and talking in trade chat at the same time?

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:14
#6
Alexandriea
Macro or too lazy to reply.

Macro or too lazy to reply. Your pick.

(Also, you don't have to be idle. I use /away to let people know I am in a dungeon)

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:16
#7
Psychephage
You're allowed to use /away

You're allowed to use /away for an automated response without being idle.

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:18
#8
tysta
Legacy Username
..

But that doesn't explain the trade chat messages every 30 seconds.
This person even clearly stated he was idle in his automated message.

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:20
#9
Shoebox's picture
Shoebox
It's entirely optional spam.

I don't think creating a script to send messages every 30 seconds is going to harm the game any.

With or without the script, I have /left 2.

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 07:34
#10
Alexandriea
It still does breach the user

It still does breach the user agreement.

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 09:22
#11
xienwolf
Legacy Username
The person could be

The person could be "Semi-Idle" fairly easily. 2 monitor computer setup, Spiral Knights on one monitor, Hulu/Netflix/DVD on the other monitor. Watch your show/movie, and keep on hitting ENTER-CTRL+V-ENTER over and over so that you spam the other screen.

I don't see much point in it myself since scrolling back through your chat logs to find who has sent you a whisper would be painful, but quite possible to non-bot.

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