Instance Abuse on a Grand Scale...

[blackhammer99]

For those of you who are not aware of this, please take some time to watch this video. It details the issue entirely and hopes to put in perspective likely how big an issue it actually is. After you have watched, I ask you please read my post below and contribute if you have the time. Thank you all so much for your help.

- The video contains strong language over the volatile nature of the issue. Don't watch if you are easily offended by this type of thing. -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g5a83ba0Y0

Hello everyone. Before we get started, I would like to say I have been subscribed since midnight of release of Classic WoW and am a huge fan of the game and everything it does. In an age where we have had people complain about having nothing to do in Cata and no one to do it with, then having people complain about now having too many non-mandatory repeatable quests and too many people in the world via CRZ, I have never found fault.

But this past Monday, January 28th 2013, my guild mates and I ran across an issue in this video game that we have never conceived possible in such a grand scale that it takes one aback.
The trip to Outland started because a guildmate was being camped by a level 90, so a few of us mobilized.

We met him in Falcon Watch but when we did, we noticed something strange... This was confirmed when some one said, "omg type /who hunter 80 and see the results."
Every single result was in Hellfire or Shattered Halls. Try it yourself, you likely will be as surprised as I was - considering we reside on quite a small realm where everyone knows everyone else, it was almost scary to see that level of exploitation.

I decided to press record from there and document the issue, so if you haven't watched the video, go see the proof yourself.
This isn't one bot...
This isn't a few afk bots in AV weekend...
This is HUNDREDS of level 80 hunters all on separate accounts appearing to run Shattered Halls over and over, then hearth and sell their bag contents.

What is even scarier is the fact that this is one instance of CRZ, yet we saw hundreds of different perpetrators. That leads me to believe this issue is MASSIVE and is happening thousands of occasions, and likely NOT just by some random dude looking to get some gold.

After all, individuals botting is one thing, and afking in BGs IS a serious issue - no doubts.
But after seeing this, can anyone honestly say this is some how less important?
This must be some company or group pooling their resources to achieve some intense exploit and make thousands of real life dollars at the games behest.
This appears to me to be a coordinated, malicious action; if as widespread as believed, MUST be considered a threat to the game's fabric and integrity.
Akin to a DDOS to take down servers tbh.

Either way, Outland - a symbol of one of everyone's favorite expansions - has been desecrated by this.

But Metro, what can I do?
All I ask is that everyone does what they can to spread the word. I had never heard of this, and I have done a LOT in this game, and record videos daily on WoW stuff.
I believe a lot more people would be up in arms if they only new, and then we would have action taken.

Even if they knew, why would they care?
I'm not sure if they are using an exploit to bypass the 5 dungeon per hour thing, but I have seen Ghostcrawler and others discuss this topic. It is in the game to PREVENT this, yet it is not working in this case.
On top of that, it is so immersion-breaking to see thousands of hunters (ALL IN THE SAME GEAR mind you) flood into an instance in content from 6 years ago.
It quite literally puts a bad taste in my mouth and makes me want to avoid the game.

Alright then smarty, what do you suggest is done...
Disable the instance. Plain and simple. It isn't involved in leveling queues, and while even more obtuse than the exploit, I feel it will send a message. These low-lifes will have to find an alternative, and once they do, you can use this data to better address the issue.
On a macro-scale, I honestly have no idea. What CAN be done?

Either way, thank you all for your time. Feel free to leave your feedback here. I know it may sound melodramatic, but this is a blatant abuse of a game I have spent years of my life in, and I can't simply let this go by without putting my foot down.

TLDR nerd:
Scroll of Rez 80 premade hunters grand-scale instance trafficking and gold farming. Obviously some coordinated events. Contribute by telling if your CRZ realm has same issue, and tell friends to help get issue brought to light and fixed.

[Bloodfire]

So what?
How this affects us in General?

[Xeraxis]

I like that how long you have been subscribed is somehow relevant to the issue. And if it is hundreds of hunters you'd think it would be more widespread yet on the 5 realms I have toons not a single 80 hunter was in SH. Hell there was only about 5 80 hunters on in total. Seems someone is blowing this way out of proportion, but I guess you'll do that when you want more views on YouTube.

[BeastmasterGuardian]

Doesn't /who only show up to 49 people in the zone?

[Pachycrocuta]

Didn't this happen with level 80 paladins up in Botanica I think it was? Like back in September or so?

[blackhammer99]

I said how long I was subscribed to impact the fact that this, in all those years, is the worst case of abuse I have ever seen. Not relevant to fixing the issue, just for impact.

And if you actually read the post, you would see that identifing the problem was of paramount. People I have already spoken with have said things like
It happens at a specific time every evening, and their numbers multiple rapidly after that.

I was hoping to hear others say: this only appears to be happening on your CRZ instance, or something of that effect.
Or, You are right! I logged on late at night and saw this exact thing happening with 40+ hunters!

A majority of the feedback so far was the latter though, so perhaps you are lacking because of the time of day? Either way, thank you for helping me collect more data. I don't care about views on that video tbh, but I do care about getting the problem fixed.
Its an absurd thing to see in this video game, and I was hoping everyone else would help spread the word to get this fixed.

[Muis]

Not happening on our realm so far I can see on /who 80 and /who 85 - so I guess the scale isn't that big.

Then again, I'd be more suprised that there would be 49 people online as 1 class on 80/85 on this realm!
Heck, at level 80 right now there's only 3 people online and only 22 level 85s.

It happens at a specific time every evening, and their numbers multiple rapidly after that.

They are like Gremlins!

[Tharkkun]

Doesn't /who only show up to 49 people in the zone?

Who also only shows people on your own server. CRZ is outdoor only and doesn't effect instances like this poster may believe.

OP: Report them and move on though I'm sure Blizzard is aware of it, tracking and banning. I would bet that 99% of them are compromised accounts. This happened in Cataclysm except the instance was Black Temple. With normalized loot you don't get 1g per drop so it looks like they moved to SH which drops decently valued items that you can vendor.

Prior to this is was Dire Maul, then Tyr's Hand.

[Enhshamanlol]

Looks like the video is a fake, move along folks nothing to see here.

lol..... its called poor editing. other than that it is happening.

[Fabled]

Pfft, that is nothing. /who Halls of Lightning. Bare witness to the holyfuckhowisthishappening. Prime playing time there is over 49 people in the instance, mostly all 85 bots, of the paladin variety, on my server anyways.

[Deleted]

This sucks... It's not like it's new or anything but with the Scroll they can make 80s much easier, before they had to level them. Though that was done with bots aswell.

I don't think Blizzard even cares anymore, they're getting money so they're happy.

[Xeraxis]

Pfft, that is nothing. /who Halls of Lightning. Bare witness to the holyfuckhowisthishappening. Prime playing time there is over 49 people in the instance, mostly all 85 bots, of the paladin variety, on my server anyways.

Right because if your going to bot you'd only do it during prime time.

[blackhammer99]

Ya sorry, wasn't really planning on recording. I just cut out the non-important parts of the recording. Thanks for overlooking that, absolutely real footage lol.

And thanks everyone else for your feedback. I have already reported them, but there are too many to report individually. Was hoping for enough people to get up in arms about it to make a difference!

And ya I was informed about the Halls of Ligthning thing as well! Pretty wild tbh!

[Deleted]

does shattered halls drop so much gold thats its worth grinding like that? always though bots were better of grinding stuff like frostweave cloth

[zealo]

Doesn't /who only show up to 49 people in the zone?

It does, but it would be kind of weird having 49 level 80 hunters inside shattered halls on one realm at the same time, since who does not work for people in other realms through crz.

[Deathgoose]

Halls of Lightning is pretty damn awesome, especially if you want to toss on a capital faction tabard and run the shit out of it.

Came out with so many greens + frostweave cloth after spamming several runs of it that I was able to have all 11 characters have at least a frostweave bag in every character + bank slot.

That being said, this whole thread seems full of half truths and misinformation.

[blackhammer99]

That being said, this whole thread seems full of half truths and misinformation.

I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps I worded things poorly? =/
Let me know what you think is "misinformation" so I can clarify what I meant!

[Drungan]

just did try this ( the /who hunter 80 ) on silvermoon EU alliance side ..... a heay alliance server and got a total of 6 lvl 80 ..... so dont think its on that server atleast.

[Seanali]

And another lets trash talk thread comes in today we speak about chinesse slaves botting in wow

[Deathgoose]

I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps I worded things poorly? =/
Let me know what you think is "misinformation" so I can clarify what I meant!

The fact that SH is an instance which CRZ has no bearing on?
The fact that /who doesn't work on people from other realms that you would only see via CRZ?
The fact that /who caps at 49?

So either your server had some crazy dude(s), or you may be blowing this ever so slightly out of proportion.