Blizzard needs to crack down on Fishbotting in WoW Classic

[articuno998]

The number #1 method shady gold-sellers use to infiltrate the Classic WoW economy is through Fish-botting.

This generally involves setting up multiple accounts and having them fish off the hidden coast of Tanaris for Stonescale Eels (see video below for an example).

This over supply of Stonescale Eels (needed for raid flasks):

• kills the classic WoW economy
• punishes the efforts of real fishers because they get a reduced selling price
• make raid items much easier to come by / make the game much easier by creating an abundance of flasks

https://classic.wowhead.com/search?q=flask

In the past, Blizzard has taken a very 'light' approach and only given out temporary bans.

So my question is, due to the detrimental impact of fishbotting (gold-selling / easy raid flasks / punishing real fishers), do you support permanent bans of accounts that are found using Fishbotting? Is Blizzard currently too soft?

Edit: The example video below is the best one I could find on Youtube on how it is done and how to catch out fish botters, it is from the Nostalrius era, but it still operates in the exact same way right now. I'm not going to link to any current videos of people selling fishbot exploit so i do not advertise their services.

[oplawlz]

Modern detection methods + the ability to right click report should make this significantly less of a problem than on shady private servers or vanilla wow circa 2005.

[SinR]

so how old is the source on your video?

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and is there proof that you can show us that this is currently happening in Classic?

[articuno998]

Modern detection methods + the ability to right click report should make this significantly less of a problem than on shady private servers or vanilla wow circa 2005.

Fishbotting didn't end with Classic, it's continued on all the way up to the version of retail.

You can't really "report" these guys, because they are hidden in the middle of no where off the side of the map. The only way to get them is if they get sloppy and start selling 200+ Stonescale EEls on the AH.

Anyone who's done real fishing knows it would take an absurd amount of time to fish that many.

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what are the opinions on permanent bans vs temporary bans?

[Livnthedream]

This is bait.

[munkeyinorbit]

Fishbotting didn't end with Classic, it's continued on all the way up to the version of retail.

You can't really "report" these guys, because they are hidden in the middle of no where off the side of the map. The only way to get them is if they get sloppy and start selling 200+ Stonescale EEls on the AH.

Anyone who's done real fishing knows it would take an absurd amount of time to fish that many.

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what are the opinions on permanent bans vs temporary bans?

No ban. Farming bots should be encouraged. More supply is good for the community. Low mat cost lowers the barrier to content and that is what really matters.

A better question should be "How do we punish the people who exploit others for a profit on the AH?".

[Ticj]

No ban. Farming bots should be encouraged. More supply is good for the community. Low mat cost lowers the barrier to content and that is what really matters.

A better question should be "How do we punish the people who exploit others for a profit on the AH?".

The only people I know that support botters have ended up to be botters themselves.

It's scummy and it is cheating. How is it good for the economy when all the high end farming mats are being sold by a few botters?

[dean771]

Video is from a private server

[Relapses]

This is bait.

I sea what you did there. Reel clever.

[Cracked]

Modern detection methods + the ability to right click report should make this significantly less of a problem than on shady private servers or vanilla wow circa 2005.

Modern computer vision and virtualization also makes it heaps harder to detect fishbotting by traditional means. Now all they can rely on is behavior tracking, which can be extremely easy to fool with customized botting software.

[sopeonaroap]

Modern detection methods + the ability to right click report should make this significantly less of a problem than on shady private servers or vanilla wow circa 2005.

if you don't use mouse hooking, blizzard's warden won't detect shit and the automated system won't flag you either (it WILL flag you if you are doing anything that gains XP in teh same spot for an extended period of time but not fishing)

piroxbots had a fishing bot in wotlk that most people that fished out all the coins used

[Quinraylo]

wow this is int even from classic now its a private server there no pvp rank or titles even in at the moment .................. lol lol lol

[articuno998]

Red Alert for people saying there are no fishbots live in classic WoW right now....

check these:

He is selling a subscription based service for a working, undetectable fishbot right now...

now back to the original question:

- Who else supports permanent bans for anyone using these hacks?

edit: removed link as i do not want anyone linking to exploit methods

[Relapses]

Red Alert for people saying there are no fishbots live in classic WoW right now....

check these:

He is selling a subscription based service for a working, undetectable fishbot right now...

now back to the original question:

- Who else supports permanent bans for anyone using these hacks?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18ffCe-0fIo

Well, shit. A YouTube video with 1.4k views. I'm not sure what I expected from this thread but I certainly didn't see a bombshell like that getting dropped.

Hang on, I gotta give a quick hot take so I'll end up getting quoted in the front page New York Times article on this pressing issue:

"Whale, I for one believe these fishious accusations reely otter have Blizzard looking to school salmon for their turtley atroutcious behavior."

-otaXephon, random internet fuckwad

And please, any would-be journalists reading this... if you need additional insight feel free to DM me and let minnow what I can do for you.

[Relapses]

Y'all need to stop fishing for all these puns it's too obvious

Gill-ty as charged. I hope they're not making you too salty.

[ghays]

No ban. Farming bots should be encouraged. More supply is good for the community. Low mat cost lowers the barrier to content and that is what really matters.

A better question should be "How do we punish the people who exploit others for a profit on the AH?".

God forbid anyone wants to be rewarded for taking the time to provide raid consumables formyou, since you’re too lazy to farm your own.


Communist much?

[Aggrophobic]

No ban. Farming bots should be encouraged. More supply is good for the community. Low mat cost lowers the barrier to content and that is what really matters.

A better question should be "How do we punish the people who exploit others for a profit on the AH?".

Haha! Thats what a free market is all about. Been playing the AH for 15 years and it's still just as fun.

[TwoMana]

Y'all need to stop fishing for all these puns it's too obvious

Yeh, they're just angling for quick laughs

[Relapses]

Yeh, they're just angling for quick laughs

To be fair, they're very sofishticated.

[TwoMana]

To be fair, they're very sofishticated.

I don't know, obvious trawls should be reported though.