Runescape Is Cracking Down

Posted May 1st on www.runescape.com



Over the last couple of weeks we've had a sudden increase in reports of people apparently using 'bots' to play the game automatically (which is in breach of Rule 7). Firstly, we want to let all our honest players (and that's the vast majority of you) know that we are aware of this problem, and that we are taking immediate steps to tackle it. We currently ban about 8000 accounts every week for trying this sort of cheating, and for a long time that kept things under control. Things have clearly moved on, however, and that is no longer enough, so we are in the process of upgrading our detection and prevention systems. We also have logs of historical activity, so we'll be able to make sure that dishonesty doesn't pay. Please bear with us while we sort it out! There are also ways you can help us, so please read on.

What's happening is more complex than it first seems. What's actually going on is that the VAST majority of the level-3 characters you see playing the game repetitively and not talking to anyone, are actually people from countries such as China and Korea, who are trying to collect RuneScape gold to sell for real world money (obviously against the rules). Some of them aren't even using bots, they are just playing the game very repetitively with a single-minded purpose to collect gold. These people have no interest in playing the game properly, and therefore don't care if they get banned. The final effect is the same, though – it spoils the game for everyone else.

We can (and do) ban them - including using IP bans - but they still find ways to make accounts. We seized 6 billion in RuneScape gold by banning real-world traders last week! Unfortunately, these people are obliged to work such long hours and are paid such low wages that if even a tiny fraction of gold makes it to the market, those running the sweatshops will be encouraged to continue. This is why we are now further increasing our efforts.

So how to stop it? The answer is clearly to tackle the black market. As long as there is the potential to make money, they won't stop trying, even though it damages the game for everyone else. Of course, if nobody spent real world money on RuneScape gold these unwelcome groups would just switch to a different game.

Therefore, we are going to be cracking down HARD on people who breach Rule 12 (no real world trading). We can catch people who break this rule, because we have a sophisticated trade monitoring system and we can trace suspicious activity all the way back to the original bot accounts.

If you break Rule 12 and buy RuneScape gold you are directly funding this problem. You are funding underground gangs who run Chinese sweatshops, and creating the black market which causes this botting problem. Therefore, this rule will now be enforced as a priority, with no second chances. If you break Rule 12 and we catch you, then you will not only lose the money you spent, but also your entire account. Obviously, we will always be careful to make sure nobody is banned in error.

Finally, we have noticed some 3rd party sites, which call themselves 'fansites', but then advertise black market trading sites. This will no longer be tolerated. By running such advertising these sites are directly supporting these gangs, and are thus causing the botting problems they then complain about! We don't consider sites that encourage our players to break the rules and endanger their own users to be 'fansites'. (i.e. They're advertising things to their users, which, if the advertising works, will serve to get their users banned!) We consider them cheat sites, and they will be treated accordingly. True fans of the game don’t encourage cheating!

This brings us to the last point. HOW YOU CAN HELP! You can help us by:

1. Using the in-game 'report abuse' facility to tell us about players you see breaking rule 7. Of course we're not going to ban anyone just on the basis of a player report and will always thoroughly check them ourselves, too - but such reports still help us know who we should be checking up on.

2. Boycott any corrupt 'fansites' which advertise RuneScape gold for sale. There are plenty of genuine fansites out there who don't support cheating in this way, and we fully support those sites. Use those ones instead. Also, don't advertise, link to, or talk about any of these corrupt fansites. Obviously, if they stop supporting cheating, you can start using them again.

3. Under absolutely no circumstances buy RuneScape gold/items for real money! Doing so causes this whole problem, and we'll ban you if we catch you doing it.

The number of honest players still far, far outweighs the tiny minority causing trouble. Now we’re on the case you can be sure we’ll have this sorted out asap.

 

Ha, the can never stop it unless the get rid of the drop and trade buttons.

Just kill other char in wild or deauling

 

u lost me there... what r u talking about

 

Their resistance is useless, it just makes my penis harder.

 

I ment that they(JAgex is never going to be able to stop rwt.(real world trading)

 

yeah thats pretty true but they can probably still try it cant they

 

They will try, and fail. ;D

 

gl to them

 

Yeah there never gonna be able to stop real world tradeing but i bet they try and try and try but there just gonna fail fail fail, jagex cant control what happens out of runescape so as long as we do the trades smart like using items when u had over the money (if ur buying money) and or just talking on msn or aim and not runescape would make a whole lot of difference

 

I'm sure they'll step it up, but I think a lot of it is an empty threat: a scare tactic.

Would be about time, though. I've never been much for macro'ing.

 

6 bill last week W()()T! Thats awesome. However, I don't play Rs that much. As a result, I started MMing.

 

i like how they say that autoers are from China and Korea. they make it sound like chinese and koreans are too poor in real life so they auto to get money. racist assholes

 

They can try, but they won't get very far. Not with a certain new bot that is coming out soon

 

FUCK off Jagex. stop blaming china and korea for ruining your game. Probably most of the people autoing live in the US and UK.

China, the third world country who runs sweatshops, is ruining our game. Let's make our legit players hate Chinese people too!

why don't they just ban the chinese? sooner or later, they will allow "chink" to pass the filter in game so they can rid their precious game of these horrible horrible chinese.

 

6 bill is a lot. yet still not very much, considering all they would have to ban would be 2 stakers or less..

 

I hope you people know that if Jagex affiliates with eBay and other major sites that allow the selling/buying of Runescape GP, they'll ban that, this will hit hard the major/global GP sellers.

And what's that a better SCAR lol.

 

Well I guess if they really are serious about this, mils will get more expensive, though I also think it's just a threat.

 

It could be a threat, but I have a feeling they'll strike major markets and ban the selling of GP.

 

They won't get far. Sythe will keep hiding it, people will continue to make bots.

 

Haha. Now I've been incited to begin playing and macroing in Runescape again. I want to help this community as much as I possibly can, and what better way than to give Jagex a hard of a time as I can on my own?

I am very good with C/C++ and will probably begin writing some macros to help you guys with easy leveling of your accounts, meaning you'll be able to sell them for more GP/cash (My autoclicker that has already helped some users: http://www.sythe.org/showthread.php?t=201260, see some of the positive feedback)

Expect more to come soon.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!