Why?
Why would I want to play a game that is infested with bots?
Why would I hire a human player to play my delegated deck for a fee, while I can get the same service at a cheaper cost?
Why do the game exists in the first place?
Why bots battling bots will erode the true value of this game?
Why would we worry about it when the gamemakers think bots are as good as human as long as they hold/rent cards (provided they don't get undue advantage)?
These are all difficult questions, and it has been asked numerous times, without much of a resolution. There have been efforts from the gamemakers though, and they are all good ones.
- CP requirements
- ECR model
- Adjustment of reward structure to encourage card combination (to deter low level bots)
Discussion
Despite these efforts, currently the leaderboard of champions league, high level brawls and tournaments are dominated by high level bots. Not only these bots are siphoning large amount of SPS rewards, due to their high win-rate, and tireless presence at the top of the leaderboard, they are encouraging more and more good players to subscribe to these bots. The small number of human players who still play manually are slowly getting frustrated with this tireless grind.
So what can we do about it? I am going to approach this from a philosophical side, from the direction of 'spirit of the game'. As Japanese rōnin, philosopher and writer Miyamoto Mushashi said:
There is nothing
outside of yourself
that can ever enable you
to get better,
stronger, richer,
quicker, or smarter.
Everything is within.
Everything exists.
Seek nothing outside of yourself.
This is true for us personally and true for us in-game. For those who are new to this game and platform, this bot problem is not new. If we look inside our history we can highlight a previous incident, which was a major problem for the game in the past. If you read the post, you will see land was proposed to deter that centralized bot, and the owner was unhappy and decided to quit and sell all his cards. For the record, I bought lots of his cards, so thanks for that. We did take some learning from it, but it seems we run into a reincarnition of the issue here. It was an unpleasant chapter in the history of Splinterlands, let us hope we will not get there again.
Pledge
So the honest question is if I can get a bot for a 15% - 35% fee, why would I hire a human scholar for a 50% fee? The answer to me is by choice.
As Dumbeldore said, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
When I hire a scholar, I am investing in a human being. I am potentially changing someones life, hopefully for the better. I am having a conversation with a fellow human, stratagizing, helping him or her to navigate through life and splinterlands. I have done that with multiple people and it have been one of the most rewarding experience of my life. $200 may not be a lot of money to you and me, but it is a lot of money in Manila, Phillipines. It can sustain a single human for a month, believe it or not. If there is a choice I choose that over a bot.
Can you?
Also, if all players are demotivated to play manually, who will be in the next Splinterfest? How will we fill up the HyperX Arena with? Who will chant Vo Nak.... Vo Nak!?
Have you ever thought about that?
So I ask you, please look within, the answer is in you. It is in your choices.
Bots are taking over the realm of gaming it seems, especially the competitive realm, whether it be relying on bots or any sort of AI.
In the FPS genre any sort of help or assistance from AI are categorized as cheating. There isn't any mechanism or bot that can solely takeover in such games, but the ones that are available assist the players immensely. The power of such software comes with quite a price tag too, starting with monthly subscriptions of $5 dollars to a $100 even. It's just pathetic, to rely on cheats and bots in a competitive scene/game.
In the FPS genre cheats/bot users are known as the worst of our kind, certified lowlifes. You're allowed to be toxic here, allowed to trash talk or even use broken mechanics, but cheats are made for lazy and unskilled cowards. There's no room for anyone who relies on such "quick hacks", instead of working on their skillset they take the scummy and easy way out, cheat/pay their way towards victory.
You're doing the right thing dada, actually handing over your account to another skilled player and giving them a chance to earn, while your account grows through the process.
I do understand the usage of bots too, Splinterlands pays, and the grind is tough for us "mango people" and that is why people are looking for ways to stay as active as possible. But I'll never really understand the role of bots/AI in a competitive scene, whether the game pays or doesn't pay. Only humans should be allowed in a skillful game and competitive scene, and their goal should be to make progress, to get better at the game with more time and experience.
It is good to get this comment from a top FPS player. I wish you can say this to our Splinterlands players who chose to bot their account. It is a shame!
Well, I guess I have no right to judge, since I'm not invested in SL. Yet, I'd say that the bots may serve a purpose for public/normal matches. But when it comes to Ranked Modes or any other competitive category, then such bots should just be banned.
The same applies to any other genre as well, whether it be MOBA, RTS, Sports, whatever it may be, bots and anything that relies on AI is strictly prohibited. Anyone who is caught "cheating" never even gets a second chance. No matter how big of a "legit reputation" they may have built, even if they decide to use some soft hacks somewhere along the line, and then if they somehow get caught, then it all ends then and there.
Many legit and talented players have ruined their careers because they just couldn't stay away from the temptation of hacking their way towards the win, just to make some progress in their career.
It is not because you are not invested in SL. (which you can change anytime by the way)It is because you play multiple tripple A games and you are probably 90+ percentile in lot of them.
People were are blinded by ROI and have forgotten the spirit of the game is entertainment. To be better than the next player, to be immersed in the that world. Its sad that they don't get it!
All true dada, and I also want to change the state of not being invested in SL, gameplay wise. I've already talked to Zaku bhai. For now my younger brother seems to be interested, he would actually be a better candidate. He's way more talented and has the extra time to invest, so I plan on getting him into the game first. He's already been through a few SL 101s all by himself, just needs a bit more time I guess.
If anything, ROI should be the motivator that motivates us to actually up our own game even more; invest more time, get better, learn a new skill or tactic. The games I play and compete in, most of the time I don't even get paid, but I still work on myself and my skillset whenever I get the chance. A big tournament and prize in my eyes is the perfect "excuse" to up my game, while also making some money on the side haha.
Sadly, these bots, AI assisted mechanics and cheats are becoming way more common day by day. These big titles and games do have anti-cheats, but they only work 50 to 60 percent of the time.
Also, thanks to the millions of $ that's flowing into the streaming/gaming industry recently, most of the streamers/pro players nowadays are relying on soft hacks for more "better" content. Some even go as far as using these hacks in home based tournaments, to take home the big cash prizes. Fortunately, many communities, big studios and devs are working tirelessly to battle such abusers, so there is still some hope.
That is for not blockchain gamers. As your ROI is typically always negative :)
Zaku is a good and influential person in SL. He is definitely an OG and knows in and out of the game and the market better than I do. If you or your brother, whoevers starts, they will start at a much better level to begin with.
I guess so dada, I guess so, it applies to any P2E game I guess, a whole different scenario compared to other genres.
Yess, we'll definitely have a head start, working on it for now.
I love that you "get it" AZ... Thank you for speaking out and leading the way on this issue! You are as wise as you are generous!!!
We must do something, Dave. We came near brink the last time, as I know that you remember vividly. I do not want to get there again. Lot of the new people don't know the history with j6969, we do. We don't want to get there.
I agree completely. And the ironic thing is Bubke said he started his bot just because of J6969. So hopefully he can understand how this can spiral out of control quickly.
if we don't learn from our own past, that is only 2 years back, how can we do better in future?
Great philosophical post! Today, I heard from bulldog that archmage is coming to brawls. Soon AI guilds will be the top...
This really resonated with me:
"if all players are demotivated to play manually, who will be in the next Splinterfest? How will we fill up the HyperX Arena? Who will chant Vo Nak.... Vo Nak!?"
I was there and it was a great experience! However, those moments fade away when I think about the current bot situation. It makes me think that the next one will be bot owners party.
im not sure sure what the context of this is, but can definitely confirm AM is not about to release a brawl bot 🤣
thank you for confirming!
I will fight this fight till the very end.
I am NOT certain if Archmage will come to brawl. If they do, it will be a sad day.
Regardless, I will spent substantial resources and political capital to STOP that from happening.
I've loved what Archmage has done for me since I've been in school. I have nothing but heaps of praise for its team. But you've had me thinking about this bigger picture since Splinterfest.
At first, botting was a way to ensure I kept my standings in our guild as I had less and less time to play. As the months have gone on though, I've spent more and more time obsessing over what I've brought in daily, weekly, seasonally - so much more than I ever did as an active player. I'm sure many factors are at play, as the game's focus has shifted so much to rewards, but this behavior isn't what got me in to this ecosystem - the game did.
You've given me a lot to think about since the fest and now with this here, too.
I have nothing but respect to the Archmage folks. I have met imposter during the Fest, and I had excellent discussion with him in person. I talk to iProto in the guild quite often, both him and Moros seem to be extremely talented.
I can offer that they are making a tool. They have limited responsibility on how people use them. I am never in favor of trash talking a resource or a developer; there are few of them. It is our job as a community to figure out how those tools are used.
I wish there was a good solution for bots. My stance aligns with WeirdBeard on the Town Hall yesterday. Bots should have no place in the competitive scene. But I unfortunately don't have a solution on how to get rid of them while adhering to the philosophy of decentralization that the company is founded upon.
Well I suggest we start small. With a pledge. That doesn't require any coding. Opinions go a long way.
Then perhaps we can spot the ones we know. I understand then it comes a cat-and-mouse game. But at least we do something...anything.
You were there at the fest, in side the box with Luthie. How would you feel looking at empty chairs. I know the answer, you won't feel good obviously. If we don't do anything about it, unfortunately that might happen sooner than you think. I know so many top level skilled card holders given up their accounts to bots. We don't want this to continue.
PS. I appreciate you visited and read the post. I like to write and keep a record of the concersation in the blockchain. Discord texts get lost.
I thought the entire conversation in mav chat today was good. Lots of good ideas thrown around. It's definitely going to be a challenge one way or another and how Splinterlands handles them will likely play a big role in how large the game can grow.
Amen!
Excellent post, the truth is that bots are something that really frustrates, but hopefully the incentive to play and have fun continues to grow, so the competitiveness is necessary for real players are encouraged to be the best playing manually.
Now with respect to the other part, I identify myself a lot and I couldn't help but feel a little sentimental about it, since 200$ in my country Venezuela is also a lot of money and we always try to do our best to make a living, but out of this, I admire the opportunity you give to these players, encouraging them to be the best for very generous rewards that of course help.
I really liked this post, also the words of "Miyamoto Mushashi" are amazing and made me think about my current situation, I will read his story.
Thank you. I read a lot and I am still a good student.
I know about the economic situation of Venezuela. I have many friends from there. Houston is full of people from there. So I appreciate what many of you have to go through.
Excellent, I also like to read a lot, this especially left a great message for me, thank you very much for that.
I'm very glad you know a little more about us Venezuelans, we will keep fighting, please keep bringing this kind of content, it's great and I also learn.
Well written, my friend. I admire your dedication to real players and know you are a force of good for the game.
I am flattered, Luis :)
We are all in the same boat and hopefully rowing in the same direction, may not be in sync, but we are trying our best!
great post azir! i think, hopefully, what's happening now is different in effect than what happened before, but i wasn't around then. all i know is what you've told us, but as i understand, damage was previously being caused by a very large, centralized private bot network. its only goal was to siphon value out of the game. with services like AM, on the other hand, i think they are (mostly) seeing single, individual users. from their discord, it's clear those users are still very enagaged with their accounts, very engaged with the community, and most importantly, seem to be re-investing their rewards in card purchases. just a distinction that came to mind when reading.
You are correct. I appreciate the Archmage folks for that. However, they always said that they won't tool us in brawls/tournaments. Perhaps they are considering this not on their own but by requests from players. But the fact remains, the game flourishes by human players. We must help them.
Vo Nak !
Vo nak! Vo nak!!
For the greater good dada. For the greater good :)
I wish more people understand it, but they don't. However, that never deter me to stop fighting. Even if I lose I will still fight. I have done the same in real life. I have been burned a lot, so much I probably don't have any unburned part left, figuratively!
You know how the saying goes dada, "সোনা সে তো খাঁটি হয় পুড়ে গেলে আগুনে"
When I was young these seemed too cheesy. But as I experience more in life, some of these age old saying figuratively makes a lot of sense.
Fight the good fight dada!
I intend to...
Bots put the game in a weird spot from time to time. I really hope we find a way to minimalize their impact. I don't use one personally, because I have time for the game and I really like playing the game.
yes, it is the balance we sought without losing any functionlity.
Great article, thanks for your contribution!
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A person must have a choice. Play with a bot or a human. The game should have a button - I want to play with a person.
Thank you so much for your support of my @v4vapp proposals in the past, my previous one expired this week.
I'd be really happy if you would continue supporting my work by voting on this proposal for the next 6 months:
Additionally you can also help this work with a vote for Brianoflondon's Witness using KeyChain or HiveSigner
If you have used v4v.app I'd really like to hear your feedback, and if you haven't I'd be happy to hear why or whether there are other things you want it to do.