May 15, 2015

Controversy, Botting, and Apologies

The Botting Problem and How We Make It Right

So… we have a really cool band lined up for our first guest to play live at Yulgar's Inn. However, drama and controversy has surfaced. As you may know the lead singer and guitarist are huge fans of our games. Well, the guy got busted botting. /Facepalm  I know… I know… this just got really weird. Some vocal players who found out about it pretty much want him burned at the stake.

The situation got even worse after some pre-promotion for the band with a special item got… awkward. You could make a reality TV show about this crazy story as it unfolds.

Artix and I met to figure out how we could make this right for everyone. He thought, and I brainstormed, and he acknowledged we need to treat everyone equally regardless, and also that we don't want to hurt the band or take the event away from players who just want to /headbang in Yulgar's Inn, or waste the team’s hard work by cancelling our first-ever band in the Inn.

Artix said, “If he is truly sorry and will not do it again, then we have an opportunity to turn this from a negative into a positive situation.  Ban his account for seven days like we would any other 1st time offender that was caught, and replace whatever armor he requested for his character with an anti-botting t-shirt."

Romulus will be our poster boy for reformed botters… the armor will serve as a symbol of people who stand against botting— regardless of whether they had made that mistake past or not. Artix's sincere hope is that when the new server is deployed and tweaked, botting will go the way of the dinosaurs.

Letter from Romulus, Lead Guitarist

I would like to start off by apologizing to all of the you fellow players and staff of Artix Entertainment. Some of you may or may not know this, but as a fellow player I messed up big time:

My first mistake was deciding to download botting software. The second mistake was using it.

For a little over a year I have used this software. I did this mostly out of the laziness of clicking away at buttons for hours. But looking back at what I've done, I see the people who I really hurt a long the way.

The third mistake was undergoing a powertrip. Alina had made me a personal item to share with my friends. I let it get out of hand and left many people disappointed. So I decided to let the personal cape and sword available to all players everywhere.

But I really do love all of the players and staff at AE. This is why I have decided to have my account banned. Looking back, it should not have been the lust for items that mattered to me. It should have been how I treated all of you in the process. 

When it comes down to it; all I want to do is share music with all of you. Our songs teach about lessons I should have learned while writing them. About changing yourself and becoming a better person.

Our name Synderes comes from the word "synderesis". This is the ability to determine what is good and what is evil. I have not been living up to that name.

This is why I decided to have my account banned. To make it up to all of you. All that matters is the music that comes from our hearts. I was wrong, but now I am making it right.

I take my firm stance against botting and encourage all of you to stand with me. I am still very excited for all of you players to join my band as we battle fierce monsters together!

And to all those I have hurt or offended; I offer my sincere apology. And now this statement rings true: I am not a botter. Botting is wrong. And I will do everything within my power to help AE eradicate it once and for all. The only thing it does is ruin the game for yourself and cause massive lag for other players.

I love all of you and I hope you can forgive me for my selfishness. And to all of you who knew this. You got me right on the money. I cheated. And you were all right.

Synderes' Mission: To Share Their Music and Passion

Synderes is not just one person; the band has five members. Amanda, Synderes' lead singer, and the rest of the group were unaware of any botting, and would not have approved of it if they had known.

When I met Amanda, their lead singer, I was incredibly impressed by her passion, enthusiasm, and creativity. The rest of the band mirrors her dedication; they are a group of artists devoted to their craft, to making an impact on their community, and to sharing their creations with the rest of the world - and that is why we are so excited about bringing them onstage in Yulgar's Inn in the near future.