How is game automation defined here?

[Eatitup86]

Hi there,

I recently made a post requesting some assistance with a script that allows players of Binding of Isaac: Rebirth to play the game using the original Binding of Isaac's sound track.

This script does use pixel recognition in order to swap songs & such but it does not in any way interact with the game itself aside from finding these patterns.

After a pattern is found the appropriate track is called with a run command that chooses the appropriate track's MP3 with Winamp from the original OST's soundtrack folder defined by the user.

The script does not include the soundtrack, any version of winamp (free software though), or provide any advantage to the player in the game itself.

These players likely already have the sound track from Steam since they enjoy it so much.

This is a single player game that only has a competitive scene among streamers on Twitch when they play the Boiler. Player's of the Boiler would never use a script to cheat since there are very strict rules in place that would kick them out of the tournament.

Just trying to get a better explanation of the broadness of "game automation" here.

[JLogan3o13]

Launching, automation or script interaction with games or game servers, regardless of the game.

 

Not sure how that is confusing? It is basically, zero automation of or interaction with games.

[Bert]

Game automation of any type is not to be discussed. No if, and, or buts. There is no wiggle room, no thinking the rule does not apply to you, no special circumstance, no way around this rule.

Zero tolerance means just that.

[Eatitup86]

What caused the shift away from allowing game discussion here?

I understand that bots are definitely a problem for games where they create unfair advantages such as MMOs but won't these discussions take place somewhere externally whether they are blocked here or not?

I used to post & discuss scripts of this nature often in the past but since the forums have been revamped none of those posts exist any more.

[Bert]

What caused the shift away from allowing game discussion here?

I understand that bots are definitely a problem for games where they create unfair advantages such as MMOs but won't these discussions take place somewhere externally whether they are blocked here or not?

I used to post & discuss scripts of this nature often in the past but since the forums have been revamped none of those posts exist any more.

Simple -

• Cheating sucks. PERIOD.
• Cheating makes AutoIt itself look bad.
• Cheating makes the AutoIt community look bad
• AV companies HATE it and some would flag every AutoIt script all the time when botting was allowed.
• Companies who use AutoIt in their environments are very concerned about software that is used for bad purposes. They won't use it if it is used in bad ways.
• The owner of AutoIt does not want it. In my opinion it made HIM look bad. Not cool!

Are theses reasons enough for you?

Edited November 13, 2014 by Bert

[Melba23]

Eatitup86,

 

What caused the shift away from allowing game discussion here?

The behaviour of the those who bot games - unfortunately they appear to be an disagreeable lot in the main and we were no longer prepared to put up with the unpleasantness they brought to the forum. Add to this a desire to see AutoIt shed any reputation as a "botter's language" when it has much more to offer that just that. And so on and so forth...there are plenty of threads discussing this if you search.

 

won't these discussions take place somewhere externally

Certainly - but not on the official AutoIt forum, which is a big difference.

As to the question posed in the title - the answer is simple: the forum Moderation team. You admit that the script you posted interacted with the game to detect the specific point reached - hence it fell foul of the "script interaction with games or game servers, regardless of the game" section of the rules as pointed out above and was locked. Sorry of this does not meet with your approval, but those are the rules as set out by the site owner (who is also the author of AutoIt) and enforced by the moderators he has appointed. Is the rule too draconian? Possibly, but it has the major advantage of being clear and precise with no room for mis-interpretation - although you would be surprised (or perhaps not) at the number of botters who claim that they are "special cases".

I hope that answers your question - and please excuse me if I do not answer your PM as I would essentially be repeating the above.

M23

[Eatitup86]

Understood,

I would like to point out that none of the scripts I had posted here interacted directly with a game in the past but they did involve games.

An example was a script to map controller keys to keyboard input similar to Joy2Key & XPadder.

It is a shame the botting community had to ruin many great opportunities for Autoit .

[TheSaint]

Just trying to get a better explanation of the broadness of "game automation" here.

Also consider, that even if your request seems like it should be fair and reasonable, any help we give would not just be for your consumption alone. It is seen by all others here. We could reasonably excuse helping a disabled person here, except that would come under the same conditions. Plus even if done secretly or in private, nothing stops them or you from sharing the code with friends etc that are botters. We have to be seen to be doing the right thing overall.