Andrew Clarifies His Approach to Macros and Leaderboards

By Ryan • Published on December 19th, 2024

Following a major ban wave targeting cheaters in Brighter Shores, Andrew took to 𝕏 / Twitter to provide additional insights and address community questions about the game's approach to rule enforcement. The ban wave targeted players using macros or bots, with penalties ranging from temporary suspensions to permanent disqualifications from leaderboards and trading.

Andrew's Clarifications

In his post, Andrew reaffirmed the team's stance on macros and outlined the reasoning behind the penalties:

Permanent Disqualification: Accounts caught using macros are permanently barred from leaderboards and trading. These measures are critical to ensuring fairness and maintaining the integrity of competitive gameplay.
Rigorous Verification: The team applied penalties over the past two days, conducting thorough reviews to ensure no false positives. Andrew confirmed that a small number of penalties were reversed after improved analysis, but they are now confident that all remaining penalties are justified.
Ease of Detection: Macros are relatively straightforward to identify, allowing the development team to act swiftly against offenders.

Andrew emphasized that the game provides legitimate passive progression systems, making macro usage unnecessary for regular gameplay. Macros are primarily used to exploit the leaderboards, undermining the competitive environment.

Community Reactions

The response to the policy continues to spark debate among players and onlookers. Some expressed support for the nuanced penalties, while others questioned the necessity of punishing macro users so severely.

Arguments Supporting the Policy

Fair Competition: Supporters argue that disqualifying cheaters ensures leaderboard integrity and discourages exploitative behaviors.
Learning Opportunities: By allowing penalized accounts to remain active (albeit isolated), developers can continue studying their behavior to refine detection systems.

Criticisms and Suggestions

Transparency in Penalties: Some players suggested that accounts flagged for cheating should display a marker to indicate they've been penalized. This could serve as a public acknowledgment of their actions while still allowing them to play.
Macro Justification Debate: A few commenters questioned whether using macros should be considered cheating, suggesting it reflects poor game design if players feel compelled to automate tasks. Others countered that Brighter Shores' passive progression system eliminates the need for macros entirely.

A Broader Impact

Fen Research's innovative approach to handling cheaters-penalizing but not outright banning-continues to draw attention as a potential model for the gaming industry. By isolating rule-breakers, they protect the broader community while mitigating the incentive to create new accounts for continued exploitation.

This thoughtful balance between enforcement and fairness may influence how other developers tackle cheating, fostering healthier player ecosystems in the process.

Brighter Shores Sees First Ban Wave Targeting Macro Users

Fen Research's innovative approach to botting in Brighter Shores isolates rule-breakers without outright bans, sparking debate about the future of game moderation.

Ryan
2 Days Ago 3 Min Read

Hopeport Recreated At 80% Scale In Neverwinter Nights 2

A dedicated fan has recreated Hopeport at 80% scale in Neverwinter Nights 2, showcasing the civilised port-town area of Episode 1 in Brighter Shores as part of their passion project.

Ryan
2 Days Ago 13 Min Read

Brighter Shores Early Access: A Month In – My Thoughts So Far

Brighter Shores, the new MMO from RuneScape's creator, has been out for over a month. Here's my overview after 200+ hours: the room-based world, professions, combat, and what's next. Read the full review for all the details!

Ryan
3 Days Ago 2 Min Read

Monument Completion in Hopeport Leaves Players Disappointed

A Brighter Shores player has completed the Episode 1 Monument after weeks of grinding. The surprising disappointment of a reward has left players speculating about future updates.

Ryan
2 Weeks Ago 4 Min Read