Brighter Shores Sees First Ban Wave Targeting Macro Users

By Ryan in News • Published on December 19th, 2024

A major ban wave has recently swept through Brighter Shores, targeting players engaged in botting and macroing. This enforcement action follows a statement made by Andrew during last week's Reddit AMA, where they revealed that they had been collecting data on cheaters and working on methods to detect them. The team has now implemented these measures, resulting in swift action against rule-breakers.

A Different Approach to Rule Enforcement

Unlike many other games that permanently ban accounts for cheating, Fen Research has taken a more nuanced approach. Rather than outright bans, players caught violating the rules face a combination of penalties:

• A temporary suspension from playing the game, typically lasting three days.
• Permanent disqualification from leaderboards.
• Permanently restricted from trading with other players (once trading becomes available).

This approach effectively relegates cheaters to a single-player experience while allowing them to continue playing the game if they choose. Such a system aims to deter cheaters from creating new accounts and reintroducing the same behavior.

Community Reactions

The new policy has sparked discussions among the Brighter Shores community and beyond. Some players praised the innovative approach, noting its potential benefits:

• Discouraging repeat offenders: By isolating cheaters, the system reduces their impact on the player economy and leaderboards while potentially dissuading them from starting over with new accounts.
• Learning opportunity: Allowing bot accounts to remain active in isolation gives the developers an ongoing chance to study their behavior and refine detection methods.

One community member compared this system to a concept they had suggested for RuneScape, where instead of outright banning bots, developers could "maim" the accounts to limit their ability to harm the game's ecosystem.

Another commenter speculated on the commercial implications of the approach, suggesting it could help maintain active player counts, an essential metric for attracting future investment.

A Model for the Industry?

Fen Research's handling of botting may provide a model for other games seeking to balance enforcement with fairness. By isolating cheaters rather than banning them outright, developers mitigate harm to the broader player community while retaining flexibility in addressing future violations.

This thoughtful approach could lead to broader discussions about how games enforce their rules and the potential benefits of alternative methods to foster healthier player ecosystems.

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