Is botting allowed?

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Block1312
Posts: 2
Joined: 24 May 2023, 13:58

Is botting allowed?

Post by Block1312 »

I played a game against someone who was clearly botting.

I can't find anything in the rules or ToS about botting. Reporting them for botting is not possible, so is it allowed?

-Block
Last edited by Block1312 on 04 November 2025, 14:41, edited 1 time in total.
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Grimwold
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Joined: 16 April 2020, 01:57

Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Grimwold »

Out of curiosity.
How do you know he was botting?
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Meeplelowda
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Joined: 14 March 2020, 10:31

Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Meeplelowda »

Grimwold wrote: 24 October 2025, 13:46 Out of curiosity.
How do you know he was botting?
It was clear.
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Meeplelowda
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Joined: 14 March 2020, 10:31

Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Meeplelowda »

Block1312 wrote: 24 October 2025, 10:50 Reporting them for botting is not possible
Reporting for anything is possible. Just because they don't have a specific menu item for every little edge case someone wants to report doesn't mean you can't report it.

And no, botting is not allowed, as it would be an instance of using a computer aid to calculate moves and someone's account was recently reset for its use of a game engine to calculate moves. Note, however, that this wasn't done on vibes. This user admitted to doing it in a Discord channel.
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Mathew5000
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Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Mathew5000 »

Block1312 wrote: 24 October 2025, 10:50I can't find anything in the rules or ToS about botting. Reporting them for botting is not possible, so is it allowed?
It is mentioned in the ToS, as discussed in these previous threads:
viewtopic.php?t=16538
viewtopic.php?t=17026
viewtopic.php?t=19284
viewtopic.php?t=21355
viewtopic.php?t=23687
viewtopic.php?t=25664
viewtopic.php?t=26180
viewtopic.php?t=33272
viewtopic.php?t=33790
viewtopic.php?t=34140
viewtopic.php?t=34987
viewtopic.php?t=37285
viewtopic.php?t=40859
viewtopic.php?t=45165
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Meeplelowda
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Joined: 14 March 2020, 10:31

Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Meeplelowda »

Mathew5000 wrote: 24 October 2025, 18:20
Block1312 wrote: 24 October 2025, 10:50I can't find anything in the rules or ToS about botting. Reporting them for botting is not possible, so is it allowed?
It is mentioned in the ToS, as discussed in these previous threads:
viewtopic.php?t=16538
viewtopic.php?t=17026
viewtopic.php?t=19284
viewtopic.php?t=21355
viewtopic.php?t=23687
viewtopic.php?t=25664
viewtopic.php?t=26180
viewtopic.php?t=33272
viewtopic.php?t=33790
viewtopic.php?t=34140
viewtopic.php?t=34987
viewtopic.php?t=37285
viewtopic.php?t=40859
viewtopic.php?t=45165
How was this list generated? Because your second link mentions neither the ToS nor bots.
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Mathew5000
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Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Mathew5000 »

Meeplelowda wrote: 24 October 2025, 19:03 How was this list generated? Because your second link mentions neither the ToS nor bots.
In general these links are to discussions on the forums of the use of software aids by players on BGA. I should have said that some, but not all, of those threads discuss the provision in the ToS about "cheating software". (In that second link, the OP asked whether keeping track of game information with "a software" is cheating.)
Block1312
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Joined: 24 May 2023, 13:58

Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Block1312 »

Grimwold wrote: 24 October 2025, 13:46 Out of curiosity.
How do you know he was botting?
The moves where played at an inhumane speed, instantly. It continued for many turns. It was clear my opponent was using some sort of bot/macro to input their moves. And since the opponent made choices based of new information instantly I am assuming it was a bot that could also make decisions, not just a macro to input pre-determined moves.
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Suoivax
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Joined: 13 April 2022, 00:27

Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Suoivax »

Block1312 wrote: 28 October 2025, 15:40
Grimwold wrote: 24 October 2025, 13:46 Out of curiosity.
How do you know he was botting?
The moves where played at an inhumane speed, instantly. It continued for many turns. It was clear my opponent was using some sort of bot/macro to input their moves. And since the opponent made choices based of new information instantly I am assuming it was a bot that could also make decisions, not just a macro to input pre-determined moves.
May i ask what game?
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Meeplelowda
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Joined: 14 March 2020, 10:31

Re: Is botting allowed?

Post by Meeplelowda »

Suoivax wrote: 28 October 2025, 18:10
Block1312 wrote: 28 October 2025, 15:40
Grimwold wrote: 24 October 2025, 13:46 Out of curiosity.
How do you know he was botting?
The moves where played at an inhumane speed, instantly. It continued for many turns. It was clear my opponent was using some sort of bot/macro to input their moves. And since the opponent made choices based of new information instantly I am assuming it was a bot that could also make decisions, not just a macro to input pre-determined moves.
May i ask what game?
Just to clarify, you're asking for the name of the game, right? Not the specific table where this happened.
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