A Potential Solution to the Bot Problem

[ccostigan]

Make TF2 cost $1.

It would no longer make TF2 free-to-play, but as-is when bots are banned they just come back under a new account a day later. This would solve the problem by making a new account for bots cost more than they're going to earn.

Of course, afterwards Valve would need to do a ban wave to get rid of the existing bots, but this would stop them from coming back. People who already have accounts but are free-to-play get to keep them - no need to punish F2Ps further.

[Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC]

They already pay $5 per account for premium to give bots the ability to chat.

$1 is nothing.

[Shadow_The_Worm | Titan.TF]

Also, that would wound the new playerbase income in general. It's not a genuine solution, it's a dual-edge sword.

[the shibe]

Bot hosters counter that with the autism bucks they get from the government, not a good solution

[tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXVACPLS]

What about a time-gate?
Your steam account has to be whatever old (maybe a few months) or you can't play TF2.
This would possibly make it easier by preventing bot accounts from re-appearing after they are removed from the game, possibly giving a grace period or even fixing the issue.

[Fireschlong #2Broke4MannUp]

A dollar in order to disincentivize bots is nothing. Making TF2 a paid game would work though at the cost of greatly slowing down TF2's (admittedly nonexistent) growth, but it would require frequent ban waves to actually be effective and hurt cheaters and bot hosters financially.

[Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC]

Originally posted by tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXTF2:

What about a time-gate?
Your steam account has to be whatever old (maybe a few months) or you can't play TF2.
This would possibly make it easier by preventing bot accounts from re-appearing after they are removed from the game, possibly giving a grace period or even fixing the issue.

Steam accounts are free and there are people who sell aged steam account in bulk for dirt cheap.

[tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXVACPLS]

Originally posted by Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC:

Originally posted by tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXTF2:

What about a time-gate?
Your steam account has to be whatever old (maybe a few months) or you can't play TF2.
This would possibly make it easier by preventing bot accounts from re-appearing after they are removed from the game, possibly giving a grace period or even fixing the issue.

Steam accounts are free and there are people who sell aged steam account in bulk for dirt cheap.

I think it'd be better to put a band-aid on the open wound rather than let it fester un-impeded, though.
Of course that's just a hypothetical, I don't really know if it'd work but adding extra price on the bots might help slow it down.

[Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC]

Originally posted by tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXTF2:

Originally posted by Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC:

Steam accounts are free and there are people who sell aged steam account in bulk for dirt cheap.

I think it'd be better to put a band-aid on the open wound rather than let it fester un-impeded, though.
Of course that's just a hypothetical, I don't really know if it'd work but adding extra price on the bots might help slow it down.

Its not a band-aid when it would have zero affect on the situation. It wouldnt even slow it down.

[tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXVACPLS]

Originally posted by Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC:

Originally posted by tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXTF2:

I think it'd be better to put a band-aid on the open wound rather than let it fester un-impeded, though.
Of course that's just a hypothetical, I don't really know if it'd work but adding extra price on the bots might help slow it down.

Its not a band-aid when it would have zero affect on the situation. It wouldnt even slow it down.

I'm not sure what else we could do without making TF2 paid or other major decisions that could potentially ♥♥♥♥ up TF2. I'm just throwing out ideas that might slow down the giant open wound from bleeding out.

[pix]

Originally posted by shiib:

Bot hosters counter that with the autism bucks they get from the government, not a good solution

wait i can be getting money for free?

[tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXVACPLS]

Originally posted by pix:

Originally posted by shiib:

Bot hosters counter that with the autism bucks they get from the government, not a good solution

wait i can be getting money for free?

i think so
we must harvest our autism

[Doughnut Drake]

No.

[waldo wrangler]

Originally posted by tf2 pomson enjoyer #FIXTF2:

What about a time-gate?
Your steam account has to be whatever old (maybe a few months) or you can't play TF2.
This would possibly make it easier by preventing bot accounts from re-appearing after they are removed from the game, possibly giving a grace period or even fixing the issue.

If bots aren’t being banned this effectively changes nothing and hurts the main way tf2 gets legitimate new players; from new steam users who are directed to the game because it’s free.

[Zaokllr]

Lol

[Astyl]

20 USD seems like a sweet spot, and I see reducing the number of new players in this game as an upside as they've proven themselves to be detrimental to it.