People are using bots in the Steam Market.

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swagweed Jul 17, 2013 @ 2:56am

People are using bots in the Steam Market.

I am sick and tired of refreshing the page for a low price trading card and when it finally pops up I immediatley, and I mean IMMEDIATLEY click the 'buy now' button, then click the checkbox and confirm purchase faster than the speed of light. And yet it smacks me in the face with big red letters saying it's been bought by another user. This has happened 30 times in a row (yes i know i'm sad). I am forced to literally perform the ritual of seppuku on these morons.

One either has to have an augmented hand which automatically places the cursor on the necessary options to purchase that fast or maybe something more realistic. A bot. So Valve, please ban these little ♥♥♥♥♥ PERMANANTLEY as they are breeching your user agreements, and overall being a pain in the ass.

TL;DR
Valve, please find and ban the steam users who use bots in the Steam Market.

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Showing 1-15 of 71 comments

kristijanH Jul 17, 2013 @ 2:58am

This probably belongs in the suggestions subforum.

Dr. Paradox Jul 17, 2013 @ 2:59am

I haven't had this problem at all, maybe they just have a better connection?

Marble Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:09am

Originally posted by DrParadox:
I haven't had this problem at all, maybe they just have a better connection?

Same here. Sometimes a super cheap one appears and I don't get it but I do some of the time. Likely there are just a lot of people refreshing and you're just too slow.

Bots exist, but they already have punishments in place. They remove all inventory items and wallet funds.

Last edited by Marble; Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:09am

Glamb Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:21am

I'd also recommend using browser (not steam client) to make fast purchases on market. It seems faster to me..

Open item page in browser, place cursor over first buy button and start refreshing (F5). If price is good, click on buy button, check agreement and confirm purchase. GL a fast hand :D

Last edited by Glamb; Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:25am

Kagaij Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:31am

This would suck if they do.

Glamb Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:39am

Well, they do, at least this one did: IAMA steam market bot writer who recently got banned and lost $10,000 of items - interesting reading btw..

Sugita Yuuichi Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:43am

I don't think it's bots issue. Simply, Summer Sale TK are extremely hot right now, and most of Steamers concentrate on them, plus as mentioned, refreshing speed (browser and connection). I admit, is hard to get lowest priced but is possible, you must be quick and 'refresh' first. Good luck everybody and don't give up:).

Originally posted by Glamb:
Well, they do, at least this one did: IAMA steam market bot writer who recently got banned and lost $10,000 of items - interesting reading btw..

Quite interesting.

Last edited by Sugita Yuuichi; Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:45am

LLI T P I/I X ☭ Jul 17, 2013 @ 3:44am

xm....

comicGeek Jul 17, 2013 @ 4:11am

Ugh! Bots in Steam? Goodness, nothing ever comes out of game auction houses. Even if the amounts are pennies.

sfoosnmjg Jul 17, 2013 @ 4:22am

I think nowadays fairness is a foreign word for most of the people.

#10

Fytayn Jul 19, 2013 @ 7:46pm

Couldn't they add a sort of registered bid system? You can set up *one* bid, name your price, and the system takes care of it. It indexes everyone who is looking to buy that item and price in a FIFO order and gives them the items accordingly -- when the item you want pops at the price you want you get it if first in line. Doesn't even post to the Market proper. Bots wouldn't really work on this as they'd have to realize they'd gotten the item and put another registered bid in, can only do one at a time and, likely, wouldn't be first in line even if they did a new registered bid right away.

And when I say one I mean *one*. Not one per item or price point or whatever category you want to name. Just one at a time per Steam account. Maybe allow for a range around the price point (+/- 5-10%) to speed things along.

Example: A person has sold a card for price X, and sees that a card they want is selling "starting at" price X right now. They put in a registered bid for the card at the price, agreeing to the terms and confirming right then and there, and go do something else. Eventually, when they become first in line for their item and price, the system buys the next one available and completes the transaction. The item arrives in their inventor and their Steam wallet is debited the amount -- or the transaction fails and the bid is cancelled if they lack the funds.

#11