Alot of people macro, this means they have a computer program playing for them. I don’t think this is a bad thing, because there is no way of completing runescape and the point of the game is to do your own thing. If you want to macro i think you should be allowed. However Jagex (the makers of runescape) see macroing completely different as an “unfair advantage”.

On the 11th of June 2009 Jagex released this statement.

It’s been a while since we updated you on what we are doing to prevent cheating in RuneScape, and particularly to catch and ban macroers, so here’s what’s currently going on:

You’ve probably already noticed while playing the game that there has been a lot less macroing going on over the last year, as we’ve been getting more effective at preventing it. Gone are the days where every tree has an accompanying crowd of bots. However, we’re not resting on our laurels, and in fact we have just strengthened our macro-detection systems yet again. We are about to ban several thousand more accounts for macroing. We have reviewed all the macro programs available, and there are none we cannot detect.

These days we are taking a zero-tolerance approach to macroing. Players caught for macroing don’t receive a warning, or a chance to appeal, or even a last-chance appeal – they are just permanently banned. Don’t make the mistake of believing that we’ll be soft, and that you can get away with it until you are warned. You can’t. Don’t risk your account. By the time you realize you’ve been caught it will be far too late.

Also, high-level and members’ accounts are NOT immune, or given an extra chance. One of the reasons for our RWT changes was precisely so players couldn’t effectively macro on low–level, throwaway accounts to gain wealth. This means they were tempted to macro on their high–level, main accounts instead, which plays straight into our hands as our existing anti-macro systems catch and ban them! This has proven very effective; so far this month we have already banned over 500 high-level accounts with skills in the 80s and 90s. Don’t make your account one of them.

This is a warning to players that would have otherwise been sucked in by the misinformation spread by cheating communities; don’t do it, or you will lose your hard-earned account.

For further information, please refer to the honour section of the Rules of RuneScape.

Just for the record i do not macro

This is an interview with my friend Alex who used to bot alot before getting banned.

Neal

Hi Alex how are you?

Alex

Good thanks you?

Neal

im fine, so how long have you been playing runescape for?

Alex

About 3-4 years now

Neal

wow 3 – 4 years that’s pretty much since the start of rs2, what’s your longest memory of runescape?

Alex

the toy puppet thing at Christmas

Alex

and the yoyo

Neal

hahaha yeah? so how long have you been macroing for?

Alex

about 2 months haha, you mean had

Neal

oh yeah, you got banned… how did that happen?

Alex

Well the bot messed up and was running in circles in the fishing guild for at least 7 hours lol

Neal

hahahaha that’s funny, did you think Jagex were bluffing when they released the recent statement about botting?

Alex

yeah, but now I know they weren’t fucking around

Neal

I suppose, maybe it was coincidence because your bot messed up?

Alex

nah, i think they had noticed me for a while since getting 99 wc from yews, and then kept their eye on me

Neal

really? what makes you say that?

Alex

because it was kinda blatant when id be at yews like 24/7

Alex

and I’m sure they would get many reports

Neal

I don’t know because I can’t say I’ve ever noticed a botter so they can’t be that blatant

Alex

I notice them all the time as you can compare their behaviour with your own

Neal

oh I suppose because I don’t bot I can’t recognise it.

Neal

Do you think your ban was unfair?

Alex

Yeah, I have paid for 3 years membership, a loyal customer as such, and play legit most of the time

Neal

But as Jagex say, botting puts you at an unfair advantage. Do you agree with that statement?

Alex

no because there is still people better, so how is it an advantage

Neal

Well, you did pk alot and if you decided to sell all the logs you botted it would mess up the economy (make prices rise and drop).

Alex

but i sold at like 5k a time to make sure that i would not ruin the economy to an extent which would affect other players

Neal

Yeah, that’s a good point. Was botting combat risky? like fighting monsters which could kill you when you’re away from the computer?

Alex

I didn’t fight ones that could kill me, like experiments, which were good exp and empty most of the time

Neal

What was your greatest achievement?

Alex

Fire cape. It was my main aim in the game and I finally got it, so I don’t really mind that much

Neal

and finally is this the end of runescape for you?

Alex

yes, I’ve had my fun, and I cant be bothered to start again or to carry on, it has got to a point where it is a chore to play manually so there’s no point, all my friends quit ages ago as well, so i had no real friends to talk either

Neal

apart from me… hahaha ok thanks alot for that interview, you will be able to read it on nealsquires.wp.com in the next hour.

Alex

no probs

Currently I am at college in my home town studying ICT just finishing my first year. I specialise in computer security and networking, and put the pro in programming.

I have worked on Blogs in the past but this one hopefully will be the better of them all. At the moment I have ALOT of content lined up, a few competitions ready, a few interviews with some great people and some well written articles from them.

When the site really kicks off I have a few pounds worth of advertising to really bring in the hits. So until my next post I’ll leave you with some music to listen to (in the music section) and a hilarious video courtesy of College Humour (in the comedy section).