Blizzard operated AI bots

Community Discussion
1

Are we allowed to post the name of AI bots that Blizzard uses?

It has been communicated to me (and not refuted) that Blizzard AI bots in matches will not show up as “Current Player” nor in the “Recent 5” lists.

Are we allowed to post the names of those bots? Are they/the bot subject to the TOS/EULA/COC. I’m not sure a bot could feel shamed or belittled by comments I make simply because they have no feelings. They can’t feel harassed or trolled. they can’t feel anything…

It would be nice to keep a tally list of the names of encountered Blizzard Bots.

I’ll hold off on posting the name the bot used since this is not the tech support forum, but some input would be appreciated, as I don’t intentionally decide to break the TOS/EULA/COC even if it’s concerning non human beings.

2

What exactly do you achieve by keeping a list of bot names?

2 Likes
3

Well a number a things.

If a real player gets banned for using the displayed name of a Blizzard AI bot, or if their complaints about a match (which happened to be a Blizzard AI bot) are deemed trolling or harassment towards the bot, it would be nice to know it was a bot they were talking about, and not a real person.

Should a real person be banned simply because they mentioned the name of a computer, because it might be considered shaming or inviting retribution towards the bot? Would the bot even care or recognize it? How would we know it was a bot and not a real person? Many times bans, temporarily or other wise are communicated that it is based on “the community feels” but does/would the community recognize it was a bot you were talking about and make an appropriate decision? Or just assume that it was a real player and make their decision to flag or not flag the post?

The very basics of the situation is:

  1. Am I allowed to post the name used by a real player in the forum, NO! If I do, I’m up for a ban

  2. Am I allowed to post the name used by a AI BOT in the forum, Who knows. How do we identify or differentiate, both as a forum moderator, or a real person reading the forum and thinking they might flag the post?

I assert that an AI bot is incapable of feeling shaming or being targeted because I use their name in a post, and I should not be subjected to penalties for doing so. But how do we know which is which?

4

I think it’s best to let players receive the same punishment when naming and shaming, even if it’s a bot. That way, they are discouraged to do it again.
Your way will just encourage players to continue to name and shame and when they are punished, they will use the excuse: “Oh I thought that player was a bot, my bad. Please don’t punish me.”

5

Yes but if we had a list of the bot names used, it would clearly be discernable as to if it was really a bot or not they were talking about.

EDIT: As a side thought, you’re advocating to give a computer the same rights and protections as a real person, on the basis that it will curb, lower, or prevent, unwanted behaviour towards real people. Do we really want to set a president that a computer has the same rights and protections as a real person?

6

You can never be sure you’re not naming an actual person.

7

It has been communicated that when a player in a match, fails to be listed as “current player” and fails to be displayed under the “recent 5” after, it’s a Blizzard AI bot. I suppose in rare circumstances it could be an actual player from some country like C*** that is hacking. but doubtful. Given those criteria that have been communicated, I’m actually sure.

LOL - Current opp: xxxxx, name in game: something differernt

plays as fast as possible, ends turn ASAP, smells like a bot.

Like seriously, at risk of having this specific post banned/removed, let alone my account.

I’m facing: “Your Opponent”

8

I wouldn’t mind if that happens because I think it will make players move on and not waste their time with unnecessary trolls towards bots.

And Blizzard pretty much shot themselves in the foot. They could have let the bot appear in the recent opponent list, and ignore any friend requests it receives. But no, they had to make it obvious that your opponent was a Blizzard bot.
I think all this bot drama could have been avoided if Blizzard didn’t make their bots obvious.

9

I’ve seen, “you know it’s a bot because it plays fast”, “you know that it’s a bot because it plays slow”, “you know it’s a bot because the name is SomethingPants” (completely false).

It’s virtually a given, that you aren’t seeing as many bots as you think you are.

To my knowledge, I have never encountered a bot, but then I would never waste playing time thinking about something like this.

10

Ok sure, that is a benefit. When it is cited in non Blizzard matters, that an AI was given protections and rights previously by companies such as Blizzard, and therefore the AI self driven car that caused an accident that paralyzed someone, should also be given the same rights and protections, thereby “no fault insurance protections” the company that created the AI self driven car, that caused the accident, is protected from any liability, simply because they cite that Google, Blizzard’s, AI computer software/processes, and who knows how many others yet to come, where given the same protections as real people.

My experience is as follows. AI bots by Blizz, play as fast as possible, never show up as current player, and never show up the recent player list. Pants or no pants, is a misnomer. Now, dfggg, and sfdgs, sfdgsd, and names in that convention are either hackers, or non Blizz bots. Coincidentally, I have seen and of those names in the last week or two… Hmmm

but in reality, it’s not. Maybe it’s just my current rank.

You may not have. You may not have been looking for it, or recognized it when it happens since you feel you’ve never encountered one. Who’s to say, not me or you. It would require an independent third part with access to that info to concretely confirm or refute this.

EDIT: just to add some validity. I’m currently involved in an internal ethics violation, where the person assigned to investigate the ethics violation, is one of the people involved in the violation. Wonder if the “truth” will come out in their findings.

If you think that stuff doesn’t happen with big corps, you’re sadly mistaken.

11

I don’t think players can get paralyzed by playing against a Blizzard bot.

This is getting out of topic. Don’t compare a Car AI (cars can be used as weapons) to a Blizzard AI (which just plays cards and that’s it).

12

The relevant part is the protections afforded to the AI, not the injuries sustained.

To some extent maybe, but many lawyers would argue if in benefit to their client, rights and protections were given to one AI, then all AI should be given rights and protections also. Why should an AI be discriminated against over another, simply because of the role, genre, industry, it is employed/deployed in?

Yeah, it’s a can of worms, but it is in the current forefront to do with AI, regardless of industry it’s used in. What if some RPG player feels harassed, demeaned, belittled by an NPC that uses AI to generate responses. Will an investigation be done? Will it be banned? What if it goes so far as to stray into gender, religious, or political inferences? Is anyone liable?

EDIT AGAIN:After all of this my current match does not list the player as “Current Opponent”. is it a bot? can I post their name? subsequently I can see by the speed they are not a real player given the fact they don’t list as current player.

EDIT2:
link to the replay via HSdeckTracker: hsreplay net/replay/dM8QbzZvCuL2kH3vyJ8dgA

They did not appear in my “current opponent” list, not showing as a player in the “recent 5” list, and played cards and ended turn as fast as possible. Are they a bot? If I post the name, should I be banned on the basis that it is shaming or they could be targeted, as is the reason given for posting a name?

I can take screens, includes 3 monitors, showing HS dekctracker player list, while Blizzards Social recent is open, While HS replay from their website is open.

You got 5 games to reply, I’m starting game 1 in that count.
You got 4 games to reply, I’m starting game 2 in that count.
-this player is not showing up in current, recent to be determined

13

Detecting blizzard bots isn’t a complicated endeavor: they’re unable to show up under “recent opponents” and therefore cannot be reported or friend requested. They also tend to have the [adjective][noun] name scheme, unlike player bots which tend to have bar code names.

1 Like
14

I’m retired from Corporate Hell.

15

Proving that Blizzard boot lickers are full of crap.

1 Like
16

You never had a real job. You are too immature to hold even the most menial job.

1 Like
17

Nice fantasy, kid.

#ignore