This official news post is copied verbatim from the WoTMUD website. It is copyrighted by wotmud.org.
I'm a bit concerned at the amount this is going on in the game. So...
Using 'bots' or 'botting', ie having your character do stuff in the game using a script which benefits you or others whilst you are not actually present at the keyboard yourself is, effective immediately, expressly NOT PERMITTED. This includes the botting of:
- Statting characters;
- Giving & holding weaves;
- Giving & holding heals;
- Giving qps;
- Growing herbs;
- Specific zone repop-related actions;
- Leading a PC around to assist you by default or using triggers whilst he/she is not at the keyboard; and
- Any other things that benefit you or others.
Now obviously there is a bit of discretion in this, as we don't expect you to drop all your weaves everytime that you need to get a coffee. So, as a reasonable compromise, for one-time events where you can prove that you have been active for 50 of the previous 60 minutes, if you're going to be afk and totally inactive for less than 10 minutes even if either yourself or someone else is gaining something by your staying online then that's ok. But, more than 10 minutes, you MUST rent or drop weaves instead. Essentially, if there is no gain to you or anyone else, then there is no problem with this at all (ie simple anti-idle/afk reply scripts to keep you from idling whilst you're not holding a weave for someone else).
Note: This does not mean that you coming back to the keyboard once every 10 minutes is a way to get round it. To be considered 'active' you should be at your keyboard for the majority of every minute.
Failure to observe these guidelines will result in whatever measures the imm of the moment deems neccessary to both punish and terminate the activity. Besides incurring, at a minimum, zaps of at least 5 levels, such measures may additionally take rp form (an assassin might backstab you to death) or forced linkdrops/character purges (which may lose you all your gear), but they are not limited to either.