[murrayh]

Bots don't require computer vision or any kind of sensory input; they can extract the native data they need straight out of the application's memory space. Effectively gaming bots have "perfect information". So the bots actually have more timely and accurate information than humans do, they can react quicker than humans do, and they can react as intelligently as your programming skill allows.

Check out http://www.easyuo.com. That application allows you to easily automate Ultima Online. Whilst deciphering WoW's application memory would probably be harder, an equivalent program is certainly possible (it probably already partially exists in various forms), and intelligent bots are a simple step after that.

Unfortunately, once the memory accessing has been abstracted away, programming a competent WoW bot is not a difficult task. The WoW bot doesn't have to be as awesome as the best human players, nor need it be ultra-efficient. What it lacks in ability it makes up in working without fatigue indefinitely.

[andreyf]

Bots don't require computer vision or any kind of sensory input; they can extract the native data they need straight out of the application's memory space.

I'm pretty sure WoW keeps track of all applications running on your computer. I think the way people do it is by using a hub and packet sniffers on a separate computer, although I imagine WoW traffic could easily be encrypted... so shrug.

[randallsquared]

All this hypothetical talk is very nice, but there actually is a wowbot that Blizzard has been unable to effectively use countermeasures against, called MMOGlider. They've decided to simply sue after repeated failure to solve it technically.

[eru]

Or you just use a virtual machine - of which WoW is unaware.

A bit like the matrix.