Detecting fakebots requires looking past the raw numbers. Here are some common indicators:
: Randomly trigger "AFK" animations or tags for some bots to mimic real player downtime. 3. Smart Movement & Activity
Limit connections per IP per minute. A real player connects once. A botnet will attempt 50 connections in 2 seconds.
Processing incoming packets for hundreds of synchronized bot connections causes artificial network congestion.
If you’ve been running a San Andreas Multiplayer (SA-MP) server for more than a week, you’ve probably seen it. You refresh the host list, see a server with , join with excitement—only to find a ghost town. fakebots samp
In the context of San Andreas Multiplayer (SA-MP), a "fakebot" is any automated player account that a server owner artificially injects into the game to misrepresent the number of real human players present. Unlike useful Non-Player Characters (NPCs) that can be scripted to sell items or serve as mission targets—or legitimate NPCs that fill server slots like real players—fakebots are designed solely for deception. Their primary purpose is to trick both the official SA-MP client's server browser and unsuspecting players into believing a server is more popular and active than it truly is.
: Because they don't require the full overhead of a player client or complex movement recordings, you can host dozens of them without significant lag on modern or Windows environments. Scriptability : Most versions (like those found on
For server owners looking to test scripts or boost perceived activity, FakeBots offers a middle ground between static NPCs and full-client bots like Low Resource Usage
If you see dozens of players standing completely still at the default spawn point, refusing to move or respond to chat, they are likely external drone bots. Detecting fakebots requires looking past the raw numbers
San Andreas Multiplayer (SA-MP) is a specialized plugin designed to populate a server with "fake" player entities to simulate activity or test server stability. Unlike standard SA-MP NPCs, which require a recording (.rec) file to move, these bots are lighter on resources and managed through scripts. Review: FakeBots for
In the scripting community, these are often called "FakeBots" or simply "fake players." Some scripts even label them as [Fake] in the TAB scoreboard.
Developers often use it locally to stress-test their custom game modes and verify how their server handles high loads without needing dozens of real computers. The Pros and Cons of Using Fakebots
Common functions include chat flooding, class selection flooding, and "bullet flooding" to disrupt other players. Smart Movement & Activity Limit connections per IP
While fakebots solved a short-term marketing problem for server owners, they inflicted long-term damage on the SA-MP ecosystem. Erosion of Trust
Modern server frameworks like open.mp utilize advanced connection filters and query validation to prevent ghost clients from executing the connection handshake, keeping server lists clean and transparent.
A server claiming 500 active players where the main spawn points, hospitals, and city centers of Los Santos were completely deserted. Anti-Bot Measures