This issue seriously ticks me off. Why would anyone come to a game site and choose to cheat? Frankly, I don't care about ratings. I care about playing the game as well as I know how and continually learning. I have played some of the so-called "top players" in backgammon and have found numerous people that have NO clue as to how the game is played. Yet their statistics show an incredibly high win ratio. Do these people not realize that they may as well post "I AM A CHEATER" in their profile????
Though I can understand people becoming upset about others cheating if they have serious reason to suspect it, and my comments are certainly not intended to excuse cheating, it seems very easy to avoid playing -- more than once -- any so suspected. Unless one really does care about ratings, or one is playing in a tournament, this seems a simple enough solution.
Agree with what you're saying Jim. It's just the principle of the matter. When I posted it was but a small vent.
Re: Cheaters
Message #1781 Replies: 0
posted by bor_n_slippy (Stephen Rynberk) on 01/27 at 14:25
Interesting subject indeed. I came across here from playing on Yahoo for a year or two based on a recommendation of an existing PM member because of the obvious cheating element who played under Y!.
I must say that playing people here I have not found anyone who I thought were manipulating the stats. This is not to say it does not happen, its just that I have not seen it happen but then again I lead a very blinkered life and tend to see things at face value :o)
It would sadden me to think that there is a element who are manipulating the stats but if I read the proposed updates right the tourneys will soon sort that out.
Why would anyone come to a game site and choose to cheat?
Indeed, I've never understood why people would manipulate the statistics at game sites. And yet every site I've seen that has lists of players by rank (like our Top Players list) has had problems with people doing exactly that. I've had to just accept that I don't understand people. I mean, there are people who cheat at Solitaire, for cryin' out loud. ;-)
cathm (CM) wrote:
obviously if this is possible, someone needs a LIFE!
Very well put. ;-)
As for "is it possible?" the answer is: Yes, it's possible, but it's difficult (well, "tedious" may be a better word). With the Elo system we use for ratings (the same one used by the World Chess Federation), it's much harder to do than with more basic ratings systems, but it's still possible.
There are a couple of things we have in the works to address possible stats manipulation, but right now we're focussed on getting the update we're currently testing in place here on the site. I consider that much more important, for now, than finding and dealing with any stats manipulation that may or may not be going on.
In the meantime, if you're pretty sure someone has artificially put their stats up, please just ignore it (and them) for now.
One last thing: For the people who may reply in this thread, please do not mention any specific names or stats in public. If you do, it can start a flame war here in the forums, and separately it can make it difficult for me to quietly look into and deal with any potential manipulation. If you want to express concerns about a specific player, please use the Contact Us link to send us a private note, but do not accuse anyone of cheating or stats manipulation in public. It will take up some (or a lot) of my time which I really want to focus on improving the site right now. Thanks in advance for your understanding on that. -- T.J. Crowder First Primate Pocket-Monkey.com
Thanks TJ. I totally agree with you as to not getting specific about a player or a player's stats. I would hope that anyone that replies to this thread would have the maturity to respond to the issue and not specific personalities. If my posting causes problems in any way whatsoever, I would hope that you would just delete it. -- Carol
Thanks! But no need for anything like that. I'm sure we can all manage to keep names, etc., out of it. As I mentioned, you're not the first person who suspects something's up -- and is unhappy about it! So it's good to have a place to talk about it, thanks for posting.
My overactive brain (upon reading this) is how could anyone possibly manipulate stats or cheat without access to the coding side of the website?
Of course, I realize that question should/could not be answered here because I suppose it would become a primer for those so inclined (but clueless as to how).
:-) Well, in a couple of cases they found a bug in the code. Obviously I won't say what it was, but it's fixed now.
-- T.J. ;-)
Re: Cheaters
Message #2251 Replies: 1
posted by francine2 (Francine Cote') on 05/30 at 02:43
not you nuts there is no way to cheat at backgammon you are just a sore loser
Re: Cheaters
Message #2252 Replies: 1
posted by francine2 (Francine Cote') on 05/30 at 02:44
sorry ARE YOU NUTS
Re: Cheaters
Message #3096 Replies: 0
posted by goofball38 (goofball38) on 07/20 at 17:47
Actually there are programs out there that can help you cheat at any of these sites. Somehow you can attach them to sites. I've seen some people here use them and on other sites. They are out there. I usually just ignore the cheaters..and yes they do use these programs on any game, including backgammon.
My hubby does IT/helpdesk/programming and hes seen it all. And I've helped program basic html on a few pet sites (like neopets) and I've seen the programs.
You would first need to know how before you can detect it ;) However, my findings are that T.J. is on top of those who think cheating gives them achnowledgement... It's pittyfull and serves no meaning. Points are nice but I've never been able to get a bread for it :þ
Yes, I know that cheating programs are out there, go to any computer store, and you can buy programs that cheat, but you come here to play games and have fun, that would take all the fun out of playing the game.
Yes, there are many sore losers as Francine put it up above, but don't get a program that plays for you or tells the moves to make. Ratings are nothing, I don't care whether I win or lose a certain tournament or game, I enjoy the game of backgammon and will continue to enjoy and don't care whether I win or lose. Just saw "GG" and move on to your next opponenent.
Beth
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