SABG Alt-Farming Issues
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- Team-tropican
- Acolyte
Dear Grey Area and Shadow Cities Community,
The Architects of the Southeastern U.S. battlegroup want to raise our objection to the play of certain Mages in our battle group, and its effect on the integrity of the game for us.
The issue:
Two of the highest scoring players in the battlegroup---Southside and DonRaj---have been using Architect accounts to build structures for their Animator accounts to destroy in order to complete missions (also known in the game community as "alt farming").
We who have spent many hours playing the game and legitimately completing missions by locating and destroying the structures of actual enemy mages find this practice upsetting and unfair. This revelation tarnishes many previous rounds, in a frequently competitive battlegroup (indeed, the Architects recently lost a round by less than 300 energy out of a total of 500,000 scored). It also mocks the efforts of the players who were competing with Southside and DonRaj for potions and standing on the leaderboards.
We are disappointed in Southside and DonRaj, but we are also disappointed in Grey Area for refusing to define the limits of fair play or take a stand on appropriate use of alternative accounts. It undermines our motivation and interest in play to learn that our competitors are (secretly) gaining cheap points.
The Architects of the Southeastern U.S. battlegroup want to raise our objection to the play of certain Mages in our battle group, and its effect on the integrity of the game for us.
The issue:
Two of the highest scoring players in the battlegroup---Southside and DonRaj---have been using Architect accounts to build structures for their Animator accounts to destroy in order to complete missions (also known in the game community as "alt farming").
We who have spent many hours playing the game and legitimately completing missions by locating and destroying the structures of actual enemy mages find this practice upsetting and unfair. This revelation tarnishes many previous rounds, in a frequently competitive battlegroup (indeed, the Architects recently lost a round by less than 300 energy out of a total of 500,000 scored). It also mocks the efforts of the players who were competing with Southside and DonRaj for potions and standing on the leaderboards.
We are disappointed in Southside and DonRaj, but we are also disappointed in Grey Area for refusing to define the limits of fair play or take a stand on appropriate use of alternative accounts. It undermines our motivation and interest in play to learn that our competitors are (secretly) gaining cheap points.
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- Team-tropican
- Acolyte
Evidence:
1. One of our players observed orange structures quickly appear and disappear in cloudview at Southside and DonRaj's base (real life brothers, with a shared base), so several people decided try to observe the phenomenon.
2. We observed orange structures created by three accounts---TheBrownies (level 4), LarryHoover (level 10), and DarkSouthSide (level 4) which were immediately destroyed. Several members of our team observed these structures appear and disappear on multiple occasions over many days (including Dangerdoom, Hamco, JOublie, Krystyn, NikkoNeko, Ledo). Here are some exemplary screenshots:
1. One of our players observed orange structures quickly appear and disappear in cloudview at Southside and DonRaj's base (real life brothers, with a shared base), so several people decided try to observe the phenomenon.
2. We observed orange structures created by three accounts---TheBrownies (level 4), LarryHoover (level 10), and DarkSouthSide (level 4) which were immediately destroyed. Several members of our team observed these structures appear and disappear on multiple occasions over many days (including Dangerdoom, Hamco, JOublie, Krystyn, NikkoNeko, Ledo). Here are some exemplary screenshots:
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- Team-tropican
- Acolyte
3. We also visited the area on occasions on which we did not see orange structures. Nonetheless, on these occasions, the three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) showed up as "Teammates around you," meaning they had been logged on recently. E.g.,
4. The three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) never score any points, negating the possibility that they could be legitimate accounts. Here are screen shots from the end of the last campaign, and they had the same score following previous rounds: (The three similarly named accounts Larryho, DarkSoulz, and Thebrown were created specifically for the purpose of photographing the 0 score, as zero scoring players are sorted in reverse alphabetical order, and can't otherwise be observed.)
5. All three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) have been logged on (at least) for every campaign since Knowledge is Power (so, at least 10 campaigns).
6. Southside and DonRaj are typically high scorers as a result of this method of play. Here is a shot of the leaderboard from near the end of the last campaign:
4. The three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) never score any points, negating the possibility that they could be legitimate accounts. Here are screen shots from the end of the last campaign, and they had the same score following previous rounds: (The three similarly named accounts Larryho, DarkSoulz, and Thebrown were created specifically for the purpose of photographing the 0 score, as zero scoring players are sorted in reverse alphabetical order, and can't otherwise be observed.)
5. All three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) have been logged on (at least) for every campaign since Knowledge is Power (so, at least 10 campaigns).
6. Southside and DonRaj are typically high scorers as a result of this method of play. Here is a shot of the leaderboard from near the end of the last campaign:
Edited by Team-tropican (Jan. 25, 2012 14:57:42)
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- Team-tropican
- Acolyte
We have one open question: Is it one or both of the brothers who are playing unfairly? We think both. Given the speed with which the orange structures were destroyed and the location on the base where the exchanges occurred (a discreet area likely requiring warping), we believe both brothers participated, one casting the structure while logged onto an orange alt and the other immediately destroying the structure. When we raided after seeing orange structures, both brothers defended.
We approached Southside and DonRaj about this issue, but they did not answer these questions to our satisfaction.
We approached Southside and DonRaj about this issue, but they did not answer these questions to our satisfaction.
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- Team-tropican
- Acolyte
Requested Action:
1. We ask that Grey Area finally make a policy on this type of activity and consider a technical update limiting the ability of players to do this. As it stands, you have many players who are dispirited by the taint this puts on the campaigns in the Southeastern battlegroup.
2. We hope our fellow Mages will disassociate themselves from Southside and DonRaj. Their conduct has been unfair to their fellow players and conducted in secrecy.
Signed,
Dangerdoom, Hamco, JOublie, PalindromeMD, Juhtart, Krystyn, NikkoNeko, Spedsir, BrakeBill, Alejandra, Speakeasy, Mercaptan
1. We ask that Grey Area finally make a policy on this type of activity and consider a technical update limiting the ability of players to do this. As it stands, you have many players who are dispirited by the taint this puts on the campaigns in the Southeastern battlegroup.
2. We hope our fellow Mages will disassociate themselves from Southside and DonRaj. Their conduct has been unfair to their fellow players and conducted in secrecy.
Signed,
Dangerdoom, Hamco, JOublie, PalindromeMD, Juhtart, Krystyn, NikkoNeko, Spedsir, BrakeBill, Alejandra, Speakeasy, Mercaptan
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- Depth
- Scholar
I believe the low levels. The problem is, the only way to stop this is to ban multiple accounts. This would infuriate many players who don't alt farm.
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- ShadowNewton
- Archmage
Team-tropican
Evidence:
1. One of our players observed orange structures quickly appear and disappear in cloudview at Southside and DonRaj's base (real life brothers, with a shared base), so several people decided try to observe the phenomenon.
2. We observed orange structures created by three accounts---TheBrownies (level 4), LarryHoover (level 10), and DarkSouthSide (level 4) which were immediately destroyed. Several members of our team observed these structures appear and disappear on multiple occasions over many days (including Dangerdoom, Hamco, JOublie, Krystyn, NikkoNeko, Ledo). Here are some exemplary screenshots:
The screenshots look authentic enough, however they could have easily been place to defame Southside and DonRaj. Given their participation in many spider battles, and continual play. It is straightforward for them to get the scores that they are getting. Tommasso, a leading architect often has above 20,000 at the end of each campaign.
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- ShadowNewton
- Archmage
Team-tropican
3. We also visited the area on occasions on which we did not see orange structures. Nonetheless, on these occasions, the three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) showed up as "Teammates around you," meaning they had been logged on recently. E.g.,
4. The three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) never score any points, negating the possibility that they could be legitimate accounts. Here are screen shots from the end of the last campaign, and they had the same score following previous rounds:
5. All three accounts (TheBrownies, LarryHoover, and DarkSouthSide) have been logged on (at least) for every campaign since Knowledge is Power (so, at least 10 campaigns).
6. Southside and DonRaj are typically high scorers as a result of this method of play. Here is a shot of the leaderboard from near the end of the last campaign:
The screenshot of TheBrownies score was taken by Thebrown ( a little suspect if you ask me). Similarly, DarkSouthSide's score was taken by DarkSoulz, and LarryHoover's score was taken by Larryho. This looks like a (not so creative) ploy to defame Southside and DonRaj.
I am very disappointed by all of the accusations that have been happening of late from both Architects and Animators. It is very possible to legitimately score very high scores if you put the time and potions into it, and you have a good strategy for finishing missions.
Please stop making accusations and continue to have fun playing this game.
Thank you,
Fig
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- Spedsir
- Master
Fig,
in response to your "funny alt" speculation
the close alt names were made by us to check scores at the end of the round. as 0 scores are listed alphabetically
in response to your "funny alt" speculation
the close alt names were made by us to check scores at the end of the round. as 0 scores are listed alphabetically
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- Team-tropican
- Acolyte
To be clear, alts were created for the express purpose of photographing the 0 scores of the three alts. 0 scoring players are sorted alphabetically.
As for the screenshots, they were taken by a number of players observing the base over a period of time. Never were these alts seen hopping into the base to frame anyone.
Lastly, this activity makes the game less fun for all of us. We would like GA to address the problem.
As for the screenshots, they were taken by a number of players observing the base over a period of time. Never were these alts seen hopping into the base to frame anyone.
Lastly, this activity makes the game less fun for all of us. We would like GA to address the problem.