People from "Antarctica"

[Archisian]

I've noticed there has been quite a few accounts that I've played against from "Antarctica", who I suspect are from spam accounts/cheating accounts. It could even be the same person. These accounts have super low amount of games, but an unusually high win rate. For example, there was an account from "Antarctica" I played against recently who had only 15 games of Wingspan under their belt, and yet they had an almost 80% win rate. I lost the game badly long before the half-way mark and he threw insulting remarks at me ("your loss was so helpful to me! gg!" among other things. I looked at the replay and saw that his board was in Japanese. I then noticed just how odd it was that he was getting the best cards right out of the gate and was able to make every single end-of-round goals while I suspiciously had none of the cards appear for me in the tray or draws (like if there were birds needed in the forest, if I went first on the round, there were no forest birds in the tray, in my opening hand or on draws). I reported him for his rude and insulting behavior and I reported suspected cheating. A couple of hours later, his account was closed. I faced another player a week before who said they were from "Antarctica". They also had around an 80% win rate on around 11 games. They blew me away by the middle of the second round, hurled insults and whom I suspected of cheating. Their board was also in Japanese. I reported them (after they said they would report me for my response to their insults) and, suspiciously, that account was closed a couple of hours later.

What's going on here? First of all, why does BGA even allow people to claim they are from Antarctica? It's absurd. I also think it's a way for spammers/cheaters to mask their IPs in order to get around a ban. Has anyone encountered the same type of accounts, whether in Wingspan or in their games? In my opinion, BGA should make you place where you are actually from when creating an account/profile. Yeah, I know they can still use VPNs and stuff, but I think that once a potential spammer/cheater has been identified, any wins from that player are neutralized and ELO is returned to the honest player. It's a shame that you can't recover your ELO when losing to a potential spammer/cheater.

[Strode]

I've noticed there has been quite a few accounts that I've played against from "Antarctica", who I suspect are from spam accounts/cheating accounts.

My bet is they are jokesters.

I then noticed just how odd it was that he was getting the best cards right out of the gate and was able to make every single end-of-round goals

What's your accusation? He hacked the game?

Beyond that, you may have established that you found someone who was a jerk listed and possibly multi-account person, who listed Antarctica as their location. But we know there are people who do that from everywhere. It has nothing to do with Antarctica. Removing Antarctica as a choice isn't going to make them go straight.

Finally, people play these games outside of BGA. So saying "only 15 games" is meaningless.

[Archisian]

What's your accusation? He hacked the game?

I mean, I don't know. Maybe they did. I don't know how hacking works exactly. But when I looked at the replays of these games against these accounts, I found it oddly coincidental that they managed to get all the card needed to make the end-of-round bonus, while I didn't get any at all to help me even be competitive in the round.

Also from the fact that they closed their account shortly after I made the report, I have some inference that maybe BGA found some cheating involved, or they knew they were going to get caught and they closed their account before it got banned.

Beyond that, you may have established that you found someone who was a jerk listed and possibly multi-account person, who listed Antarctica as their location. But we know there are people who do that from everywhere. It has nothing to do with Antarctica. Removing Antarctica as a choice isn't going to make them go straight.

I understand that it won't change their behavior, but I think Antarctica even being available as an option to place as a residence is ridiculous. Even if someone lied about where they are from, at least do a place where, you know, people actually live. That way, we can understand possible linguistic/cultural differences for the non-hackers/spammers out there.

Finally, people play these games outside of BGA. So saying "only 15 games" is meaningless.

True, but I still find it suspicious. Even more so once I see that the accounts are closed.

[nik592]

First of all, why does BGA even allow people to claim they are from Antarctica? It's absurd. I also think it's a way for spammers/cheaters to mask their IPs in order to get around a ban. Has anyone encountered the same type of accounts, whether in Wingspan or in their games? In my opinion, BGA should make you place where you are actually from when creating an account/profile. Yeah, I know they can still use VPNs and stuff, but I think that once a potential spammer/cheater has been identified, any wins from that player are neutralized and ELO is returned to the honest player. It's a shame that you can't recover your ELO when losing to a potential spammer/cheater.

That's not how IPs work. I can set my country to whatever I want, but my IP is still my IP (assuming I did nothing else to change it). Conversely I can use a VPN to change my IP to 6 different countries all while keeping my "country" on BGA the same. I haven't tried it, but I would bet that it would let me get around various IP restrictions (such as being banned). Although some IP restricted behaviour isn't just about the IP you're currently on - there's a warning that comes up if you and another player (eg. from same household) at the same table play from the same IP, and if you're non-premium, it actually won't allow you to play at the same table. My husband and I wanted to see if you could play with one of us using eg. a mobile device, for our couple friends who aren't premium, but it still displayed the same warning. A bit of trial and error seemed to suggest that BGA must record IPs you've played from and does matching based on that, not just the IP you're on right now.

I then noticed just how odd it was that he was getting the best cards right out of the gate and was able to make every single end-of-round goals while I suspiciously had none of the cards appear for me in the tray or draws (like if there were birds needed in the forest, if I went first on the round, there were no forest birds in the tray, in my opening hand or on draws).

What's your accusation? He hacked the game?

I mean, I don't know. Maybe they did. I don't know how hacking works exactly. But when I looked at the replays of these games against these accounts, I found it oddly coincidental that they managed to get all the card needed to make the end-of-round bonus, while I didn't get any at all to help me even be competitive in the round.

I'm not going to analyse the entirety of your game, but I looked at the opening hand for both of you and you both had 4 birds with the habitat required to satisfy the first round goal. Are you saying that the tray was different for them than it was for you, or just that the tray seemed to serve up just what was needed when the other player had access? Yeah, that's annoying, but it does happen. And once you get fixated on it, it seems like it's happening more and more. But yet when things seem normally distributed, you don't even notice.

Beyond that, you may have established that you found someone who was a jerk listed and possibly multi-account person, who listed Antarctica as their location. But we know there are people who do that from everywhere. It has nothing to do with Antarctica. Removing Antarctica as a choice isn't going to make them go straight.

I understand that it won't change their behavior, but I think Antarctica even being available as an option to place as a residence is ridiculous. Even if someone lied about where they are from, at least do a place where, you know, people actually live. That way, we can understand possible linguistic/cultural differences for the non-hackers/spammers out there.

As far as I'm aware, people DO reside in Antarctica (mostly or maybe even exclusively for research purposes I believe), and I wouldn't be surprised to learn they that some play BGA from there. It's pretty isolated, with not much to do. Internet is a friend for people on their downtime there. But also as Strode says, jerks be jerks. Stopping them from being able to set their country to Antarctica won't change that. And in fact, that they're using Antarctica almost acts as something of a red flag, if you think jerks are using it to hide behind. But also, there may well be legitimate players (currently) from Antarctica too.

[FrankJones]

This is a truly bizarre post.

I play wingspan. I've had one game after another in which I lose the first-round goal because I get no cards that count toward that goal while my opponent does. Oh well. It happens.

As for players from Antarctica ... Any player can select any location. I have had several games against a player from Antarctica. If this player is rigging the deck and hacking/cheating, it's a poorly done hack, because I've won every time.

Also, a small number of games and a high win rate does not indicate a cheater. Check my profile. Guess why I have a high win rate in some games that I have "played very few times"? [Hint: The answer has already been given in this thread.]

Stop with the nonsense.

[Archisian]

This is a truly bizarre post.

I play wingspan. I've had one game after another in which I lose the first-round goal because I get no cards that count toward that goal while my opponent does. Oh well. It happens.

No just the first round goal. All of them.

As for players from Antarctica ... Any player can select any location. I have had several games against a player from Antarctica. If this player is rigging the deck and hacking/cheating, it's a poorly done hack, because I've won every time.

Okay, cool. Then why did the player(s) suddenly have their accounts closed shortly after I made the report? A legit person would probably feel no need to do so.

Also, a small number of games and a high win rate does not indicate a cheater. Check my profile. Guess why I have a high win rate in some games that I have "played very few times"? [Hint: The answer has already been given in this thread.]

Stop with the nonsense.

So a player that doesn't have many games but a super high win-rate doesn't have off as even a little suspicious to you?

On Chess.com, if someone has a low amount of games but a high win-rate, or they go on a crazy winning streak, the moderators actually investigate those accounts to see if they used hacking software or a move calculator. If they determine there was use of hacking software or a move calculator, then that account is banned.

Do you believe Chess.com is being unfair?

[FrankJones]

So a player that doesn't have many games but a super high win-rate doesn't have off as even a little suspicious to you?

On Chess.com, if someone has a low amount of games but a high win-rate, or they go on a crazy winning streak, the moderators actually investigate those accounts to see if they used hacking software or a move calculator. If they determine there was use of hacking software or a move calculator, then that account is banned.

Do you believe Chess.com is being unfair?

No, that does not seem suspicious. Players often play and learn a game (and become very good) playing the physical game before playing on BGA. Is this really so difficult to imagine?

Wingspan - first round goal, all 4 goals - sometimes the cards and dice won't roll your way.

[FrankJones]

Okay, cool. Then why did the player(s) suddenly have their accounts closed shortly after I made the report? A legit person would probably feel no need to do so.

Any number of reasons. Maybe the person was banned from BGA and then made another account, which was caught because listing the country as "antarctica" doesn't actually mask the IP address. Who knows?

[Strode]

On Chess.com, if someone has a low amount of games but a high win-rate, or they go on a crazy winning streak, the moderators actually investigate those accounts to see if they used hacking software or a move calculator. If they determine there was use of hacking software or a move calculator, then that account is banned.

Do you believe Chess.com is being unfair?

I assume Chess sites use software to gauge cheating. They can tell if your moves are too close to perfect (or at least too close to what the best computers would play). Even Grandmasters can get exposed this way because Chess is so hard.

There's nothing like that for Wingspan. Someone who plays Wingspan IRL a lot can come here and be really good. In Chess and Go, there's a level of play that's so high you must be either be one of the world's best players or be using a computer on the side. That's how they detect cheaters.

[Archisian]

That's not how IPs work. I can set my country to whatever I want, but my IP is still my IP (assuming I did nothing else to change it). Conversely I can use a VPN to change my IP to 6 different countries all while keeping my "country" on BGA the same. I haven't tried it, but I would bet that it would let me get around various IP restrictions (such as being banned). Although some IP restricted behaviour isn't just about the IP you're currently on - there's a warning that comes up if you and another player (eg. from same household) at the same table play from the same IP, and if you're non-premium, it actually won't allow you to play at the same table. My husband and I wanted to see if you could play with one of us using eg. a mobile device, for our couple friends who aren't premium, but it still displayed the same warning. A bit of trial and error seemed to suggest that BGA must record IPs you've played from and does matching based on that, not just the IP you're on right now.

Okay, thank you for the clarification.

I'm not going to analyse the entirety of your game, but I looked at the opening hand for both of you and you both had 4 birds with the habitat required to satisfy the first round goal. Are you saying that the tray was different for them than it was for you, or just that the tray seemed to serve up just what was needed when the other player had access? Yeah, that's annoying, but it does happen. And once you get fixated on it, it seems like it's happening more and more. But yet when things seem normally distributed, you don't even notice.

This is the game I'm referring to: https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=818187143

Either I had the worst luck in the world or somehow this player was able to get all the necessary cards in order to win every single end-of-round goal in the opening hand. I had no chance to be competitive even if I wanted to. The statistical odds of that happening are extremely rare. So, instead of just assuming good faith on that account, I have to go based on the statistical odds. I played another account from Antarctica with Japanese as their language on the board where the exact same thing happened. I find that to be an odd coincidence.

Here's the game from that account: https://boardgamearena.com/archive/repl ... s=91378578;

But I'm sure that everyone else here will just say I'm a sore loser and not think any wrongdoing is possible from this/these account(s). If they were legit, their account would still be up. But it's closed. Why's that? Why is the other account closed too? They closed after I reported them for insults and harassing me. Seems suspicious to me. I'm sure it's the same person, because both closed accounts had their name changed to wgwpmqmpmpmp, or maybe that's a standard BGA thing with closed accounts.

As far as I'm aware, people DO reside in Antarctica (mostly or maybe even exclusively for research purposes I believe), and I wouldn't be surprised to learn they that some play BGA from there. It's pretty isolated, with not much to do. Internet is a friend for people on their downtime there. But also as Strode says, jerks be jerks. Stopping them from being able to set their country to Antarctica won't change that. And in fact, that they're using Antarctica almost acts as something of a red flag, if you think jerks are using it to hide behind. But also, there may well be legitimate players (currently) from Antarctica too.

Yeah, I'm not claiming that every single person who uses Antarctica as their residence is liar and a dishonest spammer/hacker. But let's be real here, how many people are actually down there living and working there at a time? It's also not on a permanent basis.

What I'm saying is that if I see someone from Antarctica, I'm not going to assume they are a person that's actually from there and playing in good faith. I will have suspicions because, like the above scenario, the odds of that being a reality are so slim that it essentially warrants suspicion. Two (supposedly) different accounts from Antarctica within a week? Yeah, I'm not buying that it's legit.