Using an engine in arena

[FrankJones]

Thank you BalGAmour.

One additional suggestion: Please consider writing detailed explanations of the term "cheating software", since apparently the person in question did not agree that his/her software is "cheating" software.

Is ANY software "cheating" by default? If so, just write "software." The modifier "cheating" is not necessary. But, software would be any computer program, including YouTube or BGA, or BGG, which would include strategy posts, videos, studying one's own games, reviewing games of other players, etc. None of which I would think would be considered "cheating" software. Is it "cheating" to use the notes section in games to track tiles? Or to use the game log to track tiles or cards played? Most likely not.

I suggest making a clearly defined list with two columns: "allowed" and "not allowed".

[Meeplelowda]

I suggest making a clearly defined list with two columns: "allowed" and "not allowed".

People will always look at the "not allowed" list, and if the exact thing they want to do isn't on the list, even if it is insubstantially different from one of the things on the list, they'll claim "hey, it wasn't on the list. I'm good to go." There always needs to be a catchall provision for the people, who like a child, will claim they are not "touching" their sibling, the stick they are poking them with is touching them.

It's hard for me to believe the owner of the banned account truly believed what he was doing was OK. At best, it was motivated reasoning to get the conclusion he wanted. It would have been easy enough to be upfront and contact BGA to say "I want to do this project for my master's thesis. Is this OK?" If I were in a situation where my professional ethics were implicated, that's what I would have done. But I suspect he didn't want to be told "no."

[FrankJones]

I suggest making a clearly defined list with two columns: "allowed" and "not allowed".

People will always look at the "not allowed" list, and if the exact thing they want to do isn't on the list, even if it is insubstantially different from one of the things on the list, they'll claim "hey, it wasn't on the list. I'm good to go." There always needs to be a catchall provision for the people, who like a child, will claim they are not "touching" their sibling, the stick they are poking them with is touching them.

It's hard for me to believe the owner of the banned account truly believed what he was doing was OK. At best, it was motivated reasoning to get the conclusion he wanted. It would have been easy enough to be upfront and contact BGA to say "I want to do this project for my master's thesis. Is this OK?" If I were in a situation where my professional ethics were implicated, that's what I would have done. But I suspect he didn't want to be told "no."

Agreed. I would think using a master's Thesis to obviously cheat at a game would be a violation of the ethics of the master's program, not just a violation of the gaming site's rules.

Okay, so maybe just a list of "allowed", while skipping the list of "not allowed".

Or adding a disclaimer to the "not allowed" list that says, "This list is not necessarily all inclusive, and at our discretion, we may determine other actions not on this list to be violations of policy."

[Jellby]

It would have been easy enough to be upfront and contact BGA to say "I want to do this project for my master's thesis. Is this OK?"

Something similar was already done for another game: https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33790 https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34987

[Meeplelowda]

It would have been easy enough to be upfront and contact BGA to say "I want to do this project for my master's thesis. Is this OK?"

Something similar was already done for another game: https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33790 https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34987

Good links. The people behind those projects understand ethical behavior.

[Andrei3009]

Elo of top arena player has been reset. Unfortunately, this happened after the end of the season and the second player lost the title of arena champion.

[FrankJones]

Elo of top arena player has been reset. Unfortunately, this happened after the end of the season and the second player lost the title of arena champion.

They should award the trophy to the rightful winner !