Blatant Elo Manipulation

[Emerson_Matt]

Some dude has climbed all the way into the top three by getting the hang of the basics and then playing a ton of games against lower-rated players. Just dodging the best players is a terrible tactic for the health of the game. He's only played three of the other players in the top 20, losing against one of them! What gives? How is this tolerated? Kick this fraud out!

OK, it's me. I'm really enjoying the game and putting out plenty of real-time non-Arena games. Seems like most of the top players (I almost said "other top players" there, heh) don't play that way. Should I play Arena? I've avoided it, because I don't care, but maybe that's where to get the good games. (Do they count for regular Elo too?) Should I play turn-based? Planning that anyway from September. Do we just need more people playing?

[Meeplelowda]

Some dude has climbed all the way into the top three by getting the hang of the basics and then playing a ton of games against lower-rated players. Just dodging the best players is a terrible tactic for the health of the game. He's only played three of the other players in the top 20, losing against one of them! What gives? How is this tolerated? Kick this fraud out!

OK, it's me. I'm really enjoying the game and putting out plenty of real-time non-Arena games. Seems like most of the top players (I almost said "other top players" there, heh) don't play that way. Should I play Arena? I've avoided it, because I don't care, but maybe that's where to get the good games. (Do they count for regular Elo too?) Should I play turn-based? Planning that anyway from September. Do we just need more people playing?

I agree that a "top" player avoiding the toughest competition is contrary to the spirit of Arena, unsporting, and despicable. This can be done by red thumbing high-rated players which even a BGA admin referred to as "abuse" of red thumbs, when it's done in the context of Arena at least. But they never (despite announcing they would) changed the effect of red thumbs on Arena. So it is still within the rules to use them in this manner.

In re-reading your post it isn't clear whether this was done in Arena or non-Arena games, but it is dodgy either way if their goal is to obtain some marker of how "good" they are. But unless it can be demonstrating that this player was actually controlling the other lower-rated players, nothing can be done other than putting a mental asterisk next to their "achievement."

Since you did not specifically identify a user you may be ok, but be careful about the forum policy of calling out a specific player for criticism.

[Emerson_Matt]

Unsporting and despicable indeed. No worries on naming though, I would not let the name of such a low-down filthy dog pass my lips. Um, fingers.


[I genuinely appreciate the concern! But did you read the second paragraph? It really is *me* that's the low-down filthy dog here, but only accidentally.]

[Jellby]

Yes, Arena (and tournament) games count for regular elo. Only training games don't.

[Meeplelowda]

Unsporting and despicable indeed. No worries on naming though, I would not let the name of such a low-down filthy dog pass my lips. Um, fingers.


[I genuinely appreciate the concern! But did you read the second paragraph? It really is *me* that's the low-down filthy dog here, but only accidentally.]

I read the second paragraph, but I took it to mean you were asking for advice about whether it's worth playing in Arena.

[Emerson_Matt]

Yes, Arena (and tournament) games count for regular elo. Only training games don't.

That's good to know, thanks. I'll maybe give some a try.


Edit. It looks like Arena games have to be three players. Weird. I've never played a three player game of Linx, and I'm not sure I especially want to. The two-against-two team version sounds good, but it doesn't seem like a game that would keep what makes it fun at three players.

[Emerson_Matt]

The Elo padding spree has been brought to an end. Thanks Peleo!

[tchobello]

The Elo padding spree has been brought to an end. Thanks Peleo!

Game designer was on a mission here.

[Emerson_Matt]

A hero for at least two reasons!

[2ya]

Well, I was playing arena a couple of times, even there I was the first in rankings, but loosing ~80 points because someone cannot notice that he/she /it whatever should put a tile between 2 blues with symbol up makes it frustrating even if you play for fun and not points. Even in Azul where you have some chance to correct others stupidity don't play Arena in 3-player mode, so here where 1 mistake means the end of the game mostly there is no real basis to do so.

In 2-player games at least you can blame youself.
Though 2-player version of this game is mostly 1-sided. I suggested some changes in the rules, but no real reaction or at least discussion from Peleo, I don't really know why, even tried in french . To tell the truth no reaction from the linx community as well.