Blatant cheating

[aloof-rabbit]

I'm curious to know what avenues the moderators expect players to take when there is blatant cheating going on.
I can see an "Important Forum Moderation Notice" that says do not use forums to call out players by name. Ok I won't name them.
It then says to create a moderation report. Except the only way to actually create a report is to report someone for having multiple accounts to boost ELO. All other options result in a message suggesting you give then a thumbs down. Players that cheat know there doesn't seem to be any action taken so they don't care that they are doing it.

So curious to know how others would view the game that I just played.
Because the other two players being the same player to boost ELO is possible given that would explain the below.
The other options are they are just kingmaking.
Or Orange is a sore loser and is purposely trying to throw the game but at the same time is specifically helping one other player win.

Move 247: Orange player offers a 12:1 trade deal which is every card in their hand. Other play blue doesn't accept because he doesn't have brick.
Move 250: Orange then offers a 11:1 trade deal. Blue player doesn't accept only because he doesn't have sheep.
Move 253: Orange then offers another 8:1 trade deal. Other play doesn't accept only because he doesn't have lumber.
Move 256: Orange then offers another 8:1 trade deal and this time player blue accepts because he has grain.
Move 259: Orange then immediately offers a 4:1 trade deal for lumber which he knows player blue now has in his hand which blue accepts.
Move 288: 0range offers a 4:1 trade deal which blue accepts.
Move 292: Orange then immediately gives player blue back the ore which he just took in the prior trade.
Move 316: Orange offers a 3:1 trade deal which blue accepts.
Move 321: Orange then immediately gives back the ore for lumber to player blue which he just took in the prior trade.


And if you do submit a report (which the only way to do so seems to be via the multiple accounts and ELO option) how does one ever see the results of the report?

[aloof-rabbit]

The word "blatant" was moderated?
"Blatant" isn't the name of a player.
The word "blatant" as in "blatant cheating" as per the cambridge dictionary means something that is very obvious, undisguised, and often done shamelessly or offensively.

To imply that i named a player is wrong. you moderated out a descriptive word for the type of cheating that occurred.

[Jontia]

I don't think I understand this exchange at all. How are the blue and orange players cheating/co-ordinating but still so clueless about the other player's state to have to offer multiple trades before one gets accepted? Why not just offer/counter-offer what the other player has/need if you're cheating? What's the point of all the back and forth?

[euklid314]

The word "blatant" was moderated?
"Blatant" isn't the name of a player.
The word "blatant" as in "blatant cheating" as per the cambridge dictionary means something that is very obvious, undisguised, and often done shamelessly or offensively.

To imply that i named a player is wrong. you moderated out a descriptive word for the type of cheating that occurred.

Unfortunately, the case is not clear. The two players have never played before. For me there are two scenarios:

*) They do not know each other. One player decided that he cannot win and they liked the other opponent better than you ( because of player color, user name, mood of the day,...). Typical kingmaking but not systematic cheating. Red thumb and move on.

*) The winning player indeed knows the 2nd player and/or it is one of multiple alternative accounts. He does it regularly and thus cheats systematically. In this case you have to find other games of the winning player where they cheated in a similar way (with other 2nd accounts). Report the winning player and mention the fishy trades in at least 3 different games. Then this player will lose their ELO by moderation and they might be even permanently banned.

[CuriousGeorge19]

The mods do not care. They do not do anything about it. My family canceled our subscriptions and I suggest you do the same. They wont even respond to the complaints made so dont bother. It would be the easiest thing to moderate especially someone who is getting several reports of cheating but they do nothing. In fact they'll probably just dock me 50 karma for saying this and hurting their feelings like they did before.

[euklid314]

The mods do not care. They do not do anything about it. My family canceled our subscriptions and I suggest you do the same. They wont even respond to the complaints made so dont bother. It would be the easiest thing to moderate especially someone who is getting several reports of cheating but they do nothing. In fact they'll probably just dock me 50 karma for saying this and hurting their feelings like they did before.

Cannot confirm. After all my reports the players were moderated and punished. Moderation policies are not well documented but if you prove ELO cheating beyond reasonable doubt, action will be taken.

[aloof-rabbit]

The word "blatant" was moderated?
"Blatant" isn't the name of a player.
The word "blatant" as in "blatant cheating" as per the cambridge dictionary means something that is very obvious, undisguised, and often done shamelessly or offensively.

To imply that i named a player is wrong. you moderated out a descriptive word for the type of cheating that occurred.

Unfortunately, the case is not clear. The two players have never played before. For me there are two scenarios:

*) They do not know each other. One player decided that he cannot win and they liked the other opponent better than you ( because of player color, user name, mood of the day,...). Typical kingmaking but not systematic cheating. Red thumb and move on.

*) The winning player indeed knows the 2nd player and/or it is one of multiple alternative accounts. He does it regularly and thus cheats systematically. In this case you have to find other games of the winning player where they cheated in a similar way (with other 2nd accounts). Report the winning player and mention the fishy trades in at least 3 different games. Then this player will lose their ELO by moderation and they might be even permanently banned.

Call it what you will. The end result of either of the above scenarios on the player on the outer is the same. I get screwed over whether it's because the other players are cheating, or whether one is kingmaking and chose to favour the other player simply because he didn't like my player colour. the BGA code of conduct says kingmaking isn't allowed yet doesn't actually allow any way to report such behaviour other than by going down the route of suggesting they might be doing it to boost elo. and anyone who has played catan before knows such behaviour is rampant.

And to simply come back and suggest we give a red thumbs down doesn't cut it. I come across players who play way too slow the entire game or whinge and carry on the entire game in the chat. Yeah I give them a thumbs down to remind myself that I don't want to play against them again. But they are not in the same league as what was experienced in this game yet the result is the same. A single red thumb down.

Further the catan rules state: "you may trade as many times as you can, using single or multiple cards. However, you cannot give away cards, or trade matching resources". Offering a 12:1 trade deal and then giving back the card you traded surely amounts to giving away cards.

[aloof-rabbit]

The mods do not care. They do not do anything about it. My family canceled our subscriptions and I suggest you do the same. They wont even respond to the complaints made so dont bother. It would be the easiest thing to moderate especially someone who is getting several reports of cheating but they do nothing. In fact they'll probably just dock me 50 karma for saying this and hurting their feelings like they did before.

Cannot confirm. After all my reports the players were moderated and punished. Moderation policies are not well documented but if you prove ELO cheating beyond reasonable doubt, action will be taken.

How do you even find out the outcome of a previously raised report? I can't seem to find how to check on it's status or how to even bring up the previous report.

[Meeplelowda]

How do you even find out the outcome of a previously raised report? I can't seem to find how to check on it's status or how to even bring up the previous report.

You don't get a status report. You just look at the person's profile. If they get banned or their karma is down to 50% or so despite not being recently expelled or their Elo is reset to 0, it was a successful report....unless you chalk it up to coincidence.

[Silene]

How do you even find out the outcome of a previously raised report? I can't seem to find how to check on it's status or how to even bring up the previous report.

if you recently reported someone, you can click report this player on their profile. that will tell you that you made a report on them already. from there you can get back to that report and add more information if you want. however if you wanna check on this report later, best to copy/bookmark the url. so you can see if the report is still open or has been ruled.

but i think it won't be available forever and also only you can see it when logged in.