Why do you Cheat

[Ming]

First... make sure that a trustworthy person is hosting... somebody you know who wouldn't know how to edit the files prior to the game if it smacked him in the face. That way, you know you are playing by the standard rules (HI RAH)...

And then save every stinking turn. Make notations during the game if strange stuff happens so you can look close at those years.

A cheater will usually start early to get off to a good start. Check the early files first (they are also easier and quicker to look through)...

We think we have a great way to determine the use of cheat o matic... but we haven't had the opportunity to test it yet, since none of the normal people in our group have it. But, we think the method is sound.

[Scouse Gits]

Originally posted by Ming
First... make sure that a trustworthy person is hosting... somebody you know who wouldn't know how to edit the files prior to the game if it smacked him in the face.

Thanks ... do you care to expand on editing files before a game?

Can only the host cheat?

------------------

SG(2)

[Ming]

HA HA HA HA...

Nahhhh... anybody can cheat. But the host is important. Those are the game rules you are all using. People have been known to edit the parameters of the game... It could be by altering the happiness levels... x number of cities before city goes into disorder vs the original settings... attack or defensive strength of a unit... many things. Granted, everybody plays by the same rules, but if you are the only one that knows the difference...

And since I know Rah has no clue of how to edit this stuff, I can trust him to host (oh, and I have no clue either, so I also make a good host)

As far as knowing if somebody is cheating... It's all feel. After playing tons of game, you just know when something isn't right.
And that's when you start looking closely. But it mostly has to do with reputation.. If one of the "regulars" in our group started cheating, they would probably get away with it. It would take some strange situations before I would start checking game files on Rah... War4ever... Bezerker... Barano... Cold Wizard... and many others of the long timers

[Scouse Gits]

Originally posted by Ming
If one of the "regulars" in our group started cheating, they would probably get away with it. It would take some strange situations before I would start checking game files on Rah... War4ever... Bezerker... Barano... Cold Wizard... and many others of the long timers

Sure ... I get the picture. Same with any game - play with those you trust. Now I might smell a rat if I'd just started on the Gardens and got the message that you had started on Manhattan

Can you learn/prove that much from an analysis of game files?

----------------

SG(2)

[rah]

Yes, that's How I caught someone using the NON-unit creation cheat. One turn every city had two attached muskets in them. Then checking the next ten turns, each turn one city would switch to one none musket and one attached musket. The next turn another city would look like that. Until 10 cities each had a non-unit it in. He had no non-units at the beginning of the sequence.
And there were no good nonunit harvest areas, and I never saw them on the roads.

Eyes is very good at checking saves. I've gotten a few good hints from him.

RAH

Sometimes after a game is completed I'll peek to see if anything looks particuarly strange.

[Scouse Gits]

Originally posted by rah
Yes, that's How I caught someone using the NON-unit creation cheat.

The plot thickens...how do you create a NON unit? (Thinks ... do I really want to know this?)
-----------------
SG(2)

[markusf]

The slower the player the more likely they are to cheat.

[Ming]

Click on a unit in a city that is not attached to the city it is in.

Wait until you see that it is just switching to your turn... hit rehome unit. The unit will become a Non instead of attaching to that city. It takes a little practice, but it's pretty easy. It's great for doing that to ships before you go into republic or democracy...

However, our group has outlawed that one...

[Ming]

Originally posted by markusf
The slower the player the more likely they are to cheat.

There is some truth in that one...

Just like when it takes somebody 5 minutes to make their FIRST TURN... can you say peaking at the map using a second computer

[Scouse Gits]

Devious … could you list the most common cheats along the same lines as the NON unit one?

---------------

SG(2)

[Ming]

Originally posted by Scouse Gits
Devious … could you list the most common cheats along the same lines as the NON unit one?
---------------
SG(2)

You might want to check the discussion we were having in the rah rules thread:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45463

But some of the common ones are teleporting caravans in one turn, and unlimited movement for units... Also, saving production from sabatoge... but that one really can't be used without being caught... picture it... you sabatoge the wonder, and he builds it on the next turn anyway. It either cost them a BUNCH of money, or they cheated

[Scouse Gits]

Thanks...very interesting tutorial
-------------
SG(2)

[rah]

But, if you use the saving production for something besides a wonder, it would be hard to notice. I did it once on barracks by accident. (I was buying it when the dip showed up and saw the sabotage message at the same time) I did announce to the rest of the players that I had done it. For some reason, some people were outright laughing when I said it was an accident. Go Figure. I preceeded to sell the building and they let me keep the procedes since it was just a drop in the bucket of my adaquate treasury.

Carefull analysis of saves would spot this, but it's tedious as hell and you'd better know about when it happened. I'll jot down notes during a game if I'm suspicious.

RAH

[War4ever]

we never did officially decide if preworked sets were a cheat or not...what is the consensus on that anyways

[Scouse Gits]

Add my thanks to that ...
We are slowly getting up the courage to venture into the frightening world of MP ...

SG[1]