I have seen a player called ky using a dirty trick to cheat wins. Here is how he did.

Type: Real time
Boot time: 1 min
Automatically start game once all players join: No

The trick was the host deliberately delayed the start by 20-30 minutes. He was waiting until (he expected) all players didn't pay attention to it. Then he started the game all of a sudden.

Since the system does not refresh immediately, together with the loading time and server issues/delays, you probably end up with less than half of time (instead of full 60 seconds) when the game is loaded on your computer. At that time I was browsing in another tab. I heard the sound suddenly and I clicked to switch tab immediately. Still I got only 20 something seconds left. You could imagine what happened to others who didn't realize it in time.

Funny that the host set it as direct boot. He could have just waited for others since it is his fault for not starting a game at proper time, but he booted people happily once the time was up. I felt bad for people getting a boot record when it was not their faults.

Anyway I managed to survive and won. Guess what? He blacklisted me. How dirty! All evidence made it so clear he just wanted to cheat his way to win.

The game
https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=9466831

The player ky
https://www.warlight.net/Profile?p=5046021910

Edited 9/20/2015 10:57:35

A suggestion for fixing this exploit

This only applies to real time games. I would suggest the game must start within a specific period (let's say 3 mins) after all seats are filled up. Otherwise the game will be cancelled automatically.

It is a real time game after all. The system should not let the host delay start unreasonably.

Is it a good fix? What do you think?

Edited 9/19/2015 03:24:16

it is a good fix. +1.

+1.

I think a better fix would be to make all real time games start automatically. So just disable the option to turn off auto start.

I can't imagine a legit reason for having a 1 minute boot time in the first place,

but then, I'm slow, and I don't trust my internet or my computer, or my utility company that much. :P

1 min boot is good on some maps, sometimes when it's a simple game I start getting bored if people haven't done their turns after 30 seconds... But on Kongregate we only get the option of 3min auto boot, so you got used to playing fast.

I would suggest just not joining these types of game if you're not "ready to play" and when you're deciding to browse elsewhere, etc then just leave the game, that's generally how I do it.

I would suggest that the solutions you have all provided are not good ones, they restrict possibilities, and are still possible to counter, for something that could simply be avoided by not joining the game.

And in the end, does it really matter? Wins and stats don't really count for much, at least not that I can tell. Playing a real game with the player would soon show you his real skill level anyway.

I think a better fix would be to make all real time games start automatically. So just disable the option to turn off auto start.

Yes it is also a good idea and can be implemented quickly with little coding.

Personally I would like to receive a sound notification when all seats are filled up, and give some seconds for people to get ready before the game starts. I think it is especially helpful for a game which does not refresh every second. The flow will be like this.

[sound notification]
"The game will starts in XX seconds."
[countdown timer shows up]
[when time is up] Start

But I know it involves some coding so it is not going to happen any time soon.

Edited 9/17/2015 15:49:43

You can't make all RT games start automatically. What if you invite a player and they decline? Then a team is short handed. It would need to require that all seats are filled.

Also, what if you set up a 3v3 with friends and 1 person says they will be back in a a few minutes? If you auto start, that means they will get booted needlessly.

IMO, pay attention to what you join. Why would someone join a 1 minute boot game without auto start then walk away? Gotta read the settings. Don't join them.

Sure, it is shady, but gotta blame yourself too.

Edited 9/17/2015 16:45:07

How do you know who blacklists you? Is there something I missed?

read settings before you join matches

@Death: If you try and friend them it doesn't work if they have Blacklisted you.

@inquisitor: +1 for sound notification when all seats are filled up, this would be super handy.

Isn't this a Lottery game?
Lottery games are for the scummy, just avoid them.

@Fleece I already knew this, but I thought there might be a list of people who blacklisted you.

Nowhere near as dirty or clever as pure-skill lotteries.

Sure, read the settings and all that... but also blacklist the player. Sooner or later he'll find himself blacklisted by everyone and unable to play

FK has a dirty local deployment scenario. Usually he is nice enough just to try it out and VTE though.

LOL, I clicked on the game expecting to see a good game and it was lotto :P Yea I just avoid lottos all together.

Inquisitor needs those levels ;)

@ChrisCMU +1