Macro Use is Alive and Well

[GoT] Unsober Shimoda

This event easily proves true the statement that "Macro use is alive and well in STT."

Disclosure: My fleetmates currently sit in 2nd and 3rd place, so this issue is hitting a bit closer to home that it would if the top-10 were just a bunch of rando names. Both of them have been hoarding their chrons since the last Skirmish.

But before you think of dismissing this as the sour grapes of the 2nd/3rd place captains' fleetmate, give some consideration to the existing evidence of the current leader's manipulative use of Macros, as well as the tacit endorsement of such an action...

The Hard Evidence

1. Event Leader earned exactly 100k VP an hour for 48 hours straight.
2. Event Leader did not log off at any time during those 48 hours.
3. 48 hours into the event, or the Halfway Point, Event Leader had 4,354,900 VP (changeover to Phase 2). 24 hours after that, Event Leader has 6,714,700. The rate/pace of accumulation of VP remains nearly the same over the entire time period.

Image removed. ˜Shan

Consistent rate/pace of accumulation of VP indicates a precise sequence of actions. Human action/manipulation will have variances, such as the ability to complete more VP in a given timeframe, followed by a stretch of no VP or little VP. Basically, a macro is programmed to provide that precision whereas a human user manipulating the screen can press buttons faster (e.g. the 'Choose' button, then the 'Okay' button).

Circumstantial Evidence

Comment removed. ˜Shan
[*] I have not seen the "You've been playing Timelines for a long time. Take a break" message in what seems like at least 4-5 weeks. And the nature of my day job allows me to leave the app active/running for 9-10 straight, if I so choose... But nothing from the game to tell me that I need to take a break... The absence of that feature sure makes using a Macro a helluva lot easier.


I love playing this game because I love Star Trek. It is beyond frustrating to see players try as hard as they can to finish 1st only to be stymied by the use of a computer program/command that is designed to do more than they can do.

I wish DB would take the use of Macros seriously and actively undertake actions designed to reign in and, ultimately, eliminate their use. If that doesn't happen, then "competitive balance" as it relates to Star Trek Timelines is non-existent.

Thank you for your time...

Please avoid naming other fleets/players when posting on our forums. Thanks ˜Shan

[7TW] Manawar

LoL, great minds think alike! Fully support your thread! DB, level the playing field, stop the use of Macro's!!!

{R•PHX}Captain Stupid

Agreed, and I've watched this guy climb steadily and pass you and your fleetmates. I too leave my game "running" so I can pick up where I left off at so I will also confirm that I haven't seen the anti-macro pop-up since last weeks event and then only once.

[SSR] GTMET

I pretty much assume that half the top 50 is using macros, especially if you don’t want to be obvious, you can turn it on for 18 hours, stop it for 6 to sleep.

Warby

Nothing short of an outright permanent ban on the offender, a first position chievo, restitution on the event rewards for the true winner, an apology, a public explanation, and an effective countermeasure, will resolve this issue for me.

Shameful.

“Crucifixion’s too good for ‘em” I believe someone once said.

[GoT] Gabe

Either DB effectively ends the use of macros or its increasing use by players will end the game.

Zombie Squirrel

Its a shame DB obviously still hasn t done anything against it. Pretty hard evidence has been brought up in this thread and i it fits the feeling i had,
when i watched the leaderboard over the past days.

I feel sorry for the top legit players that put so much effort into this, just to be screwed over.....

Captain RantSome

I highly doubt DB will put any resources into fixing the problem, Best we can hope for is a redesign.

Dyer

[GoT] Angry Shimoda wrote: »

I have not seen the "You've been playing Timelines for a long time. Take a break" message in what seems like at least 4-5 weeks. And the nature of my day job allows me to leave the app active/running for 9-10 straight, if I so choose... But nothing from the game to tell me that I need to take a break... The absence of that feature sure makes using a Macro a helluva lot easier.

I actually received the "Please confirm you're not trapped on the Holodeck" message for the first time in forever yesterday. Maybe DB has taken note...?

{SST} Captain Magenta Borealis

This is why so many former big spenders and hard-core players are laying back or quitting the game completely. The lack of care in regards to things like this on DB’s end is evident, no matter what anyone else says, so the issue will only continue to gather momentum and cause more issues.

Why spend money or play hard when you will be guaranteed to lose against Macros and bots? This alone could cause DB to cease to exist as its monetary flow is severely cut by a mass exodus for games that actually do everything to stop Macros and bots from dominating them.

Cranky (SC)

Dyer wrote: »

[GoT] Angry Shimoda wrote: »

I have not seen the "You've been playing Timelines for a long time. Take a break" message in what seems like at least 4-5 weeks. And the nature of my day job allows me to leave the app active/running for 9-10 straight, if I so choose... But nothing from the game to tell me that I need to take a break... The absence of that feature sure makes using a Macro a helluva lot easier.

I actually received the "Please confirm you're not trapped on the Holodeck" message for the first time in forever yesterday. Maybe DB has taken note...?

Can you recall if you had left the game running in the background and in between skirmish rounds? That’s the only time I ever got one in a Skirmish on the last event.

Hungry Dog DDM

I assume @Shan is aware of this, and I dont expect an immediate response, but we need something at this point.

VioletBlue

Disclaimer: I don't use macro to keep my sanity...

This is easily done if you play on PC via facebook, steam, or any android simulator.

You can easily create available free program out there to create the macro - Even non programmer can do this easily these days once they setup the basic

Of course there are ways for company to prevent these but .... many software companies use this to automate their internal testing. And making this more difficult for players also mean making it difficult for themselves.

Maybe instead of fighting it... players should join them.

eXo | SilverRose (retired)

DB has come out and said that macro usage is against the TOS. It's up to them to enforce that or design a better game that isn't so easily macro-ed. We've had a number of threads on the forums with good and not human-punishing ideas for macro busters.

There are a number of fleets calling for their players to stand against and not use macros. I'm proud to say that eXo is one of them. It's just kind of ridiculous that players and fleets are doing more to combat macro usage than DB is.

Banjo1012

If I went for a first place run and someone using a macro won I would be super P|$$ED! I’ve played for long stretches and have never once got the anti-macro message. Not when it started and not now

[BL] PShivers

VioletBlue wrote: »

Maybe instead of fighting it... players should join them.

I think that is a horrible idea.

(HGH)Apollo

How do we know all the top players are not all using macros? You say that you know the people in 2nd and 3rd. How are they themselves getting so many points? What methods are they using to play that much and get so many points? If we knew how they were getting their points maybe we could then see better if the top person is cheating or not. How do all the people in the top 25 not have carpal tunnel by now? So much clicking is involved in skirmishes. It is possible the top person is using a macro if the points go up for them at the same amount every hour. What if a person has others helping and running the account too? Is that against the tos? I think it is a big stretch though to say that Captain Me (Orcas Recruiting) spells "macro."

[OPA] Col. Fred L. Johnson

I hate to judge anyone or anything without hard evidence but simple math says that event leader is consistently making approximately 1500 VP per minute in last 27 hours.
Assuming that macro is not used (which is highly unlikely), I'm not sure should I admire him for such dedication or feel sorry for him for having no life (or sleep or food) at all.

[GoT] Unsober Shimoda

eXo | SilverRose wrote: »

There are a number of fleets calling for their players to stand against and not use macros.

That is the case for Guardians of Tomorrow as well. Any member found to be using Macros would be immediately dismissed from the fleet.

Zombie Squirrel

[GoT] Angry Shimoda wrote: »

eXo | SilverRose wrote: »

There are a number of fleets calling for their players to stand against and not use macros.

That is the case for Guardians of Tomorrow as well. Any member found to be using Macros would be immediately dismissed from the fleet.

Same goes for „Starship Trista“.

Lady Gaghgagh

My fleet has no thoughts or policies on macros, simply because while full capacity, we aren't a fleet which makes higher than 200 fleet rank or so. Some of our members (myself included) have made the top 1000, but I don't know if any of us have broken the top 400.

Banjo1012

It’s also possible this guy is sharing the account. Three people could take 8 hour shifts, four people could take 6 hour shifts...

Cranky (SC)

Banjo1012 wrote: »

It’s also possible this guy is sharing the account. Three people could take 8 hour shifts, four people could take 6 hour shifts...

Which would also be against the TOS. And perhaps easy to spot if DB looked at the IP addresses and rough location of logins into that single account.

DeanWins

I am not saying whether people are using or not using macros, cause honestly I don't know for a fact.
However that being said, I disagree with some of the original post, I have seen the AFK message at least 6-8 times since the start of this event, whether or not that is enough to discourage macro use I couldnt say, but DB has taken actions to prevent it.

DeanWins

{ACE} Admiral Pasty wrote: »

Banjo1012 wrote: »

It’s also possible this guy is sharing the account. Three people could take 8 hour shifts, four people could take 6 hour shifts...

Which would also be against the TOS. And perhaps easy to spot if DB looked at the IP addresses and rough location of logins into that single account.

how would you be able to tell the difference, between multiple users and people using different mediums to access their accounts? aka work computers, tablets, phones, pcs, they may all have different ip addys. Also, unless we sign a waiver, that might be some violation of privacy law or something.

Stellar Ice

[GoT] Angry Shimoda wrote: »

eXo | SilverRose wrote: »

There are a number of fleets calling for their players to stand against and not use macros.

That is the case for Guardians of Tomorrow as well. Any member found to be using Macros would be immediately dismissed from the fleet.

VIP 0 also has an anti-macro policy. We believe it goes against the spirit of the game. Besides if you can't be bothered to actually play the game, what's the point of ruining it for everybody else by automating it?

[GoT] Gabe

Banjo1012 wrote: »

It’s also possible this guy is sharing the account. Three people could take 8 hour shifts, four people could take 6 hour shifts...

Unlikely because of the exact number of vp points (100k) they were getting per hour over 48 hours. If the account was being shared, you would see different amounts of vp being earned per player shift. Different players would play at different speeds, need more or less breaks, etc.

SoupKitchen Riker

Regardless of whether or not anyone is using a macro in the current event, what bothers me is DB’s apparent lack of committment to their own declared course of action. It literally feels like a bad joke. We saw those “macro breaks” for what, a week at best, (unrest quieted down some), and then... nothing. It clearly isn’t a priority. I have purposely left my game open and running when not in use, and guess what, no “macro break” since that first few days. If what you initially did wasn’t effective, then you find a different way... People may not believe what you say, but they will believe what you do. What are you going to do DB? Or, will it be more of the same speech?

DraftedMcCoy

Using macros is cheating. Id like to see a crackdown on all cheating or boosting from DB. Event integrity is really key to the game

[SSR] GTMET

Task Force April is also completely opposed to macros, sharing, or any form of cheating.

MRNelson

Warby wrote: »

Nothing short of an outright permanent ban on the offender, a first position chievo, restitution on the event rewards for the true winner, an apology, a public explanation, and an effective countermeasure, will resolve this issue for me.

Shameful.

“Crucifixion’s too good for ‘em” I believe someone once said.

Agreed - but I suspect if someone digs into it, they will find that it's probably some 17-year-old Kid, that is doing it for just for fun, or perhaps a summer project . . . and he'll be a F2P player as well.