What was IAmPicard?
Dazlaaaaa
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Been playing for a couple of years, but new to the forum - what was this tool all about?
I seem to have massively missed the boat somewhere!
I seem to have massively missed the boat somewhere!
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Twas quite the time to be on the forums. There's a YouTube video around somewhere that provided a solid summary of the facts.
Again, forgive the ignorant, but how can it twist the voyages system? As long as you know what leads to what, then you don't need the tool?
Unless the tool could actually select dilemmas, I fail to see what would be worth getting in a lather over?
I do miss the gauntlet chance calculations from the tool, they made the gauntlet so much more tolerable.
That's the controversy about IAP in a nutshell. It was a great tool for crew/item management, but a few folks "in the know" used it to exploit faction events and voyage rewards.
edit to include the link to the YouTube video:
Proud Former Officer of The Gluten Empire
Retired 12-14-20. So long, and thanks for all the cat pics!
I watched the video some time ago and it starts with lies: the person who made it knows absolutely nothing about programming and it's really obvious. IIRC he starts by claiming it's "open source" but not free for anyone to modify when it's under GPL 3.0 so free for anyone to fork. Even amateur programmers know that. The so called "expert" goes on and claims that there's a shuttle feature the tool never had. Sadly that's the only evidence; it's full of crap and people take it as gospel, but for all I know given the level zero of technical knowledge both commenters show that was a well crafted conspiracy that fooled people and DB alike. The reason is quite clear, he's a self-proclaimed hater of the tool.
IAP is still available out there for anyone by the way, it's under GPL 3.0 licence so as long as you have the source code you're free to compile it, modify it and use it at your own discretion. DB made no further comments and doesn't forbid such third party tools as there's no automation of any kind so in theory the terms of service give it a green light.
Notice anything weird about the squad rank vs the individual ones? That was IAP ghost VP from our test, immediately reported to DB and shut down for the next shuttle event.
So, you can keep saying it never happened.... but it very much did.
Proud Former Officer of The Gluten Empire
Retired 12-14-20. So long, and thanks for all the cat pics!
I mean, I flat out say in the video I'm not a programmer and spoke to multiple people who were to make the video, and my explanation was trying to talk from someone at my level to people without the expertise either. The "expert"ise you allude to is simply in the abuse of the program, not claiming to understand exactly how it was able to do all that.
Some of my nomenclature may have been sloppy or inexact as far as what's "open source", etc. I believe Silver is posting some of the proof of the shuttle exploit as I type this.
It's easy to attack me as I'm the public face, and admittedly not an expert. I did however do my due diligence before putting this out, going to four different fleets and programmers for review of the questionable code before saying anything. I also could not show everything, as I discussed privately with Shan I understand there was a line I could not cross where I would be considered helping others to cheat for those looking to duplicate what was done, not just to understand why the program had gone rogue.
There were at least 3 different versions of IAP available, between web based, compiled code, and patron compiled code. With reportedly a few further versions as well. Most of the code was similar between different versions, like the shuttle code existed in the web based, but did not have the user interface to access that portion enabled in that version.
DB pulled their support of the tool several days before I was even involved in investigating what happened. So the conspiracy timeline is questionable at best.
Basically everything happened with the DB and IAP, and as someone with widespread social connections in the community I set about compiling everything I could. The shuttle exploit specifically was tested, verified, and reported to DB the Friday morning of this interesting weekend, and I didn't even hear about the shuttle portion till like Sunday.
IAP is specifically against the TOS, as you are forbidden to access the servers through non DB means, and it was previously given special permission as ok based on the first code version, which DB removed, again even before I had knowledge of what was going on.
Throw stones at me for not being a true coder all you want. But it doesn't change that the program was used to exploit, and that several actual coders confirmed it seems to be intentional based on the history of build changes and how the code is specifically written.
This guy came at you pretty harsh. Aggressive may be the word. But I personally thank you, Frank, Silver, and whoever else was involved in doing what you did to get IAP. Banned and the creator to run with his tail between his legs. When I found out what was going on I was extremely upset. I work hard, think hard, strategize, plan, all of that to be able to scare high in events when I feel the time is right. To find out some could just simply use a cheat tool to surpass all that I had worked for was infuriating. This guy can throw stones at you if he so desires but I personally thank you.
If DB had pulled the tool or banned it, there wouldn't be a new version of it out there and usable. This was a case of the creator being harassed and doxxed and threatened. You would do the same if it happened to you. It's a game. Don't take it so seriously.
Jeez. DB didn't do anything. it was the whales who decided to harass him, because casual players could EVENTUALLY compete with them. "Look at this line of code. It is a God Mode." No, it isn't, but most people wouldn't know.
These whales made some half-true videos showing how "cheating" IaP was. I've tried several times (more than a dozen times) to use the "exploits" these whales were describing, without any success, it was *tsk tsk* (EDIT : a lie). It was the developer who decided to cancel everything, because he was harassed by them. I can understand you didn't like IaP, but stop spreading fake news
You do not understand this game then. No amount of playing will ever let someone compete with those who spend money. You could have a million shuttle tokens and use every single one to try to win a faction event but if someone comes in and dil-boosts all their shuttles the whole time guess what, you still lost.
When did you try to use the exploits? Some of them have been fixed from the DB end where they no longer allow multiple asynchronous calls to actually resolve. This also highlights the fallacy of "just because I can't do it MUST mean that it's a lie".
If you want to deny proof fine, but don't pass it off as you being the only one with any reason. Take your tin foil hat and head to the delta quadrant.
There is a pretty sizable difference between accessing a database with a general query, and accessing it with account specific info. Sure, the "database crawling" behavior could be technically against the TOS, but even in cases where people are using a dummy account ID to do it, all they could do is ban that ID. DB isn't upset because it does not directly interact with game play, and increases general game resources which improves the community. Also most of the "aren't even available in the game yet" "leaks" come from analyzing the asset call changes on client side.
DB has next to zero control over what is available on other sites. It existing out in the greater internet is not indication of endorsement. They had previously stickied a link to it, and their endorsement that it was fine. In the middle of the debacle, they pulled that sticky and their consent. They also took gradual steps over the weeks following this incident that blocked a lot of the nefarious actions possible, but are not going to officially endorse something again because of how this went sideways on them.
I can't speak to everything that was said to the original creator, but I do know moments before he pulled up all stakes he was directly but not in a threatening way asked about the shuttle exploit functionality and 5 minutes later he was gone. It's also easy to claim doxxing when you post a git-hub link that is widely used and puts your real name in the url, but again there could be bad actors out there that I don't personally know of.
I also put myself out there as the opposition, and have received plenty of hate and threats, I'm still here willing to stand by what I've said, even though I quit the game due to unengaging game play issues.
Here, I'll throw some further evidence out there for those who are skeptical since Frank isn't around anymore, and he originally reported this to DB when it happened after our show.
You do know Frank and other "whales" were some of this guys biggest patrons right? I hadn't spent a dime on the game in over 6 months at the time of this issue, and was far from a whale before that. People more invested in the game actually liked the basic functionality of the tool more than most, and probably adopted it's honest use at an even higher rate than those who were not big spenders. The "whale jealousy" line of thought is seriously distorted from reality.
DB has taken steps to close the vulnerabilities that IAP was attacking, I'm sure someone can find more, but trying to duplicate it after the fact is not going to result in much success at all after that door has been closed.
Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing.
~ Data, ST:TNG "Haven"
Either that or the OP felt it would be amusing to revisit it. If it was an innocent inquiry then the OP had to have heard stories from somewhere
It was an innocent enquiry - I've seen a number of posts regarding it, both here, on the previous forum and on the wiki.
Truth be told, I'm not really much the wiser now.
Was it a method to cheat, somehow gathering extra cards/chrons? If so, how? Does it still happen?
Almost wish I hadn't bothered asking...
Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing.
~ Data, ST:TNG "Haven"
I believe this is the best summary. It reflects my experience as well - from fleet to cheat.
I do apologize if I came off in a negative way towards you and your asking this. Talk of this always strikes a chord with me because it affected event ranks and that’s what I live for in STT land. And I know for a fact that this cheat affected at least one of my chances for a first place finish
Not at all, I just hadn't quite realised the hornet's next I was kicking over.
I figured that there would have to be a chest involved somewhere, or super whales playing the game, in order to be taking up the event scores out there.
I'm guessing that there are super whales, but suspect that there is still an element of cheating in the system somewhere.
Someone innocently asked in my fleet as a result of this thread. My first reaction was, "oh no... here we go again..." Luckily everything stayed civil (but spirited!) and then we moved on. I don't know if iampicard or MJLP is the bigger controversy, but it is safe to say that both are in the top 5.
Proud Former Officer of The Gluten Empire
Retired 12-14-20. So long, and thanks for all the cat pics!
So, I'm interested in this, and do tell me to jog on if I'm sticking my nose in beyond where it ought to go, but just how much do you spend on the game and what outcome do you get as a result?
To be a regular top 50 finisher, say, what would one need to spend and what would the tactics be?
First rule of finishing well in events. Never try to finish top 50. Either somewhere in the top 25, or you might as well go for a safe top 1500 or sit out completely.
Here is a general guide for what it takes for top 1/5 and then top 25 in the major event types.
Faction Events:
Top 25 takes 1.2-1.4m VP now. You pretty much have to run 4 shuttles with the 90 minute boosts or with the 3 hour 2x boosts the whole way through (188 3* boosts and 32 2x will do this for 63*16k maxVP), and run about 4-5 9 hour shuttles the whole event with tokens (48-60 8k 9 hour shuttles). Getting squad share points can reduce these requirements.
Top 5 basically is 1.8m-2.0m VP and Top 1 is usually somewhere from 3.5m to 5m. Top 5 attempts just add to what you need to top 25 except you'll need to mix in 4* boosts on the 4 main shuttles and run 10 rounds of 12-20 9 hour shuttles with tokens. Runs for 1st usually include instacompleting all the 5* boosts you have 50 dil per 4k vp, and sometimes other boosts like 2x 3 hour boosts (200 dil per 8k vp).
Skirmish Events
Top 25 seems to take 4M+ VP these days and 1st is around 10M VP, top 5 around 7-8M VP Top 25 would need about 20-25k chrons and 1st around 60-80k chrons. You spend more chrons then that but that is your net loss after rewards from free reward boxes. You can be chron neutral buying 3/4 10 dil boxes per skirmish. As far as time, you can earn anywhere from 120k to 180k an hour. With the best crew (2 Killy like crew, a mirror spock, and event crew on a krayton) you can do a skirmish in right at 2 minutes on a good device and wifi connection. That totals 180k an hour but 155-170k an hour is about what you can realistically do concentration wise while watching netlix or other tv/movies. 1st will be 60-70 hours or skirmishing over 4 days and top 25 25-35 hours.
Galaxy and Faction Galaxy Hybrids
1st takes 6m to 12m VP. Top 5 about 3.5m to 4.5m, Top 25 maybe around 1.5m to 2.0m. It's hard to give an exact chron cost for this, since it is heavily dependent on what you have already farmed. Ideally you would farm any items available from space battles during a skirmish (chron costs are effectively 60% less then) and then use them in a future galaxy.
Top 25 can be done with little skirmishing maybe once ever 3 months from the free voyage chrons and components you get. Top 5 maybe once every 6-8 months. If you skirmish a lot for farming you can go higher more frequently. Top 1 will take saving for over a year for most players. If you spend some on chrons or dil boxes on skirmishes, maybe once every 6-10 months.
If you have items already farmed you can do 4 1025vp (1600vp with rare turn in) per minute, but that is insanely hard to keep up concentration wise, and you'll usually wind up at 120-150 1025 turn ins an hour if you want to stay sane.
As far as spending, most of mine isn't on events but crew collecting. Between Tuesday packs and event offers if you try to get every new gold it will be $150+ a week. Beyond deciding to spend $500_ on a faction event or getting Killy equivalents to reduce time on skirmishes, and the event crew for more rares the week you want to make a galaxy push spending huge amounts doesn't actually help much in events.
This last event my main account with 2+ years of high spending can run off 4 98% shuttles. My 14 month old $0 spent account can run off 4 90-95% shuttles.
Faction event wins aren't done with rental tokens or boosts - that's pure money spent on autocompletes to do it. Boosts and rentals can help you hit top 25, but you'll probably still need to spend money for ranks 2-10.
My VIP0 can rank top 50 in galaxy or skirmish (it has in both) because I've got ~3 years' worth of chrons and inventory. That's more effort than spend in those events.
Proud Former Officer of The Gluten Empire
Retired 12-14-20. So long, and thanks for all the cat pics!