How common is cheating?

[helix]

Recently I have noticed some really odd play in my games (all open games). Is it multi's, secret alliances or just bad play? I'd like to hear from other players their opinion if cheating is common. Hopefully, I am just seeing some really bad players that simply do not understand the game.

Maybe the answer is to go premium...

[Phobia]

yes, all i can say is cheating is a lot more common on public games than in private premium, simply because no one would want to waste $20 dollars to get banned.
the majority do play fairly however, just the small minority that want to cheat

[joeyjordison]

i hav played over 40 games now. all but 2 were public. i have never come across and obvious cheater. i hav played people who may b multis but i had no proof and it was probably just coincidence and my over zealous suspicions

[tonywalrus]

helix is referring to game 35250 and he thinks that it is me that is cheating. He does not seem to be brave enough to make the accusation in the game.
This is what has happened so far:
1. A player that I do not know has, for some reason, used up all of his men in the opening round attacking me and only me. This is odd.
2. I am pretty worried that he has decided to take me out right at the start. I do not want this to happen so I attack and take out three of his territories.
3. helix remarks on the strange play.
4. helix suggests that I deadbeat for the good of the game? For good measure, although a little oddly, he makes a reference to Hamlet.
5. I take out the player who keeps attacking me.
6. helix takes the huff and tells me that he does not want to play with me anymore.

The pattern of the game is odd, I don't know why I was constantly attacked but I am not going to stand back and be wiped out.
helix has deluded himself into believing that I am cheating.

There is a lot of cheating, this game is not an example of it.
Come and take a look.

And helix...
1. I am premium, cheapskate.
2. Grow up!

[wacicha]

i have played a few games. there have been cheaters and in game 1509 i was accused of cheating -- no biggie get premy play 500 games and have fun

[Hardline]

I'd be curious to know how many "possible cheaters" are spotted in Fog of War games. First few times I thought something was off, it turned out to be my more experienced opponent holding a bonus territory I didn't know about and couldn't see due to FOW.

And what defines odd play?

[Ronaldinho]

I'd be curious to know how many "possible cheaters" are spotted in Fog of War games. First few times I thought something was off, it turned out to be my more experienced opponent holding a bonus territory I didn't know about and couldn't see due to FOW.

And what defines odd play?

Dude... topic from Fri Jun 23, 2006 ? How long did you go through the forum to wrench that up?!

[AAFitz]

The main problem in discovering actual cheating, is that in order to win any multiple player game, one typically needs someone else to attack the wrong person too many times. Further, some people get extremely vindictive, and will attack with everything at the first sign of trouble. Even further, some are insanely over aggressive, and just attack everything.

Though there really is a lot of cheating...mostly you'll just see mistakes in games. When looking for cheating, you really need absolute blatent proof, which typically is over the course of many games. If one players is always winning, the other losing, and one is never attacking that winning player, that is not coincidence...it may not even be purposeful cheating, but favoring the other player, which is cheating defacto.

For the most part though, you have to plan on someone attacking too much, and really, your best strategy is to hope it isnt you...and do what you can to plan for it. If you see them in many games together with a similar pattern, then maybe its worth worrying about...if not... let it go, because its more likely accidental.

Also, these games are often decided by very subtle moves, so its very difficult to know when its actual cheating, or just interesting play.