Inflated Player-Counts

[Legacy_NWN DM]

               So, do these inflated player counts get referenced (i.e. get counted) when GameSpy tells you "1445 players on-line" (or whatever)?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jenna WSI]

               I'm curious how this is even done. As far as I knew the player count you have is what you're stuck with.

Additionally... I wouldn't care as a player, if I logged in and a server had 12 instead of 39 players. If there are still people playing, it wouldn't change much for me in the purpose I had for logging in - to play with others.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Jenna WSI, 15 mars 2011 - 08:03 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_TSMDude]

               

Jenna WSI wrote...

I'm curious how this is even done. As far as I knew the player count you have is what you're stuck with.

Additionally... I wouldn't care as a player, if I logged in and a server had 12 instead of 39 players. If there are still people playing, it wouldn't change much for me in the purpose I had for logging in - to play with others.

It is a lot easier to do than you think if you use NWNX and several servers do apply this. Have we? Yes once to see if it was possible but quickly turned it off. In all honesty having 50 plus players would overwhelm our Staff and rp world.

Having 8 to 15 suits us perfect. Once you go down the road to see how to do it it is best to come back.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zanzibarr]

               Inflating player counts is not only dishonest, but stupid. Yes, it probably has a positive effect on their visibility, but it will also cause them to gain ridicule.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Fellanor]

               

So, do these inflated player counts get referenced (i.e. get counted) when GameSpy tells you "1445 players on-line" (or whatever)?

Yes.

You load up NWN. You look in, say, Social. You see Sinfar has 40 players on, in the main list where all the servers are shown. You log on and discover that 10 players are on. The false count will also show up if the server is in your Favorites or History.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Fellanor]

               

More people need to get laid. Or smoke a blunt.

Or both.

Also, this.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_A_Julian]

               

TSMDude wrote...

Yes once to see if it was possible but quickly turned it off. In all honesty having 50 plus players would overwhelm our Staff and rp world.

How would having fake players on the Gamespy list overwhelm your staff and RP world?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Heclar]

               I just hope that it doesn't catch on, because then the Gamespy lists will become almost redundant. As in most cases, best to nip it in the bud and get the abusers closed down before it can spread.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_TenaciousP]

               Totally agree with the sentiments of the OP. It's silly, it's deceitful and it's childish. And it does p*ss off players as well as other server admins.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jenna WSI]

               Ah, okay. I think I get how it works now. Just curious because I would have assumed it was not possible to trick gamespy, before this thread.

Julian: I think he means that by having a false player count, it's easier to get larger numbers of real players to join your server.. but he wouldn't want that to happen because of how much of a strain it can be to manage.

Heclar: Agreed there, good point.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ehye_khandee]

               False advertising does not require an exchange of money, it requires only false statements published by the advertiser. No sale need be consumated for this to be an infraction of law (research it and see).

As for "Both CEP and Inflated Player counts are added content."  PSHAW!  There is NOTHING added to the game by fudging data displayed by gamespy, this makes the statement utterly false.

Honesty is best, really.

Be well. Game on.
GM_ODA
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Zanzibarr]

               I just checked out some servers and can confirm that the figures in the original post are accurate.

Sinfar: Adds 22 phantom players.
Heart of Winter: Adds 12 phantom players.

Hopefully, the server owners will find this thread and realize how foolish they look.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lightfoot8]

               I really dont care if servers boost there player accounts or not.  

However why did you pick this sight to complain about it.  If you really want to complain, Do it at GameSpy it is there numbers that they are playing with.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_A_Julian]

               

Jenna WSI wrote...

Julian: I think he means that by having a false player count, it's easier to get larger numbers of real players to join your server.. but he wouldn't want that to happen because of how much of a strain it can be to manage.

Ah I see. I think most of us agree with him, then, that this illusory tactic can have a significant effect on attracting players. In that sense, it is a very real harm, because it is gathering real players by using a cheap trick.

ehye_khandee

False advertising does not require an exchange of money, it requires only false statements published by the advertiser. No sale need be consumated for this to be an infraction of law (research it and see).

As for "Both CEP and Inflated Player counts are added content." PSHAW! There is NOTHING added to the game by fudging data displayed by gamespy, this makes the statement utterly false.

Honesty is best, really.

Be well. Game on.
GM_ODA

Well said. I'm not sure why anyone thought it was necessary to bring the subject of money up, because the complaint clearly has nothing to do with money. It's a legitimate complaint, and I really can't empathise with those people who are suggesting that it's alright to dupe people. The only time it's alright to dupe people is when you're roleplaying something, IC. It's never alright OOC.

Also, on plug-ins: Let's not get into a battle of semantics. Some people are calling overrides plug-ins, some people are calling them macros, whatever. That's semantics. I would hope that it's clear to everyone what cheating is.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Quilver]

               "Cheating is an act of lying, deception, fraud, trickery, imposture, or imposition. Cheating characteristically is employed to create an unfair advantage, usually in one's own interest, and often at the expense of others."

Enough said, I think.