POF Contest Cheating.
 

I understand the whole we are pirates thing, but cheating on something that is supposed to be fun is just silly. The contests that The POF Staff puts together are not that challenging that no one will ever guess, find, or solve them.

I think it was a bit to harsh to close the contest and to cancel all future contests on POF. But I do see the point of doing that. However, the actions taken affect all and not just the few who committed the offense. Please don't punish all of POF.

To those that did the cheating. I don't know who you are, but you do. Thanks!

I also am of the opinion that cheating is wrong. But cheating on a contest that gives nothing to being top 3, or even top 10, Is just stepping over the lines beyond dumbness. In this particular contest there couldn't be any losers. But now We All Lost!

Good ole' Skirata brings up a VERY good point. Every time I catch pirates cheating in-game, I get the same old excuse. "But we're pirates, we're supposed to cheat." Yeah, but you don't have to ruin it for everybody else. TepCat SAID to be ON YOUR HONOR to not cheat. And last time I checked, real pirates stand by their words ;)

I see the Staff's reasoning behind shutting down the events, and I'm siding with them on this. We all know that this kind of stuff has happened in the past, and the Staff was MORE than generous of not reprimanding not just the cheaters, but ALL of us. If you want people to learn a lesson, the best way to teach them is the hard way.

To those who did cheat: I'm not angry, I'm disappointed. I know that EVERY pirate on here knows how to control themselves, that EVERY pirate on here knows how to behave. But it doesn't matter if you know how to do it, if you dont know when to do it.

To the POF Staff: I appreciate everything that you do for this site. You don't HAVE to give us contests to keep us entertained, you choose to. You have the same point as to when I did the Captain Clause event. I told pirates not to cheat, but sure enough, some cheated. That made me really mad, but compared to me, your all saints to how you manage to keep yourselves patient. I'm sorry that some pirates stepped beyond what they were supposed to do. Just remember, a small portion doesn't represent the majority :)

Does this mean there will be no more events EVER on POF or just THIS event?

What is this about? who cheated? and what did they cheat on?

Read The January Contest page 2.

***added numbers to respond to the quote easier***

1. Appearently a few pirates were caught cheating by sharing information with each other for the "January Guess the Picture" Contest here on POF.

2. Unknown to me, and all POF members.

3. The January Guess the Picture Contest.

Seeing as how TepCat said ALL future events were cancelled, that mostly like means this contest, and the ones they had planned for the near future.

P.S. Following TSC's link pretty much says it all. Too bad he didn't post sooner >_>

Isn't it terrible when someone else's actions ruins your fun or enjoyment... You know, like when you're watching a great movie and the person right in front of you answers their cell phone and starts having a conversation in a loud tone? Or maybe when some person flattens your tires just before you were going to head somewhere you really wanted to go. Or maybe when you study really really hard for a test and do really well, but some other people stole the answer key and get them all right and ruin the curve.

Cheating can be seen as "performing some act that falls outside the normal methods of play or competition with an expectation or hope that it will convey an unusual competitive advantage within the game or sport". We consider it bad for one’s virtue if one learns to cheat in a game environment since learning to cheat in a game might well affect the player’s view on cheating in general.

Cheaters never consider their impact on others. Cheaters are inherently selfish. In this case, they did not realize that some of the people who's enjoyment they were ruining are the people who put together and run the contents. We actually enjoy watching people solve the puzzles and knowing folks are cheating ruins our fun.

So we've taken our ball and gone home for now... Enjoy your time of unchallenged virtue.

Exactly, the mods do a lot for us. What's wrong with expecting people to play fair? I say, good for the mods!

Who cheated though?? and how?

Cheating on a POF contest? Give me a break!!! As usual a few ruin it for many. Sorry Mods, you try your best & then things like this happen. It is a crying shame & inexcusable that ppl feel they have to cheat in event such as this....

One of the things that made this forum so great was all the events the mods put together for all the members and them to enjoy. I was looking forward to another great year. The Mod Hunt is by far my favorite event and now thanks to the cheaters we're not gonna have it. And on a personal note, this was the first time I figured out the picture for the contest right off. IT WASNT THAT HARD! And for goodness sake, Tep was gonna increase the size of the pic each week, so all you had to do was check back and look at the bigger picture!

To the mods: I'm sorry about this. I hope that the other events that do not involve clues can return. Keep up the great work guys!!

Sigh, good point, I'm never gonna get to do a mod hunt now. I missed the last due to computer issues. So all you who cheated, thanks a lot. Ruin a lot of peoples fun for a simple little virtual contest? :(

The "prize" for the contest was an award icon the size of a dime. Yes, it is incredibly silly to cheat to get it. But it is equally silly to cancel all contests because someone cheated. People on both sides have taken the contest too seriously in my opinion.

Im sure the mods thought about this but im gonna suggest it anyway.
Cheaters should be banned from contests or POF membership be demoted or be banned from POF.
(Whining voice) Its so not fair!

if betleth is around I would like him to consider a May Meqba on this issue

As unfair as some seem to think it is, remember it is also unfair to the mods. They put all sorts of effort into these things, only to have them ruined by cheating? Now, speaking personally, I'd be ticked if someone ruined something I worked hard on. As for why ban all future contests, you don't think they had just cause? Even if you don't know what said just cause is, I'm sure they have one. Give the mods a break guys, really.

lol tsc it is a ritual trial i bet betleth could tell you

We are pirates but we must have honor, and cheating has no honor!!!

that is why a called a klingon for help for they are honor!

Above all its unfair to the mods. All the work they put into this forum for fellow pirates and fans of the game and movies gets steamrolled by cheaters. The mods are probably more entertained by us during these contest than we are. I do have faith that something good will come of this.

thats not fair!Its so so s not fair for us..... but its not fair for them...... So i guess who cheated did something horrible..... now djr_8fan mood is angry same with me... i think because of the contest ............ gone.If so i dont know but i think awards are useless, the only reason i have them is because id like to be a pirate tree ;) Hopefully the cheater does not do a super duper glitch to shut down POTCO.......


EDIT: and why does tepcat have to do the dirty work?!!!???!!!

I don't know who cheated, but i know HOW they cheated. I sent Tepcat a private message how people were doing it so i guess that's why the competition was shut. A person on my friendlist whispered to me how i could cheat to get the medal, but i thought it wasn't a very honorable thing to do. Thanks to those who cheated, we don't have any competitions. Maybe they should start thinking before they act?

I spent a lot of time figuring this out and I am very unhappy to hear my time was now wasted. Not to mention the loss of future events. I for one enjoy the Awards contests and games. I think it's a lot of fun and I know Tepcat puts a lot of time in on them.

I hope it was worth it to all the cheaters to ruin everyone else's good time.

Captain Whale

Like you, Captain Whale, I also put quite a bit of time figuring this one out. Well at least my pirate got a ton of exercise running from place to place trying to figure it out. I really enjoyed hunts like this.

Even though there won't be any more, Thank You Tepcat for all the work you put into these picture guessing quests. It gave this long time player a sort of side quest to do :)

I agree with all that has been said here. There is not place for cheating, either in a game or in real life. In the long run, it gets you no place.

And to Rattlebones, my complements on you post. Very well written.

Very sad, as C Ray said, this isnt the place for cheating and I agree.

Thanks to all of those who cheated! You ruined everyones fun.
I'm not sure if pof will really cancel all of the contests, if so say goodbye to Tom Sharkwash.

They try to drown their sins in rum - the devil himself would have to call them scum - wasn't a man aboard who wouldnt kill his weight for a bag of gold or a small pof award--( hmm doesnt make sense )- give the we be pirates and so we be cheaters thing a rest - cheater is a title that is easily earned and much harder to get rid of, dont want it hooked on my name on here, in potco, or in Rl. Thanks Mods for all ya do - tis a shame - I was looking forward to pirates of the Mafia

I am just disappointed that anyone would cheat. Even more, that they have the gall to do it on pof. While I am against cheating, if you are going to do it, don't post it where the event in question is. Are you that bold to expect that you won't get caught???

I must side with the mods on this, and agree that no more events should take place. Fool someone once, shame on them. Fool them twice shame on you. The mods have given the members of this forum many opportunities for forgiveness. You who cheated chose to throw these opportunities back in their face.

Shame on all of you who cheated, and nothing but praise for the mods.

Man this stinks..... I was really looking forward to the Mafia rounds....

this is a large dissapointment. I also very much enjoyed the contests, and will be sad to see them go. However, I do see the Mods' reasoning in this. If blatant cheating is how some choose to show their appreciation, then the "award" recieved is unfortunately just. Im just sorry that a few people's actions have ruined things for everyone. I only hope that after a period of absence from these activities, that the mods may reconsider.

This has happened before :P. Its like at school were going to a field trip at somekids misbehave and stays at school and while the behaved ones gets to go to the field trip.This is the same except cheating. I find this very serious. But for I would say ban the cheaters and let us continue with our fun contest.

I don't think this is sad, or unfair. I think it's freaking pathetic!

Our admins and mods work their keesters off to give us a site where we can get new information on the game, tips, tricks, news, helps, a place to ask questions, a fantastic Wiki where we can find answers and a great place to make friends.

All of that takes work and time and energy. And don't even think they're getting paid to do that.

Then, to top it off they come up with involved, creative contests that are loads of fun, and artistic awards/rewards as prizes.

The members who cheated, in spite of Tepcat's explicit orders not to, have figuratively spit in their faces as a repayment.

The admins/mods are pefectly within their rights to end all future contests and I don't blame them a bit.

Way to bite the hands that fed you, cheaters. Truly pathetic.

It is pathetic.Who would ruin it for everyone else.!

I would be happy if i see febuary contes 2010!

I'm sorry if I sound mean, but what would be the point of that? If the mods start up the contests THAT quickly, it will just bring forth that the cheaters, along with A LOT of pirates will not learn a lesson. We all know cheating has occured in the past, and IMO, the time span of the crimes should equal if not multiply the sentence.

WOW this sets cheaters at an all time low in my book its pathetic what people will do to get somthing the size of a small poatage stamp

I still don't know what the picture was. Oh well I guess I can keep looking for fun which is the purpose of it anyways. I really could care less about a little award icon. But if the cheaters wanted an award icon I say give them one and don't ban them from the sight.

Give them an "I Cheated" award icon. Then we all would know who they are. Am I being a little harsh?

no... that should happen!Pm some admins

For us to give any signification of those who cheated, be it something of that sort or simply posting a list of their names, is not allowed and frowned upon by us. It would require us to break our Flaming and Naming Name policies, and thus set a bad example for you, the users.

You gotta point there Jack. Well Hhowd did the cheaters even get caught? I mean seriously?

The initial image was of a green ring, that ring was on the hand of Captain Jack Sparrow. Since you only meet him during specific quest instances, I felt it would be a good, kinda tricky picture to use. My goal was to make you think and make you look around you more closely at the world of POTCO. I am very sorry that so many people hate me and what I do that they chose to ruin the fun of everyone else. I did my best to make fun contests that the majority of the users on the forum could participate in and there were some very fun events planned for this year - some in-game, some using our casino, and of course the forum itself.

Well I don't hate you Tepcat,you are the one that makes many fun things here on POF.I thank your gererosity for giving me the Armada Award and for creating such nice events.I was worried myself that I may have cheated so you never recieved a guess from me.Never really came up with an answer actually.I hope we will do Regetta again in July,you make some of the best contests and events.I'm not sure if all people should have been taken out of this contest but willing cheaters must be stoped.None should be angry with you without thinking about the situation first,you may have done the right thing and even if you didn't you can always bring contests back,no worries hopefully,although i Rock is sort of bummed about this whole ordeal.Everyone stay positive-Dockwrecker

I too don't hate ya. Thanks for letting us know what it was in the picture. I don't think I ever would have guessed it. And I too actually have a screen shot of it. Just never payed that much attention to it.

I have always loved you contests Tepcat! Its not your fault you were making the fansites more fun with your contests so its not your fault. Dont feel bad.

I have always enjoyed contests Tepcat, so much you do with little recognition. Even though I've only been here a short time, I have liked everythng you have done.

I've loved them too!I dont hate you, dont feel bad, its just bathetic that someone has to ruin it for everyone.Just pathetic dont feel bad your nice your cool you tried hard.But someone rained on your/our parade.

i dont hate you your very nice

Nobody hates you Tep.

LOL - Tepcat you are probably the most loved GM on the site mate! You are in charge of the fun side - Savvy? Don't fall into the trap that this was done to hurt you or that you were a target. Cheaters simply cheat to get out of doin the work, there is I believe no malice towards you in what they do. (if you know different then that irritates me all the more)

I think you are great and don't let them get to you mate. The Awards are one of my favorite things here so I am greatly disapointed in those who messed it all up. I agree with Del though that a punishment is in order. I don't like the good being punished with the bad but you guys do what you have to do.

Captain Whale

no one hates you cheaters should be punished and if this is the best way to exterminate cheating for the moment then this is what needs to happen

I completely agree with you Captain Whale. Its too bad some ruined it for all of us, but it was truly very fun while it lasted. Thank you, again, Tepcat for all the work you have put into all of these contests.

Tep - if anyone's hating you, it's the cheaters that got called out.

You're in the right and all is well. Don't sweat the jerks.