Cheating is becoming a serious problem.

  • I understand Rare may not say much on the matter of cheating however they really should let the community know what they are trying to do to combat cheating in some capacity. Alot of other game studios provide transparency on how many cheaters are being banned each month and other game studios provide how they are working to combat cheating. I feel Rare should start stepping up the game with how they will handle this issue. I know there is already an anticheat however it is not countering the simplest feature of a cheat client which is phasing through walls and flying. Players are really showing anger towards Sea of Thieves due to a lack of response from Rare.

    Yesterday, a stream that appeared on Twitch on the Sea of Thieves category, a day before the Xbox Showcase, was showing a galleon of 4 all using cheats. This stream had over 200 viewers watching the stream in which they were the streamer with the third most live viewers putting them at the top of the Sea of Thieves category. Twitch acted alot faster to bring the broadcasts down for an violation of their Terms of Service however their accounts within game were still going when they made other Twitch accounts. Luckily Twitch kept suspending the accounts they were creating to prevent the broadcast of cheats however the experience for players within game were being ruined by the 4 individuals.

    [mod edit]
    The cheaters made up to 5 million in cash and over 15 levels when they lowered their hourglass... This shouldnt be happening at all. This looks bad on our community and a serious response should be made to the issue at hand instead of a 2 minutes and 32 seconds mention within a 48 minute and 38 seconds podcast especially a day before the Xbox Showcase.

    I hope this isnt locked immediately by a moderator in which other members of the community can express themselves on this thread about the matter at hand. and yes I understand it was shortly addressed, there is an anticheat, this post is not a witch hunt, etc.

    All I ask is for this to be considered by Rare and we dont have to keep suffering with cheaters.

    Thank you for reading.

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  • @ug-omnipotent Rare won’t comment on the work they’re doing as not to tip off the cheaters. Have faith, let them do their job, and report people when you have proof they’re cheating. Simple.

  • Well said.

    I don't think anyone has any doubt that Rare hate to see this happening and would love to be able to prevent it. But the reality is that cheaters like this are dominating the game and becoming much more prominent in the daily experience of the game.

    Transparency on how it's being handled can be difficult for Devs without giving the cheat-devs a heads up on how it will be dealt with, therefore giving them a heads up on how to find new ways to get around barriers. However, radio silence on the topic as a whole is increasingly frustrating. Especially when this is the big thing happening on SoT Twitch in the last few days and we are simultaneously just seeing posts from Devs about their new reveal this weekend. Obviously those reveals were scheduled and there was nothing to be done about the timing, we understand that fully, but it's still a bit tone deaf to be hyping up the future content when this is the current reality of the game...

    This is one of the topics the pvp/sweaty side of the community has been trying to raise and the lack of communication back to us has been frustrating. I don't support the use of cheats whatsoever, it's awful to see players repeatedly getting away with this. But if there is to be silver lining here, it's that this particular situation on Twitch with that amount of viewers is putting a spotlight on this harsh reality of the game which surely makes it harder to be ignored.

    Let's hope something can be done about it soon.

  • @tesiccl
    I think at this point there isnt any faith. It is acknowledged by Rare within the podcast that it is a "War of Attrition" but cheaters are seriously winning the war.

    Rainbow Six Siege shows a high level of interest in combating the issue which can be seen here:

    Halo Infinite also shows a high level of interest in combating their issues with cheaters here:

    Valorant uses Riot Vanguard to handle cheaters and works amazingly most of the time:

    There are also some games that support restoring ELO/Cash lost due to cheaters. If you lose something to a cheater within Sea of Thieves its game over. Your work is gone. Many other games announce their work towards countering cheating and I think it would be a good time for a change in the right way.

  • So... I don't really know how to best say what I want to say, so bear with my rambling here.

    When arena was retired, it was retired because less than 3% of player time was spent in it. In my experience, hourglass lately has been dominated by the same players in any given region. I know when I play it I encounter the same half dozen ships or so. So like, let's be real here, an overwhelming majority of players are not participating in hourglass. And as long as the cheaters remain contained in hourglass... I'm not sure how many resources Rare cares to commit to combating cheaters there.

    The reason why cheaters are rampant in hourglass is because player interaction is guaranteed so the efficacy of their trolling is maximized. When you set sail in adventure mode, you could sail for hours and not see another ship. That's why you don't really see cheaters in adventure mode: there's no guarantee you'll get to troll anyone.

    Adventure mode is their bread and butter. Basically, as long as the cheaters stay contained to hourglass, it doesn't effect 90%+ of the player base.

  • @ug-omnipotent other companies might do it, but Rare have made the choice not to comment on it and I support their logic.

    Keep the faith, it’ll be worth it in the end.

  • @lordqulex

    If you'd been paying attention you'll see them dropping kegs on all random ships on the server along with the ship they're fighting in hourglass. This isn't just a pvp/hourglass issue

  • @nimsyy said in Cheating is becoming a serious problem.:

    @lordqulex

    If you'd been paying attention you'll see them dropping kegs on all random ships on the server along with the ship they're fighting in hourglass. This isn't just a pvp/hourglass issue

    I believe you, but it hasn't happened to me yet.

  • @lordqulex

    Part of the issue as that most cheats are so well disguised that you won't even realize they're using them against you.
    There's also lots of cheating tools that are intended to help pve and would also appeal to players looking to use them in order to avoid pvp. It's a hot mess.

  • Title: Enhancing Fair Play: The Imperative for an Anti-Cheat System in Sea of Thieves

    Introduction:
    Sea of Thieves, developed by Rare and published by Microsoft, is an immersive and exhilarating multiplayer game that allows players to embark on epic pirate adventures. However, the game's open-world nature and cooperative gameplay can sometimes be marred by the presence of cheaters who exploit vulnerabilities, disrupting fair competition and compromising the overall player experience. This essay argues that the implementation of an anti-cheat system, or an upgraded version of the existing one, is necessary to ensure a level playing field and maintain the integrity of Sea of Thieves.

    1. Upholding Fairness and Competitive Integrity:
      An anti-cheat system serves as the guardian of fairness and ensures that all players abide by the game's rules and regulations. By preventing cheaters from gaining unfair advantages, the anti-cheat system promotes a balanced and enjoyable experience for all participants. It eliminates the frustration and discouragement caused by encountering cheaters, allowing players to focus on the genuine challenges and rewards that the game offers.

    2. Preserving Player Trust and Retention:
      Cheating not only disrupts fair competition but also erodes trust among the player base. When players encounter cheaters, their faith in the game's integrity diminishes, leading to negative perceptions and potential attrition. By implementing an anti-cheat system, the developers can demonstrate their commitment to fostering a healthy and trustworthy gaming environment. This, in turn, bolsters player retention, as individuals are more likely to invest time and resources in a game where their efforts are recognized and protected.

    3. Safeguarding the In-Game Economy:
      Sea of Thieves encompasses an intricate in-game economy that revolves around the acquisition of valuable treasures and resources. Cheaters can destabilize this delicate balance by generating an excessive amount of in-game currency, items, or progression, thereby devaluing the achievements of legitimate players. An effective anti-cheat system can mitigate such exploits, ensuring that the in-game economy remains intact and reflective of genuine effort and skill.

    4. Fostering a Positive Community Environment:
      Multiplayer games thrive on healthy and vibrant communities. Cheating disrupts the social fabric of Sea of Thieves, leading to increased toxicity and negative interactions. By employing an upgraded anti-cheat system, the developers actively cultivate an inclusive and supportive community. This discourages cheating and encourages players to collaborate, cooperate, and engage in meaningful interactions, enriching the overall gaming experience for everyone involved.

    5. Encouraging Long-Term Development and Support:
      The implementation of an anti-cheat system showcases the dedication of developers towards continuously improving the game and addressing player concerns. It reassures the player base that the developers are committed to the long-term success of Sea of Thieves and are actively working to create a fair and enjoyable environment. By fostering player trust and satisfaction, an upgraded anti-cheat system promotes ongoing support, updates, and expansions, ensuring the longevity of the game.

    Conclusion:
    The inclusion of an anti-cheat system, or an improved version of the existing one, in Sea of Thieves is imperative to preserve fair play, maintain competitive integrity, and foster a positive gaming environment. Such a system not only safeguards the player experience from cheaters but also demonstrates the developers' commitment to fostering a trustworthy and thriving community. By prioritizing the implementation of an anti-cheat system, Sea of Thieves can continue to be a captivating and immersive multiplayer adventure for players worldwide.

    Produced by Chat GBT

  • @mscodezy said in Cheating is becoming a serious problem.:

    Title: Enhancing Fair Play: The Imperative for an Anti-Cheat System in Sea of Thieves

    Introduction:
    Sea of Thieves, developed by Rare and published by Microsoft, is an immersive and exhilarating multiplayer game that allows players to embark on epic pirate adventures. However, the game's open-world nature and cooperative gameplay can sometimes be marred by the presence of cheaters who exploit vulnerabilities, disrupting fair competition and compromising the overall player experience. This essay argues that the implementation of an anti-cheat system, or an upgraded version of the existing one, is necessary to ensure a level playing field and maintain the integrity of Sea of Thieves.

    1. Upholding Fairness and Competitive Integrity:
      An anti-cheat system serves as the guardian of fairness and ensures that all players abide by the game's rules and regulations. By preventing cheaters from gaining unfair advantages, the anti-cheat system promotes a balanced and enjoyable experience for all participants. It eliminates the frustration and discouragement caused by encountering cheaters, allowing players to focus on the genuine challenges and rewards that the game offers.

    2. Preserving Player Trust and Retention:
      Cheating not only disrupts fair competition but also erodes trust among the player base. When players encounter cheaters, their faith in the game's integrity diminishes, leading to negative perceptions and potential attrition. By implementing an anti-cheat system, the developers can demonstrate their commitment to fostering a healthy and trustworthy gaming environment. This, in turn, bolsters player retention, as individuals are more likely to invest time and resources in a game where their efforts are recognized and protected.

    3. Safeguarding the In-Game Economy:
      Sea of Thieves encompasses an intricate in-game economy that revolves around the acquisition of valuable treasures and resources. Cheaters can destabilize this delicate balance by generating an excessive amount of in-game currency, items, or progression, thereby devaluing the achievements of legitimate players. An effective anti-cheat system can mitigate such exploits, ensuring that the in-game economy remains intact and reflective of genuine effort and skill.

    4. Fostering a Positive Community Environment:
      Multiplayer games thrive on healthy and vibrant communities. Cheating disrupts the social fabric of Sea of Thieves, leading to increased toxicity and negative interactions. By employing an upgraded anti-cheat system, the developers actively cultivate an inclusive and supportive community. This discourages cheating and encourages players to collaborate, cooperate, and engage in meaningful interactions, enriching the overall gaming experience for everyone involved.

    5. Encouraging Long-Term Development and Support:
      The implementation of an anti-cheat system showcases the dedication of developers towards continuously improving the game and addressing player concerns. It reassures the player base that the developers are committed to the long-term success of Sea of Thieves and are actively working to create a fair and enjoyable environment. By fostering player trust and satisfaction, an upgraded anti-cheat system promotes ongoing support, updates, and expansions, ensuring the longevity of the game.

    Conclusion:
    The inclusion of an anti-cheat system, or an improved version of the existing one, in Sea of Thieves is imperative to preserve fair play, maintain competitive integrity, and foster a positive gaming environment. Such a system not only safeguards the player experience from cheaters but also demonstrates the developers' commitment to fostering a trustworthy and thriving community. By prioritizing the implementation of an anti-cheat system, Sea of Thieves can continue to be a captivating and immersive multiplayer adventure for players worldwide.

    Produced by Chat GBT

    -1 downvote for the fact it was written by a bot. Trash.

  • @tesiccl That isn’t the point, though. All of the arguments highlighted are problematic for everyone in the community. I could write out an entire essay myself, but the fact of the matter is this needs to happen. If I bot can come up with logical reason for an improved anti-cheat system, I think change is warranted. This is idea that player reports is illogical. Reporting people in SoT is hard to get to, takes too long to write a simple report and gather evidence, and half the time, genuine reports are ignored and false bans are all too common. An improved anti-chat would require less staff to manage reports and uses in-game data as evidence rather than players having to record their evidence. This is one of many ways I could argue the implementation of this idea.

  • player reports are enough

  • @tesiccl said in Cheating is becoming a serious problem.:

    @mscodezy said in Cheating is becoming a serious problem.:

    Title: Enhancing Fair Play: The Imperative for an Anti-Cheat System in Sea of Thieves

    Introduction:
    Sea of Thieves, developed by Rare and published by Microsoft, is an immersive and exhilarating multiplayer game that allows players to embark on epic pirate adventures. However, the game's open-world nature and cooperative gameplay can sometimes be marred by the presence of cheaters who exploit vulnerabilities, disrupting fair competition and compromising the overall player experience. This essay argues that the implementation of an anti-cheat system, or an upgraded version of the existing one, is necessary to ensure a level playing field and maintain the integrity of Sea of Thieves.

    1. Upholding Fairness and Competitive Integrity:
      An anti-cheat system serves as the guardian of fairness and ensures that all players abide by the game's rules and regulations. By preventing cheaters from gaining unfair advantages, the anti-cheat system promotes a balanced and enjoyable experience for all participants. It eliminates the frustration and discouragement caused by encountering cheaters, allowing players to focus on the genuine challenges and rewards that the game offers.

    2. Preserving Player Trust and Retention:
      Cheating not only disrupts fair competition but also erodes trust among the player base. When players encounter cheaters, their faith in the game's integrity diminishes, leading to negative perceptions and potential attrition. By implementing an anti-cheat system, the developers can demonstrate their commitment to fostering a healthy and trustworthy gaming environment. This, in turn, bolsters player retention, as individuals are more likely to invest time and resources in a game where their efforts are recognized and protected.

    3. Safeguarding the In-Game Economy:
      Sea of Thieves encompasses an intricate in-game economy that revolves around the acquisition of valuable treasures and resources. Cheaters can destabilize this delicate balance by generating an excessive amount of in-game currency, items, or progression, thereby devaluing the achievements of legitimate players. An effective anti-cheat system can mitigate such exploits, ensuring that the in-game economy remains intact and reflective of genuine effort and skill.

    4. Fostering a Positive Community Environment:
      Multiplayer games thrive on healthy and vibrant communities. Cheating disrupts the social fabric of Sea of Thieves, leading to increased toxicity and negative interactions. By employing an upgraded anti-cheat system, the developers actively cultivate an inclusive and supportive community. This discourages cheating and encourages players to collaborate, cooperate, and engage in meaningful interactions, enriching the overall gaming experience for everyone involved.

    5. Encouraging Long-Term Development and Support:
      The implementation of an anti-cheat system showcases the dedication of developers towards continuously improving the game and addressing player concerns. It reassures the player base that the developers are committed to the long-term success of Sea of Thieves and are actively working to create a fair and enjoyable environment. By fostering player trust and satisfaction, an upgraded anti-cheat system promotes ongoing support, updates, and expansions, ensuring the longevity of the game.

    Conclusion:
    The inclusion of an anti-cheat system, or an improved version of the existing one, in Sea of Thieves is imperative to preserve fair play, maintain competitive integrity, and foster a positive gaming environment. Such a system not only safeguards the player experience from cheaters but also demonstrates the developers' commitment to fostering a trustworthy and thriving community. By prioritizing the implementation of an anti-cheat system, Sea of Thieves can continue to be a captivating and immersive multiplayer adventure for players worldwide.

    Produced by Chat GBT

    -1 downvote for the fact it was written by a bot. Trash.

    Yeah, he is basicly cheating on this forum right now...

  • @lordqulex said in Cheating is becoming a serious problem.:

    So... I don't really know how to best say what I want to say, so bear with my rambling here.

    When arena was retired, it was retired because less than 3% of player time was spent in it. In my experience, hourglass lately has been dominated by the same players in any given region. I know when I play it I encounter the same half dozen ships or so. So like, let's be real here, an overwhelming majority of players are not participating in hourglass. And as long as the cheaters remain contained in hourglass... I'm not sure how many resources Rare cares to commit to combating cheaters there.

    The reason why cheaters are rampant in hourglass is because player interaction is guaranteed so the efficacy of their trolling is maximized. When you set sail in adventure mode, you could sail for hours and not see another ship. That's why you don't really see cheaters in adventure mode: there's no guarantee you'll get to troll anyone.

    Adventure mode is their bread and butter. Basically, as long as the cheaters stay contained to hourglass, it doesn't effect 90%+ of the player base.

    Cheaters are no reliant on hourglass for player interaction. They can see your name from anywhere from the map and just fly to you.

    I used to think that the scale of cheating is somewhat exxagerated up until saturday, when I met flying kegmans twice in one day.

    The reason you dont see them as much in adventure as hourglass is because servers still have a player cap and even cheaters have to go trough with server hopping.

  • Surprised a Mod hasn't locked this yet.

    Just report them, you clearly have the Evidence here and that all they need. Being Streamers, that should be a collection of names and such

  • @meroviel said in Do not let the cheating discussion become taboo:

    Ahoy! 
     
    As stated previously, the best way players can bring these bad actors to our attention is by raising a support request here. This helps us assess numbers, categorise issues and develop solutions accordingly. 
     
    Rallying people on the Forums does not do this. While sentiment can get fed back, reports help us assess player impact and numbers, this is what we need to support us in our work against those spoiling the experience of others on the seas. 
     
    Threads are not being locked to stifle the conversation or turn a blind eye. We are under no illusion as to the issues our players are facing, and monitoring these conversations, sentiment and reports is part of our day-to-day task as the Community Team, but leaving these threads up leads to witch-hunting as people post Gamertags or videos 'exposing' others. It can lead to false accusations. All of these are better sent to our Support Team who have the tools and training to assess the evidence and take appropriate action.
     
    We addressed this several months ago in our podcast and we are actively working to mitigate the issues people are seeing. We can not go into detail on our work in this area but rest assured, we are committed to doing our best to give all players the best experience possible. 
     
    When reporting players please make sure to include as much detail as possible as well as video evidence to help us find solutions. 
     
    As links have been provided to both our support site where these problems can be reported, and to our response as a studio to the problems we know our players are facing, I will be dropping anchor here.

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