[MrCrabbs]

So, those with a long memory will remember my witch hunt of ClauberSmurf (aka Claubertraxx and half of the usernames on GM) and all his aliases. I revealed a year or so ago that he had been playing on multiple accounts in the same games and so cheating players out of their points in multiplayer. Several other offenses were also discovered, and a hefty ban was put in place on the man and all his aliases.

Since I've come back to the game, I can see ClauberSmurf has returned, and is doing really well in the rankings. But players have been complaining that he only plays accounts with lower points, inflating his rankings. I have also heard reports that he sits in the lobby with a large account and challenges implicitly or explicitly another player of similar points, who then finds themselves in a 2p game with a different player, of much lower points, while Clauber remains in lobby.

At this stage the stories are anecdotal, but opinion among the players is very much that Clauber is still up to dirty tricks. Certainly, Eclectico, Jarod and Trish have all voiced this view to me.

This is a request for the mods to create a "file" on Claubertraxx, listing all his accounts (and remembering he has in the past used clever ways of hiding them), and referencing all forum complaint about him, dating back to my investigation of a year or so ago, and previous to that to the investigation conducted by Milhonario (to whom I owe thanks for my successful prosecution of the ClauberVillain).

I know the forums have taken a bit of damage through deletions, and so I hope the threads exist still. I don't really have the time to look into it, but if the mods say they can't find the threads, I will attempt at some point to dig them out, if they are still there.

Clauber was once revealed as the biggest cheat in GM history. I hope the mods' collective memory and expertise is up to making sure he cannot cheat the game again.

[Bill2k06]

my hands are too sore to type a lengthy reply tonight, but tomorrow i will reply here in depth, just wanted to say i am here and wat you have asked for is already under way. this is why i a scarce at the moment, i will reveal more tomorrow.
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[Bill2k06]

ok in the last couple of weeks i have been watching a number of players that are doing this, as for clauber-... doing this i have witnessed it at least 4 times myself personally.

now let me ask, Do you think it should be illegal to do this?
To ask for a game with a higher account player, then as soon as they are in, you get another username to click JOIN also.

nowi looked at this 2 ways:-
1) Gaining points through deception - this can be classed as cheating/even teaming, BUT when i see this happen i have checked the chat logs and there is NO sign of any spanish/brazilian/portuguese interaction between any players just before the game, so thus now becoming a random coincidence, which is happening alot.

2) this can be classed as good strategy , to deceive a player into getting a game with them on a higher account, because they are trying to get all the accounts upto a level of great heights.

so in fairness i dont know which way to go with this one.

lets here everyones view on this one
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[sim5]

Nothing new from clauber.......he just need a penalty as a reward for all his hard work .
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No expectations, no disappointments.

[Eclectico]

This idiot is a plague on the community. Despite multiple bans for cheating, trickery, horrible language, and taunting, he remains. This just baffles me. The sort of poor sportsmanship he practices is the reason I quit GM 6 months ago. I would not be supprised if he (or others like him) are the reason many other players have quit. I can remember at least one case (popov) lamenting the sad state of anti-competetive behavior in GM.

How is it not patently clear that his behaviour destroys the community? Every time he makes a new account, new players get discouraged. New players who repeatedly lose to experienced players don't return. Experienced players who are annoyed at dodging his lame lowball accounts don't play as much with their high accounts. This discourages healthy competetion and increases the silly endless acount spamming.

How can you begin to consider logging in with 2 accounts at once possibly "good strategy"? Strategy games are about making intelligent decisions and learning to master the intricacies of good game play. Logging in with 2 accounts shows a player is very likely to be the type to cheat in team games. This behavior should be a red flag to the mods. Regardless of all the other retarded crap, this alone deserves a ban imo.

[MrCrabbs]

My opinion on it is probably obvious so I will wait for others to post.

Just to say that you may well find that there is no chat logs, if either the other player is indeed Clauber on another account (he probably knows what he is thinking without having to write to himself) or if he has an understanding with other players - they would not need to write to eachother if it is something they do habitually. An unwritten rule.

Assuming it is deemed illegal (on which subject I understand this thread is now inteneded to be a consultion), then I believe simply a pattern emerging of two or more players operating in this way on more than, say, two or three occasions, should be enough to warrant punishment.

UPDATE
I posted this a fraction of a second after Eclectico posted above, so in light of his remarks I just want to ask Bill and the mods if there is evidence that Clauber is logging in on more than one account at a time. This is a very important point, because if there is evidence of it, he has in the past been given a 100 day ban or something for it. It would be right that a new ban is put on him, and all his accounts reset, IF he is still "smurfing".

[palabra]

I agree pretty much with Eclectico and Crabbs.

I cannot figure out a way to see this as good strategy. What is wrong with playing the game how it is supposed to be played? Why must players implement little tricks to entertain themselves? If we call this strategy, perhaps more and more players will start doing this. Before long, getting into a game will be a nightmare.

These actions are no more than trickery and deceit. Actions of trickery and deceit clearly harm the community, as Eclectico points out. This community is of utmost importance, especially as we are trying to grow. We want bring new people to the forums; we want more people in tournaments; we want strong interest in the new ladder system; we want cleaner lobbies and games; and to rid ourselves of stupid cheating that ruins the game. We cannot have constantly discouraged lower rated players and constantly upset upper ranked players. This is what Clauber creates. If we leave this unpunished or unattended to, then I believe that we are encouraging the community to grow apart.
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if seeing is believing, then believe that we have lost our eyes

[Eclectico]

[MrCrabbs]

I also want to complain coz he keeps beating me. It's outrageous.