We got a clear declaration once, but no matter how much I've asked, we can't get a new reiteration of that statement regarding simultaneous use. The best we have is an old AMA statement from Andrew Krug, and that's now dismissed by the cheats as "He doesn't work here any more."
@NianticBrian@NianticThia can we have a new post (like the drone-phone is spoofing one) that clearly states that simultaneous use of two devices on the same account is cheating and a bannable offence?
@Perringaiden I hope they don't unless they also have a clear and unambiguous definition of "simultaneous use" that targets only situations in which it is being abused.
Honestly, I think this is pretty far down on the list of issues. I'd rather Niantic focus on spoofing, botting, and multi-accounting first.
It is clear. Do not use two devices to interact with the game *at the same time*. That's what simultaneous means. You can use one device, close the app on it, and open it on another device, just fine.
But if you try to fire bursters on both devices at the same time, you should be sanctioned in some way (temp ban, lockout, warning, whatever).
For example, the original post on simultaneous use was made when an Agent in an aircraft with 8 phones all logged into the same account, deployed 8 resonators, each in a different slot, on a single slow pass of the aircraft, to a portal, to skip past the usual restrictions.
@Perringaiden And if I'm in a low-service area trying to apply a flipcard to the exact same portal with two devices, because I'm short on time and I don't know which one (if either) will be able to get enough signal to succeed?
As for the aircraft, I wonder if it's the one I'm thinking of. If so, I've been in that plane and I'm fairly sure your reporting isn't accurate.
And if I'm in a low-service area trying to apply a flipcard to the exact same portal with two devices, because I'm short on time and I don't know which one (if either) will be able to get enough signal to succeed?
Try one. If it doesn't work, close the app, try the other.
If you try with both at the same time, you're cheating. Easy distinction.
@Perringaiden Closing and starting the app in low-signal areas can be impossible.
I don't see why it should be cheating to use two different devices to try to flip a portal. This is unlike a burster situation because when you're firing bursters both devices can have an impact on the playing field. When you're flipping a portal only one of the two devices will ever succeed, and the other will have no impact.
Simple. A line has to be drawn and attempting to rules-lawyer every situation is a way to allow cheats to cheat. So the line was drawn. Simultaneous use of two devices with the same account is prohibited.
It's like how some people can capably drive with 5 drinks under the belt and others can't do more than 2. So the line is drawn at 2 and even if the person is capable they're over the line that's drawn for everyone.
Well, since they've previously declared that simultaneous use is cheating, that's the position.
Remember, this "mini-argument" started when I asked them to specifically state it clearly, primarily so any attempts to argue that it wasn't cheating would be easily shot down, instead of "Show me proof".
I don't get why they don't just make it impossible. It should be easy enough to detect. It's like the GPS lock thing, I really don't understand why they are hammering down on cheating, yet they keep this feature enabled on some devices. It should be easily detectable if the GPS is locked; some devices allow it, some doesn't. Only iOS doesn't allow the GPS lock; make it the same for all devices; regardless of model or OS.
In order to do it, they'd need to either log one out which they basically never do, or they'd have to pick one and lock the screen etc. It's technically achieveable, but they might be worried about breaking something like that such that a person couldn't use either.
They wipe sessions all the time, after which I have to login again on my phone. In any case, it should be easily detected if an account is giving commands from more than one device/ip/session. Same goes for the GPS lock, I mean they can just look at the scan data, I know people were walking kilometers without portals in view and still scanned...
Reporting the GPS lock is absolutely useless. Even if I paint the picture of people capturing portals next to the highway, only to be in the next village a few minutes later. To capture the portal you'd either have to park on the highway, or take another road, which makes the travel impossible. Niantic doesn't care and doesn't look twice at the reports.
Burster stacking is *still* ongoing and I have several videos that show it in action. Same as others have said, a couple of small attacks, recharge okay, a pause in attacking, then a portal with 3x aegis shields turns white. This started with one particular agent and has spread to another agent after they started working together. The agents using this exploit can definitely control it. We've been watching their activity for weeks now and it is obvious that they select when to make it happen. It has been reported to NIA, but so far it appears that no action has been taken. Also seems like agents on that same faction are not trying to do anything about it. I don't mind my area getting smashed for a new rebuild, but this cheating by burster stacking is getting out of control. How many more agents are we going to lose before real action is taken?
There's a lot of ways people trick the system. But yes burster stacking is still an issue. There's just no way to stop it. At this point the cheaters all know how to get away with every exploit and all share the knowledge with each other. It's nothing new. There's probably a guild out there just for it
And simultaneoulsy the one who should fix this issue is still playing bureaucratic jujitsu, as always. Not even trying to stop players from logging into multiple devices at the same time with one account.
I've never had much of an issue taking down a heavily shielded portal while it was being remote recharged. Recharging doesn't replace shields as you ultra strike them off, then it's just a question of altering the attack pattern to negate their recharge efforts or striking off the resonators.
Comments
As mentioned "can" and "will" are different.
We got a clear declaration once, but no matter how much I've asked, we can't get a new reiteration of that statement regarding simultaneous use. The best we have is an old AMA statement from Andrew Krug, and that's now dismissed by the cheats as "He doesn't work here any more."
@NianticBrian @NianticThia can we have a new post (like the drone-phone is spoofing one) that clearly states that simultaneous use of two devices on the same account is cheating and a bannable offence?
@Perringaiden I hope they don't unless they also have a clear and unambiguous definition of "simultaneous use" that targets only situations in which it is being abused.
Honestly, I think this is pretty far down on the list of issues. I'd rather Niantic focus on spoofing, botting, and multi-accounting first.
It is clear. Do not use two devices to interact with the game *at the same time*. That's what simultaneous means. You can use one device, close the app on it, and open it on another device, just fine.
But if you try to fire bursters on both devices at the same time, you should be sanctioned in some way (temp ban, lockout, warning, whatever).
For example, the original post on simultaneous use was made when an Agent in an aircraft with 8 phones all logged into the same account, deployed 8 resonators, each in a different slot, on a single slow pass of the aircraft, to a portal, to skip past the usual restrictions.
@Perringaiden And if I'm in a low-service area trying to apply a flipcard to the exact same portal with two devices, because I'm short on time and I don't know which one (if either) will be able to get enough signal to succeed?
As for the aircraft, I wonder if it's the one I'm thinking of. If so, I've been in that plane and I'm fairly sure your reporting isn't accurate.
And if I'm in a low-service area trying to apply a flipcard to the exact same portal with two devices, because I'm short on time and I don't know which one (if either) will be able to get enough signal to succeed?
Try one. If it doesn't work, close the app, try the other.
If you try with both at the same time, you're cheating. Easy distinction.
@Perringaiden Closing and starting the app in low-signal areas can be impossible.
I don't see why it should be cheating to use two different devices to try to flip a portal. This is unlike a burster situation because when you're firing bursters both devices can have an impact on the playing field. When you're flipping a portal only one of the two devices will ever succeed, and the other will have no impact.
Simple. A line has to be drawn and attempting to rules-lawyer every situation is a way to allow cheats to cheat. So the line was drawn. Simultaneous use of two devices with the same account is prohibited.
It's like how some people can capably drive with 5 drinks under the belt and others can't do more than 2. So the line is drawn at 2 and even if the person is capable they're over the line that's drawn for everyone.
@Perringaiden That's an interesting argument. Could you cite me chapter and verse of the Terms of Service where that appears please?
holding 2 phones together at the same time should never be allowed or ok, start by accident is different.
Well, since they've previously declared that simultaneous use is cheating, that's the position.
Remember, this "mini-argument" started when I asked them to specifically state it clearly, primarily so any attempts to argue that it wasn't cheating would be easily shot down, instead of "Show me proof".
I don't get why they don't just make it impossible. It should be easy enough to detect. It's like the GPS lock thing, I really don't understand why they are hammering down on cheating, yet they keep this feature enabled on some devices. It should be easily detectable if the GPS is locked; some devices allow it, some doesn't. Only iOS doesn't allow the GPS lock; make it the same for all devices; regardless of model or OS.
In order to do it, they'd need to either log one out which they basically never do, or they'd have to pick one and lock the screen etc. It's technically achieveable, but they might be worried about breaking something like that such that a person couldn't use either.
They wipe sessions all the time, after which I have to login again on my phone. In any case, it should be easily detected if an account is giving commands from more than one device/ip/session. Same goes for the GPS lock, I mean they can just look at the scan data, I know people were walking kilometers without portals in view and still scanned...
Reporting the GPS lock is absolutely useless. Even if I paint the picture of people capturing portals next to the highway, only to be in the next village a few minutes later. To capture the portal you'd either have to park on the highway, or take another road, which makes the travel impossible. Niantic doesn't care and doesn't look twice at the reports.
Simply log off the account thats been logged in longer.
As stated before I use a second phone for low signal. I'd hate to be banned for simply forgetting to sign out.
Burster stacking is *still* ongoing and I have several videos that show it in action. Same as others have said, a couple of small attacks, recharge okay, a pause in attacking, then a portal with 3x aegis shields turns white. This started with one particular agent and has spread to another agent after they started working together. The agents using this exploit can definitely control it. We've been watching their activity for weeks now and it is obvious that they select when to make it happen. It has been reported to NIA, but so far it appears that no action has been taken. Also seems like agents on that same faction are not trying to do anything about it. I don't mind my area getting smashed for a new rebuild, but this cheating by burster stacking is getting out of control. How many more agents are we going to lose before real action is taken?
Oh wow, I didn’t even know this was a thing. All the glitches, hacks, loopholes, and spoofs; “if you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.”
I’m a very competitive person but I still can’t get over the different ways people come up with to cheat the system…
Yeah, we've watched a car drive down the street and quad Aegis portals just grey out as the car goes past.
There's a lot of ways people trick the system. But yes burster stacking is still an issue. There's just no way to stop it. At this point the cheaters all know how to get away with every exploit and all share the knowledge with each other. It's nothing new. There's probably a guild out there just for it
And simultaneoulsy the one who should fix this issue is still playing bureaucratic jujitsu, as always. Not even trying to stop players from logging into multiple devices at the same time with one account.
I've never had much of an issue taking down a heavily shielded portal while it was being remote recharged. Recharging doesn't replace shields as you ultra strike them off, then it's just a question of altering the attack pattern to negate their recharge efforts or striking off the resonators.