Cheaters draft in MTGO--PROVEN!

[Notepad]

Taken from an article by Mike Long:
http://theendgamescom.siteprotect.net/rev/ported/mtgo-draft-review-1.php

My first article is on a draft from last night in which my close friend Dave Mills and I chatted over the phone as I made my picks...he had quite a few good things to say and helped me build a successful deck despite a lack of terrific card quality.

So, Mike Long is still a cheater, and MTGO only helps cheaters to prosper.

 

[Spiderman]

I'm not sure if this is exactly "cheating"... I mean, sure, it looks like he had help from someone while drafting who was not participating, but on the other hand, he didn't "hack" his database after the draft to change his cards once chosen. And there's nothing about the other participants about whether they got help (or if anyone does in general in an online draft).

All the friend is doing is helping choose the cards out of what it left. You might have two brains working, but that could also hurt as well as help... my feeling is that this is not cheating in a broad sense.

 

[rkoelsch]

I understand what SeFro is saying. They have the ingame chat disabled while you are picking so this is a way of getting around that. While I think this is slightly unethical, I don't think it would be considered cheating by the DCI

 

[Spiderman]

That was the word I was looking for

 

[train]

I think it all depends...

If his friend was watching the draft - not sure if that's a possibility - and then telling him what to pick - then it is cheating...

Are outsiders able to see what everyone is drafting?...

 

[Spiderman]

I don't see why not. If you have a buddy over, he can see what you're doing...

 

[rkoelsch]

In the program anyone drafting is not able to see a draft, but that doesn't prevent a person with 2 accounts having 2 programs opening and seeing 2 versions of the same draft. But if a person wants to spend that much time and energy on virtual items probably deserves it.

 

[train]

Are these Rochester or booster?...

If Booster - seeing what is happening on one screen is only knowing what is being drafted by that one person...
-If the friend can log in on a different account, and watch the draft and know what everyone is drafting, and guide you accordingly, then that's at the least scouting... at most cheating...

If it's rochester - then you should know what everyone picks as the player picks them...
-At this instance the friend wouldn't matter...


I don't know - I haven't done any drafts...

 

[Mikeymike]

Anything for an edge I suppose. Its not something that I'd approve of, but its also impossible to stop.

If he had any sense at all you'd think he wouldn't put it into an article.

 

[Spiderman]

I got the impression that the buddy was there in real life, sitting in the same room with Mike and commenting. I didn't think we were talking about people online trying to help each other.

 

[train]

The article said he was talking to him on the phone...

So what I'm saying - and I'm not sure how it works - is that if a visitor to the draft, guest, whatever, can see what everyone is drafting, and the player can nly see what he drafts, then by having a visitor watch the draft for you - you can know what everyone else is drafting...

 

[EricBess]

Of course, if his friend had also been drafting at the same table...

 

[rkoelsch]

Unless someone has hacked the system you can only see the packs you pick from.

 

[train]

But can a person not in the draft watch it?...

If so - can they see what everyone picks?...

 

[Spiderman]

Talking on the phone doesn't necessarily mean the friend was on the system. Mike could have simply described what cards were up for grabs and the friend could have helped him out there...

 

[train]

No offense spidey - but if a pro needs help in this area I'd be surprised...

I can understand about chatting on the phone... but this is a little weird...

 

[Spiderman]

His name hasn't come up recently - has he still been playing in all the pro stuff? Even if he has, people can always use another head to bounce off ideas... that's how teams got started

I'm only skimming the article but it also looks like this draft is "for fun" and not rated? Or are drafts always rated and that's understood but since I don't play I didn't get that? If it's unrated and a "friendly" draft, then even more reason for a friend to help out... plus if he did the draft solely for the article, then even more reason...

 

[rkoelsch]

no people not in the draft can't see it

also the drafts are for prizes and rated in MTGO. But you can casual draft that is not for prizes and unrated but you would only do that with people you trust or else people just raredraft and drop with playing any games

 

[train]

k - So it wasn't cheating...

 

[Ferret]

Something else to think of: even if in-game chat is off, what's to keep a couple of players from using Aol IM, ICQ, Yahoo! Chat, or any other manner of chat programs?

No matter how much we may not like it, this kind of "cheating" can occur...

It never ceases to amaze me that Mike Long is still allowed to play in sanctioned events...he's almost like Darrel Strawberry...

-Ferret

"Once again, famous people are immune to the rules..."