How often are you matched with hacked arena opponents?

[Hamstrman]

@chriss Erm, I’m an Android player. What’s wrong with Android players? I didn’t say anything about Android versus iOS… Frankly, I’m anti-Apple products. But it has nothing to do with ABE.

[Elespejo]

@hamstrman The Android players have more ways to hack the games in this platform. For example: much player hack Lucky coins set ítems using game killer. On Apple there are no ways to do these hacks.

[burbman]

Learned my lesson on checking out opponent last night. I looked quickly at XP & Mastery, saw that I was up against 41-10 opponent, no biggie so am I, I won the toss, and immediately knew I was in trouble, when the health bar barely moved on any of opponent’s birds. One shot from Wizard wiped out my entire team and banner. Game then spent next ten minutes filling my rage chili. When I looked at attack stats for opponent bird, it did half a million in attack damage to first bird with chain attack from there. Why bother playing at that point? Wish I could have held finger on bird stats and done screen cap at same time so I could send to Rovio.

[Immortal… Larry]

@espejo123, I am sorry, but that is just nonsense. There’s many tools available for cheaters (don’t want to give them credit by calling them hackers) to manipulate games on personal devices. You can find a lot on youtube, even for hacking ABE for example (app called game killer or something). The problem lies not with the os, or even with the apps available for these modifications.

The problem is that Rovio decided to open up a whole different can of worms by allowing people to battle against each other, without being in control over what kind of birds are out there for this type of game.

What you have to understand is that whatever is on your client is in your control. What Rovio controls in the sense of gameplay is the basic (surprisingly limited) rules about what can and cannot be done in the game. Apparently the contents of your cloud save games is not monitored or under their control. The PvP stuff is under surprisingly little scrutiny.

Still they have decided that it would be a good idea to let these birds compete against each other, simply ignoring the fact that many of these birds have been extensively modified beyond the boundries they wished to maintain (but not enforce!).

Something really should be done against this and the only way to do that is to report this stuff to Rovio. Preferrably with player name, levels, mastery, damage points, screenshots and most of all your very clear and obvious frustrations.

[Immortal… Larry]

Hang on, I just realized something…

Rovio clearly has no insight in who’s cheating and who’s not. Do they?

The way this is going… all the cheaters and hacked accounts are the ones reaching the highest levels first aren’t they?

If the first waves enter the highest league, would they not all be cheaters?

hmm… Could this whole arena be a devious plot to root out all the cheaters and hacked accounts…?

All rovio needs to do then is “accidentally” nuke the top level and get rid of them all!

That means that the highest level is a trap!!!

Yeah, that must be it. I’l sleep well tonight knowing that Rovio will save us all.

Oops, I think it’s better if we keep this a secret though, don’t let anyone find out!

:p

[Tman]

It should be really easy for Rovio to clean out the most blatant cheaters quite easily. I mean the leaderboards have to be stored somewhere, and that somewhere is on Rovio’s servers. I’ve seen this kind of thing in other games, even AAA console games. It takes some effort on their part to clean out these people. Shouldn’t really matter if they are unnamed or not. Rovio has to have some sort of device ID attached to each player to keep track of anonymous and registered players alike. It’s not fun at all when you are playing legitimately and have absolutely no chance of league advancement or even earning good league rewards without burning through tons of friendship essence at the end of the week.

[Hamstrman]

Speaking of league advancement, I’m still pissed that I got knocked down from the Silver League down to the Wood League from the messed up synchronization of my dad’s newly updated tablet with my account on it. No hacking, no nothing. Kind of like the Christmas event glitch that kept resetting all of our scores, except this took away 3 weeks of my life. I contacted Rovio and have yet to hear back… They’re still dealing with their server issues.

Sorry it’s off-topic. Someone said this event is only for 12 weeks?

Oh and sort of on-topic, I had this weird thing when I was thrown back into the wood league. There were only 4 other players with me and they had 60, 15, 10 and 10 points, respectively whereas I had 15,000. But not about the points really. Where were my “14 other players” on the leaderboard? I had friends that were #15 in the wood league and yet I couldn’t be because there were only 4 other people I was competing against. Has everyone else just advanced?? I thought only 3 out of every 14 could.

[Strategia55]

Speaking of weird: One of my opponents today used only one bird, Red, and had a HP of 120.

Yes. 120.

I’m almost feel bad for playing it. Almost.

[Mimi27]

@Strategia55, I’ve encountered that same opponent. I figure my win doesn’t affect him/her, so may as well enjoy the sure win! It makes up for facing three level 9/10 opponents.

[Immortal… Larry]

@strategia55, I know how you feel. I’m lvl 41 with lvl 8/9 birds and 2 days ago after constantly being bashed by lvl 9 and 10 opponents I got really surprised for the last achievement I needed.

A very cute lvl 1 team with red, matilda and bomb. To make it worse, I also won the coin toss. (which I normally *never* win of course)

[Anonymous]

@larry That’s weird. Its impossible to have Bomb and Matilda when your level 1.

[Immortal… Larry]

@partshade, lvl 1 mastery…

And still it is unlikely since at lvl 41 you should only get lvl 41 opponents. I don’t remember checking the xp level of the opponent, but assuming lvl 41, that would be extremely weird… Maybe a “reverse” hacked account by someone compensating for a hacked account causing trouble?

ABE’s version of community service… :D

[darkprince0521]

Talking about hacked, today my opponent used two consecutive rage chili move in same turn.

[Bubbley]

@burbman I’ve encountered that same damned Wizzard twice. I will try to get a screen shot if it happens again.

[Immortal… Larry]

@darkprince0521 Any chance that could be a banner upgrade somehow? or maybe a bugged time jump effect?

[Bubbley]

Since reading this forum I have been watching for the level 39 low ranked birds etc. I have encountered them twice this morning but each time my game crashed before they appeared as opponents. Is this just a coincidence?

If we are playing computer simulations, which I assumed we are, how can these people take over? In any case what have they got to gain? I can’t understand it.

Edit: it just happened again. My game crashed before I wrote this. When I opened it again another of these players – unnamed appeared.

[Immortal… Larry]

@bubbley, check the mastery bars of the unnamed players. If the bar is not halfway full, it is a computer generated bird set.

To everyone

There is a way to force this behavior if you continuously get line-ups of hacked, or extreme classed opponents which offer no chance of winning whatsoever. Restart the game and when the island map is fully loaded, disable the wifi and load the arena (if it asks to connect, just do so and immediately after disable wifi again). As soon as the arena is loaded, re-enable wifi and you get a computer generated line-up which is classed appropriately for your level.

Every time you do this, the game should be restarted. If you forgot to disable wifi when loading the arena, you’ll need to restart the game as well. The line-up is generated during the loading of the arena.

The only thing is that the generated line up is usually made up of random classes which are somewhat easier to defeat, but then again, the hacked accounts and maxed out birds don’t get it any more difficult than this either.

Some may consider this cheating, but I honestly believe this to be okay since you still need to go through all the battles anyway and you can also very well lose.

[Immortal… Larry]

In addition to the last line of my previous post, the generated line-up will grow in strength and mastery when you get higher stats as well, so the generated line-up is in my opinion really not cheating.

[Bubbley]

@larry After my last post I went back in and met someone called Bamba-porco. Level 41 or 40 I was suspicious of the line up but not sure so I played. Sure enough Chuck smashed through everything. So that made 4 in a row. Just tried what you suggested above got another one immediately. Level 39 supossedly all 8 but nothing in the mastery bar. Five in a row. Any ideas?

[KerrAvon]

@larry @bubbley These are the same computer generated opponents we encountered in the first round – see the first page of this thread. They are always a team of red, chuck and matilda. This time round for me they are one mastery level higher (7 instead of 6), but still at experience level 39.

I find these much easier to defeat in battles than opponent birds from real players.

@bubbley, I assume your opponent Bamba-porco was not one of the computer generated opponent but rather a cheating player. When I encountered the computer generated opponents they came in succession, as if the game had run out of player opponents. But it seems likely this was due to server issues at Rovio at the time.

[Bubbley]

@kerravon I really don’t know. I have played some of the unknown level 39 before reading this forum but each time when one of their birds played my banner was rocked violently unlike in any other battle. I sometime won sometimes lost but whichever the battle was not fair. I have played named players. I seem to win the toss. I use the rage chili and get off to a good start then before I can blink my banner and birds are smashed. I have a strong banner and all level 41/10 well equipped birds.

I am actually confined to a sick bed at the moment so I am spending more time than I ever thought possible playing but it seems to get more and more unfair and uncontrolled by Rovio. I have sent them many screen shots but the only reply has been an automated response some acknowledging server issues. I don’t understand why they are not suspending the game.

@larry tried again this time different opponents tough but at least fair. Thanks.

[burbman]

@bubbley – I have noticed that the longer I play in one continuous session, the harder the opponents get. Not sure if this could explain your current stretch of tough opponents, but it is definitely a possibility.

[Hamstrman]

@bubbley I’m sorry to be blunt, but all of your posts seem to be a big conspiracy theory. I don’t know what’s distinct about them, but the discussion of the last few days has been about legitimately hacked opponents, but your talk of your game crashing before playing easy opponents, and just general talk of “being defeated”… why do you believe they are hacked opponents? Was their level 100? Was their life 4 million? Attack 20,000? You just say you keep being defeated… I don’t know, it just feels so non-descript I guess. Obviously there are tons of hacked opponents and odds are in favor of finding them.

Your opponents are level 39, level 41 – no level 99s or 100s (which they could be hacked, but still). I don’t understand your comment about them being Mastery level 8, “but nothing in the mastery bar.” You “sometimes won, sometimes lost” yet it was hacked? If it was hacked, you would NOT be winning… a balance of wins and losses sounds like just very difficult opponents. Are you being killed in one turn? What level are you? What’s your Mastery? What weapons do you have? Do you have sets? What are your banner health and effects?

I suppose the one supporting statement in everything you’ve said is that you’ve sent your screenshots to Rovio, so I assume you’re seeing something that you can put your finger on. I’m just really curious what you’re seeing that you’re sending to them. I guess you just haven’t said it here.

@burbman has tried to explain your stretch of tough opponents, @larry too. Perhaps they’re having the same reservations that I am, simply doubting from a lack of description? I can’t speak for them, though, and I shouldn’t.

[Immortal… Larry]

@hamstrman let’s keep it friendly. It is obvious that bubbley is not referring to the hacked accounts anymore.He’s just trying to understand what’s actually happening with the arena line-ups.

@bubbley, the mastery levels are normal. As long as you advance in your league (let’s say top 3), I believe it is normal to get more difficult opponents. It’s supposed to be somewhat of a challenge. Have a look at the mastery points topic. That should help you along with making your birds stronger and the challenges easier.

The computer generated opponents should really be at your level. Otherwise you can try to experiment with different bird combo’s by running unranked matches with other players through your friendlist before you continue with the challenges.

[Bubbley]

@larry yes I know the mastery levels are normal and I have no objection to playing the more difficult players. In fact I prefer it because I think they are real. I don’t need to make my birds stronger they are level 41/10 and well equipped. I mostly win the battles I play. I don’t mind losing. What I find unsettling is the complete disintegration of my banner and team in one shot when they all retain maximum health. This is what I call an unfair fight.

@hamstrman I don’t think there is a conspiracy theory. My game does crash and then when I go back in I very frequently face a level 39 player. This is the first and the only computer game I play. I am just trying to understand what is going on. If you think I am lying why don’t you just say so. By the way I don’t get defeated it’s not in my personality hence the nick name. I am also sorry to be blunt. Perhaps we should move on now.

Edit: I should have said game of this type. I play other Angry Birds.