Racers "stealing flags"

senatorvreenak

There seems to be some kind of glitch or exploit that appears to be allowing players to "steal" flags in the Powerboard Race, by grabbing a second after already having taken one.

Saw a race winner grab both 1st place and 2nd place flag right in front of me, without absolutely any other racer being close to it.

angrytarg

You mean you can claim multiple places?

lucianazeta

Hmm, I've never seen this happen before myself, perhaps something that broke in the maintenance?

warpangel

From what I've heard, you can not only claim multiple places, you can actually claim the same place more than once, too. Haven't seen it myself, though.

At this point, is there anything about the flag-pickup mechanic that isn't bad in every possible way?

angrytarg

warpangel wrote: »

From what I've heard, you can not only claim multiple places, you can actually claim the same place more than once, too. Haven't seen it myself, though.

At this point, is there anything about the flag-pickup mechanic that isn't bad in every possible way?

But all of that must have been in place last year already, probably the year before as well. Considering nothing changed at all means Cryptic is convinced that grabbing the flag races is the best and optimal way of dealing with it.

torgaddon101

never seen this.

bobbydazlers

not that I`m calling you a liar but I find this very hard to believe.

at the start of the race the join race prompt pops up on screen and by pressing "f" or clicking the prompt with your mouse you effectively start the mission for the race.
at the end of the race when you get to the flag by pressing "f" or clicking the prompt with your mouse you effectively end the mission for the race.

I really don't see any way you could ever end the mission twice, in game terms it would be a major bug at the very least that would allow you to do this, I have never seen this in any other mission and never heard of any player that ever been able to end a single mission twice before now.

you should file a ticket for this immediately with the devs I am sure they will look in to this very quickly.

warpangel wrote: »

From what I've heard, you can not only claim multiple places, you can actually claim the same place more than once, too. Haven't seen it myself, though.

At this point, is there anything about the flag-pickup mechanic that isn't bad in every possible way?

as they use this method for the winter race as well as the summer race it could well be this is the only way to do this in a multiplayer race, I`m not saying this is the case for sure just that its possible.
if this bug is found to be present and they cannot fix it any other way they may be left with only one option, that being to remove this race and possibly the winter race also completely from the game.

shame really as its really a fun event.

lindaleff

Cryptic needs to simply make races end with an actual finish line. Your reward is automatically given based on what order people cross the line. Problem solved. And by implementing that one mechanic, you will simultaneously fix both the summer AND winter event.


Cryptic, are you reading this? Make the races end via finish lines, like a race is supposed to be.

olliereport

yeah, there's something to this, and it may or may not have anything to do with maintenance

the problem is that there's 2 races. one to get to the end, and the other to grab a flag

A couple times I have had opportunity to grab both first and second, I haven't tried it, it was just too much of a **** move. But it's happened.

---

>>>>>> Mind you, it would be easy to do this by accident, I could have perhaps even done this without knowing it. Why? Because it is as I said, it's 2 races and when you finish it's just button mashing.

As for claiming the same place twice, never seen it. But with lag anything is possible sometimes. So maybe. Even though Risa, seems to have a pretty high server priority, I haven't seen much lag. Sure, a skip here or there, but it's just not a lot of lag.

bobbydazlers

lindaleff wrote: »

Cryptic needs to simply make races end with an actual finish line. Your reward is automatically given based on what order people cross the line. Problem solved. And by implementing that one mechanic, you will simultaneously fix both the summer AND winter event.


Cryptic, are you reading this? Make the races end via finish lines, like a race is supposed to be.

as I said in my last comment, "as they use this method for the winter race as well as the summer race it could well be this is the only way to do this in a multiplayer race, I`m not saying this is the case for sure just that its possible."

I don't know how they can and cant code the end mission into the game and whether they can even make it so its a case of first across the line.

I am sure there have been a lot of players complain about this and I`m sure they would have altered it if they could but it may well be that its just not possible to do it any other way.

it may be that in 99% of races this would work fine but then you might get that very rare case where two or more players cross the line at the same time with the game crashing out the server and perhaps worse as a result.

this just leads me back to the other thing I said in my last comment, "if this bug is found to be present and they cannot fix it any other way they may be left with only one option, that being to remove this race and possibly the winter race also completely from the game."

timelord79

I would have probably set it up differently.

Instead of everyone racing to grab the flag, the goal would be to run a best time lap.
The result would only be determined by the time the last participating player crosses the finish line and the system compares the results.
That would take care of the problem of lag showing you ahead while the other player actually is.

To not draw it out to much players have to start the race within, let's say, 10 seconds of the starting signal to not get disqualified.

And then you could have a complete ranking at the end popping up on screen similar to pvp score boards.

That would open up a few more possibilities, too.

The game could keep track of the day's best time and give the best racer an additional reward and even have an all event best time reward when the event ends which could even be something big like a classic Risian ship.

meimeitoo

I *smile* at you people and your race.

No, seriously, just because it says 'competitive', doesn't mean you have to be! Just be like me: get yourself a well color-coordinated bathing suit + board, look good on that thang, and just have fun. :P So what if you only get 15 Lohlunats instead of 25?! Come to the dance-off, and gain 100 of these LOLunats, just standing around!

Risa is really just about having fun. The only ever time I get upset a bit, is during the Winter event, when I can't complete that stupid ice race (and am thus missing out on a Breen ship); but the 'Flying High' mission is super-easy ("I am a leaf on the wind; watch how I soar!"). Wee!

woodwhity

angrytarg wrote: »

But all of that must have been in place last year already, probably the year before as well. Considering nothing changed at all means Cryptic is convinced that grabbing the flag races is the best and optimal way of dealing with it.

Considering all the flame I can read on the forums cryptic is right

svindal777

lindaleff wrote: »

Cryptic needs to simply make races end with an actual finish line. Your reward is automatically given based on what order people cross the line. Problem solved. And by implementing that one mechanic, you will simultaneously fix both the summer AND winter event.


Cryptic, are you reading this? Make the races end via finish lines, like a race is supposed to be.

Probably sync issues would make this very difficult to do.

tekehd

senatorvreenak wrote: »

There seems to be some kind of glitch or exploit that appears to be allowing players to "steal" flags in the Powerboard Race, by grabbing a second after already having taken one.

Saw a race winner grab both 1st place and 2nd place flag right in front of me, without absolutely any other racer being close to it.

I did it once by accident with the 2nd and 3rd place flags because It delayed, finally took and the next one appeared to and gave me that as well..... I think there is some back-end server lag going on causing it,because I've also noticed cases where I will be there at flag to claim and it will not give me the dialogue to even claim it.... one time I cam in 2nd, sat by teh flag with no dialogue, someone else knabbed it, I went to the 3rd place flag and no dialogue and someone else got that one, and then I had to stand by the finish flag for about 10 seconds before it even gave me a dialogue to finish the race with.

vsilverwings1

Grabbing 1st AND 2nd is possible. I had it happen to me as I was spamming the F button to grab first I also grabbed 2nd too as I ran back towards the dance off. There's a small window it seems where 2nd place spawns and glows and if you happen to have grabbed 1st and are close enough for 2nd you grab that too. This is a new bug as far as I know as winter event has them spaced out more and don't recall it being around last year. This isn't always deliberate and it's not guaranteed to pull off as 2nd can appear left or right of 1st place. Best thing really is to spread the flags out or better yet just remove the flags altogether and have it as cross the line which Cryptic can do as it happens constantly through the actual race. Just have the last one give a reward and the 2nd and 3rd rewards based on for example an optional which if not completed you get less reward.

deaftravis05

the sync problem can be easily solved with a timer and the reward given automatically

lordsteve1

Surely in a game that actually has areas that rely heavily on syncing between players (i.e. the whole of PVP) changing the way the race ends should not be something too complex!

I mean the very basis of PVP game play is based on your character/ship registering that something has happened based on what another player has done. It works fine there (apart from lag on server) so why would it be to complicated for a simple race.

starkaos

Is this bug similar to that bug in the Fast and the Flurrious where the first one to click the flag fails the race before it even begins?

swamarian

I haven't pulled this off, but I've come close. I can easily believe that someone else had it happen to them with a slightly better system.

warmaker001b

lindaleff wrote: »

Cryptic needs to simply make races end with an actual finish line. Your reward is automatically given based on what order people cross the line. Problem solved. And by implementing that one mechanic, you will simultaneously fix both the summer AND winter event.


Cryptic, are you reading this? Make the races end via finish lines, like a race is supposed to be.

So much of their missions are based on scripts occurring when you get past a point. Amazing this has never been done so that it removes half the drama associated with the races.

sle1989

This could be fixed though it seems like a lag issue which has been a long term problem so probably not. Any serious revamp of the race mechanics won't happen this year for summer, maybe winter if they really wanted too.

Honestly it seems like the Summer event was just a minor afterthought this year. Many devs have mentioned that work begins on the Summer Event during the Winter Event (and vice versa), so it's arguable that Cryptic loosing employees recently can't be blamed. Of course, that depends on when actual work began on the event and not when planning happened.

Anyway, my point is the event this year is underwhelming and it seems like not a lot of time is going into it.

azniadeet

Yes, it's possible, and it actually usually happens on accident. You cross the line, you start mashing F to take the flag, and before you know it, you've picked up 2 flags. Not even intentional (usually).

A similar bug occasionally allows you to pick up two horga'hns from the same statue site in the horga'hn hunt.

It's a lag issue. You activate the item and collect the rewards before the mission actually registers as ended.

azniadeet

warmaker001b wrote: »

So much of their missions are based on scripts occurring when you get past a point. Amazing this has never been done so that it removes half the drama associated with the races.

I think the issue there is that there is a first place goal, a second place goal, a third place goal, and a 4th+ place goal. If the mission rewarded the same thing for everyone, it would be simple to have a 'finish line'... but there needs to be a way for the game to recognize how many people have crossed that line, and in what order. I just don't think that kind of tech is built into the scripting.

I don't try to complain much about the flag system. I know it's unpopular, but after... what, five years of it's implementation, I realize that it's simply part of the event, and if you can't game it, you're not doing it right. The lag concerns are certainly valid, but the flags just are what they are.

sentinel64

I don't know about this conspiracy, but I lost a third place because the game did not acknowledge me sitting right on top of the flag. Even when I moved to the final flag it took about 3-5 seconds for the game to show the claim dialog. U/I responsiveness is ruining gameplay.

lordsteve1

Missions like Crystalline Cataclysm already are able to determine a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place automatically once an end point is passed by using a whole range of different parameters to assess player actions.
If they can work out something where it works for missions (a wholly more complex environment) then the race situation should be considerably easier by comparison.

apeinui

lordsteve1 wrote: »

Missions like Crystalline Cataclysm already are able to determine a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place automatically once an end point is passed by using a whole range of different parameters to assess player actions.
If they can work out something where it works for missions (a wholly more complex environment) then the race situation should be considerably easier by comparison.

Exactly this. There's no good reason we can't have this.

Yes, I happened to steal flags on two occasions, not that I intended to or cared that I did.

shadowwraith77

I have seen it myself, where it gives you the option to grab another flag, once you have grabbed 1st or 2nd.

Heck, I have even built a sandcastle, off of the exact same sandcastle as someone else, simply because we both timed the bucket snag perfectly.

tekehd

And it just happened again, allowed me to take the 3rd place and also finish flag rewards mahing "F"

kozar2

I got first and second once as well. Clicking 'F' a bunch at the end as there were 2 of us in a dead heat.