There's not a lot more satisfying then outwitting a shade

[caldera]

I think your missed the point of my post. Of course there are honest players....that EARN their score/rank.

But...look around......the other morning there was 33 players online. Any given night....250'ish........when it used to be 500.

Gamers, like myself, would like to invest time in an arena where there is a level playing field. 5 or 10 shade accounts......is 5 or 10 too many. This practice is simply killing the participation levels, as players will just move on to another sim when they realize that this kind of activity is present in the game and that Hitech is doing nothing to prevent it from happening.

I've never used a shade but been accused of it.  If you pay attention to the map and think "what route would I take to sneak through to that base", it's not so hard to predict where they could be.  Grid layouts, darbars, flashing towns, naval shelling, CV radar rings, random bomber pilots and blind luck can give clues that some people equate to "proof" of shade spying. 

Once, I saw a remote base flashing.  Looked out the tower window to see a plane de-acking the town and another slow-moving dot on the map ( noe but dar was up, so a red dot) that was likely a goon.  Stopped the obvious base capture attempt and got the "Shade!" pm.

How do you determine exactly which are the shade players?  What proof do you have?  There have been a few times I have been convinced of the existence of a player with two accounts (or a friendly spotting for him) but still can't prove it.  How many shades are playing, would you say and can you show me the complete roster of shades?

 

But...look around......the other morning there was 33 players online. Any given night....250'ish........when it used to be 500.

All that happened, just because of shades? 

[Slade]

If you want to coordinate an effort to take a base for instance and you dont a want a shade to know it is difficult.  They can still hear you over ranged vox. 

Most of us know country\team mates by name.  It would be really useful if there was a way to send a message to just those that are known, i.e. not possible shades. Without having to PM them all of course.

...or maybe there is already a way and I dont know how it works?

What do you think?

[Lusche]

How do you determine exactly which are the shade players? 

You throw out accusation by the dozen and hope one will actually be correct.

What proof do you have?

Their goon died. That's all the proof they need.



There are weeks where I will get 'shade' accusations on a daily base. Sometimes by several different pilots per night. None of them was right, ever.

[glzsqd]

When the graphics are turned down, a goon is solicited against the ground really well. you can see the dot from out of icon range.

[DmonSlyr]

IMO, shading like that is completely pointless and a waste of time.

1. It will not help your "rank". Shooting yourself down a million times will be recognized by people who scout the ranks. I'm sure if would be easy to call them out, plus 1 kills isn't enough for the time it takes. Those people who have to shade in order to find a fight, or mission, obviously don't know the game well enough to be skilled enough to pad their ranks. You still have to kill the bad guys in order to pad the score. In which most of them aren't good enough to get enough kills for it to effect their rank in a positive manner. 

2. Shade players are easily spottable. If a player has a name I've never seen before in the top 15 of the fighter ranks. They are shades. If a player is squaking about skills or kills over 200 and you don't recognize the name, it is generally a shade- though don't make acusations too quickly.

3. Again, most shades aren't really that good. If they were, they wouldn't need to park outside of bases or protect there identity in order to find a fight on the map, much less get the kills needed to be successful at it.

4. Keep strategy inside your squad and use private channels if you are reallllly that worried about it. Fly NOE, bring enough players that you can kill the opposition. There are soo many ways to be sneaky in AH. If you think a SPY or shade is ruining your base taking attempts, you are doing something wrong.

5. I LOVE killing shades

[waystin2]

4. Keep strategy inside your squad and use private channels if you are reallllly that worried about it. Fly NOE, bring enough players that you can kill the opposition. There are soo many ways to be sneaky in AH. If you think a SPY or shade is ruining your base taking attempts, you are doing something wrong.

Absolutely true.  We only discuss on country or range what we want to be seen or heard.  Plus the occasional misdirection on 200, or is it misdirection? 

[xbrit]

I always like it when they fly NOE through CV dar ring and then whine about shades when they get hit hard.

[Wiley]

My favorite part is when a plan hinges on a complete lack of response from the enemy.

bring enough players that you can kill the opposition.

Wiley.

[waystin2]

My favorite part is when a plan hinges on a complete lack of response from the enemy.

Wiley.

I detest situations with no bad guys to shoot at.

[Wiley]

I detest situations with no bad guys to shoot at.

Me too.  I just don't understand why people send out unescorted goons as the lynchpin of their master plan.

Wiley.

[waystin2]

Me too.  I just don't understand why people send out unescorted goons as the lynchpin of their master plan.

Wiley.

Hey a Pig has to eat...

[capera]

All that happened, just because of shades? 

As I stated earlier, I am just becoming aware of this form of cheating (using two accounts to gain an advantage)........and yes, I do believe it is directly related to the dwindling numbers who take part in this sim.

Would you spend endless hours.....playing in a Casino....if you found out that the other players around the table were using a system that gave them an unfair advantage?

Not sure what Hitech could possibly do to prevent this activity, but lets not be so naive to think that this activity is not taking away from the gameplay. Should we all not be trying everything possible to enhance the simulation, rather than let a few abuse the use of multiple accounts to ruin it for the whole community?

 

[Wiley]

As I stated earlier, I am just becoming aware of this form of cheating (using two accounts to gain an advantage)........and yes, I do believe it is directly related to the dwindling numbers who take part in this sim.

Would you spend endless hours.....playing in a Casino....if you found out that the other players around the table were using a system that gave them an unfair advantage?

Not sure what Hitech could possibly do to prevent this activity, but lets not be so naive to think that this activity is not taking away from the gameplay. Should we all not be trying everything possible to enhance the simulation, rather than let a few abuse the use of multiple accounts to ruin it for the whole community?

What exactly do these shades do other than take away some ability to avoid combat?

Wiley.

[capera]

When a player, with a shade account.......uses it to locate resources (C47 landed).....or to foresee a incoming NOE mission.

If you are a honest player, then the only resources you have is your intuition, experience, reading the map. Not spinning your chair around to your 2nd PC....logging into the country your fighting against....and getting information from that source.

[Wiley]

When a player, with a shade account.......uses it to locate resources (C47 landed).....or to foresee a incoming NOE mission.

If you are a honest player, then the only resources you have is your intuition, experience, reading the map. Not spinning your chair around to your 2nd PC....logging into the country your fighting against....and getting information from that source.

Why not plan for the possibility?

Wiley.