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Is using help in online games always cheating?
Topic Started: Jan 24 2018, 12:14 PM (4 Views)
MichaelMorin

HI,

Suppose "Pat" is playing online. It might be Pat is playing unaided, or with help. Help might be in the form of other players in the same room watching the game, discussing it, and making suggested moves. It might be that Pat is using joseki database software. Or, Pat may be duplicating the game in software which suggests several moves, and Pat picks one.

Many who play online, including admins with whom I used to work, regard this as cheating. But, I have a different view: If Pat is consistent in getting help, I do not have a problem with this.

Those of us who chat online often see advice that people with whom we chat are not always whom they claim to be. Some people may even maintain more than one account on a server, and change persona when they change accounts. I see a parallel in chat and play.

Some users realize their quality of play might differ when playing blitz or playing slow games. So, they reasonably create two accounts: One to use for blitz, and another to use for slower games. Let us speculate further: Suppose "Sandy" is an alcoholic, plays go, and uses only one account. If Sandy sometimes plays while sober, sometimes after drinking, and this indeed results in different playing ability, opponents might perceive inconsistency in Sandy's play. Unaware of Sandy's health problem, they might reasonably conclude that Sandy's account is being shared by two people. Suppose, instead, Sandy makes two accounts: One to play while sober, and the other to play while under the influence. We would then give Sandy credit for being thoughtful. So, Sandy would have two playing personae, or be two "virtual players."

In my thinking, I extend that to those who play online under different circumstances, and use different accounts to match. Suppose Pat uses account "PatAlone" to play games unaided, and "PatJoseki" to play games with help from joseki database software. If Pat were to do this consistently, each opponent PatJoseki encounters would have a consistent experience when playing with PatJoseki. The same would apply with account PatAlone and opponents.

Let me emphasize that, in playing ranked games, using help or not using help must be done consistently with each account. If Pat uses account "PatPlus3" to play while discussing the game with three other players, that must be done each time PatPlus3 plays a ranked game, with the same advisers. If Pat were to use that account to sometimes play alone, and sometimes to play with advisers, the admins could and should treat the PatPlus3 account the same as they would any other account used to play ranked games by more than one person.

What are your thoughts?






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