Security Captcha

DeletedUser

Guest
While I applaud grepolis for trying to stop botters, this is somewhat annoying. Since the patch I've already been asked to put in security captcha(sp) 3 times. All I am doing is farming while at work and I keep getting these. I've had two close calls on the timer because I generally tab over to do work in between farms.

What is the penalty for not putting in the answer in time? Ban?

Maybe I missed more information on this, so if I did, please just point me in the right direction.
 

DeletedUser

Guest
To attempt to prevent automations in the game, players are prompted to enter a CAPTCHA periodically. The information on how, why and when is not in the public domain I am afraid (Even mods are not privy to such information). However no need to be worried just enter the answer to the question and carry on as normal.

Like I said in the post, that is exactly what I am worried about. I don't bot but there are times when I click the 5 or 10 min farm timer and then tab back over to my work. After re-tabbing back to the game, twice now, I have barely answered the question before time ran out. If this only stopped botters, I'd 100% be for it. But I can definitely see potential for this to wrongly punish people who weren't botting as well.
 

DeletedUser

Guest
The only way you are 'punished' is by being asked for a the answer to a question. Now based on what I know it is much better answer a question now and again (even if it is once per hours, which it isn't) than playing against someone is using a BOT to attack you and get resources via farming.

lol. I don't know how this seems to be so confusing. I am not upset about having to type in a captcha. And I am all for stopping botters. What I am worried about is the fact that you are given a timer to type in the captcha. If you miss a captcha are you banned for allegedly botting? I understand you can't answer this as you said even you do not know but my point remains.

To make this more clear: There are scenarios, when non-botters, can miss typing the captcha in time. If there is indeed a punishment for missing one captcha.

I think it would be much better to exclude the timer and more accurate to monitor mouse clicks. If the captcha comes up and that particular player continues to farm/build etc then likely they are a botter. But with the current system it is possible to be playing the game, get up to go to the restroom, then not see the captcha before the timer runs out.
 

DeletedUser32488

Guest
Any chance either to remove these captchas or add an audible? I'm visually impaired (tritanopy) and captchas are real pain for me. I often need to ask someone to enter one for me, and it really makes this game much less fun.

In the end having constantly enter captchas (I'm online like 24/7) makes me want to quit playing alltogether. You really punish many legit players just to catch a few botters. Please think again about it.
 

DeletedUser4013

Guest
Ultimately this implementation of the Captcha comes down to preventing players using bots. Yes, this may inconvenience some players but the alternative is doing nothing and allowing players to cheat by using bots to farm and launch attacks which put other players at a severe disadvantage.

While I understand that not all players will appreciate the fact that from time to time they will be entering a Captcha when prompted to in-game, this is a case of 'Damned if we do, damned if we don't.'
 

Richard

Strategos
lol. I don't know how this seems to be so confusing. I am not upset about having to type in a captcha. And I am all for stopping botters. What I am worried about is the fact that you are given a timer to type in the captcha. If you miss a captcha are you banned for allegedly botting? I understand you can't answer this as you said even you do not know but my point remains.

To make this more clear: There are scenarios, when non-botters, can miss typing the captcha in time. If there is indeed a punishment for missing one captcha.

I think it would be much better to exclude the timer and more accurate to monitor mouse clicks. If the captcha comes up and that particular player continues to farm/build etc then likely they are a botter. But with the current system it is possible to be playing the game, get up to go to the restroom, then not see the captcha before the timer runs out.

Hi Slover,

To clarify, without going in to too much detail, players are not punished for incorrectly entering in a CAPTCHA, or missing a CAPTCHA. The system is designed to flag accounts who are potentially breaking the rules, but the banning is still a human entry, and further investigation will always be carried out.

Any chance either to remove these captchas or add an audible? I'm visually impaired (tritanopy) and captchas are real pain for me. I often need to ask someone to enter one for me, and it really makes this game much less fun.

In the end having constantly enter captchas (I'm online like 24/7) makes me want to quit playing alltogether. You really punish many legit players just to catch a few botters. Please think again about it.

Hi Aylena,

I'll feed this back to the developers, because obviously we don't want to be in a position where you can not do the CAPTCHA at no fault of your own, due to your health.

Thanks,
Richard
 

DeletedUser23986

Guest
Asking for an audio version is a completely fair demand. You can't deny any one the right to play the game just because of tritanopy. All major websites, give audio version.

"damned if we do" does an apply in this case. Maybe it would even be compulsory legally for a few countries.
 

Richard

Strategos
Agreed, Hasan. I've already fed it back. I personally don't understand the legalities of such a situation, but I will do my level best to stress the importance.

Richard
 

DeletedUser

Guest
Hi Slover,

To clarify, without going in to too much detail, players are not punished for incorrectly entering in a CAPTCHA, or missing a CAPTCHA. The system is designed to flag accounts who are potentially breaking the rules, but the banning is still a human entry, and further investigation will always be carried out.

Thank you Richard for finally understanding what I was trying to say. And thank you for the answer you provided!
 

DeletedUser

Guest
The only way you are 'punished' is by being asked for a the answer to a question. Now based on what I know it is much better answer a question now and again (even if it is once per hours, which it isn't) than playing against someone is using a BOT to attack you and get resources via farming.

The only way you are 'punished' is by being asked for a the answer to a question. Now based on what I know it is much better answer a question now and again (even if it is once per hours, which it isn't) than playing against someone is using a BOT to attack you and get resources via farming.

Oh I totally disagree.. we are all being punished because of this implemantation of the bot detection.. because it creates lag in the gameplay! and don't give me that check your system of connection either..it's on your end!.

I've played other games that have tried and failed to do the same thing you are doing... without success!
the lag got to be so bad the game became unplayable and as such there was a mass exodus from that game....as well as a great loss of revenue. Unfortunatly you are heading the same route.

Also.. after talking with many of my alliance members... I've found that not everyone is using the same version of grepo...why is this? It would seem to me that this gives an unfair advantage to those using the older version without any captcha.. vs those that have been upgraded. This leads to discrimination against certain players who may or may not be suspected of botting.

This is not a threat.. but a statement of fact.... if this isn't addressed.. the lag and the different versions out there...I will be forced to leave this game and charge back my account as you are preventing me gameplay as it was when I first started!

BTW.. Lag today is really bad!
 

DeletedUser32488

Guest
Well I didn't notice any lag here, not sure what you're talking about. However having to enter captchas does really make the game much less pleasant even if you're not color blind like me, and much more so if you are. About 10% of population in any country are color blind in some way, and even more have visual impairments of some kind. These captchas are really evil for us to the point we have to ask someone to enter them.

By the way is it possible to opt out of ANY farming (from villages) and NOT get any captchas in return? In advanced stages of the game farming is not really important at all... This could fix the problem for some players from "aged" servers.
 

DeletedUser

Guest
I have a real problem with Capcha as well. It does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Anyone who has color blindness sees nothing but a blank box. This forces me to have to screen shot the page and send it to someone who can decipher the lettering for me. Heaven forbid we get it wrong. Because then it changes, and you then have to screen shot the new one and send it to someone again. If this happens at odd hours or during an attack it creates a burden. I mean 4 or 5 capcha's a day doesn't seem all that cumbersome, unless you have a physical inability to see it.
 

DeletedUser32488

Guest
I have a real problem with Capcha as well. It does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Anyone who has color blindness sees nothing but a blank box. This forces me to have to screen shot the page and send it to someone who can decipher the lettering for me. Heaven forbid we get it wrong. Because then it changes, and you then have to screen shot the new one and send it to someone again. If this happens at odd hours or during an attack it creates a burden. I mean 4 or 5 capcha's a day doesn't seem all that cumbersome, unless you have a physical inability to see it.

Are you color blind as well? As a tritanope it's not as severe for me, I can get lucky in one out of 10 tries, usually up to 20.

I accept captchas as long as there's an audio version/captchas are in SAME color in perfectly white background (like famous ReCaptcha), and they are NOT gonna happen right before I send out an attack or a support. No idea how they're going to handle this to be honest...
 

DeletedUser

Guest
wow... I just read back and saw your post Aylena. Knew I couldn't be the only one with this issue. On occasion it is the right shade of colors I can kind of make it out.... but not very often.
 

DeletedUser

Guest
Sorry to be blunt, but you absolutely have no clue what you are talking about.

1) The lag in the game is nothing to do with the CAPTCHAs, the lag has been around today for a few hours the latest version 2.30 game out mid week, if they were linked it would have at the same time. We had lag a couple of weeks ago as well that was before the CAPTCHAs.

2) Your claim about everyone not being on the same version is also absolute rubbish again, all EN servers were upgraded to the latest version mid week. Due to how the game works it is physically impossible for players to be on different version of the game if they are on the same server.

So in conclusion everyone is on the same version, lag has nothing to do with the CAPTCHAs.

well to be blunt with you.. you haven't a clue!.
I have just asked and had 5 players responded as to what version they are using.... one has v.2.27.20855 & another has v.28.21645 and the 3rd & 4th has v.2.29.21645 5th has v.2.24.19047... so again I ask please explain this!
 

DeletedUser

Guest
Sorry to be blunt, but you absolutely have no clue what you are talking about.

1) The lag in the game is nothing to do with the CAPTCHAs, the lag has been around today for a few hours the latest version 2.30 game out mid week, if they were linked it would have at the same time. We had lag a couple of weeks ago as well that was before the CAPTCHAs.

2) Your claim about everyone not being on the same version is also absolute rubbish again, all EN servers were upgraded to the latest version mid week. Due to how the game works it is physically impossible for players to be on different version of the game if they are on the same server.

So in conclusion everyone is on the same version, lag has nothing to do with the CAPTCHAs.

Actually, you are wrong Saska. The version you play, is based on the last time your browser loaded the game. So it is entirely possible for you to be running an older version if you haven't reloaded. We did a poll and found many different versions. Why don't you ask around in your own world and alliance, and you can verify this, without calling someone an idiot.
 

DeletedUser32488

Guest
No captchas for 12+ hours, then 3 captchas in a row within 2 hour period. Sorry but I will not play this game under such conditions. Even disability aside, I'm not here to answer simple math questions several times per day. I just want to play, can I please?
 

DeletedUser

Guest
Just putting this out there.

It could be that those arguing most about the captchas could be those who are indeed botting, as they are some who will naturally have the biggest problem with it.

Just food for thought, not accusing anybody.
 

DeletedUser

Guest
Just putting this out there.

It could be that those arguing most about the captchas could be those who are indeed botting, as they are some who will naturally have the biggest problem with it.

Just food for thought, not accusing anybody.

I dont care about the capcha.... just use one that I can read. It can be black and white, won't matter. But they use multi color and there is no option to have it read to you, like some capcha's do.
 

DeletedUser4013

Guest
@ Boxershorts:

Richard has already passed along the feedback that some players are having difficulties in reading the Captcha due to visual impairment/color-blindness/etc... We cannot guarantee when this will be fixed, but it has been passed onward and upward.


To all those complaining about lag, versions of game, etc...:

Lag is always going to happen from time to time. It is not something that can be controlled or switched on or off by a button. There are numerous causes for lag, not least of which is heavy traffic on the servers. As for what version players have for the game, it is correct that all players are using the same version - 2.30, but it is also correct that some players have not done a hard refresh of their browser cache and until they do, there will be issues on their end which will cause various problems. We always recommend to players to clear their cache each time there is an update as this prevents fewer bugs and ensures that the fixes and updates work as intended. As for the ban talk, I do not want to see that on the Forums. The rules are clear about this. Any issues about being banned need to be dealt with by way of appeal through the Support System.
 
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