Forums

Our Plans for New Tiers and Levels

• VanHalenLover 1,422 Posts

  Fri, Aug 13 2010 12:22 PM

  zag,

  I understadn the concept, but WGT has already stated that these new updates are not part of anti-sandbagging measures. This is why I have shifted a bit, and am open to the new tiers if they are used specifically to make the game more interesting, and no more.

  I don't like the experience level concept at all. Too many off-site matches where games are organized to use specific course conditions, which require a practice round to dial in the course conditions. I understand WGT has no reason to support off-site communities, but they sure don't to alienate them, either. I play many rounds here, and very few of them are ranked rounds - none of them are mpc rounds. For playing as many as 10-15 rounds a week, I'[m gonna look like a newby with their experience structure.

  It would be a LOT easier handled sandbagging completely outside of these changes. A very easy solution to multi-account holders, is to prevent any match play or challenge games that involve a potential transfer of credits for 30 or 60 days after any new account creation. How many new players really look to wager that quickly, I don't know; but I'm betting it is very small. Those who create a new alias and are immediately looking to play for credits, are most likely your prototypical sandbaggers.

   

• BOFFMEN 337 Posts

  Fri, Aug 13 2010 5:39 PM

  Oh I forgot to mention it and it seems no one else has brought it up in this thread.

  The "Legend" name gets a big thumbs down for me...it's past tense as if you did something long ago that people remember.(or that others wish to forget)

  "Champion"......ah that's more like it...I will bet on it that anyone in that tier has been a champion at one time or another on this site.

  For God sake Bollie and Lee aren't quite dead yet...in fact I think they could go for a walk.

• Ivories78 61 Posts

  Fri, Aug 13 2010 10:30 PM

  BOFFMEN:

  A sandbagger is a legendary manipulator of the system in order to line his/her pockets with gold (credits)...you don't want to be one.

  You want to be a Champion.

  Not that I want to be one, but how does one manipulate the system? I thought the setup WGT was 'failsafe', to some extent anyway.

• VanHalenLover 1,422 Posts

  Sat, Aug 14 2010 9:20 AM

  Ivories78,

  Using score manipulation to purposely keep from progressing to a higher tier is the most complained about method. Unfortunately, WGT does not have anything in place stating that this is unacceptable. For that reason, most of these conversations and posts are never addressed by WGT because these players are not breaking any rules, they are just being manipulative and unethical. There are many examples of players who shoot very low scores in match play challenges, where credits are wagered, and then have ranked 'free' rounds where they obviously shoot very high scores in order to keep their average low enough to prevent moving to a higher tier. This works to their advantage when playing for wagered credits because the lower tiers generally hit from shorter tees and have easier course conditions.

  Using multiple alias is another real issue. Someone can get to master level on one alias and learn the courses and clubs, then create a new account to use, that has a lower tier ranking (for the same reasons as above), to play in matches with credits wagered. They can also gift themselves (between alias's) all the equipment they want, specific to the tier level they are in, and then not have to pony up cash for clubs for the new alias.  

   

• couldofbeenpga 47 Posts

  Sat, Aug 14 2010 1:44 PM

  Hmmm I don't post here ever but, I read these post quite often and some of these opinions are quite valid ones. But I keep hearing about sandbaggers and I know what they are (opinion won't make it past the censor)  But my 2 cents on stopping it.

  Hacks, Amateurs are the only ones who get to play Ranked rounds once they reach pro level and higher levels ranked rounds no longer exist, from then on they are only practice rounds and do not reflect upon your average. Your average can only go up or down during match play of any type and tornament play. Hmm just like real golf, can you card a game to the PGA/LPGA or any other certified golf authority,If nobody is there to verify what you shot , not a chance. Will it probably get rid of multiple account people? probably, why have two accounts if it gains you no advantage other than being able to gift stuff back and forth within the avitars tier, still have to get credits somehow to move them around. Does it stop quitting, no probably not but you can't  go and inflate or deflate your score. As for the added tiers and rankings makes sense to me, can a pro buy a master driver sure, but they cant buy meter altering balls unless they have a tier match to go with it ( Master driver with WGT starter balls I can only imagine that  ( ohh the humanity ) (lmao)

  Just my two cents worth.

  So feel free to pick it apart ill be waiting.

  P.S. I will golf with / against anybody.  BIB, AL  any of the elite. Only a couple things stopping me .......... Fear and common sense  :)

  Grip and rip 

• zagraniczniak 1,984 Posts

  Sat, Aug 14 2010 2:17 PM

  Well, Coulda,

  If the sandbaggers are fleecing people in match play, WGT must surely be aware of the scores they are making on specific holes, in order to monitor or investigate anomalies, even if match play does not score the same as medal play in the golf world as such. They must also know if people are playing multiple accounts from the same IT address, gifting themselves between accounts and the like. However, that would have to be behind the scenes so as not to tip off the cheaters. That must be part of the 'trapdoor' approach to moving between tiers as well.

  My confidence in WGT and their business model tells me they are probably doing the right sorts of things to catch out the cheats, but I don't expect them to blab about it.

• isolater 426 Posts

  Sat, Aug 14 2010 2:37 PM

  i haven't been a member long  i think this  is a great game  but yes  the sandbaggers and quitters  are  a big problem  . As  i have  seen others post the only way to get rid  of the sandbagging  is to have your  rank/tier  based on  tournament  /matchplay   results  that way you will have to play  for the prizes  against people of your  own skill  level and stop taking advantage  of lower tiers  . as far as quitters  since  multiplayer  games  will not  count  against  average  maybe people will lighten up and start having fun again  in multiplayer  and not quit   because they hit one bad shot  . I've lost count  of how many times in multiplayer  i've had a good round going   only to have it  ruined to somebody having a hissy fit cause they made a bad shot   and it will hurt their average   and quit . lets leave  the  competative  nature  to the competative games   and put the fun back into WGT  and make it the best online game  on the net  .  the only other improvements i would make to the game is  let us have some more courses but thats  another topic  for another post   

  thanks for   taking the time to  read my 2 cents

• Joeyola 1,210 Posts

  Sun, Aug 15 2010 12:14 AM

  BOFFMEN:

  The "Legend" name gets a big thumbs down for me...

  I like "Grand Master".

  Joey

• Infinito3010 3,689 Posts

  Sun, Aug 15 2010 12:48 AM

  I agree, "Grand Master", definitely describes the skill level of  a top player.

• Oldtimer75 8 Posts

  Sun, Aug 15 2010 3:44 AM

  Hi, my name is Robert, hope every one is having a good golf day. Now the reason for my post, the new skill level is ok, but and there is always one,  they should not mix, a grand master play only in grand master events, master, pro, etc.  I have quite playing the wgt tournaments, because, after over a year i still can not beat the ones on top, Hope them good luck and way to go but I should have some reasonable expiation of winning if I to play, and if it a pay event I most defiantly do.

  The wgt has not given us a practice field or a way to improve our game, and practice it the only way and game after game is not the way, u must be able to work your skills out on the practice field. Robert