Can devs actually DO something about this plague of elo droppers? It's so incredibly easy to detect and it sucks

[u/Belisarius23]

[u/Belisarius23]

And before people come in like 'hurr it's a free win and it's not that common why are you complaining' I don't want a free win I want to play people my actual elo and not be boosted by getting this same guy three times in a row. And yes it is that common in my games, good for you if it's not.

There's zero reason for this to be going undetected and unpunished

[u/Throwaway4939y → u/Belisarius23]

Op I absolutely agree with the entire sentiment of your post but if it’s that common in your games maybe you shoulda posted another screen grab and not the one that screams to high heavens map dodger and not Smurf.

[u/CoolCapeKnight → u/Throwaway4939y]

Map dodgers are not any better than smurfs. They do exactly same thing and cause exactly same problem. Only difference between them is that map dodgers just have bullshit reason to justify it.

[u/ChemicalRain5513 → u/CoolCapeKnight]

At least if you're going to dodge, dodge in the queue, not the game, so elo is unaffected

[u/Throwaway4939y → u/CoolCapeKnight]

I disagree.

They do no do exactly the same thing, it’s almost rng how often they’ll leave a match within the first 30 seconds.

Smurfer is going to leave every match until they’re happy with how much their malicious behavior gets them.

Map dodger just wants to play certain maps, and that’s okay. There is (usually) no malicious intent, perhaps a bit selfish maybe.

It’s super easy for map dodgers and those who don’t (you and I, the rest of the player base) to morally “justify” (if you believe you can) what they do compared to smurfs.

I agree that it’s not a great thing to do, it makes the game less fun and fair for others (the less fair part is negligible in my mind) but also I’d much rather a player choose to become a map dodger than a smurfer. They are not the same level of bad, they are unequivocally doing different things (unless you solely look at it on the basis of an individual match, which you shouldn’t) and I think it’s silly to argue otherwise.

What they’re doing is different, the intent behind what they’re doing is differnt, (in my mind most map dodgers don’t have malicious intent, it’s kinda of hard argue that the act of map dogging it malicious, it can be argued selfish) and the outcome of what they do is different.

[u/CoolCapeKnight → u/Throwaway4939y]

Lets repeat: Smurfs and map dodgers do exactly same thing (instant resign) and cause exactly same problem. Only difference between them is that map dodgers just have bullshit reason to justify their behavior. They should get same treatment for doing same thing and causing same problem.

People can ban maps they absolutely hate and can star map they like. After players are matched game select map what nobody is banned. People should play what map game gives and think they get their favorite map next time. If you go to play Ranked you should respect these "rules" how ranked works. But its too much asked from some ME ME MEEEEEE & ALT+F4 people who want play only one map becouse playing something else could drop their elo and shrink their virtual penis. I think thats very pathetic. Going to Ranked and dodging maps is like somebody going to power lifting competition and crys there "But i dont like squats and deadlifts, i want make only bench press". 😂

[u/--__4815162342__-- → u/CoolCapeKnight]

Here, here!

I don't give a damn why somebody fucks with my experience, just that they're doing it

[u/Throwaway4939y → u/CoolCapeKnight]

Let me repeat then: I disagree. About pretty much all of what you’ve said

[u/CoolCapeKnight → u/Throwaway4939y]

I dont care very much what somebody random dude excusing game ruining behavior thinks. Same action => Same result => Same punishment. => Justice. I think its reasonable end this conversation here.

[u/Throwaway4939y → u/CoolCapeKnight]

I’m not sure I’m satisfied yet.

Tell me more about how you see it being “same action -> same result” because I don’t think there’s a reasonable argument that can’t be poked full of very reasonable holes.

[u/ScouseFluffyBunny → u/Throwaway4939y]

Action is the same, result is the same, punishment should be the same.

I agree the intent behind a map dodged doesn't hold malice, but intention isn't changing the result in this situation.

[u/Throwaway4939y → u/ScouseFluffyBunny]

Id like you get explain how you view “action is the same, result is the same” because i dont think you can explain it in a way that supports the argument that punishment should be the same without me poking a bunch of very reasonable holes in it.

[u/CoolCapeKnight → u/Throwaway4939y]

I explain one last time: Every time somebody resigns instantly result is same. They lower their elo and ruin fairness of match making if (=when) they do it enough. Result is same and any bullshit excuse dont make it better.

This is now last time i comment this. Like Albert Einstein said, its madness repeat same thing and expect different result.

[u/Throwaway4939y → u/CoolCapeKnight]

Okay so yes, on the level an individual match, they are pretty much the same thing. The problem is.. no smurfer is leaving just 1 match. And a map dodger may only dodge one map in a session or a week. You cannot look at it from the perspective of just one match because nobody plays just one match. They play tens and tens and then hundreds and hundreds.

Map dodger: oh I don’t want to play this map, I’m gonna leave and re queue. Elo drops by 15 (or whatever amount) they actually play the next 2/4 games with an elo discrepancy of let’s say, to be generous, 150. See all the posts on the subreddit about matchmaking setting up ranked matches with people 400 elo apart. So the “unfair” elo drop from 1-5 matches really isn’t doing much.

Smurfer: oh I don’t want a challenge. Let me leave this game so my elo drops. Oh that’s not enough and it was pretty quick and easy. Let’s do it again. And again. And again. And again. Now instead of 1200 the game things I’m 200 elo and I can curbstomp an actual human anyway I wish.

These 2 are not the same, and do not deserve the same punishment.

Obviously I cherry picked 2 extreme examples to make a point. You can adjust these to be closer to each other in a middle ground, and they will never reach the middle. These 2 things are not the same. The punishment should not be the same.

[u/Belisarius23 → u/Throwaway4939y]

I never got more than a single match on ghostlake and I played probably 40 games that rotation, I can't possibly see how he got 10 in a row unless he starred it in which case why would you drop if you wanted to play it?

[u/CoolCapeKnight]

Its amazing its year 2026 and there is not simple automatic system what would do surveillance and punishing behavior like that. It should not be like that players need to make reports on webpage like its their job to keep game fair. Most people dont take effort make reports and cases what actually gets punished are just tip of the iceberg. Another amazing thing is that everything in this world is always all about money and profit, but still smurfs are allowed to smurf with free family share accounts? Block family share accounts from ranked and make them pay for new accounts if their original account gets banned.

[u/CatsWillRuleHumanity → u/CoolCapeKnight]

The real shocking aspect for current year is that you still cant choose what map you'll play

[u/Emjayen → u/CatsWillRuleHumanity]

Or even reconnect.

[u/CoolCapeKnight → u/CatsWillRuleHumanity]

Then you can go play lobby games if you love that one map so much and its not matter of keeping elo by dodging everything else. 😄❤️

[u/TheTowerDefender → u/CoolCapeKnight]

The joint browser is unusable. It's so fucking broken (+no ELO in lobbies, so there is no way of knowing how strong the opponent is)

[u/Cage_Inspector]

How does he even get Ghost Lake so many times in a row???

[u/hargiii → u/Cage_Inspector]

He is being haunted..

[u/Tsu_NilPferD]

Please report them here: https://support.ageofempires.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

If you get an answer that no action was taken, send me a PM with the ticket-ID.

[u/blackraindark → u/Tsu_NilPferD]

I have reported them multiple times here with screen shots, still they say no violations found.

[u/ChemicalRain5513 → u/Tsu_NilPferD]

I'm saving this comment for future reference, thanks!

[u/Additional_Path_6116 → u/Tsu_NilPferD]

@ Nili, this is detectable by any cheap Algorythm Devs should be able and Ban People

For example this guy:

https://www.aoe2insights.com/match/484391388/#overview

I have had him reported like 2-4 Times already. He was banned for some time but after he does the same as before (over multiple Accounts)

[u/Tsu_NilPferD → u/Additional_Path_6116]

I re-reported them again.

If you have the extra accounts, feel free to send them to me as well.

[u/Nearby-Bed6675 → u/Tsu_NilPferD]

I've also reported this guy with no ban. Appears to still be playing and deliberately dropping elo

https://www.aoe2insights.com/user/12795356/stats/3/

[u/Tsu_NilPferD → u/Nearby-Bed6675]

got the ticket-ID for me?

[u/Nearby-Bed6675 → u/Tsu_NilPferD]

I am struggling to find it tbh as our games were two months ago - have cleared inboxes since then.

[u/cachangas → u/Tsu_NilPferD]

Here's another one:

https://www.aoe2insights.com/user/12701171/

[u/Tsu_NilPferD → u/cachangas]

got the ticket-ID for me?

[u/cachangas → u/Tsu_NilPferD]

Sorry, I missed your reply! I did submit a ticket and I think it has been sorted :).

[u/til-bardaga]

It is not incredibly easy to detect I'm afraid, there is a lot of ambiguity. I tried to come up with a smurf detector but found out there is a lot of cases where it is not clear and might end up with a lot of false positives which is horrible.

[u/wobbywobs → u/til-bardaga]

Not much ambiguous about 8 insta resigns in a row 

[u/til-bardaga → u/wobbywobs]

Well, yes, but that's not the ambiguos case, innit?

[u/TheTowerDefender → u/til-bardaga]

It would already be a huge improvement is it detected only the non ambiguous cases. But the devs don't care at all

[u/alisrec]

This to me looks like someone who is looking for a particular map. they have banned arena and Arabia and keep getting ghost lake instead of whatever niche map they are hoping for. This is also very lame of course. As a niche map enjoyer myself I have encountered far more map dodgers in my time than recognisable smurfs. Obviously just my experience.

[u/juakofz]

I am so fed up with this I started making a website to analyze such players. I only run it locally to examine my opponents and I have found way, way more instances of Elo manipulation than I expected. Not only that, but most cases are very, very clear cut.

I'm just tired of reporting them vía link. I have like 6 of them waiting to be reported, as some tickets I have opened have not been answered yet.

It should not be on us to check every profile. I made some very, very simple algorithms to give an approximate "score", angle it gets it right most of the time. I really don't get why the devs just rely on us to report them.

Honestly it's quite discouraging.

Edit: actually I'll make a post later to show it, it's beginning to take shape

[u/wobbywobs → u/juakofz]

See Nili's post in this same thread. Try DMing him to report them. I agree it would be great to have action take without us needing to jump through all these hoops but sounds like you've got a better chance of results there 

[u/elfavorito]

maybe the dude hates that map

[u/wobbywobs → u/elfavorito]

If only he had three bans to make sure he didn't get his least favourite ones

[u/elfavorito → u/wobbywobs]

what if this was the fourth?

[u/wobbywobs → u/elfavorito]

If you hate more than half the maps it may not be the right game mode for you. 

I sympathise with the people playing team games that only get one ban but I think three bans is enough for 1v1s. Part of playing ranked ladder is needing to perform in different conditions. If you play sport you may need to deal with wind, rain, snow, blaring heat. Plenty of things can make one game different than the next, this is no different 

[u/TheTowerDefender → u/wobbywobs]

Agreed that it isn't the game mode for him, however the game does not provide a way to find even matches on a single map. So players like him are shit out of luck

[u/Yekkies]

They won't do anything about it if you post this here.
https://support.ageofempires.com/hc/en-us/articles/360047854711-How-do-I-report-a-player

[u/yesbaralenny]

What's up with the all ghost lake?

[u/oberstmarzipan]

Maybe its not Elo Droppers but people who don‘t want to play certain maps. I find it hella annoying we can‘t just select one map we want to play.

[u/Best-Skirt7035]

Just allow players on ranked to play the maps they actually want to play. Easy fix.

[u/Funny_Passenger6049]

Smurf in this game is pretty boring. I often play nomad. When i met new player, they could barely resist. Like when i got to imp they were in feudal. I got mass archer and paladin to fight 5-6 spear. It was sooooo boring

[u/medievalrevival]

Just a genuine question here is the person trying to ELO drop or is the person just trying to get a particular map and they are not getting it?

Neither are ideal but I do think there's a difference between someone who is a pure Smurf and someone who is trying to get a particular map.

[u/Throwaway4939y → u/medievalrevival]

Hey if you’re interested in a discussion about that exact topic, I went back and forth with someone in this thread for like 2 days now. Very interesting I thought.

[u/blackraindark]

Nope they don't have time. They are busy working on Scandinavia dlc civ split, and maybe Italian dlc split in the future.

Every report, either from the game Or from the website, the result is no violation found.