Strange but true - we are under attack

[Lord Zimoa]

It is the principle that counts here, to me this is criminal, insulting and disturbed behaviour an affront to the wargaming society and our hard work. Below the belt... and sort of sad for all true wargamers.

I also trust most people will look beyond it, but that doesn`t make less innocent, vulgar or resentful. Typically human I guess. LOL

[JDM]

All, some of you may have already seen posts on this bizarre affair, this malicious attack on one of the hardest working development teams in the business is both disgraceful and unfair. So, what can be done to balance the scales:-).Well here goes, If anyone can provide credible information, sent to me privately, that leads to the identification of this individual, I will personally pay a reward of £1000 and at no stage whatsoever will the identity of our aspiring Internet sleuth be revealed
Good Hunting
JD McNeil
Slitherine/Matrix

[wodin]

It's going to be hard to try and trace them unless Gamespot and metacritic are on your side. I think you also need to look at any private grudge outside of wargame circles is going on either with Slitherine\Matrix or Lordz. I can't see a wargamer being that unhappy about something to go to these lengths.

Still something needs to be done if it carries on as it could be damaging and is serious. I suppose bordering on a cyber attack in away.

[DBeves]

ORIGINAL: Montez12

Lord Zimoa, do you really think that user reviews like this, many of which make absolutely no sense, encourage people not to buy the game, when editor reviews might rate this game an 8-8.5? Do you also really think that potential customers believe that 11 reviews out of 27 on Metacritic that rate Panzer Corps a 10 are in any way an accurate representation of the game? If that's the case, then Call of Duty Black Ops II sales would have been terrible. [:D]

Trust me, most customers are way smarter than you think. [;)]

Hey - maybe this guy is your first suspect. Do you not think it a bit suspicious he joins a couple of days ago to start bitching about what ian asked. A PERSON OF INTEREST if you ask me. There would be a clue in his user name I would think

[IainMcNeil]

The fundamental problem with Metacritic & review sites like Gamespot is anyone can create an account and vote. They have no way of knowing if you have the game. I believe the vast majority of reviews are from people who have never played the game. E.g. on Gamespot CTGW had a significant number of negative reviews before it was released - not just before - months before!

Unless the review system have some way to validate the users have the games they are meaningless and just a test of your community's pull.

Sadly the scores have significant meaning and many users make purchasing decisions based on them and retail almost completely rely on it so you have to manage your metacritic score. Its a game we have to play and when someone starts a deliberate a malicious attack to sabotage our rating we take it very seriously.

[DBeves]

ORIGINAL: wodin

All I'm saying is when you look at the reviews now everyone is giving it a 10 because of the fake reviews. Both of which end up not giving a true impression of the game. False negative and false positives are both false. The amount of tens just doesn't ring true either especially as some even mention the false reviews. It's like yeah I like the game but because of what happened I will give it a 10. If I looked at the reviews now for the game I wouldn't trust any of them..either positive or negative. The people through loyalty to you have probably thought it good to give the game a 10...but really it just calls into question the motive of such a high mark.

All I'm trying to say is all the reviews now have no real substance..one is someone with a personal grudge the rest are people giving 10's because of the backlash. Either way all of them are now suspect. If people had gone and given a fair review after you asking them too then great..I'd expect to see the odd ten but lots of 7,8,and a fair few 9's. Instead it's 10 after 10 after 10.

Either way you can't win. I think all reviews should be wiped and start again..or asked them to take the game down for abit, you need to find the person who started it though. otherwise if he\she carries on it will just bring into question all the games and reviews on them you release.You wouldn't know whether it's someone giving low marks because they have issues or the high marks because they are annoyed it's being sabotaged with low marks. You have to find tham otherwise it could end up being a minor disaster.

Oh by the way I don't think iain reviewed the game with a ten..that as mentioned was a false account pretending to be Iain.

No Wodin - its the whole idea of meta critic that is flawed. Its the same as trip advisor - give people a site where they can say what they like without having to back it up and that is precisely what they will do. Sure you may get a few genuine honest reviews but the whole thing is skewed by the either rabid fanbois or rabid haters who also post.

this is why any sensible person takes anything they see up there with a pinch of salt. Personally wargames should stay away from sites like these - I know its advertising but there are better ways and if you do manage to sell the product to a FPS geek he will only likely hate it and post a bad review in any case.

Again - I wonder why this is suddenly becoming necessary - are things that bad ?

[IainMcNeil]

We try and manage all our major releases on metacritic as they have wider appeal. Games like WitE are never going to appeal to a wider audience so we don't care what metacritic says but games like Commander, Panzer Corps etc are effected by this. Its a sign of success not failure.

[DBeves]

ORIGINAL: Iain McNeil

We try and manage all our major releases on metacritic as they have wider appeal. Games like WitE are never going to appeal to a wider audience so we don't care what metacritic says but games like Commander, Panzer Corps etc are effected by this. Its a sign of success not failure.

Good, I am glad to hear it.

[JDM]

I would like to publicly thank those of you who took the trouble to write, your support is very much appreciated. I would also like to thank those who provided helpful information. [;) I will be in touch shortly. Your suggestions of what we should do with the perpetrator were interesting[:-]

Your sense of fair play and comradeship have given us a real boost, you turned what started as a very nasty incident into an uplifting experience. Both the Lordz Games studios and the team want to offer you our sincere thanks.

Best wishes
JDM

[wodin]

I presume you know who the person was. Thats good news. Not too sure what you could do with the info though, as long as it doesn't happen again though thats what counts.

[histgamer]

Is Panzer Corps Afrika Corps affected by this?

I don't know if this is true but I wonder if this is generating a lot of buzz outside of just Matrix.com.

I have noticed something really strange...

I do some reviews for fun of various games and since this whole thing, my Youtube page has seen it's average daily view count go from 300-400 per day to...

2,905 on 11/15/12, to 3,250 on 11/16/12 and then another 1,000+ today (I don't know where it will end today yet)

I've seen the VAST majority on a Review of Panzer Corps - Afrkia Corps.

At least I tried to be fair on that review, and no one has spammed the discussion thread, just interesting so many people have randomly viewed the game

[SapperAstro_MatrixForum]

Are you blokes sure that Metacritic hasn't linked this games account with some other game and everything hasn't gotten all jumbled together? The release date and the reviews point to a different game, probably some half baked German RPG.

Just being honest here, I really, really cannot see anyone going to these lengths over such a small niche game like this. I advise looking for another reason here, unless my spidey senses are totally out of whack.

[SapperAstro_MatrixForum]

Ok...

These are the websites where the quoted review from page one appear:

"The execution of combat is spotty, and the localization of this German game is a real issue. You receive the "Translation is missing" option in some conversation menus. This message also appears on some doors and gates in the dungeons; while the information isn't essential, it's nice for things in your game to have names. Sometimes, these names are still in German. The game also has some crash bugs, including one annoying crash that happens whenever you try to put more than three points into one of a character's skills, limiting his progression on that portion of the skill tree. These flaws point to one thing: The game isn't finished."

http://au.gamespot.com/grotesque-tactic ... w-6348143/

http://bobfartall.com/blog/tag/donuts/

Looking like a game called 'Grotesque tactics 2' at the moment...

[Stwa]

Ok, it was late, and someone over at CCS linked to this thread, and when I got here I skimmed the thread, for entertainment purposes.

Me thinks you guys need to load something different into your bongs. [:D]

PARANOIA RUNS DEEP

INTO YOUR LIFE IT WILL CREEP

IT STARTS WHEN YOU ARE ALWAYS ...

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: flanyboy

Is Panzer Corps Afrika Corps affected by this?

I don't know if this is true but I wonder if this is generating a lot of buzz outside of just Matrix.com.

I have noticed something really strange...

I do some reviews for fun of various games and since this whole thing, my Youtube page has seen it's average daily view count go from 300-400 per day to...

2,905 on 11/15/12, to 3,250 on 11/16/12 and then another 1,000+ today (I don't know where it will end today yet)

I've seen the VAST majority on a Review of Panzer Corps - Afrkia Corps.

At least I tried to be fair on that review, and no one has spammed the discussion thread, just interesting so many people have randomly viewed the game

No it's because Panzer Corps Africa has appeared on torrent sites.

[DBeves]

ORIGINAL: Stwa

Ok, it was late, and someone over at CCS linked to this thread, and when I got here I skimmed the thread, for entertainment purposes.

Me thinks you guys need to load something different into your bongs. [:D]

PARANOIA RUNS DEEP

INTO YOUR LIFE IT WILL CREEP

IT STARTS WHEN YOU ARE ALWAYS ...

Mmmm ... I think you need to lay off yours for a little ...

[Perturabo]

There are also people who give 10/10 scores after several hours of playing. People should really hold their judgements until the hype wears out and they can look critically on a game.

[wodin]

Perturabo..thats what I was saying further up..not one review on there positive or negative now has any credibility.

I'm wondering whether this hasn't been done to try and stitch someone up.

[Stwa]

It is getting harder and harder to tell the fake reviews from the "real" reviews. [:D]

http://www.metacritic.com/user/overdrivesp

[Stwa]

Just had an idea.

Rather than give out a reward or bounty for the "fake" reviewers, maybe we could set up an awards program for registered customers.

For each positive review a customer writes at Metacritic, you will be awarded bonus points toward a free game. [:D]

Qui?