Exploit found which can lead cheating

Mainstream media should be made aware of this story. I think Wall Street Journal, New York Times or any other newspaper would find the story interesting. Both how ZHQ have acted and how the community have reacted.

Well, there’s also the Capability Immaturity Model - Wikipedia , I’d put Zwift at level -1 and WTRL at -2, so things can still get worse…

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I’d not seen that - brilliant. Thank you.

I love the measures of activity vs measures of productivity point - that is so on the money.

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so what happens if I am aware of another “exploit” (not necessarily as simple) - I’m supposed to write Zwift and hope they fix it? This whole situation shows that they likely will ignore me unless a big fanfare is made. I don’t use this particular method but I can see how it can be exploited based on the nature of how the game is built/designed. I can go into details but I don’t want to be banned to be honest. I will follow the correct channels and see what comes of it but this has been an eye opening exercise and if anything, encouraged me to report this.

The problem is, I know the “exploit” I’m talking about (and have tested) might be difficult to fix, unlike this weight changing functionality which is dead simple.

Zwift seems to want to retain the functionality - like WTRL said, to allow riders to “correct” entry errors like a missing decimal point (which some apps don’t support anyway, issue for another day). That’s ok, then allow it to be changed once in an event (of course that person could quit the event to avoid the value being recorded in ZP). Or maybe flag something in ZP for investigation if weight was changed mid-ride. There are so many ways to solve this.

That’s how the VC game works. Once you take VC funding, you are essentially signing an implied contract that you will “exit” within 5 - 10 years, at a BIG return. The VC model is based on 1 out of every 10 investments making massive returns, with the other 9 either going bust or turning into zombies, so if it ever looks like you’re not that 1 in 10, it’s game over (no more funding). Consequently, the internal management structure, metrics and priorities of VC backed companies naturally aligns itself to that singular goal.

This is a really good article describing it.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

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Are you suggesting that a newborn baby is incapable of riding a bicycle at 300W output?

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Take away my money, where my mouth is…

I will give RGT a try. See you there!

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Very good article - I knew about the treadmill and the target (IPO or bust) but I hadn’t really appreciated both the drivers from the investment side, and the absence of any another funding route for tech companies.

So the solution to your bug is that we have to hunt down cheaters ourselves and report them???

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Latest news is that his zwift avatar is reaching the moon

I have to add that Eric was permanently in contact with me. Showing support and neutrality. We may not agree 100% on everything (we agree 100% on hairstyle though) but he has been permanently available while it was blowing beyond expectations.

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ZI never looks goofy. Having me writing once in a while there is a vaccine against goofyness. I spread regularly through ZI my unlimited excellence (who said french arrogant a****le?) My ZI charachter came back!!!

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It’s desperate, idiotic bullshit. Like the claim that it was “maintenance” when a bunch of guys got banned from WTRL for daring to point out that their understanding of SSO was, shall we say, flawed (and their spear-phishing for zwift passwords illegal in the UK at least).

Have to say, I wonder about the self-respect of people who are prepared to write such stuff.

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That was clear from his post on ZI
The only part I don’t really get or -as you have just written, Luciano-I can’t agree 100% is when @Eric_Schlange_ZwftIn writes ‘I was wanting to give Zwift time to take steps to make it right’
I can’t understand this part, unless Eric has evidence -through his channels with ZHQ- that they are really going to take steps in that direction; which, at the moment and for the steps taken by ZHQ until now, seems out of question.

Just had a very pleasant tootle around Flanders on RGT. It took less than 15 minutes from starting the download to putting my leg over the crossbar.

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Personally I hope Zwift changes course, puts out a statement with details on how they are fixing the issue, and removing the ban associated with this.

Frankly I don’t quite understand why the game allows massive weight changes within the same day at all. I suppose if two people are using the same account that could be a scenario maybe? Is that why? I get it’s also possible to enter an incorrect value, but still…

One Zwift influencer a while back posted a video of how to use weight to cheat at the 100kph achievement… they changed their weight by a huge amount to get it, then changed it right back - which I thought was odd the game didn’t have any weight change restrictions at all (eg. like going from 50kg to 200kg then back seems like a case that should not be supported). At least in this case it didn’t affect racing, or anyone else.

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If only Zwift had social media accounts people could express their displeasure in how they’ve handled this issue etc.

(I think if I word it like this it won’t be taken as activity encouraging people and besides social media doesn’t come under their terms and conditions).

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Crap! And I’ve been changing to a TT bike and disc wheels at the top of Radio Tower or The Alpe in the hopes I had enough left in my legs to power up to 100kph on the descent when all I needed to do was get fatter instantly? The things you learn on this forum!

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Much easier to comprehend than it allowing riders to be 25cm tall. :joy:

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