aspect

Hello to all,

While checking the scores on Portal, I noticed that user aspect uses a "cheat" in this record. 

Indeed, the player use an option in the game to make his game a bit laggy and then go through obstacles.

I would like to remind everyone who will read this that modifying a game to improve scores are forbidden !

A lot of console commands has been used here : speed up the game, load quick, abh strat' etc...

2.2 Prohibited practices

All of the following are prohibited:

• Cheat codes;
• Action Replay or equivalent system;
• Unofficial emulated games (emulated games: replicated game on a platform it had not been developed for). Official emulation (on Virtual Console [Wii] and Nintendo eShop [Wii U, 3DS]) is authorized, as well as games on console allowing backward compatibility games;
• Continues (continuing a level after a Game Over screen) if they don't reset or lower your score;
• Unofficial patches, mods or other game elements;
• Modifying a game, a controller (pad), a console or a game accessory in order to improve scores or facilitate their realization;
• In a general way, any practice which isn't integrated in the original game or which makes competition between players unfair.

Private Message has been sent to the member. 

Youtube video of the proof.

Thanks for your vigilance.
From 1'10" to 1'40", we can indeed see a change in the game codes, which is strictly forbidden in the VGR Rules.
It is an obvious cheat.
Nevertheless, we let this member a 15 days period to answer, and also see feedback from other members.
Due to his/her absence since 10th February, I'm not sure he/she will answer during the interval, but I will wait.

I saw he/she has 6 scores in Portal, all 1st place, with 5 platinum medal, including five "0" scores.
So, potentially suspicious too.
If we can't rely on all scores from him/her in this game, I recommend to delete all his/her score in this game.
And a ban level 1 (4 months period).
Due to his/her last login was more than 4 months ago, we can consider that this ban was already done.
Let's wait until 13th July, and see other members opinions.

Beyond this problem, we should potentially require video proofs for this game, and at the end all PC games (🤯!), in case of modification of the source code of the game. 🤔
But I don’t think we should go in that direction: this is really hard to apply and obtain, and counterproductive.
Because the VGR lost medal warnings + proof ask systems work enough well like this, we are always able to detect doubtful records and members, which finally represent a few percentage.

I haven't checked all his scores but he did a bunch of others "0" scores on Portal.

After the next 14 days without answer I think we should at least disable all his postal scores. And I'll try to recheck his others records in the meantime (only one other game). 
I suggest to still ban him for 4 months. We catch him late but the intention was still to cheat on this popular game. In this case I doubt it was unintentional as there were heavy use of alternate methods to improve one's score.

No answer for at least 15 days, unfortunately.
I consider he/she cheated by modifying the source code of this game, and this leads to a ban (level 1, 4 months).
Like said upthere, now all his/her scores in Portal are deleted (and not only disabled).
For reminder, he/she made:
"0" score for group Least Portals, records Test Chamber 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18.
"4" score for Least Portals/Test Chamber 15 

Because he/she's already absent since 10th February, so I consider his/her ban level 1 as done.
From now, in case of any other cheat, he/she's risking a ban level 2 (1 year).
I contacted him/her with Personal Message to advert about the situation.

Hi team, I deigned to look at this thread as an experienced admin/moderator and also very experienced with portal.

The behaviour you have seen in the attached video is not cheating. Use of console in source games is not game modification any more than changing a setting in a settings menu in any other game. The console exists as part of the game to assist the player in getting the game's settings as they please and is expected to be used as an advanced settings function. Use of console is not modifying the source code as you have said. Any one of you could easily load the game and access exactly the same console with a single button press.

It is also entirely possible to create the exact same gameplay behaviour without any use of the console whatsoever. It is not difficult and it is quite common for even casual players to encounter these bugs with the engine from playing regularly. Two of the bugs observable in this video (the lack of collision and the activation bug on the button using auto-load) are things I encountered casually only a month ago when streaming a casual play-through of the game for achievements.

There is also no auto-bunnyhopping in this video, nor would it even be useful in this test chamber (it provides no advantage). What you are seeing is regular bunny-hopping.

Yuri has also incorrectly identified that Aspect "sped up the game" with console commands - this is not possible. What you have seen is simple video editing designed to speed up the 1-minute dialogue intro of this test chamber and the tedious repeated attempts at the wall-clip in the video. It would be reasonable to complain about editing in the video, however you have claimed this has been done with console commands. You need to do a better job of fact-checking before you make such accusations because literally every claim you have made is false. You are an administrator, you need to do better than that.

I hope I do not have to explain why having a game load quickly is not cheating. Quick-save and Quick-load are default functions of the game that any player can use. You can easily demonstrate this to yourself by loading a completely fresh install of the game and pressing the default F9 key.

This ruling also goes completely against the way that the Portal community operates. The old portal leaderboards site hosted on Iverb is down now, however these records were hosted there and approved there by the community as entirely legitimate. I have previously checked out the legitimacy on the 0-portal submissions from Aspect with the assistance of the Portal community; and I can assist with getting administration staff from VGR access to the Portal community if you want more information regarding this.

You have gotten this decision very wrong largely due to an extremely insufficient investigation process carried out by people without a good enough understanding of the game and its systems, I recommend reverting this as soon as possible and wiping any history of wrongdoing from Aspect's account. Some of the things you have claimed as cheating here are straight up default buttons on the keyboard in the game. I have seriously zero idea how you are satisfied to ban a user without a single one of you even bothering to open the game to check this sort of thing.

FYI: I have also investigated Aspect several times on Cyberscore for other reasons and people like you consistently questioning his scores and have consistently come to the conclusion that he is not cheating. He uses in-game mechanics in extremely impressive ways, but it is not cheating.

Before banishing or otherwise, we can already see whether or not we accept the use of the command on VGR.

After these late but new elements brought by Grace, and after an internal discussion with Yuri, we decided that the special use of the options with the system is allowed in this case. Even if it changes the way you can play, it is integrated in the game, so it is allowed. 
Most of the time (like here), we need to respect and apply the developers work and choices 
People can complain about this (like Yuri), and we possibly can apply specific Rules, but only if a majority of players are against.
In this case, if the Portal community agree this option use, integrated by default in the game, then we will allow it. 
 
Game Rules of Portal (for PC version) will be edited to remember this.
It means that aspect did not cheat, we will forget his/her ban history, his/her profile will comeback as before.
He/she can send his/her scores again (with proofs, it will be better).

Sorry about the situation, but you can see that without detailed informations, or help from players of this game or other admins, it can sadly lead to these misunderstandings...
I hope this is not the case elsewhere. But we try to make things more fair, depending of what we know, so as we can, and moreover with the free time we have.
Thanks for your tolerance and understanding.
Don't hesitate to inform us about other PC games where these subtle details in options exists, in order to have more detailed Game Rules. It would be useful for everyone, thanks.

Grace, you also played Portal on PS3/X360 version : can we also apply this "Internal game options allowed" rule over there ?
And what about Portal 2 (PC/PS3/X360) ?