The Elite Forum

The Big Three Plus One => GoldenEye 007 => Topic started by: RWG on February 05, 2018, 04:50:49 pm

Title: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 05, 2018, 04:50:49 pm
Here's the short version surrounding one of the last relics of sketchy, unproven oldboyism, remaining on the GoldenEye 007 World Rankings; Andrew Kent.

(https://i.imgur.com/6Wt8hcU.jpg)

Andrew Kent pictured probably back in like 2003 or something.

Andrew Kent was an Australian "speedrunner" who wrote into his own SpeedRunWiki bio that he is an "unsung hero" of the elite, and one of "its greatest contributors."  But this is far from reality: http://speedrunwiki.com/Andrew_Kent

Andrew Kent never proved a single one of his Goldeneye PBs, but remained ranked inside the Top 50 for over 10 years straight.  Consistently ranked somewhere in the 30s or 40s. How did he manage such a feat?  Well up until 2013, whenever he was about to fall out of the Top 50, he would show up, post a handful of new PBs, just enough to keep him inside the Top 50, all the while never posting a single video along these.  He did this literally for over 10 years.  A glance at his timespage PR history will show four instances of him doing this between 2011-2013, and this is only counting the modern era with the current rankings system (where it automatically saves dates for all PBs, not just retroactively added WRs...)  But he did indeed do this throughout the 2006-2010 years as well.

https://rankings.the-elite.net/~Vulpex/goldeneye/history
https://rankings.the-elite.net/~Vulpex/perfect-dark/history

He also did this at least once in recorded Perfect Dark history, presumably because Perfect Dark rankings are much slower, and he only needed to do it once to remain inside the Top 50.

So what ever came of him? Why doesn't he post times anymore?

Well in 2013, just after his last timespage update, one of the proof mods at the time (for some reason I recall it being Jono, though this seems before his time... maybe it was Jimbo or Axel Z...) froze Kent's timespage.  This was in hopes Kent would come forward and explain his strange behaviour.  Behaviour that was regular and consistent for the past 10+ years.

Kent never did.

Presumably, sometime in mid 2013 or early 2014, when he was ripe to fall out of the Top 50 again, Kent logged into his elite rankings account, tried to post a couple more times, realized his timespage was frozen, thought to himself "welp, the jig is up!" and knew better than to admit to the proof moderators that his entire adult life was a lie not even Todd Rogers himself could have dreamed.  I mean think of it, if he were legit at all, in any way, shape or form, he would have come forward to inquire why his timespage was frozen.  He had consistently added new times up to this point, so the chances of his timespage being frozen exactly at the same time he never tried to update them again, is null.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Andrew Kent did not acquire a single one of the times he claimed, and perhaps he never even played Goldeneye at all in his life.  He was an updater of an old site called "N64HS"; a Nintendo 64 High Scores site, and my guess is that he wanted to have a reasonable Goldeneye rank to go along with his reputation there of being a high level N64 player.

Why Does it Matter?

While Kent has now fallen out of the Top 100, he still holds over 800 points on the Goldeneye rankings and 2000 points on the Perfect Dark rankings.  That's still a good deal.  And being that it is currently the year 2018, there are many new players in both games who are working hard, and legitimately, to rise up the rankings.  Kent's removal will be a service of fairness to them, allowing them to compete more freely, honestly, and be rewarded with a nice little points bonus for their legitimate competition in the elite.

What are your thoughts?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Smit on February 05, 2018, 04:54:42 pm
Naah
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Carathorn on February 05, 2018, 05:03:41 pm
The problem is, that as likely as your story may sound, you simply can't prove that he ISN'T that guy who just wants to be in the top 50 and likes playing on his own and withholds himself from any other interaction with the rest of the community. Maybe he actually did achieve those times, found out his timespage was frozen and couldnt' be arsed to make any work of it. Which may seem odd to top contributors such as yourself, I understand.

Time to up the ante in that proof policy!
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: TheFlash on February 05, 2018, 05:21:10 pm
Time to up the ante in that proof policy!

Don’t see why it couldn’t happen already. The proof policy definitely gives the admins enough wiggle room to remove a questionable person pending further investigation.  Either the proof mod can call all or some of the times in the normal operating schedule, or the Elite Council could vote to take more direct action. It is probably important to do it by one of those routes though...for example a proof mod just making a snap decision to remove him immediately would probably ruffle some feathers.

Being frozen for years and never unfrozen is at least a meaningful indicator....

Has anyone tried contacting him directly recently? Has there ever been an amnesty period where anyone with one or more questionable times could call them back and get a fresh slate? It is at least somewhat important to consider what the proof policy was at the time of each of his submissions. Some times may have been subject to different rules.

This is certainly a little different than a”proven fake” time...if he showed up with great 60/60 proof later on he’d probably be welcomed back, right?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: wishiwasfamous on February 05, 2018, 05:40:58 pm
Interesting thought, but the only argument I see is that he tried to log in to a frozen account and hasn't since. Don't think that's enough to convict. Players will go on active/inactive streaks from time to time. Sometimes it's motivation to not fall out of a certain ranking threshold. Case in point: me. I wanted to make sure I never fell out of the top 100, and so I got off my butt and got some times to stay afloat.


Not sure if you can bait him into coming back (try logging into his account and use the password reset option so it pings his email).
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: AZ on February 05, 2018, 05:47:55 pm
I froze Kent's timespage back in 2013 when he didn't respond to any of my messages where I kindly asked him to make videos of his latest/future PRs.

Kent was dedicated as a rankings updater and a solid contributor altogether, albeit a very reserved eliter.

I tried to message him on the forums and sent long e-mails to him throughout the years praising all his cool pages (http://www.angelfire.com/vt2/Vulpex/the_elite_net/GE64.html) but Kent never replied to anything I wrote.

I remember discussing the Vulpex situation briefly with Come and remember him saying to me that Kent "seems pretty set in oldschool ways" meaning he probably doesn't record his gameplay.

Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 05, 2018, 06:26:08 pm
Wiff, yes "most players go through inactive periods."  Kent didn't.  Never.  If he was about to fall out of the Top 50, he would reappear and post fake times.  That was consistent over 10 years.  You really think that his "inactivity" just happened to coincide with his timespage being frozen?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: wishiwasfamous on February 05, 2018, 07:54:10 pm
I froze Kent's timespage back in 2013 when he didn't respond to any of my messages where I kindly asked him to make videos of his latest/future PRs.

Kent was dedicated as a rankings updater and a solid contributor altogether, albeit a very reserved eliter.

I tried to message him on the forums and sent long e-mails to him throughout the years praising all his cool pages (http://www.angelfire.com/vt2/Vulpex/the_elite_net/GE64.html) but Kent never replied to anything I wrote.

I remember discussing the Vulpex situation briefly with Come and remember him saying to me that Kent "seems pretty set in oldschool ways" meaning he probably doesn't record his gameplay.



Would have been nice to know this before I posted lol.

Wiff, yes "most players go through inactive periods."  Kent didn't.  Never.  If he was about to fall out of the Top 50, he would reappear and post fake times.  That was consistent over 10 years.  You really think that his "inactivity" just happened to coincide with his timespage being frozen?

There are two periods from 2001-07, again in 2007-2011, and in PD from ???-2012. How many years does it take to be considered inactive, because you are saying that from 2013-today is inactive.

As far as his current inactivity, I still doubt the claim that's being made that he's been found out for submitting fake times and has stopped. Is it possible that he got discouraged with all the proof requirements that he retired completely? Maybe he has outgrown speedrunning altogether? It's not the elite that he grew up with,a nd rather than adapt, retired? I haven't seen any mention of his name in other games in a longer time, which makes me think that his latest PRs were last hurrahs and he's moved on from speedrunning.

As an aside (since I've been curious myself), how can you see past rankings from years ago? All I can see on the rankings are WRs, not top 50/100. But it seems like you're getting this information of achieving just enough points to stay in the top 50 from somewhere, and I can't find it.

Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 05, 2018, 07:57:24 pm
Wiff... do you not know how the PR history page works?

Anything before 2011 only counts world records, since those are the only dates that have been indexed.  If you look at the PR history of me, Ace, Clem, etc, back in 2006 or 2008 or 2009 or whatever, it won't show non-WRs, because no one has gone through the thousands of posts of PR topics and indexed those dates.

Kent was NOT inactive during those periods.  Quite the contrary.  He was consistently active and updating his times regularly, any time he was about to fall out of the Top 50, even through these "2001-2007" and "2007-2011" periods.

There is currently no way to see the rankings (of players) from past dates, beyond looking in the archive.is waybackmachine.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: wishiwasfamous on February 05, 2018, 08:01:59 pm
Wiff... do you not know how the PR history page works?


Clearly I don't. But how are you finding these PRs from these "inactive periods?" Are you digging through PR topics?

EDIT: Search button. GG. :v
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: wheatrich on February 05, 2018, 08:59:59 pm
I do remember as goose stated whenever he was about to fall out of the top 50 walked in posted a few pr's then booked it.  it's definitely sketchy but it's not as clearly fake as I thought it'd be looking it up just now.

Everything else is just whatever bullshit character attacks which is standard goose.  Lots of players just post times and stay off sites and don't respond to anything ever, just how it goes.

To me it's nonsensical to argue to remove him entirely with the current lack of definitive proof and most of his times are still from ancient era.  So you're only referring to whether we should take down the last whatever times.

That said, most of the dinos including me are in dgaf mode these days and corey Stublock's train 00 should've been taken off a long time ago but it's 0 points so nobody cares heh.

fwiw I don't agree with this conclusion  of goose "I mean think of it, if he were legit at all, in any way, shape or form, he would have come forward to inquire why his timespage was frozen."

Because videogaming communities have the gauntlet of mental disorders and weird as **** people; it's common to see people do things that aren't deceitful here that would be quite bizarre in the real world.   
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 05, 2018, 09:46:30 pm
You bring up some reasonable points Wheat; but I don't think I've made a single personal attack in this thread.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Retrix on February 05, 2018, 10:54:35 pm
I definitely tried to contact him (and any and all N64HSers I could find) when I joined the-elite.
I don't think it'd be right in most cases to remove an old player with little to no proofs. I also have a gut feeling that this should be an exception.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: T+ on February 05, 2018, 11:05:30 pm
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've brought this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: mw on February 05, 2018, 11:40:30 pm
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've bring this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?

Only times with vids are Duel 3/6
"This video is unavailable"
 :nesquik:
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: dugg on February 05, 2018, 11:42:32 pm
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've bring this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?

(https://static1.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Hes+right+you+know+_3f9a5e2ca9af9dad5df588da0bcb8f70.jpg)
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Alka Maass on February 05, 2018, 11:47:19 pm
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've bring this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?

Only times with vids are Duel 3/6
"This video is unavailable"
 :nesquik:
from checking out the video url, it looks like the youtube account was terminated apparently lol
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: DYM on February 06, 2018, 12:46:54 pm
I may have to put Alka in tier 1 relevance. It's insane how much people discuss him, even when the topic is about something completely different!
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: PJplum on February 06, 2018, 01:53:40 pm
On that subject can someone please remove imevolving from the pd ranks.
That was a fake profile after I was banned. I sincerely apologise for this behaviour from circa 13 years ago.



I don’t remember what alias I used to make that account. Although I believe the first name was Hugh something. I don’t think I created anything on goldeneye

Once again sorry
Paul (PDplum) sorry again
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 06, 2018, 02:08:09 pm
Not meaning to sound potentially rude

Is it conceivable that he just got older and moved on?  Maybe he logged back in briefly just to see what it was like at the time.

Given he's out of the top 100, and that you haven't actually proven that any of his times are fake, only that you reckon so, there's only 2 recourses.

1) implement a policy that every single time of every single player must have a video or be removed.
2) ignore it as nobody is going to see him


TBH I'm surprised 1) isn't already the default. We can't impeach a mans character if we don't know however, probably shouldn't have a pic of him either really, that can get dicey
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: flukey lukey on February 06, 2018, 04:05:22 pm
Would love to see a video on the Andrew Kent Conspiracy

Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: eastwood on February 06, 2018, 07:23:18 pm
Would love to see a video on the Andrew Kent Conspiracy


Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Happens on February 07, 2018, 01:14:55 pm
If he's been inactive since 2013, it's unlikely he will care that he's been removed.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 07, 2018, 05:02:12 pm
Would love to see a video on the Andrew Kent Conspiracy
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: LQwerty on February 07, 2018, 05:14:25 pm
Would love to see a video on the Andrew Kent Conspiracy
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Slugg Christ on February 07, 2018, 06:13:39 pm
Would love to see a video on the Andrew Kent Conspiracy
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: DYM on February 07, 2018, 10:40:15 pm
mate where's the TTYD stream
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 08, 2018, 01:46:39 am
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've brought this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?

wtf, thought we'd removed him ages ago  :o
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 08, 2018, 08:18:33 am
So just do it now. I don't know why you guys are so hesitant with these obvious actions.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: DYM on February 08, 2018, 08:46:05 am
Alec, enough is enough. This is the tipping point. You've deflected responsibility for too long.

You need to instantly be striped off your duties.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 08, 2018, 12:00:22 pm
Why is this particular player being singled out? He can't be the only player with times with no video
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 08, 2018, 08:38:36 pm
So just do it now. I don't know why you guys are so hesitant with these obvious actions.

I did. As I posted that. It only makes sense...  :v

Alec, enough is enough. This is the tipping point. You've deflected responsibility for too long.

You need to instantly be striped off your duties.

<3

Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: OHMSS on February 09, 2018, 07:06:34 am
Kent (Vulpex) is still Rare time ranked 26th with 3:13:58 but 0/123 proof status. #REMOVE
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: flukey lukey on February 09, 2018, 10:51:36 pm
mate where's the TTYD stream


wow, lots of hype for this type of video!
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: SimThreat on February 10, 2018, 05:34:09 am
Remove Kent tbh

Those saying ‘you cant prove he cheated’ do not understand the burden of proof and how it works. We dont have to prove that he cheated, he had to prove he got the times.

If i am not remembering incorrectly we did in fact attempt to contact Kent to request proof. Why he was not removed after this failed is a valid question tbh gg
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Retrix on February 10, 2018, 08:48:46 am
Boss had times unproven for months, right? They were eventually backrolled. It's also in Proof Policy 2.0 that times may be proof-called at any time.

Changing my vote on this one. Kent's time was a different time in speedrunning, but the-elite is still going, still changing. Adapt or perish. Prove or be backrolled.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 10, 2018, 09:14:12 am
Agree. Remove them until proof is found. This shouldn't be a case by case thing though. Every single player needs to be vetted in this way
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Retrix on February 10, 2018, 09:36:32 am
There are quite a few 70+pt times still standing with no proof. Just looking at Dam, I believe there's an 83 pointer with no proof. I think case by case may be better, as this is an extreme 0/123, and removing a bunch of old records seems really harsh. (No more to say on the topic, I'm without internet til Monday night)
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Lima on February 20, 2018, 07:02:20 pm

And being that it is currently the year 2018, there are many new players in both games who are working hard, and legitimately, to rise up the rankings.

I don't read the forums as often as I probably should, although I noticed the last post on this topic fizzled out about 10 days ago and, reading through it, I couldn't figure out what the resolution was, if any. So, here's my several cents:

I read Goose's original post with interest because, as I quoted him above, I am one of those new players who is slowly working my way into the community - and more importantly, I'm following and have become friends with players much more talented than I am who are grinding out points and advancing up the rankings. For those members - and that's what people who create an account and post their times are: members - to have to "advance" past people ahead of them who hold highly questionable times is, at best, problematic, and to be honest, is fairly insulting.

I'm not sure what the hesitation here is - there's a clear proof policy of what's required to have times count. Is someone who, by multiple anecdotes above, has consistently acted in a sketchy manner in the past, refused to respond to any communications, and even had his time page permanently locked - all while never posting a single video to prove any time despite repeated requests - still somehow deserving of the benefit of the doubt years on? If I, as a new player who currently has no points - but who has a goal of being in the Top 100 - suddenly started posting unproven PBs that, while not WRs, certainly propelled myself up the point standings, would I not be proof-called, and my times reverted if I didn't respond accordingly?

Because if that is indeed the case, there's a double standard here that is noteworthy. It's difficult to accept the grandfathering in of unproven times that were posted before the current iteration of the rules if, as is pointed out above, many of those very times were still in violation of proof rules even back when they were first posted. What's the argument here? Furthermore, when cheaters have been outright banned for having a few questionable videos discovered among dozens of legitimate videos - what does it say when someone who has NO videos is allowed to hang around for years as a highly ranked player, devaluing the ranking of every member below him, and, frankly, above him?

When are the rights of the community to have real credibility, and accurate rankings, outweighed by the rights of someone who has disassociated himself from that community while actively flaunting the rules agreed upon in order to be ranked in the first place? There's a balancing test here that detractors to the argument are not considering, and at the moment the scales are tipped far too much in favor of the individual who has no regard for what we're all trying to accomplish here.

I don't know Mr. Kent, and I am wholly unfamiliar with his history in The-Elite aside from what's on his times page and what's been posted above. That said, the situation of any unproven, questionable, high-point times being permitted to exist in perpetuity on the rankings is one that, for me as a new player who is also a fan of some very talented players I'm watching advance themselves up the rankings, is a discouraging sight to see.

It all seems fairly simple to me - but perhaps I'm missing something: a time of value, worth significant points, must be proven, or else it risks being rolled back, particularly if questioned and called out. Right? Those are the rules, and ostensibly have been, in one form or another, for quite some time? And multiple players - top-ranked and otherwise - have had this process play out on them, and were forced to respond or have their times removed?

These times were posted, they're there, they're taking up positions on the rankings that could be held by members who actually follow the proof rules, and they've most certainly been proof-called, on multiple occasions, apparently... So where's the final step of that supposedly simple process? At what point is it the responsibility of the Elite member to follow the rules?
Absent action on cases like this, the answer to that question apparently is "sometimes they will be held responsible when we feel like it, but usually never."

However, if rules are only in effect "sometimes," they're worthless - and it devalues every bit of effort that all members involved in this community, old and new players alike, have put in to the game and the growing community that continues to keep it alive.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: TheFlash on February 20, 2018, 08:40:19 pm
all members involved in this community, old and new players alike, have put in to the game and the growing community that continues to keep it alive.

Faithful and True Translation:

Quote
Goose has been the main driving force behind all proof efforts for over 10 years

what the resolution was, if any

No resolution yet.  The only action that seems appropriate would be for the Elite Council to make an official vote and announce their result. They may already be deep in private discussion and debate about it or perhaps they didn't care to discuss it at all.  All the discussion in this thread might impact their decision but no real action will happen from just a discussion topic, no matter how loud everyone yells.

I'm not sure what the hesitation here is

As of a few years ago there was not a clear and strong majority of stakeholders who wished to switch the main rankings site to only display fully proven timesets.  One reason is that it would have a significant impact on a large number of players from the past.  Another reason was a kind of deflection where people suggested having a site that showed both "proven" and "unproven" rankings, but no one actually made that version of the site.

The Andrew Kent case seems to be the worst of any unproven player and can probably be handled as a one-off exception without removing all other unproven players, but it seems to me that's why the hesitation is there.

if, as is pointed out above, many of those very times were still in violation of proof rules even back when they were first posted

It's not clear to me how many of his times were posted in violation of rules at the time of their posting. There is a grandfathering exception in the current rules that seems likely to cover any times that were proper at the original time of posting, but the Elite Council can definitely override that if they wish. Probably not just the proof moderator on his own, though?

All of Kent's posted times came before the "modern" proof policy that first showed up about December 2013.  There was a general rule about proof calls usually happening on a monthly basis, no unexplained UWRs on the site, but not really a written rule at all about standards of proof. Definitely nothing anywhere NEAR the current status.

There is some absolutely wonderful reading in this topic:

(everything should be proven, so the complete list is here (http://www.the-elite.net/GE/elite.htm))
.....
If you don't prove what's being asked here, you'll be rolled back to your best proven times until you do provide proof.

You can see the perspective of the then-admin Come was clearly that 100% of times on the site should be proven, but the rest of the topic is full of people giving various reasons why this isn't really quite possible.

Also very relevant are posts by Cervone (Reply #130) and Octo (Reply #131) on the final page of that topic. Skip right to them if you don't want to read the rest of the thread. I think they very nicely sum up the feeling of the community as of 2007. Starts here:

GE is proof is bad these days.

(Don't miss Trent's Reply #139.  There is definitely precedent for proof calling a time multiple years after it was posted.)

they've most certainly been proof-called, on multiple occasions, apparently...

Not a single one of Andrew Kent's times has ever been proof called.  This was brought up in the discussion of the initial draft of our "modern" proof policy which tried to include the "Andrew Kent Rule" without actually removing him from the site.

As far as I know, Andrew Kent has never been proof called, backrolled or banned. Including the rule named after him is therefore somewhat misleading since technically he has never been "caught" and punished (yet). Larkin, on the other hand, was eventually backrolled.

I'd like to see some individual who is in charge of the rankings and/or Elite Council take direct actions such as:

1. Attempt to get in contact with Andrew Kent. May require searching social media, Facebook, Google, etc.  If possible, get him to reply with any indication of what he might do if he was proof called or (temporarily?) removed from the rankings.

2. Have an "official" discussion with the Elite Council and eventually vote on removing or keeping Andrew Kent's times.

From my perspective, #1 is very important to show that the site respects all current and past players and will not just sweep their existence under the rug a few years down the road. At the very least, a real effort must be made. Even if efforts have been made in the past, a renewed one should happen now before action is taken.  There's no downside to at least making an attempt.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: wheatrich on February 20, 2018, 09:18:10 pm
Remove Kent tbh

Those saying ‘you cant prove he cheated’ do not understand the burden of proof and how it works. We dont have to prove that he cheated, he had to prove he got the times.

If i am not remembering incorrectly we did in fact attempt to contact Kent to request proof. Why he was not removed after this failed is a valid question tbh gg

Yes you need some proof or else we're gonna have the goose/karl types of just getting whoever they wanted removed just b/c they felt like it and could get away with it which those types of people totally would do.

In this particular instance it's not likely to matter, it seems he's certainly moved on at this point and he only has a handful of times that will hold up for awhile.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 20, 2018, 09:57:26 pm
Yeah I think the guys moved on. You have to accept he doesn't see this as important in the grand scheme

Certainly don't go Facebook stalking him
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: SimThreat on February 21, 2018, 01:28:00 am
Remove Kent tbh

Those saying ‘you cant prove he cheated’ do not understand the burden of proof and how it works. We dont have to prove that he cheated, he had to prove he got the times.

If i am not remembering incorrectly we did in fact attempt to contact Kent to request proof. Why he was not removed after this failed is a valid question tbh gg

Yes you need some proof or else we're gonna have the goose/karl types of just getting whoever they wanted removed just b/c they felt like it and could get away with it which those types of people totally would do.

In this particular instance it's not likely to matter, it seems he's certainly moved on at this point and he only has a handful of times that will hold up for awhile.

What is your problem? This is the stupidest, most retarded thing I've heard you say.

Now that you've gone out of your way to randomly and pointlessly single me out I would love to hear your examples of times I've had people removed because I've 'felt like it'. The fact that I didn't start this topic, or any topic ever suggesting anyone be removed (and there are 27 other people voting for him to be removed) shows that you have some weird and warped complex about me that you can't help but spew out and project at bizarre moments.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Badacoin on February 22, 2018, 01:18:22 pm
So, yesterday I was hanging out in KVD's stream (the super mario kart champion), the topic of smk cheaters came up, and someone named Andrew Kent was mentioned.

I checked the submission archives, and this Andrew Kent is the same as ours. My best proof is in this message: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/supermariokart/conversations/messages/1485 (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/supermariokart/conversations/messages/1485). The Andrew Kent of SMK owned a website with "Vulpex" in its address.

I messaged Sami, one of the core members of the super mario kart community, about their history with Andrew Kent, and he sent me this:
Quote
Wow this was from long ago. Andrew Kent joined our community around 1999 if i remember correctly. Then by around turn of the millenium he was claiming very fast times way too fast on PAL SMK, some were WRs and the rest were near WRs. At this time we decided to question him thoroughly as we suspected something was not right. After lots of digging he came clean to us and admitted that he was writing false times to us because he wanted to have WRs etc.

So we removed him from the site. However after this he wanted to create a VHS tape to prove his actual level. At this time we didn't have video cameras and things, players were sending photos (which werent a good proof option anyway) but some of us on SMK and MK64 made VHS tapes or met up. So he created this and posted it to me all the way from Australia. His actual level was a lot lower as expected, but he was still a good driver.

So after discussion of his VHS tape (which I was surprised he even made the effort to do) and his promises, we decided to give him one last chance and that was it. But from here we kept a close eye.

He started sending PRs again over the next weeks / month or two, not very fast ones but he sent photos in from there. We then had a look at the photos and noticed he was doing something to them in photoshop to claim faster times again. While they were not even fast claims on this second occasion, he was still proven to fake times. Was he trying to gradually cheat maybe to see if we notice it? So we confronted him on this. He was backed into a corner at this point. He said something like "ok fine, you caught me, i cheated again, just remove my times"

So we deleted them for good and banned him. We never heard a word from him again ever since, and that was around 18 years ago.

So yeah, this proves that Andrew Kent used to be a compulsive liar, and that he didn't hesitate to falsify evidence.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Alka Maass on February 22, 2018, 02:10:47 pm
more info about andrew kent and him cheating in SMK can be found here (use google translate) http://www.ffsmk.org/forum/index.php?topic=285.0

apparently some of his times were impossible to display on console and he pretty much lied his way to Australian champion of SMK

remove him now

Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 22, 2018, 03:22:43 pm
So yeah, this proves that Andrew Kent used to be a compulsive liar, and that he didn't hesitate to falsify evidence.

*cough*
I think it worth pointing out that there's more than one proven "compulsive liar" still in The Elite, who were warned and allowed to stay. I'll be the first to say that this doesn't help Mr Kent, but it's not quite proof he cheated everywhere, especially 10+ years after this event. There's at least one member on this site that I know cheated on other games' leaderboards, yet I'm not trying to get him banned everywhere because I simply can't know whether he cheated everywhere or not.

I don't really care either way, but it seems that it would be perfectly acceptable to freeze his account pending more proof (done) and happily go our ways not spending any more energy, time, or emotion thinking about this. In the grand scheme of things, this matters little. Every few years people come along and want to "go back and fix" everything. Well, sorry, like it or not history is messy and we can never have a perfect solution: technology was simply different then. Standards were different, and judging by today just doesn't work. Proven rankings as an addition to historical rankings is a reasonable compromise, but until someone volunteers their time to actually get it done, I'd suggest not worrying too much about trying to correct the past.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 22, 2018, 03:38:47 pm
Ok so what's the vendetta against this one guy that people are stalking his online and personal history?

There's clearly something people aren't saying here

This is becoming rather creepy.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 22, 2018, 03:40:39 pm
Shadow, I don't believe that we can call Andrew Kent's presence on the rankings historical at all, as he never once posted a time with any means of proof. Yes, times/technology were different, but we are able to filter out those who took advantage of that. This is worth a discussion, most definitely.

I have posted an official vote in the council thread. The next 7 days will determine his continued presence on the rankings.

Cheers
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 22, 2018, 03:44:03 pm
Ok so what's the vendetta against this one guy that people are stalking his online and personal history?

There's clearly something people aren't saying here

This is becoming rather creepy.

It isn't a vendetta so much as it's a means of gathering information and intelligence on this person's behaviour regarding speedrunning, potential cheating/lying, and his overarching communication with people he is competing with in various rankings. This is how intel is gathered via open source information (aka the interwebs, when talking about speedrunning).

It isn't creepy. It's a process in which we further vet and enforce the integrity of competition and our rankings as a whole.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 22, 2018, 05:29:58 pm
So... apart from circumstantial evidence and some sleuthing specifically designed to dig up dirt on him... do you have ANYTHING on him other than just another guy that doesn't upload videos with his times? (something you surely shouldn't allow anyway)
It's hardly grounds for a public execution is it
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 22, 2018, 05:35:30 pm
Instead of all this. Why not this

Any time that doesn't have video proof for say 6 months or something is automatically deleted.
You can set that up on the site to be done by code, without any manual review.
Surely if youre this serious about it. 6 months with no proof is grounds to remove it.
What smells odd is the need to do this soo publicly, surely this is easily settled in private
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 22, 2018, 05:58:35 pm
Settling speedrunning competition things publicly is beneficial to the community at large. Not only do we make examples of people who don't follow basic rules, but things aren't kept secret, making upper management/administration that much more transparent.

6 months is arbitrary. We have a proof policy that says 1 month. All other times have been grandfathered in from previous time periods. We do things on a case-by-case basis here and Andrew Kent is a special exception to many rules we've had in place. This is why a public thread has been made to evacuate this issue.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: flukey lukey on February 22, 2018, 06:04:03 pm
bin it
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Huzi on February 22, 2018, 06:49:18 pm
Instead of all this. Why not this

Any time that doesn't have video proof for say 6 months or something is automatically deleted.
You can set that up on the site to be done by code, without any manual review.
Surely if youre this serious about it. 6 months with no proof is grounds to remove it.
What smells odd is the need to do this soo publicly, surely this is easily settled in private

????
Proof mods remove significant times (60+ points) without a video within 1 month. Also, Andrew Kents times are old, and the rules were different back then. You can't just use the current proof-policy or make up new rules and use it as a reason to delete peoples past submitted times.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 22, 2018, 07:14:49 pm
If you are going to deal with things publicly, there's a way to do it

singling people out or calling them out can look a bit bullish. There was an example of this with some guy maybe a month or 2 ago, as a very casual onlooker I thought it looked really unprofessional how it was handled

I just thought it seemed unfair is all

Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 22, 2018, 08:34:43 pm
Shadow, I don't believe that we can call Andrew Kent's presence on the rankings historical at all, as he never once posted a time with any means of proof.

Which is also true of what, hundreds of others? I see these hunts pop up every few years when new people join. Will this finally be the last one or when does it stop? I personally just don't think it's worth the effort.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 22, 2018, 08:48:53 pm
Shadow, I don't believe that we can call Andrew Kent's presence on the rankings historical at all, as he never once posted a time with any means of proof.

Which is also true of what, hundreds of others? I see these hunts pop up every few years when new people join. Will this finally be the last one or when does it stop? I personally just don't think it's worth the effort.

It's worth the effort if it dwindles down the inaccuracies in the rankings, would you not agree? These "hunts" are fortuitous. The community finding these instances are a good thing, so we can either make them own up to their indiscretions or take them out completely. Win-Win.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: SimThreat on February 23, 2018, 06:37:44 am
*cough*
I think it worth pointing out that there's more than one proven "compulsive liar" still in The Elite, who were warned and allowed to stay. I'll be the first to say that this doesn't help Mr Kent, but it's not quite proof he cheated everywhere, especially 10+ years after this event. There's at least one member on this site that I know cheated on other games' leaderboards, yet I'm not trying to get him banned everywhere because I simply can't know whether he cheated everywhere or not.

May I just point all out of the incorrect presuppositions and false equivalencies.

1. Who was a compulsive liar in The Elite that has unproven times on the ranks? Those who lied were not only warned but required to provide proof.

2. Who is saying that he cheated? This is not how proof works on the rankings. If you fail to provide proof that you got a time it doesn't mean you cheated. It just means that your time may be backrolled or removed from the ranks due to insufficient evidence.

3. Generally as time goes by people/communities get more experience and wisdom. This newly found wisdom often causes older decisions to be overturned. The fact that this is happening quite a long time after the fact only serves to strengthen the decision, as it has been one that has been talked about/thought about/discussed for such a long time.

4. No one is suggesting that Kent be banned. Who said that? He would be removed due to insufficient evidence. If at any time he provides evidence his times would be reinstated.

Goose wrote out an entire post explaining the behaviour of Kent and why his times are being scrutinised. Please do not strawman others by claiming that we 'think he cheated so we want to ban him'. A completely false accusation that both ignores and attempts to belittle the case presented.

And to response to Falzy.. being removed due to insufficient proof or failing to respond to a proof call is not a 'public execution'. You are treating this as some extremely harsh punishment/witch hunt. Please understand that it is a privilege to be ranked in this community, it is not a right. You may be proof called for any time if your behaviour is suspicious or suspect. If you do not provide proof for your times you can rest assured you have absolutely no assurance that your times will remain on the rankings. There are plenty of unproven times that will remain on the ranks and are in no danger of being removed. If you are under the impression this is 'random' or that we need further policies then I would suggest rereading the OP and appreciating the case that was provided.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: AEB on February 23, 2018, 10:28:37 am
There should be zero controversy removing him since there are a bunch of good reasons listed to do so, clearly not just a "witch hunt".
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 23, 2018, 01:42:41 pm
*cough*
I think it worth pointing out that there's more than one proven "compulsive liar" still in The Elite, who were warned and allowed to stay. I'll be the first to say that this doesn't help Mr Kent, but it's not quite proof he cheated everywhere, especially 10+ years after this event. There's at least one member on this site that I know cheated on other games' leaderboards, yet I'm not trying to get him banned everywhere because I simply can't know whether he cheated everywhere or not.

May I just point all out of the incorrect presuppositions and false equivalencies.

1. Who was a compulsive liar in The Elite that has unproven times on the ranks? Those who lied were not only warned but required to provide proof.

2. Who is saying that he cheated? This is not how proof works on the rankings. If you fail to provide proof that you got a time it doesn't mean you cheated. It just means that your time may be backrolled or removed from the ranks due to insufficient evidence.

3. Generally as time goes by people/communities get more experience and wisdom. This newly found wisdom often causes older decisions to be overturned. The fact that this is happening quite a long time after the fact only serves to strengthen the decision, as it has been one that has been talked about/thought about/discussed for such a long time.

4. No one is suggesting that Kent be banned. Who said that? He would be removed due to insufficient evidence. If at any time he provides evidence his times would be reinstated.

Goose wrote out an entire post explaining the behaviour of Kent and why his times are being scrutinised. Please do not strawman others by claiming that we 'think he cheated so we want to ban him'. A completely false accusation that both ignores and attempts to belittle the case presented.

And to response to Falzy.. being removed due to insufficient proof or failing to respond to a proof call is not a 'public execution'. You are treating this as some extremely harsh punishment/witch hunt. Please understand that it is a privilege to be ranked in this community, it is not a right. You may be proof called for any time if your behaviour is suspicious or suspect. If you do not provide proof for your times you can rest assured you have absolutely no assurance that your times will remain on the rankings. There are plenty of unproven times that will remain on the ranks and are in no danger of being removed. If you are under the impression this is 'random' or that we need further policies then I would suggest rereading the OP and appreciating the case that was provided.

Truly excellent post from Ace. Couldn't have said it better myself.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: mw on February 23, 2018, 02:08:55 pm
*Karl
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Lima on February 23, 2018, 08:50:48 pm
If you are going to deal with things publicly, there's a way to do it

singling people out or calling them out can look a bit bullish. There was an example of this with some guy maybe a month or 2 ago, as a very casual onlooker I thought it looked really unprofessional how it was handled

I just thought it seemed unfair is all

Quite the opposite, in fact... these sorts of issues are best handled publicly, because even if a higher group (like the Council) makes the final decision in private, the public vetting and discussion beforehand ensures multiple voices - as many as possible - are part of the conversation, and the ultimate decision-makers have a wealth of information to help in reaching a resolution.

And frankly, having these sorts of discussions in public is what makes a community a community; it's what brings out passion in members of the community, makes them really think about it, how to improve it, and invest time in it, and for many, results in them caring about it more and keeping it alive and active longer.

It's also a very good deterrent to those who would seek to subvert or devalue the integrity of the rankings, because there's clear, public evidence that the community cares about keeping them accurate, and will pursue and investigate discrepancies and times that are questionable. It all comes down to the classic argument of how seriously we all take this... do these times and world records matter? The answer is obviously yes... members of The-Elite spend countless hours working to attain them, some have even made a little income on the side popularizing what goes on here - so if it matters, then the rules matter, and the integrity of the rankings matter.

It's no wonder how many of the game's more successful record holders and streamers are among the most vocal voices here and elsewhere calling for the integrity of the rankings to be upheld and improved - they're the ones who have by and large invested the most time and effort into the game, and by extension it matters a lot to them. So, too, does it matter to many (though understandably not all) of the other members of the community, including new and up-and-coming members, who are inspired by and aspire to reach the levels of excellence established long before they were here (for example: me).

Whether this community is a hobby, part of a business venture, a kind-of e-sport, or whatever... the argument is pretty much over of whether or not it matters - and by extension, whether the integrity of the rankings matter - and the evidence is everywhere you look. The central question of the debate is how much does it matter? Well, that's a question that seems to be mostly answered, too - aside from a handful of hold-outs sticking to the "it doesn't matter enough to go through all this" - as especially over the last year-plus, enough has happened to grow and bring attention to The-Elite that the "how much" question's answer is clearly "a lot."

Every generation of this game's speedrunning history has seen it evolve to include higher standards over the last 20 years; perhaps finally removing unproven high-points times on the rankings is the next, long-overdue evolution of that process - it seems that a majority of the community are ready for and supportive of it. Clinging to totally unproven old times for nostalgic purposes, or because the rules have been painfully slow to catch up, or because things that matter more now didn't matter so much in the past... none of those are good reasons to hold the community's overall improvement back. Does anyone actually feel that removing Andrew Kent's unproven, high-points times from the rankings will somehow make the community worse and have less integrity? If you do, is that downside really outbalanced by the positives gained from keeping proven, accurate times on what's supposed to be the one, true, real, official collection of the fastest times in the world?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: poonjahbee on February 24, 2018, 06:57:05 am
I think an even bigger dilemma than his ge times are his pd times. Way too cooked to never have proved any of those times when he claimed them, let alone how they are holding up today. Imo he's obviously lieing and should be removed from both ge and pd. I find it fairly unbelievable he was allowed to claim these times without ever being forced to submit a video of said times. I needed proof for less quality times than these back in the day and so should he. So I say no proof then you gotta go. Plain and simple
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 24, 2018, 09:26:37 am
I think then if you do things like this you need to (ironically) do it like twin galaxies. The thread needs to be a succinct, formal challenge in the title . It should focus on the issue, not the individual. It most certainly shouldn't be posting a picture of the man

The first 2 paragraphs if this challenge are the problem.  They're unnecessary and seem rather to sully the guys reputation

You might not like what i have to say, but it is a problem I've seen before. Judge the record, not the person
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Slugg Christ on February 24, 2018, 10:20:46 am
I think then if you do things like this you need to (ironically) do it like twin galaxies. The thread needs to be a succinct, formal challenge in the title . It should focus on the issue, not the individual. It most certainly shouldn't be posting a picture of the man

The first 2 paragraphs if this challenge are the problem.  They're unnecessary and seem rather to sully the guys reputation

You might not like what i have to say, but it is a problem I've seen before. Judge the record, not the person
While I'd like to agree, the person & his character are very important for coming a reasonable conclusion.
It certainly changes things when it is uncovered that this player has been caught cheating twice in another game during the same period of time.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: SimThreat on February 24, 2018, 11:32:44 am
A person's behaviour and character are extremely important when you are allowing times without proof. If his times were proven, then yes, you'd need solid evidence to suggest why his times were false. However, given that he never produced any evidence for his times all we have to go on is his elite history, gaming history in general, and behaviour.

I sincerely worry for anyone who does not think character and behaviour is important when deciding the trustworthiness of a person. Both in this context and in their personal lives.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 24, 2018, 11:41:19 am
1. Who was a compulsive liar in The Elite that has unproven times on the ranks? Those who lied were not only warned but required to provide proof.

Karl, please don't make equivalencies where I didn't. The point in that particular statement was in response to the inference "he lied on other games, therefore it's likely he lied here". True, but not proof. That's what I said.

2. Who is saying that he cheated? This is not how proof works on the rankings. If you fail to provide proof that you got a time it doesn't mean you cheated. It just means that your time may be backrolled or removed from the ranks due to insufficient evidence.

"Cheat: verb. act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination."
So...lots of people are saying that here. This type of equivocation is beneath you.

3. Generally as time goes by people/communities get more experience and wisdom. This newly found wisdom often causes older decisions to be overturned. The fact that this is happening quite a long time after the fact only serves to strengthen the decision, as it has been one that has been talked about/thought about/discussed for such a long time.

I don't have a problem with that, but there is often a very clear display of ignorance too from those asked to support the decision. People like Goose and yourself have been around long enough to know the historical factors, but many of the people you're persuading do not. Lay the pros and cons out clearly is all I ask.

4. No one is suggesting that Kent be banned. Who said that? He would be removed due to insufficient evidence. If at any time he provides evidence his times would be reinstated.

Goose wrote out an entire post explaining the behaviour of Kent and why his times are being scrutinised. Please do not strawman others by claiming that we 'think he cheated so we want to ban him'. A completely false accusation that both ignores and attempts to belittle the case presented.

Um...where did I say this exactly? Got any other criticisms of things I didn't say? :/
Nevertheless, that has been repeatedly implied in this thread.

Please don't leave out the portion where I state that I really don't care one way or the other. I just think this entire conversation has been very one-sided and until you list the DOWNSIDES of this decision, then I don't believe you've fully thought out the problem. Very few things in life are "win-win", as Alec seems to think this is.

I sincerely worry for anyone who does not think character and behaviour is important when deciding the trustworthiness of a person. Both in this context and in their personal lives.

Is anyone saying it's not important? Not to my knowledge. All I'm asking is that both sides are considered. That the ramifications are considered. That the precedence is considered. Only a fully informed opinion is healthy here. And once again: I don't care what the result is and I don't think it's even worth the effort. If I've made that clear and you stop mischaracterizing my statements, then I'm done.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: SimThreat on February 24, 2018, 01:03:59 pm
I can go and quote where you said ‘i know a guy who cheated in another community but im not trying to ban him.’ I told you that this is not a ban, just a removal until evidence is provided. Specifically for the reason that there is no proof vids to analyse, no crazy impossible claimed times to find. No evidence of cheating so it is not a ban. But there is suspicious behavior. He was contacted for a proof call which he ignored. His page was frozen which he did not respond to. He has cheated multiple times in another game.

You and other people suggest that proof of cheating is required to proof call times and have them removed due to lack of proof. This is not how the proof system works. It had explained many times but you keep ignoring that fact and saying things that dont make logical sense.

I can go theough your post outlining why some of it doesnt make sense. But as you stated you dont care. It comes across loud and clear. You even said in another post something to the extent of ‘the rankings can never be perfect’. I read that as saying ‘you can make it perfect so dont bother trying’.

I could go to effort of pointing out someone did say to ignore his character and only look at the times. But again because you cant go 2 paragraphs without mentioning you dont care i wont bother.

If you dont care thats cool, but your opinion means nothing. You dont think this is worth the effort? So why did you post.

If you do respond, i would love for you to reconfirm to me how much you dont care. Because that is really useful here.

And as a final note. I DO care. I care about the integrity of the rankings. The effort of cleaning them up is worth it for me. And i couldnt give 2 shits about the opinion of someone who doesnt care and feels the need to mention that to me or anyone else in this community. I was only pointing out your incorrect assessments of what was happening. To help others that actually do care form a more accurate idea about what is happening.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 24, 2018, 01:54:14 pm
Karl, nearly everything you wrote is a complete mischaracterization of what I've written. Yet again. Why? And why resort to sarcasm and ridicule instead of logic and courtesy?

I did say in my very first post that I thought it was indeed a good idea to freeze his times page. Done. But if it starts getting to the point where any old time can be proof-called (say a player from 15 years ago) and that player either can't be contacted or can't be bothered to replay to prove those times, to just remove them? Isn't it worth worrying that this precedent could be set? It's awfully close to what many new players clamor for every few years.

Until people can start listing both the pros and cons, they haven't shown that they've fully considered this. So far I haven't seen you even willing to consider any downsides, and that concerns me. What do you think the downsides are, Karl?

And to be clear, I don't care about the outcome. I DO care about the method, motive, ramifications, precedence, etc. As I have every time this sort of thing has come up for the last 10+ years.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Grav on February 24, 2018, 01:59:34 pm
(https://i.imgur.com/gCFXSt6.png)

note this is actually just for removal not actually banning, but yea
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: poonjahbee on February 24, 2018, 04:29:07 pm
Well first of all he isn't cheating he's just flat out lieing. There is a difference. And second of all Karls point is right on the mark. This man needs to prove his validity or be removed until he does. He's obviously lieing in this case, no doubt about it and he is taking away from hard working players and the integrity of this community.He needs to be removed until he can prove a handful of his times just like I've had to and many other players have had to. The end
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 24, 2018, 05:59:58 pm
Well first of all he isn't cheating he's just flat out lieing...He's obviously lieing in this case, no doubt about it...

First, no, it hasn't been proven that he lied. Otherwise this would be a vastly different case.

Second, would you care to enlighten me on the apparently important distinction between "cheating" and "lying to get ahead in the rankings"? I'm pretty sure it's been used interchangeably throughout this thread by many people and I'm hard pressed to see why that's a problem.

Third, one of the primary pitfalls here is applying a proof standard retroactively to the past. If we did that unilaterally, then most of the people on the rankings would probably disappear. Expectations and availability of proof were far different back then. If there is reasonable suspicion to single an individual out on a case-by-case basis and freeze his times page, that's one thing. And perhaps it's even reasonable to remove a person entirely if it seems likely he cheated (excuse me, "lied"). But without proof, we better think long and hard about it first.

Note, I'm not opposed to removing/banning him (apparently I'm not the only one who has been thinking of those interchangeably in this case!). Yet I am opposed to doing it without thoughtful and careful deliberation, lest this become an oft-repeated situation.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 24, 2018, 11:18:04 pm
"it hasn't been proven that he lied."

Dude that's not how it works.

"I won the 2007 Canadian National Championships in Orienteering and almost successfully petitioned for it to become an Olympic sport at the 2012 Games!"

Can you prove I lied, Shadow?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Reverv on February 25, 2018, 12:38:53 am
"it hasn't been proven that he lied."

Dude that's not how it works.

"I won the 2007 Canadian National Championships in Orienteering and almost successfully petitioned for it to become an Olympic sport at the 2012 Games!"

Can you prove I lied, Shadow?

http://www.orienteering.ca/events/canadian-champions/
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: ERayzz on February 25, 2018, 01:10:23 am
I never really posted here, even though I read the forum a lot, but I wanted to give some other perspective, since what I do is similar to Andrew Kent, except that I don't have a wiki page.

I haven't read the whole thread, only the first few posts. So there might be a lot I'm missing lol.

I've been on the Perfect Dark rankings since June 2006 or so. Nearly reached top 30 (peaked 34th) in points ranking at one point, without a single video (that was back when the proof policy was much too laxist).
 
Since that time, I kept checking the rankings and played whenever a new strat was discovered (e.g. P2 warp, MBR Cass warp), or when I felt I was losing too many ranks and wanted to stay in top 50. Or I would sometimes gain motivation to try and get better, but I never was really talented, nor patient enough to get top tier times.

The reason I never posted any video is simply because I never bothered to buy the hardware solely for this. I loved speedrunning the two games, but never took it seriously enough to buy external hardware and spend time setting it up just to prove I achieved some sub-par times. I never expected any of my times to require proof.

Now that all 60+ pointers require proof, I stopped played since I'd need to record most of my gameplay, which I'm too lazy to bother with.

So that's what I did for most of my not so "career" in GE/PD, was just to try my best and beat my PRs, and if by any chance, my times would require a video proof, then I'd just ignore the monthly proof call and let my times get backrolled then never play the level again lol. (Such as 1:20 Crash A, 0:50 P2 A, and some others in MBR I don't remember on top of my head right now)

Why I post this is because maybe Andrew Kent just never cared enough about the game to record his PRs. Doesn't mean he cheated or faked his times in any means, that would be drawing hasty conclusions. By this logic, you guys should also remove me from the PD rankings. And even remove anyone who has 0 video proof.

EDIT:
I stopped being lazy and read the thread, removed stuff from my reply which doesn't matter.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: DYM on February 25, 2018, 01:23:43 am
"it hasn't been proven that he lied."

Dude that's not how it works.

"I won the 2007 Canadian National Championships in Orienteering and almost successfully petitioned for it to become an Olympic sport at the 2012 Games!"

Can you prove I lied, Shadow?

http://www.orienteering.ca/events/canadian-champions/
What Goose is saying the burden of proof is upon you if you make the claim. If I say there is a video of my Pelagic II 1:37 being played on repeat 24/7 to aliens on Mars who are fapping to it, you do not have to prove it is false. I have to prove it is true.

In the same way, the burden of proof is upon Kent for making a claim that he achieved those records. Not us for proving he did NOT get them.

For further information please enroll in the SAHPC. :nesquik:
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on February 25, 2018, 01:26:03 am
said player has no relevant times.

(https://i.imgur.com/GVsBBr9.png)

For a person who NEVER put a single video up as proof of his skill or any of his submitted times, you can't say he didn't care enough about the GAME. He was *LAZY* about recording his times, OR he lied. One or the other, or a mix of both.

These times over 60 points have degraded since he got them, too.

These aren't "witch hunts", which both Ace and Karl have explained VERY reasonably, and to which you may not have read (as you said, you didn't read all the posts, I suggest you do).

I would GLADY bring about a topic like this one for any such cases similar to Andrew Kent if it means ensuring the integrity of the rankings. It's that simple.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Alka Maass on February 25, 2018, 01:39:20 am
it's pretty shocking that Andrew Kent, who had been playing since at least 2001 has not posted a single video at all, not even a crappy webcam video, NOTHING

"Now that all 60+ pointers require proof, I stopped played since I'd need to record most of my gameplay, which I'm too lazy to bother with."

looking back at a time that was backrolled in 2015 because of no video (defection SA 39), no offense but if you were too lazy to just buy a capture card which does not cost much at all (still probably didn't cost much in 2015) then that is just pathetic
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: ERayzz on February 25, 2018, 02:00:22 am
For a person who NEVER put a single video up as proof of his skill or any of his submitted times, you can't say he didn't care enough about the GAME. He was *LAZY* about recording his times, OR he lied. One or the other, or a mix of both.

Well, for the record, I posted a video for my Depot A 0:26 back when I achieved it. It was recorded on a handheld camera, since at that time I knew that if I managed to achieve that time, it would require proof. I removed that video from my Youtube account a few weeks ago though.

Actually, one of the reasons I never acquired any sort of recording hardware is because I never thought I'd ever achieve a proof-worthy PR. But the proof policy got stricter, and obviously for the better, especially since speedrunning gained a lot of popularity.

I would GLADY bring about a topic like this one for any such cases similar to Andrew Kent if it means ensuring the integrity of the rankings. It's that simple.

Please do, consistency would be best for the rankings, even if that means removing most of the older irrelevant players like me that mostly have no vids lol. Look at my timespage, plenty of unproven 60+ pointers :/

As it is, is there any other speedrunning website that allows posting without video proof? Or is it unique to the-elite because it is one of the oldest speedrunning communities online and still handles some of its stuff in an archaic way?

looking back at a time that was backrolled in 2015 because of no video (defection SA 39), no offense but if you were too lazy to just buy a capture card which does not cost much at all (still probably didn't cost much in 2015) then that is just pathetic

Yeah well, I wouldn't say "pathetic", but I see what you mean. It's kinda inconsistent on my part to just post a time, knowing it would require proof without having said proof and then say I didn't care enough to record it. Also, as an excuse, 2015 was back when I was still a poor student. I don't think I could have afford it at that time anyway (yeah I was that poor then lol). Don't know if that makes sense...

I was just crossing my fingers that it wouldn't require proof, since that time meant a lot less since there was a new strat, 39 is very very slow considering I used the glass warp lol. That said, I'm totally fine with having this time backrolled (as well as the others I mentionned earlier).
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: DYM on February 25, 2018, 02:15:31 am
I'll make a script that goes through everyone's times-page and exposes all the corrupt, Andrew-Kenters.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 25, 2018, 03:23:23 am
"it hasn't been proven that he lied."

Dude that's not how it works.

"I won the 2007 Canadian National Championships in Orienteering and almost successfully petitioned for it to become an Olympic sport at the 2012 Games!"

Can you prove I lied, Shadow?

http://www.orienteering.ca/events/canadian-champions/

Yeah, this list is incorrect because I actually won, but a competitor whose father worked for Orienteering Canada faked a urine sample so I was unfairly and corruptly banned.

Can you prove I'm lying?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Reverv on February 25, 2018, 03:52:23 am
"it hasn't been proven that he lied."

Dude that's not how it works.

"I won the 2007 Canadian National Championships in Orienteering and almost successfully petitioned for it to become an Olympic sport at the 2012 Games!"

Can you prove I lied, Shadow?

http://www.orienteering.ca/events/canadian-champions/

Yeah, this list is incorrect because I actually won, but a competitor whose father worked for Orienteering Canada faked a urine sample so I was unfairly and corruptly banned.

Can you prove I'm lying?

I was going to reply to Ace's reply but since you made the same exact argument using the same exact hyperbole, this response works for both:

An ironically famous man considering the context once said "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." Yes, the claims you and Ace made of Aliens looping his runs are extraordinary claims and the burden of proof would have to be equally as extraordinary. But isn't that kind of comparing apples to... lizardmen conspiracies? Or do you think this dude's time claims are equally as extraordinary as your scenarios (serious question)?

I really don't have an opinion on this thing, I'm just here for the dumpster fire, but if we're throwing out ridiculous scenarios, I'll play along. Imagine if 15-20 years from now the capability to be in another person's living room via some advanced VR i. e. some Black Mirror tech exists and that becomes the new norm for proving times. After all, uploading a digital only version of a clip that could so easily be doctored would be so ungodly archaic at that point, in fact even looked at as being entirely unreliable. Would you care if every single one of your times and the times of top people now were wiped out because they couldn't be proven? Does it matter that you followed the proof policies of the time and should thus be grandfathered in, or should you have to re-prove your times?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 25, 2018, 04:35:07 am
Ok fine.

I got all the WRs in Mario Kart 64 in 1999, but never posted them because I was 10 years old and didn't really know how to use the internet very well.  They're no longer the WRs, but I would like them to go up on the rankings and for Mario Kart history to recognize the time I had 32/32 WRs in the game.

Prove I'm lying.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Reverv on February 25, 2018, 04:56:35 am
Ok fine.

I got all the WRs in Mario Kart 64 in 1999, but never posted them because I was 10 years old and didn't really know how to use the internet very well.  They're no longer the WRs, but I would like them to go up on the rankings and for Mario Kart history to recognize the time I had 32/32 WRs in the game.

Prove I'm lying.

Did the governing body on MK64 times have a website in which you actively updated your times as it happened and a policy that didn't require physical evidence at the time of your records, as well as an archive that exists to this day to prove you claimed these times at the time you claimed them? If there was somehow that ridiculously absurd set of circumstances that could magically exist, you might not even need proof if the times you were claiming weren't extraordinary!

But you're right, I can't. Too bad the official website - http://www.mariokart64.com/ - only started cataloguing in 2009, and has required some form of proof - http://beckabney.com/mk64/rules.html - for its entire existence. If only every leaderboard was as well thought out.

Keep throwing out scenarios that slightly but not entirely relate to this one, you're getting closer to a decent argument.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on February 25, 2018, 05:25:35 am
I got 60 times in Goldeneye back in 2002, and kept updating my times page to keep me in the Top 50 just as I was about to fall out of it.  I kept doing this for about 10 years solid... every time I was just about to fall out of the Top 50, I'd play a little bit, get 4-5 PRs which were usually worth around 40 or 50 or 60 points, and post those to stay inside the Top 50.

I also happened to retire at the exact same moment (exact moment btw, in a 10+ year period) when my timespage was locked by proof moderators at their own discretion.  In fact, I don't even know that my timespage is locked because I retired and I haven't tried updating my timespage since then (even though I did it consistently for the 10+ years before that.)  ((and not only that, but I didn't have any contact with the community since about 2005, so when I "moved on" it was just moving on from the game, and not the community, which I had already moved on from years before.)) ((I mean how random is that? Lol happening to retire at the exact same moment my timespage got frozen, without even knowing it's frozen, without ever contacting anyone in the community at all for the 7 or 8 years leading up to this moment.))

Oh also I have no proof of any of this.  It's YOUR job to prove I am lying!!!!
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: DYM on February 25, 2018, 06:04:07 am
How come people are voicing their concerns over the removal of Andrew Kent.. yet when the same thing happened to Austin Perroux just a couple of weeks ago no-one cared. :nesquik:
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: OHMSS on February 25, 2018, 06:59:39 am
Shadow and friends, could you please live out your urge of discussing rigorous application of law principles elsewhere and not bother people with it who just want to get rid of (beyond reasonable doubt) clear bullshit on the rankings?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 25, 2018, 07:21:52 am
"it hasn't been proven that he lied."

Dude that's not how it works.

Goose, that quote you pulled was in direct reply (I even quoted it) to someone who stated "he's obviously lieing I this case, no doubt about it." Then you spun it like I'm saying that it has to be proven that he's lying first. I didn't and am not.

Why didn't you call out Punjabie on his blatant error? Or any of the other obvious errors put forth in this thread? Are misunderstandings and incorrect facts acceptable as long as they support the view you want? I want people to make an informed, rational decision, but sometimes the misconceptions that are met with silence make it seem like mob rule...

As to Alka calling people pathetic? Can you honestly think of no good reason someone would decide spending money on a capture card for a 20 year old game isn't worth it? I too pretty much stopped improving my times because I couldn't justify spending more time and money when the proof policy changed. That doesn't mean the policy is bad, but less activity from certain people is a side effect that was deemed acceptable when it was instated.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 25, 2018, 08:13:55 am
Shadow and friends, could you please live out your urge of discussing rigorous application of law principles elsewhere and not bother people with it who just want to get rid of (beyond reasonable doubt) clear bullshit on the rankings?

Just trying to remind folks of the null hypothesis, Gregor.  :kappa:
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Reverv on February 25, 2018, 03:18:29 pm
I got 60 times in Goldeneye back in 2002, and kept updating my times page to keep me in the Top 50 just as I was about to fall out of it.  I kept doing this for about 10 years solid... every time I was just about to fall out of the Top 50, I'd play a little bit, get 4-5 PRs which were usually worth around 40 or 50 or 60 points, and post those to stay inside the Top 50.

I also happened to retire at the exact same moment (exact moment btw, in a 10+ year period) when my timespage was locked by proof moderators at their own discretion.  In fact, I don't even know that my timespage is locked because I retired and I haven't tried updating my timespage since then (even though I did it consistently for the 10+ years before that.)  ((and not only that, but I didn't have any contact with the community since about 2005, so when I "moved on" it was just moving on from the game, and not the community, which I had already moved on from years before.)) ((I mean how random is that? Lol happening to retire at the exact same moment my timespage got frozen, without even knowing it's frozen, without ever contacting anyone in the community at all for the 7 or 8 years leading up to this moment.))

Oh also I have no proof of any of this.  It's YOUR job to prove I am lying!!!!

Sounds to me like the person in this scenario did literally everything by the books and within the confines of the rules. If you ask me, there should have been a comity in charge of proof at the time of the times submissions, and maybe some policy of proof to dictate what needs to be proven and how. Remember Goose, double jeopardy exists in Canada as well! So your choices are to:

A) Leave up this person's times because everything he did was allowed and "verified" at the time, setting a bad precedent for stopping cheaters
B) Single them out because of circumstances he isn't available to defend and, you know, double jeopardy, setting a bad precedent for anyone who wants to participate going forward
C) Remove all times without videos across the board, and being logical.

Also good job ignoring literally every one of my questions, opinions, and hypotheticals to keep trying to be louder. Great discussions.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Slugg Christ on February 25, 2018, 03:42:39 pm
C) Remove all times without videos across the board, and being logical.
Removing the history which is part of what makes the elite such a unique community is not the logical step. There's a clear difference between an unproven Sterling time from 2000 & Kent's behavior, and the idea that both should be removed entirely is nonsensical. Obviously there is no perfect way to deal with these situations, but dealing with them on a case by case basis is the most fair answer to past, present, and future competitors.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Reverv on February 25, 2018, 03:58:54 pm
C) Remove all times without videos across the board, and being logical.
Removing the history which is part of what makes the elite such a unique community is not the logical step. There's a clear difference between an unproven Sterling time from 2000 & Kent's behavior, and the idea that both should be removed entirely is nonsensical. Obviously there is no perfect way to deal with these situations, but dealing with them on a case by case basis is the most fair answer to past, present, and future competitors.

You're right, I worded that weirdly. I should have stuck with the theme and said

C) Remove all times without videos across the board, and set a bad precedent.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Icy on February 25, 2018, 04:20:22 pm
Grandfathering rule, etc. Times back in the stone age with no videos, and webcam/poor quality videos in the "middle era" are fine and understandable. Likewise with cases like Taka and Chuya nuking their Youtubes who once had proven all of their times, or players who passed the proof calling back in the day, such as Glen Stevens.

However, Andrew Kent is an exceptional to the rule because of having never proven anything ever, far enough into time where videos were required, and I think with the evidence presented, his times should be removed. His past cheating and lying doesn't help his case.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Shadow on February 25, 2018, 04:29:01 pm
Very rational and well said, Icy.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: AZ on February 25, 2018, 06:31:18 pm
[...]or players who passed the proof calling back in the day, such as Glen Stevens.

His highly scored unproven times were never proof called. It's hard to look at the Statue rankings today without feeling disgust. Actually, it's hard to look at many level leaderboards (Aztec SA/00A, Dam SA/00A, Control SA/00A, Egypt A/SA/00A, Surface 1 00A, Silo 00A, Bunker 2 SA/00A, Jungle 00A) since the first player without a video often turns out to be Glen "No video available" Stevens.

Considering the extremely poor proof status for a former "Top 7 player" (he did only provide proof for 2/20 00A PRs etc), it's deeply appaling how for instance Statue 00A 2:19 (a 90-pointer in 2018) is still up after all these years without a video.

As for Andrew Kent, the outcome doesn't really matter, but can someone come up with a good reason why we shouldn't remove Keefer from the PD ranks as well? He's ranked higher and hasn't any videos either.

I'll make a script that goes through everyone's times-page and exposes all the corrupt, Andrew-Kenters.

You might as well start here (https://rankings.the-elite.net/~SupaOdin/goldeneye) - The Andrew Kent of (former) Top Players and an absolute disgrace to all the other, hard working players ranked inside the Goldeneye Top 50.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: vitorr on February 25, 2018, 07:29:32 pm
On the subject: https://rankings.the-elite.net/~Denis+Akel/goldeneye

Brazilian dude from dinosaurs era. I don't know how many of you about our history, but we used to have our own Brazilian rankings (which was pretty much like old rankings site), and many of us were in the main rankings too of course. But at some point we found out that Denis was lying about many of his times, e.g he'd fail a Chicago 16 and claim he completed it, AND he admitted it himself too. I don't remember correctly but I'm 99% sure we banned him. Some other dudes met him once in 2007 or so (not me) but there was no PD/GE in that meeting so we have never seen ANY kinda of proof or even casual gameplay from him. Talked to Nari and Napa about it and they confirmed the fake claims and that he admitted that he lied about many of his pd times (my memory isn't that good so double checked :P)

Sorry to bring this up here but didn't want to create another topic or whatever. I just remembered that we had this issue with Denis (and it was kinda shocking to see that he's top 100 in time ranks, didn't know about that).

EDIT: talked to Victor Lima (n64hs administrator after Nick harvey, former brazilian eliter too) and he also confirmed. Said something like: "He never really sent any proof even though we constantly asked him. One day he got full of us and admitted he lied about his times. He disappeared after that."

And on the Andrew Kent subject, but I'm 100% with removing him for all the reasons you guys already have said.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Lima on February 25, 2018, 08:52:28 pm

... Remember Goose, double jeopardy exists in Canada as well! ...

... B) Single them out because of circumstances he isn't available to defend and, you know, double jeopardy, setting a bad precedent for anyone who wants to participate going forward ...


You really should look up the definition of what "double jeopardy" is before using it twice to support your arguments... because it really makes your statements nonsensical...
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Saint Shang on February 25, 2018, 10:53:21 pm
Ill add my 2 cents...when I got Aztec 00 1:53 back in June 2006 it was worth 97 points. Brandon said he'd like to see a video of it, either cos it was a good time or I was a low ranked player claiming big points on a hard level.
I saw this as a kind of proof call, so I promptly provided it. Glen Stevens was also playing Aztec around the same time, he tried to stream some runs to me on Aim or whatever it was back then. I saw it was Aztec he was playing... but the connection was dog turd. I recall him saying he had some failed agent runs that were like 1:33 and the like. So I'm seeing frozen images pop up and Glen periodically saying he got a failed time etc. I was suspicious because I was thinking he was getting so many glass openings in such a small time frame.

Not too long after my 1:53 he posted aztec 00 1:52. No proof was given, and it stayed up. Claiming me as a witness is not proof I will add. When he went on his rise up the ranks and got 00 1:44 or 1:45 i think, again no proof, so got his times backrolled....to 1:52.

They aren't worth 97 points now, so why the drama? Well as has been mentioned before, people put hours into the game and with proof can take pride in their times being ranked and viewed by others. When a time is accepted on the ranks that wasn't proved, it just opens a can of worms. Is it a genuine time? Did they put the hours in or simply claim it and hope it passes security? Would they argue their case if it was removed, or are others willing to step in and vouch for them?

So 24/60 have vids and some would argue that this covers the other 36 that dont have proof because he clearly was skilled and it wasnt a stretch of the imagination that he was capable of getting those times.

By that reasoning, it's like saying Ace can retire already because it's obvious that if he wanted to, he could get every WR. He doesn't need to prove it, he's already shown his skill, talent and proof before.

If some guy just popped up on the ranks, had the same exact times as Glen, with the same 24/60 proof, would his unproven times be removed and back rolled? What if he put his pr's in such a way that he still was able to claim points? Or would they be n/a until some proof on those levels was given? What reason is given when new player asks why Glens times aren't backrolled? (I'm simply using Glen as he's been mentioned )

If vids of someone's times no longer exist but did at one time, then it's gotta be reflected on the ranks I feel. When I look and see a high point time with no vid, I'm wondering why no vid? Is this a Dino or special case?

The one thing that gets under most people's skin imo is, times worth points that dont have vids. Of course the top tier ones stand out like a sore thumb. I bet up and down the rankings there are those who just to beat a rival, will post a time that nudges them above them without calling too much, if any attention to themselves. Yet no vid, maybe a comment like...going for better.

As for the rankings, what would they look like if all the times worth points without vids were removed? I'm talking even 1 point times also.
If the dinos and special cases (those who had proof, was checked yet no vid exists now) were to have some asterix next to their name on the ranks it would ease the tempers some what I feel.

If it were possible to have a fully proofed ranks link that people could click just to get that pure proof pizaz, every name and time in it's proper place based on vid proof. Yet the problem maybe deciding whether an ancient vid with grainy quality or webcam should be given a pass simply because its proof, even though its not viewer friendly?

You could have the ranks as follows;
Ranks as they are now...with some symbol next to Dinos and special cases.
Ranks with proof only...Rutzou vision enabled
Ranks with proof only...proof policy vid quality enabled.



Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Slugg Christ on February 25, 2018, 11:11:08 pm

As for the rankings, what would they look like if all the times worth points without vids were removed? I'm talking even 1 point times also.
If the dinos and special cases (those who had proof, was checked yet no vid exists now) were to have some asterix next to their name on the ranks it would ease the tempers some what I feel.

If it were possible to have a fully proofed ranks link that people could click just to get that pure proof pizaz, every name and time in it's proper place based on vid proof. Yet the problem maybe deciding whether an ancient vid with grainy quality or webcam should be given a pass simply because its proof, even though its not viewer friendly?

You could have the ranks as follows;
Ranks as they are now...with some symbol next to Dinos and special cases.
Ranks with proof only...Rutzou vision enabled
Ranks with proof only...proof policy vid quality enabled.
Thing is that we can't just disregard the early players because they may  not play anymore. People like Sterling created a lot of the strats that we use today, and devaluing their times simply because capturing amd sharing gameplay was much more difficult 20 years ago would be blatantly disrespectful to the very people who built this community & the people who value the historical integrity of the rankings.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Funky_Buddha on February 26, 2018, 02:07:48 am
As for Andrew Kent, the outcome doesn't really matter, but can someone come up with a good reason why we shouldn't remove Keefer from the PD ranks as well? He's ranked higher and hasn't any videos either.

I'll make a script that goes through everyone's times-page and exposes all the corrupt, Andrew-Kenters.

You might as well start here (https://rankings.the-elite.net/~SupaOdin/goldeneye) - The Andrew Kent of (former) Top Players and an absolute disgrace to all the other, hard working players ranked inside the Goldeneye Top 50.

Definitely not a good reason, because there are no good reasons without actual proof, but I'd vote no to a Keefer removal. I was in a rivalry with him, we chatted a lot, nice guy, he seemed legit. Then again, as someone with a similarly "disgraceful" proof record to Glen Stevens I should probably steer clear of this convo  :kappa:
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: falzy211 on February 26, 2018, 04:22:14 am
There is something called the "burden of proof". It says in an argument the person making the claim has the burden to prove it. Once they give evidence, the burden of proof passes onto the other side who have the burden to disprove the evidence.
The burden of proof is clearly on Andrew Kent as he's never proven his times. IF HE HAD VIDEO the burden would be on the elite to find something wrong with it.
Clearly they should delete the times Despite being made under old rules it's not like when an account has grainy video. There the burden of proof is on you. But here it's still on him


My gripe is sort how this has become him as a person an "old boy" etc.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Icy on February 26, 2018, 07:54:34 am
Only remove Kent, don't nuke the whole rankings from the early days, please and thank you.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: vitorr on February 26, 2018, 09:52:01 am
I don't know if it was directed to me, but I'm exposing Denis' case here because it looks very similar to Andrew Kent's one, if not worse. In fact he was banned from a known GE/PD community, admitted lying, never provided any video proof and disappeared after we proof called him. He's not the regular "old player with unproven times" (like Keefer may be like, I think). And he's currently top 100 in GE time rankings. Of course it's up to you (aka the council) to decide on this. But IMO, it's wrong and dumb to ignore this (and other cases too) just because we're discussing the situation of one specific player. And at the same time is obviously wrong to just proof call everyone from early 2000s as the rankings, access to capture technology and even the community itself were different back then.


Then again, as someone with a similarly "disgraceful" proof record to Glen Stevens I should probably steer clear of this convo  :kappa:
well I better stay out too :kappa:
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Icy on February 26, 2018, 10:39:54 am
The issue with that is it's easy to target and remove someone who isn't able to defend themselves anymore. I'm not saying you're lying, but someone else could just as easily say "I remember player X saying he totally cheated, let's remove him too". Andrew Kent has been well-known for never proving anything, PRing on complex levels 1s at a time repeatedly, staying just within top 50 for years, and ignored everyone telling him to provide proper proof while he was active.

Proof standards change over time, and only in exceptional cases should grandfathered times be removed (such as Expert's War 0:54). I'd personally like to keep all my PRs going into the 2020s when the proof policy then requires controller inputs, streamed PRs, webcam, TV cam, 4K quality, 120FPS, etc.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: AZ on February 26, 2018, 11:29:49 am
Yeah Shane, Aztec 00A 1:52 was a 97-pointer when set, but was never proven. It appears some individuals are above the law here in the-elite...despite them trolling the ranks with Aztec 00A 1:45, climbing like 25 ranks in less than a week, behaving like a compulsive liar and creating a fake account with Archives 16 etc. Sketchy for sure.

I am not doubting his skill either, but video proof of the majority of his claimed PRs were never submitted. Simple as that. Looking back at old proof calls, you'll notice that Statue 00A 219 and Aztec 00A 1:52 (both 97-pointers) were never even proof called in the first place (a huge oversight), and this is partly because you could update your own times page on geocities back in the day and hope that the guy who ran the updates (octo/YE) and/or the community at large didn't notice you posting times on the rankings without sharing a video.

Funky Buddha, you were never a highly ranked Top 10 GE player like Stevens (you always had your share of 0 pointers - like Control for instance - but provided proof for more or less all your strong PRs), and especially not in the 2006-09 era where everyone but the players that were "above the law" i.e. Glen Stevens were proof called, so I wouldn't call your proof record disgraceful but pretty average.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: dugg on May 18, 2018, 04:43:14 am
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've brought this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?

I might be confused on how frozen pages work here but his LTK times are still on the leaderboards. 99 points iirc
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: deletedprofile.u on May 20, 2018, 05:14:56 am
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've brought this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?

I might be confused on how frozen pages work here but his LTK times are still on the leaderboards. 99 points iirc

Fixed. Thank you!!!
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: dugg on May 21, 2018, 05:04:29 pm
While we're on the subject of dubious players https://rankings.the-elite.net/~HowlingLoneWolf/goldeneye

I've brought this up loads of times and people just say "oh yeah that's the guy who posted tons of fake times"

And yet, the account remains ranked. Why?

I might be confused on how frozen pages work here but his LTK times are still on the leaderboards. 99 points iirc

Fixed. Thank you!!!

*EDIT*
Mark Briggs' LTK page is mostly fake news.  For the sake of being brief and avoiding lengthy edits I am summing it up by saying his times and videos don't match.
If a proof moderator requires me to elaborate then I can.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: AZ on May 21, 2018, 05:38:58 pm
Mark submitted a lot of LTK times on the ranks but with video links to his former PRs rather than to the actual (claimed) PRs. The reason? He probably never recorded the claimed current PRs and thought it a good idea to have some sort of proof by linking to former PR videos. On his Timespage, Player's comments would probably be better suited than video icons.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: mw on May 21, 2018, 05:44:35 pm
Thank you so much for finding this sort of stuff dugg. I'll be messaging Flicker about it but I don't feel comfortable changing/removing the times at my own discretion, especially given how old these times apparently are. Plenty of super old players don't have any videos at all, particularly in PD, and we aren't going to remove those guys any time soon. I don't know much about Mark though.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: dugg on May 21, 2018, 06:12:59 pm
I don't feel comfortable changing/removing the times at my own discretion, especially given how old these times apparently are.

Rightfully so too.  After reading what Ax had to say I now feel like a dumbass.  lol sorry fellas
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Bert86 on May 28, 2018, 09:46:47 am
I have some evidence that Andrew Kent is a liar who faked times. On the old N64HS page there is a ranking for 1080 snowboarding, on Crystal lake he claimed a time of 1'02"64 which is an impossible time, you can only have a 1'02"60, a '66 or '63 because of the way the times are incremented in the game. I know this is not Goldeneye, but it is evidence against his credibility

Here is a list of the ranking page from 2007 http://n64hs.speedrunwiki.com/1080.html

Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on May 28, 2018, 03:55:53 pm
Dude, the timing of this information is incredible.  Thank you!

So presumably Justin Nazaroff's claim of 1;02'64 is also a fake?
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Bert86 on May 28, 2018, 04:12:13 pm
Absolutely, it's a time not possible in any version of the game.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Retrix on August 30, 2018, 03:19:26 am
Bert, that may not be true.
If you look at records by FHR, MrYu, and Ron Klijn, all top, proven players (took Ron 15 years but he did prove it!), the increments for 1080 are a bit more advanced. Ron Klijn already explained this, but I want this clarified here too.

You had me convinced at first though! Nice attention to detail.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: poonjahbee on August 30, 2018, 06:27:10 am
I was actually thinking of making a topic in the PD thread about this but I guess I'll just post it here in the meantime; but isn't it time we removed Henning from the PD ranks as well. I'm kinda not liking how we treat PD as some kind of sub division to GE nor do I like how its seems to be a thing to relegate proven lairs or cheaters to the PD rankings and or PD ltk rankings. If they are to be banished from the Goldeneye rankings forever then the same thing should apply to the Perfect Dark rankings no exceptions. Goldeneye may be the much more popular game but doesn't mean the integrity of the Perfect Dark ranks needs to take a stiff second place to the integrity of the Goldeneye ranks. Just saying come on people....
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Wuldntuliktono on August 30, 2018, 07:52:02 am
Faking a time on PD with the timer on in the left corner while not impossible would be quite the undertaking. With GE you just need one splice, with PD you have to make a splice every frame and the end screen. Its been brought up before to ban henning from PD but it was decided against. Plus he actually submitted some new times after he was banned on GE.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Bert86 on August 30, 2018, 11:10:37 am
Bert, that may not be true.
If you look at records by FHR, MrYu, and Ron Klijn, all top, proven players (took Ron 15 years but he did prove it!), the increments for 1080 are a bit more advanced. Ron Klijn already explained this, but I want this clarified here too.

You had me convinced at first though! Nice attention to detail.

I'm not sure who FHR is but Yu and Ron Klijn have both been able to provide videos of their runs and none of the times they have claimed have been impossible to achieve with the in game timer. I am very confident about what times are possible in the game and a 1'02"64 is not one of those times, unless there is something you know about the game that we do not?

It would be great if you could join the 1080 discord so we can discuss it more.  https://discord.gg/bRNCZMu
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: mw on August 30, 2018, 12:08:11 pm
@Punjab,

When I became proof moderator for Perfect Dark, one of the first things I decided to do was inform myself about Henning’s continued presence on the PD ranks, and if I felt he no longer deserved to Ben on there, I planned to make a thread asking for the community’s thoughts.

 To start, I asked a few of who I considered as the most level-headed prominent PD players that I had already regularly conversed with, namely Boss and Icy. To my surprise, neither seemed outright supportive of removing Henning. I then looked through a few of the threads from the time, which I’d be willing to dig up for you later, where people such as Ace, Karl, and Axel (who I believe was PD proof mod at the time) gave their support for Henning remaining on PD.

After reading the arguments from the time, I became inclined to agree that Henning should remain on the PD ranks as it stands. If anything, I sincerely believe that every time on his page (or at least every one with a video) is real, and I have viewed them all. I also believe in a way that because GE and PD are different games with different moderators, removal from one game should not necessarily constitute removal from the other.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: SimThreat on August 30, 2018, 12:17:46 pm
Henning being on the PD ranks is an injustice. Whomever made the decision at the time made the incorrect choice and allowed him to remain.

Removing him now though would be an even bigger injustice because Henning has since put time into the game, and he shouldnt have to pay for someone elses mistake and have that time be for nothing.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: RWG on August 30, 2018, 12:21:34 pm
The incompetence of Ngamer and Comeasur (who has deleted his entire being from the internet, he's gotten so BTFO finally), will forever be a stain on the-elite rankings.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Watertemplefiend on August 30, 2018, 02:00:35 pm
Gonna say the same thing that I send in the SZ thread: if there is proof then no worries. However, if people want to see proof then there is nothing wrong with that, especially with a player that has a long history with posting times. I can understand the argument that he may not want to be very visible in the public eye, however, if it is a requirement for alot of newer players to prove there times and there is a old boy with never proven time it Surely diminishes the achievement of newer players. The boards maintained here are the best in the speedrunning community and we all have a part to play in ensuring they are kept to the highest quality.

As the boards grow, more players run and the availability of capture devices become easily available requiring proof should be a no brainer. Personally I think times above 10 points should be captured, any above 60 need to be verified. Imo though!

Just because "knowledge" at one point in time was seen to be gospel, does not mean in the future it will still be true. If that was the case then the earth is flat and I got Dam 51 years ago... trust me.

Sorry for the ramble but there need to be consistency with our record keeping, and adjustments need to be made over time. Much love <3<3
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: poonjahbee on August 30, 2018, 03:00:45 pm
Ya upon further review of the facts I guess I have no problems with henning remaining on the pd ranks. If all his pd times are legit then so be it. Like karl said it would be an injustice to remove him now anyway.
Title: Re: Is it finally time to REMOVE Andrew Kent from the Elite Rankings?
Post by: Retrix on August 31, 2018, 09:39:31 am
In light of recent data, Kent lied. Also what I posted above was based on incomplete data.
Holding out on SZ til I'm convinced.