The Official Authors' Hangout Halloween 2022 Contest Support Thread

[RejectReality]

I agree heartily, but I would really like to find out how they determine what a fraudulent 5 is. They must be saving meta-data for each vote cast, but if they were doing that, a fraudulent 5 should never make it to start with, not unless the story really sucks that bad to begin with, then it would make its presence known just like a 1-bomb

The means necessary to prevent multiple votes ( beyond the simple barriers already in place ) from happening in the first place starts pushing the cost/benefit equation with regards to user experience. You could weed out more malicious votes at the source, but it starts causing slowdown/frustration for regular users and increasing costs for the site — to little avail. Once you're into the territory of people who can figure out how to defeat the basic controls in place, there's a level of determination there that creates an escalating arms race of barriers and exploits. The defender has to be right every time, while the attacker only has to get it right once.

So you stop the casuals, then let the more determined folks think they succeeded, only to remove their votes after the fact. Barriers by their very nature alert bad actors that their tactic isn't working. They don't get that instant, undeniable feedback with the after-the-fact sweeps.

 

[Duleigh]

Once you're into the territory of people who can figure out how to defeat the basic controls in place, there's a level of determination there that creates an escalating arms race of barriers and exploits. The defender has to be right every time, while the attacker only has to get it right once.

I understand the logic behind the attack/block tussle. I was SAC for over a decade, we just needed to get one bomb on target. But being a geek (and a nerd) I'm just wondering about the mechanics. 1-bombs can be very simple, you see 30 shots inside the ten ring and 2 shots out by #1, you can tell the shooter in the next lane over was aiming at the wrong target. Do Fraud Fives get found the same way? To me, Metadata from each ballot would be the best way, but that's a lot of work on Laurel and Manu's part.

 

[HBuff]

Sweep! Sweep! There was quite a change in my stories' ratings.

 

[RejectReality]

I understand the logic behind the attack/block tussle. I was SAC for over a decade, we just needed to get one bomb on target. But being a geek (and a nerd) I'm just wondering about the mechanics. 1-bombs can be very simple, you see 30 shots inside the ten ring and 2 shots out by #1, you can tell the shooter in the next lane over was aiming at the wrong target. Do Fraud Fives get found the same way? To me, Metadata from each ballot would be the best way, but that's a lot of work on Laurel and Manu's part.

The only thing openly confirmed is that multiple votes from the same IP/ID are removed, so they are saving that with each vote. Date also has to be saved, because it's required for the monthly contests. Beyond that is anyone's guess.

 

[DarkRaven13]

It is whenever Laurel gets around to it.

Where is the winner notice posted? Here? Or is a separate posting done for all of Lit to see somewhere else?

 

[TxRad]

It is done on the contest page and then someone will copy and paste over here.

 

[DarkRaven13]

It is done on the contest page and then someone will copy and paste over here.

Thank you

 

[ElectricBlue]

I understand the logic behind the attack/block tussle. I was SAC for over a decade, we just needed to get one bomb on target. But being a geek (and a nerd) I'm just wondering about the mechanics. 1-bombs can be very simple, you see 30 shots inside the ten ring and 2 shots out by #1, you can tell the shooter in the next lane over was aiming at the wrong target. Do Fraud Fives get found the same way? To me, Metadata from each ballot would be the best way, but that's a lot of work on Laurel and Manu's part.

Don't speculate. With a bit of thought, and a close read of various bits of information over the years, I think many of us have probably figured out how the sweeps work, but please, don't talk about it. Just be satisfied that the effect is consistent across the board, and whatever the parameters are, we all get hit the same way, regardless whether or not you have a story in a contest.

 

[Duleigh]

Don't speculate. With a bit of thought, and a close read of various bits of information over the years, I think many of us have probably figured out how the sweeps work, but please, don't talk about it. Just be satisfied that the effect is consistent across the board, and whatever the parameters are, we all get hit the same way, regardless whether or not you have a story in a contest.

I only talk about it because I used to work fraud prevention for a couple of high-tech companies. We're not stealing HBO here, but these stories are products of our own imagination and our hearts and I'm sure I'm not alone in wondering how our work is being protected. From my point of view it appears that Manu is doing a great job which makes me happy.

So to make you happy I won't talk about it... but I'm not superstitious. It's bad luck to be superstitious.

 

[Kethandra]

Oooh! A more substantial sweep rolled through after a couple tentative little sweeplets this morning.

 

[NotWise]

Congratulations Winners and all who participated!

First Place ($150 Cash Prize Winner):
A Halloween Romance
by MrEmotional

Second Place ($100 Cash Prize Winner):
Zedecker's Secret
by careythomas

Third Place ($75 Cash Prize Winner):
Hunter's Moon
by PrincessArianrhod


We even have a separate winning audio!

First Place ($150 Cash Prize Winner):
Camp Silverlake
by emmafielder

 

[Kethandra]

Congratulations Winners and all who participated!

First Place ($150 Cash Prize Winner):
A Halloween Romance
by MrEmotional

Second Place ($100 Cash Prize Winner):
Zedecker's Secret
by careythomas

Third Place ($75 Cash Prize Winner):
Hunter's Moon
by PrincessArianrhod


We even have a separate winning audio!

First Place ($150 Cash Prize Winner):
Camp Silverlake
by emmafielder

Congrats to all the winners!

 

[Trionyx]

I don’t see Camp Silverlake on the list of stories. Is there someplace else we need to check for audiostories?
Congrats to the winners. They deserve it.

 

[NotWise]

I don’t see Camp Silverlake on the list of stories. Is there someplace else we need to check for audiostories?
Congrats to the winners. They deserve it.

It's on the audio hub with a blue W and a score of 4.94.

 

[oggbashan]

Congratulations to the winners.

The last sweep pushed one story up by .03, but the second didn't quite regain the H it had had before the 1 bombers struck in their dozens.

 

[TxRad]

Congrats one and all.

Now on to the next one.

 

[DarkRaven13]

Yeahhhhhh!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS @MrEmotional and @careythomas and @PrincessArianrhod and @emmafielder & @lunarhiccups

Well done and great stories.

Also, I think everyone did well...the submitters and the voters and the readers and Lit for hosting the contest.

 

[DarkRaven13]

Oops....that gif was kind of huge. But then again, they do deserve a HUGE congrats right?

 

[CiaoSteve]

Well done to the winners. I got really close this time and chuffed with my 4.88 off 25 votes. On to the next.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Congratulations to the winners, MrEmotional, careythomas, and PrincessArianrhod in the writing world and to emmafielder auditory realm.

 

[KeithD]

Congrats to the placers and cheers to all who entered.

 

[PrincessArianrhod]

Heartfelt thanks from me to everyone who liked Hunter's Moon. I don't have many stories on Lit thus far and I'm both flattered and surprised at getting 3rd place. There are some fine writers in this community which makes this all the more gratifying.

I'm absolutely stoked.

 

[lovecraft68]

Congrats to the winners!

 

[Kethandra]

Well done to the winners. I got really close this time and chuffed with my 4.88 off 25 votes. On to the next.

Yeah, the final sweep moved my 200+ votes up to 4.87 from 4.79. I’m glad to know I wasn’t fourth place, at least. Still, my vote/read ratio was really high this time - usually it’s at about 1%, this one was almost 2%.

 

[Emotional]

Thank you all.

I am very humbled.

The downside is I cant publish this killer Christmas story I wrote.