Unknown user clicking through entire cove(s) regularly

daisycat • 29 October 2023 at 1:25 PM

I feel that nothing could be done about this, but...

Someone (doubt it's multiple players) is clicking through my entire cove and my side account's cove for a bit now. For this account, it's just odd and off-putting (they aren't feeding, just clicking the whole cove). For my side account, I entirely don't want that because I don't want those creatures clicked. Even said in a note on my profile to just change the URL from "click" to "egg" if you really want to look at a creature's profile for whatever reason. While I can understand someone clicking on one creature, what's the deal with clicking through the entire cove and sometimes nearly the entire cove? And same thing on this account? For this one, are you trying to [yeep] me off, or, are you looking at my creatures' profiles daily to see if there is anything new? Because what's the point. You, personally, do not gain anything from clicks... For my side account, where I don't want clicks, I can only assume you're trying to be a jerk. It doesn't seem like they have done it today for this account, but looks to be so on my side account and not the first time for my side, either.

I would like to block whoever this person is. It must be the same person each time. It's happening quite regularly; why would someone else be doing this, too. Clicking a few here and there could be multiple players and that's fine, but this seems like one person doing it frequently. I also know @/snowywinter has dealt with this, as well. And I feel like I saw @/valorieviolet talk about it once before with an account she also does not want clicks on where someone clicked through the entire cove. It's just bizarre and creepy.

@ian
Is there anything that can be done about this? Are you able to find out who the user is and add them to my block list, please? ;n;

minnie298a • 30 October 2023 at 8:38 AM

@daisycat
Firstly I have no idea other than to say....

Because I saw this, I decided to feed my cove. In doing so I noticed my numbers seemed a little skewed. Most creatures had at least one more view than the other stats. So it might be 3 views, 2 clicks, 1 feed (after I had feed). Some where 4 views, 2 clicks, 1 feed. This was for "normal" creatures. I'd expect something odd for XC creatures, my featured and the 8 views on the Ghoubab I found earlier today (put that down to lookie loos through the dead/new creature page). I also wouldn't be weirded out by extra view stats on my UFT or other cove lists, but this included my immortal dudes just chilling.

This was all at like 8am, so star stats haven't kicked in yet for the day.

So as a side question, how can I gain views without clicks? Or does it not count clicks if you navigate with the next arrow? Or opening with something like Snaplinks or LinkClump?

Orderedchaos • 30 October 2023 at 2:35 PM

@minnie298a
Any time someone views your creature's image it gains a view. You do not need to click on a creature to give a view, simply visiting someone's profile will give every single one of their creatures a view. If you put a creature in a forum signature on a different site it will gain views every time someone views your forum signature. It is incredibly easy for a creature to have hundreds, or even thousands, more views than it does clicks or feeds.

@daisycat
I'm sorry that this is distressing you but unfortunately there isn't a whole lot we can do, especially if its not someone logged in and feeding. I'm not sure where I would even begin to track down the information about random clicks. I can let Ian know about this but again, I'm not sure how much good it would do or if he would even be able to find out an actionable information.

daisycat • 30 October 2023 at 6:59 PM

@Orderedchaos
Thank you for the reply, OC! 😊 I actually completely forgot about someone clicking who is not even logged in, so thank you for mentioning that. And without getting into detail, it very well may be someone who is not logged in or doesn't have an account. Rrrrr. Just going to try and brush it off. If it's happening to multiple players, I do feel less paranoid that it's "specific" to me, but still creeeepy.

Edit to add:
@minnie298a
As OC said, views don't require clicking. Just to reiterate if anyone else is wondering: If you open a page with someone's entire cove visible (the "All" cove list), they have all been "viewed" whether you literally scrolled through and looked at them or not. A view is the easiest stat to obtain, a click requires more work, and a feed is the most work as it require two clicks. Clicks do count when you navigate with the arrows (the link on the arrows has "click" in it). Opening links with Snaplinks or LinkClump will also count as a click, since the link has "click" in it. One click that does not count is when you click on a creature in the Trades Center, since its URL has "egg" in it.

minnie298a • 30 October 2023 at 7:43 PM

@Orderedchaos
Thank you for so clearly explaining that. I knew you could get stats off site (which none of my creatures should be), and that featured creatures gained more views from places like the forum, but the general mechanics of the views vs clicks had been a little confusing.

It all makes sense now.

valorieviolet • 30 October 2023 at 11:00 PM

I did mention somewhere that someone had clicked through all the creatures on my side without feeding them. I've even had a different instance where a creature evolved because someone (not me) clicked it, even though I have it plastered not to click on anything. I don't advertise what that account is named, and I don't log in often to check on things, but I was baffled when I got that notification that something evolved from a click!

I'm sorry someone is clicking through your coves daily ): I personally think they want to evolve your creatures, simply because they can! Maybe it's Lulu getting revenge 👀

daisycat • 30 October 2023 at 11:31 PM

@valorieviolet
What! One of your creatures evolved from that?! My goodness, I am so sorry. :/ There's some weirdo on here, for sure...

Lulu getting revenge. 😂 For what, me questioning how could they "always" get me mixed up with Twinkle when they just. started. playing. XD

minnie298a • 30 October 2023 at 11:46 PM

@valorieviolet @daisycat

I can see a view creature evolving by accident. From the above explanation, you would give the view stat to a creature before seeing the warning on a profile not to feed or click. The person doing it may not know. I didn't know views were generated so easily. Click on a profile to send a pm or write on the wall about a trade and BAM, the damage is done.

However a feed or click creature is slightly more personal with deliberate actions.

valorieviolet • 30 October 2023 at 11:48 PM

They did! Though to be fair, that creature was already so super close to evolving when I transferred it to my side, so they got lucky if they were trying to purposely evolve something. It could have also just been an accident, maybe they were trying to see what creature was next to theirs in the creature ID # and it just so happened to be mine! We really can't know ☹️

It's unfortunate that we can't get a daily clicking tracker like the new feed tracker, but I understand that something like that is much harder or nearly impossible to actually keep track of.

But I wouldn't put it past her xD

@minnie298a
I would definitely be more understanding if something evolved with a view, since it's harder to avoid viewing people creatures. It's whatever to me now, but at the time, I was kinda salty about it 😋

daisycat • 30 October 2023 at 11:48 PM

@minnie298a
Definitely right, I've had creatures on my side evolve from views, which is nearly unavoidable. So that is fine. But yes, the deliberate clicking is so strange! >_<

Edit to add:
@valorieviolet
"next to theirs in the creature ID #" Very good point!