It still happens from time to time.
Just two days ago, I saw a "low rated" comment.

However: when I returned to that same thread (about five minutes later) the "low rated" marking was gone again.

I also had some of my own comments "low rated", after the "minus" - button was removed.

So - yeah: it still happens.

In regard to the OP:
I'd like to know where all his "low rated" comments are?
I haven't seen any of them.
Matter of fact: I don't think, I've seen any commant made by the OP, other than in this thread.
Which - of course - doesn't mean much. Maybe he posts only in threads, that I don't visit...shrug

Hey, thanks for the tip. But the quote tags seem to refer to particular posts. Is there any generic quote tag that doesn't actually quote anyone?


I agree, completely removing the reputation system would be the best approach. Considering GOG's pace, though, this might take ages, so I thought about an emergency fix to eliminate the downvoting issue quickly (as indicated in the original post). While not ideal, this would at least allow targeted users to recover their first-class-citizen status (that is, we'd be able to post links and use other functionalities, if any, that require a certain amount of reputation points).


Like Ancient-Red-Dragon said a few posts ago, GOG simply masked the whole reputation system, and this includes hiding the "low rated" text (apparently for anything posted after the date that downvoting was "officially" disabled). But there seems to be a glitch that allows you to see it occasionally. I also saw it in one post the other day, and, like you said, it disappeared not too long after. I don't think that post was upvoted. Instead, the hiding scheme most likely kicked in and removed the text. I bet you'd be able to see the "low rated" text in any of my posts if GOG wasn't hiding it.

It is probably difficult to remember these because the posts and wishlist comments are split over several accounts.

Generic quote:

Start by having the word QUOTE between "[" and "]" then typing your text (including links), then by putting this /QUOTE between "[" and "]" at the end.

ADDED: I'll show using the above:

Alright, let's see if it works: It seems to be working fine, thanks. This trick is far from ideal, of course, but can be useful.

It's not a security breach, it's just poor coding practices. Like removing a doorbell but keeping the wiring, so anyone with a battery can bridge the wires anyway.

I found another possible alt account:

iamtiredof which was renamed to Reavenling

Your analogy is good and this is indeed poor coding. But I think this issue is serious and should be treated accordingly. Since downvoting was officially disabled, casting a downvote shouldn't be possible at all. So, if the downvoting code was left there fully functional (and it was), then the system has a vulnerability. And if this vulnerability is being used to target users (and it is!), then we have a breach.

These are currently all accounts of the OP I could find:

fva_
ABitAlarmed
reeexium
flewuser
SilentBleppassin
anitmetee
iamtiredof or Reavenling

They could give a hint to find more.

And all this has happened to you within the last month?

I still am not understanding why this is relevant to the issue at hand unless you are saying the reason for the "vulnerability" has something to do with having more than one account. Is that what you're saying? That for the 99% of us that only has one account this is not an issue?

I'm just trying to understand, not trying to "nit-pick" or upset you. I too thought I had seen some evidence that downvoting was still occurring. And I believe it is a valid issue to be concerned about because having negative rep does indeed have a "real-world" impact here, in that if you want to have a discussion on the forums but can't post links it is a limiting dynamic. People who were (and maybe still are) victims of this systemic abuse shouldn't have their ability to post anything (links included) limited, at least not just because of that. If they were limited for breaking forum rules (such as creating alt accounts) that would be one thing, but it is, at least in my mind, a separate and distinct issue from the one voiced in this thread, UNLESS it is indeed true that the only victims of current abuse schemes are ones with multiple accounts. So that's why I'm trying to understand what you're saying. I hope I'm not getting on your nerves, not my intention at all.

Not sure what you mean by "all this". And I'm being downvoted for about two weeks now.


He seems to be a joker. Not sure if he has any bad intentions with his posts, but he might end up derailing this thread, and I wouldn't like it to happen.

It is relevant because the first post was somehow strange. I remembered what one of the mentioned alt accounts wrote. If it is possible to find the original account then we will probably have solved one part of the problem.

And here is a good opportunity to post a suggestion I've posted before regarding this issue.

Apparently, in order to post links, an account must have POSITIVE reputation. (Greater than 0). And apparently, this was instituted as a tool to prevent spammers from creating an account and posting links immediately. By requiring a rep of at least 1, this removed the possibility to create and post links all at once.

You could still do that effectively, and not have it negatively affect regular users with negative rep, by changing that limitation from anything less than 1 to any accounts with a rep equaling exactly 0.