# Updating the human verification questions



## Morrus (Dec 23, 2016)

In an effort to reduce the spambots, I'm updating the human verification questions they get asked upon registration. "Dungeons & WHAT?" was too easy for them. Spambots get better and better all the time, and are usually a step ahead of those trying to fight them. They can solve most Catchpas and reCatchpas and the like easily these days, and those that can't can farm them out to rooms of people who do that all day for a few cents per hour.

So, here's the difficulty:

1) It has to be hard enough that a random person whose job it is to sit at a terminal and answer questions like this all day won't know it without looking it up.

2) But it has to be easy enough that a newbie coming along to play D&D for the first time won't be turned away.

3) Bots also automatically run through common words like numbers, colours, etc. and know how to interpret and solve simple puzzles - they can handle "What is the third word in this sentence?" or "What is two plus two?" easily.

Here's what I have so far:


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## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 23, 2016)

I note that all of those require gamer knowledge.  Actually, D&D specific knowledge.  Might be tough for a newbie.  Have you tested the questions to see how easy it is to get an answer using a Google search?


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## Morrus (Dec 23, 2016)

I figured subject specific knowledge was the way to go. Someone really interested in RPGs should be able to answer them with little effort, but an unfortunate sweatshop employee won't.


Sent from my iPhone using EN World mobile app


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## pdzoch (Dec 23, 2016)

I'm not sure what the capabilities are for the human verification program, but if possible, I would recommend a rotation of questions from a pool.  For example, instead of asking two questions about a dragon breath, I would set up question one to be about dragons breath, and the pool of questions would change the dragon and answer.
Dragons Breath Question Pool --
What type of breath does a black dragon breathe?
What type of breath does a white dragon breathe?
What type of breath does a red dragon breathe?
etc.

If possible, I would add a question pool to identify a image, particularly a iconic monster.  Question would remain the same, but the image and answer would rotate.  Image choices would be the unusual but iconic monsters from D&D -- beholder, drider, ettercap, owlbear, etc.

I suppose the same format could be used for the dragon question above.

I agree that we do not want to prevent newbies from engaging on the forum, so I would avoid rules specific questions.  Even questions from the PHB would unjustly assume that they have purchased the materials instead of just hearing the rules from their DM who owns all the materials.


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## Morrus (Dec 23, 2016)

It's just a list of questions and the system chooses one at random.


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## Larry Dauber (Dec 23, 2016)

*Questions*

It is better than trying to figure out what letter in some font that was just created is for verification


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## Morrus (Dec 23, 2016)

Larry Dauber said:


> It is better than trying to figure out what letter in some font that was just created is for verification




"Easier" and "better" are not synonyms in this particular situation.


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## LordEntrails (Dec 27, 2016)

I'm not sure your going to come up with very many questions that won't end up with a high error rate. I mean I've been playing for 30+ years and I'm sure my knowledge (as seen by discussions on this forum) is vastly different than another person who has been playing for the same length of time.

I mean, I might know about Halaster, or the Barrier Peaks. But I know next to nothing about Savage Worlds, Maztaca or Dark Sun. Even among us "veterans" I think you will have trouble finding a common set of common knowledge. 

Then add in the teenager who played once at a con with a friend or family member and now wants to join up. They are not going to know any of that and they won't have much desire to keep trying. They will just move to reddit, facebook or some other place and ENWorld will only gain a specific limited set of new members.

What about some of these multi picture verification systems? Those won't stop the sweatshops admittedly...

I don't know, very difficult challenge for you.


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## LordEntrails (Dec 27, 2016)

I'm not sure your going to come up with very many questions that won't end up with a high error rate. I mean I've been playing for 30+ years and I'm sure my knowledge (as seen by discussions on this forum) is vastly different than another person who has been playing for the same length of time.

I mean, I might know about Halaster, or the Barrier Peaks. But I know next to nothing about Savage Worlds, Maztaca or Dark Sun. Even among us "veterans" I think you will have trouble finding a common set of common knowledge. 

Then add in the teenager who played once at a con with a friend or family member and now wants to join up. They are not going to know any of that and they won't have much desire to keep trying. They will just move to reddit, facebook or some other place and ENWorld will only gain a specific limited set of new members.

What about some of these multi picture verification systems? Those won't stop the sweatshops admittedly...

I don't know, very difficult challenge for you.


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