Issue: Automatic Creation of Unjoinable Teams on CTFtime.org

[johndoe755]

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Problem Description Currently, CTFtime.org automatically creates a team when a participant registers for a CTF event on their platform. This process sometimes results in teams being registered with no team members, making them effectively unjoinable. There is no straightforward method provided to join these empty teams, nor is there a means of contacting the team creator to rectify this issue.

Impact This flaw leads to numerous unjoinable teams cluttering the platform, which adversely affects the user experience and undermines the functionality of team-based participation in CTF events. It creates confusion and frustration among participants who wish to join or manage teams effectively.

Proposed Solutions

1. Do Not Automatically Create Teams: Modify the registration process to create teams only when at least one member is added manually or when the creator explicitly forms the team.
2. Provide a Method to Join Empty Teams: Implement a feature that allows users to request to join an empty team or contact the team creator/administrator through a messaging system within CTFtime.org.

Related GitHub Issues This issue has been previously highlighted on GitHub (36 times), indicating its significance and widespread impact:

https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/398 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/392 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/387 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/385 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/372 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/365 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/359 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/352 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/351 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/345 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/344 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/336 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/333 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/332 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/314 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/307 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/301 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/291 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/289 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/280 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/245 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/242 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/233 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/222 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/216 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/210 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/203 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/198 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/197 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/182 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/176 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/161 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/125 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/114 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/97 https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/85

Of note, I am also experiencing the situation where our team members have waited for months without being able to join our team.

Conclusion The current automatic team creation process on CTFtime.org has led to a notable flaw that results in unjoinable teams. This issue is significant as it impacts the functionality of team registration and management on the platform. Implementing the proposed solutions would enhance user experience and streamline team participation in CTF events.

This issue is critical for maintaining the usability and effectiveness of CTFtime.org, and addressing it promptly would greatly benefit the community of CTF participants.

[ajmeese7]

I think the second option is the right one here, simply because as you pointed out, numerous unjoinable teams have already been created and there needs to be a way to resolve that with minimal friction.

[anuragmuxui]

I'm also facing the same issue. I can see my team already registered and i'm not able to access it.

[Tzupy]

Same issue here https://github.com/ctftime/ctftime.org/issues/338 😞

[Pyth3rEx]

still no fix to join the teams you create? I sent multiple bug reports, request pending for almost a year now :(

[0x8j0rn4r80r93]

Is there an update on this? I have two teams that I have requests pending for joining teams that I'm the first one to join. The teams were created by the CTF host. Annoying that there is no solution for this when the teams are empty.

[iilegacyyii]

Also having the same issue, my team was auto created last year and I've been unable ("pending") to join since.

[d4lt0n-1337]

yea the same problem :")

[0x8j0rn4r80r93]

Same here...