2761: ArmA cheat protection needs rework / updates

[Michael_Wittman 0]

Problem:

certain groups circumvent the ArmA protection in various ways.

This are mainly game destroying cheats:

~ crash server

~ disableuserinput for all

~ kill everyone / all objects

~ get complete control over the mission and all players

~ etc

Good suggestion to lessen the problem at least a bit:

~ Best protection for ArmAIDs.

// Current situation however: Add IP banning. Sure, IP addresses can change, but currently, ArmaIDs can be changed easier.

~ Improve server side scripting to allow a simple ?_userID > 999999999 then kick. (ArmAID/keyID and NOT the number of connected user on the server)

~ Fix signature checking so that the regular check doesn't kick people when the server lags during loading the mission. The load results in time-out issues. The default behavior on time-outs is kick right now and needs to be changed:

possible ideas:

~ time-out interval can be set in arma.cfg

~ change default behavior once timed-out (i.e. NO kick, just message in the chat)

~ Make powerful scripting commands only available on the server. SetPos, setVelocity, DisableUserInput, CreateUnit, SetDammage and so on. Moving these commands to the server would give only a little inconvenience to mission makers.

~ Ban invalid IDs via gamespy (10+ digit keys)

---

Realise that 50% of people playing Arma right are using a generated CDkey to enjoy your game for free, and start activating FADE or working with gamespy to contact ISPs about piracy from their customers.

[whisper 0]

For those who wonder about the thread title, it is about this bugtracker ticket, number 2761 .

And puting your vote for this ticket would be a very good idea

Have a nice day, fellow forum addicts

[FriX 0]

voted... I hope it will get us somewhere.

[lwlooz 0]

While I fully agree with this,I would like to point out that if one were to make scripting functions only apply where they should,it should be were the object that is affected is local.

CreateUnit is global,therefor on the server

SetMarker on each individual clients(One wouldnt need this sillly local stuff anymore)

SetDamage,SetPos where the unit is local

That means that cheater still can setpos himself somewhere,bad but hardly game destroying.

Here comes the catch tho,unless legit scripters(i.e the ones that make the mission) have network functions so that they for example can tell the server from a client. "Could you spawn a tank platoon" please , it is going to be very awful and limiting

[Michael_Wittman 0]

So they should make a non scripting editor....with closed options....many options...but closed...

I think 90% of players want can sacrifice ultra-cool-featuring maps for no-more-cheaters.

[.kju 3241]

Michael_Wittman the system is more or less fine as it is.

(if you know the details about it - 100% cheat proof is impossible)

it just needs constant support and updating.

like any other cheat protection (3rd party software).

[Michael_Wittman 0]

Saddly i know...but that goes into "How much do BI believe that their product is the finest?".... I bet the house that this game with a propper publicity campaing and proper Distributor can crack the game industry (again).

So wether this guys are Machintosh-like or I dont know whats up....

[ANG3L 0]

Voted

[500dan500 0]

Voted

Ditto.

[cj 1]

Voted

Ditto.

Ditto itto

[PMD 0]

my servers normally good. but i wasn't giving the option i wanted.

please fix the cheating problem, but i will still play no matter what

[WTE_Grendal 0]

Cheating has certainly impacted my ability to play ArmA. I now have no choice but to play on a limited number of servers that I know have active measures in place to prevent the impact of cheats and hacks. It seems that there are enough idiots out there who just want to prevent people from playing this game. I’d guess that the impact of this will be less and less people playing multiplayer over the coming months.

I doubt it can be done for the current ArmA, but for future games, (ArmA 2) I really think BI must implement a more active cheat/hack protection such as Punkbuster and/or linking multiplayer to a Steam ID or a central user database as is used for games like BF2.

[Michael_Wittman 0]

Keep voting please

[Gisen 0]

So they should make a non scripting editor....with closed options....many options...but closed...

I think 90% of players want can sacrifice ultra-cool-featuring maps for no-more-cheaters.

Totally disagree. The main strength of Arma is its flexible, open ended mission editor and ways to make scripts and so on.

I'd rather have the DM and CTF players organise themselves an admin if cheating is such a problem.

[sbsmac 0]

Gisen, please don't bring up the tired old CTF vs COOP debate - it's been done to death and I think we're all sick of it.

From the reports I see on this forum, the primary targets for griefers are:-

Berzerk (PVP hold map)

Evolution (COOP)

Hexenkessel (CTF)

So I think all game modes are affected. The common thread appears to be that where you get reasonable numbers of players together in a game, you're likely to attract griefers.

[Sc@tterbrain 0]

I'd rather have the DM and CTF players organise themselves an admin if cheating is such a problem.

Kind of hard when a cheater disables player controls and you can't even type your vote admin request.

It's more then dealing with nuisances. Its a question of being able to play at all. You are clearly out of touch with the issue being discussed here.

[lwlooz 0]

His point wasn't that there shouldn't be anything done about cheating.

His point was that limiting ArmA to a point that only CTF players and Evolution players can have fun is highly unfair to the rest of us

who enjoy making complex missions and scripts that work in MP.

Also the constant statement by you people that "MP" is dead is highly offensive to me,because I still play MP.I guess if you don't whine on this forum all day long,you don't count as a MP player.

The point is while BIS definitely needs to work on getting the server-side scripting fixed and give people an easier way to deal with cheaters , this by no way means you people can just use this opportunity to transform this game into "MY GAMETYPE ONLY!!".

Because no matter how much you limit the game and how much you beg BIS to waste money on punkbuster, as long as you continue to play with random people on random servers , you always will run into some bad apples.

And BTW starting thousands of "OMG!! CHEATZOR" threads only pleases the cheaters and serves no other purpose

[Sc@tterbrain 0]

Also the constant statement by you people that "MP" is dead is highly offensive to me,because I still play MP.I guess if you don't whine on this forum all day long,you don't count as a MP player.

"you people" eh? I never said it was dead. If it was, I wouldn't be playing or making missions almost every night.

My point is that doing nothing, or having only locked servers dose not facilitate the growth or mantainence of the population of players.

A solution IS necessary. Doing nothing or locking every server down is NOT a valid solution.

As far as gametype preferences, thats not really the issue being discussed here. My opinion is variety is a good thing.

Your "you people" rant is what serves no purpose.

[Michael_Wittman 0]

Well....

A good thing could be....have arma_server restrictive mode in wich only "soft" mod are allowed (those regarding sounds, textures and models)...and a second one arma_open_server in wich all ultra-cool-scripters can enjoy playing with cheaters all day long.

Week to week Armed Assault is becoming wild west.... and to be honest.... I have buy this game not to waste time checking ids each time a player joins or stopping the server to edit the ban list... I bought this game to enjoy playing online with ppl in the same wave...make tactics...improve skill... in a nutshell: Master the Game.

And I say again: Arma2 is death before its released if they dont fix cheats.

[Gisen 0]

When I said 'organise ... an admin' what I meant was get a server with an admin or team of admins. Create a community. It's the jumping about playing on public servers with no idea of who you are playing with that causes the problems. And I certainly wasn't trying to cause any arguments about DM vs whatever, but we all know that proper coop (i.e. not evolution) servers don't suffer from this problem nearly as much as public free for all deathmatch servers, because what the cheaters want, by and large, is to annoy or defeat humans.

And Looz is right, coming on here making countless threads about it is just making them happy.

Servers already have the equal mod required option, Wittman

[.kju 3241]

equal mod required option doesn't help against cheaters.

verifySignatures=1 does, but it has other issues and implications.

[Michael_Wittman 0]

Sry Gissen I really wish you were right...and you are only to a certain point. Cheater use to join Berzerk servers. That was true some weeks ago...but now as cheating is becoming massive this fuckers just aim any server that is plenty of players, no matter CTF or Coop.