What You want as Anti-CHEAT in Armed Assault 2?

[Dwarden 1125]

Point of existence of this poll is simple - to see if You (players, admins, fans, haters) want anticheat software like PunkBuster to appear in Armed Assault 2.

Please take in mind that cheating is KILLING public MP GAMING and purpose of anticheat software like PunkBuster is prevent cheating

(of course it's impossible to prevent cheating completely but it's possible keep it under level where it start killing game itself).

Just to avoid some 'false' informations, 'myths' and 'rumors' there is short summary of PunkBuster:

pluses:

- fully option-able for both players and server admins (if You don't want use it, You can disable it)

- OS platform independent for both client and server (supported platforms are (?NT4?),w2K(w3k), wXP 32/64, Vista32/64, LinuxOSes 32/64 and MacOS 32/64)

- was developed with 56k modem transfers in mind

- can be updated independently on game updates to counter cheats

- updates to client and server components are independent and automated too  

- manual updates via tool PBSETUP to all games installed on computer or network shares, available for Win, Linux and Mac, read more... on this page

- no additional cost to customer beyond basic game price they paid in shop

- defends not only against game engine based cheats but also against modded drivers and directx/opengl based cheats etc.

- server admins can utilize custom variable and files checks beyond PB basic ones

- server admins can utilize PB for auto-kicking based on TK or score (depends on game)

- extends existing and adds various admins features thus improves server control

- provides remote screenshot feature of player's ingame screen

- various levels of bans GUID temporary, GUID permanent, hardware permanent across all PB supported games

- secure , PB uses one way hashes and that disallow to collect any privacy sensitive informations about player / server

- any PB action done at server is stored in PB server logs

- any PB action done at client is stored in PB client logs (option-able)

- as bonus there is encrypted UDP based remote control via tool PBUCON, exists for Win, Linux and Mac, read more... on this page

- used in 25+ multiplayer games

minor minuses:

- increases bit CPU usage of both server and client (1-5%) due to generation of one way hashes and anti-cheat scans (classical trade-off for higher security)

YET since PB client 1.5 utilizes multiple cores (offloading CPU workload onto least used one)

major minuses:

- increase bit cost of game to produce (but nothing in compare with cost of useless anti-piracy protections)

for more informations read please following information sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punkbuster

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punkbuster_Hardware_Ban

official website (with list of supported games and latest versions) :

http://www.evenbalance.com/

thanks for taking part in this poll, if You want post Your opinions feel free but please try avoid hateful and whine-full ones ...

---

Summary about VAC/VAC2 isn't possible as it's only for STEAM dependent games and all info is locked by VALVE

admins and players got only choice to enable / disable.

In stability it's on par with PB and quality maybe bit behind.

VAC is also only for Windows platform.

My opinion about HackShield and GameGuard are quite low due to theirs terrible coding which results into huge stability issues (anything PB related looks like fun compared to these)

Plus they more like anti macro rootkits than all in one AC solution.

Also last time i checked they were Windows only.

There are tons smaller or so so AC programs but i doubt any is worth mention ... yet You may post them if You disagree.

[Brendan.K 0]

Didn't you post this in another Forum?

Anyways, a Simple Inhouse one is just fine.

[Mr_Tea 0]

PunkBuster should do the job fine.

Would be cool, if you could join a public server without an 80% chance, that some asshole ruins the game.

[Dwarden 1125]

Didn't you post this in another Forum?

Anyways, a Simple Inhouse one is just fine.

that was and is for ArmA ... this thread is for ArmA 2

even i dont give up hope as there is still chance to get PB with QG/Gold ...

anyway Your vote "simple inhouse one" translate as "DOOMED public gaming aka cheat heaven like just now"

[sanctuary 19]

Before any anti cheat software, i would strongly prefer to see first the multiplayer scripting commands structure to be redone.

I am thinking in a way that every scripting commands, or at least the most exploitable ones, would be server side only instead of being client side.

Because reading from most of the reports in the forum, it seems that most of the cheating that have plagued both OFP and ArmA are using client sided scripts and publication as a basis.

Should certainly have an impact on how many people could play in a MP mission, but at least would be a good 1st layer of cheating protection.

[Kabuto 0]

I wont buy ArmA2 without AntiCheat Protection.

- get Punkbuster (maybe in combination with HackShield),

- create a login system for the multiplayer,

- rework the scriptsystem,

- make sure signatures work,

- the client should send all loaded .pbos, and the server should have a "addon white list".

A .pbo which is not on the white list, should be diabled for the client, as long the client is connected to the server.

The addons of this "white list" should be checked for modified stuff too.

- protect the ID's, if ID changer wouldnt work, the server admin s would had a weapon vs. cheaters,

[churnedfortaste 0]

Why don't you guys do what you think is best?

[stakex 0]

PunkBuster... deffinatlly.

I play a few games that use PunkBuster, and while there is still cheating... its alot less then games without PB.

[Uranium - 235 0]

NONE

Anticheats cause MUCH more problems then they solve. Anticheats like VAC also give an excuse for a company to nearly illegally permanently deny me access to a product I purchased. Similar to why I think copy protection is an antiquated waste of money, the new SecuROM doesn't allow you to install the game more then X times. This is an age of 'how can we rape the consumer', and I simply don't want to see the possibility of the publisher stealing back MY purchase without a refund.

Punkbuster, as well, has lots of issues. I was completely unable to play BF2 for nearly a month because Punkbuster would simply kick me because for some reason, a piece of my hardware wasn't responding properly (my video card had some bad RAM). So punk buster would kick me.

For example, right now I'm running several ArmA mods. TrueView, DMSmokeEffects, SixPack, all of them have no effect on my gameplay but improve it in tiny ways that aren't 'cheating'. Under any anti-cheat I wouldn't be able to use these.

Anti-cheating and copy-protection ends up being the same thing - a way for publishers and corporations to spy on my activities, install fingerprinting spyware, and create security vulnerabilities.

No anti-cheat. A good spectator system and admin controls will be FAR more effective then anti-cheat. If your server can't field admins to be available for most of the day, you have no business running a server in the first place.

[pmd 0]

punk buster.

i seem to be having problems in BF 2142 with it (it likes to kick me for reason... still havn't figured it out yet)

but i might as well give it a shot in armaII

[Uranium - 235 0]

punk buster.

i seem to be having problems in BF 2142 with it (it likes to kick me for reason... still havn't figured it out yet)

but i might as well give it a shot in armaII

That's the thing, PunkBuster is pretty much the best solution, but it's really quite a shitty program. It has a very high false-positive detection rate and, as I pointed out, doesn't work with all hardware, and when it doesn't work, you can't play the game at all.

[Kabuto 0]

NONE

.....

For example, right now I'm running several ArmA mods. TrueView, DMSmokeEffects, SixPack, all of them have no effect on my gameplay but improve it in tiny ways that aren't 'cheating'. Under any anti-cheat I wouldn't be able to use these.

It would like to see that.

It's annoying since OFP, everyone trys to connect with his own "syk", "weather", "sound" and "only model replacement".

And as Server admin you have to kick people evertime, just because they won't remove their "@ECP", "@WGL", "@FDF", "@DR" or @Whatever.

I understand that ArmA sound sucks, i understand that a nicer sky box or sounds making OFP better.

But it crash the server or is simply suspicious for cheating.

We need either a option that, force the clientside to load only the .pbo, which the server got also.

Or there will be no mods online, with punkbuster.

And we need anti cheat protecting, unless you like to play on nonpublic server only.

[Uranium - 235 0]

The only decent games are ever on the Tactical Gamer server so, yeah, I don't give a damn about random pubscrub servers :P

[Kabuto 0]

To bad you have no clue of the good old OFP games.

[Dwarden 1125]

NONE

Anticheats cause MUCH more problems then they solve. Anticheats like VAC also give an excuse for a company to nearly illegally permanently deny me access to a product I purchased. Similar to why I think copy protection is an antiquated waste of money, the new SecuROM doesn't allow you to install the game more then X times. This is an age of 'how can we rape the consumer', and I simply don't want to see the possibility of the publisher stealing back MY purchase without a refund.

Punkbuster, as well, has lots of issues. I was completely unable to play BF2 for nearly a month because Punkbuster would simply kick me because for some reason, a piece of my hardware wasn't responding properly (my video card had some bad RAM). So punk buster would kick me.

For example, right now I'm running several ArmA mods. TrueView, DMSmokeEffects, SixPack, all of them have no effect on my gameplay but improve it in tiny ways that aren't 'cheating'. Under any anti-cheat I wouldn't be able to use these.

Anti-cheating and copy-protection ends up being the same thing - a way for publishers and corporations to spy on my activities, install fingerprinting spyware, and create security vulnerabilities.

No anti-cheat. A good spectator system and admin controls will be FAR more effective then anti-cheat. If your server can't field admins to be available for most of the day, you have no business running a server in the first place.

erm how VAC preventing You to use game You purchased ...

VAC/VAC2 bans only cheat violations ... from millions of users you barely find anyone who claim rightfull 'my ban was false positive'

so if You VAC banned it's 99.99% for cheat reason on the account in question ...

anyway back to effectivity ... Red Orchestra Ost-Front uses VAC and with MP playerbase higher (avg) than ArmA there are nearly no cheaters ... like 2 days of year You may notice something weird ...

---

mods are no issue for CORRECTLY configured and set anticheat (this includes PB) ...

i'm quite sure that EBI definitely DONT want to become publishers whore

and claim' spyware and other spy activities in PB/VAC lol

with tens millions of users and thousands of coders watching them ...

please stop spreading such myths ...

[BloodOmen 0]

PB Defo

[RAKtheUndead 0]

VAC if possible, PB if not.

[Gaffa 0]

I don't want to be the bad guy here but... Why is this topic here anyway? BIS/publishers at the end of the day will do what they feel like doing. Nothing we say here will change there mind or influence it.

PB is total crap IMHO, Cheats love it! They crack it day in day out, so it will only attract even more cheats

I'm pretty sure BI with all their knowledge, can make their own anti-cheat program, but the only problem with that is will they keep updating it?

As most people have said... Why don't BI just have most of the scripting commands server side ONLY?

[SHWiiNG 0]

I cant believe im seeing this, 8% do not want any Anti-cheat software!, i mean we spend so much time and effort complaining and then dealing with cheaters, so why when asked what software they want, say no it ok, well just let cheaters waltze onto our servers and make Gaming a virtual hell for the other mature players.

[HogRoot 0]

I would like to see a new program created that once a hacker joins a server and begins destruction of a units' 3 hour long mission (Or any Cheating activity), it immediately posts his physical address....phone number and picture id to all server members, wipes his entire hd clean and sends an EMP to all of his computer electronics and sends a severe shock via the keyboard that makes him lose all bowel controls ....all the while the program copulates the losers info and sends it to every internet service provider in the world as a lifetime  

(Now before all of you with no sense of humor start flaming this post...I know this can't happen in real life...it is intended in jest....even though deep down I wish it could happen.)

[*KEEPER* 0]

What ever they do it needs to be effective and I want it in ArmA 1.

That sig check thing has already been cracked less than a month after people started using it and I want something substantial to stop all this BS. If BIS wont fix ArmA 1 to the point where it is playable again then I will not spend money on ArmA 2 cause the same garbage will happen again. I already feel like I've been ripped off by Gypsies, first I bought the German version on day one which wasnt actually playable until 1.08 arrived, then had every game ruined by cheaters once that patch was released.

Please I love OFP and ArmA. It is in my opinion the Best game out there. It is just that the Cheating is SO OUT OF CONTROL that the game is ruined. I eagerly waited years for ArmA and dished out a lot of money to get a rig that would run it but had the game turn into garbage before it was even ready.

[kalxen 10]

We need anti-cheat ASAP.

[cossack8559 10]

We need anti-cheat ASAP.

In beta 60908] New: BattleEye support. < anti cheat program i do believe... :)

[Rustydog 10]

In beta 60908] New: BattleEye support. < anti cheat program i do believe... :)

where to get it ?

[nicolasroger 11]

here: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=84347