Arma battleye support for 1.09beta

[maruk 80]

Fighting cheaters in multiplayer games was one of our priorites for ArmA Patch 1.09. As part of this effort, third party application BattlEye is now integrated in ArmA Beta Patch 1.09.

In order to get it work, specific dll need to be installed on the server and also all clients joining the game - download the installer below containing public betaversion of BattlEye for ArmA 1.09beta only.

Please report any feedback / bug reports related to BattlEye directly to this topic.

Battleye Setup for ArmA 1.09 beta (~2 MB)

Quote[/b] ]

=BATTLEYE FOR ARMA 1.09 README=

IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE TO READ AND AGREE WITH END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT THAT IS DISPLAYED DURING

SETUP OF BATTLEYE.

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BATTLEYE SOFTWARE IS OPTIONAL AND IS NOT A

REQUIRED IN ANY RESPECT FOR USING OR ENJOYING GAMES THAT INTEGRATE

BATTLEYE TECHNOLOGY.

YOU AGREE THAT BATTLEYE SOFTWARE IS SELF-UPDATING AND THAT IT WILL BE, FROM TIME TO TIME,

AUTOMATICALLY DOWNLOADED AND INSTALLED WITHOUT ANY NOTICE FROM CENTRAL BATTLEYE

MASTER SERVER.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BATTLEYE MAY INSPECT AND REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT

THE COMPUTER ON WHICH IT IS INSTALLED TO OTHER CONNECTED COMPUTERS AND

YOU AGREE TO ALLOW BATTLEYE TO INSPECT AND REPORT SUCH INFORMATION.

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT MAY BE INSPECTED AND REPORTED

BY BATTLEYE SOFTWARE INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, DEVICES AND ANY FILES RESIDING ON

THE HARD-DRIVE AND IN THE MEMORY OF THE COMPUTER ON WHICH BATTLEYE IS INSTALLED.

Copyright © 2008 BattlEye Innovations. All rights reserved.

This application will update your ArmA: Armed Assault / Combat Operations

installation with BattlEye folder.

===SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS===

ANY ORIGINAL VERSION OF ARMA 1.09 BETA.

===HOW TO INSTALL BATTLEYE===

Run the setup exe to install it automatically to your ARMA working folder.

It will install all BattlEye content to a folder "BattlEye" (default is C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA\BattlEye).

===HOW TO USE BATTLEYE===

BattlEye has to be enabled on the server using line BattlEye = 1; in server config. Then the server and also all clients need to install BattlEye on their computers as well.

NOTE: BattlEye will be run from ARMA's application data folder (default is C:\Documents and Settings\[user Name]\Local Settings\Application Data\ArmA\BattlEye) to have write access in order to be able to download/install updates and/or create logs and other BE-related files.

===HOW TO UNINSTALL BATTLEYE===

There's an uninstall application exe UnInstallBE.exe installed in the BattlEye installation folder that allows you to remove BattlEye from ARMA.

You may also need to verify that BEclient.dll and BEserver.dll files are not present for all user folder like C:\Documents and Settings\[user Name]\Local Settings\Application Data\ArmA\BattlEye to fully uninstall BattlEye from your computer.

[Kirby 2]

I'm assuming if a player doesn't have it, he's automaticaly kicked out of a server that does have it...?

[Rambo-16AAB 0]

Im running 3 x 1.09 BETA servers from one server box/user profile. Will it work ok with that or is it going to get confused ?

[bluevein 0]

Its a good idea but the problem is still at large in 1.08 where 80% of people are going to be playing.

I can see a few problems that the specific dll needs to be installed on the server and also all clients. Would it be better way of implimenting it if just server side needed it, and anyone who joined downloaded the file when receiving mission files, If that is possible, and make it compatable with 1.08 & 1.09?

Just an Idea.

[maruk 80]

I'm assuming if a player doesn't have it, he's automaticaly kicked out of a server that does have it...?

Basically, yes. If server requires BattlEye, clients need to have it otherwise they will not be able to play on such server at all.

[maruk 80]

Im running 3 x 1.09 BETA servers from one server box/user profile. Will it work ok with that or is it going to get confused ?

As server config files can be different, you possibly should be able to run one of servers on this box with BE enabled, for example.

[maruk 80]

Its a good idea but the problem is still at large in 1.08 where 80% of people are going to be playing.

I can see a few problems that the specific dll needs to be installed on the server and also all clients. Would it be better way of implimenting it if just server side needed it, and anyone who joined downloaded the file when receiving mission files, If that is possible, and make it compatable with 1.08 & 1.09?

Just an Idea.

I can't see any way to integrate BE to 1.08.

Also, we need to make sure users that will have BE knows about it.

The goal is to make BE tested well now in 1.09 and give it as easy to have option to everyone in follow up official patch to fight cheaters.

One of the main advantages of solution like BE is that it may allow independently update anti cheating layer without patching whole game and without bothering users to download and install anything.

[Tankbuster 1733]

This relies on addons being signed and that's going to be the downfall of this, isn't it?

For example, a lot of people have lowflys editor upgrade installed and he's not developing it any more, so I doubt he's going to make a key. If that's the case, this and many other addons will have to be removed.

[HitmanFF 6]

Is there going to be BattlEye support for linux servers?

[rundll.exe 12]

This relies on addons being signed and that's going to be the downfall of this, isn't it?

For example, a lot of people have lowflys editor upgrade installed and he's not developing it any more, so I doubt he's going to make a key. If that's the case, this and many other addons will have to be removed.

I think its independent of the addon signatures, and instead monitor the memory insertion and corrupt exe's etc. (during play, instead of only at connecting)

The auto-update thing sounds good, means more rapid protection about new cheats.

[Tankbuster 1733]

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BATTLEYE MAY INSPECT AND REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT

THE COMPUTER ON WHICH IT IS INSTALLED TO OTHER CONNECTED COMPUTERS AND

YOU AGREE TO ALLOW BATTLEYE TO INSPECT AND REPORT SUCH INFORMATION.

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT MAY BE INSPECTED AND REPORTED

BY BATTLEYE SOFTWARE INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, DEVICES AND ANY FILES RESIDING ON

THE HARD-DRIVE AND IN THE MEMORY OF THE COMPUTER ON WHICH BATTLEYE IS INSTALLED.

Privacy concerns, anyone?

[rundll.exe 12]

Nope, because you can choose not to install this BE.

Its a consquence of playing a cheatfree game I guess.

[Tankbuster 1733]

This relies on addons being signed and that's going to be the downfall of this, isn't it?

For example, a lot of people have lowflys editor upgrade installed and he's not developing it any more, so I doubt he's going to make a key. If that's the case, this and many other addons will have to be removed.

I think its independent of the addon signatures, and instead monitor the memory insertion and corrupt exe's etc. (during play, instead of only at connecting)

The auto-update thing sounds good, means more rapid protection about new cheats.

Maruk said

Quote[/b] ]To make anti cheating working, servers need to enable BE, all clients need to have BE installed and also only trusted signed addons should be allowed on the server.

[Tankbuster 1733]

Nope, because you can choose not to install this BE.

Its a consquence of playing a cheatfree game I guess.

Of course, it's my choice, but the T&C allows seemingly unrestricted snooping around my hard drive.

I have nothing to hide and am definitely not a proponent of the loony end of the civil liberties scale, but this does seem a little free and easy with our data? Data files, Wp docs, spreadsheets and such like could conceivably be read by this software.

[Rambo-16AAB 0]

As i run a Busines from Home, I am a bit worried by this too as this is anti cheat or a game, its got no requirement to look beyond the games folder.

[maruk 80]

Is there going to be BattlEye support for linux servers?

Yes, there will be sometimes soon (once we have 1.09 for Linux).

[Tankbuster 1733]

As i run a Busines from Home, I am a bit worried by this too as this is anti cheat or a game, its got no requirement to look beyond the games folder.

Indeed. I have sensitive financial information on this machine, plus lots of copyright material which I am entitled to have. I can't allow access to this.

[maruk 80]

This relies on addons being signed and that's going to be the downfall of this, isn't it?

For example, a lot of people have lowflys editor upgrade installed and he's not developing it any more, so I doubt he's going to make a key. If that's the case, this and many other addons will have to be removed.

Yes, all addons has to signed by trusted authority and only such addons supported on ArmA servers.

Note, that anyone can create digital signatures and the responsibility is on the server admins to support only trusted signatories.

BE can't prevent addon based cheating (technically speaking, customized addons are not cheating).

[maruk 80]

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BATTLEYE MAY INSPECT AND REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT

THE COMPUTER ON WHICH IT IS INSTALLED TO OTHER CONNECTED COMPUTERS AND

YOU AGREE TO ALLOW BATTLEYE TO INSPECT AND REPORT SUCH INFORMATION.

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT MAY BE INSPECTED AND REPORTED

BY BATTLEYE SOFTWARE INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, DEVICES AND ANY FILES RESIDING ON

THE HARD-DRIVE AND IN THE MEMORY OF THE COMPUTER ON WHICH BATTLEYE IS INSTALLED.

Privacy concerns, anyone?

We make it pretty clear that BE in some aspect can violate privacy - in fact playing online game is not privat activity anyway. We also keep BE as an option, not a requirement to play the game. Note also that BE uses game protocol only to communicate so it's not so intrusive as one may see it - it communicates only to the server you connected when playing your game already.

Note, that it's very standard that game now a days use system like BE.

See list of some common anti cheating software @ wikipedia to get understanding how widespread it is.

I personally don't like idea that punk buster may take screenshots of users desktop but see that punk buster is used in many hit games around.

I think anyone seriously worried about privacy of a particular computer, installing and playing games on such machine is bad idea in general (and web browsing of unknown websites, installing any new software and updates downloaded from the Internet etc. etc.).

The problem is quite simple: cheating is killing fun from online gaming and due to its nature sometimes a bit more drastical methods to fight it are needed. BE is part of our effort to create more enjoyable online experience in Arma.

[txalin 2]

As i run a Busines from Home, I am a bit worried by this too as this is anti cheat or a game, its got no requirement to look beyond the games folder.

Indeed. I have sensitive financial information on this machine, plus lots of copyright material which I am entitled to have. I can't allow access to this.

Mail sent to battleye support asking how can we avoid to scan certain folders. Wating for answer

[Tankbuster 1733]

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BATTLEYE MAY INSPECT AND REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT

THE COMPUTER ON WHICH IT IS INSTALLED TO OTHER CONNECTED COMPUTERS AND

YOU AGREE TO ALLOW BATTLEYE TO INSPECT AND REPORT SUCH INFORMATION.

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT MAY BE INSPECTED AND REPORTED

BY BATTLEYE SOFTWARE INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, DEVICES AND ANY FILES RESIDING ON

THE HARD-DRIVE AND IN THE MEMORY OF THE COMPUTER ON WHICH BATTLEYE IS INSTALLED.

Privacy concerns, anyone?

We make it pretty clear that BE in some aspect can violate privacy. We also keep BE as an option, not a requirement to play the game. Note also that BE uses game protocol only to communicate so it's not so intrusive as one may see it - it communicates only to the server you connected when playing your game already.

Note, that it's very standard that game now a days use system like BE.

See list of some common anti cheating software @ wikipedia to get understanding how widespread it is.

I personally don't like idea that punk buster may take screenshots of users desktop but see that punk buster is used in many hit games around.

I think anyone seriously worried about privacy of a particular computer, installing and playing games on such machine is bad idea in general (and web browsing of unknown websites, installing any new software and updates downloaded from the Internet etc. etc.).

The problem is quite simple: cheating is killing fun from online gaming and due to its nature sometimes a bit more drastical methods to fight it are needed. BE is part of our effort to create more enjoyable online experience in Arma.

I think all it would take to assuage my fears would be an assurance that BE won't look outside the game folder or go past examining running processes when the game is running.

[Guest]

As i run a Busines from Home, I am a bit worried  by this too as this is anti cheat or a game, its got no requirement to look beyond the games folder.

Indeed. I have sensitive financial information on this machine, plus lots of copyright material which I am entitled to have. I can't allow access to this.

You shouldnt be playing games on this machine.

I have the same issue as you but I made a gamking rig which I use to play games/download stuff, surf the net and all that.

The machine with the "secret data" is hardly ever online and if so only just for those business purposes.

[Rambo-16AAB 0]

Fine, you buy me a second machine then. Im not made of money you know.

[Maddmatt 1]

This relies on addons being signed and that's going to be the downfall of this, isn't it?

For example, a lot of people have lowflys editor upgrade installed and he's not developing it any more, so I doubt he's going to make a key. If that's the case, this and many other addons will have to be removed.

I disagree. You can easily put unsigned addons in a seperate mod folder and play MP without them. Really, you shouldn't be putting your addons in the stock addons folder anyway.

If a server really wants to allow an addon like that, they can supply a signature on their website.

@Rambo-16AAB: I doubt BattlEye is going so scan your machine for interesting stuff and send it out

It's probably just so it can scan for modified DirectX files and the like.

[HitmanFF 6]

Is there going to be BattlEye support for linux servers?

Yes, there will be sometimes soon (once we have 1.09 for Linux).

Great to read that