Big Concern: Hackers

[cryosin]

After playing Blacklight: Retribution, i am deeply concerned about hackers.

That game uses punkbuster, the same anti-cheat system that planetside uses.

I was in a server where at least 3 people where blatantly hacking. Others might have been too, but these guys where completely obvious.

Speed hacks, instant headshots across the map(with a full auto rifle), teleportation.

One guy was literally invisible to other players.

I mean it was bad, real bad.


Punkbuster has never been a powerful tool. Even valve had to create their own anti-cheat because punk buster did not suffice.

With the ability to just register and create a new account, i am deeply concerned that hackers will run rampant and ruin the experience.

[HellsPanda]

As has been stated before Punkbuster is just one of a plethora of anti cheating tools SOE will be using, that and anyone caught cheating can get all their accounts deleted [With all the stuff they have earned, or paid for]

[PlaceboCyanide]

Another problem is that PS2 will be F2P, so any hackers that have their accounts terminated will just make another account. SOE could always ban IP addresses, but that's hurting business and doesn't work on dynamic IPs. Consistent updates and constant vigilance will be the only way

[RNFB]

Originally Posted by PlaceboCyanide

SOE could always ban IP addresses

Bad idea. People with dynamic IPs could potentially be assigned to an IP that was banned.

[PlaceboCyanide]

Originally Posted by RNFB

Bad idea. People with dynamic IPs could potentially be assigned to an IP that was banned.

Read the last half of that sentence

[psychobilly]

If you require existing players to have a valid credit card, you can ban off the credit data when someone is caught. It won't stop hacking, but will limit repeat offenders.

If they allow you to put in fake information and go, hacking will be rampant.

[Udnknome]

Originally Posted by PlaceboCyanide

Another problem is that PS2 will be F2P, so any hackers that have their accounts terminated will just make another account. SOE could always ban IP addresses, but that's hurting business and doesn't work on dynamic IPs. Consistent updates and constant vigilance will be the only way

I've read this entire post and I really feel you guys are thinking too small. It's very easy to create a unique number for every computer using some very simple required items on the computer. Use something like the Mac address + Ascii equivalent Processor ID code + (whatever) windows product key. Put that value into a hash or AES algorithm, then send that info to sony. would create a very large unique id for each machine logged into the system.

Then you just ban this number. Depending on the components used, you could considerably increase the cost of being banned, and it will only affect their access to your software and services.

I know I'm not this smart, someone had to have thought of this before; with bandwidth as cheap (and required for this game), I'm unsure why it hasn't been done before.

[Pyreal]

Originally Posted by PlaceboCyanide

Another problem is that PS2 will be F2P, so any hackers that have their accounts terminated will just make another account. SOE could always ban IP addresses, but that's hurting business and doesn't work on dynamic IPs. Consistent updates and constant vigilance will be the only way

Bold mine. I was under the impression that while this game will be F2P (meaning there are no subscription fees) a player is still required to Buy the game, either retail or digital, in order to play.

Is that inaccurate?
At launch can I simply go to planetside2.com and download the client and play?
I seriously doubt that. If a hacker gets banned he would have to go and buy a new copy and CD key in order to create a new account.

[Lokster]

Originally Posted by Pyreal

Bold mine. I was under the impression that while this game will be F2P (meaning there are no subscription fees) a player is still required to Buy the game, either retail or digital, in order to play.

Is that inaccurate?
At launch can I simply go to planetside2.com and download the client and play?
I seriously doubt that. If a hacker gets banned he would have to go and buy a new copy and CD key in order to create a new account.

Wow, old thread is new again...

Yes, your statement is inaccurate. PS2 will be completely free to play with no "box" or digital purchase required.

[Baneblade]

Thread isn't even two weeks old...

[Fenrod]

I don't see the point in discussing that. No matter how many anti-cheat obstacles will be used, there will always, always be cheaters who will manage to get around them.

[ringring]

Yes, it is a big concern and it has been raised by this community several times.

All I cab say is to repeat what SoE say, that they more than anyone know the disruption the hacker can cause; they will use punkbuster as only one of their tools and they fully understand the disruption that hackers can cause.

[PredatorFour]

Im concerned with legit players getting banned in the fracas which will happen with the hackers. There was times people would say i hacked on PS, cos they got lag killed and other people i knew got accusations thrown at them too. There`s gotta be a robust /report system and active devs to insta ban the hackers on every server.
I wonder if they want to employ any people to regulate the servers and ban hackers ??? hmmm

[Kran De Loy]

This is a topic that has be gone over a number of times. Malorn (I think it was him) made a point that there are two types of hackers, those that use in your face blatant bullshit methods and those that use very subtle ones.

The blatant m**********rs will get spotted, reported and hopefully banned quickly. These people will show up no matter what you do because they're a bunch of gelatinous puddles of knob snot that get their willys excited when pissing people off. There are methods to permanently get rid of them but most of those are outlawed in civilized society.

The subtle ones only slightly enhance their normal skill with computer aids that make each and every one of them top end competitive players, but nothing more.

The more problematic group is the second one as they skew the bell curve of the skill needed to compete in the game and no one can tell for sure who is just damned good and who has AIDS.

[EVILPIG]

Some prior and future discussion on this topic..