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Forums → Games → Colony: Ways to Reduce Hacking

12 3022
Alaskies
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Alaskies
7 posts
Nomad

So basically I was thinking about ways to reduce hacking in Colony and I got this:

Guests seem to do the majority of hacking.
Hacking is disruptive to both people who want their rank/ratio to reflect their ability and to people who just want to play a normal game.
Therefore, let's do something about these guests.

1. Since a lot of people use guest accounts to try out new strategies, what if there were the option of having a game not count for rank/ratio?
This would get rid of a sizeable amount of guest players to begin with.

2. Since guests don't have rank/ratio, they could either be banned from playing in ranked games altogether or there could be the option to make games guest-free.

If these ideas are implemented, all the malevolent hacking that would occur would be by players with accounts and those can be dealt with much more easily.

What does everyone else think?

______


On a separate note, does anyone think far snipers (on monarchy) are overpowered in earthquake? How would you counter them? They seem to be able to hit meditecs behind hovers...

  • 12 Replies
40P2P
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40P2P
161 posts
Nomad

first of all far snipers are not overpowered cuz they die in one shot. just pin them early or get a shot on em. And thing is the point of guests was to enjoy a the experience of colony without acccounts. Kinda like a trial. Avoid the hackers simply said.

Peggster
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Peggster
483 posts
Nomad

1. Since a lot of people use guest accounts to try out new strategies, what if there were the option of having a game not count for rank/ratio?

That is sort of a good idea, I mean, for testing builds you can always do 1v1s but for 2v2 builds, maybe a way to stop the game from counting on overall games played and what not might be good. The only problem with this is that; I don't really care much for rank or win ratio and that is the same for a lot of people, rank nowadays really doesn't mean anything.

But the overall idea of bogarting all of the guests from games with people with actual accounts seems like it could actually make it possible to make it easier to identify hackers but, you must take into consideration the fact that there is still a lot of guests that don't actually hack.

In EQ, like 40P2P says, can be countered easily by a simple pin early game.
Alaskies
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Alaskies
7 posts
Nomad

The only problem with this is that; I don't really care much for rank or win ratio and that is the same for a lot of people, rank nowadays really doesn't mean anything.


True, but it would also have symbolic meaning so that if someone wants to play a game where everyone is playing at their best, they can go for the ones that "count." If someone is trying out strategies, they can join one that doesn't "count."

I personally think the rank system is helpful. Sure, a lot of people might not care about it, but it could be used to guarantee a balanced game. There could be options to only allow players of certain ranks to join games so that it isn't two rank 6's against a rank 1 and a rank 3. This would make it easier to get out of the lower ranks (if you're good, you'll get streaks and rank up quickly), but gaining ranks would get harder the higher you are, not only because of quantity but because of quality. Of course, rank restrictions would still be optional. And naturally, limiting guests could easily be a part of this.

I do agree that having guests is good so that new players can try it out, but I don't think that having the option to not have to deal with them (some people ask guests to leave if they join) would make it less valuable for them. In fact, allowing them to play with players more at their skill level if they so choose might make it less frustrating for them early on.

you must take into consideration the fact that there is still a lot of guests that don't actually hack.


I'm hoping that allowing unranked games will let those guests who are legitimate players stay signed into their accounts. If they don't want to use an account, there will still be games open for them. Like I said, these would all be game options that the game creator would set.

The point of all this is accountability. If players have to held accountable for what they do in a game, from hacking to quitting early to not trying, they might care. The problem with guests being everywhere is that they aren't held accountable. If there aren't reasons to use a guest account, maybe Colony multiplayer will be a better place. People care about their reputations. And even if they don't, identifying hackers would be a lot easier.

And since hackers get their satisfaction at least partially from frustrating others, this would get rid of a lot of the frustration factor. They wouldn't be able to screw with people who care (sometimes a bit too much) about their games. Hackers might not even waste their time anymore.

I guess it would also be necessary to make the rank system less hackable if the rank-limit game option is to be implemented. That shouldn't be too hard... I'm assuming it's client-side right now, so moving a couple numbers per account server-side can't be that bad.

Thoughts?
bunniecorps
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bunniecorps
467 posts
Nomad

2. Since guests don't have rank/ratio, they could either be banned from playing in ranked games altogether or there could be the option to make games guest-free.


It's not really okay to make things guest free. It deprives some people of enjoying a game. There are people who are underage and can't make an account, so is it right to make them suffer? At the end of the day, you play to have fun. Many people can't do that if you disable guests.

For hacking, I suggest you report all hackers to the colony anti hack squad. They get the job done.
kingofwar1234
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kingofwar1234
603 posts
Peasant

A way to reduce hackers is, report them to the anti hacking squad!!!!!! Omg quit talking about it and actually do it!!!,

Alaskies
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Alaskies
7 posts
Nomad

It's not really okay to make things guest free.


The guest-free idea would be an option for created games. Not every single game created in multiplayer Colony would have to use it, especially considering that guests can create games themselves... the idea is that when people want to play Colony, they want the other players to be responsible so that everyone can enjoy it. Guests can't be held accountable for what they, so there should be an easier way to avoid them when you want to. There are players who ask guests to leave or name their games "no guests" or simply kick guests if they join. That doesn't seem like the best solution, and the blatant antagonism towards guests by some players isn't doing anything to help solve the problem of accountability. If anything, it's fueling the incentive for hackers to hack. That's why we need a different system.
SwampertDestiny
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SwampertDestiny
47 posts
Nomad

Since a lot of people use guest accounts to try out new strategies, what if there were the option of having a game not count for rank/ratio?


There is games that does what you exactly said, the only thing to do is that you can make games without 4 players 1v1, 2v1, 1v2

Or make games with Easy CPUs.
xFYCNxB33ST
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xFYCNxB33ST
43 posts
Nomad

Thats actually not a bad idea just make guests unable to play with ppl unless the game doesn't count

Endscape
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Endscape
1,182 posts
Nomad

seeing how as someone said... we in the C.A.H.S. are.... "getting the job done" all u need to do is collect proof and deliver it to us OR tell us and let us do so..... few hackers r even on accounts now... they may be back soon though... anyway, this should have been put on a different thread that we use for ideas to make colont better, forgot wat its called, anyway send ur ideas to krin.. and maybe to yos or pac, basically someone who MAY have a chance of grabbing krin.... plz dont pester the man... i support all the ideas here but it seems almost irrelevant at the moment... hacking right now is only a real problem with guest, to avoid that for the moment if u care about ur stats, dont play against or with guest, is it fair? -well is it fair we have to take a risk out of kindness?.... i digress untill its clear whether or not something will or will not be done.... dont take un-necessary risk.. and report all hackers to either brp or yos(i do my own thing, not an "aggressive" hunter) if u have proof plz send that as well if not report suspicious characters on the official page and let them... or myself if possible to see if its true...

Alaskies
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Alaskies
7 posts
Nomad

hacking right now is only a real problem with guest, to avoid that for the moment if u care about ur stats, dont play against or with guest


That's exactly the point. You guys are doing a great job of eliminating hackers who have accounts, so if there is less incentive to play as a guest if you already have an account (without compromising those guests who can't have accounts, etc.), and less incentive to hack as a guest since the games you'll be allowed in will be comprised of people who wouldn't mind the hacking, the problem could be solved in its entirety.

send ur ideas to krin.. and maybe to yos or pac


So how would I do that? Comment on their profiles?
zizo90
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zizo90
244 posts
Blacksmith

okay very helpfull thx

Endscape
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Endscape
1,182 posts
Nomad

So how would I do that? Comment on their profiles?
yes, and i know yos's gmail is in plain sight u can contact him through there, maybe pac aswell.

i've dug up the colony feature updates thread so plz put ur thoughts in there and i've been personally trying to get krin to look at it, ill keep trying, u keep posting....

if by the time u log on u dont see it, its on my profile.
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