What The Hell Is Cheating-death?!
prodigy
Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3180Members
Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3180Members
<div class="IPBDescription">and why you should be running it!</div> Ok. So, you've been playing on some servers, and you find the tag '[No-CD]' in front of your name. And you blatantly ignored a consgreet explaining what it was when you connected. But we forgive you! This tag is prepended to any nick for a client who fails "CD AUTH" by a Cheating-Death empowered server. It basically indicates, you are not running the Cheating-Death Client.
So, WHAT IS CHEATING-DEATH?!
Cheating-Death, is a client side Anti-Cheat tool. The most effective way to provide anti-cheat, is to run something on the individual clients to prevent cheats from running. When you run the client, and you connect to a server, if you pass the CD AUTH check, your nick is left intact. So when you are playing on a CD server, any client with [No-CD] in front of their name isn't running CD. Does this make them a hacker? No, of course not, but it should make it easier to call someone a hacker. If they really aren't cheating, you can tell them to use the CD client and come back.
On our redphive (<a href='http://redphive.org/?view=redphive_server_list' target='_blank'>http://redphive.org/?view=redphive_server_list</a>) servers, this is how I handle someone who players acuse of cheating. If he isn't running the client he is removed from the game and told to come back when he is running the CD client.
No anti-cheat is perfect, but CD gets the job done.
For more information hit up <a href='http://www.unitedadmins.com/cdeath.php' target='_blank'>http://www.unitedadmins.com/cdeath.php</a>
Cheating-Death can be run in TWO modes. Optional, and Required. In optional mode, people who don't run the client have [No-CD] tag prepending their names. In required mode, people who don't run the client can't even connect, but are delivered a message (customizable) informing them that the CD client is required to play.
I've also found that by running servers in required mode, you can clear out all the trashy players who come over from CS. It seems to do a fairly good job of keeping newbies, and trolls off the server.
EDIT: Added this quick plugin which notices/messages users 60 seconds after they connect that you are running cheating-death and where to download it. Simply customize the message to suit your tastes, and change the timer if necessary. Remember, too short a timer, and users with slower computers will miss it!
<!--emo&::siege::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/siege.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='siege.gif'><!--endemo--> <a href='http://modNS.org/files/plugin_cd.tar.bz2' target='_blank'>http://modNS.org/files/plugin_cd.tar.bz2</a>
<img src='http://modNS.org/images/plugin_cd.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
So, WHAT IS CHEATING-DEATH?!
Cheating-Death, is a client side Anti-Cheat tool. The most effective way to provide anti-cheat, is to run something on the individual clients to prevent cheats from running. When you run the client, and you connect to a server, if you pass the CD AUTH check, your nick is left intact. So when you are playing on a CD server, any client with [No-CD] in front of their name isn't running CD. Does this make them a hacker? No, of course not, but it should make it easier to call someone a hacker. If they really aren't cheating, you can tell them to use the CD client and come back.
On our redphive (<a href='http://redphive.org/?view=redphive_server_list' target='_blank'>http://redphive.org/?view=redphive_server_list</a>) servers, this is how I handle someone who players acuse of cheating. If he isn't running the client he is removed from the game and told to come back when he is running the CD client.
No anti-cheat is perfect, but CD gets the job done.
For more information hit up <a href='http://www.unitedadmins.com/cdeath.php' target='_blank'>http://www.unitedadmins.com/cdeath.php</a>
Cheating-Death can be run in TWO modes. Optional, and Required. In optional mode, people who don't run the client have [No-CD] tag prepending their names. In required mode, people who don't run the client can't even connect, but are delivered a message (customizable) informing them that the CD client is required to play.
I've also found that by running servers in required mode, you can clear out all the trashy players who come over from CS. It seems to do a fairly good job of keeping newbies, and trolls off the server.
EDIT: Added this quick plugin which notices/messages users 60 seconds after they connect that you are running cheating-death and where to download it. Simply customize the message to suit your tastes, and change the timer if necessary. Remember, too short a timer, and users with slower computers will miss it!
<!--emo&::siege::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/siege.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='siege.gif'><!--endemo--> <a href='http://modNS.org/files/plugin_cd.tar.bz2' target='_blank'>http://modNS.org/files/plugin_cd.tar.bz2</a>
<img src='http://modNS.org/images/plugin_cd.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Comments
[NO C-D] by 14 names looks a bit annoying <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
To use C-D for a MOD which uses VAC code, you simply disable VAC (secure = 0;) and you're golden.
Second:
VAC in NS will very very likely lead to a lot more lag, and more problems. As we all know, they lag is already quite a problem. In testing with DoD, pings rise from 30-90 seconds with the addition of VAC. In addition to this, it causes the server to be more unstable, as well as when playing you often don't hear bullets whizzing or hitting near you, as well as some other sound issues.
This is why I stress that everyone start using Cheating-Death, as the brunt of the work, is all done client side, where CPU doesn't matter, where as the server (as with serverside anticheat aka VAC/HLGuard), will have to handle the loads of each client connected, which is just too much for an arleady exhausted NS server...
[NO C-D] by 14 names looks a bit annoying <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Do you run AdminMod? I'm going to post my Cheating-Death notice AM plugin. It messages users after x seconds with x lines of text telling them about it etc.. It does help.
I've also talked to Flayra, and Cheating-Death is getting its own custom icon for 1.1, which will appear next to individuals names who are running the CD enabled servers. I'm merely waiting for the UA team to come up with an icon.
The key is communication with your users. In addition to a consgreet, the auto-message helps. As well as putting information up on your website (if you have one), and having your admins talk to the users about what C-D is.
As more and more operators put it up, more and more people will learn what it is.
My next post will contain the AdminMod plugin which i'm talking about.
<!--emo&::siege::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/siege.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='siege.gif'><!--endemo--> <a href='http://modNS.org/files/plugin_cd.tar.bz2' target='_blank'>http://modNS.org/files/plugin_cd.tar.bz2</a>
Included is the source, and a linux compiled version. Was compiled using AM 2.50.51. There is no need to edit it, unless you wish to change the timer (currently 60 seconds after client first connects) or the messages.
lol. I think you'll find that this aproach is totally flawed. There is no way that the anti-cheat program can tell if it's seeing real information (say a list of files) or being fed a decoy. The same goes for checksums. (A bit like the matrix <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> ) I think the best anti-cheat is a decent admin <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
lol. I think you'll find that this aproach is totally flawed. There is no way that the anti-cheat program can tell if it's seeing real information (say a list of files) or being fed a decoy. The same goes for checksums. (A bit like the matrix <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> ) I think the best anti-cheat is a decent admin <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You can't trust the client. That's client-server programming mantra #2. However, that doesn't mean you abandon all hope. You try your best to authenticate the client. C-D does a darn good job.
Anything, serverside, that does calculations to discover what a player can, and can not see will induce lag. My statement is based off personal experience with CS and DoD servers. Its not as apparent with CS as it is with DoD, but with the addition of the VAC, lag, sound bugs, and game instability were introduced. Especially so in DoD where my ping with VAC jumps from 70ms, to around 110-120ms. Thats quite a jump...
Considering that NS is already a massive cpu oinker... I'd keep my distance from anything that might increase it more..
To use C-D for a MOD which uses VAC code, you simply disable VAC (secure = 0;) and you're golden.
Second:
VAC in NS will very very likely lead to a lot more lag, and more problems. As we all know, they lag is already quite a problem. In testing with DoD, pings rise from 30-90 seconds with the addition of VAC. In addition to this, it causes the server to be more unstable, as well as when playing you often don't hear bullets whizzing or hitting near you, as well as some other sound issues.
This is why I stress that everyone start using Cheating-Death, as the brunt of the work, is all done client side, where CPU doesn't matter, where as the server (as with serverside anticheat aka VAC/HLGuard), will have to handle the loads of each client connected, which is just too much for an arleady exhausted NS server... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
odd, ive never seen any problems or lag with VAC
Also, look at the popularity of CD amongst all servers online (at this measurement, 3/10/03 @ 10:57am PST using ASE), 20 out of 372 servers online have CD installed in optional mode, 16 more out of 372 have it in required mode. That's less than 10% (9.6774%) that have CD installed in any form. There's no obvious demand for it right now based on the data. (And yes, I do plan on scanning again during the evening when most people play.)
Also, look at the popularity of CD amongst all servers online (at this measurement, 3/10/03 @ 10:57am PST using ASE), 20 out of 372 servers online have CD installed in optional mode, 16 more out of 372 have it in required mode. That's less than 10% (9.6774%) that have CD installed in any form. There's no obvious demand for it right now based on the data. (And yes, I do plan on scanning again during the evening when most people play.) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Cheating Death isn't a scanner anymore. I refer you to the United Admins Forums at <a href='http://forums.unitedadmins.com' target='_blank'>http://forums.unitedadmins.com</a> for more information, but in the latest patch (2.3.0) the client side lag has been virtually eliminated. There are no cheats that get by this (at the time this post was made) while MANY get past VAC and/or hlguard. If you care about cheating on your server, this is bar none the second best solution at the moment (the first is for the admins to sit on their server 24 hours a day and watch every player like a hawk).
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I think the best anti-cheat is a decent admin<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I couldnt agree more. And by running C-D in optional mode, admins give them self a sort of "trump card" over people they suspect of hacking. Instead of blindly making assumptions about players you dont know, and occaisonally banning legitimate players with a big bag of skills, admins running C-D in optional mode can just ask people they suspect are hacking to go install C-D. If said people refuse, then admins have a basis on which these players can be banned, instead of simple admin judgement.
Until C-D really catches on, required mode is a real waste of space, as it will just kill the population on your server faster then you can say "holy dismal failure, batman."
Yes, everyone hates the [NO-CD] tag, but if we stopped arguing over which anti-cheat to use, and universally supported C-D, (maybe even got the ns team to include a version of it in any client side patch released) we could really eliminate a lot of old-fashioned hacking ****.
r3v0luti0n, 10% of the NS servers is hardly insignificant. I expected a much lower number. I draw the opposite conclusion from you, and say that there <i>is</i> demand for quality anti-cheat measures (at least among the admins who are tired of answering "there was a cheater on your server today!" emails) <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->