Interesting Question

Sandman

<div class="IPBDescription">NS and VAC</div> I realize that this is rather a odd question but I really must know so please don't flame me.

I have been reading some pretty strange tails lately about players getting banned for using STEAM skins and/or using custom models and such on VAC secured servers. I haven't yet seen any NS 3.0 beta series servers running in secure mode so I'm starting to wonder if there is any truth to these stories.

So my question is this. Is there any faq as to, would I get banned for using STEAM skins or using other models, skins, sounds or sprites while playing on a VAC secured NS server? Or does NS even have full VAC support yet?

Tux0r

VAC only looks for "hacks" or "cheats", which exist in the form of programs that "hook" into the half life code. The possibility of VAC banning for custom models and skins is stupid, valve encourages customisation in the community. I have used a skin for steam for a long time and have not been banned. Once or twice, i have been kicked from a server for having custom models (in other mods, not NS). To tell if a server is VAC enabled, you will see "Downloading Security Module" while connecting to it for the first time (it wont appear during a map change).

As for NS, NS will support VAC when it goes version 3 final, which will be on steam. NS currently <i>can</i> inforce consistancy checks for custom models, its up to the server. You will NOT be banned for having custom models.

Petco

Also right click somewhere and it will tell you from which servers have bots, anti cheat and something like that

Red_Squirrel

<!--QuoteBegin-Petco+Jul 22 2004, 09:31 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Petco @ Jul 22 2004, 09:31 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Also right click somewhere and it will tell you from which servers have bots, anti cheat and something like that <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Right Click where the column names are at the top of the server browser (Name, Ping, Players etc.).

Then you can select the options Petco mentioned.

And AFAIK VAC will not ban you for having custom models, sounds, sprites etc. If you do get banned by any of these do try to report it using the VAC "I didn't Cheat Form" and you might get un-banned.

Malibu_Stacey

OK you don't have anything to worry about since VAC isn't implemented in NS as yet. I would be highly surprised if VAC banned anyone for using custom Steam skins or custom models while playing mods that use VAC (only official VALVe mods currently IE CS, DoD, HLDM, TFC etc).

Anti-Cheat & file consistency are 2 seperate things.
Consistency checking can be used in any mod simply by setting mp_consistency 1.
If this is enabled then you must use the default models, .wav's & textures or you will be kicked from the server (sprites, IE the minimaps & cursors and MP3's IE the ambient sounds are not checked by consistency) but you will not be banned on that server or any other. This is generally used in competitive matches to ensure a more 'fair' game but you may see some uber paranoid or over zealous public server admins enforce it too.
As previously said VAC (VAVLe Anti-Cheat) is not enabled for NS as yet however there are a large number of servers using Cheating-Death which is the unofficial alternative to VAC. If you join a server which is C-D required & don't have C-D running you will be kicked & given the reason saying you require C-D to play on that server but again you will not be banned. If you have a cheat running and attempt to connect to a C-D server with C-D running, it will tell you in big yellow letters on your screen that you have a Code XXXX violation and will not allow you to move or shoot or anything (this also happens after a Steam update until C-D is updated accordingly as the areas of memory that it monitors in the HL client are changed everytime it is recompiled).
People getting Steam bans for using custom models or skins sounds like a pretty tall tale to me.