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Should UO Use PunkBuster to Stop Cheats?

Should PunkBuster Be Used to Stop Cheats?

  • Yes. The FAQ satisfies me enough to allow it.

    Votes: 98 64.5%
  • No. I don't care how much it will stop, I won't allow my personal privacy to be violated.

    Votes: 54 35.5%

  • Total voters
    152
E

ElRay

Guest
ElRay, have you read the agreement you must accept if you want to help beta test the new SA client? Are you aware of the section that reads as follows:



(Sorry for the all caps. This was a direct cut and paste from the agreement itself at https://betacenter.eamythic.com/UOSA/betaTestAgreement.php.)

I wouldn't exactly call this "doing nothing."
Thanks Tina, Im in shock.....right......now ...cant....type...fingers.....wo..nt....function.................key......board.............
 

Kat

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
They wont do it. They would lose to much $$ for banning accts
If they don't do it, they will continue to lose even more accounts. Cheating is the number one reason I hear from new Siege players, as to why they are quitting.

EA could potentially cut their losses if they give fair warning before Punkbuster or some other similar cheat catcher.
 

Zooithion

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Once in a great (very rare) while I have noticed my screen flash white, like I remember happening at some of the Dev events. I've never cheated and the times I remember this happening other than the Dev events, I was just in the middle of nowhere running to my house or somewhere.

When I read your post I thought "was that a screen shot of some kind?"

Nothing to base it on, just a thought.

I'm in agreement with Petra. I applied for the SA beta after reading the entire beta testing agreement. I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that EA has already quietly started doing screen captures, regardless of client used. I do have reservations about Punkbuster, however, because the article Petra referenced indicates that it isn't foolproof and some people have figured out how to trigger false-positive account bans by posting bits and pieces of malicious code on forums and in IRC chats.
 

WildWobble

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Meh could not care one way or another it would not cause a mass banning of players it would cause a mass deletion of 3rd party programs so players do not get banned. And the few who do get hit by the buster will be a good example of natural selection who needs the idiots anyhow? Will it bring players back is my question? Many have moved on and probably found something else they love to waste their time on other then a geriatric mmo.:bored:
 

HD2300

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
They don't need PunkBuster for detecting XXX which they can do themselves easily enough. In fact, I could come up with really simple code to detect XXX in say... 5 seconds. I mean it's ridiculous to assume EA wouldn't be able to detect something like XXX client-side.
Exactly. EA have done Nothing Nada Zip in the last 5 years. This is because they would lose millions of dollars in subscriptions each year.

Even in the last token banning there were was one person that only had 1 of their 30 accounts banned, all on the same credit card, for having truckloads of dupes.
 
B

Belanos/Icicle

Guest
Even in the last token banning there were was one person that only had 1 of their 30 accounts banned, all on the same credit card, for having truckloads of dupes.
just curious how you know that.
friends with the guy?
or just heard a rumor?
 
A

AesSedai

Guest
^2 -- What Belanos/Icicle said/asked in the post directly above...?
(that means I question the same statement)

Btw HD2300, if I am reading you correctly, your first and second paragraphs contradict each other...


Vote: Yes! to putting our subscriber dollars to work toward competing against the pandemic of cheating :)


(I could care less if it is done in-EA-house or by PB... something more has to be done regarding cheating, something more has to be done regarding cheating if there are to be legitimate hopes of improving UO... and this has been known since ~October 1997, if not for many moons before. Cheating is the killer of all games; if it cannot be adequately curtailed. I am AesSedai (hi :)), and being bound by the UOath rod that I've sworn to, I believe this to be absolutely true.)
 
G

Grimm_of_Oceania

Guest
Hey, its 2006 all over again. I am totally farming blackrock.
Ahh, I remember the 2006 PB outrage saga. It seems to come in circles, every 2-3 years someone mentions punk buster and everyone starts flaming each other.

For the record - against
 
A

AesSedai

Guest
... For the record - against
- & your reason for being against is? Else you should've just voted and not posted, imho...
Want to constructively add to this thread? Ya' might want to provide some constructive feedback; it might change some minds, eh. Believe it or not there are some objective people reading this.
 

Harlequin

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I hope everyone who voted no didn't sign up for the Stygian Abyss beta, which has the same "privacy violating" power than Punkbuster does.

UOSA Beta Agreement said:
5.5 Consent to Monitor. DURING ITS OPERATION, THE GAME MAY MONITOR YOUR COMPUTER'S RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) FOR UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAMS RUNNING CONCURRENTLY WITH THE GAME. AN "UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM" AS USED HEREIN SHALL BE DEFINED AS ANY THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY "ADDON", "MOD", "HACK", "TRAINER", OR "CHEAT" THAT IN EA'S SOLE DETERMINATION: (I) ENABLES OR FACILITATES CHEATING OF ANY TYPE: (II) ALLOWS USERS TO MODIFY OR HACK THE GAME INTERFACE, ENVIRONMENT, AND /OR EXPERIENCE IN ANY WAY NOT EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY EA: OR (III) INTERCEPTS, "MINES", OR OTHERWISE COLLECTS INFORMATION FROM OR THROUGH THE GAME. IN THE EVENT THAT THE GAME DETECTS AN UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM, THE GAME MAY (A) COMMUNICATE INFORMATION BACK TO EA, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION YOUR ACCOUNT NAME, DETAILS ABOUT THE UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM DETECTED, AND THE TIME AND DATE THE UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM WAS DETECTED; AND /OR (B) EA MAY EXERCISE ANY OR ALL OF ITS RIGHTS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE TO THE USER.
Oh my. Perhaps Punkbuster is integrated into the new Stygian Abyss client. That would be why such a clause would be necessary.
Yup, that's the way!

I'd always expressed that I don't think PB will work. It's operated by a 3rd party company that runs a service on your computer that do not terminate when you exit UO. Lots of legal/indemnity issues and baggage, it's also too well known.

The solution is adding detection engines directly into the UOClient.exe - which seems to be what they have integrated into the SA client, that's the right way to tackle the problem imo :)
 

HD2300

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Btw HD2300, if I am reading you correctly, your first and second paragraphs contradict each other...
Banning just 1 account of a person who has a truckload of dupes, and not all their accounts, when the other 29 accounts also use the same credit card, is a token just for show banning and effectively doing nothing.
 
A

AesSedai

Guest
Banning just 1 account of a person who has a truckload of dupes, and not all their accounts, when the other 29 accounts also use the same credit card, is a token just for show banning and effectively doing nothing.
- Do you have any proof regarding this alleged matter, or are you just adding to the UO conspiracy? Everything is but a token show, unless proof can be provided, eh.

Trip to non-realityworld: Hey, at least they took one out... too bad that 29 remain...

But at least they've proven to take some, even in this perceieved fantasy land, as you acknowleged that some action has been taken in the past 5 years (which they have informed us of already; even thougth some, like myself, would like to see more reminders of such proactive equalizers taking
place, like at least on a bi-quarterly basis.)

Btw, that is evidently more than the Zip Nada proclamations you made earlier, regarding EA's reaction to cheatin...

If what you assert is the truth, then please share how you know it to be true. Sure these alleged 30 accounts should have been banned, but how do you know that they were not?

PB or UOCheatBusters = UO has needed this for tooooo many years.
Give our policy holders / our policers that ability to protect our fellow paying men & then UO-things might become more fair & even, evenly balanced even.
Thus, my vote remains to be - yes
 
G

Grimm_of_Oceania

Guest
I'd always expressed that I don't think PB will work. It's operated by a 3rd party company that runs a service on your computer that do not terminate when you exit UO. Lots of legal/indemnity issues and baggage, it's also too well known.

The solution is adding detection engines directly into the UOClient.exe - which seems to be what they have integrated into the SA client, that's the right way to tackle the problem imo :)
This is why I am against punkbuster.
 
C

CatLord

Guest
Hum I'm pissed...

I just left the Vent server of a broker and listened with disbelief how a GM was supplying that operation with 1k valorite hammers and 1k heartwood kits per week... plus assorted items.

They were selling each item per $9... and cutting the profits... $18.000.

I dont know how much a GM monthly wage is... but I bet it is under $9000 per week.

I'm sending this information to my Alliance and leaving for a while.

I have a bad taste in my mouth.



PS:
Just got a message with this new friend threatening to ban me.
Taking a break is a very wise move.
You all have fun...
 
C

Connor_Graham

Guest
I just left the Vent server of a broker and listened with disbelief how a GM was supplying that operation with 1k valorite hammers and 1k heartwood kits per week... plus assorted items.
If you caught this GM's name I sure hope you've reported him/her.
 

HD2300

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
- Do you have any proof regarding this alleged matter, or are you just adding to the UO conspiracy? Everything is but a token show, unless proof can be provided, eh.

If what you assert is the truth, then please share how you know it to be true. Sure these alleged 30 accounts should have been banned, but how do you know that they were not?
Just go and reread UHall posts from 08 last year. There were 2 people who posted they had one of their accounts banned for dupes and their other 15 and 30 accounts respectively werent banned even though they were all using the same credit card.

You get what you expect. If you expect nothing, that's what you get.
 
H

Harb

Guest
Catlord please shoot Chrissay a PM with all info you have, I'm certain it will be investigated in rapid manner. Not to be overly cautious or too quick to fire, I'd pass along that despite numerous allegations and misdirects, to my knowledge there has been only one case of gross misconduct by a US based GM, and steps were taken many moons ago to prevent this from happening again.
 

ColterDC

Visitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I would certainly be interested in returning to UO if the majority of the cheaters were finally removed. I'm willing to bet that over time alot of people who quit due to all the cheats would also return.

UO is still one of the best MMORPG's, especially for anyone who prefers old school graphics, not the 3d vomit machines most newer games have become. But EA has really shot themselves in the foot, by not dealing with all the cheaters that infest in UO.

Also, I agree will what a few others have stated about people who are opposed to some sort of anti-cheat software being implemented into UO.
1. You're either a cheater yourself or are benefiting from someone who is cheating.
2. You're a moron worried that a multi million dollar company is really interested the personal crap you've got stored on your computer.

Please send me a private message if EA ever decides to do something about all the cheaters..... also include in your message that hell has frozen over.
 
B

Beastmaster

Guest
Even the best scripting operation can't compete with that. Kinda makes this whole thread rather pointless don't you think? How does Punkbuster detect a GM giving out such goodies? Oh wait... 2000+ items... I suppose he could be using a script to bag them in lots of 125.
 
D

DHMagicMan_1

Guest
Hum I'm pissed...

I just left the Vent server of a broker and listened with disbelief how a GM was supplying that operation with 1k valorite hammers and 1k heartwood kits per week... plus assorted items.

They were selling each item per $9... and cutting the profits... $18.000.

I dont know how much a GM monthly wage is... but I bet it is under $9000 per week.

I'm sending this information to my Alliance and leaving for a while.

I have a bad taste in my mouth.



PS:
Just got a message with this new friend threatening to ban me.
Taking a break is a very wise move.
You all have fun...
While it's POSSIBLE this could be happening, I'm thinking this would probably a very "Short Lived Venture" in most MMOs and hopefully that includes UO...

Just about every game company has software in place to monitor every action the GMs take while logged into a "God" account. They may be able to generate Val Hammers and give them away or drop them in bags onto the ground or whatever, but someone reviewing logs would see this fairly quickly and shut it down.

At least I hope it would in UO. I know in Eve Online and WoW both game companies have caught their GMs with tracking software, and UO in the "Old Days" before Mythic took over I know they had tracking abilities.
 

Kariny

UO Lake Superior News Reporter
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Well, I may have missed it somewhere in all the jibber jabber.

If PB is integrated into SA how will that affect those players that do not choose to download SA? Can cheaters just avoid it that way?
 

Gildar

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I hope everyone who voted no didn't sign up for the Stygian Abyss beta, which has the same "privacy violating" power than Punkbuster does.

UOSA Beta Agreement said:
5.5 Consent to Monitor. DURING ITS OPERATION, THE GAME MAY MONITOR YOUR COMPUTER'S RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) FOR UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAMS RUNNING CONCURRENTLY WITH THE GAME. AN "UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM" AS USED HEREIN SHALL BE DEFINED AS ANY THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY "ADDON", "MOD", "HACK", "TRAINER", OR "CHEAT" THAT IN EA'S SOLE DETERMINATION: (I) ENABLES OR FACILITATES CHEATING OF ANY TYPE: (II) ALLOWS USERS TO MODIFY OR HACK THE GAME INTERFACE, ENVIRONMENT, AND /OR EXPERIENCE IN ANY WAY NOT EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY EA: OR (III) INTERCEPTS, "MINES", OR OTHERWISE COLLECTS INFORMATION FROM OR THROUGH THE GAME. IN THE EVENT THAT THE GAME DETECTS AN UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM, THE GAME MAY (A) COMMUNICATE INFORMATION BACK TO EA, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION YOUR ACCOUNT NAME, DETAILS ABOUT THE UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM DETECTED, AND THE TIME AND DATE THE UNAUTHORIZED THIRD PARTY PROGRAM WAS DETECTED; AND /OR (B) EA MAY EXERCISE ANY OR ALL OF ITS RIGHTS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE TO THE USER.
Oh my. Perhaps Punkbuster is integrated into the new Stygian Abyss client. That would be why such a clause would be necessary.
The SA Beta Agreement is nowhere close to as much of a privacy concern as PunkBuster's EULA is.

EA keeps the detection and information passing limited specifically to 3rd party UO cheat program detection, and keeps it within the company.

The only thing that gives anything remotely related to a sense of privacy with PB is their Privacy Policy... which if you ask them about it, they'll very willingly tell you that they don't have qualms about completely scrapping it if doing so would mean a better cheat detection program.
 

EnigmaMaitreya

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Well, I voted yes and I hope they do it.

My goodness, people play Internet based games, Internet based messaging system, on the same computer with sensitive information, and they are worried about privacy violations? Now that is interesting.

I wonder how many of them run the No Script add in or the MS equivalent for Explorer (Chuckles).

Get a clue, you have sensitive information and you want it secure? Then you need it on a computer that has limited to specific reasons to be on the internet and ALL software, that you use, yes that INCLUDES WEB BROWSERS, should be .... SECURE.
 

EnigmaMaitreya

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
... which if you ask them about it, they'll very willingly tell you that they don't have qualms about completely scrapping it if doing so would mean a better cheat detection program.
And that is perfectly fine with me. One must not focus so tunnel visioned on the EULA. One must pay attention to the SPIRIT / INTENT of the company your agreeing with.

One might think that for all the people that PB has agreements with, that IF the company had intents to sell the information, there would be by now, quite an uproar. Considering there is NOT, then their Spirit and Intent seem to be to keep the Information safe.

Their Spirit and Intent seems to be to REMOVE THESE BLIGHTS (cheats, scripters etc) from Internet based games. I say Freaking HURRAY and they get my vote.
 

Gildar

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Their Spirit and Intent seems to be to REMOVE THESE BLIGHTS (cheats, scripters etc) from Internet based games. I say Freaking HURRAY and they get my vote.
Good spirit and intent has led to many a bad thing in the history of the world.
Ignore the privacy and security risks, the agreement to allow complete strangers to access more data than anybody could consider reasonable (which people only ignore because of the half promise not to), and the lack of even being able to theoretically prevent cheating in an online game... it all adds up to huge risk and cost for a benefit that is minimal at best.

Cheaters should be banned, and EA should take efforts to prevent them... but with their own software that respects their players, and with an effort that is primarily in the form of server-side benefits for people who play the game normally... not an added burden for everybody including the cheaters.
 

EnigmaMaitreya

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Good spirit and intent has led to many a bad thing in the history of the world....
Said another another and perhaps more recognizable way ....

The pathway to Hell is paved with good intentions ....

I understand the concept.

I also understand that Eula's are only as valid as one party's intent and ability to enforce it.

To use your fabled "History" though, there is to date no instance of PB's selling the information or through their actions or inaction's have any person been harmed or damaged.

OR

In short they have proven themselves to date to be good partners.

As I said one has valuable information on the computer they casually have on the internet and they want to punish UO/EA/PB for that data falling into the wrong hands?

I think such people may want to have a clear understanding of the term "Scape Goat".
 
M

MoneyMaker

Guest
There is another side to that.
Say that, heacen forbid, someone does use their comp which does have very sensative information, to also play UO.
UO decides to impliment the PB, and weeks later this same comp that said persons have been surfing the net, playing UO, opening E-mails, etc......
All of a sudden is receiving Spam, Viruses, Bogus Virus messages, etc.....
Who will the most likely blame? EA.
It most likely would not be something that PB had done, but in fact was probably a loophole in said persons security measures. No ones computer is invurnerable from invasion unless it is not connected to any type of intra/inter/ether net of any sort. Even then there is the chance of theft by the old fashioned means.
With todays wireless connections, Dsl, BroadBand, etc.... It makes getting into anyone's comp an extremely easy affair.
I would be willing to bet that, no matter how secure your Comp is, there is at least 1 bot on the hard drive of at least 95% of the people who read this thread. You will almost never detect them. THat is how they are designed.
They use so little of your CPU that it is almost impossible to detect them without the proper software. If you wonder how that spam gets sent, its a bot. Wonder how a hack can get the CPU power to do the "super-cracks" its a bot. You put together 50,000 peoples 1% of CPU and you have a super machine, that none of them will even detect as part of their own comp.
To make the whole reason for not implimenting PB about privacy issues is a pretty moot point, if you are one of millions who leave your comp on and connected for any length of time.
To think that you are safe from an invasion of your privacy is a concept that went out with 20th century.
My advice, never Ever put anything that can be used against you, on your comp. EVER!
PB is the least of my concerns, as far as internet or comp security goes.
I am not saying I am for the PB, nor am I saying that I am against, either.
But I firmly believe that EA must do something to correct the problem or watch the Original MMORPG go the way of the Dodo.
 

Harlequin

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Well, I may have missed it somewhere in all the jibber jabber.

If PB is integrated into SA how will that affect those players that do not choose to download SA? Can cheaters just avoid it that way?
I am guessing that the detection engine will also be added to the legacy clients. If they have not done this already :)
 

Tailean

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Okay, so I have read every post on this issue and it seems very simple to me. PB WILL be added and those who don't like it, well just don't play. I am very excited to see UO standing up to the bad guys finally. I don't care if they have to close most shards because half of the UO population quit (the cheaters!) This statement may surprise some of you but their are non cheaters in this game. That's right even in PvP! I would rather play on a shard with 20 non-cheaters than a shard with a population of 600-1000 of mostly cheaters. So to finish this post if you don't like it there is a 90% you cannot play UO and win without cheating, sooo please find you another game. Try Zelda I hear there are cheat codes for that :p.
 

hawkeye_pike

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I voted NO.

I believe that a tool like PunkBuster might diminish hackers and scripters successfully. However, I always question the price I have to pay for that, and if there are no better solutions. Let me detail that:

Once you have given up a freedom, it will take blood to regain it. Politicians are intruding our privacy more and more, are monitoring us, are secretly invading our privacy. All that was made possible right after 9/11, because it was finally easy for the politicians to manipulate us and make us believe that we are in great danger, and this danger can only be reduced by giving up your freedom. Instead of fighting the root of the problem. Face it, there always will be danger and risk, no matter how much you monitor and survey. But with giving up your privacy, you open a door that cannot be shut anymore.
I will not allow a software on my computer monitoring anything I do on that computer. Not because I had something to hide, but because this is my privacy, and if we start to give up parts of it, it will not take long before anything you do on your computer will be known to software companies, game companies, advertising companies, your government and lots of other people. It is a principle!

I believe there must be better ways of fighting cheaters and scripters.
One way would certainly be to improve the game in a way it makes scripting and hacking useless or impossible. Why do people script gold farming and animal taming? Because it is possible! Because the game is static and predictable. Kill a bull and it will respawn at the same location; monster AI is ridiculous. Why can people ustilize speed hacks and the like? Because the game engine is 11 years old and never has been overhauled.
Another way to fight cheaters could be actual GM support. Any player can easily tell a cheater from a normal player, and GMs have even more possibilities. If they'd exist. But what do you expect from a game with no support staff? You cannot automate everything.

Am I paranoid? I rather call me careful and privacy-sensitive. I disabled many Windows Services because they're useless and they're gathering data. I only allow cookies from selected sites, which I delete after closing the browser. I use two firewalls. I stopped using Windows Media Player right after the version came out that required me to open certain ports on my firewall. I only use software which I know and which I trust. I sure won't allow a software running on my computer taking screenshots of whatever window. If it wasn't for UO, I'd use Linux anyway.

Now YOU tell me why I should vote YES on this poll!

P.S.: I even stopped to PvP because of all these annoying cheats. But I'd rather play a game without PvP than allowing a monitoring tool on my computer.
 

ColterDC

Visitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
YOU tell me why I should vote YES on this poll!
You should vote YES because all your privacy violation nonsense breaks down to this;

You're a moron worried that a multi million dollar company is really interested the personal crap you've got stored on your computer.
Sorry, I know you probably have a really good time making those tin foils hats.
 

hawkeye_pike

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
You should vote YES because all your privacy violation nonsense breaks down to this;

You're a moron worried that a multi million dollar company is really interested the personal crap you've got stored on your computer.

Sorry, I know you probably have a really good time making those tin foils hats.
It is illiterates like you who cure me from reading Stratics boards. Basically I have to thank you: Reading these message boards is mostly a waste of time, because a lot of postings have the quality of yours.

What does it take to bleat out brainless insults? Exactly! Nothing.
 
D

Dai FHA

Guest
I am totally 100% for punkbusters and getting rid of the cheaters. But what will everyone on these boards cry about without all the hackers. lol Then i wont have anything to read.
 

ColterDC

Visitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
It is illiterates like you who cure me from reading Stratics boards.
Apparently you're the illiterate one who didn't bother to research PunkBuster before going off on a delusional rant about black helicopters and alien landings.

Punkbuster has been out for approximately 9 years. Go find me 1 confirmed case of the PunkBuster company using someone's stolen personal information in an illegal manner.

I'll wait.
 
M

MoneyMaker

Guest
I voted NO.

I will not allow a software on my computer monitoring anything I do on that computer.
........
Am I paranoid? I rather call me careful and privacy-sensitive. I disabled many Windows Services because they're useless and they're gathering data. I only allow cookies from selected sites, which I delete after closing the browser. I use two firewalls. I stopped using Windows Media Player right after the version came out that required me to open certain ports on my firewall. I only use software which I know and which I trust. I sure won't allow a software running on my computer taking screenshots of whatever window. If it wasn't for UO, I'd use Linux anyway.
To answer the paranoia question... No, but a bit overzealous, yes.
As far as trusting any software. Unless you, yourself, wrote the source code, then no, you cannot trust any program.

You can delete all you want, but unless you are wiping your hard drive, its still there.

I will give you a tidbit to excite your paranoia.
Do you talk on a cell phone or a LAN-line? If so, I or anyone else can listen in on your conversations, with a small $100 investment, totally legal and attainable. Your conversation is not scrambled, so no need to unscramble it.
If you talk to someone long-distance, even better! I just have to find a local microwave relay tower and just tune in. Yet another small investment for that little machine, easily attained and totally legal!

The Bots I referred to in a earlier post... They can and do get past your firewalls and can run undetected for as long as needed.

I am not saying just give up.

What I am saying is that if punk buster is your biggest problem with UO, you need to take another look.
Do your self a favor, check out their site. Check out the games that use them. Check and check again.

STOP DEALING IN HEARSAY!!!!
 

Tailean

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I voted NO.

I believe that a tool like PunkBuster might diminish hackers and scripters successfully. However, I always question the price I have to pay for that, and if there are no better solutions. Let me detail that:

Once you have given up a freedom, it will take blood to regain it. Politicians are intruding our privacy more and more, are monitoring us, are secretly invading our privacy. All that was made possible right after 9/11, because it was finally easy for the politicians to manipulate us and make us believe that we are in great danger, and this danger can only be reduced by giving up your freedom. Instead of fighting the root of the problem. Face it, there always will be danger and risk, no matter how much you monitor and survey. But with giving up your privacy, you open a door that cannot be shut anymore.
I will not allow a software on my computer monitoring anything I do on that computer. Not because I had something to hide, but because this is my privacy, and if we start to give up parts of it, it will not take long before anything you do on your computer will be known to software companies, game companies, advertising companies, your government and lots of other people. It is a principle!

I believe there must be better ways of fighting cheaters and scripters.
One way would certainly be to improve the game in a way it makes scripting and hacking useless or impossible. Why do people script gold farming and animal taming? Because it is possible! Because the game is static and predictable. Kill a bull and it will respawn at the same location; monster AI is ridiculous. Why can people ustilize speed hacks and the like? Because the game engine is 11 years old and never has been overhauled.
Another way to fight cheaters could be actual GM support. Any player can easily tell a cheater from a normal player, and GMs have even more possibilities. If they'd exist. But what do you expect from a game with no support staff? You cannot automate everything.

Am I paranoid? I rather call me careful and privacy-sensitive. I disabled many Windows Services because they're useless and they're gathering data. I only allow cookies from selected sites, which I delete after closing the browser. I use two firewalls. I stopped using Windows Media Player right after the version came out that required me to open certain ports on my firewall. I only use software which I know and which I trust. I sure won't allow a software running on my computer taking screenshots of whatever window. If it wasn't for UO, I'd use Linux anyway.

Now YOU tell me why I should vote YES on this poll!

P.S.: I even stopped to PvP because of all these annoying cheats. But I'd rather play a game without PvP than allowing a monitoring tool on my computer.
WHY DO YOU CARE IF THEY LOOK AT YOUR COMPUTER? ARE YOU DOING ILLEGAL STUFF? LOOKING AT PORN AND YOU DON"T WANT YOUR CHURCH TO FIND OUT? WHY CARE SO MUCH? Ok So... I am all about freedom, What about my freedom of fair play? Wasn't that taken away from me? When I die to 3 running shot archers with speed hacks, who is watching out for my freedom? Ohh I know who is PUNKBUSTER :).
 

Gildar

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Apparently you're the illiterate one who didn't bother to research PunkBuster before going off on a delusional rant about black helicopters and alien landings.
EvenBalance fully admits to not caring about minority privacy, security, or performance, as long as it means removing more cheaters than non-cheaters.
Is it really that unreasonable for somebody to not want to give them permission to look at, view, and publish anything they want on my computer while they play a game?


Tailean said:
Okay, so I have read every post on this issue and it seems very simple to me. PB WILL be added and those who don't like it, well just don't play.
Actually... it looks like PB will NOT be added. The snippit of the UO Beta agreement is very similar to stuff that's already in the UO EULA... much much more reasonable and restricted than PunkBuster EULA.
 

Tailean

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Actually... it looks like PB will NOT be added. The snippit of the UO Beta agreement is very similar to stuff that's already in the UO EULA... much much more reasonable and restricted than PunkBuster EULA.
I think you need to re-evaluate your sources. Punkbuster is a "for sure" thing. My friends at EA explained the process in-depth. This I DO NOT ask you to take my word on, as you will see soon enough :). GO PUNKBUSTER!
 

Cetric

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I voted NO.

I believe that a tool like PunkBuster might diminish hackers and scripters successfully. However, I always question the price I have to pay for that, and if there are no better solutions. Let me detail that:

Once you have given up a freedom, it will take blood to regain it. Politicians are intruding our privacy more and more, are monitoring us, are secretly invading our privacy. All that was made possible right after 9/11, because it was finally easy for the politicians to manipulate us and make us believe that we are in great danger, and this danger can only be reduced by giving up your freedom. Instead of fighting the root of the problem. Face it, there always will be danger and risk, no matter how much you monitor and survey. But with giving up your privacy, you open a door that cannot be shut anymore.
I will not allow a software on my computer monitoring anything I do on that computer. Not because I had something to hide, but because this is my privacy, and if we start to give up parts of it, it will not take long before anything you do on your computer will be known to software companies, game companies, advertising companies, your government and lots of other people. It is a principle!

I believe there must be better ways of fighting cheaters and scripters.
One way would certainly be to improve the game in a way it makes scripting and hacking useless or impossible. Why do people script gold farming and animal taming? Because it is possible! Because the game is static and predictable. Kill a bull and it will respawn at the same location; monster AI is ridiculous. Why can people ustilize speed hacks and the like? Because the game engine is 11 years old and never has been overhauled.
Another way to fight cheaters could be actual GM support. Any player can easily tell a cheater from a normal player, and GMs have even more possibilities. If they'd exist. But what do you expect from a game with no support staff? You cannot automate everything.

Am I paranoid? I rather call me careful and privacy-sensitive. I disabled many Windows Services because they're useless and they're gathering data. I only allow cookies from selected sites, which I delete after closing the browser. I use two firewalls. I stopped using Windows Media Player right after the version came out that required me to open certain ports on my firewall. I only use software which I know and which I trust. I sure won't allow a software running on my computer taking screenshots of whatever window. If it wasn't for UO, I'd use Linux anyway.

Now YOU tell me why I should vote YES on this poll!

P.S.: I even stopped to PvP because of all these annoying cheats. But I'd rather play a game without PvP than allowing a monitoring tool on my computer.
Are you really that paranoid? Microsoft, ad-aware, symantec, and plenty of other highly used programs pull more information about your computer then punkbuster will. For your sake i hope you do not have an email account, especially one in outlook, god forbid pots 25 and 110 open unless you chagned them, oh wait you are on the internet, port 80 is open, oh no! The things you do to secure your machine are good, most people should do things like this, but to answer your question, yes you are overly paranoid. If someone wanted your information they can get it, you are connected to the internet, done.
 

deadite

Sage
It's My Birthday
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
PunkBuster is bad news people! IT'S EVIL!!!! Here's some little known facts about PunkBuster:

PB will steal your contacts' names and email addresses and spam them.

PB will take snapshots while you are in Microsoft Money.

PB will send all your banking information to Even Balance, who will proceed to drain your accounts of funds.

PB will snapshot your credit card purchases and then auction your information off to nefarious identity thieves.

PB will alter your online tax filings so you get audited.

PB will find your family photo collection and draw mustaches on everyone's faces.

PB will censor the dancing broccoli on the Stratics forum.

PB will eat your ham sandwich when you go to the bathroom.

PB will erase your DVR before you watch your shows.

PB will draw lightning to your house, cause leaks in your gas lines and sneak metal utensils into your microwave.

PB will detect when porn is loaded and then use your webcam to record your activities and automatically post it on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

PB will watch you while you sleep.

PB will take your underage daughter out and buy her alcohol.

PB may also knock her up.

PB will break normalization in any databases you have carefully designed.

PB will make you forget your spouse's name during intercourse.

PB will call 1-900 lines from your home phone.

PB will take your car out for a spin in the middle of the night and bring it back scratched.

PB will prank call 911.

PB will automatically delete any posts by TheScoundrelRico (you're welcome).

PB will replace all of your sugar with salt and then laugh at your face when you take a sip of your morning coffee.

PB will eat out at expensive restaurants using the credit card it stole from your earlier.

PB will download movies and music illegally and get you sued.

PB will create fart smells when you have company over.

PB will replace all the cash in your wallet or purse with badly counterfeit money.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, folks. JUST SAY NO TO PUNKBUSTER!
 

Cetric

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
haha, that was good for a morning laugh. when i first started reading it i was about to go off on you lol.
 
C

Connor_Graham

Guest
I really don't see why so many people are so paranoid. PB only runs when you're playing the game, so as long as you're not paying bills from your bank account or checking your credit card balances while you're playing (which you shouldn't be doing anyway), and clear your cookies when you are done doing these things (which you should be doing), you have nothing to worry about. It can't scan things when you're not using them, and can't get info that isn't there. I think some people should look into seeing a shrink for paranoia. They've obviously got some problems.
 

Cetric

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I really don't see why so many people are so paranoid. PB only runs when you're playing the game, so as long as you're not paying bills from your bank account or checking your credit card balances while you're playing (which you shouldn't be doing anyway), and clear your cookies when you are done doing these things (which you should be doing), you have nothing to worry about. It can't scan things when you're not using them, and can't get info that isn't there. I think some people should look into seeing a shrink for paranoia. They've obviously got some problems.
Either they are ignorant or are running there precious programs and are making a cover for it, it sup in the air as to which one it is. If you don't trust your own actions on your machine, then you have no business being connected to the internet. You should take precautions and punkbuster should be the least of your worries. Like colter said earlier, this company has been implementing this application in other games for 9 years and not one big flame has come down about a privacy issue outside of the uo.stratics users. personally not only would I use punkbuster, i'd ****in pay a dollar or two more a month to see it used. I miss the fair playing field enough and I pvp, unlike mr. paranoid up there i will not give up pvp and go kill greater dragons because of cheating.
 
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