Modified clients?

[Harb]

Edit: Original post, by original poster, has been removed.

You're going to need someone with more knowledge than I regarding the two main cheat programs that have been used over the years to tell you which one it is, I'm not sure. They won't be able to use it's name however, it's against the TOS on these boards. I have seen screenshots from both, this honestly looks like a blend of the two, but I'm far from being any sort of expert. As I posted on a recent thread, I could have sworn a player was talking to me while I was stealthed a few days ago. One of the two programs I'm referring to did allow you to see stealthed players, but I was under the strong impression EA/ Mythic had managed to rid our world of that program. Gees. Maybe Chrissay can get a look at your shots before they're filtered, as they likely will be (or removed), and can get the GM staff after a few folks. I am 99.9% certain you're viewing a cheater in these shots!

Edit: This post will now look pretty dumb, Petra saw the screen shots that Splup posted and they went bye-bye! As you'll ascertain by following along, they were shots of a players screen, and were not IAW the UO TOS. My greatest "fear" is that a program similar to but with far more "capability" than UOA may have crept back into play - bad for all of us. My recommendation is simply to report any action or player activity that seems "super-human," as that is what said program was designed to enable.

 

[Gellor]

Those are "hacked" client side files.

They are also the world's easiest thing to prevent but EA has deemed that 15 minutes of work to prevent them is too much work: aka a 1 minute scan of client file integrity upon start up and file locking after started along with some memory management to prevent info in memory from being tampered with.

 

[Phaen Grey]

the UI is supposed to be modifiable in SA like KR, I don't see how preventing it in the 2d client will be a worthwhile use of resources when its legal in newer clients.

 

[Stratic Fanatic]

I think they are client side modifications and there is no way they can be detected outside of screenshots. Any enhancement program running though could be detected by punkbuster

Client mods can be detected by pb as well.
Just compare the MD5 of the valid files with the modified version. They do this on most of the other games they support.

If your client side files didnt match up, you wouldnt be allowed to log into the server.

 

[Cetric]

Client mods can be detected by pb as well.
Just compare the MD5 of the valid files with the modified version. They do this on most of the other games they support.

If your client side files didnt match up, you wouldnt be allowed to log into the server.

Damn paranoid old uo users anyways lol

 

[UOKaiser]

What you gonna do about kr and sa they are extremly modifiable and legal to do so. Like previous poster said why waste resources to prevent 2d from doing it when they use resources to make sure SA and KR can do it. Hell theres a whole community in KR forums. Check the modding faq

 

[Alezi]

the UI is supposed to be modifiable in SA like KR, I don't see how preventing it in the 2d client will be a worthwhile use of resources when its legal in newer clients.

Trees & fields are not part of the UI as far as I know...

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

the UI is supposed to be modifiable in SA like KR

Emphasis on The UI

Trees & fields are not part of the UI as far as I know...

Correct. UI modding in KR CANNOT change the graphics found in the game world itself, thus KR modding CANNOT produce the "stump hack".

UO COULD stop such hacks (at least for a while), but certain posters here would complain if they did so (by closing down 2d and NOT opening up KR or the SA client to 3rd party programs).

 

[Kaleb]

Client mods can be detected by pb as well.
Just compare the MD5 of the valid files with the modified version. They do this on most of the other games they support.

If your client side files didnt match up, you wouldnt be allowed to log into the server.

Show me a successful MMORPG like ultima Online that uses punkbuster?

 

[The Real John]

Client mods can be detected by pb as well.
Just compare the MD5 of the valid files with the modified version. They do this on most of the other games they support.

If your client side files didnt match up, you wouldnt be allowed to log into the server.

Show me a successful MMORPG like ultima Online that uses punkbuster?

OO even better Show me a successful MMORPG. Seems like every thing coming out is being rushed out the door to make a few bucks and move on to the next one. But back to topic stopping cheaters is like a wet dream sure its nice but never going to happen. You fix one thing then they find another way to do it. They have stated they dont want to spend the money marketing UO any more so I realy dont see them spending the money to "TRY" to stop cheaters would be nice but dont realy see it happening.

 

[Lefty]

Since this thread is about the 2d client I think the Devs should update and optimize the whole client package. If you look into your UO folder you will find a ton of outdated files, not to mention the system settings.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

I think the Devs should update and optimize the whole client package.

I SWEAR that I think I can remember the UO dev team doing a project that sounds very much like that...

 

[Ailish]

Something to note is that the person who those screenshots belong to is not only using field and stump hacks, they are using the NON-approved UOA-like 3rd party program (as seen by the title bar).

 

[Harb]

Something to note is that the person who those screenshots belong to is not only using field and stump hacks, they are using the NON-approved UOA-like 3rd party program (as seen by the title bar).

The stumps I believe are from a cheat program that maintains an active web site today and that we've seen other screenshots of here on stratics. It's the other part that gets me, the UOAish "piece," I may be wrong but I'd swear it looks like UOAs old illegal arch-nemesis, that back in the day also had screenshots here. Once the "gents" from that side of street were banned and the website closed, a great deal of info about what it actually could do began to surface. It was a very destructive piece of software, that most of us were pretty sure was gone. I searched around today to see what I could dig up, and did find a site that offered old downloads of the program. I didn't download anything so have no idea if it would have worked had I done so. If it's back and functional, we'll have a very unlevel playing field until the 2D client goes away, unless EA can do something to twarth this quickly.

 

[Grimm_of_Oceania]

I musy have looked at those screenies ten times before I realised the tree's were missing. DUMB. Looks like every forest near me now.

 

[Stratic Fanatic]

Show me a successful MMORPG like ultima Online that uses punkbuster?

Show me ANY game that uses PB that isnt succesful at stopping cheats.

THEN we can can have an argument.

Theres a first time for time for everything.

Watch my broccoli dance in the meantime....

 

[deadite]

Show me a successful MMORPG like ultima Online that uses punkbuster?

Warhammer?

 

[Vexxed]

Hmm... Semi off topic but perhaps one of the UOHall MODS could reply..

First off... I think this thread is perfectly ok and have no problems with it, but I also know for a FACT that other's have been severely punished in other forums for simply posting a pic like this. I just would like to hear a UOHall MOD state why this is ok here as opposed to elsewhere so I can make some points..

THX.


RoC Quote:

H. Posting details of bugs and exploits in such a way that others are able to perform said bug or exploit is prohibited. In addition, documented involvement in activities that prove to be malicious and/or illegal in nature as it concerns the gaming industry as a whole will lead to immediate and permanent banning from the forums.

 

[CatLord]

If this isnt enough to take a look at that account... little more can be said.

 

[Petra Fyde]

*coughs*

Because this careless mod didn't follow the links. Sorry.

 

[Splup]

Hmm... So I'm not allowed to post those screenies even if I edit it so that the name of the character is not showing?

 

[Petra Fyde]

It's the hacks themselves. Theory is, someone sees them thinks 'that looks useful' and goes to find out what it is and use it. Therefore by allowing the posting of the screenie we are inadvertently encouraging cheating. Convoluted I know, but the way some people think when they want to pass the buck.

We don't want any 'bucks' thanks (unless they're the spendable kind )

 

[Kiminality]

People say "PunkBuster" way too often, as if it's the only anti-cheat engine out there, and it alone could save UO from the cheating scallywags.

I'd support the implementation of an anti-cheat engine, but:
1.) It wouldn't "fix cheating" completely, and permanently.
2.) It would **** off way too many of the players. It'd be like enforced KR.
3.) Complex systems don't react kindly to sudden changes. For example, 1000 of X resource costs Y gold, with the current ability to supply through cheating. Remove the ability to supply such quantities, and the value of the resource rockets way beyond the already inflated amount (which is already arguably too high for the casual player).
4.) It would cause far too many waves, for something that doesn't fix all of UO's problems.

 

[Splup]

People say "PunkBuster" way too often, as if it's the only anti-cheat engine out there, and it alone could save UO from the cheating scallywags.

I'd support the implementation of an anti-cheat engine, but:
1.) It wouldn't "fix cheating" completely, and permanently.
2.) It would **** off way too many of the players. It'd be like enforced KR.
3.) Complex systems don't react kindly to sudden changes. For example, 1000 of X resource costs Y gold, with the current ability to supply through cheating. Remove the ability to supply such quantities, and the value of the resource rockets way beyond the already inflated amount (which is already arguably too high for the casual player).
4.) It would cause far too many waves, for something that doesn't fix all of UO's problems.

Well, anti-cheat engine and maybe some guidelines for GM:s how to detect cheats would definitly make people consider if it's worth the risk to use cheats.

The resource prices you mentioned would prolly first go rocket up. But then casual players who have never used cheats would realize "Hey! There's big bucks in resources!" And start collecting+selling. Also then we might get back permanent spots for special ores

I know I might be dreaming, but I would just love to see this game cheat free. Cheats are ruining this game for too many at the moment.

 

[Petra Fyde]

It may be wishful thinking, but the beta agreement for SA (which is on the SA page for anyone who cares to read it) includes a paragraph indicating they will be scanning our RAM for hacks and cheats. I'm hoping that this will not only become part of the finished SA client, but also the 2D client. EA said they would handle the matter in house, the beta agreement appears to confirm that they are doing just that.

 

[Cear Dallben Dragon]

It may be wishful thinking, but the beta agreement for SA (which is on the SA page for anyone who cares to read it) includes a paragraph indicating they will be scanning our RAM for hacks and cheats. I'm hoping that this will not only become part of the finished SA client, but also the 2D client. EA said they would handle the matter in house, the beta agreement appears to confirm that they are doing just that.

indicates that they "Can"

 

[Stratic Fanatic]

PB or EA...does it really matter?

The same people that b*tch about PB... have no problem with EA scanning.
Ram is Ram.
I trust PB more. Thats their purpose. Thats their job.
Unless EA took some hints from Tony Ray...

 

[Petra Fyde]

Yes, RAM is RAM, but PB scans the HDD, and while we accept that they don't currently actually look at the files, their agreement gives them the right to do so.