450 replies to this topic

[PostNextOlaf]

Even if you only make it optional it would still help a great deal.

I'm not sure about that because anyone dumb enough to have it on while running foghack/maphack would normally be caught by xgs anyway lol.

The best option would be to make it a requirement to play on XWIS, as enjoy said.

[Olaf]

Foghack can't be detected by XGS.

[FReQuEnZy]

What's a good size for thumbnails?

A downloads page (and a link to it) is a good idea.

I would say 128 x 128 or along the lines what apgar suggested. That's the perfect range for thumbnails.

Also considering what mason said having the ss request to cause your opponent to automatically send a dpl ss to the game stats should be your main objective with this as it's one of the best anti cheat measures and options available to us at the moment.

It looks like a brilliantly cool aspect. However, to me it is only superficial. If it could be tweaked to prevent cheating in a way that was suggested by one of my previous posts then I would support it fully.

100-150px would be better IMO. The current thumbnails range about 40-50 KB, you could probably knock that in half by going JPEG with a bit lower quality.
Excellent work btw

Edit:
Your image http://xwis.net/ra2/games/31719/?s=4 is sitting at 46.0 KB
I've compressed it 5.19 KB using the method above. JPEG Version

Good points from both of you.

[PostNextOlaf]

Foghack can't be detected by XGS.

I know that. I was referring to the maphack.

My main point was that surely nobody would be stupid enough to be running this patch whilst cheating. Would it be possible to make it a requirement to play on the XWIS server?

[FReQuEnZy]

It would be quite hard to make it a requirement for playing on the server.

[Olaf]

I would say 128 x 128 or along the lines what apgar suggested. That's the perfect range for thumbnails.

Is it about size in pixels or size in bytes?

My main point was that surely nobody would be stupid enough to be running this patch whilst cheating. Would it be possible to make it a requirement to play on the XWIS server?

We might require it for HoF.

[uncledrew]

We might require it for HoF.

I would be happy if this was done.

[Seke]

I know that. I was referring to the maphack.

My main point was that surely nobody would be stupid enough to be running this patch whilst cheating. Would it be possible to make it a requirement to play on the XWIS server?

If someone was getting top 10 in cm or qm and NOT having the optional SS capturing program on their computer then they would be shunned by the community and their rank would be deemed worthless.

We might require it for HoF.

I would support this.

Edited by Seke, 20 September 2011 - 09:59 PM.

[FReQuEnZy]

Is it about size in pixels or size in bytes?


We might require it for HoF.

Pixels.

Please make it a requirement with the ss request option added to the exe. Also it seems that instead of my ra2 freezing on exit your exe process hangs instead. So it exits the game fine put the process stays working. I keep closing with task manager.

[PostNextOlaf]

If someone was getting top 10 in cm or qm and NOT having the optional SS capturing program on their computer then they would be shunned by the community and their rank would be deemed worthless.

I see your point but is that not what already happens if a high ranking player refuses ss requests from the community?

Regardless, i agree that it is a good feature and if required for HOF will no doubt reduce cheating amongst the higher ranks.

Edited by DubStep, 20 September 2011 - 10:08 PM.

[Olaf]

Pixels.

Please make it a requirement with the ss request option added to the exe. Also it seems that instead of my ra2 freezing on exit your exe process hangs instead. So it exits the game fine put the process stays working. I keep closing with task manager.

What screen size are you using?

[tbiol]

Why only the Hall of Fame?

Make it the top 100 players. Because that's where you need to stop the cheating.

Why cater to less than 1% of the players, and let the others deal with the cheaters on a day to day basis?

This line of thinking will only cause the core players to become more and more frustrated, thus moving on.

_____________________
Besides:

Of the players in the top 30 players that are currently foggging, I would say realistically only only a few are still good enough to get into the top 10 without fogging.

Of the ones who are good enough, the only reasons they are fogging, is because they knew other players were using, and they weren't going to give up that much of an advantage to a player they normally beat or even a person they normally had ggs against.

The amount of knowledge about who fogs and who doesn't these days, is almost a laughable topic between these players, because they know they cannot be caught and banned for it. Furthermore, the players they mostly play are their friends, because they've played this game for so long, so why would they reveal that a friend cheats, when both are. When Andy boasts, 'it takes a fogger to catch a fogger,' he absolutely right. Unless, the fogger purposely tries to make it look like they are not fogging, by using less than direct lines when going after key structures. This of course changes, when they realize the opponent is fogging.

Some players have even given up on hiding the fact they are fogging, so much so that using xgs & some common sense, would be enough proove. The key being common sense, see my weakfu report, my other long one which sits, and I could try to make one about snm/bornrich/whatever, but it's not worth the effort.

___________________________

Some other thoughts are.Is this going to be another available tool that is NOT utilized by the admin to help the game stay fair? I know that seems a bit harsh, but it is true. Admin screen shot requests haven't been active for months. If this is too much work, then ask for help. There are still those around here who are more than willing to help out around here.
_______________________

I'm not trying to be negative. But fiddling around with "what size the pictures should be" Who cares? Those are things that can be fine tuned later.
_____________________

if the program could be activated by another player to generate a screenshot of another's screen then it would have to have limitations.

understand that you don't want this giong further than the game....

__________________________________

The other thing that should addressed is punishment. A failed admin screen shot meant that your stats got washed, and maybe a one day ban. Which seems astronomically light. Especially for those who continued to fail over, and over. What happens if a player doesn't download it? If there is no punishment, then there is no crime. I feel that anyone who prevelently cheats, doesn't really care what you think about their HoF rankings.

[PostNextOlaf]

I think he means you will not be granted HOF status without the use of this tool.

It may not be possible to stop people from playing completely simply because they don't use it.

[Enj0y]

well the HOF dont apply to me, so i hope it works out well for you guys.

[Seke]

I see your point but is that not what already happens if a high ranking player refuses ss requests from the community?

Regardless, i agree that it is a good feature and if required for HOF will no doubt reduce cheating amongst the higher ranks.

No, because SS is pointless and proves nothing.

What I mean by this: someone can request an ss and the opposing player that is in fact map hacking can upload a legitament ss.

[Peachy]

http://xwis.net/temp/Red_Alert-2-0.0.2.exe

Is this the 1 or still working on it?

[Knit]

Very good work Olaf! This is awesome!

If both players in a game are taking screenshots, besides what is made obvious (such as differing resolutions and interfaces) how do we know which images belong to which players?

Is it possible to get a screenshot of a "Reconnection Error" uploaded in this way?

[Seke]

Very good work Olaf! This is awesome!

If both players in a game are taking screenshots, besides what is made obvious (such as differing resolutions and interfaces) how do we know which images belong to which players?

Is it possible to get a screenshot of a "Reconnection Error" uploaded in this way?

Good questions.

[FReQuEnZy]

What screen size are you using?

21 Inch and 1680 x 1050.

Very good work Olaf! This is awesome!

If both players in a game are taking screenshots, besides what is made obvious (such as differing resolutions and interfaces) how do we know which images belong to which players?

Is it possible to get a screenshot of a "Reconnection Error" uploaded in this way?

Most likely considering this thing acts as a launcher for ra2.

[Olaf]

Is this the 1 or still working on it?

Yes, it is.

If both players in a game are taking screenshots, besides what is made obvious (such as differing resolutions and interfaces) how do we know which images belong to which players?

Names and other info still needs to be added to the screenshot pages.

Is it possible to get a screenshot of a "Reconnection Error" uploaded in this way?

I'm not sure.

Most likely considering this thing acts as a launcher for ra2.

Actually it's not a launcher. There's no extra process.

[Olaf]

Why only the Hall of Fame?

It's only a start.

Some other thoughts are.Is this going to be another available tool that is NOT utilized by the admin to help the game stay fair? I know that seems a bit harsh, but it is true. Admin screen shot requests haven't been active for months. If this is too much work, then ask for help. There are still those around here who are more than willing to help out around here.

We're definitely going to have admin SS requests again. And we're looking into extra staff.

The other thing that should addressed is punishment. A failed admin screen shot meant that your stats got washed, and maybe a one day ban. Which seems astronomically light. Especially for those who continued to fail over, and over. What happens if a player doesn't download it? If there is no punishment, then there is no crime. I feel that anyone who prevelently cheats, doesn't really care what you think about their HoF rankings.

Yes, we're also going to discuss that bit.

[Olaf]

Why has nobody tried this yet? All talk, no action?

[Sean3z]

Why has nobody tried this yet? All talk, no action?

I would, but I don't have RA2
Any plans on a TS compatible version? (or releasing the source)

[Olaf]

I would, but I don't have RA2

Go buy it ASAP!

Any plans on a TS compatible version? (or releasing the source)

No (no)

[PostNextOlaf]

I will try it out in a couple hours