Thoughts on server global highscore

[Stingray1]

@anon My biggest concern is for zealots(sorry can't find better word) for the #1 spot on the list. Maybe one or two people that will go to any illigitimate lenght to claim that spot.

Now, I come along and am also maybe trying for one of the top spots. But I refuse to do it in a cheating manner. That is not fair towards me.

So, that is why I think everyone should be checked, not just casual newbie cheaters. Also with the game going on Steam, I think, this community won't be all the ADoM players. There will be many profesional cheaters that just want to be number one.

Anyway, let's see.

[anon123]

But be aware that one of the goals of the campaign is to attract a larger crowd into ADOM. With graphics, sound and steam support, it will no longer be a game for a bunch of hardcore geeks like us. I have no doubts that cheaters will appear if cheating is easy.

Also with the game going on Steam, I think, this community won't be all the ADoM players. There will be many profesional cheaters that just want to be number one.

These are valid points.

[Deathwind]

actually it is possible to prevent save scumming, take a look at what nintendo did on the current pokemon games
http://www.3dbrew.org/wiki/Anti_Savegame_Restore

[Stingray1]

actually it is possible to prevent save scumming, take a look at what nintendo did on the current pokemon games
http://www.3dbrew.org/wiki/Anti_Savegame_Restore

Oh man, this would be so great, thanks Deathwind.

Edit - I have no idea what they are saying in that link, but can't an alternative be to have a permanently running process to monitor the content of the savedg folder?

[jt]

If I understand it correctly, Nintendo uses a "secure area" (where the user has no access) to store an ID which is then checked against the save game. But a PC doesn't have such a "secure area", so this won't work. And a service can be easily disabled by user, so that doesn't help too.

Recording the game seems like a good idea, but we would need to prevent manipulations of the recording, which probably is very difficult too. And this doesn't prevent modifying the game while it runs.

[Stingray1]

Thanks for your response, jt.

If the service is disabled that at least raises suspicion.

[Deathwind]

If I understand it correctly, Nintendo uses a "secure area" (where the user has no access) to store an ID which is then checked against the save game. But a PC doesn't have such a "secure area", so this won't work. And a service can be easily disabled by user, so that doesn't help too.

there isn't a secure area but there are some options:
on windows there is always the registry
put the ID storage in a hidden file
even just putting the ID in the high score file would be enough to keep a lot of people from messing with it

There are ways around it but its a step in the right direction.

[asdf]

Recording the game seems like a good idea, but we would need to prevent manipulations of the recording, which probably is very difficult too. And this doesn't prevent modifying the game while it runs.

You dont need to prevent modifying the game while it runs, if you can verify replay on a server, where game would be intact. Any modifications to replay itself, which would lead to valid replay would be essentially the same as completing the game normally.

Savescumming without storing session data for saves on server and requiring internet connection to play for global highscores seems to be unbeatable, though

[JellySlayer]

Can we not put always online DRM on ADOM? The idea that people are seriously considering this to prevent savescumming is hurting my head.

[jt]

There will be NO server connection needed to play ADOM! You will be able to play offline all the time. There will be even an option to disable all network access within ADOM.