Hi,
The public / private key thing is just about "encrypting" some of
the score data that you pass to the server to stop people cheating your
high score tables.
for example, if your high score system in PHP uses a GET / POST
something like this:
scores.php?name=Glen&score=500
It's easy for me to cheat...
But if you do (pseudo code):
var key:String = "mysecretkey";
var encrypted:String = MyEncryptClass.encrypt("name=Glen&score=500",
key);
var result:Boolean = MyServer.sendScore(encrypted);
And it does something like this:
scores.php?command=submit&encrypted=asdiou23q890czoued9auc0
You can then use the server key to decrypt your message.
(Public & Private keys are about "asymmetrical" encryption)
Anyway, the idea is to make it harder for people to cheat - as the
"data" is not very sensitive, you can go for a simple encryption option
where you store the key in the SWF, which means that people can still
decompile your Flash file and find out the key, but only the most
dedicated of cheaters would do that...
If you really want to go to town, you are probably going to have to
create some kind of "login" for people to play the game / submit high
scores, but to be honest, you can just go for simple score encryption -
look at Jobe's stuff again - if your game does not have any kind of prize...
You can get some AS3 / AS2 code that handles encryption which can be
decrypted with functions in PHP. I have some links at home I can post
later if you like..
Glen
Paul Steven wrote:
Thanks for the reply Anthony.
Can you elaborate on the public private key system and what this entails? I
have not heard that term before.
Thanks
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: flashcoders-boun...@chattyfig.figleaf.com
[mailto:flashcoders-boun...@chattyfig.figleaf.com] On Behalf Of Anthony Pace
Sent: 22 April 2009 14:25
To: Flash Coders List
Subject: Re: [Flashcoders] Feasibility of xml file for high score data
storage
Hello Paul,
Making good use of a que would be required for writing to the file
without errors, so a database is the best and easiest way; as well, for
high scores, you might want to use a public private key system for
preventing xss exploits, as anyone that knows how to intercept and edit
the get or post data will be able to screw with the request to the
server, and you could end up with a hundred people having the best score
that the column in the DB will allow.
Take care,
Anthony
Glen Pike wrote:
Not working for Cornwall County Council by any chance??? :)
Paul Steven wrote:
Thanks Glen and Ian
Yes I am currently using a mysql database while the high scores are
hosted
on my site. The game is for a rather large organisation so it is not the
easiest task in the world getting a database set up at their end. The
mention of flash alone was enough to cause major panic so you can
imagine
the fear when I mentioned the need to upload php files to their server:)
Cheers
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: flashcoders-boun...@chattyfig.figleaf.com
[mailto:flashcoders-boun...@chattyfig.figleaf.com] On Behalf Of Glen
Pike
Sent: 22 April 2009 12:15
To: Flash Coders List
Subject: Re: [Flashcoders] Feasibility of xml file for high score data
storage
I am guessing that any server side code to update the XML file will
rely on the server to "lock" files, etc.
Databases are often optimised to allow for multiple "clients" to
update, but most file based commands will lock the file preventing
access by other "clients" so if your code throws a wobbly rather than
waiting, that could be a problem...
Saying that, you could look at using SQLLite for example - this uses
a file based database, but your SQLLite "engine" will handle all of
the access - a lot of PHP installations come with this nowadays and
ASP code also uses ADOBC to connect to Access database files so you
will have a similar system.
The upshot is that using a server side database engine will make life
easier because they will deal with problems like concurrent
connections for you :)
Glen
Paul Steven wrote:
I was considering using an xml file to store high score data for a
game.
It
is quite possible that this game will have a significant amount of
traffic
(certainly in the first few days after launch) and I am now
wondering if
an
xml file would be suitable. I am not sure what happens in the scenario
where
multiple players want to update the highscore at the same time -
they will
all need to write to the file. I assume this is the same scenario
with a
database but think perhaps updating a database is more efficient.
Anyone care to offer any insight into whether an xml file would be
suitable
or not?
Thanks
Paul
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