} -----Original Message----- } From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:hlds_linux- } [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Whisper } Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 12:39 AM } To: hlds_linux@list.valvesoftware.com; HLDS } Subject: [hlds_linux] Reducing Cheats on Servers } } -- } [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ] } The following is only our point of view, your mileage may vary. } } It is becoming increasingly apparent to us that the majority of the cheats } we see on our Counter-Strike:Source servers are coming from NetCafe } Accounts. } } VAC for the most part seems to be working as a deterrent to the majority } of } normal users. I do not have access to VAC banning stats, but for all I } know } it maybe banning boatloads of players. } } The main problem here is, VAC's delayed banning system has no effect } whatsoever on NetCafe Accounts, as it is a simple case for a NetCafe users } to log out of the STEAM account they are using at the NetCafe and then log } back in when they have been banned from a server by an admins and renter } the } server with a new STEAM_ID, and in any case, who cares about being VAC } banned if you effectively have unlimited access to STEAM_ID's that aren't } yours any how? } } Here is the thing though, most Netcafes are connected to the Internet via } Static IP's. } } It is a rather trivial task to go through the logs with a program like } HLStatsX and run a query that generates a list of STEAM_ID's on a per IP } basis. } } Then you check to see which IP's have lots of STEAM_ID's attached to them, } and then you add those IP addresses to your banned_ip.cfg file and run it } at } server start, instant mass reduction of cheats you will see on your } server. } } If you want to be sure, just do a traceroute to the IP in question just to } be sure you are not wiping a college or university out, but most often you } will find that these are not going to have Netcafe accounts associated } with } them anyhow. } } But you can be almost certain that if you see more than 20 STEAM_ID's } originating from the 1 IP address, you have found a NetCafe that is using } your servers. } } Now the problem for Valve, is if lots of Game Server Providers start IP } banning NetCafes from their servers, it instantly devalues Valves NetCafe } program, since the NetCafe users will find it increasingly difficult to } find } servers to play on the Internet. In fact it is my understanding that if } you } IP ban, then your servers will no longer even come up on that IP's server } browser, they will either not show up at all, or they show up as not } responding, in either case the result is the same. } } I do not have a simple answer to this, but whilst delayed banning exists, } there is no other way to stop cheats on servers who have effectively } unlimited access to STEAM Accounts, other than to IP ban them. } } Thoughts? } --
Wow, that explains something I see. When someone says "please ban <user>", the user just says "ban me lol". Or something similar. I was assuming they must have a keygen and did not care because they could generate a new key quickly. I would love to see someone post a list of IPs to ban. I would ban them at the firewall. I really do wish Valve would ban cheaters instantly. The aim bots are perfect and really ****up the game for everyone else. I guess when I see someone cheating I should ban the user and IP address. But as you say, the NetCafe would become useless over time. Guy _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds_linux
