Big Brother is watching…

[Slayer706]

They did not say it will not scan your hard drive, they said it will not scan your harddrive unless it is told to.

As for EA coding it themselves, I honestly wouldn't be suprised at all if PunkBuster consisted of thousands upon thousands lines of code. Why should they spend years coding something thats already there? Thats like asking why should you buy anti-virus software when you could code it yourself, why get a third party involved?

Also there is no learning curve, EA has used PunkBuster on many other games. Given those games were FPS, but the program works the same. If you have read every statement by PunkBuster and EA, you could see that they have already tested it. They wouldn't even announce they were going to beta test the program this month if they didn't even know if it was compatible. EA has been in on this for several months, that much is obvious.

PunkBuster works server side, so I really doubt there is some kind of hack out there that can tell PunkBuster to search your harddrive and send the info to their machine (I haven't looked for such a program, but I don't think it exists.) And how do you know how simple it is? "A few simple lines of code"? As someone who has minor experience in scripting with c++ and c# (minor, I'm not an expert), that sounds extremely difficult. You would have to figure out a way to make the program think the server requested info about the users harddrive, then you would have to figure out some way to make it send that info back to your computer.

People playing UO at work or on their office machines? Yeah I guess they will have to change something if they cannot work with lowered security. Theres not much that can be done about that since PunkBuster would be classified as Spyware by some anti-virus programs (specific ones stated on their website).

Being kicked during a champ because you have altered gamefiles? You would be angry that someone cheating while raiding/doing a champ got kicked and you got their arties (why wouldn't they insure them?!? Seige Perilous?). PunkBuster has made many statements about False Positives, if that is what you are talking about. False positives are extremely rare, because PunkBuster can do anything. It can scan memory, harddrives, and hardware. So if the program or whatever looks like a cheat after all that, it probably is a cheat.

So basically the only problems with PunkBuster are that the user must have admin rights and that it doesn't work with some anti-virus software. These don't really seem like "big" issues to me. All admin rights do is make it so you can't have access to any system specs. If your son or daughter is old enough to play a Teen game, maybe he/she is old enough to not wipe your PC the second you give him/her admin rights? Someone without admin rights can still delete and change things, so admin rights aren't really that "scary" as you put it. But if your child really can't handle having admin rights without destroying your computer, I guess you'll have to find another game or use the non-PunkBuster server. Same goes for the people that think everyone in the world is trying to hack them. In the end, those people will probably make up .00001% of the people that leave because of PunkBuster. The rest will leave because they saw a bunch of people on many forums saying stuff like "O/\/\G! T|-|3y C4n 5tEaL 0uR P3rSoN4l I/\/fO!!1!1!!one!1one1!1!11" and they didn't use common sense or read any real information on the subject. Not saying thats anyone here, but thats the majority of people that will leave because of PunkBuster and those probably won't be that many.

 

[iwantmypot]

I Hope To God We Can Block Easyuo For Life.

EasyUO isn't the problem. It only becomes a problem when people use it AFK on multiple clients.

I used EasyUO every single time I logged into any UO shard. (RunUO or EA) The script I mainly ran did one thing. It lined up the spell icons. OMG I'm such a huge cheater! I had to use EasyUO to do something that EA should have put into the client YEARS ago!

PS~ I refuse to use the piece of SH!T 3D client. (italics to indicate sarcasm... it's a F'in 2D client that uses crap 3d models for the mobiles)

 

[WarAngel]

EasyUO isn't the problem. It only becomes a problem when people use it AFK on multiple clients.

I used EasyUO every single time I logged into any UO shard. (RunUO or EA) The script I mainly ran did one thing. It lined up the spell icons. OMG I'm such a huge cheater! I had to use EasyUO to do something that EA should have put into the client YEARS ago!

PS~ I refuse to use the piece of SH!T 3D client. (italics to indicate sarcasm... it's a F'in 2D client that uses crap 3d models for the mobiles)

You're one of three people who don't EasyUO for something that should not be automated.

 

[Kamuflaro]

You're one of three people who don't EasyUO for something that should not be automated.

Wrong grammar? Why?

 

[WarAngel]

Wrong grammar? Why?

Double negatives are not incorrect, they're just confusing.

PS: You fail as a grammar nazi. Just turn in your uniform and go home.

 

[NiteStar]

Double negatives are not incorrect, they're just confusing.

PS: You fail as a grammar nazi. Just turn in your uniform and go home.

I can't qualify as a grammar nazi either, I butcher engrish with each spoken or written word *sigh

 

[TMSTKSBK]

I am the official forum grammar nazi.

 

[Frostleaf]

Umm

Is it just me? Or do most people seem to be missing one key factor(saw this in some replies so if it is repeated please ignore, and kudos for replying with it before me). If EA Violated this agreement and leaked anyones info, or someone got hacked or their computer f'ed because of EA, its commercial suicide. Do you really think that people have nothing better to do then build gaming empires just to topple them down over seeing a screenshot with someone who might have say porn open while UO is up? Please.. if that happened first of all it would be all over the internet, and then if the owner saw that, could sue EA, and EA would pay out the rear. It's happened, and to those it has the companies go under. Everyone is soo damn affraid of what people see on their computers.. if its THAT important, perhaps DON'T put it ON your primary computer? Maybe mobile hard disk it? Punk Buster is ONLY looking at files that are accessed WITH UO. Its how punkbuster worked. If anything corroberated with the Steam engine, PB would scan it and then realize it didn't belong, end of story. Its not going to scan your folder called "Porn" or "Pictures of JFK's Assassin", or even your "Wife Nude" shots.

Yes it could present a problem to RunUO and its community, but people, please lighten up on the whole "OMFG THEY ARE VIOLATING ME".. And cool it with that empire of money hungry grubs.. you ARE playing their game, if it was such a trip for you to complain about it, then wth are you doing on UO anyway?

EA knows they are taking a hit with PB being implemented, but they also know they can limit the ammount of exploiting jackoffs who create litterally TRILLIONS of duped gold and ebay it.

I'm damn proud they finally made the move in the right direction. Yes I will be upset that RunUO might suffer, but I'm sure that the staff will find a way in any event.

Please though, just stop with that evil empire crap, I guarantee that if 90% of you moaners out there were in the same position as the CEO's you'd stop talking crap and would do the same thing. If you say otherwise, well that is why you are not the leader of a world wide company..

 

[shrundowr]

Is it just me? Or do most people seem to be missing one key factor(saw this in some replies so if it is repeated please ignore, and kudos for replying with it before me). If EA Violated this agreement and leaked anyones info, or someone got hacked or their computer f'ed because of EA, its commercial suicide. Do you really think that people have nothing better to do then build gaming empires just to topple them down over seeing a screenshot with someone who might have say porn open while UO is up? Please.. if that happened first of all it would be all over the internet, and then if the owner saw that, could sue EA, and EA would pay out the rear. It's happened, and to those it has the companies go under. Everyone is soo damn affraid of what people see on their computers.. if its THAT important, perhaps DON'T put it ON your primary computer? Maybe mobile hard disk it? Punk Buster is ONLY looking at files that are accessed WITH UO. Its how punkbuster worked. If anything corroberated with the Steam engine, PB would scan it and then realize it didn't belong, end of story. Its not going to scan your folder called "Porn" or "Pictures of JFK's Assassin", or even your "Wife Nude" shots.

Yes it could present a problem to RunUO and its community, but people, please lighten up on the whole "OMFG THEY ARE VIOLATING ME".. And cool it with that empire of money hungry grubs.. you ARE playing their game, if it was such a trip for you to complain about it, then wth are you doing on UO anyway?

EA knows they are taking a hit with PB being implemented, but they also know they can limit the ammount of exploiting jackoffs who create litterally TRILLIONS of duped gold and ebay it.

I'm damn proud they finally made the move in the right direction. Yes I will be upset that RunUO might suffer, but I'm sure that the staff will find a way in any event.

Please though, just stop with that evil empire crap, I guarantee that if 90% of you moaners out there were in the same position as the CEO's you'd stop talking crap and would do the same thing. If you say otherwise, well that is why you are not the leader of a world wide company..

Funny you should mention the letters CEO......

 

[Slayer706]

I explained in my posts above about how improbable it is that PunkBuster will affect RunUO. The only way it could affect you, is if you play OSI and RunUO. In which case I am not sure what you would do, since I don't know if PunkBuster will automatically open anytime a UO client starts or what.

 

[shrundowr]

maybe, either way imo its a good thing, freeshards or not.

 

[Frostleaf]

Yeah, I think that EA would have a hard time with the PB's false positiving people. Worst case scenario, it should be no problem because I imagine that the PB server is only working when you are logged into the OSI servers. If you got the 24 test ban, Im sure there is a way you can simply replace the .exe file or possably an attached pb file to allow execution of the program.

Punk Buster I think, haven't used in some time, I imagine would install almost like Direct X. Something that comes after. It also simply doesnt let you login to a server that is PB operable, same as FPS games. It should in all respects prob not affect RunUO in the slightest.

 

[Slayer706]

Well nothing is fool-proof. They got a few false positives on the 180 account bans they did recently, they have since reinstated some of the accounts. So no doubt there will false positives, but if anything it should make the number of false positives lower because GMs would have something else to go by than just someone else's word. Besides, any false positives can be proved with punkbuster. If you say "Well it was (insert program name) I had running that might have banned me.", they can research that program and see if it would conflict with PunkBuster.

 

[Morgan]

Some facts:
Bad stuff..
1) PB scans your hdd (game/windows dirs) and memory for fingerprints of banned programs.
2) PB can make Screen Shots of your desktop (not only game).
3) PB reads your HDD serial (firmware), mac address, bios stuff to make unique hash for your PC.
4) If you were banned you need to exchange some PC parts to play again or use 3 party software to cheat PB.
5) PB uses custom version of neolite 2.0 packer.
6) Razor/EasyUO can and probably will be banned in the first place.
7) It doesn't matter if proggy modifies client(exe and memory)/packets/graphic drivers/game files coz PB is searching in PC memory for fingerprints and makes CRC checks of its own and game files and critical files in windows folder.

Now the good stuff..
1) In 2004 when i was making cheats for AA iv made unpacker for PB files that still works you can find it here : http://www.mpcdownloads.com/_mpc_d0wn_h4x_/AAO/pb_dll_file_unpacker.zip
2) There are many ways to block/fake your hash.
3) There are ways to block SS.
4) PB files was hacked many times before and there are many forums (http://www.mpcforum.com) where ppl share them. (and yes i know that files are different for every game but at least you can get some help there)
5) There are some commercial protection programs that block some of PB functionality you just have to know how to use them.

Question is.. will PB block access to non official servers?

Sorry for all typos... english is my second language and im a little drunk atm.

 

[WarAngel]

I have no defense for people who are afraid to be busted for cheating or making cheats. If they put Razor or EasyUO on the list then that's a different story.

 

[Slayer706]

Bad stuff..
4) If you were banned you need to exchange some PC parts to play again or use 3 party software to cheat PB.
6) Razor/EasyUO can and probably will be banned in the first place.
7) It doesn't matter if proggy modifies client(exe and memory)/packets/graphic drivers/game files coz PB is searching in PC memory for fingerprints and makes CRC checks of its own and game files and critical files in windows folder.

Now the good stuff..
1) In 2004 when i was making cheats for AA iv made unpacker for PB files that still works you can find it here:

So the bad part is, it stops cheats. The good part is that cheaters can work around it. Right.... I think you missed THE ENTIRE REASON they are putting in PunkBuster in the first place. Cheaters in online games suck, end of story.

Question is.. will PB block access to non official servers?

No.

 

[Morgan]

So the bad part is, it stops cheats. The good part is that cheaters can work around it. Right.... I think you missed THE ENTIRE REASON they are putting in PunkBuster in the first place. Cheaters in online games suck, end of story.

Define Cheat. Im almoust sure that for EA EasyUO/Razor/UOCompanion are cheat programs as same as speedhacks.

No.

And from where did you get that information? What makes you so sure that they wont block private servers?

 

[Nagash]

What gets me most curious is: "when will it be in?" so I know when to quit my OSI account. Yes, I will definitely 100% surely quit it. My ping is already bad enough without sending screenshots of my desktop through the web unwillingly meanwhile I play.

We all know how PB will NOT stop cheating. EA sucks, totally.

 

[dkor]

no pb wont stop all of the cheating nothing would except shutting down the servers lol, but it will stop about 50% of it because a lot of the cheaters are newbs that lurk on askchopper or other exploit sites so they wont know what they are doing really when it comes to getting around PB. And yes ea considers Razor/easyuo cheat programs and which they are for ea because they allow afk scripting and on ea that is not something that is allowed.

 

[WarAngel]

no pb wont stop all of the cheating nothing would except shutting down the servers lol, but it will stop about 50% of it because a lot of the cheaters are newbs that lurk on askchopper or other exploit sites so they wont know what they are doing really when it comes to getting around PB.

True. Valve Anti-Cheat for the Steam engine works the same way. While it doesn't prevent people who actually know what they're doing and know how to get around VAC's protections from cheating, it does stop a majority of the people who cheat because most of them are just noobies who downloaded a hack from a cheat website and ran it.