STARDOCK/GPG: DO SOMETHING (DESYNC)

I know without a doubt that a few SD staffers are aware of Belier and Apika. I wasn't aware that they were causing desyncs... you'll note I'm continually saying "desyncs" and not host disconnect exploit. I believe both of them play from the same location on the same network. I believe at least belier was banned from the forum (might have been temp ban), but I don't know if SD could legally block them from playing online as I imagine they own legitmate copies of the game... I wonder if SD could reset an individuals stats...

pacov

reply 26

I know without a doubt that a few SD staffers are aware of Belier and Apika. I wasn't aware that they were causing desyncs... you'll note I'm continually saying "desyncs" and not host disconnect exploit. I believe both of them play from the same location on the same network. I believe at least belier was banned from the forum (might have been temp ban), but I don't know if SD could legally block them from playing online as I imagine they own legitmate copies of the game... I wonder if SD could reset an individuals stats...

Actually, the Demigod EULA (http://www.demigodthegame.com/tou/) explicitly prohibits user "disruption of (i) any computer used to support the Service (a "Server"); or (ii) any other player's Game experience" (see points 2D and 2H in particular). Assuming that the EULA is legal and that an intentionally disruptive exploit can be conclusively proven, it appears that Stardock could end the use of its license--that is, ban the accounts of offending parties.

Stardock can ban anyone they feel like.

Yep. Counter-strike is constantly topping Steam sales charts because of people who were banned buying new copies X D

We are aware of the problem. That's all I can say right now..

I don't know if any intentional desyncing is occurring, but I'll just say it is fairly trivial to intentionally induce a desync and would be easy to create such a desync tool without any programming at all. I've intentionally induced desync before (not to game the ladder system, but to see what would happen if I did X,Y). I haven't bothered to explicitly tell GPG or SD how to do it because I can't believe they don't know already. But, if they actually PM a request for info, I'll happily oblige.

With the P2P system being used and no authoritative source to fallback on when a desync occurs, I am not really sure it is possible to stop this sort of exploit without a major overhaul of the game's communication system.

bman654

reply 31

With the P2P system being used and no authoritative source to fallback on when a desync occurs, I am not really sure it is possible to stop this sort of exploit without a major overhaul of the game's communication system.

if someone desyncs more then once in ten games it's counted as a loss (or something like that).

Which would still be advantegous enough for such a person to not stop doing it. [e digicons]:S[/e]

Without an "Ignore" command, Demigod is the first game in my life I've had to make a little "ban list" for. It's only got a couple names on it, but, the very first ones I put on were Apika & Belier. I did not make a note of why I put them on the list, so I can't quite remember playing with them, but I did underline their names twice, and put exclimation points after them too, so I'm guessing it was not because of their spelling errors in chat. . .

And I'd like to add, in agreement with the OP, that I don't really care about winning (too much). I lose at DoWII a lot, but it's a "fair loss", so I just shrug it off and try again. But with DG, and usually playing Pugs, a win is rare, and when your finally about to win with a pug, and the other team just quits (AND they don't get a loss recorded to boot), it really starts to lower your desire to even play after a while.

We will be banning accounts that do this.

While the games aren't counted on the Pantheon, our database still has these games. We can data mine the games played database and look for patterns.

And when I say ban, I mean, ban, as in, that player isn't playing Demigod online anymore.

Frogboy

reply 35

We will be banning accounts that do this.

While the games aren't counted on the Pantheon, our database still has these games. We can data mine the games played database and look for patterns.

And when I say ban, I mean, ban, as in, that player isn't playing Demigod online anymore.

In my best Mr. Burns voice - "Excellent."

I had a guy HugeDumpTruck_ join my room today and he was losing both games and both games he rage quit and i got an invalid gamestate error. Looking at his stats though it doesnt look like he's a stat whore so i wonder if certain routers and such might also cause hiccups when they rage quit.

That or he is exploiting <.<

I've been accused of this (ironically enough, while I was winning as well X_x).

If SD is data-mining, all I hope is that they have a pretty high threshold for banning. I've had several Critical Error games (though none in a long time, which is good!), and one day I had 3 in a row... I think anyone who has played with me knows I'm a reputable person, and I'd rather have a few false-negatives (people who are desynching not being caught) then a few false-postiives (the innocent are banned).

Or, at least, have some sort of petitioning system.

And when I say ban, I mean, ban, as in, that player isn't playing Demigod online anymore.

Thanks. Nobody will miss them.

Just be sure to not ban innocent people!

pacov

reply 36

Quoting Frogboy, reply 35We will be banning accounts that do this.

While the games aren't counted on the Pantheon, our database still has these games. We can data mine the games played database and look for patterns.

And when I say ban, I mean, ban, as in, that player isn't playing Demigod online anymore.

In my best Mr. Burns voice - "Excellent."

Ah sir... you forgot the Smithers! and the er ah *Finger Twiddle*...

S.

http://forums.demigodthegame.com/361525/#2386966

necro moar?

Frogboy

reply 35

We will be banning accounts that do this.

While the games aren't counted on the Pantheon, our database still has these games. We can data mine the games played database and look for patterns.

And when I say ban, I mean, ban, as in, that player isn't playing Demigod online anymore.

Sure its a necro thread, but why not. Wondering if ANY bans have taken place. The 2 I mentioned are still quite active.

I don't think it is intentional either. I played a game 1v1 the other day where I lost and then there was a desync. I sure didn't do it and I don't think my opponent had any reason to do that since he won so

Better ban both of you then, just to make sure

Definitely. This is ruining it for me. Please fix this.

They are back

http://pantheon.demigodthegame.com/game/999160/player/13252/ same thing

iamKira

reply 21

I am not sure if it is intentional or not but I had this lots of time. But guess what, it never ever happens when i am losing...

Now that I read your post, I realize I've never seen the desync when losing either, but definitely 8 or 9 different times when it was apparent we would win. Most recently playing a 4v4 with Slayer4200 on my team (can't remember any of the others becasue it was a PUG, but I've seen him online a few times). We were at war score 9 or 10 and still only had starting creeps, the other team had priests. I went back to get priests, angels, and cats at the same time (I'd been saving) and as soon as it was announced we get the desync... there was a 2 or 3 second delay where quite a few players expressed their dismay (wtf?? etc...) then it quit back to the main menu. No record of the game even being played.

Frogboy

reply 35

We will be banning accounts that do this.

While the games aren't counted on the Pantheon, our database still has these games. We can data mine the games played database and look for patterns.

And when I say ban, I mean, ban, as in, that player isn't playing Demigod online anymore.

Chowdown

reply 47

They are back

http://pantheon.demigodthegame.com/game/999160/player/13252/ same thing

You'll notice that they just started playing pantheon.

Also - no ban has taken place. These guys were identified in this thread a month ago.

http://forums.demigodthegame.com/361738 was posted on Aug 17 when Kryo was investigating.

Here's me documenting Belier and Apika using the host disconnect exploit on July 21st (http://forums.demigodthegame.com/359745).

Here's a fun quote from Belier from July 21st:

"Hey people, I just wanted to say that apika and I love hate abusing, but as long as they don't fix it, you can't do shit about it (aka we will never lose, and if you claim otherwise, some "men in black" will go to your house and put their fists in your childhood)"

Well then. What exactly would cause someone to get banned from playing demigod online?

It's official. There are now two less players who will be playing Demigod. And if we see more cheating going on there certainly will be more bans in the future.

It's easy.