The retirment of Autoexplode...............

You know for months I have listened to agruments and bickering about 3h this or 8h that, who killed it, who saved it. Who's fault it was, who should get credit. After many months of just rolling my eyes at all this! Someone has finally said something about it worth listening too. As oppose to complaining or whinning about it he came up with a better idea. Dont ask me why I didnt think of it! And dont reply with well I thought that too! Just shutup and whimper as I am! Rantanplan!!! what can I say! Where were you 8 months ago with this! lmao
Rant has asked the same questions we all have of how to solve both problems of everyone flying equal, as well as providing a better environment for the rookies. Unlike all the other posts of this topic, Rant has offered a solution that takes the cake!
I will be re-doing AutoExplode this week and be relaseing a new version by saturday. Rants idea is and will be the new version! It will have a new name, "3h host". AutoExplode will be retired to the sewers were it belongs. As oppose to blowing up 8h pilots, it will quite simply just change there health to 3h. Why does it seem in life it is always just a simple answer to solve so many larger problems. Thank you Rant......


Edited to remove the comment about my spelling referencing Vraps post on cpd as it was brought to my attention that it sounded more like a dig on Vrap then what it truly was!! A dig on myself!!! Yes my spelling sucks, !!!aixelsyd fo esac dlim a evah osla I


[Edited on 2-13-2003 by Inso «Ð*§*§»]

Inso I want to apologize. I was one of those complaining and whinning about auto explode. I know it was good for the game, but hurt the newbie. Now I can close down my server " Help 4 Newbies" it's only been running for a little over a week and my sorry little web site http://geocities.com/redbaronc4. Thanks for all you have done for Comanche4 and what you are doing and thanks to Rant. http://c4.jalopes.net
RED BARON 01

:cool:

Hi again, ok well had another thought. My plan with this new version was to include a line of text that every 2 min's the server would place in the chat text. That way everyone would know what version was running and be aware that it actually was in fact running. I was talking that idea over with Ðî®t¥dÔg «LâW» and he liked it and asked if I would add a second line for «LâW» to use in there server with a custom welcome message. So liking that idea as well and thinking that others may also want to do that I have decided the server will scroll 2 lines! The first line will be the text that the host will type into a text box in AE and the second will be version information. Proboably somehting along the lines of "3hHost v3 is enabled." I will also allow the host to set the time intervals in 1 min increments, but the max time will be 6 min. Now please dont go to far over board but Iam telling all of you this with the hopes that if there are any other ideas I should be considering please put em in here!! If you detest the idea of a scrolling message sorry! but its gonna be there!

How about an address where they can go for help or info on the game.

Hi baron, was thinking along the lines of instructions on what to do if your getting damage of the farp and addy to go to get help. But honestly I think it would drive us all nuts!!! lmao so I figured that since now there staying alive someone could explain it to them! As I think they will be more then happy to scream out HEY!!! Im damaged right from the start!! heheheh Good idea though just trying to keep it to a minumum.

Would it be possible for you to give us an option to make a server 3H or 8H, then the spam will say - server running at 8H or 3H, and other settings you give us.

I also read your program changes the scoring and stops that 'efams bug' - is that optional and will it inform players of this too?

On that note, it would be kinda neat to make it so there is that (what I said above), and an option for "listen server 3H, everyone else 8H".

That way if a person creates a listen server (not a dedicated one) he can offset his ping advantage by making others 8H and himself 3H.

Another thing I'd like to see a - score kick option. Just to stop people that want to goof off instead of play normal. Or does the game already have that?

You could even setup a remote administration ability in the program - I have no idea of how far you want to go with this - and make a little client with a player list that gets updates from the main program (autoexplode), and the admin or leaders could remotely tell the program to autoexplode or kick that player from the client - or even more simply, make it show to a web page with a password like this, but more simple:

http://www.evenbalance.com/publicati...ex.htm#webtool

It basically has PunkBuster (the program that runs in games like Quake 3, SOF 2, and RTCW) do similar things like you do, but also (when given a port) will produce a small web page with password, that can give a list of players to be kicked, etc.

Remote administration is something this game really lacks.

Just brainstorming some ideas. :cool:


[Edited on 2-18-2003 by EscapedTurkey]

Well.......yea Im late so what! I said saturday and it's monday, issues to be resolved first!!!

I have for the most part redone ae with this ummm scrolling messge. Drove me nuts after 3 games. It was set for 5 min, was tacky and very irritating when in the middle of a conversation. Made me feel like FJ!!:baddevil: Sooooooo...... I am rethinking this out and taking a little time to work on it. I will tell you this much if I release it with a scrolling message you can bet the farm it will be optional and there will be a way to disable it!!!!! I dont want it, and I d@m sure wont force anyone else to have it either. more to come......

Man, were do I start lol! I was asked how I really felt about all this! as redoing this is driving me nuts!! so here it is. To the best of my knowledge, C4 was intended to be played with enemy level set as "Normal" while in DM and TDM multiplayer games. The abilty to set enemy level differently is in place for use in single player and Multi-player Coop use. If you have any doubts about that setup c4 goto the host options screen and choose game type of "Death Match" now change your enemy level to easy. You cant!!! unless you change game type to CO-OP. The only thing that caused all of this mess is one simple line that when TDM or DM is selected the level is reset to normal, the button is disabled but the enemy level itself is not reset. Much like it does if you set for 16 players in a DM and then change game type to coop, max players is reset to 4. One measly line!!!!!! lol. At the time when it came aware to most playin the game that this was occuring there were 2 choices, 1)Host a game with a password and only give it to ppl you could fly with and have fun with no worries. 2)Host a public game and listen to ppl scream at each other! lmao sad but true!! Personally I dont care if you fly at 8h, 3h or 50h, hell I dont care if you mix'em up. Life is all about the choices we make! I can choose to stay and fly or not! I can choose to host my own if I dont like the way you host! All the same, it was my choice!! If I stay and $itch about it, I really have no merit as I am there by choice.

AE started out on only one server, mine! I wanted a place to fly were the fight was with bullets and hydras, not words. The first release of AE was for all intensive purposes meant for match play. As more time was spent testing to start and testing on reentry then was spent actually flying the d@m game!! (dont go to the "trust ppl" yet Im getting there) Man this is sad.....But when most if not all of other public servers became more of a $itch session then a game, I was asked to release it. So I did!!! As time passed more and more ppl started hosting with it. Pretty soon I think 99% of the servers up where running it. I know of 2 ppl currently that still host 8h servers and I think thats great! As the ppl joining them know what there in for, and go in by choice! I have seen the comment tossed out there "Dont you trust the ppl you fly in matches with? If you dont trust them why fly with them?" funny that of all the servers for c4 that are up, Nova's server does not run it, dont think it runs on coop servers (no point) and servers labeled "8h" dont run it. But Id be willing to bet every other one does!!! So it would seem that nobody trusts anyone else!!!!!!! Including the ones asking those questions!!!!!! I got an email requesting I make a version of AE that will run on DEMO servers!! lmao DEMO servers!!!!!!! Apperently there are ppl flying in the demo server's that have enough knowledge to know that if they modify there c4.cfg file (as the demo dosnt let you choose enemy level) that they can make themselves 8h. You think these are rookies?? New guys just downloading the game to try it out?? lmao How sad is that.....

Ok, so where is all this going? recently a new issue developed, AE was killing the rookies. The ones that truly didnt know any better. Questions were rasied about that turning ppl away. lmao everyone looked at me! as I created AE. roflmao Now I ask you, How many ppl did I FORCE to use AE on there server when hosting? NOT A ONE!!! Everyone did so by choice! Ok I will take the blame for giving them the ability to make that choice!! shame on me!! What was I thinking! Im such a bad bad person!! I do however wish to ask this question, How many do you think would still be here without it? Single player was looking real good back in august!! shessh I even blew the dust off C3, and CG If you ask me for my honest opinion, it would be.... People are quiting this game becuase to date the only thing were good at is finger pointing, name calling, crying and stiring up trouble between others. AE works as is, does what it was suppose to and you can choose to use it or choose not to use it. I feel that it may have turned a few ppl away but I also belive that it didnt turn anyone away that would'nt have stayed long with or without it. Rant proposed an idea to me that I like, agree with, and felt would be a more stable method still contained the orginal goal. I am thinking that at this point Im going to make that change, and only that change and let it fly.

This is sad too me!! As I seem to be more focused on the possiable negative outcome of things as oppose to making what we have better. What would happen if I released a version for scoring? One that offered everyone the ability to choose the method to calulate it, that way everyone could have what they want the way they want it! Those that dont agree with scoring changes could choose not to run it. Wouldnt that be great everyone could have it there way.
Assume for a minute I do, and then assume for a minute 99% of the players love it and run it. See now when I think that last thought I have a really ugly picture in my mind! How about you? If you take a look in the C4 exp tools youll see I got a bunch of stuff up and running. Some to make my life easier, some to make the game better to me. I like having choices! I love having choices! In fact I go out of my way to create new choices!!! But I also only blame myself for the outcome of the choices I make! In a nut shell, I really dont know what Im going to do, but felt it time to spill it out! I appologize in advance for offending anyone. And please be aware this was not directed at anyone, everyone or someone, it was just my vent of the week!!! The new versoin of AE will at this point only contain the mentioned change by Rant. I will give this a few more days of thought, as before I release anything else I need to convince myself that me giving everyone else choices is actually a good thing!



Hey Turkey! as for your idea on the remote control, ummmm lmao get out my head!!! I started on one thursday last week. Last night, with blue's assistance we managed to run the first test, and it seems to be coming along great! What we tested was merly a remote Cycle command from him to the server and it went great! I have already added Pre#ed punt and ban, text console box , and command console box. I am currently thinking of adding into it the hot map manager which I finished last week, and possiably a few other things. ttyl

I wouldn't worry about what others think. I think people appreciate your efforts. We all know running the program is a choice. Just like all the Q3, SOF, and RTCW players know that admins run PunkBuster by choice. The anti-cheat movement is growing fast, and so you may be surprised how cutting edge you truly are.

Keep it up man, you're doing great!

I left playing C4 for awhile due to all the whining and ranting, and that's the reason a remote would be nice - punt, bye bye whiner. :)

I've been playing other games but they just don't have that feel of C4. I like vertical, I like hover, I like the strategy in the game. I miss it.

Are you planning on including the remote control into AE itself - make it one big admin tool? If not, will your remote control be downloadable?

But yah, you ARE ahead of the pack in the whole anti-cheat scene.

Check this out - maybe you should talk to these guys to sponsor your efforts:

www.punksbusted.com

I'm trying to convince them there are other games that exist, than simply first person shooters.

:cool:



[Edited on 2-18-2003 by EscapedTurkey]

Here .. I made a post about your program.

I'm very impressed with AE and your efforts.

http://www.punksbusted.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=797

:cool:



[Edited on 2-18-2003 by EscapedTurkey]

By the way...

Any time you support the anti-cheat movement you will get a lot of criticism. You just have to learn to ignore it and understand that most people do appreciate you.

Cheaters tend to be an extremely loud vocal minority. The non-cheaters tend to be very quiet and just hope for anti-cheating implementations. Some of us are really tired of those very vocal cheaters and we're fighting back (like you see at www.punksbusted.com and the efforts by www.evenbalance.com - makers of Punkbuster).

I think you'd be interested in what PunkBuster does (it does actual memory and file scanning of a game and boots a person for cheating - including global banning for cheats that try to stop it from doing its job).

They had forums but the cheaters took them over with whining and spreading disinformation.

From their FAQ:

"What happened to the PunkBuster forums?

After taking a long, hard look at our support offerings, it was obvious that email-based support is far more effective at helping most users than providing an open forum. Our support staff work directly and one-on-one with users and admins who are having a problem that is not covered here in the FAQ. There was too much misinformation being posted on the forums and new users were often overwhelmed trying to find the answers to simple questions."

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=faq-q3.php

Check out the part where it starts at:

"Major Features in PunkBuster
(some editions of PunkBuster do not have all of these features)"

It gives a list of features. Well, I suggest reading the whole page:

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=info.php

Perhaps that will give you a few ideas.

A client - server authentication system is great, if you can get both to communicate somehow - in PunkBuster's case, it was contracted and intergrated by developers:

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=announce.php

Notice the list of games. All by the publisher "Activision". Hopefully other publishers will get an idea.

Another very powerful part of PunkBuster is the GUID .. global unique identifier. Basically it attaches a special key string to an already existing cd-key (this GUID always is the same for the same cd-key). Cd-key authentication is required when joining all the games listed. If a person's GUID is banned or kicked (there are options to vote kick or admin kick a GUID for so many minutes automatically for violations or manually) it basically locks that person's cd-key (which is hidden yet attached to the GUID). A great system that works much more effectively than IP bans. Some cheats have been known to try and override PB's functionality. Getting detected using such a cheat (breaking the EULA which says you cannot do this) results in a global ban of that GUID - so any server with PB on would automatically ban that player's GUID.

They are constantly improving its functions:

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php...support-q3.php

Keep scrolling that page - and you'll see they are constantly battling cheaters who try to get around things.

There is a way more to PB and its anti-cheat/GUID functionality, but that's the simple overview.

This is what I mean by saying you are at the cutting edge of anti-cheating. You are along-side this new movement with your programs. PunkBuster started as a free program for Counter-Strike - however, Sierra decided to try their own system (which from what I hear doesn't work as well). Word got around, and now PB is contracted with Activision. So as you see, there is hope for you. :)

Anyhow. I hope this shows you are not alone, and those at the forefront of any evolutionary process (especially one that polices bad behavior) will get the most criticism. Consider yourself a visionary - and keep up the faith. :cool:



[Edited on 2-18-2003 by EscapedTurkey]

Escaped turkey is so right. The majority definetly wants to be playing on the same playing field, and a fair, and fun game.

Keep up the good work bro, and if you need anything get a hold of me over at www.punksbusted.com.