Been wrongfully accused of cheating (need admin advice)

(SyRinX) #1

Hi there

This post is intended for server admins used to deal with PB screenshots of cheating players.

I have been wrongfully accused of cheating and got kicked/banned from their server. Of course, I never used and will never use any form of cheating (except for tweaking my config… if you call that cheating well…ok I’m guilty). Well, I know, you’ll tell me they have the right to kick whoever they want, they’re paying for the server. I totally agree.

Though, I’d like to have an admin explain me how they see that cheating on the screenshot they posted on their forums.

Can anyone explain me where they see cheating in that screenshot?

Another point, I think that server admins should monitor a player more than 15 minutes before kick/banning him for cheating. If they’re convinced about it because they’ve been checking the guy for like 2-3 hours, then, allright, I’d agree to kick him. But… mmm after 15 minutes? Oh well…

Tell me what you think admins.

(Majin) #2

What server was this on?

(SyRinX) #3

Clan USA’s server

^2=^1U^7S^4A^2=^1 CLAN ^7Public ^2ET Server
207.44.240.42:27960

stupid me, I forgot to post the link to the forum thread with the PB picture :

http://www.gameclans.net/index.php?s=629d3212400ba11959ab224699aa9b09&act=ST&f=105&t=1674&st=0&

(Majin) #4

The admins that were in that topic seem very stupid and lazy.

He just doesn’t like the fact that you tweaked your config, and is to lazy to learn how to use PB to block them.

I would advise you to just laugh at those lazy fools and avoid their server.

I know I wouldn’t want to play on a server run by a lazy moron.

ahh… more funnies.

Was reading some of his other posts, and it seems he doesn’t even know how to make campaigns, and he has to steal them from ND80USA.net servers. Not that theres anything wrong with that, just seems funny he can’t figure out the simple task of campaign creation.

( http://www.gameclans.net/index.php?act=ST&f=105&t=1692&s=32a75bbc0580c65890a786e3f98e248c )

(Spark) #5

Being shot thru a wall is a good clue something is up. One shot kills is another.

This admin doesn’t exactly appear to be very clever. :bored:

(Englander) #6

Dont know how u can play with tweaks like that though(and tweaking is a very controversial subject),I llike the eye candy too much even if the FPS suffers like mine does on GF3 but if u wanna play like that its up to u ,but it seems to get u into accusations of cheating from less experienced admins or admins what die in a second from a few headshots and think NO WAY! then check a screenie of u and see ur tweaked up and assume ur a cheat through it and the admins what maybe think tweaking like that is a form of cheating.

But if I was you I wouldnt go back there if I was unbanned.You deserve an apology from them thats way out of order what they have done,you need more evidence than that before such actions are taken and to post it on their forums as well like theres a clear indication of u cheating,they will simply lose credibility as a clan ,thats if they had any to start with of course since I dont know any info about them.

God help them ,thats the clan leader who came up with it all.

(Kendle) #7

Agree. Whilst your tweaking does seem (from that screenie) to be a little on the heavy side, the admins of this particular server don’t appear to have much of a clue. I’d avoid it, there are plenty more out there.

(SyRinX) #8

I totally agree with you guys. Of course, I doubt I’ll feel welcomed to hang around on their server if I ever get banned. But the issue that irritates me the most is to be posted on a public forum as being a “fishy player” and have this threat to be reported to Even Balance after I’ve played only like 15-30 minutes on their server.

I can post my config if you guys want to look at it. All my settings are under TWL/CAL’s rules.

(Sauron|EFG) #9

I think you should post your config at their forum and have them post the PB config.

Best thing would be to connect to the server and do a /condump after PB has validated the cvars to show that you don’t have any violations, but I guess you can’t do that…

Their current config isn’t very strict (to say the least):
PunkBuster Client: r_picmip = “0” : must be INSIDE 0 to 4 (OK)
PunkBuster Client: r_picmip2 = “” : must be INSIDE 0 to 4 (OK)
PunkBuster Client: r_overbrightbits = “0” : must be INSIDE 0 to 4 (OK)
PunkBuster Client: r_mapoverbrightbits = “2” : must be INSIDE 0 to 4 (OK)

They should at least use the Evenbalance recommended settings if they cared about tweaking. :eek2:

(oOZe) #10

Admins are no superbeeings. I’ve seen my share of clueless admins who kick/ban everyone who owns them or dont act the way they please. Sure there are many sad admins who want to tell all the world. But with stunts like these the joke will eventually be upon theirselves. Very bad PR for that specific clan.

As for your case. Your config does look tweaked to the max.
BUT
An experienced admin should be able to see the level of tweakieness of your config. If he disagrees to them, he can order punkbuster do all the work and then IF punkbuster has the right limitations, and you still don’t get kicked, THEN they can smear cvarunlocker/cheater on you.

(blushing_bride) #11

What’s all this tweaking buisness. Can someone here explain it to me in a nutshell please. Im new at this so please have a laugh at my expense if this is a n00b question.

(Kendle) #12

What’s more, the cvars they’re checking for are more relevant to RTCW than ET. In ET picmip can’t go above 3 (you can set it to 4+ but it’ll have no effect) and I don’t think picmip2 does anything at all. map and overbrightbits at 4 would look hideous and does nothing for FPS (which is the reason most people tweak).

(Dingo19) #13

Go here: http://www.rtcwonline.com/dummies/

Click on “Tweaking”

(SyRinX) #14

Finally, after a few posts of discussions with the server admin, I just learned that they decide to kick/ban me for config tweaking. It’s pretty weird that they posted a screenshot “for punkbuster to look at it”. Don’t you think EvenBalance know about config and tweaking? Hell, that’s why the cvar checks exist.

The server admin, instead of simply appropriately setup Punkbuster on his server with a specific set of cvars to check and their appropriate range of allowed values, decided that it’s easier to kick/ban a player on this account.

I suggested him to pull up the ban and setup his cvar checks correctly and let me come back with a “decent config” on their server to show that I’m a good player with decent attitude.

(blushing_bride) #15

Go here: http://www.rtcwonline.com/dummies/

Click on “Tweaking”[/quote]

Thanks Dingo

(FstFngrz) #16

from what I see, it looks like the Clan leader of =USA= , Knight Hawk is an Idiot.

anyone who makes false accusations falls into that “IRONMAN” category.

(it is there server and they may choose who may and may not play there, but accusations are another story)

(SyRinX) #17

I totally agree and this is why I have been explaining myself on their forums and wanted to have you guys’ opinions on the issue. I can live with not coming back to their server, but can not let false accusations spoil my reputation of a decent, friendly, fun-to-play-with, team-and-objectives-oriented player.

Thanks for your support guys.

(^Marco) #18

Yeah FstFngrz, that’s exactly it, starting a public post on their forum about a fishy player and put SyRinX’s name there without proof is just not right.

I’ve been playing with SyRinX for years… He’s actually using my config which should look something like http://www.team-arise.com/config/screens/et/et-chef.jpg

seta “r_mapoverbrightbits” “3”
seta “r_intensity” “1.5”
seta “r_overBrightBits” “1”
seta “r_picmip” “3”

The one thing that I don’t understand is that screenshot… The gameplay never looks like that on my end. Maybe SyRinX was located in a strange place on the map and the screenshot got screwed.

(FstFngrz) #19

that screenshot is pb cfg setting default size ss.

As well as using “F11” to take a screenshot, you may also have pb take a screenshot, but ya have to change the size or its really small.

i.e. (from me cfg)
//pb stuff
bind F10 pb_getss // takes screenshot
pb_ssoptions 1024, 768, 50, 50, 1 // screenshot size

My computer is old slow and gives me a nice shade of blue w/ white writing on it only at least once a day. and the PCI vid card dont help alot either. If i stare at a wall i can get 50-75 fps(empty server of course) but i usually play with 6-30 fps, i.e. i have to decide on playbility or visibility

// Video Settings
//seta r_gamma “2”
//seta r_mapoverbrightbits “2”
seta r_mapoverbrightbits “2.8” //use 2.5 from 2, twl-only to 3
seta r_gamma “2.2” //twl-3, 1.3 stock,was 2.4
seta r_overbrightbits “1” //twl -1, was 1
seta r_picmip 2 //try 3?
seta r_intensity 1.4 //-1.5 max
seta r_ignorehwgamma 1 //0 is amess w/ me settings

(Kendle) #20

What’s laughable is these guys have a tool (PunkBuster) that will automatically kick a player for actual cvar violations, and yet they chose to do it manually for suspected violations based on their judgement of a screenshot.

Muppets! :bash:

SyRinx, I think your reputation is firmly intact, but I don’t think KnightHawk’s is anymore.