Name stealing problems (ATTN SPLASH DAMAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

(-[x]-Atlas) #1

I’ve encountered this problem several times and that is because players change their name to my name and then tk the team. I know that some servers have PB set to kick for name stealing but I don’t think that is really effective because PB has no way of knowing if someone takes my name and goes into a server I play regularly, then I join with the same name and get kick.

I have a couple of suggestions for this:

1- REQUIRE in the next patch, a CDKEY from RTCW in order to play ET. Now, I know there are a lot of you out there that don’t do this (name stealing) and I also know that the same people don’t own RTCW. So yes this would require you to go out and buy RTCW.

2- Somehow make a serial number assigned to each player via players IP or something. I am no programmer so I don’t know how it would work.

I, for one, am for requiring a CDKEY only because it generates a guid (which is a key generated from that players CDKEY) which is permanently assigned to that player, and bans and kicks ARE effective - whereas right now, they are not. Might as well take the kick votes off and ban abilities away because they just come back under another name. Useless.

(Majin) #2

99% of the people who play would stop playing if they had to buy RtCW.

(Cosmos) #3

It’s a problem that affects some of us.
Those faggots who steal names should be kicked instantly because it says “xx” has changed is name to “yy” so as soon as you notice this, have a vote kick or vote for referee. If they are not enabled ask an admin/referee if there isn’t one of those either then just change servers. Just try and stick to servers which do not allow identical names to be used - perhaps someone could advise you which servers have this feature.

(BroQ) #4

Letting people buy an other game to play ET?
Maybe just some registration stuff would do the trick

2- Somehow make a serial number assigned to each player via players IP or something. I am no programmer so I don’t know how it would work.

My IP changes everytime I reconnect to the internet

(-[x]-Atlas) #5

I’d actually say that a very good portion of people that play ET already have RTCW so this wouldn’t be an issue for us.

And for great things to happen, there must be some sacrifice.

(No1_sonuk) #6

Modifying Atlas’s plan:
Why not have a system of name registration to generate the key.

i.e. When you register for these forums, you’re given a key number that ties in with the name somehow. If you don’t use the right key, you can’t use the name.

This way, you maintain the free aspect of the game, and cut down on the game-spoilers. It also makes continual offenders banable.

(Kendle) #7

Requiring players to buy a (different) game completely defeats the idea of ET being FREE. If it wasn’t free, a great many (couldn’t possibly guess at percentages) wouldn’t play it.

However, it must be within the realms of possibility to require players to register on a website in order to play. Tons of free software requires (zero cost) registration in order to use. This registration process then provides the GUID by which a player can be uniquely identified. Without unique GUID’s bans are not particularly effective.

The trouble with this approach is:- for pays for it? Why would SD or anyone else for that matter feel obliged to provide webspace and bandwidth to host a registration server? Punkbuster did once (don’t know if they still do) provide an option for a player to register a name, but it wasn’t compulsory, and it cost money.

As for name stealing, many servers do use Punkbuster to prevent this, but of course if you join a server after the person who’s stolen your name, then you are in fact the name stealer.

(No1_sonuk) #8

That’s why I suggested it be linked to these forums. All that’s needed is to add the key generation.

(Kendle) #9

That’s why I suggested it be linked to these forums. All that’s needed is to add the key generation.[/quote]
Trouble is, 99.9% of people who play ET aren’t registered in these forums. Well, maybe not 99.9%, but a bloody big number nevertheless.

Plus it would have to be quick and easy, not require someone to go through a forum registration process, plus there should ideally be code within ET to request (on installation) a key and store it within the game (like there is in RTCW), which in turn would require a client patch!

Plus, it would be easy to get around. If you needed a new key cos you’d been banned from a server for TK’ing, for example, you’d just re-install or re-register etc., to get a new key.

The bottom line is, keys only work if they cost money, and if ET costs money less people will play it, and those that do will demand support etc., that they’re currently happy not to be entitled to.

So all in all, I think the concept of “free game” and “must be registered” are not compatible. :bash:

(Englander) #10

This wouldnt make ET free anymore if you need to buy RTCW to play it,so I can never see this happening.

(Cosmos) #11

Also if they did release another patch with a cdkey check people wouldn’t simply update.

(DG) #12

if an admin is seeing your name on a server and banning you on the basis of having seen the same name when TKing, your problem is with the server admin, not ET or PB.

If you join server and someone already has “your” name, simply change it. there should be messages in the console warning you, depending on the duration the admin has set pb_sv_dupNameGrace to. if you have a sufficiently original name to make it obvious the person is pretending to be you, ask them to change it and if that fails contact a server admin and ask them to police it.

The lack of effective GUID is a large problem but tbh doesnt have much effect on name stealing. if youre finding it a recurring problem maybe you should think why youre attracting troublemakers.

(-[x]-Atlas) #13

The problem with waiting for an Admin is that there is no admin… and the ban thing doesnt work because they just come back under another name.

If they required a CDKEY, ET would still be free because it would be just like a free expansion pack for RTCW (which is what it should have been in the first place!). We wouldn’t be having all these issues to begin with if Activision didn’t cower and cancel the idea of making it a retail expansion pack for RTCW…

Either way, there has to be a way of issuing players a guid. Maybe have a guid or key generator with the next patch that would automatically generate a key as soon as the install was completed thus requiring them to do a /pb regcdkey in their console or they can’t play.

And once it key is registered with PB, it will be a permanent key assignment to that player.

(lauri88) #14

nobody want ET to be like CS… buy this and you get to play this with the same cdkey! :bash:

(NoRm) #15

why does it let 2 players have the exact same name !

(-[x]-Atlas) #16

I quote myself because you are misunderstanding the topic. The purpose of having a key is to be able to enforce a kick or a ban by USING that key instead of a players name.

Honestly, it would be better if they could just do as I suggest above and that is on the next patch, have some sort of key generator that will assigne a permanent key that the player must register.

This would eliminate having to buy RTCW to get a CDKEY - which is ultimately un-necessary anyway :?

(funkPig) #17

I agree with DG, if someone is stealing your name , just change it. Put the_REAL_ in front of your name or some thing like that…

I won’t buy RTCW for the same reason I am playing this one now: IT’S FREE

Another suggestion: Don’t play on servers where everyone is 13 years old (and acts it).

EDIT: on the next patch? your funny! :smiley:

(Majin) #18

You can easily set the game to instantly kick you for copying a name, but you can easily get around it (i believe) by putting colors without letters at the end ofyour name. People wont see the different but it will be there.

(svarog) #19

i’m curious about this type of spoofing, because i’ve seen it more than a few times. mostly because the people that do this type of spoofing (as opposed to accidental duplicate names) tend to be nuisances on the server in question. and it’s not like a vote to kick is helpful since you may be kicking the wrong guy. is there any other identifier to kick (console commands would help) for scenarios like the one above (i.e. color markers as place holders, other smurfing)?

(Pegger) #20

You can avoid the name stealing, but it will cost you $1.00 a month. PunkBuster has a feature that you can register your name. check it out:

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