GoAA "Server Guard"

[Messanjah (Tyler)]

This just announced over at AAOTracker:

GOAA introduces Server Guard (8/9/2005)

This new innovation in anti-cheat measures uses PunkBuster to get even more hackers and avoid exploits in the game. Happy hunting for those hackers .......

Current Features

Prevents illegal ammo amount
Prevents illegal weapon state while running
Prevents illegal weapon state while using a ladder/objective
Prevents name changing
Prevents colored name
Prevents excessive text flooding (with configurable warning system; session based muting)
Configurable usage delay for projectiles and throw weapons

There are some additional features, which will be posted when the final release is made. ServerGuard will be updated to include detection for additional exploits, as soon as they are reported

ServerGuard does NOT run any of the AASA checks or ban lists. This may change in the future.
This is not in any way a replacement of PunkBuster. SG currently only uses PunkBuster to issue pb_sv_kick or pb_sv_ban commands.
This is not a perfect solution. Not all exploits can be covered.
ServerGuard is only available to GoAA customers.

Are we going to take advantage?

[Dream-=Of-God=-]

I think we should.

[kenshee]

I'm with Joe on this :yes:

[Peace-=Of-God=-]

Sorry, gotta wait for a while (as I just finished posting in the LC area ) before we go to the AASA Server Guard implementation for our server.

The last that I checked it out, it was still somewhat buggy (causing severe problems on some servers) and was still only available in standard map-regulated gameplay mode (meaning only MILES on McKenna, no live-fire).

Once I check into the latest versions of SG and see that they've made it work with forced live-fire gameplay, then we'll switch over to that configuration and test it out for server issues.

[Solace (Sean)]

When it says prevents..it means you can't do it or does it mean that if you do it you get kicked?? Cause I do the ladder glitch by mistake so does the SG prevent that glitch or does it say that the person gets kicked for exploiting it?

[Peace-=Of-God=-]

Well, yes, by "prevents" they mean "punishes", as I recall -- it doesn't stop the perpetrators from initially doing it, but it doesn't let them get away with it. My advice would be to figure what you're doing that causes the ladder glitch, and then stop doing it immediately .

UPDATE: The penalties for exploits (even "accidental" exploit usage) are as follows:
first exploit: you die (and those around you get to watch you explode in a brilliant flash of light -- it's pretty cool to see, although a bit scary the first time that you see it)
second exploit: you get a standard-length pb_kick from the server (our server is set to 15 minutes for the standard kick)

[andrewbuddy12]

um, speaking of glitches and stuff, I was on the WildCards server and quite honestly accidentally did the run bug, this has happened to me on our server as well once. Well. when I did it on the WC server, the server actually killed me and gave me a warning that if i did it again it would boot me. why dont we have this on our server?

[Solace (Sean)]

Oh..alright. I did the ladder glitch today on MOUT trying to get into Upper Loyalty. I think that is a little harsh. I mean, most of the times it is an accident. You can't prevent an accident. But..I'll try and stop the glitch exploit. Guess that means I can't start so fast off spawn.

[Peace-=Of-God=-]

andrewbuddy12 said:

why dont we have this on our server?

Like I said, the last time I checked it, AASA/SG was still in an experimental mode and was not functioning properly. I will check it out again as soon as possible, and if it does function properly with our server (and if it is available in a forced live-fire mode), then we will begin using it.

[Peace-=Of-God=-]

UPDATE: We are now using the Live-Fire edition of AASA Server Guard on #1 House-=Of-God=-. Please report any problems with it (deaths/kicks for actions that are not exploits, etc.) to me via PM, and I'll pass those on to Bunnie -- or you can PM them directly to Bunnie at the AASA forum.

FYI: There will be no officially published list matching exploit numbers with specific exploits, so don't ask . This is similar to PunkBuster's stance on their High Violation kicks; they don't want to expose themselves to possible security breaches from people using that knowledge for evil purposes.