Anti-Cheat Program

[Mayfly]

Hi,
Sorry If this has been asked before, couldn't find anything on it in the search. I am wondering if its possible to create an anti-cheat software using MMF2. I'm guessing if I could create something that can search for a specific file on the PC and then check its the same version as the latest game file to confirm the player isnt cheating. Our team has released a new mod for a game and there is a big problem with players editing physics files to make bikes faster / crash les kind of thing. Everyone connects online via peer to peer rather than servers. Somehow the game will allow multiplayer races with users on different physics seettings. Any help would be appreciated

[SEELE]

It sounds like an issue with the engine rather then the mod.

But yes, you could use MMF to confirm that there files are all unmodified.. but if it's a peer to peer game, then any safe guards you setup are only temporary, because at the end of the day everything is on the users computer.

Knowing which game the mod is for would be helpful.

[Dynasoft]

The best solution is to generate a hash of the relevant files on on all players' machines and only allow them to join a game if they match. That way people can still play modded games, but only if they all have the mod.

[SEELE]

The problem dynasoft, is that he didn't write the engine, only the mod.. so we can't control who sends what, of whether or not a game host accepts a client.

To that end, the program will have to make the necessary checks and express limitation without communicating with anyone.

[Pkeod]

You guys may consider http://www.molebox.com/ for putting all game files into one exe. It can at least be one extra deterrent to casual cheaters. MMF is not a tool for creating anti cheat software! :P

[Mayfly]

The mod is for a game called 'Mx Vs Atv: Unleashed' The file types are called .pak and software called Multiex is able to open, extract and repak the game files. This is how the mod was possible. But it also opens up the easy oppertunity for cheaters now to easily locate and edit the physics files. The purpose of an anti cheat program would be to allow me to run tourneys with the game online and to check everyone is playing the game with the correct released mod physics. Not ones to go faster. The a'anti-cheat' prgram doesnt need to block people from joining. Just check files while we are racing and make sure they do not use illegal mod files. If they do they would race and at the end be DQ and banned from any tourneys. Ill look up that molebox Pkeod. Maybe it can be of use but I am not sure as the mod does not cahnge the .exe the game is played with =(
Thanks for the input guys

[Dynasoft]

If it's not part of the game then running a separate program is pointless. They'd just use it to verify an "ok" version, then play using the hacked version.

[Mayfly]

indeed, im hoping maybe theres a way to locate the physics text fiel within the .pak file. That way software would be able to locate more than one copy on the users system, and report this back. Anyuser with more than one copy can be DQ'd etc.

[Shawn]

Quite honestly any method you use will be easily circumvented. Since it's just a mod for an existing game I can't imagine there is a good way to police that.

[DJFuego]

As i don't know what the mod does I can only speculate.
You could just add an option that posts the physics details and confirm that they haven't been overexaggerated. You will post under the username they use and network details. you could just ban the account then.