Urgent. Host Cheating: Problem and Solution.

[Zapmeister]

Hmmm. Is there really much to be gained by reducing a fabulous advantage to a merely huge advantage?

I think players will always be forced to decide whether or not they trust their host, and whether or not they want to play in games run by a potentially untrustworthy host.

It is, after all, just a game. What's the point of winning if you secretly exploited your role as host to do it? None that I can see.

[Norfleet]

I don't really think this is a problem. The host will always be able to cheat like this in some way, and one of the primary problems of military intelligence is trying to use information without making it known that you know: Often, even if you know about a surprise attack, you have to let it happen as one anyway, or else they'll know you know.

From a practical standpoint, your proposed solution would fail to address the matter anyway: An unscrupulous host can simply start a copy of the game on timed-host, and let it host/set the system clock to induce it to host, thereby seeing future turns anyway.

The real problem is deeper than that: If you have a host which cheats, you're playing with a jerk, as your host. Let's say he can no longer cheat, so his lack of skill is something that he can no longer hide: He'll get wiped out early, then throw a tantrum and kill your game. So if you're playing with a good and reliable, or third party host, you needn't worry about cheating. If you're playing with a git, your problem is there: Either you'll have to give him preferential treatment that's just as good as letting him cheat, so he doesn't get wiped out of the game and kill your game in the process, or you'll just have to let him cheat.

Either way, this is far from the most pressing issue facing Dominions II. If you're playing with smacktards as your host, you're not going to be in for a positive gaming experience, either way.

[ January 25, 2004, 02:31: Message edited by: Norfleet ]

[Saber Cherry]

Originally posted by Zapmeister:
[QB] Hmmm. Is there really much to be gained by reducing a fabulous advantage to a merely huge advantage?

When I posted I thought I had a solution - it was not until 1/2-way thru that I realized it was only a partial solution

Oh well...

Don't worry Cherry! I'll only cheat if I'm playing with you!

[Saber Cherry]

Oh, wait, I figured it out. OK:

"Force Host Disabled"

and

"Master Password Disabled"

will allow perfectly cheatproof network play. Nothing, to my knowledge, can prevent host cheating in pbem. But still, allowing for the possibility of cheatproof play is... in my opinion... more than just a good idea. Obviously, it's best to play with a host who is trustworthy, but in the shady Vegas $50k Dominions II blitz games I play... one can never be too careful, ya know...

-Cherry

[PhilD]

Originally posted by Saber Cherry:
Oh, wait, I figured it out. OK:

"Force Host Disabled"

and

"Master Password Disabled"

will allow perfectly cheatproof network play. Nothing, to my knowledge, can prevent host cheating in pbem. But still, allowing for the possibility of cheatproof play is... in my opinion... more than just a good idea. Obviously, it's best to play with a host who is trustworthy, but in the shady Vegas $50k Dominions II blitz games I play... one can never be too careful, ya know...

-Cherry

Considering the "Master Password" option is one that was added at the players' request, so that dropping players could at least be turned to AI... I think you're mainly trying to make the devs go nuts

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by PhilD:
Considering the "Master Password" option is one that was added at the players' request, so that dropping players could at least be turned to AI... I think you're mainly trying to make the devs go nuts

Ahhh I wondered what that was. (probably in the docs somwhere but never got around to looking for it). Oh but now I have to bug them to see if its included as a command-line switch.