[MUD-Dev] TECH: Trusting Network Clients

[Steve Dieter]

On Wed, 28 August 2002, "Crosbie Fitch" wrote:

> The player is not the enemy!

I certainly see you point and I agree that this would be a desirable
objective, but my experience is that the loss of 'real' consequences
for people often results in the worst of behaviors more than the
best.

I also think that 10% is far too many cheaters to have in a game,
and the game should by design have security measures in place to
prevent it. You are right: players are not the enemy. However,
cheaters are. And the cheaters have access to the client, not the
server.

It most of the MMORPGs I have played it only takes one persistent
cheater to seriously unbalance the game to the point where it has to
be reverted, etc. And this with most security already on the
server-side. And don't forget how many people's good times were
affected by the single (long-gunman) cheater who found a way to kill
Lord British during a hosted event in the early days of Ultima
Online.

Honestly I believe most people are good and will do the right thing
in the real world. I also think that in the virtual world people are
more likely to push the limits because they can, it's an escape, a
release. If you are going to charge people for the product, you need
to design the strongest most effective measures against cheating you
can.

I mean, how many people lock their doors of their house or company
at night? And in the real world there are stiff penalties for the
10% (?) that cheat.

Steve

_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev