Swat 4 Devs Answer Questions

The Developers of SWAT 4 were kind enough to answer some questions regarding SWAT 4 and cheating. I want to take this opportunity to thank Chris Kline Lead Developer for Irrational Games and Gregory Agius Interactive Marketing Specialist at Vivendi Universal Games. Below are the details of our conversation:

1. Can the developers in general terms give us their view on cheating in SWAT 4?
   
   Chris Kline: Cheating is for sissies. Seriously though, it's impossible to prevent cheating completely -- every game out on the market has cheaters, and no matter how often you patch, cheaters will find a way around it eventually. Despite that, we've tried to design the game in such a way as to make it harder to cheat.
   
   
2. Can you tell us what anti-cheating components (in general) will be in the production release that are not in the beta?
   
   Chris Kline: The Vengeance Engine and SWAT 4 in particular attempt to prevent cheating in a number of ways:
   
   • System Design.
     The server is always the authority on gameplay-relevant events. For example, a client might hack his version of the game to give himself perfect accuracy or infinite ammo or double-damage ammo. However, when he shoots the bullet trajectories, ammo availability checks, and damage will all be calculated using the server's settings, so his hacks will have no effect on the game. This design philosophy extends to all systems in the game (e.g. scoring, player movement, destructible objects, etc.)
     
   • Binary content validation.
     All textures, sound, code (native and script), etc are checksummed, and when a client connects to a server he will not be allowed to connect if his code or content differs from the versions that the server is using.
     INI file validation.
     
   • To facilitate easy modding, a huge amount of game configuration data is present in text-editable INI files. We have implemented a validation system for INI files that is similar to the one used for binary content; if a player tries to connect to a server and their INI files do not match, then that player will not be allowed to connect. (Note: INI file validation was not implemented in time to make it into the MP Demo, unfortunately).
     
   • Kicking and Kickbanning of specific players.
     Server admins will be able to kick players out of a game temporarily using the console command "kick PlayerName". They can also permanently block players from a particular IP address by typing "kickban PLAYERNAME". When someone is kickbanned, their IP address goes into a banned IP list in Swat4.in (or Swat4DedicatedServer.ini), in the [Engine.AccessControl] section. You can un-ban someone by removing their IP from the list in that section of the file.
     
   
   
3. Are there plans for an anti-cheat program such, as PunkBuster, after the initial release of the game. Note: There is a rumor that many people are talking about that PunkBuster is being added to Tribes Vengeance.
   
   Chris Kline: There are currently no plans to incorporate any third-party anti-cheating technology into SWAT 4. Any plans to do so would have to be initiated by VUG.
   
   
4. What can the community expect from the game or the developers in the way of updates to keep the game cheat free?
   
   Chris Kline: The decision to patch is always a publisher decision. That being said, Irrational Games and VUG both want to have a great game with minimal cheating. If problems arise after the game is on the shelves, we'll have to sit down together to examine the severity of the problem and determine how to address it.

not really a big fan of the gameplay in this game but maybe they will have fixed it before release.

so... less cheaters, hopeit works... i had to stop because of all the cheaters

There are already cheats out for this game. Since its the unreal engine it wont be hard at all, despite the extra effort they say they took, its gonna need PB and a community effort to help,

I wonder when companies will think to hire someone who can actually outsmart people that are out there and designing cheats. It'd be a worthwhile investment no? Anyhow, looks like no PB for this game. And from the sounds of it they don't seem to be planning for a dedicated patch/fix team. "If a problem arises". Well, like Death and Taxes, nothing is surer than there being some sorts of problems after this game is released.
Post edited by EclipseSix at 1/27/2005 8:16:54 PM

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Additional information can be found On VU SWAT 4 Forums and a new interview with developers at the 10-David.com's fan site. More good info to come.
Post edited by =db= at 1/28/2005 10:41:57 AM

Originally posted by: |MIR|MILAR
There are already cheats out for this game. Since its the unreal engine it wont be hard at all, despite the extra effort they say they took, its gonna need PB and a community effort to help,

Chris Kline: The Vengeance Engine and SWAT 4 in particular attempt to prevent cheating in a number of ways:

Not the Unreal Engine buddy.

Hey, can i know how you can kick some1 by the number beside his name.

Becuase there is some personn who you cant kick them because they changed their name.

So can we kick or ban by the # ?

And the ban, doesnt work

Originally posted by: .JackPoT.
Hey, can i know how you can kick some1 by the number beside his name.

Becuase there is some personn who you cant kick them because they changed their name.

So can we kick or ban by the # ?

And the ban, doesnt work

You might want to try the SWAT 4 Forums but I think in the demo you are sol.
Post edited by =db= at 2/1/2005 3:33:51 PM

Originally posted by: |MIR|MILAR
There are already cheats out for this game. Since its the unreal engine it wont be hard at all, despite the extra effort they say they took, its gonna need PB and a community effort to help,

No, its not the unreal engine, and it dont need anything to help it, jee this isnt even out yet, give it time. Hence the name BETA. This may be something new that dev teams for other games could use. We will have to see once it hits the shelf. Im keeping an open mind on this one.

Well they better do something, there are hacks out for the Demo already! Seen this in the official Sierra site forums.... http://img179.exs.cx/img179/7917/untitled1copy6db.jpg

http://img191.exs.cx/img191/2579/swat4mpdemo20050129001225596oy.jpg

http://img191.exs.cx/img191/4446/swat4mpdemo20050129001330591dq.jpg

http://img163.exs.cx/img163/1093/swat4mpdemo20050129001108608xt.jpg

Like I stated earlier I hope they do something!

Mmmm... you guys should do a bit more research before you say the vengence engine isnt based on unreal... because it is. it is a heavily modified version of the unreal 2.5 engine.

i look at my tribes vengence system ini file (vengence engine based), and it clearly is almost the same as my ut2004 system ini file.
i look at my Swat4MPDemo.ini file. and lo and behold, its nearly the same!

in conclusion, it is the unreal engine. just a different label.

With the ability to change (hack) the ini file...The game has officially turned to crap even before the final copy has been released!

We know that the demo (older version of the code base and engine) is hackable. Any game is hackable with enough time, knowledge and will power. The developers, that have seen the issues with Tribes Vengeance, have stated that they feel they have a handle on many of the cheats. In fact by letting the demo see the light of day the dev's are seeing just how devious the hacking community is and are going the extra mile to resolve the very issues seen in the videos and picts on the net so far. I am trying to get my NDA lifted so I can discuss, but until then, I feel the game is far from dead.

The demo is a bit of a "show" because you can mess with the ini files. In the final release you can not join a server if the ini files on the server do not match yours. But the game is still fun to play and I hope the final release will live up to the hype.

Well unless they implement some sort of anti cheating program to slow the hackers down...This game will go down the tubes in a matter of weeks!

The Vengance engine is a lot like the UT2004 engine but has a lot more options to it but yes the hackability is quite easy as long as you know how to type "true" and "false" and "-1"

With all the Modding (or as I like to call it Hacking) the ini file....This will strictly be a single player game or a inner clan game for me....Damn it Devs of Swat 4 Install PB alteast! LMAO

Well, thank God that the SWAT games are all about coop. You should try it sometime...

Nevermind this cheat discussion.



Post edited by Helldriver[NAF] at 2/18/2005 2:13:46 AM

lol.............



Yet Another dumb Script kiddie tool on the net looks like a they found this code on PSC and its coded in Visual Basic 6 WTF!?!?! mostly a kid made this or someone who doesn't know anything about programming *Sign*

SWAT 4 Beta Demo Name Encoder is the tool them morons use to try and make people think there hackerzzzzzzzz ph33r dem they might hack you using there retarded names.

i think i would have more fun DDoSing the dumb host's server who kicks me for no reason. then to use that dumb tool lol.......

Basicly how they have it kinda set up i think is it checks HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VUGames\CDKeys for swat4d which is a Binary value after it finds that its uses a Inet control to send your CD Key out to the wannabe hack who made and it might be stored on the guest book log or a *.txt file but if yeah use X-Netstat and run that dumb program you will see the persons web site i wont state what the web site is but you will see just try it it gets sent out tru the Protocol 80

"Yet Another dumb Script kiddie... ","Basicly how they have it kinda set up i think is it checks HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VUGames\CDKeys for swat4d..."
So basically the maker of the name editor is a dumb script kiddie and also someone who steals game keys?is that what u are saying man?
also u sed that u think thats how its set it up... does this mean u havnt checked and are accusing without proof?
basically these statements seem to have been made without checking and also without the presence of the creator to defend the allegations of key stealing.
and it does not hav to be created using anything in particular if its job is to just get the job done. the reason these name editors were made, as far as im aware, is because the game doesnt support entering altcodes and special characters ingame and alot of ppl will not know how to edit files. also im curious as to why the bit on the taskbar has been edited out when it only says Name Editor?!and also the top of the utility says Swat 4 Beta Name Encoder when it has clearly been edited from sumthin else ie Swat 4 Beta Name Editor and then the authors name maybe.....? chris kline knows who the author is from 10-david and from the sierra forums. the author is a well respected modder and utility maker for the swat community and as a member of that community i am both appalled and dumbfounded as to why you should try and tarnish his name with these accusations. if you hav proof please show it. i believe you did not do any sort of research in search of evidence into your post and i believe it to be trolling. if any part of my post is wrong i will, of course, apologise. i in no way mean to start any sort of flame war. i merely wish to publicly defend the author from such slanderous remarks until i am proven completely wrong.
Post edited by gannet at 2/21/2005 11:59:04 PM

Originally posted by: ZaraByte
lol.............

.....

Can you make your image smaller?

Originally posted by: ZaraByte
Basicly how they have it kinda set up i think is it
checks HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VUGames\CDKeys
for swat4d which is a Binary value after it finds that its uses a Inet control to send your CD Key out to the wannabe hack who made and it might be stored on the guest book log or a *.txt file but if yeah use X-Netstat and run that dumb program you will see the persons web site i wont state what the web site is but you will see just try it it gets sent out tru the Protocol 80

That is complete and utter manure.

I am the maker of the Name Editor and your accusations are not only complete nonsense but they are nasty. What would motivate you to spread lies like this?

I have made mods and utilites for the Swat community (and other games) for several years now. They all can be downloaded at http://www.mods4games.com/

What is your problem?

Why on earth do you think I would try to steal beta cd keys? It makes no sense. Keys to a beta demo? If you are going to create lies about me then at least make an attempt to have logic behind them.

I would never think of doing anything harmful or illegal in one of my mods or utilities. The idea is offensive.

I have never released a mod with a virus or harmful code in it. In fact I take great pains to ensure that my mods/utilites are bug free, idiot proofed, and of course virus free.

I have no idea who the hell you are but if you have a personal problem with me then deal with me directly. Don't make up lies about my mods and utilities.

BTW, here is what the Name Editor looks like before you did your quick PhotoShop job and renamed it.



On a side note this Name Editor has had a positive outcome to the community.

If you had bothered examining the enclosed README that comes with the file you will see a special note that I made to the developers explaining a possible bug with Swat 4 that allows people with extended ascii characters to become unkickable to the host.

Immediately after releasing this Name Editor I posted on 10-David.com to the Swat 4 developers who visit frequently explaining this problem with the demo. They promised to fix this for the final release of the game.

I figured it was better to release the Name Editor now and have them fix it for the greater good of the community.

wow. i just seen zarabytes website and i am so shocked he has the brass bollocks to call slippery jim what he has. i will not link it as i believe it is against forum poilcy to link to hacksites and i respect that. man this guy gives TWL a bad name