Possible solution to multiple downloads of the BF file

[Troll]

I would like to address the issue which keeps popping up concerning the "DO OVER" or multiple download(s) of the same Battle File (BF) to get favorable results. I believe there is a partial solution to this problem and that would include the following. A special Encrypted Code (EC) would have to be written and placed somewhere within the CS game folders and the whereabouts would not be known to the players. This EC would do several things.

(1) the EC would count the number of times the same BF was downloaded into the game folder.

(2) The EC would assign a series of characters to the BF lets say as an example >>> 1aer6t <<< this would be the Artificial Intelligence (AI) identification name for the BF. To continue, lets say opponent #1 Troll, starts the game, finishes his turn, and sends the BF off via email to opponent #2 who ever that may be. After ending his turn (Troll) the AI assigns the identification name of 1aer6t to the BF, the PBEM would trigger the EC.

Lets say opponent #2 is an honest player, downloads the BF to his CS game folder and as soon as the download is complete, the identification name of 1aer6t is now embedded somewhere within opponent #2s CS game folder. Opponent #2 finishes his turn and emails the BF back off to Troll.

But Troll is scum bag and wants to cheat. He plays his turn, didn't like the results or uses the turn to find hidden enemy units, or to find safe places to hide from his opponent and deletes the BF and downloads the same BF again, but the AI will not allow him do this because the the identification name of 1aer6t shows up again.

The AI puts the game in limbo, until instructed otherwise.

(3) Now lets say the reason the BF had to be downloaded again is because the BF some how became corrupted or a player forgot to end his turn, then both players would have to inform the AI in some simple way to allow the download of the BF again so the game can continue.

(4) Granted, the first player could play the first turn (ONLY) a thousand times but that would be limited to ONLY the first turn. This is because you can just start a new game over and over again and not save them and the EC would always be different.

(5) So my thinking is that the only ways to play the same turn more than once on the same computer [/u]and that is important to remember, same computer[u], is to some how manipulate the EC (which is very unlikely) and or actually delete the entire CS from his computer, and if you want to cheat that badly to keep reinstalling the CS on your computer along with all of the updates, more power to that person.

(6) Now last but not least, there is also the possibility of playing the game on multiple computers. As an example, the person who cheats downloads the BF on his computer #1 plays the turn and now will use that information when he downloads the BF on his computer #2. But the problem now is, that person is stuck with the results on computer #1 and the only way to play that BF again on computer #1 would be to delete the entire CS off his computer #1, or break the EC code.

So my thoughts are, that if a EC could be written and placed into a future update, that it reduce the possibility of someone being dishonest and make cheating more trouble than its worth.

One of my regrets in life is that I did not continue with computer programing after I was discharged from the Army in the 70s and when punch cards were state of the art lol

I find that people who can write code to make a computer do what they want is fascinating.

Cheers

Troll

[Troll]

I would just like to add one more thing to this post. It really bothered me that you could still delete the CS from the computer and get away with this type of play. So after a little thought, it would be possible to even put a stop to that also. Lets say this person deletes the CS from the computer and goes through all of the trouble to reinstall everything again. He then downloads the BF again and tries to play the game but the AI will not allow it. And the reason for that is because the EC has no record of the game being downloaded past turn #1 and due to the fact that this is a fresh copy of the CS and the EC would have no record of the identification name of 1aer6t. That would mean that the only way to play the BF is if both players instructed the AI to allow it to be played or the EC is broken. Therefore this would also stop a person from installing a fresh copy of the CS in order to gain an unfair advantage and get around the EC code.

BTW, Pointman, your OK in my book :)

Cheers

Joe

[Herr Straße Laufer]

Gosh Joe. Sheesh, reinstall the game to cheat. :eek1:
If someone would resort to doing all that what kinda person would they be in real life? :kill: Lonely?
I'd also think that they would be weeded out soon enough on their own without having to have the Matrix team rewrite game code. :chin:

One or two of those kinda players as opponents and I'd have to bag the whole game to find something new to put my time into. I hope that does not give anyone ideas? ;)

And, for the record, as explained, I think Pointman is O.K. too! :smoke:



HSL

[Troll]

Yes it is sad that someone would go through all of that just to satisfy their pathetic egos to win a game :( All that I have talked about is the hard way to get around playing an honest game. All you have to do is open the scenario, and if the scenario already has a name, just make your moves, and if you don't like the results, just go up to the top menu bar, click on file and click on exit, the AI will ask you if you want to save the current file and if you click on "NO" all of the moves you made never existed. Then all you have to do is open the scenario again and start over, like nothing happened. I learned the hard way playing the AI and made all these moves only to click on NO instead of YES when I wanted to exit the scenario and I lost that whole turn. I though I lost the whole campaign scenario, but just lost the turn :( So in the least, and when it concerns a PBEM scenario, the AI should automatically save any moves you make if someone clicks on EXIT without saving the turn. That is simple enough. The save button is the key, so once you save the turn, those moves are carved in stone and the only way out of a bad situation is to delete the file and download it again. The multiple save thingy means nothing. You can save and reopen a scenario as many times as you want, but it will not change the results of the moves you just made. Like Jason said and para phrasing, there are to many ways to get around an honest game.


Cheers

Joe

[Scud]

I think it would be great if Matrix could put one of these ideas into being, if just to give those that need it peace of mind, but in the meantime, I'll continue to trust all of my opponents. If someone feels they have to cheat to beat me, that's just really funny.

Dave

[Montana Grizz]

Me too Dave.

I like to play online poker for very small stakes ($2 max for a tournament that I'm usually in for a couple of hours before losing) and that's cheap intertainment.

However, when money is involved, people will go to extraordinary lengths to win and I sometimes wonder if there is someone at my table with 3-4 computers and 3-4 different service providers playing as 3-4 people at my 10 person table?

Well for $2, go for it; just like cheating to beating me? Why would you want to kill a frog instead of an elk?

Pat

[Von Luck]

All the above is very well but what if you suffer a power cut or your PC locks up then you have to install the game file again.

[Crossroads]

...I sometimes wonder if there is someone at my table with 3-4 computers and 3-4 different service providers playing as 3-4 people at my 10 person table?...

:pullhair:

Official announcement
From: Cpl KKAT
To: all cheaters out there

If you go into that effort to beat me, I hereby officially announce you are free to claim the victory for the sheer effort for achieving it

[K K Rossokolski]

...I sometimes wonder if there is someone at my table with 3-4 computers and 3-4 different service providers playing as 3-4 people at my 10 person table?...

:pullhair:

Official announcement
From: Cpl KKAT
To: all cheaters out there

If you go into that effort to beat me, I hereby officially announce you are free to claim the victory for the sheer effort for achieving it

I for one could not agree more!!