"Hacking": Small solution or legit play?

[betty's oldies]

DISCLAIMER: Parts of this thread may be sarcastic. This thread primarily suggests to implement spectator mode in games. I am aware that an anti-cheat is in the works - this thread does NOT talk about the anti-cheat and does NOT suggest to allow hacking.

Actual suggestion:
Hate that you want staff in your game to watch out for hackers but the game already started? What if a spectator mode were to be implemented in which players can watch the middle of the game? This way staff can jump into games that have hackers. There's currently no spectator mode and the only way to catch hackers in the middle of the game is to have recording software implemented.

Spectator mode is a feature Mineplex has for its games. Did a game start and you missed the chance to watch? Got a youtuber you want to watch in the game but you missed out? No problem! Spectator mode allows you to join the game and watch what you like in addition to catching hackers!

EDIT: What about spectator mode only for staff to prevent ghosting? Alternatively, only a limited number of spectators can join before a game starts. If a game has already started, spectators can join only when players die and leave.

*Disclaimer applies starting below*
What if we don't have spectator mode? How do we catch hackers or make games a bit more fair? Why do we have so many hackers in the game?

The answer is simple: hacks are actually part of the game. The flying hack many call it is actually in the game in the form of creative fly. Similarly, these "hacks" are actually legitimate features in another game, namely StarCraft 2. Since that game has legitimate features such as flying units, fast move speed, siege range, and fire-on-the-move, we can say one thing: the players are not hacking; rather, they are using legitimate features in MineCraft.

Here are a few examples from StarCraft 2 and their comparisons to MineCraft "hacks":
-StarCraft 2 siege tank: In siege mode, the tank has long range and can hit from far away but the tank is stationary. Since this is a legitimate feature, the MC equivalent is infinite reach. What we can have is long range but have the player become a sitting duck.

-StarCraft 2 crackling (upgraded attack and move speed zergling): In StarCraft 2, these units are weak, but with fast movement speed, fast attack speed, and numbers, they're deadly. The MC equivalent is the speed "hack" and kill aura. What we can have is to give the player haste 6 and speed 3.

-StarCraft 2 swarm host and lurkers: In StarCraft 2, both of these units need to burrow. The swarm host releases 2 flying locusts (land to become ground when attacking) in order to attack and the lurker releases subterranean spines to impale enemies. The spines damage any enemies in its long line. Burrow is also a feature all ground zerg units have.

The MineCraft equivalent is the new evoker mob, which shares the swarm host's spawn locusts ability by spawning vexes and the lurker's line of effect attack by spawning fangs in a straight line. Vexes also take damage after a while, similar to the StarCraft 2 locusts' timed life. Also, hackers can burrow if they're on the ground.

-StarCraft 2 viking/air units: This fighter can transform between ground (assault mode) and air (fighter mode). In air mode, it attacks air only and in ground mode, it attacks ground only. In MineCraft, we can see that flying is part of the normal game since all races in StarCraft 2 have flying units. For example, the zerg mutalisk is a flying zerg unit in SC2; the equivalent to this is a "fly hacker," an organic flyer capable of also switching between ground and air mode based on the viking fighter. What we can have here is an elytra that can allow you to transform between air and ground mode. Thread: https://www.cubecraft.net/threads/legitimate-flight-in-eggwars-skywars-and-lucky-islands.166813/

-StarCraft 2 cyclone/diamondback/StarCraft 1 siege tank: These units can fire while moving without having to "stutter step" (attacking and moving between cooldown period manually). The MineCraft equivalent is for "hackers" to use the no-slow "hack" and the bow to move and fire at once. The SC2 cyclone also has the lock-on ability, which allows it to lock onto a target and deal damage while moving. The equivalent to lock-on is aimbot, in which the user can lock onto his target. What we can have is the user to automatically lock onto the target using the bow (includes automatic leading to ensure 100% lock-on). Lock-on can also enable the user to move at full speed at the same time.

Let's summarize the above:
Every hack in MineCraft is actually a feature in the game, as we can see above. For example, cracklings, flying, lock-on, move-shoot without stutter-stepping, and infinite reach are actual features from actual units in the game.

The alternate solution: make MC closer to another game and turn these "hacks" into features. Note that I am NOT saying we should allow hacking.
Want fair play? Want to become a unit? Then this is for you!

-As stated above, make "hacks" into legitimate features. Remember, "hacks" are legitimate features in one game, so why not in this game? The developers can code certain hacks while still prohibiting hacked clients.
-Add more ways for players to play the game.
-Add certain items into every game such as elytra. Air units are ALWAYS part of a StarCraft 2 game, so the same can be said here. Flying is ALWAYS part of the game, though it's usually a mid-late game transition.

TL;DR/Bottom line: Include a spectator mode in every minigame. If not, then make hacks into legitimate features.

 

[NedGaming]

Question 1 Yes :)
Question 2 No :(

 

[Despacito 2]

Again...

 

[betty's oldies]

Again...

The idea is that we have so many hackers that are using legitimate features from another game.

 

[Power Ranger]

I ♡ the idea of spectator mode for games like FFA and Assassins but I don't see much use for it in other gamemodes. Staff going into people's games will not happen often if there is no /report command which probably will never be re added.

 

[JonGamer16]

You know what I think they could add with the spectator idea? Commands like /helpop and /staff. This would let players get a hold of staff much more easily and quickly. The player could inform the staff of a hacker, then they can take a look at it mid-game and serve justice as needed.

However, this doesn't mean noobs can't still hackusate whenever they git rekt. There would have to be a system where they don't annoy the staff and have it turn into a boy-who-cried-wolf thing.

 

[Deeds]

They are currently working on an anti-cheat.

 

[betty's oldies]

They are currently working on an anti-cheat.

I never talked about the anticheat on this thread.

 

[JonGamer16]

They are currently working on an anti-cheat.

I know, I think I heard of that from another post or somewhere earlier. I was just thinking that could be a short-term solution until they can finish the anti-cheat, because making an anti-cheat from scratch (presumably) isn't something you can do very easily.

 

[betty's oldies]

You know what I think they could add with the spectator idea? Commands like /helpop and /staff. This would let players get a hold of staff much more easily and quickly. The player could inform the staff of a hacker, then they can take a look at it mid-game and serve justice as needed.

However, this doesn't mean noobs can't still hackusate whenever they git rekt. There would have to be a system where they don't annoy the staff and have it turn into a boy-who-cried-wolf thing.

No spectator means they cannot join the game even if you do /helpop. Even if it is not allowed to be abused, problem is so many kids accuse others of hacking that the number of false reports or calls could increase.

 

[JonGamer16]

No spectator means they cannot join the game even if you do /helpop. Even if it is not allowed to be abused, problem is so many kids accuse others of hacking that the number of false reports or calls could increase.

...which is why i suggested a system, rather than a rule. For instance, but not limited to, a cooldown that only allows someone to make a request every so often. That and other things could help. I also said the idea could go with mid-game spectating, so the mods can actively monitor whenever they need to.

 

[betty's oldies]

...which is why i suggested a system that can remotely reduce or prevent this. For instance, but not limited to, a cooldown that only allows someone to make a request every so often.

Someone can use alts to bypass that. I like your idea - maybe have spectator only for staff to prevent ghosting? How long will the cooldown be?

 

[Thaus]

...which is why i suggested a system that can remotely reduce or prevent this. For instance, but not limited to, a cooldown that only allows someone to make a request every so often.

Limits will cause more complaints on the forums saying stuff like: YOUR STUPID ************** COOL DOWN MADE ME LOSE A GAME TO A HACKER!!!!!! (sorry for the caps, but envision this happening).
If you take out the timer, staff will be spammed with /helpop and also, there are like 2000 players at a time and just imagine them all doing /helpop at once. Not a pretty sight.

 

[JonGamer16]

Someone can use alts to bypass that. I like your idea - maybe have spectator only for staff to prevent ghosting? How long will the cooldown be?

But would kids use alts to bypass it? They are just kids after all. They only have their account and their sister's or whatever, if they know their password as well.

Yeah, I actually didn't think of ghosting when I posted. Good idea with the staff-only thing.

I imagined the cooldown would depend on how many requests the staff feel like handling so they can keep up with them all. Fewer requests = less cooldown, more requests = longer cooldown.

 

[JonGamer16]

Limits will cause more complaints on the forums saying stuff like: YOUR STUPID ************** COOL DOWN MADE ME LOSE A GAME TO A HACKER!!!!!! (sorry for the caps, but envision this happening).
If you take out the timer, staff will be spammed with /helpop and also, there are like 2000 players at a time and just imagine them all doing /helpop at once. Not a pretty sight.

I think my recent reply to Hyperbravo answers your question as well, and the staff can just mute the kids if they do cause trouble. Also, I doubt there are that many screechers playing cubecraft. You don't hear them too often on the forums and in the server chat, do you? Or is that just me?

 

[betty's oldies]

But would kids use alts to bypass it? They are just kids after all. They only have their account and their sister's or whatever, if they know their password as well.

Yeah, I actually didn't think of ghosting when I posted. Good idea with the staff-only thing.

I imagined the cooldown would depend on how many requests the staff feel like handling so they can keep up with them all. Fewer requests = less cooldown, more requests = longer cooldown.

Explain hacking alts if the hackers are chronic cheaters. I've read tons of appeals on another server and I can tell the majority of hackers are kids who cannot write an appeal and use bought or stolen alts. Alt dispenser sites aren't caught right away, so the alt user is able to hack until they are caught.

Even with a cooldown or another way to prevent spam, there will always be a bypass. Knowing that kids already hack and push the limits, players will for sure find a bypass to the cooldown.

 

[Thaus]

I think my recent reply to Hyperbravo answers your question as well, and the staff can just mute the kids if they do cause trouble. Also, I doubt there are that many screechers playing cubecraft. You don't hear them too often on the forums and in the server chat, do you? Or is that just me?

Um then the lobby's would be full of muted people. Staff would have to go through too much unnecessary work to mute
a lot of people. Lemme put it this way: It won't happen.

 

[zHeavy]

They are currently working on an anti-cheat.

 

[JonGamer16]

Explain hacking alts if the hackers are chronic cheaters. I've read tons of appeals on another server and I can tell the majority of hackers are kids who cannot write an appeal and use bought or stolen alts. Alt dispenser sites aren't caught right away, so the alt user is able to hack until they are caught.

Even with a cooldown or another way to prevent spam, there will always be a bypass. Knowing that kids already hack and push the limits, players will for sure find a bypass to the cooldown.

Well, can the staff see anywhere the IP addresses of said chronic hackers? If so, the staff could look through the blacklists for identical IP addresses and IP-ban them. They surely won't get through that.

 

[Thaus]

Well, can the staff see anywhere the IP addresses of said chronic hackers? If so, the staff could look through the blacklists for identical IP addresses and IP-ban them. They surely won't get through that.

People can still VPN or change their IP.
Everything is Bypassable. And yes, there will be kids that can do that. Do not underestimate anyone.