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Bank Limit Alternative

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 3:14 pm
by Xavier
When I first saw the new update, I wasn't very happy. Plainly the community agrees, with a one sided result in the opinion poll run elsewhere. So...

How about when you withdraw/deposit, you have to enter a code in a similar way to when you click the recruitment links?

This will stop all the cheating without annoying loitering messages, disadvantaging the races through destroying their bonuses, etc.

I'm not sure, but couldn't programmers just edit their 'macro's to bank less often, anyway?

I realise this may mean that some of you will have large amounts of naq out in the open for slightly longer, but entering this code shouldn't take more than two seconds, if done properly.

Sleipnir has described this suggestion as:

[08:20] <Sleipnir> but it's kinda like going to the bank and having to enter your personal identification code

So the similarities are there in real life too. :P

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 3:36 pm
by forgive_me
well personaly i do not like this hole limits on deposits...come on...wats this....limit the number of weapons u can buy cheeper/day then....ooooo u guis forgot that with one upgread we goaulds dont pay the 5%......

i like upgreads for security.....but this one is realy limits the upgread made on Mar 24-31, 2005........

i strongly sugest goaulds get a compensation with this limitation OR asgard/tauri number of weapons/units bouth/traind in one day be limited.......its the same thing......so wath is it going to be?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:10 pm
by IcER
Wow, that is an excellent suggestion! I like it a lot Xavier, I hope forum does too :D

Edit: Just seen a possible issue, if you sit in your bank page how long before you get kicked out again, because if loitering isnt working then this might not too. just a thought, I still like the idea

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:21 pm
by Xavier
The reason loitering doesn't get around all the cheaters is because people have different ways (called Macros, or something) to auto bank their naq every half hour. This new update with bank limits means that it is impossible, as you can't have 48 transactions in the 24hr period.

What I am saying is that people may just edit their Macros to deposit every 1-1.5hrs. But, I have no idea how they work, so I wouldn't know. We need an experienced programmer to answer that...

*Xavier summons Whitey. 8)

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:50 pm
by Come_Forth-2.0
good idea i think it is a lot better then limiting bank turns because the macros could just be programed to work less often.

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 5:47 pm
by I Replicate
I could tell you how macros work, but then I'll be yelled at :(
Just joking :P I dont know how it works exactly (dont really care to look up how it works...)

Actually, the other option for those macroers is to dump the money into weapons every turn, or two turns or whatever. Lets say you make 85000 every turn, so every hour, set it up to buy a d. weapon. Or if you make 340,000 every turn, by 2 weaps every turn, or however it works out, you get it. You do loose money when you sell it, but it works just as well...

:/ Maybe I shouldnt be saying that, but the macroers probably already know this...

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 5:57 pm
by Xavier
True, what's gonna happen next? Limit weapons purchasing? Training? Mercs? Sigh.

You don't have to sell the weapons, you could always hang on to them.

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 7:42 pm
by myFriend
i like the idea to you could also use a pic with a word in it and a line so its a tad harder to see (like when you make yahoo for e-mail acounts)

The futility of trying to hamper macros

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:23 pm
by justbegladnow
Such is palpable. No matter what change to make them have to do more stuff is implemented, someone who really cares can just improve their macros. Even the visual checkers that you see in various logins for yahoo etc. can easily be bypassed by a macro, that one just requires a nontrivial amount of memory to run (in fact, the major purpose of, for example, the one on yahoo is simply to make it take too much computing effort to register 100k+ of accounts). It will make no difference to someone who actually cares, and actually puts them at a greater advantage since the macro program can enter in the right letters faster than the person can.

There are in general two different ways of dealing with these types of cheats:
1. Spend all your time implementing stuff trying to plug every__single__hole that may exist, knowing that the cheat on the other side is satisfied by finding only one.

2. Accept the following 2 facts and adjust the game accordingly:

Someone using a macro in this game will be more effective than people who do not.

It's essentially futile to fight it.


Choice 2 is obviously better than 1, which leads to an acceptance that inequity will exist in the game due to the inevitablity of macros. My solution: Enable those who don't use macros to level the playing field by providing game options that automate the most obviously "macroable" parts of the game.

justbegladnow
doesn't use macros, but is confident this game is simple enough that he could implement one that played the game exactly as I do.

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:03 am
by IcER
I agree, that this doesnt patch the game against these 'macroers' but I believe forum has very strongly declined an sort of legal auto-banking, which is what I think you are suggesting, and I believe he is right to do so. It would mean the most naq around is the person with the highest income, and even then it will only stay there for what a few mins at most? That would suck.

Forum: you should find one of these marcoers, but instead on suspending them or banning them, have a bit of a test with them :twisted: see what they do when you implement updates, could be quite informative, I dont know.

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:09 am
by Savings Account
Let's hope the game does not go the same way as KoC...

Damn code boxes.. can't even take a p*** without having to type some spluffle in a box...

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:53 am
by Xavier
I'm not very familiar with KoC, but I know they would have made that change for a reason. :wink:

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:03 am
by BleedBlack
Isn't there a simpler way to get rid of the Macros?
When you go into the bank screen, the volume of Naq on hand is already put into the deposit area, so, you simply press deposit to drop it in.
I notice this isn't the same for Withdraw (i.e the total deposited money isn't already in the box ready tro withdraw, you have to type it in manually).

So, my idea is this.
What if forum removes the thing that automatically places the Naq on hand, in the deposit space.
This way, if someone were to create a Macro, it would need to claculate how much Naq was on hand, type it into the deposit box, and then deposit.
Rather than justd epositing it.

Jus' an idea.

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:34 am
by Asger
Weston wrote:What if forum removes the thing that automatically places the Naq on hand, in the deposit space.
This way, if someone were to create a Macro, it would need to claculate how much Naq was on hand, type it into the deposit box, and then deposit.
Rather than justd epositing it.


Once again.. its trivial to write something which can do the same thing. Figuring out a code from the graphic is possible too though would take a bit more effort but frankly I'd be more annoyed with the code than these turns.

Ignoring the problem does not make it better but will lead to the downhill progression of many games.

I think this is the best compromise as honestly it should not effect anyone that much as turns accumulate while you sleep and even tho I bank alot it seems reasonable enough to me.

On a side note.. This last week people have been complaining about the amount of naq available in the open.. Now its about not being able to bank it. Its rather humorous :)

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:35 am
by IcER
I dont think that would work, as you could just enter some arbitary large amount that is more than your income, and it would still bank it all (I checked it just now :) )