![shaftwhores only by [EXE]dann](/files/avatars/2007/51852-shaftwhore.gif "shaftwhores only by [EXE]dann"){kind=small}
Tonight I played a few pcws with my clan. The game we play is Natural-Selection (web info or IRC for the uninitiated) a teamplay Half-Life mod that is a RTS/FPS crossbreed. Not exactly TDM, but just as intense and very enjoyable.
The first map played didn't really test us at all, we cruised to victory in both our alien and marine rounds making it 2-0 to us. There was a little bit of whining from them regarding their choke, but as this is client side we simply dismissed it as whine. Upon investigation it is seen that said player was using cl_updaterate 20, a connection setting suitable for those on <56k. This player latency to our UK server from Germany (60) meant that he obviously had a better connection than that and was simply abusing the variable to make himself that little more unhittable. However, on our server we set the servers allowed sv_minupdaterate for clients to 60, ensuring fair playing conditions for both teams as the value cannot be exploited.
Yet on their server for the second map, they insist upon using minrate 0 and fully exploiting this, even when we protested. After all, according to them it is "only a pcw" - since when was this an excuse to allow exploiting? Their Fades (expensive warrior class of the alien team) had previously been easy to take down and below average attackers suddenly became Gods, strolling around the map absorbing bullets like sponges.
This isn't the first time I've seen the Half-Life netcode abused, and I'm sad to predict it won't be the last, but what saddens me is the blatant abuse and bareface cheek of abusing rates to win a map in a game that, according to them, is "only a pcw".
Rate abuse disgusts me as it is more deceitful than out-and-out cheating. Only someone competant with rcon access and who knows what to look for will spot rate abusers, and the main reason I know so much about it is due to years of game adminning. If our game was more popular it would be easy to say "cu@LAN" and observe what they are like with default settings and <5 latency, but due to the nature of the game it's not exactly going to become the next Counter-Strike with frequent LAN events.
These people site behind their computers exploiting their way to victory for what? How can they attain any sense of satisfaction from a dishonest win? We completed the game under stupid conditions out of sportsmanship, and they didn't even afford us the courtesy of playing us on decent terms. What's even worse is I am the ClanBase Mod Supervisor for this game, and this clan will apply for the next OpenCup season. It doesn't give me a favourable opinion of them, and any judgement regarding their clan will now be looked upon as "biased". Oh well, at least minrates are set to decent values under CB rules.
Online gaming is such a great thing, it becomes an artform at competitive level, every game an exhibition of unbelievable skill, every kill a spectacle and every player a warrior in their own right. But then I look at the problems inherant to it, such as the exploiting detailed here, and I am engulfed with disgust and contempt for those happy to ruin everthing the community strives for. It's times like this, at 3:11am on a Monday morning when I dismay at how people like this creep into every corner of life and piss on my parade. Time to finish this cigarette and find some suitable competition.
Until next time, play fair.
The first map played didn't really test us at all, we cruised to victory in both our alien and marine rounds making it 2-0 to us. There was a little bit of whining from them regarding their choke, but as this is client side we simply dismissed it as whine. Upon investigation it is seen that said player was using cl_updaterate 20, a connection setting suitable for those on <56k. This player latency to our UK server from Germany (60) meant that he obviously had a better connection than that and was simply abusing the variable to make himself that little more unhittable. However, on our server we set the servers allowed sv_minupdaterate for clients to 60, ensuring fair playing conditions for both teams as the value cannot be exploited.
Yet on their server for the second map, they insist upon using minrate 0 and fully exploiting this, even when we protested. After all, according to them it is "only a pcw" - since when was this an excuse to allow exploiting? Their Fades (expensive warrior class of the alien team) had previously been easy to take down and below average attackers suddenly became Gods, strolling around the map absorbing bullets like sponges.
This isn't the first time I've seen the Half-Life netcode abused, and I'm sad to predict it won't be the last, but what saddens me is the blatant abuse and bareface cheek of abusing rates to win a map in a game that, according to them, is "only a pcw".
Rate abuse disgusts me as it is more deceitful than out-and-out cheating. Only someone competant with rcon access and who knows what to look for will spot rate abusers, and the main reason I know so much about it is due to years of game adminning. If our game was more popular it would be easy to say "cu@LAN" and observe what they are like with default settings and <5 latency, but due to the nature of the game it's not exactly going to become the next Counter-Strike with frequent LAN events.
These people site behind their computers exploiting their way to victory for what? How can they attain any sense of satisfaction from a dishonest win? We completed the game under stupid conditions out of sportsmanship, and they didn't even afford us the courtesy of playing us on decent terms. What's even worse is I am the ClanBase Mod Supervisor for this game, and this clan will apply for the next OpenCup season. It doesn't give me a favourable opinion of them, and any judgement regarding their clan will now be looked upon as "biased". Oh well, at least minrates are set to decent values under CB rules.
Online gaming is such a great thing, it becomes an artform at competitive level, every game an exhibition of unbelievable skill, every kill a spectacle and every player a warrior in their own right. But then I look at the problems inherant to it, such as the exploiting detailed here, and I am engulfed with disgust and contempt for those happy to ruin everthing the community strives for. It's times like this, at 3:11am on a Monday morning when I dismay at how people like this creep into every corner of life and piss on my parade. Time to finish this cigarette and find some suitable competition.
Until next time, play fair.
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Edited by amarc at 01:02 GMT, 29th Apr 2004 - 5758 Hits
