RoadWarrior

PB has always caused some issues with fps/lag since it's inception, especially since the last two or three updates that relate to Vista and the way it handles the files. That's the price we pay, though, to help keep our servers clean and clear from hackers. One thing I've noticed, since the latest PB update.... I'm not seeing a lot of busts on my servers via the pbbans.cfg, anyone else noticing this too? My game is ET, btw, but I'm curious if this is similar accross the board or not?

First off, log into Vista as the Main Administrator, then make sure you've downloaded and run pbsetup.exe from the evenbalance website. There's been a recent update/change in the way pb works on your system. Secondly, make sure that you right click on your ET.exe icon on your desktop, and select run as administrator, or the game won't function for you. PnkBstrA and B now also reside in your System32 folder inside Windows, and you may need to change the permissions of those files as well as the ones inside of your PB folder to run as admin as well. That's worked for some of my clan-members. Hope this is helpful to you, keep us posted.

I know that for one player, it turns out he had to change file permissions to allow the new pb files to run as a service. I know for myself, no issues updating, and no issues connecting. Guess it'll just be one of those updates everyone's going to have to find a way through, if they've got problems.

Running into this one, mostly for service not running, which relates to pnkbstrb not being able to connect. I've been walking some of my regs through how to update, etc, all night. Some of them successfully can update with pbupdate.exe, some can't. :( I've also told them to put a ticket in at evenbalance.com, but this seems a bit of an issue, since it seems about half of the players can't connect to a server without getting kicked. Servers are updated on my end, I connect fine, no errors. I've even tried sending one of my players my pb folder zipped, and no success.

I run all the checks. Some of them are redundant, to a point. Less is more, some say, but yet, I see my noquarter server ban ppl for running a hack that is only detected under one of the other mods, much the same as I see someone banned for the same on my etpro servers. Reduntant, for some, but if the checks scan one folder first, and catch it, they get banned for it, even if it does not apply to the mod you're running. I'll concur with the above post, that I keep all scans running. The only down-side of this is that it may take a bit longer for a scan to run, particular to your mod/version of ET. Perhaps one more reason why all ET admin need to switch to 2.60b and latest versions of the game? You'd not only reduce the number of hacks needing to be checked for, as there's less hacking in 2.60b, but you'd allow PB and PBBANS and other anti-cheat sites to search more specifically for cheats, based on one version of the game. Old arguement, I know, but I stick to it, as well. 2.60b offers a lot of security compared to older versions of the game, and there's a benefit both client and server side of that issue that would only help the game and those that love to play it, in general. FYI, I sell this here, as well as on my gameserver's host site, and other et-sites that I visit. 2.60b all the way, and if everyone were to update, the complaints of dead servers would not be an issue, so don't tell me how 2.60b servers are dead. Mine are not, and I know others here and elsewhere that have successful 2.60b servers as well. You'll bust more hacks in 2.60a or 2.55 than I will in 2.60b, but I don't feel bad about that, somehow. ;)

Met the mile-marker 100 bans on WT servers tonight, thanks to pbbans. Keep up the good work guys!

Game integrity kicks usually come after attemtping to rejoin a server you've been kicked from without rebooting your game completely. As for the pb init failure, have you gone through the above mentioned router issues? Tried the /cl_maxpackets 100 or 125 settings on console?

There are several things that can cause pb init failures. As suggested above, most are related to router issues. Could you post the complete pb init error that comes up on your screen? The error will lend a little more light on your problem than a general pb init failure will. Most of the players I see with this issue on my servers are kicked for packetloss or timing out, and it usually ends up being a wireless router issue, or that their router needs to be rebooted. For some, simply not having the right in-game settings becomes the issue. Load the game and the mod, but don't enter a server. Open your console, and enter a few commands and see if this will help you. /rate 25000 /cl_maxpackets 100 /com_zonemegs 64 Then try logging into a server, and see what happens. Those may not cure anything, or they may help the situation. If you're on a wireless router, you'll end up with packetloss if the wireless card inside your PC over-heats. This is one of the many reasons why wireless is not considered good for gaming. I don't know if you are on wireless, but it's worth mentioning. Try plugging straight into your router or even by-passing it altogether.

a bad storm....yes. Thunder and lightning, along with heavy rains. That would have impeded any search and rescue, along with making it more dangerous than it already was. Given the situation, I think they made the right call. There's no point in putting more ppl at risk. It's sad to say/do, but sometimes there's logic in cutting your losses, and saving those that can be saved. I do feel sorrow for those affected directly, and my prayers are with them all, but I do agree in minimizing loss, as well. There's no point in pushing forth if rescue efforts would only cause more loss of life. Better to start with a new day, and the ability to deal with the situation properly, rather than risk more lives in efforts to maybe save none or one. I know that sounds cruel, but it's also logical.

Yes, very nice work, and thanks for the Windows link! :)

It's the Mississippi river....a dangerous river at the best of times, let alone at night. Better to keep those who are already safe in the safe-zone than risk more lives. They've also got to consider the risks of further collapse, and being able to inspect more during daylight hours will provide a greater degree of safety. I know that sounds pretty selfish/horrible, but at this time it's also logical. Why risk more lives?

I've been watching this for about 3-4 hrs now, on the news....MN is close to me, and I've been on that bridge with a fully loaded tractor/trailor combination....bit freaky to think of how that could have been for myself..... Prayers go out to those involved, and the families looking for those that have not returned home. God bless and GodSpeed!

evenbalance.com provides the pbupdate.exe for you to run on your existing pb-installed games, and it works. I see similar kicks on my servers, but those players obviously need to do the same update, and I tell them so. The kick is temp, for this particular issue, and the obvious option of updating is up to you, both for server and client, and up to you to encourage your regs to do the same. Definitely not a pbbans issue, but they will direct you the same way I have, more likely with links to threads here that are easily search-able.... My own feeling, as a server admin, check evenbalance.com first, ask for help here second, if you can't figure out basic pb kicks. There's a difference between what pb kicks for, and what pbbans kicks for.

pbbans is still the better place to stream too. I streamed to PsB for a while, no hackers caught(by configs anyways) and had to suffer a ton of lag with their set-up, despite their claims it causes none. No lag via pbbans.cfg's, and it's catching hackers left, right and center.... enough proof for me.

Nice little app for *nix users. I'll unfortunately suffer along with the color codes because I run windows. I need it for to many other things to make *nix a viable solution for me. Still, nice work!

Sounds to me like some ppl need to update their PB, client side. Punkbuster B only starts when you join a server, it's turned on on an as-need basis only. You can search it out in your running services via your control panel and turn it on to auto-start, and you'll likely see less players being kicked for the issue if they do the same. At the same time, perhaps update your server? You can also slow the check-time down in the server.cfg, which may give more players more time to connect/run through the checks/be validated. Not everyone's connection is equal. Refusing to run pb will also likely grant you non-streaming status here. And fyi, since pbbans and pb are two seperate entities....you're a dog barking up the wrong tree...the cat already jumped to the next one and is on his way down and out of your grasp.....

Lots of times a black screen-shot can happen due to the video card drivers being used. Black screens are not indicative of a cheat, as they niether prove or dis-prove the player is hacking. You'll just have to live with the fact that there is no evidence against the player, and when in doubt, the player remains known as innocent.

Incidently, some players with higher-end machines can hold 333fps stable, and fps should not be a punishable cvar, imo.

pb_sv_cvar must be in 44? 43 is a know and working fps that works well with ET, and many players use it because it holds stable.....can't accept that. fix that in your latest MCI updates please. I use it myself, as the NQ mod is laggy compared to etpro where I can run as table 76 fps or higher.

Oddly enough, someone with this particular type of "hack" has been coming around WT servers as of late, too. Thus far, subnet banning is not working. He just goes ahead and grabs a new IP and GUID and comes back and all literally in a less time than it takes to ban him. The hack is advanced, as far as being able to get past any known detections, yet it's easy enough to spot. I'm working on gathering more information on the individual. Getting a decent demo is tough because he/she seems to know when someone is spectating directly or not. Free-look works, but it's more difficult to maintain a good view of the player. Thus far, all I've been able to do successfully is temporarily ban him.

None of us can be around all of the time, and we run two very busy servers. I figure having them active, so that I don't have to explain how everything works would be better.

Yup, I'm seeing ya! I thought we had all the main admin in already, but that should be the last of them.

PM sent.

Granted. Private section rocks, though. ;)

pb can also kick you for previous bans/kicks from admin, a glitch that some players get past briefly, but can't maintain. See our own forums GW, we have a ban-thread on him too, in the private section. ;) Just for his actions, though. Would not at all doubt that someone else's clan has had the same run-in, and have done kick/ban on him as well.