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[RodeoBob]

We would like to know what you think about PBBans and the many improvements over the last few months. Regardless if you are a normal player or if you were the owner of the largest game server hosting company, your comments will assist us in our efforts to add new features to PBBans.

 

The comments can be about anything that deals with PBBans. All comments are moderated.

[Evil Jinn]

I think the PB team is doing a wonderful job considering that new hacks are coming out everyday that make your job that much harder. I've been working with Glenn sending him as many hacking links for ET that I can find.

 

This is what I truly don't understand though...Why do people have to hack? First and foremost hacking is LAME! Secondly, these are games--have fun. If you have to hack to be the best(in your mind), then you still aren't the best. You are only fooling yourself. There is no honor in cheating. If you really want to be the best...GET SKILLZ! Work on them, build them but don't cheat yourself and all the other honest players who have worked hard and have skillz. AND if you truly must cheat then buy a PS2, Xbox or something that the only person you are cheating is yourself. Don't come to an online multiplayer game and ruin it for the rest of us who like to interact with people and like having fun while just hanging out. PB wouldn't even have to exist if people could handle the fact that you can't always be the best and knew that losing isn't always a bad thing. Losing should only make you want to try harder to be better. ;)

[RSQ_Jester]

...kinda preaching to the choir, no?

 

:huh:

 

I like what you guys do, of course. Just wondering...I've never admin-ed RSS forums. Is it possible to have navigational forum links at the bottom of all the posts as well as the top "a la" phpBB?

[RedKilla]

We would like to know what you think about PBBans and the many improvements over the last few months. Regardless if you are a normal player or if you were the owner of the largest game server hosting company, your comments will assist us in our efforts to add new features to PBBans.

 

The comments can be about anything that deals with PBBans. All comments are moderated.

Well I for one have no complaints. You guys rock. I have met alot of people through pbbans that are always willing to help, even if its not related. I think pbbans is a step above the rest and are always looking for ways to improve.

 

Fozzer, AcE, Maester, RodeoBob, and if I forgot to mention anyone..thankyou..I have directed many of server admins to pbbans to get thier servers streaming..Keep up the good work!

[FlairDevil]

Inc0gnito helped me for nearly an hour sorting out a problem I was having with our clan tag registration. pureDOMINATION appreciates his efforts - there are never enough volunteers like him! =)

[DS-Dennis]

I think that PBBans.com does a wonderful job and I do see the admins/moderators being very helpfull and quick with replies to all.

But I do have an issue with the general website for some time by now.

Lately I can't use any search feature on the main website, it all returns to the same preview of the index that looks like to be missing the right (main) section.

 

I only see the left menu centered on my screen ....

At first I thought it may be due some work in progress or updating the website or eventually my browser/cache. But it's the same on any browser and clearing my coockies/cache does not help.

If I am the only one, I may take a screen shot to show what I mean.

 

Basically, what's going on with your website? :huh:

[kcinc0gnito]

if your running symantec anti-virus or symantec Internet security? (forgot what its called) but ne ways a "symantec" product its generally what causes that issue... other members had the same problem and we tracked it back todo with some Nortons program..

 

So would check that :)

 

(nortons is a virus of its own its one the worst programs i've seen)

[eXaraxe]

You guys are awsome. The site looks good, and it's easy enough to use.

 

I've been playing games for a long long time now... like most of the people here... and I can't say there's any better anti-hacker association out there.

 

So thanks for all your hard work and dedication guys.

[Helmut Honigdachs]

I don't know how we were able to keep our servers running for so long without streaming to pbbans :)

[Relentless]

Well, this is 1 part question and 1 part suggestion. Anyway,

 

I am wondering if you have a clear explanation of what PBBans does/is responsible for as well as what Even Balance does. The reason I'm wondering is because in a recent incident, we first went through PBBans, then mistakenly told it was Even Balance, and now back to PBBans.

 

Just a suggestion, but it would be awesome if a page was put detailing what type of ban PBBans was responsible for, as well as listing what bans Even Balance is responsible for. Just a way to possibly lower any confusion between the two entities.

[fozzer]

Well, this is 1 part question and 1 part suggestion. Anyway,

 

I am wondering if you have a clear explanation of what PBBans does/is responsible for as well as what Even Balance does. The reason I'm wondering is because in a recent incident, we first went through PBBans, then mistakenly told it was Even Balance, and now back to PBBans.

 

Just a suggestion, but it would be awesome if a page was put detailing what type of ban PBBans was responsible for, as well as listing what bans Even Balance is responsible for. Just a way to possibly lower any confusion between the two entities.

The only bans that are directly attributed to EvenBalance are global hardware/guid bans.

PB just kicks for anything that triggers a violation as per this list.

 

Reference guide to PB violations

 

Technical Violations: (Resolution: Reinstall PunkBuster from the latest game update patch)

#101 - Communication Failure

#102 - Communication Failure

#131 - Initialization Failure

#132 - Protocol Error

#141 - Distress (This indicates a problem trying to update to the latest version of PunkBuster - it may indicate a problem reaching one of our Internet-based Master PB Servers which can be caused by firewalls, router problems, etc.)

 

Miscellaneous Violations:

#111 - Bad Name (Resolution: Change player name or play on a different server)

#112 - Too Many Bad Names

#113 - Too Many Name Changes (Designed to eliminate name change spamming)

#114 - Protected Name (Resolution: Change player name or play on a different server)

#121 - Negative Score Too Low (usually from Killing Teammates)

#151 - Extended ASCII Characters in Player Name (Resolution: use regular letters, numbers and symbols in the player name or play on a different server)

#9001 - CVAR value failed range check (see the FAQ for more info)

 

Integrity Violations:

When PunkBuster is unable to verify that a player's gaming environment is functioning properly and/or has not been alterred, an Integrity violation is raised. This also involves the detection of modified game or PunkBuster files. These violation numbers are between 10000 and 29999.

 

Cheat/Hack Violations:

When PunkBuster detects a cheat or hack by repeated positive identification on a player's computer, a violation is raised. These violation numbers are 50000 and higher. Families of cheats are listed below. Resolution: Remove cheats and hacks from the computer.

#50000s - Aimbot

#60000s - Wallhack

#70000s - Multihack

#80000s - Gamehack

#90000s - 'Cheat' Video Drivers

#100000s - Speedhack

#110000s - Autofire

#120000s - Game Hook

#130000s - Attempted PunkBuster Hack

Now to the nitty gritty :)

PB is the best anti cheat software out there, no one else comes close in my opinion, the one thing I find is that it can be slow to update the detection software.

This could be deliberate on their part because they are running "silent detections" and will issue a mass global ban to all those detected, as recently demonstrated in BF2.

As usual EvenBalance play their cards close to their chest and who can blame them.

The PBBans stance is to remove any cheater from its streaming servers asap.

With this in mind we collect/receive cheats, both public and private, for every PB supported game genre and dissect the cheat and any files it may contain.

We then update the Master Config Index (MCI) with the relevant cvars and md5 scans gleaned from the dissection.

Even if the cheat produces something that may look innocuous at first glance i.e. a wav/ini/cfg/log etc the one thing to remember is that if its on the MCI it means it is uniquely generated by a cheat.

With the latest cheats being injected / run outside of the game directory / the gathering of the innocuous info becomes more important than ever in our efforts to keep servers clean and cheat free, as does cvar scanning.

I could go on for hours detailing the in's and out's of what we do here to protect the honest gamers :)

Shortened version

All the above will kick you from a server and are directly attributed to PB software.

All bans except for global ones are issued by PBBans and are either triggered directly by PB software or PBBans cvar/md5 checks.

Bans triggered by PB software will only be removed if EvenBalance confirm that a "false positive" was made via a trouble ticket

[=US= Fates Warning]

I think you guys do a great job, which results in my job as "Security Officer" being much easier.

 

One feature I do use to head off future problems is that anyone applying for membership in our clan is pre-screened via the Master Player Index to be sure we're not taking someone on that has a problematic past. There is nothing worse for a clan than having someone get busted wearing our tags. Thanks to the Master Player Index (MPI), we can often stop that before it becomes an issue.

 

It also alerts us to less severe problems (not cheaters, but possibly more annoying) before they become a headache for us. For example, someone seeking membership that has used 35 aliases and has belonged to six other clans over the course of a year would be questioned must more about their motives than someone with a squeaky clean history.

 

I love the tools you have available and the changes you've been making that keep the gaming enviromnent healthy and cheater free.

 

Keep up the good work!

[{BH}MisterGiter]

I'll keep this short, gotta give props to the hub saves us admins a ton of grief. Some people here can be a bit crabby due to the lack of knowledge of hacks such as myself. Most of you guys/gals are very supportive and friendly. Keep doing what you do! Thanks.

[Rotten]

When I first came to pbbans.com, (think it was late in -05) this site looked for me very childish, but now it look much much more professional then that time. And I have seen pbbans.com have grown to be in my eyes the superior anti-cheat site there is.

 

When I get my servers up and running again I will get my server streaming to pbbans.com asap!