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OBSERVERS can and will warn of oncoming moves in multi-player games

Posted: 25 Jul 2018, 18:38
by Coo1
In my games I almost never allow observers. Recent mods to the game allow observers to secretly chat to anyone. One of my last games against "lukwert" there two observers "fercho101023" and "Elijah." I was right in my gut-paranoid-bipolar decision. When I reviewed the recorded game, indeed I noticed, that someone (I don't care who) started to warn "lukwert" of my moves. This information immediately triggered defensive response form "lukwert." Anyway, I won a tough game, but the age of "OBSERVERS?" in my games are over.
(2018_07_24)_(13_05)Coo1_lukwert.e2s
It is true when opportunity exists, it will be used... I posted some screen captures from that game.
EE2_ScreenShot2.jpg
EE2_ScreenShot5.jpg

Re: OBSERVERS can and will warn of oncoming moves in multi-player games

Posted: 25 Jul 2018, 19:16
by Dr.MonaLisa
Good afternoon.

Thank you for your report.

As I wrote in: viewtopic.php?p=23911#p23911
Leader wrote: 01 Jun 2018, 23:53 Why I think this is a "safe" feature:
Those changes use the UP1.5 Launcher "Keep Alive" feature to control game behavior. This means that features like this can be added/enabled/disabled at any time, without any updates and even without game restart.
The Launcher KeepAlive function connects to the EE2.eu KeepAlive scripts every X seconds. It sends information about the current game status, etc.
After that the KeepAlive script at EE2.eu uses a lot of algorithms to determine which players are currently in game, and which are observers.
...
At any time, when we detect irregularities, abuse of this function (aka. cheating) - we can disable it for specified players. Thanks to this, other players would still be able to use this feature, while those who abused would be "banned" from using it.
That's why, if any case of cheating is detected, please simply create a report at the forum, attach the playback file and the player who abused it will be temporary or permanently banned from using this function.
If we detect a lot of abuses in a short period of time - this feature will be simply disabled for everyone.
The Department of Control of the Ministry of Game Affairs has verified that it was player "Elijah" who was illegally helping in game (player "fercho101023" communicates with player "lukwert" using a different language). Therefore from now on (25.07.2018 19:10 CET) Observers-To-Players Messages and Flares feature has been disabled for all of existing and future accounts of player "Elijah".

I believe it solves the case.

If the player detection was wrong - "Elijah" can make an appeal in this topic, then I can start an advanced (but more time consuming) verification of this report. All posts under "Empire Earth 2 Government" subforum are written under oath. If the appeal contains information which the Ministry of Game Affairs verifies as false, we may punish the player who provides misleading information with the other methods.

Re: OBSERVERS can and will warn of oncoming moves in multi-player games

Posted: 24 Aug 2018, 03:58
by Dr.MonaLisa
I'd like to apologize. There was a mistake in the configuration of the KeepAlive script. Seems like I banned myself from sending messages/flares instead of player "Elijah". It's probably because I wanted to make sure that this function works, and at the end I forgot to update the list with correct IDs.
So basically the Observers-To-Players Messages and Flares feature has been disabled for all of existing and future accounts of player "Elijah" since 24.08.2018, 03:50 CET.

Re: OBSERVERS can and will warn of oncoming moves in multi-player games

Posted: 31 Oct 2018, 19:14
by Elijah
DEAR coo 1
IM REALLY SORRY for that action

Re: OBSERVERS can and will warn of oncoming moves in multi-player games

Posted: 31 Oct 2018, 19:20
by Dr.MonaLisa
It's been 3 months, so I guess we can give another chance.

Since 31.10.2018 Observers-To-Players Messages and Flares feature has been re-enabled for player "Elijah".

Re: OBSERVERS can and will warn of oncoming moves in multi-player games

Posted: 04 Jan 2019, 05:30
by Dr.MonaLisa
Hi.
I informed on Twitter, but forgot here:
26 December 2018:
The function from Minor Update 156020 (allows observers to send messages and flares to players in game) has been updated to disable this feature for rated (skirmish, tournament) games.
It means Observers can not longer send messages and flares in rated games.
Unrated stays unchanged, and of course all reports about abusers are welcome.