Some thoughts about cheating on P1999

[stormlord]

Originally Posted by Vohl [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Eh. It's simple curiosity. I'm a computer scientist.

While I did get a 2 year degree in microcomputer programming and networking and have programmed quite a bit off and on in different languages, I have not actually held a job in the computer science field. But I, similarly, understand your impulses. But all of these questions can be answered by going to the eqemulator site and downloading the code and database to run locally. There's no need to hack p1999 to do this.

[Mbaulmer]

Originally Posted by Vohl [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Very nice rebuttal. Care to go into detail about how the cheaters have affected your fun?

Its not the fact that those who cheated directly affected what I do in game.
How do I know one of the random people in the PUG I join isn't in some way using 3rd party software and we as a group benefit from it. Or if I am in a zone looking for a PH spawn that roams and some person beats me to it. Were they more observant on the PH's path or were they using something to lead them directly to the mob. (just as a couple of examples)

The fact that cheaters were found active on the server makes scenarios like this plausible. And thats how it affects the general population.

[Vohl]

Regarding the TMO question, it may well be a "Have you stopped beating your wife?" argument. I think Rogean posted something about a powerful guild not having action taken against it during the suspension announcement. I'm inclined to take him at his word if this applies to TMO.

[abedog]

Originally Posted by Vohl [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

As the saying goes, we hate in others what we see in ourselves.

Amen.

[vageta31]

Originally Posted by Mbaulmer [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Its not the fact that those who cheated directly affected what I do in game.
How do I know one of the random people in the PUG I join isn't in some way using 3rd party software and we as a group benefit from it. Or if I am in a zone looking for a PH spawn that roams and some person beats me to it. Were they more observant on the PH's path or were they using something to lead them directly to the mob. (just as a couple of examples)

The fact that cheaters were found active on the server makes scenarios like this plausible. And thats how it affects the general population.

Guarantee both scenarios have happened, especially scenario number 1. Perhaps that awesome puller in the OT was using tracking to get the best mobs and your exp was better that night than usual. Or the guy in the dungeon who joined the group and wanted to camp a specific camp, and oh surprise the mob is up?!

I wouldn't worry about it, if you legitimately didn't know what does it matter? I'm sure even in RL we all benefit from ill gotten things without realizing it. If you bought an LCD tv off of craigslist for a really good price and later found out it was looted off of a Best Buy truck, would you turn it into the cops if you knew no one else would know?

[Striiker]

I've never looked but aren't there other EMU servers on the server list which aren't hung up on people using hacks to play around? I think there's one with all or most of the GM commands available to players. Why not hop onto one of those servers to play with the tools? I'd advise going out of your way to make sure that you do not impact your P1999 play time by either using separate computer to play with these tools from or at least use some sandbox software to isolate the tools etc. on your normal play computer. This way, there will not be any chance of leaving the tools on by accident or something.

[mala]

Very nice rebuttal. Care to go into detail about how the cheaters have affected your fun?

Its not like these hacking players sat and corpse camped anyone, but ive sat and seen the effects of these hacks first hand. While lvling up in SK i sat and watched a TR cleric camp a lev cloak with startling accuracy, while this doesnt effect me first hand, its still bullshit watching someone bend the rules in their favor. Which brings the notion to the table, "if he did it why cant I?", which is just not the kind of atmosphere p99 needs.
As far as using these tools to pick apart the server code or dig deeper into things, i don't think this should be tolerated either. Most (if not all) of this information can be found just by digging around alla or simply asking other players, there should be no need to pick away at the code just because you feel the need to know. You think movie directors let people stand on set just to gain insight on how movies are made? or musicians let people stand in the studio to watch them compose/play music?
If you have inquires beyond what is presented in front of you than find a way to answer your questions that doesn't infringe on what the dev's here are trying to do, which is create a level playing field for us to all enjoy what we remember as EQ in 1999.

[Herky]

This forum community sure seems full of know-it-all jerks.

[Vohl]

Reading up on EQEmu and playing on a cheats-allowed server are some nice ideas - I'm sure I'll be putting them into play. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Mullling over the whole morality thing, some jerk ran a stop sign in front of me this morning. I had two choices - to brake and let them pass, or to pull in front of them and get hit. I had a few choice things to say as well.

Why would someone who broke the rules and got away with it in the big blue zone bug me? I suppose the consequences for his actions are quite a bit more concrete. Had I been less alert and proceeded when my turn at the 4-way came around, my care would be damaged and I might be hurt. This person also poses a genuine threat to others in the area. Children often ride bikes across this intersection.

Maybe some of us think differently, though, lumping anyone they see doing this sort of thing as a shitbag, then saving up their displeasure for when someone gets caught doing this sort of thing. I know I've cracked a smile when I've seen someone pulled over in the carpool lane with nobody else riding. I'm guessing this reaction could be far more intense with others in the p1999 community.

[Extunarian]

Originally Posted by abedog [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Amen.

Don't amen this. It was a total strawman argument to try to make cheating seem 'not as bad as we think it is.'