Glitch being abused

[Topid]

Personally, I was shocked to find out that defenders using this tactic would bring an end to all raiding as we know it. I had no idea raids stopped happening in 2004! I must have been really confused all those times I thought I was liberating regions from invaders.

Or maybe the effects of this tool are being exaggerated.

[Glen-Rhodes]

We argue the legality of it, since there is a pretty blunt rule saying we can only endorse nations in the same region;

FAQ =/= rule. There is no rule against using the endorsement exploit. Max himself said it was fine to use as long as it existed.

We are not wanting to remove the pre-endorsement feature of the game, obviously; we want the rule that only allows pre-endorsement in the same region enforced.

Then ask for this thread to be moved to Moderation. The Technical forum isn't for requesting rules changes.

We've already explained why, though we certainly don't have to explain ourselves to you, since you're not the one we're directing our request to.

Sedgistan is still a moderator who has a larger voice than you in the matter. I don't think blatant disrespect is exactly the route you want to take, here.

[Kshrlmnt]

If it can be done it's legal. Got it.

[Milograd]

Would someone be able to hack ( or take over my account ) using this "chk" code?

[Mahaj]

Would someone be able to hack ( or take over my account ) using this "chk" code?

only if you shared it. There's no way for us to find your code.

[Kshrlmnt]

Well, a little fiddling shows something unexpected in the page code:

<abbr title="Bold text: e.g. I love your nation!">[b]</abbr>
<abbr title="Underline text: e.g. I really love your nation!">[u]</abbr>
<abbr title="Italicize text: e.g. I cannot express how much I love your nation!">[i]</abbr>

<abbr title="Make nation link: e.g. We must form an alliance against Testlandia!">[nation]</abbr>
<abbr title="Make region link: e.g. The infiltrators appear to be coming from Lazarus.">[region]</abbr>

*bows to the code* Tell me, oh all-powerful code, now that I have made an alliance against Testlandia and rooted out the infiltrators from Lazarus, where can I find [violet]?

[-The West Coast-]

Would someone be able to hack ( or take over my account ) using this "chk" code?

If you're stupid enough to show us your 'chk code' then we'd be able to hack your account.

[Mallorea and Riva]

On a side note, I was involved in the liberation of Stargate, and I did NOT use the magic endorsement. (I hopped on my computer literally one minute before the liberation took place). I was not kicked, and I jumped in at the same time as everyone else, and my endorsement was counted. This is not some new superweapon capable of destroying raider power, it is merely another tool that can be used, and has potential to be used in interesting ways.

As to the argument that the rules state that you can only endorse someone in your region, please note that this "magic" endorsement will only endorse the target once the endorser jumps into the same region as the target, meaning the rules are not violated. It is a pre-endorsement, not an endorsement itself.

[Commander Halcones]

I personally think this is a glitch/bug in the game that should be fixed by the admins. Players should not be allowed to find loopholes in the game mechanics and abuse them in such ways. This is stepping into manipulating the code and even hacking, which I believed to be against game rules. This should apply to both raiders and defenders, and I'd hope that either the admins fix the bug, or the mods punish those who abuse it. It is not fair for certain players to know how to manipulate the game code and others not - this is causing a clear INjustice in the game, contrary to UDL's motto "Justice shall not be abandoned".

[Mallorea and Riva]

I personally think this is a glitch/bug in the game that should be fixed by the admins. Players should not be allowed to find loopholes in the game mechanics and abuse them in such ways. This is stepping into manipulating the code and even hacking, which I believed to be against game rules. This should apply to be raiders and defenders, and I'd hope that either the admins fix the bug, or the mods punish those who abuse it. It is not fair for certain players to know how to manipulate the game code and others not - this is causing a clear INjustice in the game, contrary to UDL's motto "Justice shall not be abandoned".

If you want to know how to do it just read the thread Halc. It's in the first post. Also if you had read the thread you would also have seen this. Since your only argument against removing the feature is that some players don't know how to do it (which is simply ridiculous in its own right), and the VERY FIRST POST gives you instructions on how to do it, your argument is moot.

[Commander Halcones]

I already knew how to do it actually, though held back from using it myself since I find it to be manipulating the game code. This could go further you know, and could become catastrophic. Best stopped now before it escalates and more loopholes are found.

[Biyah]

This process has been in existance since the start, it has not been argued about until now. I find it amusing that you only complain after you get your rears tickled a few times.

Let it stay, it's as much a historical legacy as it is a legitimate tactic of war.

~B

[Mahaj]

I already knew how to do it actually, though held back from using it myself since I find it to be manipulating the game code. This could go further you know, and could become catastrophic. Best stopped now before it escalates and more loopholes are found.

Thats fearmongering, and you know it. Remember that this was first used in 2004.

[Mallorea and Riva]

I already knew how to do it actually, though held back from using it myself since I find it to be manipulating the game code. This could go further you know, and could become catastrophic. Best stopped now before it escalates and more loopholes are found.

Seven years later, still no catastrophic effects. Besides, if new methods are used that are determined to be malicious or catastrophic, then the Admins can simply forbid the action, and the moderators can enforce it. You're utilizing a slippery slope fallacy, when there are in fact safeguards in place to prevent such an event.

[Mahaj]

I already knew how to do it actually, though held back from using it myself since I find it to be manipulating the game code. This could go further you know, and could become catastrophic. Best stopped now before it escalates and more loopholes are found.

Oh, and I just did some tests. While on the surface it looks like there are massive exploitations, when you attempt to do the code it doesn't work. There are no massive exploits here.

[Kshrlmnt]

On the plus side, it makes y'all nice and easy to spot.

[Mahaj]

On the plus side, it makes y'all nice and easy to spot.

Well, okay then.

[Imperium Nova Roma]

Eh, should be fixed so both sides can't use it.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

While we're at we could get rid of WA Delegates, then both sides couldn't use that either! Hardly good logic on this, the whole Military Gameplay world is based on an exploitation of the game system and nothing grossly malicious is achieved with magic endorsements contrary to Tikal's fearmongering.

You sure love to toss that word around. "Fearmongering", I see none of that, I see The Khan simply trying to cease this pathetic glitch from being used, by both sides.

There's a difference between Delegates and loopholes in the game code.

[The Republic of Lanos]

It's ironic that you're trying to kill off an unfair/legal glitch while blaring it out to all prospective raiders. I imagine usage of this glitch may skyrocket among either side.

If this glitch is absolutely needed to maintain WA delegates (as many of you claim), why not remove it and keep delegates? Come on, you can raid the old fashioned way without having devious cheating and/or backhanded tactics being used. I could be wrong though. I think raiding is a bullying game that can take out entire well-founded regions that have no founders and hijack places and screw with people. Why have the glitch if it makes raiding easier? Doesn't that take the fairness out of the game? There's no point of having this glitch if it makes the raiders have an unfair advantage against defenders. Same on the other end. If it makes both sides just dangerously devoted to each other's targets and gets nasty, then the raiding mission will have destroyed not just a region but players too. The mods don't want to get involved in such games unless someone starts firing bombs at the other side. When the mods get involved, the whole thing shuts down. Who wants that?

I'm not a raider/defender. I'm against raiding. But quite frankly, if this gets used more frequently, there will be more accusations of using unfair tactics (however legal they may be) and the possibility of personal attacks may go up too. Who wants that?

P.S. If this code were to die and WA delegates went too, can we remove Liberate proposals too?

[The Republic of Lanos]

The thing is, the admins (the ones that write the game code and get all the attention for it) let this slide for so long much less fixing it. We could see an uptick in modbombings if both sides take each other out on (un)called for accusations of using this glitch. Regardless of who's side you're on, such mod action will likely result in rethinking of the legality of the code/getting rid of it. Or not, they run this place. If they wanted us to adopt pro-Australian mottos and hug koalas, we'd have no other choice but to do it or face being DoSed. That takes the fun out of the game. I guess the admin's reasoning behind this glitch being there is: "Let them have fun as long as they don't kill each other."

[Mahaj]

It's ironic that you're trying to kill off an unfair/legal glitch while blaring it out to all prospective raiders. I imagine usage of this glitch may skyrocket among either side.

If this glitch is absolutely needed to maintain WA delegates (as many of you claim), why not remove it and keep delegates? Come on, you can raid the old fashioned way without having devious cheating and/or backhanded tactics being used. I could be wrong though. I think raiding is a bullying game that can take out entire well-founded regions that have no founders and hijack places and screw with people. Why have the glitch if it makes raiding easier? Doesn't that take the fairness out of the game? There's no point of having this glitch if it makes the raiders have an unfair advantage against defenders. Same on the other end. If it makes both sides just dangerously devoted to each other's targets and gets nasty, then the raiding mission will have destroyed not just a region but players too. The mods don't want to get involved in such games unless someone starts firing bombs at the other side. When the mods get involved, the whole thing shuts down. Who wants that?

I'm not a raider/defender. I'm against raiding. But quite frankly, if this gets used more frequently, there will be more accusations of using unfair tactics (however legal they may be) and the possibility of personal attacks may go up too. Who wants that?

P.S. If this code were to die and WA delegates went too, can we remove Liberate proposals too?

This is mostly used by defenders.

[Augustus Este]

I don't see why Invaders can't use this too, I'm pretty sure that sending someone in ahead of time(sometimes even by months) is nothing new in the gameplay world.


It is worrying though that the ability to use technical code stuff is almost required to compete in the gameplay world, with recruitment scripts/tools, the data dump, and now this.

[Mallorea and Riva]

I don't see why Invaders can't use this too, I'm pretty sure that sending someone in ahead of time(sometimes even by months) is nothing new in the gameplay world.


It is worrying though that the ability to use technical code stuff is almost required to compete in the gameplay world, with recruitment scripts/tools, the data dump, and now this.

Both sides have access to the same tools, besides I have defended successfully without the tools you mentioned without any difficulty. Newer players are just as capable of playing as older ones, especially since the information is not horribly secretive.

[Evil Wolf]

Right, so here is my question to defenders.

When we raiders find the code that allows us to pre-ban you guys, are ya'll going to have a small conniption fit? When does the code abuse go too far? Will it ultimately be that defenders will be endorsing pointmen and raider leads banning them before they even set foot in the region?

Where does the line get draw if not at this "pre-endorsing" tactic?

[Mallorea and Riva]

Right, so here is my question to defenders.

When we raiders find the code that allows us to pre-ban you guys, are ya'll going to have a small conniption fit? When does the code abuse go too far? Will it ultimately be that defenders will be endorsing pointmen and raider leads banning them before they even set foot in the region?

Where does the line get draw if not at this "pre-endorsing" tactic?

Read. The. Thread. People have been searching for these types of loopholes since 2004 at least. The pre-ban cannot be done. The coding is there, but I have been informed by others that it is blocked since it would violate game rules (or something to that effect). A pre-endorsement does not violate the rules of the game.
Edit: Besides, if you did that (which you can't) then we would use switchers. Or simply preban you from regions you wish to raid. It works both ways, which is the beauty of it.