Also Known As: banshee_revora (Steam) Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Location: Brazil
Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:47 pm Post subject:
Serial number validation on XWIS.
Subject description: Cheaters will be banned, we know! But don't ban legitimate users who downloaded the game!
Hey everyone! I know I've been slow in reporting community news recently, due to real life issues and I'm also being slow regarding XWIS latest policy on verifying serial numbers and I wouldn't know about it, if it wasn't for Chronojam.
Anyway, according to this topic on Strike Team forums, XWIS will require valid serial keys for Tiberian Sun/Firestorm users again. I couldn't check if it is already requesting valid serial keys, since I haven't installed the EA freeware version of Tiberian Sun. But this subject is quite polemic.
As some of you know, XCC WOL IRC SERVER (also known as XWIS) started as a dedicated fan online server for old C&C games that had strong policies and actions against cheaters. Eventually, they've became the official server when EA shut down Westwood Online. Almost two years ago, EA released Tiberian Sun as freeware, without serial numbers, and the serial number validation was turned off on XWIS.
By re-enabling password validation, Strike Team is trying to use the serial number to cut cheaters from the official ladder, which they can't do just by banning the IP of the cheater. However, they'll force all those who downloaded the game from EA to use an alternative service to play online. All that because of a ladder that is taken serious by a number of people that we can count with our fingers. Strike Team has the tradition of sending prizes for the winners of YR, RA2 and TS ladders, but I couldn't find out if they still send these prizes, specially for Tiberian Sun players. If they do, serial check in a ladder would make sense.
But that would still be exagerated. If the objective is to keep the ladder without cheaters, why don't they simply don't let games with players that have invalid serials count in the ladder? That would require changes only in the backend, while it would still allow EA downloaders to enjoy the game online. QUICK_EDIT
Well, my question would be - which group of players is the bigger one - those who participate in the ladder games or casual players?
EA made Tiberian Sun abandonware - a free RTS with multiplayer. I know that Strike-Team provides the server, but the idea of limitation doesn't sound right to me. Even though I'm also using other services like Tunngle, I don't think that those should become the only way for players who downloaded the game, to play online.
In any case - I think that Strike-Team should get more opinions on this issue in the whole community, not only by a poll and one thread on Strike-Team boards. _________________ mentalomega.com Last edited by Speeder on Tue Feb 22, 2011 2:15 pm; edited 1 time in total QUICK_EDIT
I didn't expect this, limiting peoples access to online multiplayer to only people who bought the game is kind of stupid, the game is freeware and online play should also be free.
That being said CnCNet is open for everyone and will continue to provide a easy way to play the C&C classics online. (C&C1, RA1, TS and RA2) it's not a WOL server like XWIS but it's made for simplicity. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Unfortunately CnCNet doesn't work as well for everyone (some people just can't connect to one another properly through it for some reason), while connecting to XWIS usually goes flawlessly (provided the shared internet library is installed properly of course, which indeed is sometimes problematic as well).
Making XWIS require valid serial numbers just for the sake of keeping off of a ladder the vast majority long stopped caring about is indeed rather stupid. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Eh... XWIS is far from flawless (on YR especially). It's fairly poor service IMO, so I'd certainly give CNCNet a go... didn't know it was for TS and RA2 as well. QUICK_EDIT
For me the whole XWIS topic seems to be silly, as the only ones contributing are the 4 "Hansels" that play TS online claiming to be pro-players and desperately want their ladder back, so they can give each other presents for being the best. (sounds like the Oscar awards: an elite club praising its own members and give a ztype about other people)
Every other person talking about how
-TS mods are sabotaged,
-freeware TS players and the majority of occasional online player are discouraged
is simply ignored with the words of the same 4 Hansels that don't see their efforts being completely useless.
Since i never played TS online, i don't care that much and only worry a bit about the future of TI, DTA and TO online play. _________________ SHP Artist of Twisted Insurrection: Nod buildings
Unfortunately CnCNet doesn't work as well for everyone
Well, it's got compatibility settings (cncnet.ini) which can fix peoples problems. Usually forwarding port 8054 (UDP) solves issues as well. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
except that 2 player with port forwarding see each player twice. (like Aro after a long weekend ) _________________ SHP Artist of Twisted Insurrection: Nod buildings
XWIS is a piece of shit with a terrible community and terrible support. If it didn't keep C&C MP alive and dominate that market, I'd pray nightly for it to finally die. It isn't conected to any aspect of the C&C Fanbase save for tournament players, and even then it shows little to no support. _________________ Victory! QUICK_EDIT
None of you know nohting. XWIS is above all other things that are out there in terms of quality. If you can't handle their decisions on matters while you don't participate in the community then you have no right to complain. The few decent players and the trolls that are left are the ones directing the staff with their BS needs for TS. If you truly want something better, take part and contribute instead of coughing quietly in this far corner of the net. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Oh well, haven't used it at all since CnCNet was put online. And with this serial validation I'll be using it even less, since my copy of TFD came with two RA2 serials and no TS serial (printing error), and EA support couldn't care less. _________________ CnCNet Client | CnCNet TS patches | Vinifera | World-Altering Editor (WAE)
I knew XWIS was a pile of shit. It needs to rot and die already. I'll use Tunngle and CNCNet, thanks.
At least this way, I can play more than one game before XWIS decides to drop my network card, rendering my connection fucking useless. Thanks XWIS, you've done me a great service by forcing an unneeded reboot.
Anyone who supports XWIS can take it and shove it. _________________ Discord: princess_marisa
Steam QUICK_EDIT
None of you know nohting. XWIS is above all other things that are out there in terms of quality. If you can't handle their decisions on matters while you don't participate in the community then you have no right to complain. The few decent players and the trolls that are left are the ones directing the staff with their BS needs for TS. If you truly want something better, take part and contribute instead of coughing quietly in this far corner of the net.
And this is why nobody likes XWIS.
1: Self-centered people who want focus soley on THEIR forum, not interacting with other forums or boards unless they want approval for maps or skins or help with derp questions.
2: Pegging most players as bad save for the 'decent players'.
3: Describing the rest of the C&C Community as a 'far corner of the internet'.
Go ride your high horse into the sunset and take anther dick in your ass. The alternatives for XWIS are better than putting up with a forum full of stuck ups like you. _________________ Victory! QUICK_EDIT
None of you know nohting. XWIS is above all other things that are out there in terms of quality. If you can't handle their decisions on matters while you don't participate in the community then you have no right to complain. The few decent players and the trolls that are left are the ones directing the staff with their BS needs for TS. If you truly want something better, take part and contribute instead of coughing quietly in this far corner of the net.
Just because we don't actively participate doesn't mean we don't notice the injustice of a situation. That is like saying people shouldn't condemn Libyan security forces for their brutal handling of the protests because we don't actively participate in Libyan society. Besides there were people on the xwis boards saying the same thing and apparently the poll was about 50:50, hardly a ringing endorsement of the measure. While we are at it, lets stop women voting, I'm sure only half the population will oppose that too... QUICK_EDIT
Martin, you and I get on well, so don't let what I'm about to say ruin that.
iNs0MNiaC wrote:
None of you know nohting.
Nothing* and I think what you mean is 'anything'.
iNs0MNiaC wrote:
If you can't handle their decisions on matters while you don't participate in the community then you have no right to complain.
I may have stopped playing RA2 and TS online a while ago, but that didn't mean that I didn't enjoy playing them and still want to play once in a while. I normally don't mind what decisions Olaf and the majority of the Strike-Team community do to change the way things work, in-fact, I was in favor of a lot of the ideas going around, but this Serial Number Validation for Tiberian Sun is fucking stupid, to put it mildly. Please explain to me what the sense is in having the ladder open for about 3 people that still play Tiberian Sun and actually give a shit about who's going to be number one at the end of a month rather than allowing the rest of the world to enjoy a game that has been released as freeware? Who in the right mind goes out and buys a game when you can download it legally for free?
A lot of people around the C&C community have played the older C&C games on XWIS and Westwood Online. I have done a huge deal to help out XWIS around the community, as you should know yourself, so don't jump to conclusions assuming that nobody around here cared for XWIS or didn't do anything to participate because some of us did and still do.
Quote:
The few decent players and the trolls that are left are the ones directing the staff with their BS needs for TS.
If there are people out there that let a game consume that much of their life then there is clearly a problem with those people. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. If anything, these remaining "I want to be number 1!" TS players are selfish at best.
Quote:
If you truly want something better, take part and contribute instead of coughing quietly in this far corner of the net.
I've contributed, and I'll definitely be letting Olaf know that this is a stupid and selfish idea.
I'm talking as both a TS & RA2 modder & player, but I know what Olaf is like, one persons opinion will not change his mind, it's always been that way and nothing in that matter is subject to change, and that's the end of it. I just hope these people open their eyes as they fail to realize that with Tiberian Sun being Freeware, it will do better for the XWIS and Strike-Team community, but by disallowing people whom own the Freeware version of Tiberian Sun to play online, they're only making things worse. So Tiberian Sun is an old game, there are thousands of people out there that still enjoy it. Red Alert 2 isn't far off the mark, where is that game going to be when it gets the same treatment next year?
Olaf even admitted himself that he will always prefer, and support Red Alert 2 over Tiberian Sun. I like Red Alert 2 more than I like Tiberian Sun, everybody knows that, but I'm not going to tell people they can't play it online because they haven't been into the game as long as I have.
I respect Olaf and all that he has done, but I don't respect this decision. Period. QUICK_EDIT
I agree... Besides, there's other ways he could ensure a cheater-free ladder such as requiring people to sign up for ranked games for example or simply excluding people without a valid serial number from the ladder like Banshee suggested.
Aro wrote:
iNs0MNiaC wrote:
None of you know nohting.
Nothing* and I think what you mean is 'anything'.
He be talkin' Ebonics, my nigga _________________ QUICK_EDIT
That is mostly to blame to the way XWIS transfers maps between players. Unless the map is somehow still really small in filesize, a non-flat map will result in loss of connection when you try to start a game.
That is mostly to blame to the way XWIS transfers maps between players. Unless the map is somehow still really small in filesize, a non-flat map will result in loss of connection when you try to start a game.
true. Depends on the player amount, though. Ive found out, that an about 120KB maps is the very egde for a 8player map ...
There are maps which tried to make it look more custom (by placing different overlay/by creating special map rules), but due the 'cool' way how terrain is saved in Final Sun (empty, normal terrain will be included, making it impossible to use just a bit of terrain, etc.)
I personally just can shake my head, when I read that. I myself played a lot TS online, once, I may even be known by one or two (as 'atord'), and they may know that Im a fair player, but tbh I never had a legal TS version, actually. The lack of a serial number # trolls! _________________
Think of me as Nordos, 'cause Banshee wouldn't rename me QUICK_EDIT
In order to make the filesize as small as possible, mappers usually save the map with no preview and then remove [IsoMapPack5] from the map's code (which is what actually makes up for most of a map's filesize). Removing [IsoMapPack5] will get rid of any differences in height, but also any terrain type that isn't clear ground (meaning only overlay and objects on the map remain, but LATs, rivers, roads and such are removed).
I used to play on XWIS a bit a couple years back, but I haven't anymore in quite a while, even when TS became freeware. Still, even though I've owned 3 different serial numbers for TS, I only have one of those now, which was apparently banned from XWIS because I once lend my TS discs to someone else, who then also used my serial number to play online, which apparently had them ban my serial.
Even though I don't play Vanilla TS online anymore, I do still play mods and I like to have option to play on XWIS when CnCNet isn't working for someone.
I haven't tried any of CnCNet's configuration options however, since CnCNet always worked perfectly for me. If forwarding CnCNet's port really does solve solve everyone's problems when they're having connection issues with CnCNet, I guess we really don't need XWIS anymore after all...
Volgin wrote:
nigga stole my English.
Asif Americans didn't first "steal" their English from the Brittish. And please show me your "allowed to say nigga" license. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
So from what I understand Olaf apparently went with the idea to only use serial verification for the ladder without affecting people trying to play unranked games without a serial after all. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
I poked around there a little and it turns out I as well jumped to conclusions because I didn't read all 20 pages (but only the first 6 and the last 4 pages), but after reading back a little further I realized that that Olaf's post saying "I'll work on requiring serials for the ladder." meant exactly what I was trying to get him to do in the first place _________________ QUICK_EDIT
I didn't expect this, limiting peoples access to online multiplayer to only people who bought the game is kind of stupid, the game is freeware and online play should also be free.
That being said CnCNet is open for everyone and will continue to provide a easy way to play the C&C classics online. (C&C1, RA1, TS and RA2) it's not a WOL server like XWIS but it's made for simplicity.
I didnt know it covered TS, I'm so jumping ship! QUICK_EDIT
Any chance that you might upload it here on ppm as well Banshee? It's always a hassle to find a working download link, since other pages sometimes simply delete them or the site went completely down. And i have the impression that of all C&C modding sites, PPM will be the last one to go down.
@Guest: TS is already more than 11 years old, so 22 years more are not that unrealistic. _________________ SHP Artist of Twisted Insurrection: Nod buildings
Also Known As: banshee_revora (Steam) Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Location: Brazil
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:56 pm Post subject:
I'll only upload it to PPM in a desesperate situation. Our server has some annoying bandwidth limits and additional bandwidth usage is too much expensive. So, far now, our recommendation is to grab from CnC World if you don't find it in a bigger place such as GameSpy or GameSpot. QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 22 Nov 2010 Location: Iszkaszentgyorgy, Hungary
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:03 pm Post subject:
I'd go to CnC-Comm for these. They host all freeware C&C. And unlike EA's, those are quality works.
You might try CNCNet for online, too.
http://www.cnc-comm.com/community/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=41 _________________ "If you didn't get angry and mad and frustrated, that means you don't care about the end result, and are doing something wrong." - Greg Kroah-Hartman
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Serial number validation on XWIS.
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