"Manipulating the Graal Client"

[Sword]

You guys (as in whoever is behind the process detection for determining who is a cheater or hacker, or whatever) need to do a much better and/or more narrow job of determining the specifics of when to disconnect a player "for cheating."

After about three years away from Graal, I've come back and had Crono grant an unban on UN. Myself and several other sparrers have been playing the Facebook version recently, we decided we wanted to switch to the client because its smoother. For the past 48 hours, been on and off Graal just sparring and playing events and talking with friends.

I was first randomly disconnected with the "Players who are cheating will be banned!" message.
Pretty confused at this point, log back on and I am promptly disconnected again, this time with the following message:


Awesome. No idea what that's about. I try to log back on, I am shown this:


At this point, I have no idea what that is talking about. I'm pretty savvy to RC and Graal's process detection, so I check my running processes to see if I'm running anything that may have tripped the detection. Nothing at all. As you can see in those screenshots to the left, I am talking to someone on Pidgin about the disconnects as they happen.

Just came to me 20 minutes ago that Windows Explorer's Task Manager does not show all running processes. Instead I decide to load up a process hacker and I see this:


I use a portable version of Pidgin inside of my Dropbox called X-Pidgin: http://www.winpenpack.com/main/download.php?view.551
Apparently, X-Pidgin uses AutoIt to launch the application and store the portable data. As you can again see in those screenshots that I was on Pidgin, this is what caused the "hacker detection" within Graal to trigger, and what currently has me PC ID banned from UN.

TL;DR: Either staff need to only ban players if they trip the detection and are caught hacking, or Graal's staff itself need to refine the detection. Not everyone who runs AutoIt runs AutoIt to "hack Graal," it's a pretty useful, general software.

Would also appreciate if someone could unban my PC ID from Unholy Nation, or put me in contact with the appropriate staff that can do that.

[Matt]

[email protected]

[Sword]

Originally Posted by Matt

[email protected]

Figured this forum was for reporting bugs, but I'll also send an email there.

[Crow]

That's as bad as xTrap. AutoIt shouldn't be detected as anything bad in the first place. There's nothing wrong with it.

[Darlene159]

Originally Posted by Sword

Figured this forum was for reporting bugs, but I'll also send an email there.

They are, but as far as getting help with bans, you need to go through the staff of that playerworld, or support AT graalonline.com if you cant resolve it with staff of the playerworld.

[Sword]

Originally Posted by Darlene159

They are, but as far as getting help with bans, you need to go through the staff of that playerworld, or support AT graalonline.com if you cant resolve it with staff of the playerworld.

Alright then, let's just disregard the ban completely and consider the issue at hand to be the faulty process detection, because even after I am unbanned I basically have no plans to stop using X-Pidgin while on Graal.
Noticed Bell viewing the thread earlier and sent in an email, just saw that I am now account banned on top of PC ID banned. Helpful.

[Bell]

I've done nothing with your account yet. I was just on my way to UN to see what could be done. While I agree that you appear to be a victim of circumstance you must also consider the fact that many people do use autoit on UN to macro in the mines. Allowing one on at the expense of using the automated cheat detections to catch those trying to get an advantage over other players is a fine line to have to walk. I'll see if there is another solution though with Stefan's detection of the program.

[Draenin]

Originally Posted by Crow

That's as bad as xTrap. AutoIt shouldn't be detected as anything bad in the first place. There's nothing wrong with it.

Technically you could use it to make macro sequences to perform repetitive tasks on different servers, similar to the Auto-D 'hack' that came out a few years ago.

However, servers like Zodiac have given players the option of building their own macros in-game, and that hasn't been terribly destructive to the way things are going on there. I guess it mostly has to do with the way things are designed from server to server.

Originally Posted by Bell

While I agree that you appear to be a victim of circumstance you must also consider the fact that many people do use autoit on UN to macro in the mines.

I guess it's only dangerous if your server mostly involves mashing one button over and over for hours. What a joy.

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by Bell

Allowing one on at the expense of using the automated cheat detections to catch those trying to get an advantage over other players is a fine line to have to walk.

A game shouldn't prevent you from using AutoIt, and it certainly shouldn't automatically ban you for it. At the very most it should disconnect you until you close it.

[Crow]

Originally Posted by Draenin

Technically you could use it to make macro sequences to perform repetitive tasks on different servers, similar to the Auto-D 'hack' that came out a few years ago.

I could just write that in C++ or any other language of choice.

[Draenin]

Originally Posted by Crow

I could just write that in C++ or any other language of choice.

Why waste the time? There are plenty of other macro programs out there for you to use.


Servers like Kingdoms and Zodiac have the right idea.

Zodiac, for one, doesn't really have many places where running macros would be that useful in the first place, and they even provide you with a system for building your own. That can be really useful when you're wanting to string together a sequence of spells that doesn't require you to mash a dozen different buttons.

Kingdoms, on the other hand, has simple protections against those who use macros in various areas of the game where the tasks you perform are repetitive. For example, enemies will spawn from rocks every once in a while that you have to fight, or else they'll wind up killing you.

But really, the only reason why someone usually runs macros is because the tasks they're required to do are insanely boring. Especially when it comes to mining and fishing and things like that. If a server really needs protection against macro programs, it's probably got some super-lame design aspects going on in it.

[Sword]

AutoIt has absolutely nothing to do with Graal. Shouldn't be automatically detected. The only process names that should trip the detection are trainers made specifically for Graal that have distinct window titles and process names that can be narrowly targeted.
What's more annoying is having to explain an even remotely technical situation like this one to staff members who are no more than 16 years of age. UN staff cannot seem to grasp this so far.

[Crow]

Originally Posted by Draenin

*snip*

AutoIt can also be used for more complicated tasks than the typical boring stuff. That's not the point, though. It's not purely used for macros or whatever one wants to call it. AutoIt stuff should not be considered illegitimate. Also, Graal's detection is not good anyway. I got some AutoIt code running at all times (eye candy stuff) and Graal never noticed so far.

[Sword]

Originally Posted by Crow

AutoIt can also be used for more complicated tasks than the typical boring stuff. That's not the point, though. It's not purely used for macros or whatever one wants to call it. AutoIt stuff should not be considered illegitimate. Also, Graal's detection is not good anyway. I got some AutoIt code running at all times (eye candy stuff) and Graal never noticed so far.

Yeah, it didn't detect Pidgin right away. It was pretty random, maybe an hour into gameplay. Not sure what eventually triggered it to be detected. It hasn't been detected a single time on Valikorlia in 10+ hours.

[cbk1994]

Pretty sure Stefan removed AutoIt from the detection list a long time ago, anyway. Maybe some UN staff member added it back (or it was never removed from cheatwindows=)?

edit:

Originally Posted by Stefan

AutoIt was in the cheatwindows list of several servers, that's why I had copied it to the global cheatwindows list. I didn't know what program it exactly is, I have removed it for now.