This kind of like nuclear fission, nearly unlimited energy generation, and potential for mass destruction. We can do anything we want to our maps, like include fully featured mods, but the potential for abuse such as distributing viruses and opening popups also exists; as such it seems a poor idea to rush into anything irreversible.
Some of our options include:
1. Direct integration with maps - this is quite dangerous as it involves teaching people exactly how to run executable code, this would also have a very high difficulty level for mappers, and add significant startup time and would add ~500kb to every map.
2. Tethered patch map - this would make changes to the game, such as enabling EUDs and loading graphics and other files from the map, all these changes would be undone when StarCraft is restarted - there is still some danger as these maps can be de-compiled, but no abusive hacker gets a nice easy time - we would do everything in our power to make it well protected and difficult to understand, and hopefully it would be protected with additional SEN rules, the theory for creating these maps could be kept tightly under-wraps with a few select mappers.
3. Tethered/Un-tethered combo patch map - this would have the option to just run the tethered version, or install the changes/uninstall the changes, installed changes could be made only relevant to maps with certain tags built into the map (so maps that require the patch to play could run things like multicommand, no latency, etc), or universal, such as code that prevents host hack, astat flood, and drop hack - same risks as the tethered patch map.
4. Bury it, pretty sure only me and yoon figured it out, could just forget we ever found it.
5. (your idea here)
Possible general patch feature list:
- EUDs Enabled
- SCMLoader Enabled (load your own graphics, AI files, etc. that are included in the map)
- Networking Local EUDs (so they can be used for global actions)
- Anti-ASTAT flood
- Anti-Host Hack
- Anti-Drop Hack
- General Hack Detection
- (your idea here)
Features for maps that REQUIRE the patch (or features that require everyone in the game to be patched)
- No Latency
- Multi-Command
- (your idea here)
Case Studies:
- EUDs, could easily have been abused, no incidents that I know of occurred.
- The overflowed map stats function pointer, this lead to the whole op hacker/Frost incident, taking bnet down for weeks at a time, was abused, though StarCraft notably lived through it.
- The Halo Series, executable code launching is all over its history, and still works in Halo for PC, has had an extremely positive influence on the game with fantastic mods and has no abuse problems that I know of.
- (your suggested case study here)
Leave your opinion on what you think we should do, and if we do patches, what should be included (personally, I favor #3).
Post has been edited 11 time(s), last time on Aug 2 2014, 6:33 pm by jjf28.
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Reached the top of StarCraft theory crafting 2:12 AM CST, August 2nd, 2014.
Reached the top of StarCraft theory crafting 2:12 AM CST, August 2nd, 2014.