Hi. I don't know code, sorry, I'm an artist. But I have a question, it might be dumb, but that'll just prove that I don't know code, I guess. Haha. Obviously securing an MMORPG 100% remains a problem for the developers of any MMORPG in this age because hackers are skilled and can basically break into anything and screw the fun up for everyone. First of all I don't know how they do it but I assume they access the source code somewhere and then re-type the code somehow right? Offline, they do this and write programs so that in-game over the 'net their own copy of the game will code their packets specially according to how they've re-programmed their copy. Am I right? Assuming I am (I hope), is there a way for the developers of any MMORPG game to just make it so the source code, once completed, is TRANSFORMED into a different language like Japanese or Russian or something, before the game gets publicly distributed, so when the hacker opens up the source code he can't read it??! Wouldn't that be hilariously funny for the pathetic hackers??! Maybe there is a way to do that and lock it so that the hackers can't find a way to convert it back to English? Maybe there is also a way to convert numerical symbols into zany symbols like $, *, or û, too? I remember reading Ignacio Perez Gil's "Isomot" help document, and Isomot is source code for an isometric game. Anyway, he said "Isomot has a multilingual interface; Spanish and English are the languages actually supported (this doc is about the English interface). Adding new languages is very easy, if you want to make the interface for another one, just e-mail me and I'll tell you how." So I assume converting source code to a different language can be done for a program! I do realize this idea may be a little too simple to think of, and that maybe it has been thought of numerous times but not implemented only because it...can't be done or won't work anyway. But I wanted to ask anyway because I have no idea. OH! And if this question should be posted elsewhere, directed towards another field of coders, not for you networking coders, I'm sorry I wasted yer time! If so, could you tell me where to post it? [Edited by - Sylon on March 16, 2006 7:31:56 PM]

OHHHH okay, right, the ASCII language or whatever the acronym is.

Wow your post was really helpful. Thanks! Darn though I thought I was onto something!! Heheheee!

Man. I dream of the day when MMOs can't be hacked into.

Here's a question then. What about console games, and further, CARTRIDGE-based console games? Let's say a cartridge game ("ROM"?) is placed into a console and is played as an MMO like those games played through XBOX Live and PS3 online or whatever.

How do hackers break into code of console games? The kernel thing couldn't work there could it?--because they can only access the kernel program through their home computer. So then if the console game was a disc, maybe they could only break into the disc with weird computer software as they pop it into a computer and modify the software. But then what if the console game was a cartridge? They couldn't use an external kernel thing OR modify the software, right? Because they can't pop it into a computer and perform zany experiments with their evil CD-reconstructive software.

I mean, they'd basically have to invent some sort of...ROM de-coder thingy machine to insert the cartridge into (emulator?). They'd have to be some kind of electrical engineer or something to do that, right? Unless they could get their hands on the actual machine that transferred the computer files into the ROM chip that sits inside the cartridge.

Alrighty that's cool thanks a lot! You know your stuff.

Another interesting thing that cheaters can do on a networked console game is to have their network traffic pass through their desktop computer before it reaches the intended destination on the internet. This way they can still play around with the network traffic that is passing by.

Of course there are ways to help protect against this kind of interference, but a lot of times the correct precautions are not taken, and even so there will always be a method of breaking whatever precuations that are created.

Most of the hacks in online games anyway have absolutely nothing to do with the objects in the game, but instead are done client-side with the extra information that is transmitted to the client, that it would just discard if it was working correctly. Like a monster hiding in a shadow, the monsters position is transmitted becuase it is technically in the field of view, but it should be covered up by the shadow and thus not seen. But if the player isn't displaying any shadows anywhere, they will see it no problem. The same goes for seeing players through walls and aim-hacks in online FPS games [position is transmitted, just lock the cursor on the head and spray away]. The key is, and always has been to isolate all the actual game-stuff on the server running the game, and just perform really detailed rule checks, and limiting the information sent to clients to the bare minimum [ maphack in diablo 2 anyone?, wow was that a lot of info sent way too earily, or wall hacks in fps games? how about inventory scanners in MMO's, all cases of too much stuff sent to users].

Most of the actual exploits, like duplicating items and such, comes with just the sheer volume of users and the quantity of time they spend fiddling with stuff. People will find bugs, and making a really complicated pile of code [like an MMO] absolutely bullet-proof is very very difficult.