Just an idea

[PoisonousFish]

I know this may seem like an all too obvious thing to point out but I am going to go ahead and just say it.

Automation is great and everything, but sometimes throwing in some manual sorting can cut down on headaches.

It appears like one big problem with the in game registration process is it is relatively easy for a smurf to register under different variations of a name, and fill up your database with garbage records.

Maybe if you were to disable that feature, and require people to apply for a particular alias via web site(these forums for example), and have a person decide whether or not to agree with the application and put their name in whatever database or text file it exists in, this could possibly cut down some of your headaches.

Just an idea.

[PoisonousFish]

Or mandatory registration that also registers every possible smurf variation of that name.

I think that is probably not the way to go on this one.

[PoisonousFish]

Why not?

It is just a sloppy way to solve the problem.

Take a computer programming class and you will definitely see why.

I'm not insulting you btw.

[PoisonousFish]

What also may be helpful is whenever a player joins, iterate through all the players logged into your server, grab their name as a string, and see if their name is a substring of the name of the player that just logged on.

If you implement my idea of a web based registration process, you can then perform the following logic.

If the player that just logged on is not registered and the player that already is on the server is registered, server should kick the player that just logged on and also perform the opposite logic for the inverse condition if it is true instead of the former condition. If both players are registered(this means their applications were accepted by the forum admin, do nothing) also if neither are registered do nothing.

There may be some edge cases you have to consider, i just wrote this up really quick.

When programming, you gotta think about this type of stuff all the time and the cheapest easiest way to solve a problem is generally regarded as the best.

So this process will kill two birds with one stone.

1) Cut down on frivolous registration records.
2) Autokick people trying to smurf registered users.

Oh yeah and #3
3) Save AngelMaker from going insane.

And one more
4) Cut back on needless excessive over moderation by the admins on these types of petty issues.

[f0x]

Weld all items.
Keep on eye on your items.
Watch for BK messages in chat.
Protect your items.

gg.

[perrinoia]

I've actually suggested to Crow that the registration be mandatory, and player names that end in space be auto banned, as they cannot be distinguished from similar names that do not end in space, by admins.

I'm also writing my own completely different registration script which will probably never be added to BR, because it is incompatible with what people are used to, on BR.

[perrinoia]

I have not ever played modx...

I have downloaded it, though... Have it on an old hard drive, somewhere.

• The first time you connect to my server, you will be required to type a passphrase.
• The first message you type after connecting to my server will be your passphrase, whether you are registering a new player name or authenticating a name already recorded.
• The whole message will be recorded as the passphrase, not just one of the words contained within it.
• If you get it wrong, you get kicked, and cannot reconnect for 5 seconds.
• If your IP address matches one previously used by that username, you will not be required to type your passphrase, but the server will never allow you to broadcast your passphrase to the other players, even if it's part of your voice pack, and you spam it.
• You cannot spawn, chat, or access the tab menu until you authenticate.
• You can change your passphrase once authenticated, by choosing the reset passphrase option from the tab menu.
• After choosing to reset your passphrase, the next message you send will become your new passphrase.

The server will store not just your aliases, but will actually recreate your whole player config file (config/players.cs).
This way admins will be able to compare player info even if the player is offline.

Anywho, as I said before, probably none of this will ever be in BR, because it is incompatible with how kigen's player profile system works, which everyone is already used to... Even I have an auto login script for it.

I've also run into some hitches while testing my script, in regards to potential exploits... So, it's gonna take me awhile to make sure it's secure.