Community-Based Report System

COMMUNITY-BASED REPORT SYSTEM

So I know that straight-up giving players the ability to ban other players would obviously lead to trouble (as [GM]Celestine has already commented on), but what if we were to implement a different system where players can flag other players and after a certain number of flags, their replays will automatically be recorded and logged onto the servers for a group of trusted players (ex. MODs) to review. If the trusted group of players then decide to ban a player, they will forward the evidence that they've extracted (ex. "username" uses an aimbot at 4:19-5:12 in replay_2.cfr) to the GMs who will then make the final decision.

As some of you may or may not know, this type of system is currently being used in another very popular game and they've been having great success implementing it (they call this system The Tribunal).

And to combat any type of file manipulation, these replays could be recorded real-time and stored on an external server. Of course not every single player is a cheater in-game so it's not going to take up that much bandwidth from the servers.
POSITIVE POINTS
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png GMs can keep statistics of how many rule-breakers are currently playing the game (based on the number of flags and hack reports)
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png GMs can target geographically where all these hackers are coming from (due to better logging of rule breakers)
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png This is a much more effective way to deal with the countless hack reports that come in daily
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Depending on how many trusted players there are, the banning process can be sped up much quicker
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Having statistics to analyze will allow developers to predict when new "waves" of hacks are most prominent.
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png The majority of the work is done by commited players who want to help out the community, and this gives GMs more time to work on implemeting other important things
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Can ban with 100% certainty due to actual human review, as opposed to using an anti-cheat that may encounter glitches that wrongly ban players
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Can keep evidence as records in an event of a dispute
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Trusted players can be rewarded for their actions
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Having a group of trusted players reviewing hack reports can contradict the current belief that hack reports are never reviewed
Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Trusted players who review these hack reports are forced to look at the actual replays and can become very skilled at identifying hackers
NEGATIVE POINTS
Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Requires a group of trusted and loyal players (i.e. players could abuse their power)
Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Supply of trusted players may not meet the demand
Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Running dedicated servers to capture flagged players in real-time may not be very cost efficient (from a business perspective)
Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png This is not something that can just be implemented overnight
Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png System may not be used as frequently as expected
Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png The time and cost associated with implementing such a system could instead be used to acquire a new and more powerful anti-cheat
CREDITS

Obviously I'm not going to take full credit for this idea because it was mentioned before in an old thread by One, and it was Starburst* (excuse his language lol) who made me aware of The Tribunal system. And lately, iKillzZ- has opened up a thread with similar suggestions as well. And last but not least, credits go to [MOD]Andrew for thinking up this idea before I did.

Anyways, I'd appreciate any feedback I receive :)

Comments

  • Questions and Ideas

    QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

    Q: How would the trusted players be selected
    A: Trusted players could be chosen based on their rank, play-time, and track record. Or as a testing-phase, these trusted players could be limited to the current MODs.

    Q: Does banning hackers even do anything? Can't hackers just make new accounts to bypass permanent bans and use proxies/VPNs to bypass IP restrictions?
    A: You should ask a GM about this. I have no idea how effective the banning system is; in terms of restricting a player from accessing the game.
    IDEAS BRAINSTORMED BY THE COMMUNITY

    This idea was suggested by ]Sake. Thank you to iKillzZ- for bringing this to my attention.
    To ensure that only legitimate players are using the system, players can be assigned points as a way to keep track of their record. Each time a player correctly identifies a hacker, they will gain a certain amount of points (and perhaps bonus points for streaks). If a player however is shown to have a negative track record, they will automatically be banned from using the system until further notice.
  • Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png GMs can target geographically where all these hackers are coming from

    I read the entire thread with a serious face but this part gave me a giggle xD


    OT: Yes, I believe this has been suggested before and sank down the thread pile. I don't mean to be negative..

    I really love this suggestion.

    But there are more cons to it... i.e

    X1: you hak!!
    x2: report me
    x1 doesn't get banned and x2 complains. Complains will be targeting the 'trusted group' and rumors would be everywhere saying it is unfair. I mean...look at xtrap, it bans a person for hacking yet they call it unfair and complain on the forum, comon.

    Another point is selecting these 'trusted' players; everyone would want to be in this group and I'm pretty sure there will be some power abuse and what not.

    This would be a great idea if it was implemented. however, imo, why would they add such a tool when they can save time and money getting a new AC?

    Sorry if you feel that I put you down, but truth hurts.

    oh, +1
  • MoeDeta wrote: »
    I read the entire thread with a serious face but this part gave me a giggle xD


    OT: Yes, I believe this has been suggested before and sank down the thread pile. I don't mean to be negative..

    I really love this suggestion.

    But there are more cons to it... i.e

    X1: you hak!!
    x2: report me
    x1 doesn't get banned and x2 complains. Complains will be targeting the 'trusted group' and rumors would be everywhere saying it is unfair. I mean...look at xtrap, it bans a person for hacking yet they call it unfair and complain on the forum, comon.

    Another point is selecting these 'trusted' players; everyone would want to be in this group and I'm pretty sure there will be some power abuse and what not.

    This would be a great idea if it was implemented. however, imo, why would they add such a tool when they can save time and money getting a new AC?

    Sorry if you feel that I put you down, but truth hurts.

    oh, +1

    Yeah, good point. I guess I sorta based my assumption on the fact that updating our AC or getting a new one is not possible. Perhaps Z8 is under a contract or something...

    Also an advantage that this has over using an anti-cheat is that you can ban players with 100% certainty. Since all the reports are reviewed by an actual human, a player can't submit a ticket and say that they were wrongly banned since Z8 will still have the replays as solid evidence.

    And regarding what you said about reported players not getting punished, this aspect would actually work better in the new system since currently, there is a bigger problem with GMs being unable to review all the hack reports coming in.

    Anyways I love the feedback. I've added your points onto the OP. Nice edit time btw; 11.11.11.11 LOL
  • Yeah, good point. I guess I sorta based my assumption on the fact that updating our AC or getting a new one is not possible. Perhaps Z8 is under a contract or something... But anyways I appreciate your feedback.

    They are currently under a contract and I got a work from a MOD saying it'll cost about half a billion dollars (LOL) when breaking the contract since they pay xtrap for every single maintenance the game does.

    But with knowing all that, I'll give you credits for going the extra mile and making this thread, u da real mvp!

    Since I made it more negative than positive,

    There are more pros to it...i.e

    1. The 'trusted' players would be a symbol of JUSTICE contradicting the rumors that hack reports are never viewed.

    2. The phrase "I'm reporting you" would have a meaning. Currently, when you tell the hacker that you're reporting him they don't care. If this was implemented, that'd be another tool to remove hackers from games, in addition to the kick system, ofc.

    ;)
  • Or.. we could completely rip off the Tribunal from LoL

    Duh
  • MoeDeta wrote: »
    They are currently under a contract and I got a work from a MOD saying it'll cost about half a billion dollars (LOL) when breaking the contract since they pay xtrap for every single maintenance the game does.

    But with knowing all that, I'll give you credits for going the extra mile and making this thread, u da real mvp!

    Since I made it more negative than positive,

    There are more pros to it...i.e

    1. The 'trusted' players would be a symbol of JUSTICE contradicting the rumors that hack reports are never viewed.

    2. The phrase "I'm reporting you" would have a meaning. Currently, when you tell the hacker that you're reporting him they don't care. If this was implemented, that'd be another tool to remove hackers from games, in addition to the kick system, ofc.

    ;)

    Dang... 500,000,000... That's a lot of 0s lol. Added your points into the OP. Thanks again!
  • COMMUNITY-BASED REPORT SYSTEM

    So I know that straight-up giving players the ability to ban other players would obviously lead to trouble (as [GM]Celestine has already commented on), but what if we were to implement a different system where players can flag other players and after a certain number of flags, their replays will automatically be recorded and logged onto the servers for a group of trusted players (ex. MODs) to review. If the trusted group of players then decide to ban a player, they will forward the evidence that they've extracted (ex. "username" uses an aimbot at 4:19-5:12 in replay_2.cfr) to the GMs who will then make the final decision.

    As some of you may or may not know, this type of system is currently being used in another very popular game and they've been having great success implementing it (they call this system The Tribunal).

    And to combat any type of file manipulation, these replays could be recorded real-time and stored on an external server. Of course not every single player is a cheater in-game so it's not going to take up that much bandwidth from the servers.
    POSITIVE POINTS
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png GMs can keep statistics of how many rule-breakers are currently playing the game (based on the number of flags and hack reports)
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png GMs can target geographically where all these hackers are coming from (due to better logging of rule breakers)
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png This is a much more effective way to deal with the countless hack reports that come in daily
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Depending on how many trusted players there are, the banning process can be sped up much quicker
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Having statistics to analyze will allow developers to predict when new "waves" of hacks are most prominent.
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png The majority of the work is done by commited players who want to help out the community, and this gives GMs more time to work on implemeting other important things
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Can ban with 100% certainty due to actual human review, as opposed to using an anti-cheat that may encounter glitches that wrongly ban players
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Can keep evidence as records in an event of a dispute
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Trusted players can be rewarded for their actions
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Having a group of trusted players reviewing hack reports can contradict the current belief that hack reports are never reviewed
    Positive%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Trusted players who review these hack reports are forced to look at the actual replays and can become very skilled at identifying hackers
    NEGATIVE POINTS
    Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Requires a group of trusted and loyal players (i.e. players could abuse their power)
    Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Supply of trusted players may not meet the demand
    Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png Running dedicated servers to capture flagged players in real-time may not be very cost efficient (from a business perspective)
    Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png This is not something that can just be implemented overnight
    Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png System may not be used as frequently as expected
    Negative%2Bicon%2B%28transparent%29.png The time and cost associated with implementing such a system could instead be used to acquire a new and more powerful anti-cheat
    CREDITS

    Obviously I'm not going to take full credit for this idea because it was mentioned before in an old thread by One, and it was Starburst* (excuse his language lol) who made me aware of The Tribunal system. And last but not least, iKillzZ- has been making very similar suggestions and his ideas led me to this.

    Anyways, I'd appreciate any feedback I receive :)

    You made a verry good thread! You explained it very well.
    The positive and the negative sides of the system. Hopefully they will take this thread serious, and consider to make a system like this.

    this is an idea by ]Sake to reduce the power abuse.
    They start with a certain amount of points and with every incorrect flagging these in game mods lose a point. They get one point back weekly, but the maximum amount of points they can have is equal to their starting quantity at all times.
    If their points reach zero, they get removed from their position.
  • Or.. we could completely rip off the Tribunal from LoL

    Duh

    cheaters =/= toxic peeps, 2 different games

    but i get your idea, it'll be a slightly altered system tho
  • loller1207 wrote: »
    You made a verry good thread! You explained it very well.
    The positive and the negative sides of the system. Hopefully they will take this thread serious, and consider to make a system like this.

    this is an idea by ]Sake to reduce the power abuse.
    They start with a certain amount of points and with every incorrect flagging these in game mods lose a point. They get one point back weekly, but the maximum amount of points they can have is equal to their starting quantity at all times.
    If their points reach zero, they get removed from their position.

    I agree. A points system would definitely be a great way to perform a "quality check" on the people reviewing the hack reports. I'll make a new section in the OP to add in this idea. Thanks for the feedback :)
  • A moderator should make this thread sticky!!
  • loller1207 wrote: »
    A moderator should make this thread sticky!!

    Thanks for the support iKillzZ- :)
    I think your thread should definitely be stickied as well. Without your thread, this thread would have never been born. Not to mention, this thread builds on top of many of the ideas stated in your thread.
  • there's not a single player i would trust in this game, too many idiots calling people cheaters and the community in this game.. 95% of them can't tell a passive cheater and a legit player.

    Maybe for the blatant egyptians in the td's and elimination games, but definately not for the average crossfire player who speaks english.
  • TdotAdrian wrote: »
    there's not a single player i would trust in this game, too many idiots calling people cheaters and the community in this game.. 95% of them can't tell a passive cheater and a legit player.

    Maybe for the blatant egyptians in the td's and elimination games, but definately not for the average crossfire player who speaks english.

    this system is not for the average crossfire players. It is a system where 100 players have the power to flag. There are more than 100 mature players in this game. Read everything not only parts of it! Read the thread again plz.
  • loller1207 wrote: »
    this system is not for the average crossfire players. It is a system where 100 players have the power to flag. There are more than 100 mature players in this game. Read everything not only parts of it! Read the thread again plz.

    Just noticed the post on your FB page. Thanks!
  • just ban egyptian player the problem of hacks will be done.
  • +1 I would love if this idea came to CrossFire NA/UK.

    This idea has already been implanted in CrossFire BR.
  • abel95 wrote: »
    +1 I would love if this idea came to CrossFire NA/UK.

    This idea has already been implanted in CrossFire BR.

    Really they do? Could you send me a link; my Portuguese isn't the best :p
  • Just noticed the post on your FB page. Thanks!

    your welcome, this thread deserves it!
  • abel95 wrote: »
    +1 I would love if this idea came to CrossFire NA/UK.

    This idea has already been implanted in CrossFire BR.

    WOW, Abel can you give me the link from the CF BR page?