BZFlagWiki - User contributions [en]

Server Administration

2010-07-09T21:00:59Z

Bambino: /* See also */ Added link on How To ban

{{stub}}
Server [[Administrator|administrators]] can ban players from their server. There are several methods of banning, including banning ranges of addresses. Ban durations can vary from minutes to "forever".

==Caught in a ban==
If a player is caught in a ban, the server will refuse to allow the player to join. A message should appear at the very bottom of the chat box that says why the ban is in place, and who created the ban. This ban may not necessarily be targeting the player that is joining. Many times an admin or cop will have to enter a range ban in order to keep a trouble player off the server. This can have the side-effect of banning innocent players as well.

Sometimes the player will not see a message. This is usually the case when caught in a host ban (a ban on the hostname instead of the IP). The world will show up, but the player will be unable to spawn and the connection will drop shortly after. For this, the player will have to contact the server owner or an administrator to find out where the issue lies.

===Contacting an administrator===
A ban may be lifted or worked around by contacting an administrator. Generally it is best to contact the administrator or cop that issued the ban. This can be found at the end of the ban message when joining.

One way to do this is to [http://my.bzflag.org/bb/ucp.php?i=pm&folder=inbox send a private message] to the user on the BZFlag forum. The admin or cop might also be online somewhere else.

Do NOT post a forum thread asking to be unbanned. This is a private matter and it should be handled in private.

===Whitelisting===
Many servers use a "whitelist" group for players mistakenly caught in bans. This group would be assigned a permission that allows them to join through any existing bans. This allows the server to keep the trouble players out while also allowing others caught in the ban to still play. This would require that the innocent players play under a registered account and that the account is added to the correct whitelist group.

===Evading bans===

If a player causes a change on their network in order to evade a ban, they can expect their existing ban to be updated to include a range of addresses and a much longer ban duration. It is better to accept the ban and/or contact the administrator to find out how long the current ban will last.

==See also==
[[Master Ban]]

[[How To Ban]]

How To Ban

2010-07-09T20:58:12Z

Bambino: Removed all the "you"s, finished page, removed personal opinions, added link to server permissions. I hope everyone is happier :)

==How To Ban==

This page is a guide on how to use each ban command with a discription on how to correctly preform the commands.
In order to issue the following commands their are permissions that are needed. See here for a list of [[Server Permissions|permissions]] and their corresponding commands

===Durations===

Every ban needs a duration, or expiry limit. The duration can be anywhere between 1 minute to infinity, or permanent.

1m = One minute
1h = One hour
1d = One day
1w = One week
1y = One year
0, max, forever = Permanent ban. Will never expire.

==IP Banning==
There are multiple ways to ban a user using their IP address.

[SERVER->] [14] I_need_to_be_banned 127.0.0.1 (localhost)
[SERVER->] [15] Ban the other guy 123.123.123.123 (please-dont.ban.me)

To ban just the IP address on the user "I_need_to_be_banned" issue the command:

/ban 127.0.0.1 <duration> <reason>

This will ban the user for one week, with the reason "asked for it". There are two more ways to ban a user. Banning them by name, or slot number. To ban them by their name type:

/ban I_need_to_be_banned <duration> <reason>
/ban #14 1<duration> <reason>

Both of the above bans will add the user's IP and BZID to the banlist. To unban before the ban expires unban BOTH the IP and BZID. BZID bans can only be done on a globally registered user.

==ID Banning==
This type of banning can only be used on globally registered users - those who have registered on the BZFlag forums and have a + sign by their name.

To view a user's BZID enter "/idlist" and the server will send out a list of players with their BZIDs

[SERVER->] please ban me : 12345

To ID ban "please ban me" send the following command:

/idban +12345 <duration> <reason>

The + sign infront of the BZID is needed for ID bans or else it won't work.

==Host Banning==
The host ban is the type of ban that is widely used for stopping an abusive user with a dynamic (changing) IP address. Be careful when issuing this ban as it's possible to block a large number of innocent players from joining.

To do a host ban the player's host, or ISP is needed . The '/playerlist' command will print out their host.

[SERVER->] [0]Please Ban Me : 123.123.123.123 (please.ban.me) udp+

Their host is in the brackets (please.ban.me). To issue the ban do:

/hostban please.ban.me <duration> <reason>

==Range Bans==
Range bans are IP bans that cover a range of IP addresses. This type of ban is also useful for banning users with dynamic IPs, while being more precise than a host ban. The following types of range bans are:

127.0.0.* = Class C
127.0.*.* = Class B
127.*.*.* = Class A (Very bad idea to do this)

To issue a range ban do

/ban <range> <duration> <reason>

==Unbanning==
'''The "unban" and "banlist" permissions are needed to successfully issue these commands
'''IP Unbanning'''
/unban <IP Address>

'''ID Unbanning'''
/idunban <BZID>
The + sign is not needed for unbanning.

'''Host Unbanning'''
/hostunban <hostname>

'''Range Unbanning'''
/unban <IP>
Make sure to include the *. It must be in the same format as in the banlist

Server Permissions

2010-07-09T20:50:05Z

Bambino: Added modcount

Permissions can be assigned to groups and individual players on a server.
These permissions control what a player may do on the server. Many of the permissions control which [[Client_Commands|commands]] can be used by players.

{|{{Prettytable}}
|-
| {{Hl3}} |'''Permission'''
| {{Hl3}} |'''Description'''
|-
| actionMessage || Allowed to use '''''/me'''''
|-
| adminMessageReceive || Player receives messages sent to the admin channel
|-
| adminMessageSend || Player may send messages to the admin channel
|-
| antiban || Player is immune to '''''/ban'''''
|-
| antideregister || Player cannot be deregistered with '''''/deregister'''''
|-
| antikick || Player is immune to '''''/kick'''''
|-
| antikill || Player is immune to '''''/kill'''''
|-
| antipoll || Player is immune to '''''/poll'''''
|-
| antipollban || Player is immune banning with '''''/poll'''''
|-
| antipollkick || Player is immune kicking with '''''/poll'''''
|-
| antipollkill || Player is immune killing with '''''/poll'''''
|-
| ban || Player may ban other players with '''''/ban'''''
|-
| banlist || Player may list active bans with '''''/banlist'''''
|-
| countdown || Player may issue '''''/countdown'''''
|-
| date || Player may query the date and time from the server with '''''/date'''''
|-
| endGame || Player may issue '''''/endgame'''''
|-
| flagHistory || Player allowed to use '''''/flag history'''''
|-
| flagMaster || Player allowed to use all '''''/flag''''' commands
|-
| flagMod || Player allowed to use '''''/flag reset''''', '''''/flag show''''' and '''''/flag history'''''. Using '''''/flag reset''''' to reset an individual flag requires ''flagMaster''
|-
| hideAdmin || Player doesn't show @
|-
| idlestats || Player allowed to use '''''/idlestats'''''
|-
| info ||
|-
| kick || Player allowed to use '''''/kick'''''
|-
| kill || Player allowed to use '''''/kill'''''
|-
| lagstats || Player may use '''''/lagstats''''' to query the latency of players
|-
| lagwarn || Player may use '''''/lagwarn''''' to query or set lagwarn variable
|-
| listPerms || Player may use '''''/showperms''''' to show the current permissions of the user/selected player.
|-
| masterban || Player may use '''''/masterban'''''
|-
| modcount || Player may use '''''/modcount'''''
|-
| mute || Player may use '''''/mute'''''
|-
| playerList || Player may use '''''/playerlist'''''
|-
| plugins || Player may use '''''/loadplugin''''' and '''''/unloadplugin'''''. Requires bzflag to be built with the optional plug-in support, available in version 2.0.10+.
|-
| poll || Player may use '''''/poll'''''
|-
| pollBan || Player may use '''''/poll ban'''''
|-
| pollFlagReset || Player may use '''''/poll flagreset'''''
|-
| pollKick || Player may use '''''/poll kick'''''
|-
| pollKill || Player may use '''''/poll kill'''''
|-
| pollSet || Player may use '''''/poll set'''''
|-
| privateMessage || Player may send private messages with '.'
|-
| record || Player may use '''''/record'''''
|-
| rejoin || Allows instant rejoin, regardless of '''''_rejoinTime'''''
|-
| removePerms || May remove permissions from players
|-
| replay || Player allowed to use '''''/replay'''''
|-
| requireIdentify || Registered callsigns must identify before they are allowed to spawn
|-
| say || Player allowed to use '''''/say'''''
|-
| sendHelp || Player allowed to use '''''/sendhelp'''''
|-
| setAll || Grants all set* perms
|-
| setPerms || May grant permissions to players
|-
| setVar || Player allowed to use '''''/set'''''
|-
| shortBan || Allowed bans with limited durations only
|-
| showOthers || May use '''''/showgroup''''' and '''''/showperms''''' on other callsigns
|-
| shutdownServer || Player allowed to use '''''/shutdownserver'''''
|-
| spawn || Join game as a player. Observers don't need this permission.
|-
| superkill || Player allowed to use '''''/superkill'''''
|-
| talk || Allows player to send messages.
|-
| unban || Player may use '''''/unban'''''
|-
| unmute || Player may use '''''/unmute'''''
|-
| veto || Player may use '''''/veto'''''
|-
| viewReports || Player may use '''''/viewreports'''''
|-
| vote || Player may use '''''/vote'''''
|}

[[Category:Server]]

How To Ban

2010-07-09T20:08:42Z

Bambino: /* Host Banning */ Added range bans.

==How To Ban==

This page is a guide on how to use each ban command, as well as an explanation on what each command does.

You will need the following permissions in-game to the commands listed below: SHORTBAN, BAN, UNBAN, and PLAYERLIST. If you have ban you don't need shortban.

====Durations====

Every ban needs a duration, or expiry limit. The duration can be anywhere between 1 minute to infinity, or permanent.

1m = One minute
1h = One hour
1d = One day
1w = One week
1y = One year
0, max, forever = Permanent ban. Will never expire.

==IP Banning==
There are multiple ways you can ban a user using their IP address. You can do the '/playerlist' command and that will print out a list of connected players with their username, IP address, and host (ISP).

[SERVER->] [14] I_need_to_be_banned 127.0.0.1 (localhost)
[SERVER->] [15] Ban the other guy 123.123.123.123 (please-dont.ban.me)

To ban just the IP address on the user "I_need_to_be_banned" you do

/ban 127.0.0.1 <duration> <reason>

This will ban the user for one week, with the reason "asked for it". There are two more ways to ban a user. You can ban them by name, or slot number. To ban them by their name you type:

/ban I_need_to_be_banned <duration> <reason>
/ban #14 1<duration> <reason>

Both of the above bans will add the user's IP and BZID to the banlist. To unban before the ban expires you must unban BOTH the IP and BZID. You can only do a BZID ban on a globally registered user.

==ID Banning==
This type of banning can only be used on globally registered users - those who have registered on the BZFlag forums and have a + sign by their name.

To view a user's BZID you must type "/idlist" and the server will send you a list of players with their BZIDs

[SERVER->] please ban me : 12345

To ID ban "please ban me" you send the following command:

/idban +12345 <duration> <reason>

You need to have the + sign infront of the BZID or else it won't work.

==Host Banning==
The host ban is the type of ban that is widely used for stopping an abusive user with a dynamic (changing) IP address. Be careful when you do this ban as you can block a large number of innocent players from joining.

To do a host ban you need to know the player's host, or ISP. The '/playerlist' command will tell you their host.

[SERVER->] [0]Please Ban Me : 123.123.123.123 (please.ban.me) udp+

Their host is in the brackets (please.ban.me). To issue the ban do:

/hostban please.ban.me <duration> <reason>

'''NOTE: lots of innocent players can get caught in a host ban! If you are a server owner/operator make sure you have a whitelist group setup to allow innocent players through! If you are a player and receive a ban message "Banned host for: <user> <reason> by <banner>" then send a PM to that user on the forums!'''

==Range Bans==
Range bans are IP bans that cover a range of IP addresses. This type of ban is also useful for banning users with dynamic IPs, while being more precise than a host ban. The following types of range bans are:

127.0.0.* = Class C
127.0.*.* = Class B
127.*.*.* = Class A (Very bad idea to do this)

To issue a range ban do

/ban <range> <duration> <reason>

How To Ban

2010-07-09T20:04:30Z

Bambino: /* Host Banning */ Added how to host ban, whitelisting.

How To Ban

2010-07-09T19:52:17Z

Bambino: /* ID Banning */ Added Host Banning

How To Ban

2010-07-09T19:46:25Z

Bambino: /* IP Banning */

How To Ban

2010-07-09T19:45:18Z

Bambino: /* ID Banning */ Updating durations and reasons

How To Ban

2010-07-09T19:42:37Z

Bambino: /* IP Banning */ Added ID banning

How To Ban

2010-07-09T19:34:46Z

Bambino: /* IP Banning */ Banning by slot, player name, and IP

How To Ban

2010-07-09T19:29:53Z

Bambino: /* How To Ban */ Added IP banning

How To Ban

2010-07-09T19:20:56Z

Bambino: Starting new page: How to ban, added durations

==How To Ban==

This page is a guide on how to use each ban command, as well as an explanation on what each command does.

====Durations====

Every ban needs a duration, or expiry limit. The duration can be anywhere between 1 minute to infinity, or permanent.

1m = One minute
1h = One hour
1d = One day
1w = One week
1y = One year

Nagware

2010-07-02T23:21:04Z

Bambino: Added info: who made it, added info about configurablilty.

The [[Nagware]] [[Plug-ins|plug-in]] sends a message to unregistered players every x minutes and optionally kicks them after y minutes. The plugin can be configured via a config file. The server owner can define what messages are sent and the duration between the messages. This plugin was made by menotume for the SilverCat server. This plugin was created to help increase player authentication and therefore reduce player and server abuse.

{{stub}}
[[Category:Plug-Ins]]

Ban File

2010-07-01T05:45:10Z

Bambino: /* Banning Players */ Added some info about the serverControl plugin and removed info about "/warn" as that command doesn't exist.

{{Stub}}[[Category:Server]]
The [[banfile]] is a file in which a list of banned player accounts and IP addresses are saved. Server administrators may issue bans to players who use foul language, [[Team Kill]], use a cheat client or who behave inappropriately or against the spirit of the game.

==Creating a Banfile==
A server administrator wishing to use a [[banfile]] (eg: ''filename.txt'') would add:
-banfile filename.txt
to the [[BZFS]] [[BZFS Command Line Options|configuration]].

==Banning Players==
Before banning a player, it is advisable to warn them either verbally or use a slash command such as ''/kick'' or ''/kill''. A ban may not always be necessary, and should be used as a last resort. Many server owners recommend a "''warn, kick, shortban, ban''" method to deal with troublesome players.

A server administrator would ban a player by either:
*using the /ban command in an in-game chat window ''or''
*editing the file while the server is off
Server administrators can also load the ''serverControl'' plugin that reloads a specified banfile every few seconds.

The administrator may specify a duration for the ban, or ban a player indefinitely. A reason for the ban may also be specified, which will be used for reference in server logs and sent to the player.

==See also==
[[BZFS]]

[[BZFS Command Line Options]]

[[Creating_A_Server#Good_Administration|Good Server Administration]]

[[Slash Commands]]

[[Known Cheats]]

Missile War 2.3

2010-07-01T05:31:23Z

Bambino: Updated map info: Added flags, updated flag placement, and fixed a spelling error.

'''Missile War 2.3''' is a 2-team CTF map by Ducatiwannabe. It first appeared approximately in the end of 2007 and is one of the most popular maps as of early 2010.

[[Image:missile_war_2_3.png|thumb|right|Missile War 2.3 Screenshot]]

The bases are situated at 2 opposite corners of the map. The center tower has a Genocide flag on it, the only Genocide flag on the map. There are also Guided Missile flags and Laser flags, which make sniping useful. There are also 2 buildings in the opposite corners from the bases, which contain Shockwave and Stealth flags and launch pads that you can drive on to launch to the other team's base. There are also Oscillation Overthruster flags under the center tower, Wings flags (useful for getting the Genocide flag in the center), and Superbullet flags in the corners of each base. There are a variety of flags in the open field between bases, such as Narrow and Seer. There are also two floating towers in each base to snipe players trying to get to the Genocide flag.

Some recent editions to the map include adding Cloak flags on each base to prevent spawn killing, adding a Bouncy flag on the Genocide tower, and adding Thief flags.

[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:CTF Maps]]
[[Category:2 Team Maps]]

Category:Leagues

2010-07-01T04:53:11Z

Bambino: /* Open League */ Updated IRC Channel: #openleague.net was dropped and changed to ##openleague.

== BZFlag Leagues ==

To join a league click on one of the links below and register your callsign. Some leagues may require that you be added to a list by an admin before you are allowed to talk/spawn on match servers. Please use the same callsign for matching that you have register on the league site. Most of the IRC channels for each league are situated on the [http://freenode.net/ freenode] network. Please refer to [[BZFlag on IRC]] for help on using IRC.

== Ducati League ==
Website: [http://league.bzflag.org/ http://league.bzflag.net/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/##ducleague ##ducleague]

Match Length: 15, 20 or 30 minutes

Rules: 2 shots, no jumping, ricochet, CTF, randomly generated map.

== [[GU League]] ==
Website: [http://gu.bzleague.com/ http://gu.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#guleague #guleague]

Match Length: 30 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, jumping, ricochet, CTF, [[HiX]] map.

== Pillbox League ==
Website: [http://pillbox.bzleague.com/ http://pillbox.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#pillbox #pillbox]

Match Length: 15, 20 or 30 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, no jumping, no ricochet, CTF, pillbox map.

== [[Open League]] ==
Website: [http://openleague.net/ http://openleague.net/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#openleague.net ##openleague]

Match Length: 15, 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, jumping , ricochet, CTF, [[babel]] or a map that changes every week (which can have different rules).

== 1vs1 League ==
Website: [http://1vs1.bzleague.com/ http://1vs1.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: None.

Match Length: First to 10 kills.

Rules:
:classic & fancy style: -> FFA mode, 2 shots, ricochet, no jumping, no superflags, small randomly generated map
:hix style -> FFA mode, 3 shots, ricochet, jumping, no superflags, hix map

== Fun League ==
Website: [http://fun.bzleague.com/ http://fun.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: None.

Match Length: Depends on which map you play on.

Rules: Depends on which map you play on.

== BZSoccer League ==

Website: [http://bzsoccer.bzleague.com/ http://bzsoccer.bzleague.com/] *Note* Website has many bugs and will be fixed soon.

IRC Channel: ##divi

Match length: 15 minutes

Rules: 2 shots, jumping, ricochet, soccer field map.

Please note that this league is inactive. The league will be revived when the website is fixed.

== LavaHiX League ==
Website: [http://lavahix.wtwrp.de/ http://lavahix.wtwrp.de/]

IRC Channel: None.

Match Length: 15 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, jumping, ricochet, CTF, [[HiX]] map with "lava" ground.

== Defunct Leagues ==

=== Plosileague ===

Website: [http://bzfx.net/league/ http://bzfx.net/league/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#plosileague #plosileague]

Match Length: 30 minutes or first to 5 caps and ahead of the other team by at least 2 caps

Rules: 3 shots, jumping, ricochet, CTF, [[overlord]] or [[babel]] map.

Category:Leagues

2010-07-01T04:49:05Z

Bambino: /* Ducati League */ Updated URL: league.bzflag.org expired. Changed to league.bzflag.net

== BZFlag Leagues ==

To join a league click on one of the links below and register your callsign. Some leagues may require that you be added to a list by an admin before you are allowed to talk/spawn on match servers. Please use the same callsign for matching that you have register on the league site. Most of the IRC channels for each league are situated on the [http://freenode.net/ freenode] network. Please refer to [[BZFlag on IRC]] for help on using IRC.

== Ducati League ==
Website: [http://league.bzflag.org/ http://league.bzflag.net/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/##ducleague ##ducleague]

Match Length: 15, 20 or 30 minutes

Rules: 2 shots, no jumping, ricochet, CTF, randomly generated map.

== [[GU League]] ==
Website: [http://gu.bzleague.com/ http://gu.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#guleague #guleague]

Match Length: 30 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, jumping, ricochet, CTF, [[HiX]] map.

== Pillbox League ==
Website: [http://pillbox.bzleague.com/ http://pillbox.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#pillbox #pillbox]

Match Length: 15, 20 or 30 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, no jumping, no ricochet, CTF, pillbox map.

== [[Open League]] ==
Website: [http://openleague.net/ http://openleague.net/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#openleague.net #openleague.net]

Match Length: 15, 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, jumping , ricochet, CTF, [[babel]] or a map that changes every week (which can have different rules).

== 1vs1 League ==
Website: [http://1vs1.bzleague.com/ http://1vs1.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: None.

Match Length: First to 10 kills.

Rules:
:classic & fancy style: -> FFA mode, 2 shots, ricochet, no jumping, no superflags, small randomly generated map
:hix style -> FFA mode, 3 shots, ricochet, jumping, no superflags, hix map

== Fun League ==
Website: [http://fun.bzleague.com/ http://fun.bzleague.com/]

IRC Channel: None.

Match Length: Depends on which map you play on.

Rules: Depends on which map you play on.

== BZSoccer League ==

Website: [http://bzsoccer.bzleague.com/ http://bzsoccer.bzleague.com/] *Note* Website has many bugs and will be fixed soon.

IRC Channel: ##divi

Match length: 15 minutes

Rules: 2 shots, jumping, ricochet, soccer field map.

Please note that this league is inactive. The league will be revived when the website is fixed.

== LavaHiX League ==
Website: [http://lavahix.wtwrp.de/ http://lavahix.wtwrp.de/]

IRC Channel: None.

Match Length: 15 minutes.

Rules: 3 shots, jumping, ricochet, CTF, [[HiX]] map with "lava" ground.

== Defunct Leagues ==

=== Plosileague ===

Website: [http://bzfx.net/league/ http://bzfx.net/league/]

IRC Channel: [irc://irc.freenode.net/#plosileague #plosileague]

Match Length: 30 minutes or first to 5 caps and ahead of the other team by at least 2 caps

Rules: 3 shots, jumping, ricochet, CTF, [[overlord]] or [[babel]] map.

Sample Group File

2010-07-01T04:47:05Z

Bambino: /* Group File Editors */ Changed groupdb maker to a working link. (groupdb.links-clan.net nolonger worked.)

==Sample==
What follows is a sample group file
<pre>
# In this example everyone in the SAMPLE.ADMIN group also gets the permissions
# of SAMPLE.COP, because of the *SAMPLE.COP entry which adds the permissions
# of SAMPLE.COP to SAMPLE.ADMIN, and everyone in the SAMPLE.OWNER
# group gets the permissions of SAMPLE.ADMIN (including the SAMPLE.COP) permissions
# because of the *SAMPLE.ADMIN entry.

SAMPLE.COP:+FLAGHISTORY +KICK +KILL +BANLIST +PLAYERLIST +POLL +VETO +PRIVATEMESSAGE +ACTIONMESSAGE \
+ADMINMESSAGESEND +ADMINMESSAGERECEIVE +IDLESTATS +SPAWN +TALK +SAY +MUTE +UNMUTE +ANTIBAN +ANTIPOLL \
+ANTIPOLLBAN +ANTIPOLLKICK +ANTIDEREGISTER +REJOIN +SAY +FLAGMASTER

SAMPLE.ADMIN: *SAMPLE.COP +BAN +UNBAN

SAMPLE.OWNER: *SAMPLE.ADMIN +SETVAR +SHUTDOWNSERVER

MUTE: !TALK

# There are 2 "default" groups which are on every server they are
# EVERYONE and VERIFIED. EVERYONE is, well, everyone, including
# those in other groups. VERIFIED are users who have Globally Identified,
# also including those in other groups. You may include them in
# your group file. Permissions can be prefixed by one of 3 symbols +, -, or !

# +PERM adds a permission
# -PERM removes a permission
# !PERM denies a permission, even if it is inherited from another group.

# If the permission has no symbol + is assumed. If there is a conflict in perms
# between groups a person belongs to the order of precedence (from lowest to highest)
# is -, +, !. This means if there is a -PERM and +PERM, the permissions that the
# user gets is +PERM. On the other hand if there is a +PERM and a !PERM the user
# is denied that PERM. The order in which the permissions are in the group file
# is not important.

# The line below removes all of the default permissions from the EVERYONE group and then
# gives them back TALK and SPAWN.
# EVERYONE: -ALL +SPAWN +TALK

</pre>
==Group File Editors==
http://bzextreme.com/grouphelper/
[[Category:Server]]

Getting Started

2009-06-30T07:14:56Z

Bambino: /* Controls */ spacebar drop flag enter fire

This article covers the basics of getting started with BZFlag. It is intended for new players who have just found the game and require assistance. More detailed help can be found on our [[Getting Help]] page.

==Getting Started==
These simple steps have been designed to allow new users to begin playing the game as quickly as possible.

===Downloading and installing the game===

The main thing users need to play is the game software. Users can [[Download]] the software for a number of different [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system|operating systems].

====Windows====
The most common operating system for players is Microsoft Windows. A simple installer can be found at, http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/bzflag/bzflag-2.0.10.exe?download . Simply Double click the downloaded file to install the game.

====Mac OSX====
The next most popular system for players is Apple's MacOS X for the Macintosh family of computers. The version for macs can be found at, http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/bzflag/BZFlag-2.0.10.dmg . Simply drag the BZFlag icon from the extracted DMG to your Applications folder to install the game.

====Linux====
The project does not distribute a premade binary package for linux, but many linux distrobutions have BZFlag in their package management systems ( APT, YUM, emerge, etc.. ). Linux users can always build the game from the source code. Please see the [[Download|downloads]] page for more information.

===Registering a callsign(Optional)===
It is not mandatory to register a callsign ( the name a player uses in-game), but it is highly recommended.

A few of the benefits of registering are:

* The callsign is reserved, and can not be used by any other player.
* Registered users post on the BZFlag forums
* Registered users can join global groups, and leagues.
* Many servers require registration to play.

Users that wish to register can simply do so on the BZFlag forums at [http://my.bzflag.org/bb/profile.php?mode=register my.bzflag.org/bb]

===Running the game===

Once the game is installed, it must be run to play.

====Windows====
Windows users that have installed the game with the provided installer will find a shortcut to the game in the start menu, under program files. Users simply have to click this shortcut to start the game.

====Mac OS X====
Macintosh users simply have to double click the BZFlag icon that they dragged to their Applications folder to start the game.

====Linux====
Linux, and other unix based platforms can start the game by typing the command '''bzflag''' in a terminal.

===Joining a game===
When the game is first started it will show the main menu screen. Users navigate the menu by using the Up and Down arrow keys to highlight a menu item, and using the enter key to select and activate the highlighted item.

{|
|-
|
====Main Menu====
The main menu includes a number of menu items that lead to sub menus. The most important menu for new players is the '''Join Game''' item.
|[[Image:MainMenu.png|right|thumb|300px|The Main Menu]]
|-
|

====Join Game Menu====
Users wishing to join an internet game in progress should choose the '''Join Game''' item from the main menu.

On the first run of the game software all the fields in the Join Menu will be empty. Players need to use the arrow keys to highlight the '''Callsign''' item and input a player name. This name will be how other players see the user. Registered users should use the same callsign that they registered when playing. Registered users should also enter in their password into the item marked '''password'''. This password is only used for to verify your identity and is NEVER sent to the game server.

The e-mail string is optional and usually left blank by many users.

Once this information has been entered, the user must choose a server to play on. Servers are games of BZFlag that are hosted on the internet. There are over 200 servers to choose from. A listing of all the servers can be found by highlighting the '''Find Server''' menu item to bring up the server list.

|[[Image:JoinGame.png|right|thumb|300px|]]
|-
|
====Server List====
The server list menu shows a listing of all publicly available internet games. The list is sorted by the number of players on each server at any time, and will dynamically change over time. The servers with the highest player counts will always be at the top of the list.

The various servers can be highlighted using the arrow keys, and additional information about the highlighted game will be shown at the top of the screen. Once the user has chosen a server to join they must hit the enter key to select the server and return to the Join Game Menu.

|[[Image:ServerList.png|right|thumb|300px|The Serverlist]]
|-
|

====Entering a Game====
When a server is choosen from the Server List, it's information will be automatically entered into the appropriate fields in the Join Game menu. The user may then choose a team color, or leave the setting on automatic if they wish the server to assign them to a team.

When all the information is entered, the user simply has to choose connect menu item, and they will join the game. If additional textures or resources are needed to join the game, they will be downloaded automatically.
|-
|

====Playing BZFlag====
Once the user has joined the game they will be able to enjoy the gameplay that has made BZFlag one of the most popular open source games in history.
|-
|

=====Controls=====
The basic controls for the game are rather simple.

By default the mouse is used for movement. Moving the mouse up and down will move the tank forwards and backwards, while moving the mouse left and right will cause the tank to turn in that direction. Returning the mouse to the center of the screen will cause the tank to stop moving.

The left mouse button is used to fire the tank's weapon.

Optionally the keyboard can be used. The arrow keys control movement in the same way as the mouse, and the space bar is used to drop the flag you are carrying. The 'enter' key is used to fire the tanks weapon

Some servers offer a feature that allows tanks to jump. The ''tab'' key is used to start a small jump into the air. When jumping a tank normally can not change its speed or direction until it lands. Depending on the map, it may be possible for tanks to jump and land on various world objects and continue to fight.
|-
|

=====Objective=====
BZFlag is a team game, and has various objectives depending on the game type.

The default game type is '''Free For All''', commonly abbreviated as ''FFA''. This mode is similar to a team death match in other first person shooting type games. The objective is to destroy as many tanks as possible on other teams, while minimizing your own losses. Tanks are destroyed by being shot, in most cases one shot is all it takes to kill an enemy tank.

Capture the Flag is another common game type. Its objective is to pick up the flag from an opposing team and return it to your base. Tanks are destroyed the same way as in FFA games.

The least common type of game is '''Rabbit Hunt'''. In this game mode, one user is a white-colored '''rabbit''' tank, and everyone else is a orange-colored '''hunter''' tank. The '''hunter''' tank(s) must chase and kill the rabbit tank. The '''hunter''' tank which kills the '''rabbit''' tank then becomes the '''rabbit''' tank.
|-
|

=====Non-Standard Teams=====

Usually, you may not shoot members of your own team. But, there is one exception to this rule, called the '''rogue''' team. '''Rogue''' tanks are black in the view window, and yellow on the radar. They may shoot their "teammates", and gain points for it. This is because '''rogue''' tanks are each on a one-man team of their own. '''Rogue''' tanks are usually found on '''Free For All''' maps, but are occasionally found on '''CTF''' maps.
|-Rogue.
|

=====Flags=====
There are four different kinds of flags on an average server:
* Team flags are colored to correspond with the teams on the map. The idea is to grab the other team's flag and bring it back to your base.
* Superflags are "power ups" for your tank. Some examples of superflags can be '''Guided Missile''' (Allows your tank to lock onto and shoot others), '''laser''' (Allows your tank to shoot an infinitely fast and long laser beam), and '''Stealth''' (Your tank does not appear on radar).
* Bad Flags restrict the movement or actions of your tank. Some bad flags are ''''No Jumping, Obesity, Trigger Happy,''' and '''Left turn only.'''
* Antidote flags are flags that appear only when you have a bad flag. Driving over an antidote flag removes the bad flag from your tank.
|-
|

=====Customizing Controls=====
You can alter most of the controls in the menu (or, if you prefer, by editing the BZFlag config file.)
In the menu it is located at Options > Input settings > Key mapping

To assign a keystroke, mouse button or joystick button to a particular command select the command with Up or Down arrows, press Enter and press the keystroke or button you wish to associate with that command.
You can assign two different keystrokes/buttons to a given command, by repeating the assignment process.

Note: you can assign a keystroke or button already in use for a different command, but if you do remember that the old command will be unmapped..

To delete an assignment select the command with Up or Down arrows and press Delete.
If the command has two assignments, the first (leftmost) assignment is deleted, and the second (rightmost) assignment takes its place.

|-
|

=====Interface Elements=====
Most of the interface elements can be changed in the GUI settings, or by editing the config file.
|-
|

======Scoreboard======
Once a player has joined a server, they should notice a number of things, including the scoreboard.

Internet games commonly feature between 5 and 20 players. The names of these players will be listed in the scoreboard on the left hand side of the screen. The scoreboard can be hidden and shown by using the ''S'' key. The scoreboard is usually set up to show a players name, score, teamkills, email string, flag, kills/deaths, and the amount of kills/deaths you have scored against that player. For example, in this scoreboard, player "Andrey" has a score of 2, 0 teamkills, and email string of "Andrey@andreypc", has the SW (shock wave) flag, has 8 kills, 6 deaths, and has been killed by player "me1" 0 times, and has killed player "me1" once. Flags whose names are in white are powerful flags. Team flags are always the color of that team on the scoreboard. Other flags are just the same color as the player using them.

|[[Image:Scoreboard.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Scoreboard]]
|-
|
======Team Scoreboard======
There is also a scoreboard for team scores. In FFA this shows the kills, deaths, and overall score. In CTF this shows the amount of flags that team has captured, and the amount of times their flag was captured, and the score. Also, to the right is the amount of players on that team. The rogue team is never included on the team scoreboard.
|[[Image:Teamscoreboard.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Team Scoreboard]]
|-
|

======Radar======
The [[Radar]] (In the bottom left), shows a bird's eye, 2d view of the map. This is useful for dodging bullets, and seeing where other players are in relation to the users' tank. The user's tank is displayed in the center of the radar, in white. Two lines from the user's "blip" on the radar represent the user's FOV (Field of view). The user's bullets are also displayed in white. Other teams are shown on the radar in their respective color, red shown in red, green shown in green, etc. The rogue team is shown in yellow. Flags are shown as little x's, and team flags as colored x's. A square is also around each radar "blip." This represents height. The larger the square, the higher something is. If a "blip" has an X through it, that tank has a flag.

|[[Image:Radar.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Radar]]
|-
|

====Sportsmanship====

When playing BZFlag, it is important to keep a few simple rules in mind:

* Players should never shoot tanks on their own team (except for the rogue players).
* Players should be civil to other players in all respects.

|[[Image:Screenshot1.jpg|right|thumb|300px|A Screenshot of a standard 2.0.9 client playing on Missile War 2]]
|}

Config File

2009-06-19T05:10:24Z

Bambino: /* Binding Custom Keys */ Binding 1 key with 2 functions

BZFlag uses an ASCII configuration file to store user settings. The file is called "config.cfg."
==Location==
The location of the config file depends on your operating system.
===Windows===
'''XP''': C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\My Documents\My BZFlag Files\2.0\config.cfg <br />
'''Vista''': C:\Users\[user]\Documents\My BZFlag Files\2.0\config.cfg

(Of course, replace [user] with your username)

===Mac OS X===
~/Library/Application Support/BZFlag/2.0/config.cfg

===Linux and unix platforms===
~/.bzf/2.0/config.cfg

==Editing the Config File==
As the config file is a text file, it is possible to directly edit it via text-editor instead of through the built-in GUI. Most things can be edited through the in-game GUI, however, there are some things that you can only add via text-editor. Settings that can only be set by editing the config file directly will be discussed here. (Note: these can also be set in-game with the /localset or /bind commands).

===Localset Options===
set highlightPattern "laser"
set highlightPattern "laser|genocide"
set highlightPattern "(Team Flag|Team's Flag|Genocide)"
''highlightPattern'' highlights lines with the selected words when they appear in the console(chat box).
*When highlighting one word, just type the word in quotes, such as "laser."
*If one wants to highlight two or more words, the words must be separated with a '|', such as "laser|genocide" (highlights lines with laser OR genocide).
*If any of the words have spaces, all the words must be surrounded in parentheses, such as "(Team Flag|Team's Flag|Genocide)" (highlights lines with "Team Flag," "Team's Flag," OR "Genocide").

set linedradarshots 10
set linedradarshots 65
''linedradarshots'' sets how long shots are on the radar. While this option ''is'' set-able through the in-game GUI, you can only set this setting up to 10 via the GUI. You can hand-edit your config to give you longer shot lengths.

set latitude 45
set longitude 71
''latitude'' and ''longitude'' set the latitude and longitude for BZFlag's sky rendering system.

''Hint: To always have a black sky set latitude 90 (north pole) or -90 (south pole) for winter/summer respectively.''

===Binding Custom Keys===
One can bind custom keys outside of those given in the in-game GUI.

The standard format for binding a key is as follows:
bind <key> <keypresstype> <event>

For example, the following binding sets ''displayRadarRange'', or how far the radar is zoomed, to 0.12, when the key '`' is pressed.
bind ` down "set displayRadarRange 0.12"

One can use this template to set any of the options in the config file. However, some of the options, like ''radarsize'' need an additional function call that is only called via the options menu, and as such will do nothing if you bind them.

One can also use the toggle keyword instead of set to have a key toggle two options:
bind F down "toggle linedradarshots 65"
bind F down "toggle linedradarshots 65 10"
The first line toggles the length of shots on the radar between 65 and an understood 0. The second line toggles ''linedradarshots'' between 65 and 10. This is much easier than having two keys to switch between two options.

''(Don't do this.)''
bind F down "set linedradarshots 65"
bind G down "set linedradarshots 10"

You can also bind one key with two funtions:

bind E down fire
bind E up identify

This will make it so you can fire and lock-on with GM with the same button.

To un-bind a key, just place a hash(#) at the front of the line, or remove the line completely. For example, to if one is tired of unintentionally hitting F12, he or she can simply disable it.
#bind F12 down quit


[[Category:Client]]

Known Cheats

2009-06-18T04:51:02Z

Bambino: /* Subtle Cheats */ Added Guided Laser

Cheats performed on BZFlag are usually made by modifying your client. A great deal of power is invested in the client program, and therefore the client may cheat in every way from creating invincible tanks, to invisibility, to super killing. If you have seen any cheats, have performed them yourself, or have noticed a hole in the source, please add it here. Preventions for many of these cheats are being developed for inclusion in [[BZFlag 3.0|v3.0]].

== Warning ==
Do not use a modified client on a public server. If you are found to be using a cheat client, you will likely be banned from multiple servers and could quickly find yourself with nowhere to play. Cheating in BZflag is not the same as using a cheat code in a PlayStation game. See also the ''Notes on "CHEAT" servers'' at the bottom of the [[BZFlag_README | README]], which forbid the hosting of a "cheat" server. A copy of the README is included with the source code and is displayed when you install a pre-compiled copy of the game.

== Blatant Cheats ==
The following cheats are considered "blatant" cheats because they are usually apparent, even to new players.

NOTE: Some of these cheats may be prevented or already fixed in certain versions of BZFlag.

A cheater may:
* fly without Wings.
* steal from or give flags to other players.
* give flags to observers.
* rapidly pickup and drop every flag on the map, as if a flag reset were performed.
* spawn with a flag (usually Guided Missile or Genocide, but can be anything).
* be immune to the effects of bad flags.
* grab a new flag when passing through a teleporter (when no flag exists).
* move, pickup flags, or shoot other tanks while paused.
* move through buildings without Oscillation Overthruster ("wall walking").
* move backwards through buildings with the Oscillation Overthruster.
* drive outside of the playing area.
* jump back briefly to avoid a bullet then return to where you were ("network jitter").
* double jump.
* move vertically on a map very quickly or higher than settings would normally allow.
* instantaneous travel to a new location.
* jump and land at a pre-determined set of coordinates (i.e. the center of a team pad).
* shoot teammates without blowing them up.
* shoot bullets that travel at a different rate (usually faster).
* shoot bullets that travel at impossible linear paths (i.e. downwards, sideways).
* shoot bullets from any side of their tank.
* fire multiple shots simultaneously, often in spreads & separate impossible paths.
* shoot bullets which cannot be seen on radar or in the HUD.
* cause himself to be shot by any other player, even if no shots were fired or the player hasn't spawned (AKA "TK Cheat").
* cause another player to shoot the cheater, even if no shots were fired.
* produce abnormally long laser blasts (in terms of length and time).
* be zoned, but yet still shoot tanks that are not zoned.
* become instantly unzoned.
* not lose flags when paused.
* cause the bullets of other tanks to explode prematurely.
* lock onto stealthed players while using Guided Missile.
* produce abnormally large, small, or frequent shockwave blasts.
* produce shockwaves at several locations simultaneously.
* respond differently to gravity.
* move at a different rate (usually faster).
* instantly self-destruct.
* be completely invincible to shots ("god mode").
* be invincible while on auto-pilot.
* be partially invincible, repelling everything but some particular flags (often SW or SR are chosen).
* instantly kill everyone else.
* spawn without delay or very rapid respawns (Has been fixed in 2.0.11).
* be joined as an observer, but playing with a visible, invincible tank
* be able to strafe or slide left or right
* send chat messages that appear to have come from another player

== Subtle Cheats ==
'''Subtle cheats''' are modifications to the BZFlag client that give the user an unfair advantage. Unlike the obvious "blatant" cheats, these modifications are often difficult to detect by other players. These modifications often involve small changes to existing source code, and will make their users appear luckier, more intuitive, or more accurate shooters, giving them a slight edge.

Some of these cheats may be detected by examining long-term player statistics. For example, if a specific player picks up a certain superflag 80% of the time over an extended period, on a map where flag positions are completely randomized, then there is strong reason to suspect the player of using a flag identification cheat.

The following is a list of known subtle cheats:

[[Image:Bzfi0002.png|thumb|A screenshot taken on a typical cheat client. Various modifications and enhancements are visible.]]
[[Image:Coo.png|thumb|A screenshot taken on cheat client.]]

;FlagColoring
:Flags are given unique colors (or some other identifying feature - colors are simplest). This can be applied to some, or all flags. For example, bad flags are brown, Shock Wave is cyan, Stealth is orange, Guided Missile is pink, etc. This allows the user to avoid bad flags, spot good flags from across the map, and tell what flags other players are carrying or picking up much more easily.

;RadarPath
:The player can see bullet trajectories at an extended length, making shots easier to avoid, or aiding with targeting. The latter function is used mostly on ricochet maps.

;StealthDetect
:The player can see stealthed tanks on the radar. Often times the cheater's client will flash the stealthed tank on the cheater's radar. This allows a cheater to know that he shouldn't be able to know that tanks position and allow him to "play dumb".

;CloakDetect
:The player can see cloaked tanks on the field. Often times the cheater's client will show cloaked tanks as zoned tanks (as if holding the PZ flag).

;DisableBadFlags
:Bad flags whose effects are invisible to other players are disabled from affecting the tank.

;NoGenocide
:A teammate is impervious to Genocide.

;FunnyBullet
:Various cheats that affect the manner in which bullets are fired are possible. The simplest is to increase bullet velocity. Other cheats include launching multiple bullets in different directions and giving bullets a vertical slope. Many of these cheats are less subtle, and discussed above.

;SkinnyTank
:Normally, if your aim is a little bit off, you can still kill a tank. When this cheat is in effect, other players have to aim more accurately to kill the user.

;ImprovedConsole
:The player's console provides more information than is normal. It's debatable whether this should be considered a cheat or not, but players with better consoles will have a slight advantage.

;GuidedMissileWontUnlock
:When the user is killed, his guided missiles remain locked on their targets. This is harder to detect than a Guided Missile being able to lock onto stealthed players, which is discussed above.

;Guided Laser
:A player can lock-on with the laser flag as if it were Guided Missile. Can fire in all directions, regardless of VerticalVelocity server settings

[[Image:Bzfi0001.png|thumb|A hacked client equipped with the ProgressiveIdentify cheat. One flag has been identified so far.]]

;BulletFreeZone
:Any player in the game can cause anyone else's bullets to explode prematurely (if their client is hacked). Here are a few possible effects:
:# A victim (or victims) will not be able to fire his weapon (bullets will explode shortly after leaving the muzzle). Others can't tell who is causing this.
:# Bullets will explode before hitting a cheater, as if the cheater has a forcefield.
:# Bullets will explode before hitting a "victim" who is not the cheater, creating the impression that the victim has a forcefield and is cheating. Or the cheater could create the impression that a whole group of tanks are cheating.
:# Bullets will not be allowed to enter a "bullet-free zone" (such as a building or platform).

;TinyCloak
:The cheater's tank is modified to be smaller and harder to hit, but only when carrying the Cloaking flag. Making a tank this hard to hit would be a blatant cheat if the tank wasn't cloaked.

;ProgressiveIdentify
:A variation of the FlagColoring cheat. The client holds the identity of each flag in memory whenever it is picked up by any player and displays the flag type on the cheater's HUD.

In addition to the above subtle cheats, a cheater may:
* have a wider than normal field of vision (e.g. 120 degrees)
* have Guided Missles modified to not lock onto team mates
* modify the turn rate of his Guided Missles
* modify the way his targets are selected for Guided Missle lock
* have an indicator showing when an opponent is in reloading mode
* modify his client string
* automatically self-destruct if a geno bullet comes too close to him
* see the screen and radar when paused
* be able to see who locked on them with a Guided Missle
* have radar or different radar settings independent of server radar settings
* have lines on the radar showing which way each tank is facing
* see burrowed tanks as regular tanks on the radar
* have no limits imposed upon the radar "/set _radarLimit 0 or Burrow do not affect the radar"
* have shots by a zoned tank not show up on radar
* make slight turns when falling
* have different binocular zoom settings
* fire with no delay after stealing a flag with thief
* have an indicator showing how many wing jumps are left
* see invisible bullets on radar
* see opponent's team color despite opponent having masquerade flag
* have an auto-aiming ability that lines up on other tanks to fire upon
* be able to enable auto-pilot on non-auto-pilot maps
* be able to enable/disable/enable auto-pilot without delay
* be able to enable auto-pilot without notifying the server/other players
* be able to pause instantly in mid-air

== Other Malicious Activities ==
The following is a list of malicious activities that cheaters might also engage in:

* attempt to guess or "crack" the server or map's password.
* the use of "Bots" or "Drones" to lag a server by sending large amounts of data or using client commands rapidly
* the use of "Bots" or "Drones" to deny a poll or create and complete a poll in the favor of the cheater

[[Category:Gameplay]]
[[Category:Server]]
[[Category:Server Security]]

Known Cheats

2009-06-18T04:25:13Z

Bambino: /* Subtle Cheats */

Cheats performed on BZFlag are usually made by modifying your client. A great deal of power is invested in the client program, and therefore the client may cheat in every way from creating invincible tanks, to invisibility, to super killing. If you have seen any cheats, have performed them yourself, or have noticed a hole in the source, please add it here. Preventions for many of these cheats are being developed for inclusion in [[BZFlag 3.0|v3.0]].

== Warning ==
Do not use a modified client on a public server. If you are found to be using a cheat client, you will likely be banned from multiple servers and could quickly find yourself with nowhere to play. Cheating in BZflag is not the same as using a cheat code in a PlayStation game. See also the ''Notes on "CHEAT" servers'' at the bottom of the [[BZFlag_README | README]], which forbid the hosting of a "cheat" server. A copy of the README is included with the source code and is displayed when you install a pre-compiled copy of the game.

== Blatant Cheats ==
The following cheats are considered "blatant" cheats because they are usually apparent, even to new players.

NOTE: Some of these cheats may be prevented or already fixed in certain versions of BZFlag.

A cheater may:
* fly without Wings.
* steal from or give flags to other players.
* give flags to observers.
* rapidly pickup and drop every flag on the map, as if a flag reset were performed.
* spawn with a flag (usually Guided Missile or Genocide, but can be anything).
* be immune to the effects of bad flags.
* grab a new flag when passing through a teleporter (when no flag exists).
* move, pickup flags, or shoot other tanks while paused.
* move through buildings without Oscillation Overthruster ("wall walking").
* move backwards through buildings with the Oscillation Overthruster.
* drive outside of the playing area.
* jump back briefly to avoid a bullet then return to where you were ("network jitter").
* double jump.
* move vertically on a map very quickly or higher than settings would normally allow.
* instantaneous travel to a new location.
* jump and land at a pre-determined set of coordinates (i.e. the center of a team pad).
* shoot teammates without blowing them up.
* shoot bullets that travel at a different rate (usually faster).
* shoot bullets that travel at impossible linear paths (i.e. downwards, sideways).
* shoot bullets from any side of their tank.
* fire multiple shots simultaneously, often in spreads & separate impossible paths.
* shoot bullets which cannot be seen on radar or in the HUD.
* cause himself to be shot by any other player, even if no shots were fired or the player hasn't spawned (AKA "TK Cheat").
* cause another player to shoot the cheater, even if no shots were fired.
* produce abnormally long laser blasts (in terms of length and time).
* be zoned, but yet still shoot tanks that are not zoned.
* become instantly unzoned.
* not lose flags when paused.
* cause the bullets of other tanks to explode prematurely.
* lock onto stealthed players while using Guided Missile.
* produce abnormally large, small, or frequent shockwave blasts.
* produce shockwaves at several locations simultaneously.
* respond differently to gravity.
* move at a different rate (usually faster).
* instantly self-destruct.
* be completely invincible to shots ("god mode").
* be invincible while on auto-pilot.
* be partially invincible, repelling everything but some particular flags (often SW or SR are chosen).
* instantly kill everyone else.
* spawn without delay or very rapid respawns (Has been fixed in 2.0.11).
* be joined as an observer, but playing with a visible, invincible tank
* be able to strafe or slide left or right
* send chat messages that appear to have come from another player

== Subtle Cheats ==
'''Subtle cheats''' are modifications to the BZFlag client that give the user an unfair advantage. Unlike the obvious "blatant" cheats, these modifications are often difficult to detect by other players. These modifications often involve small changes to existing source code, and will make their users appear luckier, more intuitive, or more accurate shooters, giving them a slight edge.

Some of these cheats may be detected by examining long-term player statistics. For example, if a specific player picks up a certain superflag 80% of the time over an extended period, on a map where flag positions are completely randomized, then there is strong reason to suspect the player of using a flag identification cheat.

The following is a list of known subtle cheats:

[[Image:Bzfi0002.png|thumb|A screenshot taken on a typical cheat client. Various modifications and enhancements are visible.]]
[[Image:Coo.png|thumb|A screenshot taken on cheat client.]]

;FlagColoring
:Flags are given unique colors (or some other identifying feature - colors are simplest). This can be applied to some, or all flags. For example, bad flags are brown, Shock Wave is cyan, Stealth is orange, Guided Missile is pink, etc. This allows the user to avoid bad flags, spot good flags from across the map, and tell what flags other players are carrying or picking up much more easily.

;RadarPath
:The player can see bullet trajectories at an extended length, making shots easier to avoid, or aiding with targeting. The latter function is used mostly on ricochet maps.

;StealthDetect
:The player can see stealthed tanks on the radar. Often times the cheater's client will flash the stealthed tank on the cheater's radar. This allows a cheater to know that he shouldn't be able to know that tanks position and allow him to "play dumb".

;CloakDetect
:The player can see cloaked tanks on the field. Often times the cheater's client will show cloaked tanks as zoned tanks (as if holding the PZ flag).

;DisableBadFlags
:Bad flags whose effects are invisible to other players are disabled from affecting the tank.

;NoGenocide
:A teammate is impervious to Genocide.

;FunnyBullet
:Various cheats that affect the manner in which bullets are fired are possible. The simplest is to increase bullet velocity. Other cheats include launching multiple bullets in different directions and giving bullets a vertical slope. Many of these cheats are less subtle, and discussed above.

;SkinnyTank
:Normally, if your aim is a little bit off, you can still kill a tank. When this cheat is in effect, other players have to aim more accurately to kill the user.

;ImprovedConsole
:The player's console provides more information than is normal. It's debatable whether this should be considered a cheat or not, but players with better consoles will have a slight advantage.

;GuidedMissileWontUnlock
:When the user is killed, his guided missiles remain locked on their targets. This is harder to detect than a Guided Missile being able to lock onto stealthed players, which is discussed above.

[[Image:Bzfi0001.png|thumb|A hacked client equipped with the ProgressiveIdentify cheat. One flag has been identified so far.]]

;BulletFreeZone
:Any player in the game can cause anyone else's bullets to explode prematurely (if their client is hacked). Here are a few possible effects:
:# A victim (or victims) will not be able to fire his weapon (bullets will explode shortly after leaving the muzzle). Others can't tell who is causing this.
:# Bullets will explode before hitting a cheater, as if the cheater has a forcefield.
:# Bullets will explode before hitting a "victim" who is not the cheater, creating the impression that the victim has a forcefield and is cheating. Or the cheater could create the impression that a whole group of tanks are cheating.
:# Bullets will not be allowed to enter a "bullet-free zone" (such as a building or platform).

;TinyCloak
:The cheater's tank is modified to be smaller and harder to hit, but only when carrying the Cloaking flag. Making a tank this hard to hit would be a blatant cheat if the tank wasn't cloaked.

;ProgressiveIdentify
:A variation of the FlagColoring cheat. The client holds the identity of each flag in memory whenever it is picked up by any player and displays the flag type on the cheater's HUD.

In addition to the above subtle cheats, a cheater may:
* have a wider than normal field of vision (e.g. 120 degrees)
* have Guided Missles modified to not lock onto team mates
* modify the turn rate of his Guided Missles
* modify the way his targets are selected for Guided Missle lock
* have an indicator showing when an opponent is in reloading mode
* modify his client string
* automatically self-destruct if a geno bullet comes too close to him
* see the screen and radar when paused
* be able to see who locked on them with a Guided Missle
* have radar or different radar settings independent of server radar settings
* have lines on the radar showing which way each tank is facing
* see burrowed tanks as regular tanks on the radar
* have no limits imposed upon the radar "/set _radarLimit 0 or Burrow do not affect the radar"
* have shots by a zoned tank not show up on radar
* make slight turns when falling
* have different binocular zoom settings
* fire with no delay after stealing a flag with thief
* have an indicator showing how many wing jumps are left
* see invisible bullets on radar
* see opponent's team color despite opponent having masquerade flag
* have an auto-aiming ability that lines up on other tanks to fire upon
* be able to enable auto-pilot on non-auto-pilot maps
* be able to enable/disable/enable auto-pilot without delay
* be able to enable auto-pilot without notifying the server/other players
* be able to pause instantly in mid-air

== Other Malicious Activities ==
The following is a list of malicious activities that cheaters might also engage in:

* attempt to guess or "crack" the server or map's password.
* the use of "Bots" or "Drones" to lag a server by sending large amounts of data or using client commands rapidly
* the use of "Bots" or "Drones" to deny a poll or create and complete a poll in the favor of the cheater

[[Category:Gameplay]]
[[Category:Server]]
[[Category:Server Security]]

Known Cheats

2009-06-18T04:04:45Z

Bambino: /* Subtle Cheats */ edited "flaga" to "flag"

Cheats performed on BZFlag are usually made by modifying your client. A great deal of power is invested in the client program, and therefore the client may cheat in every way from creating invincible tanks, to invisibility, to super killing. If you have seen any cheats, have performed them yourself, or have noticed a hole in the source, please add it here. Preventions for many of these cheats are being developed for inclusion in [[BZFlag 3.0|v3.0]].

== Warning ==
Do not use a modified client on a public server. If you are found to be using a cheat client, you will likely be banned from multiple servers and could quickly find yourself with nowhere to play. Cheating in BZflag is not the same as using a cheat code in a PlayStation game. See also the ''Notes on "CHEAT" servers'' at the bottom of the [[BZFlag_README | README]], which forbid the hosting of a "cheat" server. A copy of the README is included with the source code and is displayed when you install a pre-compiled copy of the game.

== Blatant Cheats ==
The following cheats are considered "blatant" cheats because they are usually apparent, even to new players.

NOTE: Some of these cheats may be prevented or already fixed in certain versions of BZFlag.

A cheater may:
* fly without Wings.
* steal from or give flags to other players.
* give flags to observers.
* rapidly pickup and drop every flag on the map, as if a flag reset were performed.
* spawn with a flag (usually Guided Missile or Genocide, but can be anything).
* be immune to the effects of bad flags.
* grab a new flag when passing through a teleporter (when no flag exists).
* move, pickup flags, or shoot other tanks while paused.
* move through buildings without Oscillation Overthruster ("wall walking").
* move backwards through buildings with the Oscillation Overthruster.
* drive outside of the playing area.
* jump back briefly to avoid a bullet then return to where you were ("network jitter").
* double jump.
* move vertically on a map very quickly or higher than settings would normally allow.
* instantaneous travel to a new location.
* jump and land at a pre-determined set of coordinates (i.e. the center of a team pad).
* shoot teammates without blowing them up.
* shoot bullets that travel at a different rate (usually faster).
* shoot bullets that travel at impossible linear paths (i.e. downwards, sideways).
* shoot bullets from any side of their tank.
* fire multiple shots simultaneously, often in spreads & separate impossible paths.
* shoot bullets which cannot be seen on radar or in the HUD.
* cause himself to be shot by any other player, even if no shots were fired or the player hasn't spawned (AKA "TK Cheat").
* cause another player to shoot the cheater, even if no shots were fired.
* produce abnormally long laser blasts (in terms of length and time).
* be zoned, but yet still shoot tanks that are not zoned.
* become instantly unzoned.
* not lose flags when paused.
* cause the bullets of other tanks to explode prematurely.
* lock onto stealthed players while using Guided Missile.
* produce abnormally large, small, or frequent shockwave blasts.
* produce shockwaves at several locations simultaneously.
* respond differently to gravity.
* move at a different rate (usually faster).
* instantly self-destruct.
* be completely invincible to shots ("god mode").
* be invincible while on auto-pilot.
* be partially invincible, repelling everything but some particular flags (often SW or SR are chosen).
* instantly kill everyone else.
* spawn without delay or very rapid respawns (Has been fixed in 2.0.11).
* be joined as an observer, but playing with a visible, invincible tank
* be able to strafe or slide left or right
* send chat messages that appear to have come from another player

== Subtle Cheats ==
'''Subtle cheats''' are modifications to the BZFlag client that give the user an unfair advantage. Unlike the obvious "blatant" cheats, these modifications are often difficult to detect by other players. These modifications often involve small changes to existing source code, and will make their users appear luckier, more intuitive, or more accurate shooters, giving them a slight edge.

Some of these cheats may be detected by examining long-term player statistics. For example, if a specific player picks up a certain superflag 80% of the time over an extended period, on a map where flag positions are completely randomized, then there is strong reason to suspect the player of using a flag identification cheat.

The following is a list of known subtle cheats:

[[Image:Bzfi0002.png|thumb|A screenshot taken on a typical cheat client. Various modifications and enhancements are visible.]]
[[Image:Coo.png|thumb|A screenshot taken on cheat client.]]

;FlagColoring
:Flags are given unique colors (or some other identifying feature - colors are simplest). This can be applied to some, or all flags. For example, bad flags are brown, Shock Wave is cyan, Stealth is orange, Guided Missile is pink, etc. This allows the user to avoid bad flags, spot good flags from across the map, and tell what flags other players are carrying or picking up much more easily.

;RadarPath
:The player can see bullet trajectories at an extended length, making shots easier to avoid, or aiding with targeting. The latter function is used mostly on ricochet maps.

;StealthDetect
:The player can see stealthed tanks on the radar. Often times the cheater's client will flash the stealthed tank on the cheater's radar. This allows a cheater to know that he shouldn't be able to know that tanks position and allow him to "play dumb".

;CloakDetect
:The player can see cloaked tanks on the field. Often times the cheater's client will show cloaked tanks as zoned tanks (as if holding the PZ flag).

;DisableBadFlags
:Bad flags whose effects are invisible to other players are disabled from affecting the tank.

;NoGenocide
:A teammate is impervious to Genocide.

;FunnyBullet
:Various cheats that affect the manner in which bullets are fired are possible. The simplest is to increase bullet velocity. Other cheats include launching multiple bullets in different directions and giving bullets a vertical slope. Many of these cheats are less subtle, and discussed above.

;SkinnyTank
:Normally, if your aim is a little bit off, you can still kill a tank. When this cheat is in effect, other players have to aim more accurately to kill the user.

;ImprovedConsole
:The player's console provides more information than is normal. It's debatable whether this should be considered a cheat or not, but players with better consoles will have a slight advantage.

;GuidedMissileWontUnlock
:When the user is killed, his guided missiles remain locked on their targets. This is harder to detect than a Guided Missile being able to lock onto stealthed players, which is discussed above.

[[Image:Bzfi0001.png|thumb|A hacked client equipped with the ProgressiveIdentify cheat. One flag has been identified so far.]]

;BulletFreeZone
:Any player in the game can cause anyone else's bullets to explode prematurely (if their client is hacked). Here are a few possible effects:
:# A victim (or victims) will not be able to fire his weapon (bullets will explode shortly after leaving the muzzle). Others can't tell who is causing this.
:# Bullets will explode before hitting a cheater, as if the cheater has a forcefield.
:# Bullets will explode before hitting a "victim" who is not the cheater, creating the impression that the victim has a forcefield and is cheating. Or the cheater could create the impression that a whole group of tanks are cheating.
:# Bullets will not be allowed to enter a "bullet-free zone" (such as a building or platform).

;TinyCloak
:The cheater's tank is modified to be smaller and harder to hit, but only when carrying the Cloaking flag. Making a tank this hard to hit would be a blatant cheat if the tank wasn't cloaked.

;ProgressiveIdentify
:A variation of the FlagColoring cheat. The client holds the identity of each flag in memory whenever it is picked up by any player and displays the flag type on the cheater's HUD.

In addition to the above subtle cheats, a cheater may:
* have a wider than normal field of vision (e.g. 120 degrees)
* have Guided Missles modified to not lock onto team mates
* modify the turn rate of his Guided Missles
* modify the way his targets are selected for Guided Missle lock
* have an indicator showing when an opponent is in reloading mode
* modify his client string
* automatically self-destruct if a geno bullet comes too close to him
* see the screen and radar when paused
* be able to see who locked on them with a Guided Missle
* have radar or different radar settings independent of server radar settings
* have lines on the radar showing which way each tank is facing
* see burrowed tanks as regular tanks on the radar
* have no limits imposed upon the radar "/set _radarLimit 0 or Burrow do not affect the radar"
* have shots by a zoned tank not show up on radar
* make slight turns when falling
* have different binocular zoom settings
* fire with no delay after stealing a flag with thief
* have an indicator showing how many wing jumps are left
* see invisible bullets on radar
* see opponent's team color despite opponent having masquerade flag
* have an auto-aiming ability that lines up on other tanks to fire upon
* be able to enable auto-pilot on non-auto-pilot maps
* be able to enable/disable/enable auto-pilot without delay
* be able to enable auto-pilot without notifying the server/other players

== Other Malicious Activities ==
The following is a list of malicious activities that cheaters might also engage in:

* attempt to guess or "crack" the server or map's password.
* the use of "Bots" or "Drones" to lag a server by sending large amounts of data or using client commands rapidly
* the use of "Bots" or "Drones" to deny a poll or create and complete a poll in the favor of the cheater

[[Category:Gameplay]]
[[Category:Server]]
[[Category:Server Security]]