Re: PBEM Cheating, how to deal with it?

From: freejack@oo.com (freejack)

Date: Sat, 23 Mar 1996 00:00:00 +0000

Aristophanes (scribe@netcom.ca) wrote:
: I may not be answering this question, but the way to prevent cheating may
: be by encryption.

: If the PBEM scenario of a game has a way in which battles are measured and
: then encrypted so that the player cannot simply replay an unfavourable
: result.

This won't really work, if you really want to cheat you just set up a
second game directory and play your turn.  If you like the result, keep
the turn, if not; load the game files from the second directory and try
again.  The way to prevent this is just send your orders to the GM and
the GM runs the turn.

: This would be very difficult to hack as the time and effort doing so would
: rise commensurate to the strength of the encryption. Part of the solution
: lies in deterrence.

Encryption would be useful to prevent a player from accessing another
players turn, assuming the turn files are swapped back and forth.  But
totally useless for preventing you from running your turn till you like
the results.  One way I saw to prevent this was a)combat had no random
component b)combat was resolved on your opponents turn. Thus, you never
even saw the enemy forces till your next turn.

[PGP bit snipped]

: Just a thought....

Scott Rutter - freejack@oo.com
(a devious mind is a terrible thing to waste :)

References

Re: PBEM Cheating, how to deal with it?
Aristophanes <scribe@netcom.ca>
Sat, 23 Mar 1996 00:00:00 +0000
PBEM Cheating, how to deal with it?
Jim Flanagan <flanag19@eos.net>
Thu, 14 Mar 1996 00:00:00 +0000
Re: PBEM Cheating, how to deal with it?
mephisto@ra.isisnet.com (David Thompson)
Fri, 15 Mar 1996 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Re: PBEM Cheating, how to deal with it?
Aristophanes <scribe@netcom.ca>
Sat, 23 Mar 1996 00:00:00 +0000
PBEM Cheating, how to deal with it?
Jim Flanagan <flanag19@eos.net>
Thu, 14 Mar 1996 00:00:00 +0000
Re: PBEM Cheating, how to deal with it?
mephisto@ra.isisnet.com (David Thompson)
Fri, 15 Mar 1996 00:00:00 +0000