Approved Possible Fix for the Recent Issues with the !friendly Command on the Idle Server

[Auntie Sotaar]

Recently, a user had an issue with an exploit involving a player being infinitely Ubercharged whilst in the opposing team's spawn area. I had posted my most likely unneeded insight as a comment, but I felt the need to dedicate a separate post to resolving this issue. I hope this is a thorough post and I can assist in resolving the issue without the total removal of the plugin.

Currently, the solution executed was the removal of the !friendly command. As a regular on the idle server, I waited quite a while for the opportunity of such a command so i could enjoy the community without having to worry about being gunned down by a F2P or someone being a general annoyance killing everyone in sight. Though I agree the Uber exploit is a serious issue, having dealt with it myself both being Ubered (yes, I am guilty) and fighting off someone Ubered. However, there is a way to remove the exploit without removing the plugin.

The way the exploit works is that a Medic on Team A builds up an Uber, then goes into A's spawn area. The Medic then activates their Uber on someone while having the advanced option of continuous healing enabled, and then switches to friendly mode. The Medic loses its Uber normally, but the game still thinks that the other player is still Ubered, as it never ran out before the Medic's Medigun was removed from their inventory upon entering friendly mode. The reason the Medic can keep their charge is that they don't have to respawn to switch to friendly mode while in their own spawn area.

I believe the easiest way to fix this problem is to make it so players HAVE to respawn to enter friendly mode. By this, I mean that using the !friendly command should slay the user instantly. That way, a Medic attempting to activate this will not be able to retain their Ubercharge upon switching to friendly mode, rendering the exploit impossible to use.

Again, as someone who enjoys the ability to spend their time without being murdered, I hope we, on the idle server, get to see it stay. If there's any other information regarding this that you need to know, or if you have any comments on this, feel free to share. I can more thank likely supply any extra needed information regarding this plugin, as I've done fluent testing with it ever since it was added.

Also, I apologize if this comes off as being backseat admin, this is not my intention. I simply wish to have the plugin remain whilst it being exploit-free.

Thank you for your time, and I hope to see this issue resolved and the idle server friendly once more.

 

[Renegade]

The easiest way to take care of this exploit is to join the team of that member and heal them as a medic. That immediately takes away the uber. A couple others on Trade NY(including myself) did this and were doing the conga taunt around the map. Some got into the enemy spawn but did not kill anyone. I think what should be done is that anyone who uses this exploit to get into the enemy spawn to kill or kill non-stop in general should be punished for it. If people are using it to just goof around, I don't see much of an issue with it.

 

[Auntie Sotaar]

The easiest way to take care of this exploit is to join the team of that member and heal them as a medic. That immediately takes away the uber. A couple others on Trade NY(including myself) did this and were doing the conga taunt around the map. Some got into the enemy spawn but did not kill anyone. I think what should be done is that anyone who uses this exploit to get into the enemy spawn to kill or kill non-stop in general should be punished for it. If people are using it to just goof around, I don't see much of an issue with it.

I agree, though if an entire team is going along with the use of it and won't manually deactivate the person's Uber, then there isn't any way to prevent it easily.

 

[Renegade]

I agree, though if an entire team is going along with the use of it and won't manually deactivate the person's Uber, then there isn't any way to prevent it easily.

It would be impossible for an entire team to get infinite uber. I guarantee that it will never happen.

 

[Auntie Sotaar]

It would be impossible for an entire team to get infinite uber. I guarantee that it will never happen.

What I meant is that everyone on a team may not want to remove the Uber from one of its players.

 

[185db]

What I meant is that everyone on a team may not want to remove the Uber from one of its players.

I think Bottiger is working on a code or plugin to fix this without removing any commands. There have been a lot of people complaining about this recently, and it will probably be fixed asap.

 

[Renegade]

What I meant is that everyone on a team may not want to remove the Uber from one of its players.

That's why you switch teams and do it yourself.

 

[Auntie Sotaar]

I think Bottiger is working on a code or plugin to fix this without removing any commands. There have been a lot of people complaining about this recently, and it will probably be fixed asap.

I hope to see it fixed, I quite enjoyed the plugin.

That's why you switch teams and do it yourself.

Having this as a permanent solution would require putting trust into the players, and since we already can't trust them not to abuse it in the first place, I doubt that they could be trusted to enforce it as well.

 

[Renegade]

I hope to see it fixed, I quite enjoyed the plugin.

Having this as a permanent solution would require putting trust into the players, and since we already can't trust them not to abuse it in the first place, I doubt that they could be trusted to enforce it as well.

Again, I was with a group of people doing this and we weren't killing people at all. If anything, a rule should be made so that if they do the uber glitch and use it to kill, they can get banned for it. It's like the same thing with building teleporters into the enemy spawn. It used to be that you can go into the enemy spawn as a spy and wouldn't get banned if you didn't kill anyone. I think the same thing should be applied here. If you're using the glitch to just screw around, then cool. But if you start a mass slaughter, then it should be bannable.

 

[KinCryos]

the easy fix: prevent medics from using !friendly

the less-easy fix: if a player using !friendly is medic, set his Uber to 0%, wait .1 sec, then apply !friendly

the overly-complicated-start-out-trolling-but-will-most-likely-introduce-problems-later-on fix: alter the map so the spawn exits have dispenser_touch_trigger brushes

 

[Auntie Sotaar]

Again, I was with a group of people doing this and we weren't killing people at all. If anything, a rule should be made so that if they do the uber glitch and use it to kill, they can get banned for it. It's like the same thing with building teleporters into the enemy spawn. It used to be that you can go into the enemy spawn as a spy and wouldn't get banned if you didn't kill anyone. I think the same thing should be applied here. If you're using the glitch to just screw around, then cool. But if you start a mass slaughter, then it should be bannable.

I think that'd be easier, and since I'm on there quite often, I'd be happy to watch for people doing it and report accordingly if the need arises.

the easy fix: prevent medics from using !friendly

the less-easy fix: if a player using !friendly is medic, set his Uber to 0%, wait .1 sec, then apply !friendly

the overly-complicated-start-out-trolling-but-will-most-likely-introduce-problems-later-on fix: alter the map so the spawn exits have dispenser_touch_trigger brushes

Some people would complain about not being able to be friendly as a Medic, but I can see how that'd be the easiest thing.

 

[Renegade]

I think it'd just be easier to make it against the rules to use the glitch to kill people. If you're using the glitch to mess around, then no problem.

 

[Auntie Sotaar]

I think it'd just be easier to make it against the rules to use the glitch to kill people. If you're using the glitch to mess around, then no problem.

Agreed. And like I said, if it comes to that, I'll keep my eye out for it.
The only issue I see with this, however, is the claim of being only temporarily Ubered vs being perma-Ubered. At that point it'd be a case of your-word-against-mine, and some people might abuse that excuse to have someone banned.

 

[Renegade]

Agreed. And like I said, if it comes to that, I'll keep my eye out for it.
The only issue I see with this, however, is the claim of being only temporarily Ubered vs being perma-Ubered. At that point it'd be a case of your-word-against-mine, and some people might abuse that excuse to have someone banned.

It's really easy to spot. If someone doesn't have a medic or has a see-through medic near them, they're perma-Ubered. If said person is being followed by a medic that is healing them, then it's temporary Uber.

 

[Auntie Sotaar]

It's really easy to spot. If someone doesn't have a medic or has a see-through medic near them, they're perma-Ubered. If said person is being followed by a medic that is healing them, then it's temporary Uber.

Again, there arises the issue of abuse of that bannability and claims ending up in everyone pointing fingers at each other.

 

[Renegade]

Again, there arises the issue of abuse of that bannability and claims ending up in everyone pointing fingers at each other.

Then I think at that point, it should be left up to the discretion of the admins. If someone sends in a report or calls an admin to a server, they should be the ones to decide whether what that person does is bannable or not.

 

[Auntie Sotaar]

Then I think at that point, it should be left up to the discretion of the admins. If someone sends in a report or calls an admin to a server, they should be the ones to decide whether what that person does is bannable or not.

Dragging an admin to the server every time someone does it would be tedious for the admins, don't you think?

 

[Renegade]

Dragging an admin to the server every time someone does it would be tedious for the admins, don't you think?

Then I think at that point, it should be left up to the discretion of the admins. If someone sends in a report or calls an admin to a server, they should be the ones to decide whether what that person does is bannable or not.

 

[KinCryos]

Dragging an admin to the server every time someone does it would be tedious for the admins, don't you think?

I've have a few chat messages regarding this from a few people


including OP


sometimes a few hours before I sign in on Steam


and in the case I'm already on and immediately connect, the problem's gone. either the problem never lasts long or people stop when the server announces that I connect, since I tend to ruin their fun somewhat by amputaunting or building a dispenser in spawn

 

[Jermaphobe]

It's never best to take the easy way out. The best thing to do like Sotaar said was to add a command where you suicide as soon as you activated the plugin