Advanced In-Game Admin and Ban Enforcer - AdKats

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jasonpb*:

 

The reason we have to host the js/css/img files is due to the licence for the theme. I can't hand out those files are they are source files. I've made sure that in the event the site does go down a backup of the files are still available and the web admin is still able to be used. On top of that im using cloudflare with its CDN service so the files will be cached locally on your computer for a week before re-downloading them. You can read the licence information here.

 

Its your choice if you want to use the web admin or not. If the licence allowed me to distribute the files with the product I would have done that.

 

I'm still deciding if there is still a need to use Ioncube, so maybe in some upcoming version i'll remove that dependency.

What theme did you use, I can't imagine it being anymore than $100 (likely less) for an individual license, perhaps people can purchase it from there?

 

Encoding the files isn't a big deal for us, it's really just about being able to see the content. However I'm sure you know how easy it is to decode the files so what benefit are you really getting out of encoding them?

[Prophet731]

Originally Posted by Prophet731*:

 

What theme did you use, I can't imagine it being anymore than $100 (likely less) for an individual license, perhaps people can purchase it from there?

 

Encoding the files isn't a big deal for us, it's really just about being able to see the content. However I'm sure you know how easy it is to decode the files so what benefit are you really getting out of encoding them?

The theme is not really that expensive, if you want to look at it view it here.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by p19blo*:

 

The web admin is not open source otherwise I wouldn't have encrypted some of the files. The web admin was my communitys custom web admin until AdKats came around and when ban management came into play it was soon realized that we had to release a web admin for it so we decided to just re-write the entire thing so everyone can use it without any specific code to my gaming community which was heavily added before the rewrite.

 

 

You can now download the web admin here: http://www.adkgamers.com/files/file/27-web-admin/

 

Please direct any problems/questions/feature requests to this section.

 

http://www.adkgamers.com/forum/265-adk-web-dev-support/

 

Looking forward to new suggestions and improving it.

im registered but it still doesnt allow me to download it

 

 

Edit ignore me. I never actovated my links... i hardly check my emails

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Mandizzy*:

 

ColColonCleaner, it's interesting reading one of your reasons for creating this plug-in:

 

"For metabans specifically however they only enforce permabans for 28 days, and if we want to keep unwanted players off our servers by whatever means possible that is simply unacceptable."

 

I was also very annoyed by it and finally decided to do something. I just added a feature to Metabans plug-in that lets you decide how long your permanent ban should be. Expect to see it in next release of the plug-in once testing is completed. If you want to test it, head to metabans forums for a link.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

ColColonCleaner, it's interesting reading one of your reasons for creating this plug-in:

 

"For metabans specifically however they only enforce permabans for 28 days, and if we want to keep unwanted players off our servers by whatever means possible that is simply unacceptable."

 

I was also very annoyed by it and finally decided to do something. I just added a feature to Metabans plug-in that lets you decide how long your permanent ban should be. Expect to see it in next release of the plug-in once testing is completed. If you want to test it, head to metabans forums for a link.

Metabans has always been poorman's anti-cheat enforcement, about the only recourse to have is PBBans which I know I'm going to stream to eventually.

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

ColColonCleaner, it's interesting reading one of your reasons for creating this plug-in:

 

"For metabans specifically however they only enforce permabans for 28 days, and if we want to keep unwanted players off our servers by whatever means possible that is simply unacceptable."

 

I was also very annoyed by it and finally decided to do something. I just added a feature to Metabans plug-in that lets you decide how long your permanent ban should be. Expect to see it in next release of the plug-in once testing is completed. If you want to test it, head to metabans forums for a link.

Ban enforcer is just one part of the plugin, it was originally created as an in-game admin with a punish/infraction tracking system, BanEnforcer was an addition made this past month. But since you are addressing the reasoning for that section i'll focus on that.

 

I knew editing their source code was a solution, and found the lines that needed editing, but not only did i want to avoid modifying their library, the permaban duration was not the only problem. Perhaps you don't notice it from only having one server (to my knowledge anyway), but bans through metabans are sometimes not enforced across all servers. We had on many, many occasions, players joining our other servers when they should have been banned. We had to manually add them to each server's banlist manually to ensure they would not enter the servers. Metabans also works through the procon/gameserver banlist, which is very limited in its functionality. Player bans (aside from PB bans) cannot be issued on more than one variable (Name, GUID, or IP), the banning admin is not stored, and "appeal at X" needs to be added manually every time.

 

All of the above issues have been remedied by AdKats BanEnforcer. Bans can be issued on name, guid, IP, any combination, or all at once. Bans are always enforced across all servers. Permabans are for 20 years. I can bypass procon's banlist completely, which allows me to store the banning admin name separate from the ban reason. I can store notes on bans separate from the ban reason that only admins can see. Players are dynamically told how long until their ban expires whenever they attempt to join, and a database log of their join attempt is made. And on top of all this, i'm not relying on an external system for enforcement, everything uses your own database which (at least in our case) we can make sure wont go down.

 

All of the pros and cons were thought about before development started, and it turned out much better than i expected. You can try out ban enforcer if you want, and if you don't like it after trying it, just disable it and every ban is loaded back into procon like nothing ever happened.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

Ban enforcer is just one part of the plugin, it was originally created as an in-game admin with a punish/infraction tracking system, BanEnforcer was an addition made this past month. But since you are addressing the reasoning for that section i'll focus on that.

 

I knew editing their source code was a solution, and found the lines that needed editing, but not only did i want to avoid modifying their library, the permaban duration was not the only problem. Perhaps you don't notice it from only having one server (to my knowledge anyway), but bans through metabans are sometimes not enforced across all servers. We had on many, many occasions, players joining our other servers when they should have been banned. We had to manually add them to each server's banlist manually to ensure they would not enter the servers. Metabans also works through the procon/gameserver banlist, which is very limited in its functionality. Player bans (aside from PB bans) cannot be issued on more than one variable (Name, GUID, or IP), the banning admin is not stored, and "appeal at X" needs to be added manually every time.

 

All of the above issues have been remedied by AdKats BanEnforcer. Bans can be issued on name, guid, IP, any combination, or all at once. Bans are always enforced across all servers. Permabans are for 20 years. I can bypass procon's banlist completely, which allows me to store the banning admin name separate from the ban reason. I can store notes on bans separate from the ban reason that only admins can see. Players are dynamically told how long until their ban expires whenever they attempt to join, and a database log of their join attempt is made. And on top of all this, i'm not relying on an external system for enforcement, everything uses your own database which (at least in our case) we can make sure wont go down.

 

All of the pros and cons were thought about before development started, and it turned out much better than i expected. You can try out ban enforcer if you want, and if you don't like it after trying it, just disable it and every ban is loaded back into procon like nothing ever happened.

With all of that functionality, would one necessarily need PBBans then?

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

With all of that functionality, would one necessarily need PBBans then?

Frankly, no. I do not rely on any PB information for ban enforcement with this system. The current issues with players modifying PB information have not effected our servers directly, mid-game name changing has just like everyone else, but not PB info.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

Frankly, no. I do not rely on any PB information for ban enforcement with this system. The current issues with players modifying PB information have not effected our servers directly, mid-game name changing has just like everyone else, but not PB info.

Good stuff Col, thanks.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Mandizzy*:

 

Frankly, no. I do not rely on any PB information for ban enforcement with this system. The current issues with players modifying PB information have not effected our servers directly, mid-game name changing has just like everyone else, but not PB info.

Please stop giving him bad advise, jking obviously doesn't know the difference between metabans and pbbans and local bans.

 

Secondly, if you think your servers haven't been impacted than you're sorely mistaken. The only way your servers could have avoided this was if these cheaters are already on your local ban list and banned with EA_GUID.

 

I understand your reasoning for making the plug-in but it would have been nice to add some of those features for ban list management to metabans and made it even more useful for everyone.

 

jking, yes, you still should stream to pbbans. That's where most of the cheaters are caught red handed so to speak. Secondly, Metabans is a ban sharing service not an anti-cheat service.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by dyn*:

 

Does it sound like to anyone else that Colon is referencing internal punk buster bans... not the streaming service www.PBbans.com? Like he's stating that punkbuster because his system bans by all these different metrics (EA GUID, being one of them), local bunkbuster bans are not used.

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

Does it sound like to anyone else that Colon is referencing internal punk buster bans... not the streaming service www.PBbans.com? Like he's stating that punkbuster because his system bans by all these different metrics (EA GUID, being one of them), local bunkbuster bans are not used.

Was in the middle of replying with exactly this. I'm talking about PB Bans, the internal ones, mixup in translation. PBBans is different, it's another ban database like anticheatinc that links accounts and compiles data together.

 

There is no need for local server punkbuster bans now that we can ban by multiple metrics. Punkbuster bans have been made (as a whole) unreliable by this latest hack since players can completely reset (or replace) their PB information, thus making any links to banned accounts non-existant. You can still stream to the PBBans service all you want.

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

I have found the issue with teamswap queues, i was not accounting for team-change from the neutral team (player join), meaning teams would always read as 1-2 players more than they actually held. Will re-enable queues in the next release after i confirm they are fixed...

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

Please stop giving him bad advise, jking obviously doesn't know the difference between metabans and pbbans and local bans.

 

Secondly, if you think your servers haven't been impacted than you're sorely mistaken. The only way your servers could have avoided this was if these cheaters are already on your local ban list and banned with EA_GUID.

 

I understand your reasoning for making the plug-in but it would have been nice to add some of those features for ban list management to metabans and made it even more useful for everyone.

 

jking, yes, you still should stream to pbbans. That's where most of the cheaters are caught red handed so to speak. Secondly, Metabans is a ban sharing service not an anti-cheat service.

I stand corrected, thanks for pointing that out.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

With 3.1.11 I'm getting this when I start up procon:

 

[23:45:32 89] [AdKats] Enabling command functionality. Please Wait.

[23:45:35 89] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Server IP is xxx.game.nfoservers.com:47200!

[23:45:35 97] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:35 98] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:35 99] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 00] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 01] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 02] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 03] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 04] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 05] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 06] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 07] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 08] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 09] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 10] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 11] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 12] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 13] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 14] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 15] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 16] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 17] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 18] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 19] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 20] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 21] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 22] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 23] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 24] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 25] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 26] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 27] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 28] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 29] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 30] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 31] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 32] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 33] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 34] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:37 71] [AdKats] Attempting database connection. Attempt 1 of 5.

[23:45:37 75] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database connection open.

[23:45:38 78] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database confirmed functional for AdKats use.

[23:45:39 25] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database Server Info Fetched. Server ID is 1!

[23:45:46 49] [AdKats] Enabled! Version: 0.3.1.1

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

With 3.1.11 I'm getting this when I start up procon:

 

[23:45:32 89] [AdKats] Enabling command functionality. Please Wait.

[23:45:35 89] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Server IP is xxx.game.nfoservers.com:47200!

[23:45:35 97] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:36 34] [AdKats] Error: Not DB connection capable yet, complete SQL connection variables.

[23:45:37 71] [AdKats] Attempting database connection. Attempt 1 of 5.

[23:45:37 75] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database connection open.

[23:45:38 78] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database confirmed functional for AdKats use.

[23:45:39 25] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database Server Info Fetched. Server ID is 1!

[23:45:46 49] [AdKats] Enabled! Version: 0.3.1.1

Strange, your plugin settings load really slowly, i have a 3 second delay on AdKats starting after enable just to make sure all stored settings are loaded. This won't break the plugin or hinder any functionality, your layer is just starting really slowly, it took 4 seconds to load the DB settings when it should be sub-second.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

Strange, your plugin settings load really slowly, i have a 3 second delay on AdKats starting after enable just to make sure all stored settings are loaded. This won't break the plugin or hinder any functionality, your layer is just starting really slowly, it took 4 seconds to load the DB settings when it should be sub-second.

Seems to have worked itself out:

 

[15:22:26 14] [AdKats] Enabling command functionality. Please Wait.

[15:22:29 14] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Server IP is xxx.game.nfoservers.com:47200!

[15:22:29 83] [AdKats] Attempting database connection. Attempt 1 of 5.

[15:22:29 87] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database connection open.

[15:22:30 77] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database confirmed functional for AdKats use.

[15:22:31 12] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database Server Info Fetched. Server ID is 1!

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

Seems to have worked itself out:

 

[15:22:26 14] [AdKats] Enabling command functionality. Please Wait.

[15:22:29 14] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Server IP is xxx.game.nfoservers.com:47200!

[15:22:29 83] [AdKats] Attempting database connection. Attempt 1 of 5.

[15:22:29 87] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database connection open.

[15:22:30 77] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database confirmed functional for AdKats use.

[15:22:31 12] [AdKats] SUCCESS: Database Server Info Fetched. Server ID is 1!

Good to hear.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by dyn*:

 

I see in your log that you have procon setup to connect via HOSTNAME, instead of IP.

 

If you're planning on using the webadmin for Adkats, be aware that host name is (as of 2 days ago) NOT supported and will produce connection errors. The fix for this is to change all of your procon layers (config files, proconrulz config file, procon.cfg, insane limits if you use it... will also have to remove the complete limits_file entry from each server.cfg) and change the host name in your mysql to the IP address. Can't remember the exact table name but it's like servers or soemthing. While procon is off, edit the hostname and change it to the IP address. That way the stats will match back up when bf3 stats logger comes online.

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

I see in your log that you have procon setup to connect via HOSTNAME, instead of IP.

 

If you're planning on using the webadmin for Adkats, be aware that host name is (as of 2 days ago) NOT supported and will produce connection errors. The fix for this is to change all of your procon layers (config files, proconrulz config file, procon.cfg, insane limits if you use it... will also have to remove the complete limits_file entry from each server.cfg) and change the host name in your mysql to the IP address. Can't remember the exact table name but it's like servers or soemthing. While procon is off, edit the hostname and change it to the IP address. That way the stats will match back up when bf3 stats logger comes online.

Prophet......what did you do?

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

I see in your log that you have procon setup to connect via HOSTNAME, instead of IP.

 

If you're planning on using the webadmin for Adkats, be aware that host name is (as of 2 days ago) NOT supported and will produce connection errors. The fix for this is to change all of your procon layers (config files, proconrulz config file, procon.cfg, insane limits if you use it... will also have to remove the complete limits_file entry from each server.cfg) and change the host name in your mysql to the IP address. Can't remember the exact table name but it's like servers or soemthing. While procon is off, edit the hostname and change it to the IP address. That way the stats will match back up when bf3 stats logger comes online.

I'm not yet familiar with this web admin, and it doesn't allow me to change it and of course when you turn off procon, the settings go away.

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

I'm not yet familiar with this web admin, and it doesn't allow me to change it and of course when you turn off procon, the settings go away.

That should not happen, all settings for every plugin should persist beyond procons run time, you should be able to restart it without losing any settings.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

That should not happen, all settings for every plugin should persist beyond procons run time, you should be able to restart it without losing any settings.

hmm, so I edit in the IP and it just reverts back to the host name

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

hmm, so I edit in the IP and it just reverts back to the host name

You're editing "Server IP (Display)" ? That is only a display, it's what the server is sending you as its address. Not sure how that can be changed...i'll talk to prophet about his problem with hostnames, because everything i've built up to now has worked with them just fine.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

You're editing "Server IP (Display)" ? That is only a display, it's what the server is sending you as its address. Not sure how that can be changed...i'll talk to prophet about his problem with hostnames, because everything i've built up to now has worked with them just fine.

Right, yeah all ok here also, so far anyhow, thanks Col.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by dyn*:

 

I explained the (very rough) steps to change from hostname to IP address. There are several files & entries inside files which need to be changed. If you want a detailed walk-through I could write something up.

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

I explained the (very rough) steps to change from hostname to IP address. There are several files & entries inside files which need to be changed. If you want a detailed walk-through I could write something up.

I'm talking with prophet about accepting hostnames. We both assumed incorrectly that serverinfo always returned an IP. The plugin can handle hostnames without breaking as it's just comparing strings, but the webadmin needs to convert it in order to function.

[ColColonCleaner]

Originally Posted by ColColonCleaner*:

 

Right, yeah all ok here also, so far anyhow, thanks Col.

He added the fix and said to point all with this problem to the following post: http://www.adkgamers.com/topic/32528...-103/_p=116397

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by jking54*:

 

He added the fix and said to point all with this problem to the following post: http://www.adkgamers.com/topic/32528...-103/_p=116397

I read that but not quite sure where to put it...

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Hutchew*:

 

I read that but not quite sure where to put it...

In the web files folder for your webadmin......

 

Mine looks like: C:\hostdata\zadmin\public_html\admin_rtrprocon_com \application\helpers