Failed file check

[Pr0c3550r]

If "playerxyz" enters a sever and a console message displays  FAILED 12 FILE CHECKS

Is this player cheating ?

[[BTF]Jehar]

Possibly, but not likely. It checks against a list of valid models and whatnot, and that list is far from omniscient. I use some custom vweaps (hi-res skins and the like) that aren't on the approved list, so they fail the file check. Doesn't really mean anything is suspicious, but it can be used at a later date if something else tips off as a cheat. So, it *could* mean spiked models, but usually it's just some custom skin\model that isn't registered.

[Pr0c3550r]

I've seen 1 or 2 failed file checks, but thought 12 may be excessive.

What you are saying makes sense, Thanks.

[UUD-40]

I've seen 1 or 2 failed file checks, but thought 12 may be excessive.

What you are saying makes sense, Thanks.

I've seen 36... most were sounds. 

[|iR|Focalor]

ToxicMonkey has about 12 or 14 failed file checks... and then has the nerve to complain about others methods of playing.   

[QwazyWabbit]

I think the intent of the file checks is to identify the files that are "not approved" for the particular server. They may be common files on other servers or mods. The approved list is not all-encompassing. It also means the player in question is using files of the same name and path of the "approved" files but they are not identical. This can be true for files in customized paks on the server or on the client. The server could have customized files and the player could be using "vanilla" files. Only by checking them can you actually know which case it is. The vanilla files should have been on the approved list for the server but sometimes things can be missed.

WAV files can be used to time respawns of powerups and give the player useful information about when a powerup is close to respawning. If he is consistently close to the powerup when it respawns this is a clue that he may be using them.

I believe the MD5 hash of the failed file on the client is logged in the server anticheat log. The system admin should be reviewing those logs, identifying the files and getting copies of those failed files and checking their MD5 hashes against the logged events. Once the file is identified this way it can be determined if it is a "cheat" in the context of that particular server or not. If the file is a cheat, it can be added to the "not-approved" list and the automation can kick the player in response, but that is an admin configuration choice for the particular server.

I should also mention that the best source for the questionable files is the player identified with them. If the player is reluctant to provide them for review, it may be wise to set the server to ban those questionable files and kick the player(s) in question.

[Pr0c3550r]

ToxicMonkey has about 12 or 14 failed file checks... and then has the nerve to complain about others methods of playing.   

I didn't want to mention players, but, yep thats him.
He's been really good lately, and his usual self.

[|iR|Focalor]

If a person is using the Anticheat module, it checks all of their files against the hash list for the server. If a person is NOT using Anticheat, they can get away with using ANY modified files such as spiked player models and spiked grenade models. The fact that he's using Anticheat says that he's more than likely NOT using any spiked models. If you bring down the console and type "acinfo playername" (playername being the name of the player in question), it will print back a list of which specific files they are using that are not identified as legal according to the servers hash list. As QwazyWabbit touched on, these files MAY NOT be cheats. They could be files that the player created themselves which are obviously not included in the servers hash list since that player is the only one who has a copy of it. If memory serves me correct, the files that aren't passing the check for ToxicMonkey are all of the weapons as well as the railgun hum and bfg hum. That doesn't automatically mean he's using a loud railgun and bfg hum sound, it just means that his particular sounds are not included in the list of reviewed legal sounds as listed in the hash list.

Just to make it clearer...

Let's say I want a custom railgun hum sound, NOT a loud hum so that I can hear people armed with railguns before they are in range to target me. Let's say I use some weird spaceship sound that I ripped from a sound effects CD to a wav file and stuck that as my railgun hum sound into my pak file. More than likely, Anticheat is going to flag that as a modified file even though it is not a cheat.

[ToxicMonkey^MZC]

ToxicMonkey has about 12 or 14 failed file checks... and then has the nerve to complain about others methods of playing.   

Yes I find this quite annoying.  I hate cheats as much as any honest player does.  I've never physically altered any of these files.  I actually mourn the loss of my railgun hum - it doesn't make any noise at all and hasn't for a couple of years.  I'm actually at a disadvantage.  I think it's down to custom paks that I've experimented with over the years.

I wrote all the files down once, downloaded a pak editor and looked at them but still didn't know wtf to do with them.  I've removed pak files but I lose crosshairs and textures and stuff so I gave up.

Any of you pros who have ever specced me know damn well I don't cheat.  If I could fix these files I would.  Any suggestions?

[haunted]

it's your pak, and yeah no one thinks you cheat 

[QwazyWabbit]

A better course of action might be to send them in to the admins for evaluation and addition to the approved files list for the server in question.

[[BTF] Reflex]

I myself fail 15 filechecks

[Randy]

ToxicMonkey has about 12 or 14 failed file checks... and then has the nerve to complain about others methods of playing.   

Yes I find this quite annoying.  I hate cheats as much as any honest player does.  I've never physically altered any of these files.  I actually mourn the loss of my railgun hum - it doesn't make any noise at all and hasn't for a couple of years.  I'm actually at a disadvantage.  I think it's down to custom paks that I've experimented with over the years.

I wrote all the files down once, downloaded a pak editor and looked at them but still didn't know wtf to do with them.  I've removed pak files but I lose crosshairs and textures and stuff so I gave up.

Any of you pros who have ever specced me know damn well I don't cheat.  If I could fix these files I would.  Any suggestions?

A CLEAN INSTALL?

[UUD-40]

I've noticed that in the ra2 server everyone using ac will get a failed message for /players/crakhor/tris.md2 modified or not.
Bug?

[|iR|Focalor]

Yeah, it's some kind of bug. I think there's a newer version of AC on deck. Try updating it with the updater EXE, may fix it. I know mines up to date. I updated it probably in May, but I also updated it again a week or so ago, so there's probably some fixes in that last update. I don't recall getting that message anymore.