How to fix peer to peer

[Precache]

Just had a bit of a brainstorm on how to fix peer to peer and stop hackers.

The problem is that hackers can spoof anyone’s ip address. So when you get sent the message “explode” from address 123, anyone could have sent it, and you’ll never know who.

Unless, every time a client connected to another client, they would send each other unique codes. And then every message would need to relay this code.

I don’t think you could spoof that. A client could simply ignore messages received without the correct code, so hackers would have to id themselves to have any effect.

[Eminem]

I got a better idea. Just don't use the internet and live in a cave.

[isapicobella]

Originally posted by Eminem:

I got a better idea. Just don't use the internet and live in a cave.

This feller would tell you it works! https://youtu.be/rYvvVSp6dUU

[Silhouette]

Interesting. :)

Please share your ideas with Rockstar on their official feedback site:
https://www.rockstargames.com/reddeadonline/feedback
(Or Google: Red Dead Feedback)

[Cparty]

Or, and this might be a novel concept... R* can take their literal billions of dollars and splash a few hundred thousand on dedicated servers for RDO and GTAO... Will also help with players D/Cing all the time too... but hey... that's just too fancy and expensive for them... so let's just keep using this same peer 2 peer system that has been out of date since the very early 2000's

[KroniKx187]

Originally posted by Cparty:

Or, and this might be a novel concept... R* can take their literal billions of dollars and splash a few hundred thousand on dedicated servers for RDO and GTAO... Will also help with players D/Cing all the time too... but hey... that's just too fancy and expensive for them... so let's just keep using this same peer 2 peer system that has been out of date since the very early 2000's

A much simpler solution compared to OP's idea, my issue with his idea is that transmitting another code back and forth between players is simply going to increase latency and ultimately cause more frequent disconnects than anything else.

[Precache]

Originally posted by KroniKx187:

A much simpler solution compared to OP's idea, my issue with his idea is that transmitting another code back and forth between players is simply going to increase latency and ultimately cause more frequent disconnects than anything else.

A client server model would add more latency, because you need to transmit everything twice (client to server, and then the server back to the clients).

The additional data could be as small as 2 bytes, and at most 4.

The header size alone of a network packet is 20 bytes. A single frame of telemetry data is around 24ish. So at worst you're adding 9% to bandwidth demands, and if RDO uses a lockstep model it's closer to 0.4% (the typical safe packet size is 512 bytes)

Regardless, 2 bytes of data would raise ping times by exactly 0.

And to be realistic, if Rockstar switched everything to client server, it would take months before it was playable, and they'd still need to trust the client for things like moment and aiming.

[KroniKx187]

Originally posted by Precache:

Originally posted by KroniKx187:

A much simpler solution compared to OP's idea, my issue with his idea is that transmitting another code back and forth between players is simply going to increase latency and ultimately cause more frequent disconnects than anything else.

A client server model would add more latency, because you need to transmit everything twice (client to server, and then the server back to the clients).

The additional data could be as small as 2 bytes, and at most 4.

The header size alone of a network packet is 20 bytes. A single frame of telemetry data is around 24ish. So at worst you're adding 9% to bandwidth demands, and if RDO uses a lockstep model it's closer to 0.4% (the typical safe packet size is 512 bytes)

Regardless, 2 bytes of data would raise ping times by exactly 0.

And to be realistic, if Rockstar switched everything to client server, it would take months before it was playable, and they'd still need to trust the client for things like moment and aiming.

Yet a server based approach would still be the best way. Hell, RedM and FiveM have been doing it for ages and they have anti-cheat systems in place too, so why can R* not do it?

[Precache]

Originally posted by KroniKx187:

Yet a server based approach would still be the best way. Hell, RedM and FiveM have been doing it for ages and they have anti-cheat systems in place too, so why can R* not do it?

Redm is probably obscure enough that no one is interested in hacking it, and has a small enough user base so that the servers can be relatively simple. I've done gameplay programming on some MMOs. Not network programming so I don't know the nuts and bolts, but I've helped deal with hackers in the past.

I definitely agree that Rockstar needs to go client server on future products, but I don't think it would be worth the risk and effort to re-architecture RDO.

[KroniKx187]

Originally posted by Precache:

Originally posted by KroniKx187:

Yet a server based approach would still be the best way. Hell, RedM and FiveM have been doing it for ages and they have anti-cheat systems in place too, so why can R* not do it?

Redm is probably obscure enough that no one is interested in hacking it, and has a small enough user base so that the servers can be relatively simple. I've done gameplay programming on some MMOs. Not network programming so I don't know the nuts and bolts, but I've helped deal with hackers in the past.

I definitely agree that Rockstar needs to go client server on future products, but I don't think it would be worth the risk and effort to re-architecture RDO.

Oh, no, R* definitely won't change the current online connection method at all. At best we can hope for future titles, though I highly doubt they will. Face facts, no matter what they do, we are going to buy whatever they release next either way.

[Precache]

Originally posted by KroniKx187:

Oh, no, R* definitely won't change the current online connection method at all. At best we can hope for future titles, though I highly doubt they will. Face facts, no matter what they do, we are going to buy whatever they release next either way.

My guess is that they've got one high level network engineer over there who's got a [expletive deleted] for peer to peer. Like Bethesda had an awful face animator until Skyrim. If we keep complaining, they'll eventually get embarrassed and fix it.

RDO is the first Rockstar game I've played in a while (I like games set in the 18th and 19th century), and honestly I won't be playing another unless they show PC some love.

[Silhouette]

Yeah. I bought both GTAV and RDR2 for the Online component (although both game’s single player campaigns were excellent!)

I’m not buying Rockstar’s next online title until they prove they can address the rampant cheating. :/