"Hacking" VS Client-Server Desync : An Overview

[Mack101dog]

Introduction : The Problem

What is Client-Server Desync?

Client-Server Desync is when a client (Anyone who is not hosted that is connected to a online game) falls out of sync (‘Desyncs’) with the server (The host of the lobby). This occurs in a game called Path of Exile (PoE), and is nicely defined as this:

引用自 TheFrz：

Desync is a situation where the game client on a player's computer and the PoE server is out of sync with each other, specifically with the position of players and monsters. This is because information does not travel instantly from the client to the server over the internet. To not allow cheating the server's decisions take precedence over the client.[2] This means a heavily desynced player may actually be standing next to monsters when they appear to be safe from the player's point of view. This is different from network lag (high latency), and desynced clients can still have low ping.

(Taken from this[pathofexile.gamepedia.com] Gamepedia page for networking in PoE).

The Problem : What Is It

How can you identify the symptoms of Client-Server Desync?

An example of Client-Server Desync in Stick Fight: The Game would be when a player appears to be standing or "flying" on what appears to be nothing. This is only on the hosts screen or a few other clients connected. What the flying player is seeing, however, is not the correct state of the level. For them, they will be seeing boxes there that they can interact with and stand on top of. This is not them mysteriously "flying", but them instead being able to stand on boxes that is on there Client.

Here is a visual example of Client-Server Desync in Stick Fight: The Game. (NOTE: THESE PHOTOS ARE EDITED TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE, BUT THE SITUATION AND ACTUAL OCCURRENCE IS A REAL THING. IF ANYONE HAS ANY DOUBTS OF THIS, I WILL PROVIDE REAL PHOTOES OF THESE OCCURRENCES)

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1169397309
Here, the above photo shows a common example of Client-Server Desync. This stage has a platform that can be moved by pushing down or shooting the platform in the middle with the laser attached. This laser might potentially kill the player, however it can also deal damage instead of a instant kill.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1169397341
This photo shows an example of what the client could see. The host client pushes the laser to zap the yellow player, but they do not die. This might indicate them using some infinite health hacks, but the Host's client (and other clients in Sync with the host) do not tell the whole story.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1169397341
If we take a look at this photo, this scene represents what the yellow player would be seeing. The host is pushing down on the platform on his screen, but the yellow client doesn’t see the platforms rotation/position in Sync with the host, so the lazer doesn't move on his screen, therefore not killing him. This is where the term Client(The Yellow Player)-Server(the Red Player) Desync comes from.

Now, is this situation yellow hacking/cheating the game? Not at all! This is a error in the networking of the game. It is the game's fault for doing this. Now, could this be abused and intentionally activated by a player to gain an unfair advantage? Yes, and that is just another reason for this to be fixed.

Conclusion : “Hacking”

So does “hacking” exist in Stick Fight: The Game?

Maybe! From what I’ve seen in my 20+ hours of play, it doesn’t exist. Have I seen questionable stuff that might be considered hacking in other games? Absolutely! Was all of it Client-Server Desync? Yes, from experience, these players didn't have hacks, but were instead Desynced with the other players and hosts. I have never seen have infinite health, or being able to one shot everyone in the lobby, but that is only from my experience. People flying in air or jumping on invisible boxes I have seen, but the objects being Desynced with the host is the explanation for this behavior, not some flying hacker. So the next time that this happens, don’t immediately call the person out for hacking when the game has inherent networking issues.

AS OF VERSION 1.1.0.1, THESE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. IF THEY ARE FIXED, I WILL EDIT THE POST TO SHOW THAT. REMEMBER, THE DEVELOPERS WILL TRY TO FIX THIS[/b]

TL;DR

Most "hacking" is Client-Server Desync, it is a prevalent problem in the game, however, it isn't a game-breaking bug. It can produce some hilarious and "hacker" looking visual results. Don't call people hackers for the game being bugged.

NOTE: BEFORE CALLING PEOPLE HACKERS FOR ONE HITTING, ASK THEM IF "1 HP" IS ON. THIS IS A COMMON ENOUGH MISTAKE THAT I HAVE TO INCLUDE THIS MESSAGE.

[8beater]

This happens all the time with me.

[𝔇ave]

Well explained :) hope the people crying hacker understand it now

[Botten Hanna]

Really well put, I'll pin this on the forum! :)

We're working on decreasing desync.

[Applejuicee]

been in a lobby where a guy is being a "One punch Man"

[Node.py]

I do not have 20 hours of play. But I already saw hack in this game yes. I already gave 4 shotgun shots, in one guy, he did not die. This same guy, already tried to kill with firegun, throwing him off the cliff, shooting, I gave 5 strokes, he passed inside the laser, several ways, the guy simply did not die. He did not fly, he did not stay on a laser platform, and it did not hurt the laser, none of it, he just did not die. It happened yesterday 10/14/2017, and it happened to another guy today. The game has many bugs, but, this guy just does not die, and walk, hit, shoot normally, and take zero damage, it's not a bug, it's hack.

[¡The Legendary Piplup!]

I might have found a cheater, now i'm not 100% sure if he is hacking but he was winning rounds before anyone could move at the start of the round. This could be lag but he could be hacking http://steamcommunity.com/id/Acosar

[ɃƵ Crazy Cat Lady]

There was a game I used to play, don't know if allowed to name it, but if someone was lagging bad they would be really hard to kill, damage just wouldn't register. This would be laggers with like 300+ ping

[P250 SandDune]

I have seen people that seem to have double or more health than me and can one punch me. Not sure if this is lag or not. Still a great game though.

[理塘大王]

very good

[Fruittymcnutty]

I have seen people just die like 2 seconds after round start. Their body remains there, but they're actually not dead, and still running around and shooting and picking up weapons. They're INVISIBLE, too, since the game thinks their body is where it should be. I can surmise this, since everyone else is dead but me, and (their body is dead, but they aren't) them, and I mysteriously die, and yellow(or whoever) wins. Also gun/weapon pickups disappear and reappear as they swap/pickup weapons. That's your only indication of where they are when this happens. Also you'll get randomly punched/kicked by nothing. When we ask them to leave, they don't and it's really annoying when you have a nice group you're playing with, only to have to leave/start a new lobby, and hope to find them again.

[Fruittymcnutty]

Also can we fix this visual bug, or w/e for when you're on the one laser level with the platforms, 2 lasers on the sides, and laser rifles up top? I shoot the other platforms with a laser rifle, and the guns dissappear for me, but then someone else goes up there, and picks multiple ones up.

[Fruittymcnutty]

I also did something rather cheap today that I was hoping could get fixed. I got the blue sword that basically phases you in and out. We were on the level with the large rolling spike thing that goes right to left. I was on the left side, and the enemy was on the right of it. I actually went into the ground. Yes, the ground! I went under and around, and defeated my foe. I was wondering if this was intentional, or if you wanted to patch it so that it doesn't go through solid environments.

[Janondorf]

I honestly think if there was a way to force disconnect people from the game if their ping gets absurdly high, that would fix the problem?

[开山怪 O_-]

I faced the same thing one hour ago.The problem should be solved immediately,or it will kill this good game.

引用自 Fruittymcnutty：

I have seen people just die like 2 seconds after round start. Their body remains there, but they're actually not dead, and still running around and shooting and picking up weapons. They're INVISIBLE, too, since the game thinks their body is where it should be. I can surmise this, since everyone else is dead but me, and (their body is dead, but they aren't) them, and I mysteriously die, and yellow(or whoever) wins. Also gun/weapon pickups disappear and reappear as they swap/pickup weapons. That's your only indication of where they are when this happens. Also you'll get randomly punched/kicked by nothing. When we ask them to leave, they don't and it's really annoying when you have a nice group you're playing with, only to have to leave/start a new lobby, and hope to find them again.

[Wyvernline]

I just got harassed for this predicament. They all screamed hacker and everything. It kinda hurt.