VAC Ban for Reverse Engineering on Private Server

[DontCallMeDoug]

I reverse engineer games as a hobby. It's a great way to learn lots of stuff about how computer games work beyond just writing code. If you're interested in doing this, I highly suggest you try it. Over a year ago, I received a VAC ban for editing code and memory addresses in a game of Left for Dead 2 while hosting a private server with some friends.

This is immensely frustrating for so many reasons. At the time, I was under the impression that by hosting a friends-only game on my private machine, I was creating an unofficial server. Unfortunately, I was wrong: even though I hosted the game on my own machine, VAC was in place. Frankly, I don't even know how to host a game without the VAC enabled. After receiving the VAC ban, my friends and I have been unable to figure out how to play the game together on an unofficial server, and there's no way to get it to work despite the game supposedly allowing unofficial servers.

It's also frustrating because no one in the game reported me for cheating. I don't mean, "Oh, I didn't get caught." I mean at the time, I was speaking with my friends about the edits and even sharing my screen. Since the VAC is apparently not dependent upon input from other players, this doesn't matter. I understand that the VAC exists to catch cheaters that ruin the game for other people. But what about when people are just poking around in a process that they're running on their own computer to see what's going on?

Yet another frustration about this is that we took care not to let the "hacks" effect any of our records/stats in the game. Other than the ensuing VAC ban, the only consequence of the changes was to fix players' health at a value for less than 5 minutes in a survival match. We don't have some ridiculous best-time stat or any otherwise unobtainable achievements resulting from this. Just a few minutes of "Oh, so that's how this code works."

However, by far, the most frustrating thing is the way Valve / Steam Support handles VAC bans. I should go so far as to say that Steam Support is a misnomer on almost all occasions, but this is exceptionally bad. The ban is permanent, non-negotiable, and you're ultimately at the receiving end of this automated system with little to no input. Steam Support can't remove or even appeal your ban, you can't contact someone who can, and there is ultimately no way to know if your response to your VAC ban notification is even received, much less reviewed.

The strangest thing to me is that I can create a new account with the exact same contact info as my account with a VAC ban, buy another "copy" of the game, and play on that account. Combined with the lack of support and the automatic and permanent nature of the ban, this makes me wonder if Valve has such terrible support as a way to increase revenue.

I would suggest the following changes:
- Give VAC banned players a better way to appeal their bans to the VAC team. After receiving a VAC ban, the whole process is like screaming into the void. Valve makes like $5 Billion on Steam annually; they can afford to let you talk to humans.
- Get inputs from other players in the game for VAC bans. If Valve is going to mete out such severe consequences, they should be able to support them.
- Let VAC bans expire. No person who is trying to hack at a game is going to wait a year for a ban to be lifted: they're just going to make another account and keep doing it.

To those who actually read this, thank you.

[Supafly]

Escrito originalmente por Zach:

Honestly, I've already bought the game on a second account and use it to play with my friends. It just REALLY sticks in my craw to see a reminder of it and have to change accounts *forever* just to play one game over this. Especially over something that feels so vastly different than what I personally think the VAC is for.

Family same the VAC'd accounts with your other account. Most game will allow you to play them when Family Shared. This way the only time you have to login to the VAC'd account is if Family Share unsyncs and you have to re-enable it. You'd rarely see the ban and can make the unbanned account your primary account

[QWEEDDY2]

Keep in mind that Valve games - GldSrc and Source - do not ban you for debugging injectors or for anything that is not cheat.

Only KNOWN cheats and known to be worked in current version (VAC always late to cheaters and always late to that - but you never be banned for nothing, cheats is cheats).
VAc is very un-effective without additional some anti-cheat protection. But VAC NEVER ban you for non-cheating programs.

Injectors that can be used for cheating and can be used not for cheating (dll hacking or ENB\sweetfx) is BLOCKED - not bannedable.

You are LIED here.
---------------------
Kepp in mind #2 and be careful:
VAC in non-Valve games - very depend on game code itself. It is possible for mistakes. And there is no "whitelist" for that games. You not allowed to use CheatEngine or dll hacking tools while you in the multiplayer game even if you do not get advantages from that (not worked as cheat r not worked with that game).

[QWEEDDY2]

Read carefully what you got with ban notice. Mistakes (some server side errors) is possible - but that removed in days, not years.
here the links you already seen after ban notice but ignore them
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/571A-97DA-70E9-FF74
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/647C-5CC1-7EA9-3C29
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/6C09-ED6F-3A21-D2AB
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_cat.php?id=10

(btw, Steam Support site is bruh... they broke it more and more every f* day! now where the list of not-bannable injectors? i cant find it on both help. and kb. support sites)

Found it - but found from old support KnowledgeBase site - here actual link on help-site:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/22C0-03D0-AE4B-04E8

[aeyde]

Escrito originalmente por Zach:

I reverse engineer games as a hobby. It's a great way to learn lots of stuff about how computer games work beyond just writing code. If you're interested in doing this, I highly suggest you try it. Over a year ago, I received a VAC ban for editing code and memory addresses in a game of Left for Dead 2 while hosting a private server with some friends.

This is immensely frustrating for so many reasons. At the time, I was under the impression that by hosting a friends-only game on my private machine, I was creating an unofficial server. Unfortunately, I was wrong: even though I hosted the game on my own machine, VAC was in place. Frankly, I don't even know how to host a game without the VAC enabled. After receiving the VAC ban, my friends and I have been unable to figure out how to play the game together on an unofficial server, and there's no way to get it to work despite the game supposedly allowing unofficial servers.

It's also frustrating because no one in the game reported me for cheating. I don't mean, "Oh, I didn't get caught." I mean at the time, I was speaking with my friends about the edits and even sharing my screen. Since the VAC is apparently not dependent upon input from other players, this doesn't matter. I understand that the VAC exists to catch cheaters that ruin the game for other people. But what about when people are just poking around in a process that they're running on their own computer to see what's going on?

Yet another frustration about this is that we took care not to let the "hacks" effect any of our records/stats in the game. Other than the ensuing VAC ban, the only consequence of the changes was to fix players' health at a value for less than 5 minutes in a survival match. We don't have some ridiculous best-time stat or any otherwise unobtainable achievements resulting from this. Just a few minutes of "Oh, so that's how this code works."

However, by far, the most frustrating thing is the way Valve / Steam Support handles VAC bans. I should go so far as to say that Steam Support is a misnomer on almost all occasions, but this is exceptionally bad. The ban is permanent, non-negotiable, and you're ultimately at the receiving end of this automated system with little to no input. Steam Support can't remove or even appeal your ban, you can't contact someone who can, and there is ultimately no way to know if your response to your VAC ban notification is even received, much less reviewed.

The strangest thing to me is that I can create a new account with the exact same contact info as my account with a VAC ban, buy another "copy" of the game, and play on that account. Combined with the lack of support and the automatic and permanent nature of the ban, this makes me wonder if Valve has such terrible support as a way to increase revenue.

I would suggest the following changes:
- Give VAC banned players a better way to appeal their bans to the VAC team. After receiving a VAC ban, the whole process is like screaming into the void. Valve makes like $5 Billion on Steam annually; they can afford to let you talk to humans.
- Get inputs from other players in the game for VAC bans. If Valve is going to mete out such severe consequences, they should be able to support them.
- Let VAC bans expire. No person who is trying to hack at a game is going to wait a year for a ban to be lifted: they're just going to make another account and keep doing it.

To those who actually read this, thank you.

that's an awesome hobby

[DontCallMeDoug]

I'm sorry if this comes across as standoffish, but I can't tell if you're trolling me or not.

If you are, well, thanks.

If you're not, well, thanks. There are a ton of resources on the web and books about reversing software in general that you can check out if you're interested. I'm not sure if I can post links here, though - sorry.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

Escrito originalmente por Zach:

Escrito originalmente por C²C^Guyver |NZB|:

lol... He highly suggests that others try it, yet his account was banned for it. Also, this is his "hobby" yet he doesn't know that there are no private or unofficial servers and that all of them are VAC secured by default.

I'll put it this way: I didn't know x86 at all until I started reversing stuff. It's a great way to learn.

I do not recommend that you make hacks in VAC enabled games and try to spoil everyone's fun, but there's a great deal to be learned about how your computer works from trying to understand the instructions it is given. Other than games, you can study crackmes, malware, and even reverse your own code.

But, look, don't try to dunk on me because I was even worse at this in the past than I am now. If I am as dumb as you think, then shouldn't you feel bad for making fun of a stupid person?

You are not allowed to cheat in ANY server for ANY reason, period.

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/#4

Have you read ANYTHING in this thread?

Also, VAC doesn't care one bit about your intent, or "good or bad guys"....cheat detected = account banned

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

Escrito originalmente por Zach:

I'm sorry if this comes across as standoffish, but I can't tell if you're trolling me or not.

If you are, well, thanks.

If you're not, well, thanks. There are a ton of resources on the web and books about reversing software in general that you can check out if you're interested. I'm not sure if I can post links here, though - sorry.

lol...wow. After everything you've been told here, that you would even think that it might be ok to post that here, is just.....

I think you're the one trolling us..

You know what you did, you know why the account is banned.

It will never be removed.

Here's what we tell people who have no idea how cheats work.


VAC doesn't care which account you use. It only cares about what's on the PC being used, since THAT is where the cheats are. Where do you install cheats? On the PC or on the account? On the PC. THAT means that ANY account used on that PC is at risk.

Deleting or uninstalling cheats DOES NOT remove them. You MUST reformat.

So, reformat. Create a new account and STOP messing with cheats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icpf9K36fpA

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

Escrito originalmente por Zach:

I r makes me wonder if Valve has such terrible support as a way to increase revenue.

I would suggest the following changes:
- Give VAC banned players a better way to appeal their bans to the VAC team. After receiving a VAC ban, the whole process is like screaming into the void. Valve makes like $5 Billion on Steam annually; they can afford to let you talk to humans.
- Get inputs from other players in the game for VAC bans. If Valve is going to mete out such severe consequences, they should be able to support them.
- Let VAC bans expire. No person who is trying to hack at a game is going to wait a year for a ban to be lifted: they're just going to make another account and keep doing it.

To those who actually read this, thank you.

A better way to appeal? You cannot appeal the bans, at all. Period.

Input isn't needed. Valve gave cheaters a chance with temp VAC bans from 2002-2004. The community (this includes you) spit in their face and kept cheating.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_Anti-Cheat


"Please take this advice with the understanding that you're ultimately responsible for what happens."

Ironic that you say this in another thread. Yet you don't seem to understand that it applies to all Steam users, including you.

You admitted to using cheats, so:

1 VAC ban on record | Info
424 day(s) since last ban

That ban is correct or it would've been automatically removed a LONG time ago, it will never be removed.

[DontCallMeDoug]

Hey, man, I think you need to calm down. You're talking to me with a really diminutive and aggressive tone, and I'm not just some Hentai Fantasy Girl that you can abuse or whatever it is that you do with them.

Sites like begin.re, crackmes.one, and xorpd.net are great places for reversing puzzles and they have nothing to do with hacking. If you're talking about hacking, Steam literally sells a game named Squally that is designed to teach people how reversing and game hacks work.

We're not talking about stuff like "Oh hey, let me just download spinbot.exe and rage on fools." This is very different. You're making all sorts of belittling assumptions about me that assume I don't know the difference.

I'm beginning to think you're exactly the kind of person I try to avoid, in real life or otherwise. Maybe you should reformat your attitude.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

Hey man, I'm calm. You're the one crying over a correct VAC ban. You admitted to cheating. You're just another cheater crying about getting caught. You're not sorry about what you did.

You've had 424 days to read this:

1 VAC ban on record | Info <<---
424 day(s) since last ban

VAC bans are permanent, non-negotiable, and cannot be removed by Steam Support.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/571A-97DA-70E9-FF74

[DontCallMeDoug]

You are so totally, completely right, with no need for equivocation nor nuance whatsoever. So right, that I completely relinquish my point and will leave you to enjoy your day with your anime harem in peace.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

Pot shots?

I'm not the one with a VAC ban.

[DontCallMeDoug]

"Pot shots?" he asks, as he takes one.

Deuces.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

You can take all of them that you want. This thread will be closed and you've accomplished nothing by making it. Hell, if you had bothered to search you would find that all your suggestions had been made before.

[Mad Scientist]

There's a literal agreement to not reverse engineer anything as pointed out by another user, of which you agreed to.

Escrito originalmente por G. Restrictions on Use of Content and Services:

you may not, in whole or in part, copy, photocopy, reproduce, publish, distribute, translate, reverse engineer, derive source code from, modify, disassemble, decompile, create derivative works based on, or remove any proprietary notices or labels from the Content and Services or any software accessed via Steam without the prior consent, in writing, of Valve.

It's been 424 Days, which means cheats or modified files were detected resulting in a permanent, non-negotiable ban.

Escrito originalmente por Zach:

I'm still a little put off by how Draconian it feels to permanently ban someone on the first offense based entirely off of an automated detection system.

Making the choice to violate the security of a game is entirely justified to receive a ban from it, your own server or not, and prevents people from ruining any online-play they might attempt after with other players from thinking stuff isn't detected.

Escrito originalmente por Zach:

This may not be a fruitful discussion, but please at least consider this: suppose that the VAC exists to stop people from cheating at games and ruining fair player's fun. If cheating were rampant, fair players wouldn't buy games and it would hurt Valve's bottom-line. I get it, and I understand my situation is very different from most VAC bans and that it would be very difficult to differentiate them, but, tell me... whose fun did I ruin?

People make new accounts and re-buy the games all the time, and end up banned over & over, if anything it boosts sales while still providing how to catch repeat-offenders when they try to use new stuff.

Fair players sick of cheaters typically use extremely active admin community servers, which serves as a place which observes, reports, and bans cheaters.

VAC doesn't ban for anything that isn't a cheat, and doesn't modify files typically to make bypasses to give something otherwise undeserved or to change textures to transparent, ie cheating.

There's no point in making a thread, 424 Days later, of which is clearly permanent, will be permanent, will not be undone, and has admitted to breaking the contracted agreements including reverse engineering.

Escrito originalmente por Silicon Vampire:

It’s your responsibility to understand all the consequences of your actions.

Choosing to manipulate the games memory without disabling VAC on the server was a bad one.