Standard SV CVAR checks

[dragon]

Having sat down to do a .config for the GameArena competition, i'm amazed there's no fairly standard sv_cvar checks. I looked at 10 different configs from around the world and they are all different. Most with a reasonably amount of difference in them. There is obviously some variables that are cheat protected and others that can be used for exploitation. I'd like to propose we list a range of Definate Exploitable cvars so that we can make a standard "base" config (Allowing individual leagues to still play with gamma etc etc blah blah) Now, the first load I've listed below are included in most of the leauge configs I've looked at and most people would know what they do.

"sv_cvar cg_bobup IN -0.005 0.005"
"sv_cvar cg_errordecay EQ 100"
"sv_cvar cg_fov IN 90 120"
"sv_cvar cg_shadows IN 0 1"
"sv_cvar cl_freelook EQ 1"
"sv_cvar m_pitch OUT -0.015 0.015"
"sv_cvar m_yaw IN -0.022 0.022"
"sv_cvar r_clampToEdge EQ 1"
"sv_cvar r_ext_ATI_pntriangles EQ 0"
"sv_cvar r_ext_texture_filter_anisotropic EQ 0"
"sv_cvar r_flares IN 0 1"
"sv_cvar r_nv_fogdist_mode INCLUDE NV GL_EYE_RADIAL_NV"
"sv_cvar r_primitives IN 0 2"

However, things like r_depthbits and lodcurveerror can be exploited to give small advantages, so I'd propose the following be added

sv_cvar r_depthbits EQ 24
sv_cvar r_lodcurveerror EQ 250

As for cl_pitchspeed and cl_yawspeed, to assist in removing movement based scripts, GA is limiting these to 0

Please post your thoughts on what should/should not be included and an explanation of why.

And if this has been covered before, cry me a river and don't abuse me, because it's obvious that most league admins don't agree on what's exploitable and what isnt

[jump3r]

sv_cvar r_depthbits EQ 24
sv_cvar r_lodcurveerror EQ 250

yeah, reduce everything what you can, so players will be play with absolutely same config settings...

imho, one of the most important is connection sv_cvar checks. but a lot of leagues etc. doesn't use that.

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rate in 7000 25000
snaps in 20 40
cl_maxpackets in 30 100
cl_timenudge eq 0

[ReyalP]

FWIW, forcing r_depthbits is not effective. r_depthbits is only a hint to the game, it will often choose a different value to match what your hardware can provide in a given color depth.

It also requires a vid_restart to take effect.

DGs cvar restriction page has some good stuff:
http://www.rtcw.jolt.co.uk/content/enem ... tions.html

[hiro]

sv_cvar r_depthbits EQ 24
sv_cvar r_lodcurveerror EQ 250

yeah, reduce everything what you can, so players will be play with absolutely same config settings...

we added lodcurveerror and r_subdivisions IN 1 64 as we will be using a large number of custom maps, some of which lack 'structual integrity' in places where players can lean through walls to see what's on the other side.

[dragon]

You refer to DG's page, but that has some redundant checks on it too

One of the reasons why I'd like to assist in coming up with an "ETPRO recommended cvars" Basically, the Cvars that EVERY League config should have. Then a 2nd list with optionals

[[2nr]Wags]

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rate in 7000 25000

I've never understood limiting the rate to start at 7000. By doing this, your server effectivly bans all 56k modem players.

Until recently, I was playing ET (since the test version) with a 56k modem and a rate of 4000. On my usual servers I got a ping of 120-150 which combinded with ETPro's antilag code made it perfectly playable.

Is there any reason why many leagues start the rate at 7000 instead of 4000?

[jump3r]

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rate in 7000 25000

I've never understood limiting the rate to start at 7000. By doing this, your server effectivly bans all 56k modem players.

Until recently, I was playing ET (since the test version) with a 56k modem and a rate of 4000. On my usual servers I got a ping of 120-150 which combinded with ETPro's antilag code made it perfectly playable.

Is there any reason why many leagues start the rate at 7000 instead of 4000?

playing ET with 56k modem? sry, but that's stupid idea (imo)..

rate < 7000 = complaing and/or warping, laggy players seeing problem in "shitty server"

[gotenks]

as long as you have antiwarp running maxpackets and rate have very little effect, i don't see any actual point in limiting them

[DG]

You refer to DG's page, but that has some redundant checks on it too

It's generally useful to state what they are...

A few need to be shifted out of reccomended when next etpro is out, i.e.
sv_cvar cl_yawspeed IN 0 140
sv_cvar cl_pitchspeed IN 0 140
(tho i think you're reccomending them anyway, albeit more restrictive)

A few are stated in the text as optional with etpro, i.e.
sv_cvar rate IN 2500 25000
sv_cvar snaps IN 20 40
sv_cvar cl_maxpackets IN 15 100
sv_cvar cl_timenudge EQ 0
(though i dont think players are going to accept removing them, and would much rather have them far more restrictive)

And that leaves... sv_cvar r_detailTextures EQ 0, which was put in due to demand.

r_subdivisions IN 1 64

8 is a troublesome value.

Depthbits wallhack can't be stopped, i left it out entirely since at the time nobosy was posting about it on forums like it's regularily being done now.

"sv_cvar r_ext_ATI_pntriangles EQ 0"
"sv_cvar r_ext_texture_filter_anisotropic EQ 0"

I've seen these all over the place and only some tentative comments about the msn wallhack (still works anyway) and pb-screenshot blocking (hack blocks them anyway, and last 6 months of drivers [at a guess] supposably fixed it anyway). Everyone I've asked about it has been completely unable to answer it (some then removed those checks). But so many places still use them, abyone know what are they for?

[jump3r]

oh ok, my spell book :

- restricting r_depthbits is not good, cos 24 eats fps and that "bugs by 16" are normal in most of q3a engine based games, what will be next stupid restriction? ...
- restricting subdivisions? lol, same as the r_depthbits. that's garbage
- restricting cl_yawspeed & cl_pitchspeed is absurdity made by CB admins (c). why players can't make their own mortar scripts? that's part of this game! everyone can (could) use that, so that's problem of this player, if he didn't have that.

- rate at 2500 and/or maxpackets at 15 = brutal warping players, tested
- etpro antiwarp is leet improvement, but it's not The God

and finally ,
- restricting r_detailtextures is good idea

[ReyalP]

r_subdivisions IN 1 64

8 is a troublesome value.

FWIW, that is a bug in the map. Properly constructed maps wont get gaps like like that.

- rate at 2500 and/or maxpackets at 15 = brutal warping players, tested

maxpackets under 20 will *always* cause warping.

cl_timenudge eq 0

pointless IMO.

[DG]

bug in the map - yeah it says so in the text... so?
cl_timenudge - like i say in the text, pointless imo, except to shut up #whine
maxpackets - with antilag? it's a default setting

[ReyalP]

maxpackets - with antilag? it's a default setting

The server sends positions (snapshots) out 20 times a second. If a player only moves 15 times a second (as they will with maxpackets 15), then they will be stationary for some server updates.

Antiwarp (which I assume you meant, rather than antilag) prevents a whole bunch of player commands from being run all at once (causing them to warp), but it can't make them move smoothly when when there is no input from the player.

Whether this is a big deal is a matter of opinion of course. IMO Modem players are at enough of a distadvantage that warping a little bit isn't going to save them...

edit:

bug in the map - yeah it says so in the text... so?

Point being (and aimed at this thread, not at your page which covers it pretty well) it isn't "excessive values of r_subdivisions/r_lodcurveerror let you see through walls" but ratther "buggy maps let you see through walls". So one shouldn't expect a specific setting to prevent all cases.

[hiro]

Point being ... it isn't "excessive values of r_subdivisions/r_lodcurveerror let you see through walls" but ratther "buggy maps let you see through walls". So one shouldn't expect a specific setting to prevent all cases.

we added those mainly to prevent this bug in Frostbite, although I'm sure there may well be similar exploits in other custom maps that we're not yet aware of.
The above checks will hopefully reduce the chances of this happening, while still allowing players to reduce the geometric detail for whatever fps increase it gives them.

thanks for your replies, I know most of this has be discussed before but in searching for info it's all over the place and far from consistant.

[deej]

btw if you want to do connection checks allowing snaps to be anything over 20 is then useless too. Explanation by Bani & Rain here.

Our settings for our upcoming cup are:

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command "sv_cvar b_antilag EQ 1"
command "sv_cvar rate IN 3500 25000" 
command "sv_cvar snaps IN 10 20" 
command "sv_cvar cl_maxpackets IN 30 100" 
command "sv_cvar cl_timenudge EQ 0"

Snaps is restricted between 10 and 20 to accommodate dial-up users or users with bad connections. I put this in because of Rain's post although he does suggest afterwards that snaps shouldn't be limited at all . Anyway, I reckon: 20 is max and falling back to 10 is about 50%, that should be ok in a guesstimating way.

Only about the timenudge I haven't found a good reason to remove that check yet so I'll just leave it in.