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Comment by joshmn | Hacker News Reader

Were you playing on VAC-secured servers? While not perfect, they're pretty good keeping up with the changing landscape of cheats.

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VAC servers don't really matter; the bans come in waves so even when new cheats are detected you're still going to play a bunch of games against people using them until the actual ban wave happens. Retroactive fixes are applied to stats and stuff so you don't have "losses" against cheaters but when you're playing against them it really sucks, and sucks the fun out of the game.

Banning in waves after they can detect the chear seems just like a money grab at the expense of real players

How is it a money grab? There's no recurring subscription fees to play CS:GO

<strikethrough, see reply>If you want to continue playing after a full ban, you need a new Steam account and buy the game again.</strikethrough>

That said, taking time for detection to be developed and not wanting to give live feedback to cheat developers are also good explanations for waves.

> If you want to continue playing after a full ban, you need a new Steam account and buy the game again.

CSGO is free to play. If you get banned, you only have to register a new Steam account...

Oops, it is indeed. That change totally passed me by.

It's done to make it harder for cheat makers and cheaters to pin down what exactly got them caught. It's a common tactic across many games.

There are "next gen" ROP cheats for FPS games including CS:GO https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21355058

The main problem is that VAC can be better but not without elevated privileges aka borderline rootkit and that's not gonna happen

Most anticheats are rootkits (see: kernel mode drivers). VAC’s tricks are behavioral detection of cheats and that’s the best approach imo. Trust factor is the real genius. Just put all of the toxic players and potential cheaters together.

I used to develop cheats for CSGO (I work in anti-cheat now). The ROP chain cheat is 100% detectable right now with VAC without rootkits or the like. No cheat is “VAC-proof”. I have seen Valve’s creativity at responding to evolving threats. It’s just a matter of time.

Could you explain how?

I think so? But I could be wrong.

It was most def a non-prime match (VAC enabled). They are a complete shit show and deter new players from lasting long in a free to play game.

I didn't buy the game so you must be right. That's unfortunate for valve, because I won't be buying the game.

It is well worth buying. Sounds like due to cheating it is pointless for them to have it free now.

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