An approach to prevent hopping/ghosting

[roguetrooper 201]

Much has been discussed about it. I'm just brainstorming a bit.

 

Maybe there should be some kind of penalty (at least not worth changing your position in a 'magical' way) when you leave a server and join the same server at a different position (maybe with a tolerance of 3 metres 3D distance) within 15 minutes, no matter how many other server have been meanwhile.

 

(Btw, using fired bullets near you to determine whether you are combat logging is quite stupid and very unrealiable. Don't know who came up with this first.)

[Evil Minion 943]

I found a "position penalty" unreliable as well. In case of people hopping between (near) empty servers for loot it does basically nothing at all (3m are not much) and ghosters/combat loggers might still get the advantage from disappearing and reappearing some time later even though they have less control about where they reappear.

The currently discussed pentalties for server hopping are:

• a time penalty that may increase for frequent switchers
• a switch limit within a certain time frame
• a position penalty where you respawn away from your destination
• having to start a new character (aka "private hives only")
• "ingame penalty" (lose energy/water/health/etc.)

For ghosting/combat logging:

• prevent character disappearance under certain conditions:
  • other players close (minus certain types like players who are logging out as well)
  • gun fired within a certain distance
  • character took damage within a certain time frame
• reposition players who log in:
  • randomly if they rejoin the server within a certain time frame (OP)
  • outside of barricaded areas
  • outside a certain radius around other players (again minus certain types)
  • outside of certain fixed areas
• prevent logging back into a server after switching to another for quite some time

If I missed something please add.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Evil Minion

[roguetrooper 201]

I found a "position penalty" unreliable as well. In case of people hopping between (near) empty servers for loot it does basically nothing at all (3m are not much) and ghosters/combat loggers might still get the advantage from disappearing and reappearing some time later even though they have less control about where they reappear.

 

You have misunderstood me. I don't suggest a random position when they log in again on the old server. I want them to have a so far unspecified penalty when they log in again on the old server at a position that is more than 3 metres away from where they have logged out. The penalty might be something like being one minute not in control of the character after spawning (when that server A-B-A requirement is met).

 

When you log out and don't change your position on another server, then there should not be a penalty. Only when you log out of server A, change your position more than 3 metres from where you've logged out while you are on server B (and C,D...) and log back into server A 15 within minutes after you've logged out there.

 

The nearby gunfire as a measurement is unreliable. You or friends might have shot zombies shortly before logging out. Or a sniper 100m away from you shots at another target 500m away.

 

Anyway, I refuse a non-player-made change of position under any circumstances.

Edited March 18, 2015 by RogueTrooper