Limiting Hacking through Encouraging Hacking

[sixfeetgiantbunnyrabbit 40]

Maybe it´s an odd angle but let me explain:

If you can´t get rid of hackers why not encourage them to hack the game but limit them to certain areas of the map (if possible in the standalone)? I think some hacks would greatly add to the immersion of the game if survivors would know about some “haunted” areas where nobody would want to go unless prepared to never be able to return, just like the myths surrounding green mountain. In a game of zombies you would only need to care about realism so far. Maybe even the developers could create some weird character hacks or even small scenarios and storylines from time to time in the “hacker zone”, whenever they get bored.

There shouldn´t be any special reward to find in this haunted area, no special loot for surviving, the only reward should be an amazing experience and a scary and/or funny story to tell like the the Ronald McDonald axe murderer or the "It´s raining, it´s pouring" guy (linked below) or the ghillie suite bastard (linked below) for example. Some of the myths described in the green mountain thread also sound like hackers having lots of fun with us survivors, even if it´s just weird lights in trees and buildings or unexplainable visual or acoustic hallucinations and whatnot (maybe you could even implement a tool box with some basic hacks for wannabe hackers with no experience in this regard). I´d even go as far as to implement reward points you could give hackers for their hack to encourage original ideas. I´m not a fan of hackers killing everyone on the map with just one click (even though I never experienced that) but if you can lock them in their own sandbox in a sandbox-game maybe they can even add to the gameplay and leave the rest of the players playing their kind of game simply trying to survive the zombie apocalypse.

some examples:

part 1

you´ll find part 2, (3) and 4 on your own...

Edited August 11, 2012 by sixfeetgiantbunnyrabbit

[sowexly@gmail.com 0]

The script related hacking is an exploit in the game engine, the only thing hackers should be able to do in a stand alone version assuming a new engine is used would be to read the memory and display an ESP or something simple like that.

[Ghost778 18]

Hackers hack because they want attention and want to finally be able to beat everyone that is so much better than them(everyone). Sure, you could say you can hack,but only over here, but it wont do a damn thing. They will stick do it everywhere just because they dont give a shit. Remember, skilled players never hack, its always the noobs who get owned or the people who hate themselves.

[indominator 95]

No dude, reverse psychology wont work, it will just encourage script kiddies, and hackers wont even care about your propaganda, they will see it as a reverse psychology and just do it more to provoke, just ignore, its better, its the only thing that works, and one thing to tell you, they are not that annoying, its the kiddies who are, dont blame the real ones, ok?

[Astaa 11]

How about, no?

[Astaa 11]

You two clowns should go on some stupid local radio.

[Snortan 11]

Why not encourage hacking on several test servers and reporting afterwards how do those hacks work so the devs can fix them?