Why we had to down the servers

[FunkySwerve]

Werehound was caught abusing his DM powers. More specifically, we caught him over a year ago, tweaking variables to cause each creature in an area killed to drop 5 BURs - this was why some of you were seeing TMIs at the time. The items that spawned he either kept or auctioned off. At the time, we didn't want to make a fuss - anymore than he'd already caused among players, whose inquiries led us to investigate in the first place, that is. Because he wasn't active on the server at the time we found out what he'd been doing, we left it alone, though we did make a new ssh password, to deny him the ability to do further mischief. We also added DM command logging, something we'd not felt necessary until this point, in our 10 year history. Because Werehound had access to the module at the time, acaos had to go to some trouble to create a new plugin to log the commands in a way he would not be able to see in the module.

The other day, when Werehound turned up again on the servers and did a run, a DM grew suspicious, and checked some of his gear. He discovered that the variables had been tweaked to give him +5 or +6 to spell dcs, unslaggable items, and more. There were also a large number of items with improbably high randomizations, something also susceptible to DM tampering by means of variable editing.

We know that this wasn't done recently, since it was not logged - it predates the logging, making it impossible to say for how long he's been abusing his DM powers in this fashion. I'll let that DM elaborate if they want to - they went through a large number of his characters on the dev server to see what else they could find.

As such, I was left with no choice but to defrock Werehound as a DM, and wipe his characters, wallet, bank vault, subrace tags, and all un-bid-on auction items. I know some of you were hoping another vet had returned to join your runs, so I haven't banned him - and that's pretty much the only reason.

Funky

[FunkySwerve]

By the by, wasting time on crap like this leaves me in a sour mood, so I will be giving exceedingly short shrift to anyone who decides to engage in trolling in this thread.

Funky

[Deleted]

OMG - sorry to hear you have had this trouble Funky and props to you and Acaos for taking such swift action. I had hoped to see a vet return too but obviously not like this.

Here's hoping this is the last nonesense we hear about for a while.

Kratlin

[Test]

Kia Ora Funky

Sorry to hear you had that level of difficulty. I know I passed on my severe irritation in things he was up to after becoming a DM before I left to a few people (guides included). It is a real shame when someone harms the trust of a community like that.

Those unfortunate remarks being said I still maintain that you have a balance of people (as everywhere does) and that included among them are two of nicest and most positive DMs I have ever met within NWN - Storm and Crimson. I guess like most things in life it all balances out.

I hope that things are moved forward quickly and that the frustration passes as your community is obviously one of the few still committed to NWN and is a fine example of how it can be developed to something unique. It would be a shame for that to fully disappear or for the spirit to be besmirched or diminished.

Naku noa, na
Test (Allan)

[Hercules]

I am shocked over the news, but in the same time I am happy it's all over.
My regards to the Dev team for the effort and time they have put into this, "just because population might wanna run with him again" ( on a new account).
I am pretty sure the easier way would have dealt with this in a few min..



Herc

[Sapphire [SL]]

Shocked and dismayed to hear of this, I can only hope that now it is out of the way that your time Funky is spent on continuing to make the server A number 1 that it has been.

[Paradoom]

This is very disappointing behavior and sadly validates alot of suspissions I had . Thank you and acaos for your time cleaning it up and dispite all that not banning him completely. Because besides all this werehound is a good and friendly player to run with and I hope he´ll still hang out and plays normaly and fair with us. Simply because I believe in second chances.

[Yojimbo]

I share Paradoom's thoughts on the matter but I will say given that he lost everything, and rightfully so, I have a feeling that he won't return but oh well there isn't much that can be done about it and it is his own actions that brought this to him. I just fear who else could have and would have also made similar such abuse and hope that we don't have any more or at the very least we have seen an end to the abuse.

[thomascovenant]

I am also under a shock to read this happened, Warehound was in the players i appreciated the more and i can say my thinking atm is about the same as Paradoom and Yojimbo and me also i believe in second chances too, i am happy to see he was not banned because even what happened this guy can bring a lot to other players by his high experience on the game. In my mind the punition was at the height of the bad things he did as with years he worked for surely the big big part of what he had like others who never cheated.

As Yojimbo yes i am also a little worry if anyone else did a similar abuse and i hope a check up will be done.

In hope we will never see things like this again, it's a virtual game items and gears on the game have no value in our real life dont lose your reputation and name for things who at least dont exist in reality. Play the game to have fun and make friends.

I wish he will not leave forever HG as he paid and paid by all he had, probably the temptation was to high and this is why he fall and did it but this not make him all bad for this we all did something bad in the past and if not nothing can say we will not in the future, then if some put judgement put it on what happened but not on his whole life.

You never know what is to fall if you had never fall

[FunkySwerve]

Jul 18, 2013 13:02:47 GMT Yojimbo said:

I share Paradoom's thoughts on the matter but I will say given that he lost everything, and rightfully so, I have a feeling that he won't return but oh well there isn't much that can be done about it and it is his own actions that brought this to him. I just fear who else could have and would have also made similar such abuse and hope that we don't have any more or at the very least we have seen an end to the abuse.

Everything that Werehound did required commands that are now logged, and easily checked. If another DM should decide to do this, we would learn of it very quickly (and would have, during the last year+, had anyone else been doing this). DMs are, of course, still in a position of trust, but the ways they are able to violate that trust undetected are now severely constrained.

Funky

[Fade]

I'm disappointed. But I'm not surprised I guess. DMs have a good amount of power it's not surprising once in a while a bad apple will surface. Something like this damages my trust in a fair game for all players. One thing that saves it tho, is the way you've handled it Funky. You were open, explained the situation and the steps taken to correct it. Thanks for that.

Now, I'm not as kind as some of the previous posters. I don't think I would welcome him back. His actions tell the entire story. He proved what kind of gamer he is, and needs to be smacked with his own Ban Hammer.( But that's not my call...

Goodbye, and don't let the door hit you on your way out.

[Deleted]

Werehound Fizzlefingers (Sor59 Pal1)

• The Ur-Ward of Gifted Blood: Unslaggable
• Raja's Signet of Mammon: +3 Spell DC
• Solar Mote: +4 Spell DC, +4 Spell Penetration, +3 DC to some specific spell (probably disintigrate or gust of wind)

A Damage Mage (Sor60)

• +2 Extra Feats
• The Ur-Ward of the Channeler-Savant: Unslaggable
• Mote of Myriad Mysteries: +6 Caster Level, +5 Spell DC
• Cloak: +4 Spell DC

Mohel (Clr60)

• +1 Extra Feat
• Divine Agony: +4 Spell DC
• Mote: +4 Spell DC, +5 Spell Penetration
• Lathander's Mordenkainen's Mockery: +3 Spell DC (that's in addition to +1 from ego)
• Dire Buckler: Unslaggable

Morianna Stouttree (Druid)

• Mote: +6 Spell DC - Despite this, he still only has DC 62 Drowns. How sad.
  

A Support Bard (59Brd 1Pal)

• Mote: +10 Caster Levels
• Aria of the Unfaltering: +8 Spell DC

Werehound's Stalwart (WM)

• Wings of the Storm: Unslaggable
• Frido's Deathstar: Unslaggable
• Mordenkainen's Mockery: Caster Level on Expeditious Retreat changed from 45 to 60

A Devastating Archer (9 Mnk 1 Wiz 30 AA)

• Belt: +59 Caster Levels to Wizard Spells

As stated most of his gear had improbable randomizations like OC/DC Rapier VoV with 70% Acid and 11% Magic, or Fist Wraps with 20%+ Physicals and 10% mag Stun and PWK Imm added, or two Raja's Signet of Mammons, both with everything upped very high and one having Elec(?) added the other having pos added. The most expensive item he auctioned was an Amulet of Eramus with ESF Abj and ESF Enchant.

Previously I also witnessed him weirding monsters immune to weird on multiple occasions (like Malebranche), constantly using the counterspell infinite-cast exploit on the Aboleths run, and getting secrets with a pixie on Cania (this is without Greater Restoration or Inquisitive Eye buff, etc., which is impossible unless he modded the stats).

-

Logs aren't everything in life.

[Paradoom]

AMAGAWD!!!!!!!

[KnightErrant]

Holy freaking crap on a cracker ! ....makes me very sad and very very mad at the same time...

KE.

[Enius the White]

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely..."

Sir John Dalberg-Acton