[Mod] Informs fake game players over MT [adblock]

[TalkLounge]

Hi,
this mod informs fake game(Multicraft, Pixelcraft, ...) players that they dont play Minetest.

How it works
If a player walks more than 10 seconds on the same spot(When they walk and then get ads), they will see this formspec


License
Code: LGPL v2.1+

Dependencies
None

Download
Download
Browse on Github

+ Changelog

• 1.0 The mod was created
• 2.0 Fixed attached bug

[BuckarooBanzay]

How do you detect fake players?

EDIT: sorry, i see it now, they walk on the same spot...

[Krock]

So you're blocking their view for another 10s when they already were punished with long ads?
I suggest to either provide more visual information, such as including an image like this one and/or a "no money" image. Also consider using colored text for the most important keywords. Otherwise the players will think this is yet another advertisement and ignore the entire formspec until [Close] appears.

Another idea: How about showing a short HUD text element (red colored, maybe?) which does not prevent them from playing but receives attention due to the penetrant color.

Bug report (untested): This mod will also show a formspec to players which are attached to any object which isn't moving and/or when their physics properties disallow moving.

[Linuxdirk]

Another idea: How about showing a short HUD text element (red colored, maybe?) which does not prevent them from playing but receives attention due to the penetrant color.

Bright red flashing ...

THIS IS AN INOFFICIAL MINETEST CLIENT!
REMOVE THIS APP AND GET THE OFFICIAL ONE!

... around the crosshair :)

The problem in general: Scammers could use the official client as base and could simply overlay their ads.

[TalkLounge]

So you're blocking their view for another 10s when they already were punished with long ads?

Yep, your right. If there is a rule on my server that says: Only official minetest releases
Then you should enforce this rule. Because rules should be observed.

I suggest to either provide more visual information

The most players that I have told: Please use Minetest its without ads, free and the original one
The answer was: Tomorrow, not yet etc.

If theres no requirement to change the game, why should I change my game then?

Otherwise the players will think this is yet another advertisement and ignore the entire formspec until [Close] appears

I think you can clearly separate Minetest with an ad.

How about showing a short HUD text element (red colored, maybe?) which does not prevent them from playing

Haha. I have already banned people because they wont change there game to minetest.
If every server admin does have this opinion then the minetest servers will be emptier, but we dont support idiots, which take minetest, put ads on it and sell it as a new game.

A few facts(Google Play Store):
Minetest: 100.000+ Downloads
Multicraft: 50.000.000+ Downloads
Pro Craft: 1.000.000+ Downloads
Block World: 500.000+ Downloads

And many more fakes you can found there...

Bug report (untested): This mod will also show a formspec to players which are attached to any object which isn't moving and/or when their physics properties disallow moving.

Yep, can be a bug. Any ideas how i can detect if a player is attached?

[Krock]

A few facts(Google Play Store):
Minetest: 100.000+ Downloads

This will change quickly as soon the version 0.5.0 with the new player controls is available.

Yep, can be a bug. Any ideas how i can detect if a player is attached?

Either you can use the MTG-provided table (0.4.16, old or 0.4.17-dev, new) to check whether the player is attached (example on bottom, in register_globalstep).

Or use the proper get_attached method lua_api reference - but which returns a dummy ObjectRef when the player isn't attached:

Code: Select all

local obj = player:get_attach()
if not obj:get_luaentity() then
    -- Player probably watches ads
end

[TalkLounge]

Thanks Krock
Has been updated

[ManElevation]

insteresting mod +1

[Hume2]

That's a good mod! Maybe the time to wait should increase exponentially by each ad shown. :D

[Lejo]

What about players who play on Ios Multicraft?
They can't download minetest.

[gpcf]

Just add this sticker to your game, as we use on linuxworks minetest:

[Lejo]

Yeah I also think it's better to show them Minetest instead of banning them.
For example a red hud message

[Chiantos]

Hello,

I honestly think that this mod is useless, because if the players use its versions, it is after the version on the play store crash.

This is likely to annoy the players, the best thing would be to replace 0.4.17 by 0.4.16 on the store. It reminds me of the age when webmasters were trying to imprison users in an internet browser and where people ended up with its damn ads. The ads are not a solution, it disturbs more often than anything else. It would be silly to have to develop a mod against ads for minetest ...

And frankly, it seems that some try to hold the players on an "official" version ... For free and open vision, we will iron. Remember that forks or other versions are not necessarily illegal versions and you must allow people to use other versions.

If you do not want to provide a version that does not crash pws on the play store, then n try pws to force people to use a version they can not use. Or your vision is closer to non-free and unopened programs. The right approach would be to try to understand, not to refuse to see the problem and only to try to make the players who use unofficial versions guilty.

I regularly have players in the installation of 0.4.16, because the 0.4.17 does not work for them. This refusal to take them into account, makes them use for most versions like multicraft. Indeed, they will not try to install the apk or the version on fdroid. For a play store user, steam, windows store or other, either it works or it does not work. It's that simple.

If the version 5.0 comes to crash, I should stay on the 0.4.16 ... the managers of the servers must allow a maximum of players to play on a version that work on their machines. I would not use this mod, it would be more a source of conflict and loss of players.

Good day

[migdyn]

This mod may be a bit annoying, but it's very useful. I saw a lot of videos and articles in which people say that Multicraft is such a bad game and calling it a Minecraft clone (probably because of the ads). People should be more aware of apps like this. I once saw a modded Minetest client for Android that required you to pay 100 dollars to create a new map

[migdyn]

I just changed my mind when I got killed on a server because of this plugin. The fact that a player is standing still for more than 10 seconds doesn't mean he's playing an unofficial build. I can't think of any better ways to detect than someone is using a game based on Minetest that 's trying to impersonate Minecraft. The best way to inform players of these games is to display a message like this when a player joins the game for the first time

[Festus1965]

...
Haha. I have already banned people because they wont change there game to minetest.
If every server admin does have this opinion then the minetest servers will be emptier, but we dont support idiots, which take minetest, put ads on it and sell it as a new game.

i do also, euban them for 30 days with a text telling them not using this apps and change to minetest

The fact that a player is standing still for more than 10 seconds doesn't mean he's playing an unofficial build.

edit: just had TalkLounge in chat,
at IS detecting
"Stand same position and also IS walking"

and some more idea:
* generate a list of gamers, where a counter is added for each of this happenings, so THEN the admin can go further and use a ban mod ... as that also makes server work, in out, in out ...

[Sokomine]

at IS detecting
"Stand same position and also IS walking"

Wouldn't that happen when using autowalk and running against something higher than the selected autojump height?

[Festus1965]

nice, thanks
it is activated at my server now

i think, it is possible to add

Code: Select all

print(name, "got Client Warning")

to get an into at chat (me or admin) or log in minetest.log
maybe i try later, just had another LUA Out of Memory crash