PBEM security

[timurlain]

Hello,

I was just wondering, is there any protection from the hosting player examining the orders he receives or not ?

I was asked this by my opponent and since I am hosting I haven't thought of that before.

I hope this doesn't sound like I am planning to cheat my opponents. Au contraire. But is it all just depending on the hosts fairness ? (in that case I'll prefer to be guest next time )

Thank you.

[Generalisimo]

I hope this doesn't sound like I am planning to cheat my opponents. Au contraire. But is it all just depending on the hosts fairness ? (in that case I'll prefer to be guest next time )

Yes, for the time being, the host can decide to cheat and look at the opponents orders. Just like you can do that when playing against the AI too.
But we are between gentlemen, right?... cheating is not an option.

By the way, that's why during tournaments, the host is a third player, so none of the combatants can look into the other .ORD file.

[Matto]

And is planned some improvement or are all satisfy with third person system?

[timurlain]

You are right, that cheating is not an option. I am not worried about myself or the other player actually cheating, but more about the "that move was so good, he must have cheated" accusation.

But really, I am not that worried at all - since cheated victory must feel very wrong. It was just an enquiry as top whether I missed something or not.

[Longhairedlout]

I have played a decent amount of Pbem's, there is no point in cheating as if you win by it its not really a win is it, I have made some good moves and had a lot of good moves made against me, I guess if your opponent/host was continually making moves to the exact location of your troops or weak spots, then you I might start to wander, but in about 2-3 years of playing AACW, WIA and now ROP I have never had a host cheat on me, like Generalisimo said we are all gentleman here

[Pocus]

Yes, for the time being, the host can decide to cheat and look at the opponents orders. Just like you can do that when playing against the AI too.
But we are between gentlemen, right?... cheating is not an option.

By the way, that's why during tournaments, the host is a third player, so none of the combatants can look into the other .ORD file.

mmh, someone has forgotten something . All Ageod games have built-in ZIP encryptation (will password allowed), provided you have checked the option in the Options Window, System.

[Generalisimo]

mmh, someone has forgotten something . All Ageod games have built-in ZIP encryptation (will password allowed), provided you have checked the option in the Options Window, System.

Well, that's because I have never tried it... yet.

[Bertram]

There was, in AACW, some trouble with this, in that it encrypted all turns, even the saves from games against the AI, and somtimes crashed when starting up, because it could not find the password....is that solved?

(I should try ot out, but am too lazy )

[soundoff]

Sadly there is no current way of preventing a host from cheating in a PBEM game if they so desire. I've never encountered it and firmly believe the AGEod fraternity to be an honest bunch but it is possible even if the encryption facility with password is activated.

At its most basic all the host has to do is process the turn and if they don't like the outcome 'restore the previous turn' then amend their own orders - simple really. Pointless and why play if you have to cheat?