[31 May 2000]
Cheaters dropping down the ladder and being disabled
According to recent rumors some cheaters lost lots of points (e.g. 200) on the ladder without losing a game. They were punished by Westwood for cheating by that. Some other players got their nicks disabled. Thanks for Your hints McCreadie (his CnC page):
- "Mac I have news for everyone, I was told in advance of the next name bans
Httnewbie = Newbie40 = newbloodz
n1ke = xn1kex = xxn1kexx
Httleader was banned too for free wins
Reason? All same host ip
Check ladder to confirm. Even if they ban one person at a time they say it will be worth it Ww is checking people and it is working so be warned"
- "Well if you check the ladder many people have been striped of their rank for cheating. As for the person who told me this, this was Mary. The person who is in charge of all ww ladders. Cheaters are now checked at the end of the month. A lot are stopped by reports at contests@westwood.com. I was told there is a very good chance of the links being fixed. Also many nukers seem to have infected ww so be careful. Thanks"
- "Well Sergiy was striped of his rank by ww. So ww think he is a cheater. We must ask ww why. Also I was told by three ww workers, no patch based on what VTed told them. Will we give up? Keep asking VTed why."
[28 May 2000]
Report cheaters, ladder fixing started (by McCredie)
It looks like Westwood started their work on the Tiberium Dawn ladder: The not-working player links in top 100 were removed recently and there's some hope they replace these by working ones. Furthermore they are finally so bored with Tiberian Sun that they began to remove the cheaters using several nicks on the ladder. Thanks for Your hints McCreadie (his CnC page):
- "Well as you can see now the players links have been taken down. I have been told they will be "fixed" but do not get you hopes up yet. The ladder title has been fixed and ww has been checking who people have been playing. Ww found that people giving free wins use the same computer therefore will be easier to track and ban. As for the patch if this game lasted five year with no updates it will surely last longer and ww will have to update. "we are bored with the ts ladder as it is ok now, so we will start on the td ladder to remove cheaters" - ww ladder staff. BTW I am getting hosted soon at TiberianDawn.rsn2.com I will get more support for the patch hopefully. Keep up the good work and thanks."
- "Just thought I should say that ww really wants reports of cheaters. Contests@westwood.com is the e-mail. You will get an auto response but it will be worth it. They only get 10 reports a month so please if you are dced, lose a win ect e-mail contests@westwood.com"
[26 May 2000]
Ranked players investigation
As a regular reader of these news You know that "unfair players being investigated by VTed". According to McCreadie Westwood checks if ranked players used more than 1 single nick during a month. Everybody knows that only 1 nick is allowed to play tourney per month. Maybe You want to read the WChat rules. ACnDC -one of the classic bad guys- lost another WChat account of his: "ACxDC". This shows they investigate the ladder for the past months and not only for the current month.
If You're a nice and clean player like me -MacMark- there's nothing to fear for You. Else...
[24 May 2000]
VT says Tim made a joke
You remember the news about "4000 emails needed for 4-players-patch"? I asked Ted, Westwood team and Tim if this was for real. Today I got the answer from Ted, that it wasn't for real. What's going on here? Is Tim having fun with us?
I think we should go on mailing Tim. Even if this is only unofficial we should show him the demand for a patch! The good news in this is that we don't need full 4000 mails to get the patch. Maybe he changes his mind ealier, let's say after 1000 mails. ;-)
But read Yourself:
"From: VirtualTed <VirtualTed@westwood.com> To: 'Markus Möller' <MacMark@t-online.de>,
"Hempel, Tim" <THempel@westwood.com>
Cc: Comments <Comments@westwood.com>
Subject: RE:
Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 12:28:42 -0700
MIME-Version: 1.0
Status:
Sorry. It's not real...
-VT
-----Original Message-----
From: Markus Möller [mailto:MacMark@t-online.de] Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2000 7:37 AM
To: Hempel, Tim
Cc: VirtualTed; Comments
Subject:
Hi Tim, Ted and Westwood,
I heard You (Tim) promised a CnC (Gold & Mac) 4-player-patch for WChat if You get 4000 emails asking for it.
Is this for real?
If so count this mail from me into it ;-)
Greetings from
MacMark"
[23 May 2000]
Leak at Westwood
Here's something I consider a serious problem. Maybe You remember the news about "Password server hacked" and "Another victim of Agents hacking". This news goes onto the same issue. It looks like Agentnrkh also known as Articfire has worked for Westwood some time ago, got some software to manage accounts, names and passwords, left Westwood and still uses this confidential programs. But I should better say "abuses" these programs. How do You feel that there's someone out being able to change Your password or to use Your very own nick for his little dirty purposes? I wish You some nice dreams, Agent "cares" about You! ;-)
Here're the emails I got:
- "From: <vaggeto-2k@home.com>
To: <MacMark@t-online.de>
Subject: about the WW server being insecure...
Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 17:23:09 -0600
The WW server isn't insecure Mark, Agent used to work for WW and he has the software to get anyone password and/or change it, so it's not WW server."
- "From: <vaggeto-2k@home.com>
To: Markus Möller <MacMark@t-online.de>
Subject: Re: about the WW server being insecure...
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 16:49:59 -0600
I think he answered tech support e-mails, I remember him talking to me about it.. I also tried to get a job but all positions were taken... That's how he could get anyone's password and/or change it."
update [25]:
I talked yesterday with CmdrCD on ICQ and things became somewhat clearer about Agent. It looks like he really hacked Westwood often and didn't ever work for them. He was banned several times but hacked himself each time back:
- CmdrCD: agentnrkh gave my CD nick to like every channel in main, so if you see CmdrCD check out icq
- MacMark: what does that mean?
- CmdrCD: well, that like every guy who is interested could come on ww under my CmdrCD nick now..as long as i dont use it myself
- MacMark: was agent working for ww?
- CmdrCD: no, he was hacking ww
by now he got banned like 100 times, but always hacked himself back to life
- MacMark: must be very skilled at that. did he admit it to you?
- CmdrCD: he brags about it in open chat
[23 May 2000]
Pieman's bloody return
Pieman1 -one of the old school top players, I guess he's the best- took his chance last weekend returning to C&C. In contrast to his recent email where he refused to come back. Obviously the actual top players Evenflow2 and MrBuggy toasted him. Oompah -friend of Pie- stated: "Just so you don't get too excited. Yes Pieman lost a few games Saturday. #1 he was hammered on Jim Beam at the time & #2 he hadn't played a single game of c&c in 6 months or more. I'm sure you new skoolers are very good players, but you can't take a few victories under those circumstances to be your war cry.".
Although playing C&C is like riding Your bike -You cannot forget how to do it- Pie might be affected by other (bad) real time strategy games. I found out that playing "Orcs in space" also known as "StarCraft" turns Your brain into a Cheeseburger.
Nevertheless welcome back Pieman! He's playing as "PiemanII" and promised to show up on WChat this week again. I think he's really angry having underestimated the young guns and wants now to show who wears the crown. This is an excellent start for the Reunion Tourney 2000 slated for June. Like the Commando says: "Rock'n'Roll!" ;-)
On WChat this was going on:
private from Sergiy-> u know that pie came to play today heh
Evenflow2-> macmark
Evenflow2-> sup
<MacMark> serg: really?
Evenflow2-> you see your pic on his page tman
Evenflow2-> i sent it in
Evenflow2-> and mac
Evenflow2-> i killed pieman today
Evenflow2-> :)
FireDr0iD-> yeah i saw it
private from Sergiy-> yea...me and evenflow played him heh
FireDr0iD-> sergiy and evenflow smoked pie today
<MacMark> and???
<MacMark> wow
FireDr0iD-> he was MAD
<MacMark> haha
<MacMark> great
Evenflow2-> hehe :)
FireDr0iD-> he came in here crying his eyes out
FireDr0iD-> just like a little fairy
Evenflow2-> maybe me and serg can get 5 commandos now
Sergiy-> but pie didn't play for 9 month
<MacMark> he had to recover
Evenflow2-> i havent for 3
<MacMark> which name did he use?
FireDr0iD-> it's like riding a bike
FireDr0iD-> PiemanII
<MacMark> i would like an email with a report :)
<MacMark> to do some news
Evenflow2-> he is coming back
Evenflow2-> next month
Evenflow2-> to play :)
Evenflow2-> since we smoked him
<MacMark> great, great
Sergiy-> he said he'll play next week
Evenflow2-> i even did it on marooned
Evenflow2-> :)
<MacMark> Madcow thinks he can smoke us too
<MacMark> congrats!
FireDr0iD-> to tell you the truth mac
FireDr0iD-> i think oompah is much better then pie
FireDr0iD-> but pie has 5 commandos
update [24]:
Evenflow who has beaten Pieman last weekend has the following comments:
"Nah i dont think so he talked perfectly well had nice unit control and knew what he was doing, now he cries he lost? SO SAD not.
He wasnt drunk its an excuse i dont buy it the way he played me."
[20 May 2000]
Another victim of Agents hacking? (by Evenflow2)
Another player (Lopesy) was acting unusually in WChat. Probably his name was hacked by Agentnrkh too like he did before. Evenflow2 sent me this log file:
"Lopesy : WHAAATSSS UUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!
Lopesy : evenflow u wad of qu**rness you wanna play? <eVeNfLoW2> hmm
<eVeNfLoW2> how can you call me queer?
<eVeNfLoW2> when this is the first time you have seen me? <eVeNfLoW2> kinda stupid
Lopesy : well you guys are all the same
Lopesy : afraid of me
<eVeNfLoW2> nah
<eVeNfLoW2> afraid of you?
<eVeNfLoW2> haha
Lopesy : when you get the smak laid down yall cry like babies Lopesy : i hear u guys have been talkin' crap on us vet players? Lopesy : this true boy?
Lopesy : u there boy?
Lopesy : chicken?
Lopesy : f**kin' chicken s**t
<eVeNfLoW2> huh
<eVeNfLoW2> i dont care
Lopesy : thats it speak up boy
<eVeNfLoW2> if i lose i lose
<eVeNfLoW2> if i win i win
Lopesy : you play me u lose
Lopesy : you lost already
<eVeNfLoW2> i dont care
Lopesy : i got your heart right here
<eVeNfLoW2> so your telling me this why? <eVeNfLoW2> yea sure agent
At this point he left great timing huh."
Lopesy (check the disguise list too) is related to Oompah (Cousins as far as I know). Could be Lopesy tries to help Oompah. For more on this You should read the message board.
[15 May 2000]
emails with a WW programmer about Mac (by theAnnoyer)
TheAnnoyer alias Mac1rox (his CnC site can be found at theAnnoyer's) had some email contact with a programmer of Westwood's. He asked him about porting games to the Mac. But read Yourself:
"subject: a mail log between theAnnoyer and a Westwood employee
MAIL LOG. MAC1ROX is a C&C fan, nickname is "theAnnoyer" (thats me! :-) ) <WestwoodGuy> is a programmer for westwood and any identifiable string has been replaced by: <WestwoodGuy> I found him by doing a profile search on AOL. Some of his profile had "Command & Conquer II" and so i asked whther he worked on C&C II or just plays it, and it turned out that he had worked on it. this log is a transcript of about 6 weeks, most of the time was waiting for a reply
Emails are seperated by "--------------" --------------
MAC1ROX wrote:
Computers: Macintosh Powerbook G3, 266 Mhz, 64 MB, 512K, 20x, 56K. Occupation: Screenwriter, Interactive Writer (COMMAND & CONQUER II & RIVEN), Journalist (SCRIPT MAGAZINE) and Creative Executive.
hey fellow mac'er. from occupation, it seems as though you either worked on C&C 2, or are currently working on it. would that mean you are porting it to macintosh, or that you worked on the pc version?
or is it just that you play C&C 2?
thanks,
Keith Bennett
--------------
<WestwoodGuy> replied:
>hey fellow mac'er. from occupation, it seems as though you either
worked
>on C&C 2, or are currently working on it. would that mean you are
porting
>it to macintosh, or that you worked on the pc version?
>or is it just that you play C&C 2?
I worked on the PC version.
--------------
MAC1ROX replied:
ok. is there any way that westwood would be willing to port it to mac? --------------
<WestwoodGuy> replied:
>ok. is there any way that westwood would be willing to port it to mac?
They said never again for Mac -- fired all of their Mac people. --------------
MAC1ROX replied:
well, why did they do that? i beleive that for the first 2 years of its release, mac C&C was one of their top sellers...
how about talking to them on having someone else port it (such as MacSoft)? I know several mac users who will pay a nice lump sum (a good 120 bucks at least) for tiberian sun for mac, me being of them. --------------
(3 days later)
MAC1ROX wrote:
you seem to have missed my last message... here it is again: well, why did they do that? i beleive that for the first 2 years of its release, mac C&C was one of their top sellers...
how about talking to them on having someone else port it (such as MacSoft)? I know several mac users who will pay a nice lump sum (a good 120 bucks at least) for tiberian sun for mac, me being of them. --------------
(8 days later)
<WestwoodGuy> replied:
In a message dated 3/6/00 5:09:45 PM, MAC1ROX writes:
>you seem to have missed my last message... here it is again: well, why did they do that? i beleive that for the first 2 years of its
>release, mac C&C was one of their top sellers...
>how about talking to them on having someone else port it (such as
MacSoft)?
>I know several mac users who will pay a nice lump sum (a good 120 bucks
>at least) for tiberian sun for mac, me being of them.
Westwood is very quirky and cliquey. They're PC all the way. Plus, they want to focus on Playstation and N64, I believe.
- John
--------------
MAC1ROX replied:
well, how come they dont want macs? thats what i want to know."
[13 May 2000]
Lots of emails needed for 4-players-patch
According to McCreadie (visit his CnC site) Tim of Westwood promised a 4-players-patch for CnC on WChat if he get 4000 emails asking for that. I asked him, VirtualTed and Westwood if this is for real. I hope to get some confirmation about it.
So, if You want to play 4-player games on WChat email Tim and say "We want Westwood to patch WChat for CnC-4-player-games!".
Will we accomplish that mission?
Recent news showed that we will not need 4000 mails, but at least a lot of.
[10 May 2000] updated [11, 13, 14]
Reunion Tourney 2000
Some CnC players asked me to initiate a "Reunion Tourney 2000". We would like a tourney with all original CnC legends out there coming back to Westwood Chat ladder to battle with the new stars of today. You can mail me or use my message board to let me know if You will come down to the battlefields once again. We would like to do it in June 2000.
Please spread this news to everyone You want to join this ultimate showdown. E. g. I couldn't contact XxRocKxX. If You can reach him, tell him about this please.
update [11]
You don't (!) need to sign up for this tourney. It's just WChat in June with the best players ever as long as they hear my call. It's up to You to spread this news too. Go and tell everyone who's good to play in June on WChat and let's have the biggest contest ever!
update [13]
Some players (not me) wish to do a structured tourney. Since RyanAT hold such a tourney last year I suggest that he may do it again. Maybe he could use his new Tiberian Dawn Forever-site for it.
So far Hadouken announced to return, Oompah, Blak519, Unc23, MonsterID and some others. But it looks like Pieman1 won't join. CmdrCD could be unavailable for me to contact yet because he visits the USA.
update [14]
- From Evenflow2:
"I'll come back for the tourny. Should be fun. Maybe just have a "free for all day" where anyone plays anyone. And an offical tourny"
- From Pieman1:
"Hello there! Sounds fascinating this "reunion tourney". But i havent even looked at CNC for about 6 + months. I dont think id be in tournament form nor would i even get excited about it. Besides i thought me being away from CNC and not kicking all your asses was what you wanted all along. Ill keep an open mind about it though and just might play for something to do since TS has gone away already ."
update [15]
- From Bowserman:
Hey MacMark,
This is old school BowserMan. You can surely count me in for that tournament. It sounds like a great idea bringing back the old players. I been practacing this month with one of my old names. You have ADI as being DiddyKong, when actually that is my alias. So you can change your page now. I'm playing with DiddyKong this month. You'll see BowserMan in June. Oh by the way, keep up the good work, the page looks good!!
Cya in June,
BowserMan
update [28]
- Most of the famous old schoolers seem to return for June 2000. The one I'm still missing is Rquiem. If You have any connection to him ask him to join us one more time.
- RyanAT would host a structured tourney if he wouldn't be on holidays for 3 weeks in June. It's possible that he does it when he returns. But the question is: Would the old schooler play then? RyanAT hosted last year such a structured tourney as You can see on Tiberian Dawn Forever.
- From PiemanII:
"Well,it seems that I have been a popular subject here in the cnc world. Not bad for someone who doesnt even play actively anymore. First I'd like to congratulate sergiy on a fine game,he beat me handily and seems to have it all together.On the other hand i seem to need to set the record straight with this evenflow2 (blerkin) character. He seems to think we played 3 or more games.Who was the drunk guy that night? Congratulations to him on ONE hard fought close victory on marooned with me in the worst spot. I welcome a rematch anytime with me not drinking (much =) ). As for my return,I am sad to say that not only have i lost alot of my cnc gold skills,i have lost my fire to win in that game. The losses were unfortunate,but not life threatening like in my glory days. I just hope that someday they will rekindle though. After 4+ grueling years of intense and mostly dominating warfare,i feel that cnc is in the hands of a batch of skilled players (excluding evenflow). It is!
unfortunate ,however that alot of these younger players feel the need to disrespect the founding fathers of cnc. Debates on different generations being better always rage in every sport and CnC is no different. So have fun with it. But remember who did what alot of you are doing first. What is harder...inventing a brand new strategy,or refining one in existence. Think about it. In conclusion ,I would like to thank Macmark for a fine web page and although we had our differences,a nice forum for CnC for those of us who devoted ALOT (ask my wife) to this game. Thank you for your time and reading this.
Pieman"
[05 May 2000] updated [11]
CnC-Extreme sites moves
RyanAT, maker of the CnC-Extreme web site, has some trouble with his web space provider. He announced to improve his site with new contents and to move it to a new URL. Good luck, RyanAT!
update [11]
His new site is: Tiberian Dawn Forever. He's still building it. Obviously he got some back up forces for his news namely LordSSB. Let's wait and see which kind of news we will get from this. LordSSB is infamous for his lies and jokes about me. Check
- LordSSB's renewed fantasies
[05 May 2000]
Unfair players being investigated by VTed
Virtual Ted, master mind of Westwood's ladder, announced to kick the free wins rushers off the ladder:
Westwood Tournament Update - 05/01/2000 14:03:11 PST
Thanks for being a part of one of the largest competitions on earth!
UNFAIR PLAYERS BEING INVESTIGATED
We have redoubled our efforts to remove those players that have miraculously moved up the rankings by playing their friends under a variety of identities. Thank you for all of your reports. If you have further information regarding someone playing unfairly, please let us know at contests@westwood.com. We have added both NOX and Tiberian Sun Firestorm to the mix of prizes last month, so there are even MORE ways to win yourself a great prize. Please check our rules section for full details.
|