How amusing, High Scores hacked already!

This more of a bemused informational post, rather than a complaint, as I'm aware security wasn't really part of the high scores implementation.

Anyway, it seems some chap has made multiple accounts or done something strange, taking the top high score spots on my game, 'Go Faster' (link in my sig). Scores this high are incredible difficult, maybe even impossible - either someone has spent hours and hours playing with multiple accounts just to get the top score (not likely) or they've done some hacking :)

Just thought some of you might like to know. I'll just be taking this as a compliment. Very interesting, indeed!

The top score on Go Faster is only about 50% higher than your own score. Surely if they hacked it they'd just put a score of 999999 or something? Or do you think they're trying to hack it while looking plausible? :P It's had 16,000 plays so far, it seems plausible someone insanely good came along!

(I wouldn't be surprised if the scores ended up hacked though, we will probably make a way for authors to delete any scores they like from the table)

Well, if I was hacking a score, I'd certainly not put a number like 999999...

I suppose it's plausible that this person is just really good, but the fact that they made multiple accounts makes me suspicious. Also, the game gets more difficult the farther you go making outliers like this extremely unlikely. I agree it's a bit inconclusive.

Is it just because all their avatars are the same? I didn't think our site let anyone sign up more than once with the same email, maybe Tom can investigate. Still, could just be one person who really loves your game and wants to show off their scores :)

(If I was a hacker I'd enter 2^31-1 as the score, but maybe that's because I'm not really a hacker, heh)

Ashley yeah, it's because their avatars are the same and their names are related (ironically enough, all related to internet trolling :P)

the avatars are the same and the join dates are very close

If it was hacked, it's pretty inevitable as Ashley says. The arcade is a big project I'll be starting reworking on soon. When I do rework it the ability for game authors to delete scores will definitely be an included feature.

Tom cool, no pressure.

sqiddster I have a theory on how this was done. It is very simple. All someone would have to do is download your capx, and change the submit high-score action in event 91 to whatever number they wanted. All they would have to do is play your game, die, and their high-score is posted. I would be willing to prove that this would work if it were okay with you.

By the way, did you get my PM?

Tom - when reworking the Arcade, can you keep these thoughts in mind? Or perhaps you have even better ideas.

http://www.scirra.com/FORUM/topic65549.html

yogert96 that can't work as highscores are unique to each game. I'm the only one who can update the game.

Memory editors, like Cheat Engine, are fairly easy to use. But a simple clever modification to your score variable could make the easy edits impossible. For example, you could store your score variable in a string concatenated with some junk characters. When you submit or display the score, just remove those extra characters.

This would make the process of finding the actual memory address to hack almost impossible...

Anyway, it seems some chap has made multiple accounts or done something strange, taking the top high score spots on my game, 'Go Faster' (link in my sig). Scores this high are incredible difficult, maybe even impossible - either someone has spent hours and hours playing with multiple accounts just to get the top score (not likely) or they've done some hacking :)

— - did you PM or ask these people if they cheated? I'm sure they would tell you honestly... ;)

I know this sounds stupid but... either way you should be proud!!... that someone invested so much time on your game in order to hack or train to reach that high score!!

<img src="smileys/smiley36.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

— I have a hard time believing they would even check PM's as they aren't active in the site ;)

vila4480 my thoughts exactly :D