Whitelisting Procedure

[FluX]

It'd be better if at least the whitelist was stored remotely, so rather than updating the game they could just update the whitelist database. Would certainly save some time and effort in the long run.

This is what I have always wondered why they can't do it this way...I agree for both maps AND .u packages because this is getting rather too long. I have awaited two patchs to see if my scoreboard mutator has been whitelisted and have not heard a thing about it. If something was wrong I would LOVE to know what is wrong because I really love my scoreboard compared to the default.

 

[RuneHarle]

what the heck?
there is no such thing called no list for the maps! some maps doesn't allow to have perks because they're using custom (.u) files in these maps which that goes to mutator whitelisting problem!

So basically this for maps:

White list - permits perk progression
Grey list - allows you to use your perks but no progression
AND THATS IT.

as for mutators:
(which they would effect on the maps if they're used)

White list - permits perk progression - (only in white list maps, otherwise it will be like grey list)
Grey list - allows you to use your perks but no progression - (could effects on white list maps if its used by not leveling)
Black list (Non-white list) - none of the above - (it will disable perks on white/grey list maps)

[url]http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=37067[/URL]

thats actually what i was referring too, should have been more specific... :/

 

[n87]

That's what I meant, RoBoT.
no list = blacklist
What's the sense behind blacklist or no list?
Greylist also won't allow you to level up.
So, why do you forbid to use your already earned levels?
I think, black or no list is completely unnecessary.

 

[slavek]

The so called "black list" is not something TWI made. It is just a name some people use to describe things that are not yet whitelisted. Its not an actual list of data. TWI can't 'get rid of it' because it simply does not exist to begin with. All unwhitelisted maps and mods are considered "nolist/blacklist/not whitelisted" until they are added to the whitelist/greylist. Consider it how all new maps and mods are by default.

 

[RuneHarle]

maps for the greylist shouldnt need testing, why not just make it where all non-whitelisted maps are immediately grey

 

[Benjamin]

maps for the greylist shouldnt need testing, why not just make it where all non-whitelisted maps are immediately grey

They are, except for ones that contain custom code.

 

[RoBoT]

That's what I meant, RoBoT.
no list = blacklist
What's the sense behind blacklist or no list?
Greylist also won't allow you to level up.
So, why do you forbid to use your already earned levels?
I think, black or no list is completely unnecessary.

well I meant there is no nolist or blacklist for the maps, the only reason some maps doesn't have perks because its using non-whitelist custom code or mutator. But yes its kinda true, it shouldn't be there nolist for mutators

 

[Gartley]

well I meant there is no nolist or blacklist for the maps, the only reason some maps doesn't have perks because its using non-whitelist custom code or mutator. But yes its kinda true, it shouldn't be there nolist for mutators

I think this was covered somewhere in greater depth. Let's see if I can explain this clearly. (Either in the coding or modding forums, can't recall which but if I find the link I shall post it.) IIRC;

When the game links up to the perks by connecting to the steam servers, perk progression is either on or off. There is technically no 'grey' mode as far as Steam side of things are concerned.

So to have muts/code default to the greylist would open the way to a load of exploits as they can directly influence the perks.

A generic map in no way interfaces with the perks themselves and upon the loading/map change etc, is flagged not to save the perks, where as code could be used to circumvent that.

I think that makes sense and is on the money, I will try and find that thread though.

 

[Entangler]

I'm guessing the language barrier is responsible for this misunderstanding, but whoever first used the words "no list" wasn't saying there was actually a list called "no list" (which wouldn't make any sense - the voice of Richard Nixon saying "I am not a list" comes to mind); rather s/he meant "no list" as in "the absence of a list", which is exactly right.

Gartley's summary of greylisted mode is correct. Functionally, it's almost identical to whitelisted mode: the capacity to alter perk progress and Achievements is available in both modes, but the game chooses not to exercise it in greylisted mode. Because an unscrupulous mutator could just as easily choose differently if given the chance, mutators for the greylist must be manually audited to ensure compliance with greylisted mode's rules.

 

[RuneHarle]

why should it matter if a map has code for the greylist, you still cant level. there is no reason to make it where we cant use perks on those maps. I say again, you can't level so why does it matter.

 

[Gartley]

Reread some of the above.

Maps by DEFAULT are GREYLISTED unless they have custom code which puts them into the realm of MUTATORS which are NOT GREYLISTED by default due to exploitation.

Custom code includes but is not limited to new volumes and animated props. There is a pack of advanced volumes that was whitelisted, see mapping sub forum. If you have an animated prop... best example I can think off is the dancing girl hologram on the map Disco. This requires it's own chunk of code, thus you put this in an otherwise vanilla map and you go from perks enabled but no progress to no perks.

 

[slavek]

why should it matter if a map has code for the greylist, you still cant level. there is no reason to make it where we cant use perks on those maps. I say again, you can't level so why does it matter.

There could still be loop holes we don't know about in which some rogue code could possibly hook into the perk system if allowed.

 

[RuneHarle]

There could still be loop holes we don't know about in which some rogue code could possibly hook into the perk system if allowed.

This is more of the answer I was looking for. I understood the other reasons but this is the only one that actually gives a reason for there to be nonlisted material

 

[Entangler]

Well actually the detailed answer is that you don't need any loopholes in greylisted code, because the capability is already there. For some arcane reason, Steamworks doesn't support read-only connections - anything that can read Steam stats can also write them. In greylisted mode, the game uses a Steamworks connection to read perk progress data; if greylisting were the default state for mutators then the listing system might as well not exist at all, because any man and his dog's cat's monkey could write a mutator that uses that same connection to unlock every Achievement on startup. There is nothing that Tripwire can do to reliably prevent misuse of a Steamworks connection, so if any mutators are running that they haven't manually audited then that connection can't be provided at all.

 

[ShyMiningStar]

I reported some map exploits this year in February, after a month without any change I reported them again (via pm msg here on the forum)... still not fixed.

 

[KiCk3R]

My map still has not been white listed since asking in October last year.

What is going on? Is map white-listing still happening?

 

[King Sumo]

I guess we will have an update soon due to kf gold...
All mutators must be submitted again, see here. Don't know about maps, but better ask to Yoshiro...