CSGO Sticky thread

[Fulcrum29]

Apparently VACnet is still doing its thing. Got to love it how the cheaters are squealing.

 

[Genisys]

Apparently VACnet is still doing its thing. Got to love it how the cheaters are squealing.

F2P, so they just create new accounts and piss everyone off again

 

[Fulcrum29]

Is that why Fulcrum has been eyeing it so much these days?

I don't want to install any service on my machine which runs at a system level on start-up.

 

[Fulcrum29]

F2P, so they just create new accounts and piss everyone off again

Yes, but there are hackers who have their 'real' inventories exposed. All suspended.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) expands upon the team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it launched in 1999.

blog.counter-strike.net

[MISC]
– End of match scoreboard will now display which players were playing as a party when skill groups are revealed.
– Average wait times for finding matches on official game servers are now region-specific.
– Rcon connection from client will now get established asynchronously.
– Rcon address cannot be changed while connected to a dedicated server.
– Added a setting “rcon_connected_clients_allow” to disallow clients from connecting to other dedicated servers via rcon.
– Several stability improvements.

Love point #1. Now the bitches can have soap at match end. Point #2... well... it should also show which region is actively being pinged and also name the node, it will help with troubleshooting.

Nice to see Valve make actual changes to improve on a community level.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Many articles, Steam users and Redditors stating that the ban wave is due to report bots. Then this article gets posted,

Valve used Overwatch to train machines to combat CSGO cheating

Recent matchmaking anomalies could be a shift in how VAC works. - August 17, 2020 - WIN.gg

win.gg

Valve used Overwatch to train machines to combat CSGO cheating

Nick J. August 17, 2020

A Counter-Strike: Global Offensive developer has explained just how CSGO's Overwatch, Trust Factor, and VAC all work together. We just have to go back to the 2018 Game Developers Conference in order to hear about it.
In 2018, CSGO developer John McDonald took the stage at the Game Developers Conference for a presentation titled "Using Deep Learning to Combat Cheating in CSGO." The presentation gave an in-depth explanation of the thought process and systems behind how Valve combats cheating in CSGO, and it provides great insight as to how Valve approaches the subject.

Trust Factor and Overwatch paved the way for CSGO's VACnet
After explaining the types of cheats available in CSGO, McDonald launched into an explanation of CSGO's Trust Factor. According to McDonald, Valve released Trust Factor six months before it told CSGO's player base.

"What would happen is you would see a thread pop up on the Steam Community Forums where someone would say 'CSGO is filled with cheaters." We would go [and find the user's trust score] and [they'd] be tied to 50 accounts, and 49 of them have bans for cheating," McDonald said.

McDonald goes on to explain that Trust Factor doesn't actually stop players from cheating. What it does instead is groups those players that Valve has deemed most likely to cheat together, thereby reducing the impact that those potential cheaters have on clean players.

The meat of the presentation came when McDonald explained Valve's use of deep learning to combat cheating in CSGO. Deep learning is a subset of mchine learning, and it is very good at recognizing patterns. Valve's idea was to utilize deep learning to identify cheating in CSGO. But before CSGO's developers could use deep learning to fight CSGO's hackers, they had to find a way to train mchines to recognize the same patterns that humans do when reviewing CSGO's Overwatch cases.

McDonald's idea was to use Overwatch verdicts as a "pool of data" to train what became known as VACnet, Valve's deep learning anti-cheat. Players may remember when Overwatch was suddenly filled with "spin botters" soon after Valve publically introduced VACnet to CSGO. This initial wave was most likely when VACnet was set loose to judge cases on its own as CSGO's developers focused its machine learning theory on CSGO's most obvious cheats. In addition, VACnet supplements player reports, meaning that random matches are chosen by the software in addition to those specifically involving Overwatch cases.

CSGO matchmaking issues could be next evolution of CSGO anticheat
While CSGO's matchmaking has been anecdotally "full of cheaters" according to some of the game's players, a sudden influx of hackers into CSGO could be tied to the game's new Trusted Mode, something that McDonald said CSGO's developers didn't want to use. But with Valorant's aggressive anti-cheat giving VAC a run for its money, developers may have decided to use a stronger version of Trusted Mode alongside something McDonald talked about as being the future of CSGO's anti cheat.

Using a "first-person narrative," McDonald explained that in the future CSGO developers wanted to be able to give VACnet a demo of a player from start to finish and train it to recognize cheats that are potentially more difficult to detect, like wallhacks. In order to do this and to expand VACnet's data pool, developers might have loosened the restrictions on player trust in an effort to widen the net on player reports so that CSGO's VACnet could expand its functionality.

This broadening, alongside Trusted Mode's lockdown of CSGO, could eventually result in a cleaner game overall and may account for the wonky matchmaking some players have seen in recent months.

Players can watch the full GDC presentation from Valve's John McDonald below.

Just the part I have underlined alone is the exact reason why I hate cheaters. The biggest crybabies in the universe when their system stops working, and always the excuse, but never the cheater.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Looks like CS:GO is saying bye-bye to “report botting”

"RIP report botting."

www.pcgamesn.com

Looks like CS:GO is saying bye-bye to “report botting”

One of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive‘s peskiest issues is report botting, and Valve may have just gotten rid of it. While a developer at the FPS game’s studio revealed a couple of years ago the problem had been worked out (at that time) it seems to have recurred as an issue since then – but has now been taken care of again.

Valve developer John McDonald has posted a brief tweet announcing: “RIP report botting.” In a follow-up tweet replying to another user asking if it’s gone for good this time, McDonald adds: “With adversarial problems, it is impossible to say ‘This will be fixed forever’. It’s probable bad actors will figure out how to bad act again in the future. It’s an ever-escalating battle”. So, while it sounds like there’s a chance the issue could return to the game at some point, it’s been solved for the time being.

Around two years ago, the dev posted on the CS:GO subreddit that “Report bots do not work”, explaining he “personally did the work” to prevent them a year prior to the post.

“To clarify a bit,” he added in the 2018 post, “there was a time where report bots did work. They were causing a significant decrease in conviction rates for OW [Overwatch], so I did the work to prevent them from working any more. This work does not indicate failure to the report bot. I don’t believe there is a feasible workaround for report bots to suddenly work, and last I checked (about a month ago), I didn’t see any instances of cases in OW coming in from anything that looked like a report bot or report bot network.”

RIP report botting.
— John McDonald (@basisspace) August 19, 2020

As explained in an article shown around the 1:57 mark in a recent clip posted by CS:GO YouTuber Sparkles here, report bots are a method of mass-reporting players in matchmaking games, in order to get them put into Overwatch, CS:GO’s community-based regulation system, and potentially even banned.

With adversarial problems, it is impossible to say “this will be fixed forever.” It’s probable bad actors will figure out how to bad act again in the future.
It’s an ever-escalating battle.
— John McDonald (@basisspace) August 19, 2020

It’s not clear to what extent report botting had become a problem in Counter-Strike again, but it sounds like it’s now been worked out. We’ve reached out to Valve for comment on this and will update the story with any new information.

All this ranting due to one video made by Sparkles where he is interviewing one hacker... The only thing which McDonald said was this,

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1295916342701199360

Boohoo, show how much speculation is going on at the moment. Close to every time that I play there is a player which ran commend bot against his/her account which is basically popularity boosting. Valve patches these now and again, the same as now.

I hope the next VAC wave is coming in soon. Many people still complaining about their current ban accounts.

 

[Fulcrum29]

@Neoprod @Cav5034

Any excuses for tomorrow night?

 

[Neoprod]

I have to wash my hair

Around 8pm or so.

 

[Fulcrum29]

I have to wash my hair

Around 8pm or so.

 

[Fulcrum29]

@Soul Assassin

I like the noise cancellation plugin, but I am still playing around with it.



I think the Werman plug is a good plug and leave plugin, but I am still undecided whether it is a better plugin than the Reaper noise cancellation plug though it does require compiling chunk data via an app like OBS and then to copy it in. I think I am going to leave the Werman plug and see how it goes, and it is the best open-source 16 bit, 48000 Hz plug that I have used. For pre I think I have my microphone set up optimal? enough, but I still need to play with the gate, release and attack as the Takstar PC-K850 I use on this PC is, uhm, it isn't as simple to set and go. My set-up above works very well with my USB mic, little tweaking needed.

I have also now thrown Peace into the Equalizer APO mix, and this, below, is awesome to apply to the headphones,

GitHub - jaakkopasanen/AutoEq: Automatic headphone equalization from frequency responses

Automatic headphone equalization from frequency responses - GitHub - jaakkopasanen/AutoEq: Automatic headphone equalization from frequency responses

github.com

I have tested it on the SHP9500, Fidelio X2HR and DT 770/990. Damn, and it is all open-source. For people who don't know about equalising this is the sizzles as long as you are an advanced PC user.

I tried HeSuVi, it is also very good, but I will simply switch between Dolby ATMOS and DTS Headphone:X pending on what media I am playing and which is supporting which more optimally than to play around with HeSuVi.

All this above, and thanks to you as I wouldn't have played around with Equalizer APO shouldn't you have mentioned it with the Werman plug, can turn any ordinary stereo headphone and mic into something more studio-like. Also, the surround qualities beat the integrated schit, and Razer THX sucks (they messed that technology up, badly).

A gamer doesn't need anything more than Equalizer APO, Reaper VST plugins, Werman's ANC plugin, AutoEq and HeSuVi, and it is easily set up. It is MUCH lighter than using VoiceMeeter, Light Host, etc.

In the case, you want to skip on the open-source headphone tweaks, buy Dolby ATMOS (or use Windows Sonic at no charge) and Boom 3D.

 

[Soul Assassin]

I am very happy with Equalizer APO and VST plugins, no messing with virtual cables and things that need to run in the background, it just works and is super lightweight.

If you record yourself with and without everything the before and after basically sound like you went from your PC into a booth with a much more expensive mic.

 

[Soul Assassin]

Oh I also discovered a pretty decent boom arm at Cash Crusaders of all places, USB cable included and routed through the frame and a shockmount for condenser mics for ~R400.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Oh I also discovered a pretty decent boom arm at Cash Crusaders of all places, USB cable included and routed through the frame and a shockmount for condenser mics for ~R400.

That is a good price, is it capable enough? My PC-K850 weighs in at 529g and that is without the cable, and Hybrid (whatever the model I use again) is at its limit holding that weight. I couldn't get any other boom arm at the time. I also have a Hybrid table stand which I use with my other mic, but it serves another purpose.

I have an eye on a Blue boom arm, but apparently I will have to wait until it is available, and it is a bit more luxury than I need, but it can carry a load and is pretty.

Currently, I have velcro tied my XLR cable to the boom arm, it looks clean, but having the cable tied to the arm does cause noise to travel to the mic through the XLR cable. However, mine is positioned to minimise that close to in entirety and doesn't really pick up any noise. I must say, these Takstar mics do come with nice shields and shock mounts, but the shock mount won't negate the noise relayed through the XLR cable. I think the velco/material helps a little with absorption.

 

[Soul Assassin]

That is a good price, is it capable enough? My PC-K850 weighs in at 529g and that is without the cable, and Hybrid (whatever the model I use again) is at its limit holding that weight. I couldn't get any other boom arm at the time. I also have a Hybrid table stand which I use with my other mic, but it serves another purpose.

I have an eye on a Blue boom arm, but apparently I will have to wait until it is available, and it is a bit more luxury than I need, but it can carry a load and is pretty.

Currently, I have velcro tied my XLR cable to the boom arm, it looks clean, but having the cable tied to the arm does cause noise to travel to the mic through the XLR cable. However, mine is positioned to minimise that close to in entirety and doesn't really pick up any noise. I must say, these Takstar mics do come with nice shields and shock mounts, but the shock mount won't negate the noise relayed through the XLR cable. I think the velco/material helps a little with absorption.

Max mic weigh: 900g
Max arm extension: 84cm
Min/max mic diameter: 40-45mm

 

[Fulcrum29]

Max mic weigh: 900g
Max arm extension: 84cm
Min/max mic diameter: 40-45mm

How does it move without tightening, is it manoeuvrable, because this is the reason I will replace my Hybrid boom arm, it has to be tightened down or else it isn't stable and it is creaky as hell with the springs.

My two options at the moment are the Rode PSA1 or the Blue Compass because I know that they will suit my needs, but none is available.

 

[Soul Assassin]

How does it move without tightening, is it manoeuvrable, because this is the reason I will replace my Hybrid boom arm, it has to be tightened down or else it isn't stable and it is creaky as hell with the springs.

My two options at the moment are the Rode PSA1 or the Blue Compass because I know that they will suit my needs, but none is available.

It's very entry level, definitely not for someone with your level of equipment.

But for someone wanting to upgrade their headset mic, you get this boom arm and something like a Behringer C1-U, I think they'll be very happy with the results.

 

[Fulcrum29]

It's very entry level, definitely not for someone with your level of equipment.

But for someone wanting to upgrade their headset mic, you get this boom arm and something like a Behringer C1-U, I think they'll be very happy with the results.

To think that it is still entry-level in the market. I am glad I went with the SSL2+, I see they have now landed in SA, many people ordering them. It isn't a good DAC, but it is a damn good preamp, there are pros' who compare it to their Apogees. The Apollo Twin is still the undisputed king in this segment but is also bloody expensive and it is aged.

Pending on where I am going with this I may expand on the equipment, but the circumstances in regard to the market are only slowly recovering now...

Down the road sometime I would consider getting a MOTU M2/M4, but I think our suppliers are going to gouge it as the Presonus devices are already a bit more expensive than it should be. Generally, no ordinary person with this need needs more than a Scarlett Solo/2i2 or MOTU M2.

The only limit on the Behringer entry-levels is the rates at which it can record at, which most people don't require in any case. The Behringer's does have okay DACs which many more expensive devices don't have, and this is where MOTU upset the traditional entry-level products.

I must add, the M-Audio Super DAC I have which is basically a Syba, but with higher sample rates are worlds better than my onboard sound. It makes the ASUS gimmick, SupremeFX sounds like an attempt at audible audio and to think it has a marketed 500 ohm headphone preamp which the Super DAC blows away (with the knob at 50-60%) without any equalising.

I have only recently moved my equipment over to my PC, had everything run on my laptop up until a week ago.

 

[Soul Assassin]

@Fulcrum29 Do you still use the Cougar Arena?

 

[Fulcrum29]

@Fulcrum29 Do you still use the Cougar Arena?

Upgraded to the Arena X.