Halo 2 Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: Rank reset.
  • Subject: Rank reset.
Subject: Rank reset.

I don't mind people who care about their rank. I dont mind if they spend
ages waiting for 'host boxes'. Why should I? It's their time they're wasting, not mine.

I only care if they decide to take shortcuts and cheat. Sadly there are thousands
of players out there willing to do just that, and in the process, they wreck it for everybody.

Hopefully the update will detect and ban them and their xbox. Permanently.

Thanks Bungie.

Better late than never I guess.

  • 04.08.2007 12:13 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

If kids cheat at lvl 25 then they just need to go play runescape

  • 04.08.2007 12:23 AM PDT

RIP Halo 2.

Posted by: HeavyDizz1e
Posted by: IIDWells55XII
Reasons I don't trust Bungie about the Banhammer:
-We were already promised that the standby issue had been for the most part resolved.
-We were already promised that modding was being dealth with.
-I warned Bungie about old map modding before it happened with explicit details and was almost banned and then told it was "under control."
-We were told Elongation and Backwash wouldn't suck ;P
The standby issue was for the most part resolved, modding has been dealth with, and why does it matter which map is being modded? The fact of the matter is that you can't stop people from being -blam!-s. You can however make it more difficult and keep cheating out of the mainstream, which is what this and the other patchehs attempt to do. When kids have to make new gamertags every few hours to keep modding, or have to learn the art of standby with prescision accuracy so they don't lag out; that's progress. Now it's not just any joe schmo that can press a button when he's losing - all that's left of cheaters are the people who are career -blam!-s. Hopefully this next patch will make it even more difficult and cause some people to seriously consider if it's worth the effort to continue cheating.

Are you kidding me? People -blam!-ing auto-team standby now. Auto -blam!-ing team standby. Do you know what that means? It means they don't have to do anything and for roughly four seconds at a time my team glides into a wall while theirs kills us. No one has to push a button. Just because you don't see it at whatever rank your at doesn't mean you get to pass some huge generalization the issue is resolved - the exact same thing Bungie has done.

6 hours (enough games to go from 1 to high 30s) is not "resolving the issue" at all. It still means people getting screwed over and has done nothing to discourage cheating. Modding probably increased since that update. They haven't made it more difficult or out of the mainstream.

If they want to make a futile patch to stop cheating, fine. Hell, I genuinely hope they get it together and release one that actually does something. I'd love to be able to go into a game of Slayer on someone else boxes and not have to worry about:
-Spawning in the same place the whole game in front of "i m0dz 4 48hr" and his full-auto BR that shoots sniper rounds
-Playing on a terrible bridged host
-Getting standbyed
-Getting bridged out

But I sure ain't holding my breath here. Bungie has made empty promises before and has had a continued "Oh, we fixed it" attitude while ignoring legitimate complaints. If they want to go release this patch, that's fine. But there's no reason to punish those of us who have worked hard to achieve our ranks. We suffered through griefers, cheaters, derankers, etc. - we shouldn't have to do it again just ot get back to where we belong.


Posted by: TVI Mr Smith
Hopefully the update will detect and ban them and their xbox. Permanently.

They'd need to code a system to recognize the EEPROM of the Xbox and check it against their own database of cheaters. However, I don't believe Microsoft allows the use of EEPROM identification for anything other than their own purpose of banning Xboxes that attempt to sign onto Live with a modded BIOS.

[Edited on 04.08.2007 12:39 AM PDT]

  • 04.08.2007 12:36 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: IIDWells55XII
Are you kidding me? People -blam!-ing auto-team standby now. Auto -blam!-ing team standby. Do you know what that means? It means they don't have to do anything and for roughly four seconds at a time my team glides into a wall while theirs kills us. No one has to push a button. Just because you don't see at whatever rank your at doesn't mean you get to pass some huge generalization the issue is resolved - the exact same thing Bungie has done.

6 hours (enough games to go from 1 to high 30s) is not "resolving the issue" at all. It still means people getting screwed over and has done nothing to discourage cheating. Modding probably increased since that update. They haven't made it more difficult or out of the mainstream.

If they want to make a futile patch to stop cheating, fine. Hell, I genuinely hope they get it together and release one that actually does something. I'd love to be able to go into a game of Slayer on someone else boxes and not have to worry about:
-Spawning in the same place the whole game in front of "i m0dz 4 48hr" and his full-auto BR that shoots sniper rounds
-Playing on a terrible bridged host
-Getting standbyed
-Getting bridged out

But I sure ain't holding my breath here. Bungie has made empty promises before and has had a continued "Oh, we fixed it" attitude while ignoring legitimate complaints. IF they want to go release this patch, that's fine. But there's no reason to punish those of us who have worked hard to achieve our ranks. We suffered through griefers, cheaters, derankers, etc. - we shouldn't have to do it again just ot get back to where we belong.

The invention of new methods to cheat is not Bungie's fault. Do you have any idea what would be going on right now if they never patched anything? Complete chaos. I'm not going to even attempt to describe the modding situation, it would be simply too graphic. Nearly every game would contain at least one modder, most likely more. They'd all be flying around shooting what they can, while you'd be straight up -blam!-. Battles over host would rage every game, no one would ever find a match. In the bridging department, if you think your 4 seconds of team standby lag is bad, try 18 seconds - 7 of which your whole team would be in blue screen while they do God knows what. The good ones may even be able to keep you in blue screen for the entire game... you have no choice but to either sit through it or turn off your machine. Even in the low level and custom games, there'd be people pulling all sorts of glitches, secondary standbying, and in the midst of the chaos I'm sure whoever the host is would be persuaded to do what he can.

I'm sorry, it's one thing to press a button sitting right in front of you or perform a glitch, it's quite another to reroute your entire home network and set up programs on your computer just to cheat. They have most certainly gotten cheating out of the mainstream. The problem remains right now that there are kids who are willing to waste their entire day soely on cheating in a game. They're willing to make a new account and sit there for 6 hours as you said, doing nothing but cheating. That's not something the average person is going to do. You can never completely get rid of these kids, but you can make it so inconvienent that most just say "screw it" and move on. I'm willing to bet that this coming update is going to try and expediate the process of banning modders. Perhaps with the improved banhammer functions instead of "6 hours" we could be seeing modders getting kicked off in 15 minutes. How many kids would be willing to make an account just for a few games? Certainly less than were when it was at 6 hours, and that's what we're trying to do.

[Edited on 04.08.2007 1:10 AM PDT]

  • 04.08.2007 1:08 AM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

The truth is out there. We're just not looking in the right places.

For the people complaining about losing the ranks. Oh Boo-hoo if you guys are as high up as you are in the food chain then you can probably get back up there again. Oh but the cheaters and standbyers. FACE IT. People are always going to cheat for that pretty little number you call a rank. Oh but one of you guys are probably going to say "You're just saying that cause you suck at Halo." Cry me a river. Besided, you should even be happy that Bungie decided to release two new maps for BOTH Xbox and Xbox 360. Look at the positive effects instead of beating a dead horse.

[Edited on 04.08.2007 1:29 AM PDT]

  • 04.08.2007 1:28 AM PDT

RIP Halo 2.

"never patched anything" describes the time before the patch came out. Yes, standby was longer, but it achieved the same thing. Hell, I'd dare say it was less widespread then. Modding was also nothing like you described.

And you have a very incorrect view of what it takes to cheat. It's extremely simple and there's always sites full of -blam!-s willing to help other -blam!-s cheat. It's actually a lot easier for the presumably fat slobs who are doing this crap then having them get up to hit their standby button.

  • 04.08.2007 1:32 AM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

The truth is out there. We're just not looking in the right places.

Oh wow I mean I guess I didn't know that it was easy to cheat considering that I have been lagged out at least about 50 games over a period of four to three months. Then there were modders who kept spawn killing me. Auto-aim with sniper rifle. and had an automatic rocket launcher. Gosh, I guess I haven't been cheated that much after all!

I'm leavin this thread and goin to bed.

[Edited on 04.08.2007 1:47 AM PDT]

  • 04.08.2007 1:44 AM PDT

RIP Halo 2.

I was addressing the poster above you, at the time I was typing my reply, you had not submitted yours and as such I had not seen it or known it would be before my post.

[Edited on 04.08.2007 1:46 AM PDT]

  • 04.08.2007 1:46 AM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

The truth is out there. We're just not looking in the right places.

Meh, I never had great timing anyways.


Posted by: IIDWells55XII
I was addressing the poster above you, at the time I was typing my reply, you had not submitted yours and as such I had not seen it or known it would be before my post.

  • 04.08.2007 1:49 AM PDT
  •  | 
  • Exalted Legendary Member

Posted by: IIDWells55XII
Just because you don't see it at whatever rank your at doesn't mean you get to pass some huge generalization the issue is resolved - the exact same thing Bungie has done.

But I sure ain't holding my breath here. Bungie has made empty promises before and has had a continued "Oh, we fixed it" attitude while ignoring legitimate complaints. If they want to go release this patch, that's fine. But there's no reason to punish those of us who have worked hard to achieve our ranks. We suffered through griefers, cheaters, derankers, etc. - we shouldn't have to do it again just ot get back to where we belong.


I thought all of your points were valid except for the above - because I don't believe that Bungie has turned their back to the cheating scene, nor do we really know for sure. For every update they released pertaining to cheating, I always remembered a "this should hopefully help clean up the mess" attitude rather than a "it's definitely fixed" attitude. I think that the last thing they want is for their own game to be ruined.
And I think the rank reset is still needed. From what I gathered, it was partially because the amount of gamers playing is diminishing, and so people's levels are too spaced out to find easy matches very well. Plus, I know there will still be cheating, but when you work back up to where you belong after the reset, hopefully it won't be characterized by "no one that high is legit."

  • 04.08.2007 2:03 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: CAVX
I thought all of your points were valid except for the above - because I don't believe that Bungie has turned their back to the cheating scene, nor do we really know for sure. For every update they released pertaining to cheating, I always remembered a "this should hopefully help clean up the mess" attitude rather than a "it's definitely fixed" attitude. I think that the last thing they want is for their own game to be ruined.


I'm with Wells on this one, but I'll hope for the best. Honestly, I've really only run into excuses from Bungie, and a constant assurance that "they're handling it." I suppose the 6 to 48 hour lag time in which a modder can roam free bugs me the most. It's such a pitiful attempt at automatic banning that it would seem to me to be designed to encourage purchasing multiple accounts as a way of generating cash at our expense.

I mean, I can fire off an email in seconds. I can stream high definition video to my computer. Hell, our Xboxes can host Halo 2 games with 16 people connected. What legitimate reason could there possibly be for not having a system in place that autodetects modding and bans it immediately? Are their intarweb tubes clogged? Maybe they sent an internet out indicating a ban should take place, but it took a full day to reach the server because of all the junk people are throwing in the wwwtruck.

It just doesn't make a bit of sense to me. The only way it does is if there's a purposeful design to convince us they're doing something about it when they really aren't.

As for the comment stating that the last thing they want is for their own game to be ruined ...

  • 04.08.2007 2:43 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Rank is not status.
Rank is there to measure relative ability to find suitable matches which will provide a more enjoyable experience. The sooner people realize that wnd stop thinking that the last two years of their lives have been wasted, the better.

'All my playing for nothing'? No- the playing it's self is the source of enjoyment, and the point.

  • 04.08.2007 3:04 AM PDT

Posted by: IIDWells55XII
Posted by: TVI Mr Smith
Hopefully the update will detect and ban them and their xbox. Permanently.

They'd need to code a system to recognize the EEPROM of the Xbox and check it against their own database of cheaters. However, I don't believe Microsoft allows the use of EEPROM identification for anything other than their own purpose of banning Xboxes that attempt to sign onto Live with a modded BIOS.


I think that is the case right now. However that is only an internal agreement between Bungie and XBL as far as I'm aware? I don't see any technical reason that would stop them doing it. So I guess it could change?

I remember reading a weekly update a few months ago from Frankie that said something like- " and if you thought a ban from matchmaking was bad, you have another think comming.." He even added "And I'm not joking" He didn't elaborate exactly what he meant but what would be worse? A total ban from Xbox Live? A total ban from playing Halo online? Including the beta?

I think they could do anything they wanted. Maybe after the update they will.

I just wonder who's going to find out first?

  • 04.08.2007 4:52 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

well i think that your rank is just for people with a huge ego "o ima 50 look at my halo ring" personally i hate those people so i think bungie should just get rid of rank and if people need a number on the side of their name to make them feel better about them self i feel bad for them

  • 04.08.2007 4:55 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: MoB_MURDEROTICA
Oh and nubs mlg pros don't play matchmaking.

yes they do they play a ton of hardcore,

http://www.bungie.net/Account/Profile.aspx?player=FB%20Walshy &query=FB%20Walshy
Walshy is a 30 in HC

GunSh0t is over 30 in all his levels
http://www.bungie.net/Account/Profile.aspx?player=GuN%20Sh0t& amp;query=Gun%20Sh0t

http://www.bungie.net/Account/Profile.aspx?player=ShooK%200n3 &query=ShooK
ShooK On3 is a 35 in TS

  • 04.08.2007 5:04 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: MoB_MURDEROTICA
If kids cheat at lvl 25 then they just need to go play runescape


what are you trying to say?

  • 04.08.2007 5:27 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Heh, when I heard "Ranks are being reset" I literally laughed out loud at the hornets nest they were going to be stirring up. Turns out these hornets don't really have stingers, just loud, misspelled rants about how their rank meant so much to them, and that it takes alot of work to get that "legit" symbol.

This is all gravy to a guy who refuses to play most ranked matchmaking anymore, seeing as its not really worth the stress of thinking "Oh man, I'm gonna have to spend the first 20 seconds muting the other team." Mostly because its a bunch of kids who think that because they're better at a game they have some kind of dominance over me. Even if they're NOT kids, all they have is a win againts me in a video game. Whoopdey do! Who needs to hear them prattle on about it.

Which is why, after the update, Team Training will be the best place to play. All the rank hounds and skill mongers will be trying to get their ranks back, leaving the peaceful folk to enjoy the game as it was intended. Good luck getting your "Legit" symbols, community.

  • 04.08.2007 5:40 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: MoB_MURDEROTICA
Oh and nubs mlg pros don't play matchmaking.

Then why is it that many of them have cheated for high ranks?

  • 04.08.2007 6:37 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

dude i played runescape since i was 14 and now im about 22 and now i dont play but keep characters active becuase I have 100's of millions of coin. I might trade it for other in game money like diablo 3 wen released in 2120.

  • 04.08.2007 6:59 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

to stay on topic, its easter but, i know the mods got to be there or something to keep us on topic. :) is the update going to fix weaopn gliches!?

  • 04.08.2007 7:01 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

when is this reset thing supposed to happen

  • 04.08.2007 7:56 AM PDT

Damn you roor!

fine we agree to disagree but I can promise you I have played more games of halo 2 online in the past two years. Probably about 5,000 too many. LITERALLY 90% of the time blue screen happens for more than 10 seconds is because the host is stand-bying. Otherwise why would such a poor host get host while I have an 1800 kbps upload?? Also what I meant was that stand-byers press the button putting you into blue, then they release it and then press it again and you're still in blue, you can tell what's going on by paying attention to the messages in blue screen and flashes on the screen, I'm telling you that these are my observations after playing close to 15,000 games on xbl.
Posted by: Recon Number 54
Posted by: Jablonzo
wow go read what the forum ninja guy said, then re-read what I said, then realize how dumb you are to jump to conclusions. He was saying even normal internet connections where no one is cheating will put people into blue screen on a regular basis? I said that's BS!!!

and I say that you are wrong. You are taking one possible cause and stating that the result can only occur because of that one possibility.

A blue screen is an indication that data traffic between your console, the host and others is encountering issues. It is NOT a clear indication that someone has pressed the standby button on their cable modem.

Now, it CAN frequently occur due to intentional manipulation, but there is not a 1:1 correlation between blue-screen and standby. It is a dangerous assumption and the height of hubris to think that it is possible to know conclusively what caused the event.

  • 04.08.2007 7:56 AM PDT

GT= Frost1691
No Group Invites.
Worst idea ever...http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=8664824

I'm pretty happy about this. I mean, they're just ranks, they mean nothing. It's not that hard for me to get my old ranks back, they weren't that high because I don't care about them.

  • 04.08.2007 8:36 AM PDT

GT= Frost1691
No Group Invites.
Worst idea ever...http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=8664824

Posted by: Jablonzo
fine we agree to disagree but I can promise you I have played more games of halo 2 online in the past two years. Probably about 5,000 too many. LITERALLY 90% of the time blue screen happens for more than 10 seconds is because the host is stand-bying. Otherwise why would such a poor host get host while I have an 1800 kbps upload?? Also what I meant was that stand-byers press the button putting you into blue, then they release it and then press it again and you're still in blue, you can tell what's going on by paying attention to the messages in blue screen and flashes on the screen, I'm telling you that these are my observations after playing close to 15,000 games on xbl.
Posted by: Recon Number 54
Posted by: Jablonzo
wow go read what the forum ninja guy said, then re-read what I said, then realize how dumb you are to jump to conclusions. He was saying even normal internet connections where no one is cheating will put people into blue screen on a regular basis? I said that's BS!!!

and I say that you are wrong. You are taking one possible cause and stating that the result can only occur because of that one possibility.

A blue screen is an indication that data traffic between your console, the host and others is encountering issues. It is NOT a clear indication that someone has pressed the standby button on their cable modem.

Now, it CAN frequently occur due to intentional manipulation, but there is not a 1:1 correlation between blue-screen and standby. It is a dangerous assumption and the height of hubris to think that it is possible to know conclusively what caused the event.
Maybe you should stop trying to get good at a video game and make better assumptions. When a party goes into blue screen, it can mean a number of things. 1. The host has left and the game needs to find a new one, that is the most common. 2. The host is standbying. 3. The stream of information between the players and the host was interrupted for many reasons, like somebody on the hosts side opened up limewire and started to download something. Also, you can also go into blue screen if another person leaves because as I said before, the data stream has been interrupted. Although your assumptions can be correct at certain times, it is not correct at all times which seems to be where you are confused.

  • 04.08.2007 8:48 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Posted by: IIDWells55XII
"never patched anything" describes the time before the patch came out. Yes, standby was longer, but it achieved the same thing. Hell, I'd dare say it was less widespread then. Modding was also nothing like you described.

And you have a very incorrect view of what it takes to cheat. It's extremely simple and there's always sites full of -blam!-s willing to help other -blam!-s cheat. It's actually a lot easier for the presumably fat slobs who are doing this crap then having them get up to hit their standby button.
That is the result of the cheating knowledge spreading. Not Bungie's fault. Like I said, had those patches not been released you have no idea what conditions would be like.

And trust me when I say I have a very accurate view of what it takes to cheat, the web sites that spread the info, and the whole like. The reason you see it so much is not because so many people are doing it, rather the group of kids who do cheat literally spend 24/7 doing it. There are some -blam!- pathetic people out there.

  • 04.08.2007 9:18 AM PDT