Update Changes computer_id's? in BYOND Discussion

ID:132672
 
Jan 10 2010, 1:54 pm (Edited on Jan 10 2010, 2:05 pm)
One of the recent BYOND versions (wasn't 462, 460 maybe) seems to change players computer_id's when they update. Not sure if this was intentional, or a bug, or what, but whatever it was it wasn't good.

EDIT: On a somewhat related note. What are the "Dream Seeker is too far out of date" messages based on? The host's, or the game's compiled version.
#1 Jan 10 2010, 2:32 pm
Depends on the situation. If a player trying to connect to the game receives that message, then their BYOND version is not up-to-date. If it is an attempt to host a world, compiled in an up-to-date DM, but the host does not have the up-to-date BYOND, then that message will appear.

So it depends on the compiled version of the world versus the host's and/or players' version of BYOND.
#2 Jan 10 2010, 6:54 pm
Falacy wrote:
One of the recent BYOND versions (wasn't 462, 460 maybe) seems to change players computer_id's when they update. Not sure if this was intentional, or a bug, or what, but whatever it was it wasn't good.

There were a couple of bugs in computer_id, which this newer version fixed. It did change the IDs for some people, but that wasn't judged to be a major concern.

EDIT: On a somewhat related note. What are the "Dream Seeker is too far out of date" messages based on? The host's, or the game's compiled version.

It can be either. If the server needs to deal with newer clients only, then it tells any connecting client that they need to have at least a certain version. If a game is compiled with newer language features that require an updated client (455 includes some of those in stddef.dm), it also will advertise a minimum version.

Lummox JR
#3 Jan 11 2010, 2:53 am
In response to Lummox JR (#2)
Lummox JR wrote:
It did change the IDs for some people, but that wasn't judged to be a major concern.

It only negated my mutes and bans, and screwed over my account restriction system - which now has to be either completely reset or redesigned. Not to mention the new data being added to my logs.
#4 Jan 11 2010, 8:56 am
In response to Falacy (#3)
All this comes down to is "oh well". It's not going to kill you to reapply some mutes and bans if the offenders start causing trouble. You more than anybody should be happy to give people a second chance on sheer technicality.
#5 Jan 11 2010, 9:24 am
In response to Falacy (#3)
Yeah, it is unfortunate that this would impact a few bans. However on the up side it will actually make your bans more secure in the future.

Keep in mind that the extent computer_id is consistent is a minor miracle in itself. It can't be expected to have complete permanence, but it's immensely better than having no computer_id at all. This kind of shake-up though is unlikely to happen with any kind of frequency, and even this only impacted a minority of users (myself included). Tom and I both figured the minor one-time inconvenience of having to reapply a few bans--many of which were unlikely to be fresh--was worth it for the improved security. Unfortunately this does have a disproportionate impact on people running very popular games and maintaining a big ban list, but the old code would have caused you more trouble in the long run.

Lummox JR
#6 Jan 11 2010, 1:41 pm
In response to Lummox JR (#5)
Lummox JR wrote:
There were a couple of bugs in computer_id, which this newer version fixed. It did change the IDs for some people, but that wasn't judged to be a major concern.

Is this expected to happen again in future updates or was it a "one-time" security patch?
#7 Jan 11 2010, 2:10 pm
In response to MortalMorz (#6)
MortalMorz wrote:
Is this expected to happen again in future updates or was it a "one-time" security patch?

Lummox JR wrote:
This kind of shake-up though is unlikely to happen with any kind of frequency, and even this only impacted a minority of users (myself included).
#8 Jan 11 2010, 2:24 pm
In response to MortalMorz (#6)
MortalMorz wrote:
Lummox JR wrote:
There were a couple of bugs in computer_id, which this newer version fixed. It did change the IDs for some people, but that wasn't judged to be a major concern.

Is this expected to happen again in future updates or was it a "one-time" security patch?

If any changes go in in the future they'll probably only deal with a more limited case where occasionally we end up seeing multiple people assigned the same computer_id. That was the primary reason for this fix as well, but we found something else that was in need of improvement at the same time, and that kind of situation is unlikely to repeat for a long time.

Lummox JR
#9 Jan 19 2010, 1:12 am
In response to Lummox JR (#2)
Could you elaborate on the nature of these changes in ID? Were they temporary? Or would they have been permanent?
#10 Jan 19 2010, 7:22 am
In response to DeathHyren (#9)
DeathHyren wrote:
Could you elaborate on the nature of these changes in ID? Were they temporary? Or would they have been permanent?

They're permanent, as was discussed in this thread. There's not really much to say except that some people's IDs changed, but not all.

Lummox JR
#11 Jan 19 2010, 9:33 am
In response to Lummox JR (#10)
I seem to have missed where that was discussed previously. In any case, I appreciate your time.
#12 Mar 4 2010, 2:11 pm
In response to Lummox JR (#2)
lets say is there anyway possible for someone to have the same computer_id before or after the update? Or someone getting their id switched to what someone else had before?