egoAPB - External Game Observer for APB: Reloaded

[Ch1ck]

26 minutes ago, ShadowXS said:

Okay, here is why this concept for a program is redundant;

 

Faction; Criminal

StatusType WorldStatus; I know if im online or not, what smart doesn't

WorldName; Citadel

CharacterName; ShadowXS

LastLogin; Same as Status 

Threat; Gold

Details; Male, 2250 Hours Played, 255, $15,021,965, 2250JT 

Clan; Redundant Program BTW

FriendlistInfo Friends; Pointless

IgnorelistInfo Ignores; Even more pointless 

 

Everything else in the script that i didn't add above is pointless information no one needs to see about their character.

 

But you see, I can make my own version, offline, into a signature if i wanted, without giving anyone but the LO login server my email address and password. Furthermore, anyone who doesn't already know all of the above about their own characters and needs a program to check up on that information, has dementia or retardation, and doesn't need this program but rather medical attention.

The point of this thread was to hear opinions and ideas. Thanks for your input. 

 

But some stuff you have misunderstood. This can be used to create a collection of player infos so someone can search you up if you aint online, in game and near people to inspect you. The signature creation direction seems most viable atm. 

[neophobia]

2 hours ago, ShadowXS said:

Furthermore, anyone who doesn't already know all of the above about their own characters and needs a program to check up on that information, has dementia or retardation, and doesn't need this program but rather medical attention.

wow

edgy

Edited November 16, 2018 by neophobia

[Ramihyn]

Oh that sounds very cool! Obvious problems of TOS/EULA and the whole "having to give login details to people you dont know" aside. As a player of APB since 09/2010, i still have 10 or 11 acttive char slots and each of them has a list of friends. Knowing that an old friend of mine from 5 years ago is online and giving APB a look again, would be awesome. A tool which watches for currently online friends and allows me to assign an alert state if one  of them logs on, would be great. Even knowing that one of them logged on some hours ago would be useful so i could later log into apb to send them a notice and plan a chat or mission "like in old times".

 

Writing a custom front-end with a clean easy GUI which runs on linux/windows/mac os would be easy to do and i dont mind releasing the full sources for others to verify what happens (like i did already here).

 

Very cool project.

Edited November 16, 2018 by Ramihyn

[Ch1ck]

11 minutes ago, Ramihyn said:

Oh that sounds very cool! Obvious problems of TOS/EULA and the whole "having to give login details to people you dont know" aside. As a player of APB since 09/2010, i still have 10 or 11 acttive char slots and each of them has a list of friends. Knowing that an old friend of mine from 5 years ago is online and giving APB a look again, would be awesome. A tool which watches for currently online friends and allows me to assign an alert state if one  of them logs on, would be great. Even knowing that one of them logged on some hours ago would be useful so i could later log into apb to send them a notice and plan a chat or mission "like in old times".

 

For some people i would instantly take a break, log to apb and have a chat

 

Ok, my work might suffer, but APB and i would profit

 

Writing a custom front-end with a clean easy GUI which runs on linux/windows/mac os would be easy to do and i dont mind releasing the full sources for others to verify what happens (like i did already here).

 

Very cool project.

Yes, but if you login locally thru app and only send fetched data, you wouldnt be giving login details to anyone. To be as transparent as possible, I would open source this so everyone knows whats going on. 

[Fasalina]

Could ask LO to create an API so you can get that information without "logging in". EVE Online has done it succesfully. + they let people (account owners) edit what stats to show.

[Ch1ck]

11 minutes ago, Fasalina said:

Could ask LO to create an API so you can get that information without "logging in". EVE Online has done it succesfully. + they let people (account owners) edit what stats to show.

Indeed, but API to fetch everything would be quite some work for them to do, while i think they already have enough to work on. Thats why i would also like an official response from LO possibly. 

[vsb]

is this the most creative phishing exercise of the year?

[BlatMan]

3 hours ago, BXNNXD said:

is this the most creative phishing exercise of the year?

I think OP's account was phished off another member. There's only 2 new posts since LO took over, then all of a sudden is active in a single thread about an app that needs your email and password.

Edited November 16, 2018 by MrsHappyPenguin

[vsb]

5 minutes ago, MrsHappyPenguin said:

I think OP's account was phished off another member. There's only 2 new posts since LO took over, then all of a sudden is active in a single thread about an app that needs your email and password.

phishception?

[Aeronaut]

1 hour ago, BXNNXD said:

phishception?

i like fish.

 

i've had lapses where i don't play post and then post. but i don't really post anything to this degree in asking for account information.

[vsb]

Just now, Aeronaut said:

i like fish.

 

i've had lapses where i don't play post and then post. but i don't really post anything to this degree in asking for account information.

you smell like fish

[Aeronaut]

4 minutes ago, BXNNXD said:

you smell like fish

*high fives*

 

[ShadowXS]

8 hours ago, Ch1ck said:

The point of this thread was to hear opinions and ideas. Thanks for your input. 

 

But some stuff you have misunderstood. This can be used to create a collection of player infos.

All I am saying, my guy, is that the least you could do is treat us to dinner before trying to fuck us.

 

Whilst i appreciate that you are being polite and respectful in your responses, someone who is trying to scam me out of my account information with this concept of providing me with profile statistics that I am already aware of, is no less of a cuntbag just because he is polite and respectful in trying to fuck me.

 

I mean, do you even understand what you are asking for in exchange for what you are offering? You are asking for players to trust you with their username, email, and password to their APB account just so that you can formulate a script that will let them know their Rank, their Threat, whether they're online, and how much cash they have on their characters. 

 

So you're either a scumbag scammer trying to use this application as a front to have people submit their login information - in which case go fuck yourself, or you genuinely believe this concept is viable and not utterly redundant - in which case i appreciate that you're trying to provide the APB community with an application that you believe to be meaningful, but unfortunately, this ain't it. And you'd be better off investing your time elsewhere, on another concept.

[Sadira]

10 hours ago, Sayori said:

As far as I remember LO themselves banned the will.io "bots" at some point ?

 

Remember when MrEpicGoat used to spam whispers from hundred accounts at once? That's how it worked lol.

They were unbanned eventually and the site works again.

[TehBlizzy]

11 hours ago, Sayori said:

As far as I remember LO themselves banned the will.io "bots" at some point ?

 

Remember when MrEpicGoat used to spam whispers from hundred accounts at once? That's how it worked lol.

 

Incorrect, that is not how the whisper spam was created.

They were actual APB accounts with verified emails you can log in-game with connecting from a single PC and not a website/server.

G1 did not, and LO probably still does not limit the number of connections from a single IP, allowing one to emulate the APB login process with potentially thousands of accounts within seconds and do various things a normal game client could. G1 however made new accounts unable to whisper from the Lobby screen for some amount of time thus preventing the end of days via whisper spamming.

 

I still have a list of 800 accounts (banned or not I don't currently care to check) that were used back then to have fun with. 

 

[Saxtus]

OP is offering open source code, not asking for your credentials.

 

If you can't distinguish malicious code, then just don't use it.

 

So much ignorance in a single thread.

Amazing...

[Ramihyn]

I wish LO had a method how third party creators could participate, like other companies have. But it would need additional resources and time to have somebody deal with that, write documentation, a faq with "best practises", Create sample code, invent and implement and test a whole API, deal with the inevitable change/addition wishes and manage the malicious attempts trying to abuse all that. Not to forget maintaining additional forum sections, hosting download space and maybe even adding the most useful third party tools as optional additions to the official installer. Yes there is a lot it could involve and in the end you would be with a nice little eco-system around your product and a growing community because it all adds value to the game (*dont forget that each new addition has the chance to be gaming news worthy - aka - it generates attention -> free advertisement as it keeps the product in gamers mind).

 

I assume the majority of the players wouldnt see the point of all of that and just think "omg you are delaying the 3.5 release with that nonsense". but everybody would notice the growing number of players each of the little steps creates. And who knows what the next guy comes up with ..... maybe a great idea that enhances the community so much, that the next generation of game spawns around the idea of a shooter combined with the idea. Stranger things happened already ... just a question of making things possible, opening pathes for change or not.

 

More important would be (IMHO), that LO would open up the possibility for modders to create maps. Imagine an event with some price money where you have two categories. Category 1 - create a new map given only the existing textures, category 2 - wild ideas, feel free to create what you can. Even pure concept art which just exists in somebodies mind now.

 

Possible outcome - a few new maps aka CONTENT for apb:r in 2019 and probably ideas for apb:r2 or whatever you call it, to be released in 2022

I am sure there are some talented modders among the apb community who just need the chance to step up for the challenge. Currently the technology focuses on avoiding manipulation of game data with an iron fist to avoid cheaters and thats ok, but how many creative and constructive people are being kept away with that as a "side effect" .... anyhow - the current way of doing things, could need some re-adjustments imho but hey - thats just me ... up to LO to make decisions

 

ps: the wall of text ends here

 

pps: i wouldn't enter my login data into a unknown persons website either (duh), but it wasnt ever asked yet. the problem has been pointed out and the task now is how to solve this problem. Obviously an API with some RSA based authentification or code screening could do that but both would need LO resources and those are not for the "all knowing" forum members to allocate

 

ppps; code screening works well with C# due to the fact how it was created .... it's different to native 68k assembly for a reason

Edited November 17, 2018 by Ramihyn
Clarification

[tommyli973]

I think this could be really cool if it allowed for you to check the daily challenges for the final contact, and would alert you if the quest for a NANO popped up. I would sign up for that LOL.

[Ramihyn]

.

Edited November 17, 2018 by Ramihyn

[TheHidden-Tember]

I agree with any kind of being able to access info in-game. However being able to actually SEND info to the game might cause a plethora of issues.

[Ch1ck]

10 hours ago, ShadowXS said:

All I am saying, my guy, is that the least you could do is treat us to dinner before trying to fuck us.

 

Whilst i appreciate that you are being polite and respectful in your responses, someone who is trying to scam me out of my account information with this concept of providing me with profile statistics that I am already aware of, is no less of a cuntbag just because he is polite and respectful in trying to fuck me.

 

I mean, do you even understand what you are asking for in exchange for what you are offering? You are asking for players to trust you with their username, email, and password to their APB account just so that you can formulate a script that will let them know their Rank, their Threat, whether they're online, and how much cash they have on their characters. 

 

So you're either a scumbag scammer trying to use this application as a front to have people submit their login information - in which case go fuck yourself, or you genuinely believe this concept is viable and not utterly redundant - in which case i appreciate that you're trying to provide the APB community with an application that you believe to be meaningful, but unfortunately, this ain't it. And you'd be better off investing your time elsewhere, on another concept.

I don't know why my thread caused so much hate in you, my guy, chill a bit down, my plans are nowhere near malicious. I've been playing this game since RTW days, spent thousands on my account, but haven't been playing lately cause of a job. Here's a response to your posts:

6 hours ago, Saxtus said:

OP is offering open source code, not asking for your credentials.

 

If you can't distinguish malicious code, then just don't use it.

 

So much ignorance in a single thread.

Amazing...

 

--

 

1 hour ago, TheHidden-Tember said:

I agree with any kind of being able to access info in-game. However being able to actually SEND info to the game might cause a plethora of issues.

Still figuring stuff out, this is just proof of concept, it's nowhere near full realization

[Fortune Runner]

23 hours ago, Ch1ck said:

Hello.

 

Ironic name, yes, cuz we all know that what hurts the most in this game

 

Anyways, straight to the point. Some time ago a certain individual created a district instance tracking website. His library is public, so I've recently downloaded and continued his work. Long story short, the library exposes in-game stuff to use outside of the game itself by imitating the game client, minus the whole visual representation. What I'll be trying to make is either a website or desktop application where you would at least get an overview of your account. I've managed to do a lot more than original creator intended to.

 

The problem here is, you need to provide email, password and character name in order to fetch data externally. So I already foresee people not being too keen on inputting stuff like that, but it is a must for proper functioning. Another problem is that this almost certainly breaks the TOS and EULA (cuz reversing and emulating), so I'd take this chance to ask any officials if I'm allowed to make upcoming iterations public. On the other hand, nice thing here is that there is absolutely no need for official support or API (for now). My intents are not malicious at all. It doesn't start, patch, use or manipulate any of the binaries of APB: Reloaded. I would also make the project open source to be as transparent and as clear as possible. Players would be able to compile their own versions with knowing everything that is going on. 

 

So, if this were to be made public and got official permission, would you as a player and community member use something like this in order to overview in-game stuff/data without the need for you being in-game?

 

--

 

For anyone who's interested in what's already available, here's a little snippet of what you have for selected character once the library manages to execute properly:

CharacterInfo
{
    int SlotNumber;
    FactionType Faction; //Enforcer, Criminal
    StatusType WorldStatus; //Online, Offline
    int WorldUID;
    string WorldName;
    string CharacterName;
    int Rating;
    DateTime LastLogin;
    ThreatType Threat; //None, Green, Bronze, Silver, Gold
    Detailed Details; //Gender, Playtime, Rank, Money, JockerTickets, Appearance
    ClanInfo Clan; //complete clan info, but without symbol and description at this moment
    FriendlistInfo Friends; //complete friends list
    IgnorelistInfo Ignores; //complete ignored list
    FinalWorldEnterData WorldEnterData;
    ChallengesInfo Challenges; //complete info about running Fight Club challenges
}

Mails, groups, marketplace, clan management, chat channels - everything can be exposed with external client, just needs time, patience and will.

giving out personal information is strictly mentioned to not do that.

I've noticed a few people who disagreed with you were down voted then you would reply to them.

 

I'll be blunt....... you sound like a scam attempting to be done to jeopardize peoples accounts.

I've seen too many game players use 3rd parties who required a name pass and so on to only have accounts stolen and sold off.

Is there any guarantee that would not happen? of course not. its why the ToS says not to do so.

 

I have no reason to do such a thing nor does anyone else. they can simply get on their APB account. at no time do you  or anyone else need access to other accounts. period.

[LilyRain]

On 11/16/2018 at 3:18 PM, Ch1ck said:

Hello.

 

Ironic name, yes, cuz we all know that what hurts the most in this game

 

Anyways, straight to the point. Some time ago a certain individual created a district instance tracking website. His library is public, so I've recently downloaded and continued his work. Long story short, the library exposes in-game stuff to use outside of the game itself by imitating the game client, minus the whole visual representation. What I'll be trying to make is either a website or desktop application where you would at least get an overview of your account. I've managed to do a lot more than original creator intended to.

 

The problem here is, you need to provide email, password and character name in order to fetch data externally. So I already foresee people not being too keen on inputting stuff like that, but it is a must for proper functioning. Another problem is that this almost certainly breaks the TOS and EULA (cuz reversing and emulating), so I'd take this chance to ask any officials if I'm allowed to make upcoming iterations public. On the other hand, nice thing here is that there is absolutely no need for official support or API (for now). My intents are not malicious at all. It doesn't start, patch, use or manipulate any of the binaries of APB: Reloaded. I would also make the project open source to be as transparent and as clear as possible. Players would be able to compile their own versions with knowing everything that is going on. 

 

So, if this were to be made public and got official permission, would you as a player and community member use something like this in order to overview in-game stuff/data without the need for you being in-game?

 

--

 

For anyone who's interested in what's already available, here's a little snippet of what you have for selected character once the library manages to execute properly:

Mails, groups, marketplace, clan management, chat channels - everything can be exposed with external client, just needs time, patience and will.

Please provide a link to that certain individual's public library. I -and probably many others- would like to see the history behind this individual's work straight from the mastermind himself.

[Ch1ck]

1 hour ago, Fortune Runner said:

giving out personal information is strictly mentioned to not do that.

I've noticed a few people who disagreed with you were down voted then you would reply to them.

 

I'll be blunt....... you sound like a scam attempting to be done to jeopardize peoples accounts.

I've seen too many game players use 3rd parties who required a name pass and so on to only have accounts stolen and sold off.

Is there any guarantee that would not happen? of course not. its why the ToS says not to do so.

 

I have no reason to do such a thing nor does anyone else. they can simply get on their APB account. at no time do you  or anyone else need access to other accounts. period.

As said, I have no malicious intents, plus the code will be open source and at any given time you'll know what would be going on with it.

I don't downvote any posts here, so idk what are you implying with that.

Of course no one needs access to someone else's account, but an information about some players and known clans could be generated with help of this.

37 minutes ago, Lily Rain said:

Please provide a link to that certain individual's public library. I -and probably many others- would like to see the history behind this individual's work straight from the mastermind himself.

https://github.com/McSimp/APBWatcher
There you go. That's the source of will.io site also.

[yood]

On 11/16/2018 at 9:18 PM, Ch1ck said:

Hello.

 

Ironic name, yes, cuz we all know that what hurts the most in this game

 

Anyways, straight to the point. Some time ago a certain individual created a district instance tracking website. His library is public, so I've recently downloaded and continued his work. Long story short, the library exposes in-game stuff to use outside of the game itself by imitating the game client, minus the whole visual representation. What I'll be trying to make is either a website or desktop application where you would at least get an overview of your account. I've managed to do a lot more than original creator intended to.

 

The problem here is, you need to provide email, password and character name in order to fetch data externally. So I already foresee people not being too keen on inputting stuff like that, but it is a must for proper functioning. Another problem is that this almost certainly breaks the TOS and EULA (cuz reversing and emulating), so I'd take this chance to ask any officials if I'm allowed to make upcoming iterations public. On the other hand, nice thing here is that there is absolutely no need for official support or API (for now). My intents are not malicious at all. It doesn't start, patch, use or manipulate any of the binaries of APB: Reloaded. I would also make the project open source to be as transparent and as clear as possible. Players would be able to compile their own versions with knowing everything that is going on. 

 

So, if this were to be made public and got official permission, would you as a player and community member use something like this in order to overview in-game stuff/data without the need for you being in-game?

 

--

 

For anyone who's interested in what's already available, here's a little snippet of what you have for selected character once the library manages to execute properly:

CharacterInfo
{
    int SlotNumber;
    FactionType Faction; //Enforcer, Criminal
    StatusType WorldStatus; //Online, Offline
    int WorldUID;
    string WorldName;
    string CharacterName;
    int Rating;
    DateTime LastLogin;
    ThreatType Threat; //None, Green, Bronze, Silver, Gold
    Detailed Details; //Gender, Playtime, Rank, Money, JockerTickets, Appearance
    ClanInfo Clan; //complete clan info, but without symbol and description at this moment
    FriendlistInfo Friends; //complete friends list
    IgnorelistInfo Ignores; //complete ignored list
    FinalWorldEnterData WorldEnterData;
    ChallengesInfo Challenges; //complete info about running Fight Club challenges
}

Mails, groups, marketplace, clan management, chat channels - everything can be exposed with external client, just needs time, patience and will.

as an unauthorized user, I refuse to provide any personal or account information . absolutely NO .