VAC Bans? Are they real?

[DevlinSenpai]

So my girlfriend ran into this video and various chats in some streams that supposedly some people are getting banned for modding their DS2 (PC)? Even if they're just simple graphic mods.
Not too sure how true it is but I do notice that the Steam Store page DOES in fact say that it's a VAC Enabled game now. :ohmy: :pinch: :down:

I understand the need for it to help try and prevent cheaters but, really? I was really looking forward to modding DS2 with some fun stuff and eye candy!

(see video below)

 

[Gracinfields]

This is the issue with games that are always online, any change to the game can be seen as an gaining an advantage over others. I know some people modded their files in WoW so Gnome were as tall as Night elves on their screen as gnomes couldn't hide in bushes anymore. Though this started as someone modified void walker to look like Ragneros on his screen only, he was later banned for this and they made a check system to see if you had changed the mesh files. Granted most of these Mesh changes actually improved mesh qualities.

[DevlinSenpai]

This is the issue with games that are always online, any change to the game can be seen as an gaining an advantage over others. I know some people modded their files in WoW so Gnome were as tall as Night elves on their screen as gnomes couldn't hide in bushes anymore. Though this started as someone modified void walker to look like Ragneros on his screen only, he was later banned for this and they made a check system to see if you had changed the mesh files. Granted most of these Mesh changes actually improved mesh qualities.

 

See, that I can see a ban being handed out for but, there should be some middle ground for people who just want to visually enhance their experience or add some lolz with silly textures or meshes. After all, this is PC where the modding community lives. :confused:

[Gracinfields]

I know, however their tools really can't identify things like that. Alot of these tools they use just say something was modified but not exactly what it was. EA/Bioware for Mass Effect was banning for modifing weapon for multiplayer but not for single player. However, when you changed the single player weapon stats in the ini file it applied to the multiplayer weapon as well, as they shared the same data. Thus, someone that never played multiplayer just single player was fine, however if they decided one day to try multiplayer they might end up having their multiplayer stats whipped with out notifcation and if they kept it up would earn a Origin ban. Now EA/Bioware did come out and say you could modify the textures, and single player models(These were properly separated from multiplayer), and even add in SSAO and stuff like that with out being banned. Why was this done this way? ME3 was coop and used a persons local models so they didn't care about those as it wouldn't affect the long run. Now someone with a weapon that fire 1200 rpm, nearly infinite ammo, and can 4 shot a boss mob type on platnium game play would heavily affect meta, so they had their tools check only the ini file. As Dark souls 2 is competitive even something like SSAO would have an effect on game play. As its likely the same programming hooks for say SSAO could be used for ESP programs. As I don't support cheating in multiplayer games I won't link any video here of what ESP is, you can look those up on youtube if your not familiar with those.

[JudgmentJay]

So my girlfriend ran into this video and various chats in some streams that supposedly some people are getting banned for modding their DS2 (PC)? Even if they're just simple graphic mods.

Not too sure how true it is but I do notice that the Steam Store page DOES in fact say that it's a VAC Enabled game now. :ohmy: :pinch: :down:

I understand the need for it to help try and prevent cheaters but, really? I was really looking forward to modding DS2 with some fun stuff and eye candy!

(see video below)

 

This video has nothing to do with mods. It is regarding the fact that people who have been VAC-banned in other games cannot log into Dark Souls 2's server. It's unintentional and Bamco is working on it. So far, noone has been banned for using SweetFX/ENB/GeDoSaTo/etc in Dark Souls 2. We won't know if using these mods is bannable for another week or two since VAC bans are often delayed ~2 weeks.

[DevlinSenpai]

 

 

So my girlfriend ran into this video and various chats in some streams that supposedly some people are getting banned for modding their DS2 (PC)? Even if they're just simple graphic mods.

Not too sure how true it is but I do notice that the Steam Store page DOES in fact say that it's a VAC Enabled game now. :ohmy: :pinch: :down:

I understand the need for it to help try and prevent cheaters but, really? I was really looking forward to modding DS2 with some fun stuff and eye candy!

(see video below)

This video has nothing to do with mods. It is regarding the fact that people who have been VAC-banned in other games cannot log into Dark Souls 2's server. It's unintentional and Bamco is working on it. So far, noone has been banned for using SweetFX/ENB/GeDoSaTo/etc in Dark Souls 2. We won't know if using these mods is bannable for another week or two since VAC bans are often delayed ~2 weeks.

Thanks for your response. IMO, it does pertain to Dark Souls 2 mods as SweetFX does use hooked .dll files in which case DS2 could and probably will lead to VAC bans seeing how it has happened before (in other games).

I really hope they don't start handing out VAC bans for people wanting to visually mod DS2 as that SweetFX does look really nice! So for now, I'll play it safe and stay away from mods until it's confirmed I won't get my ass banned.

Edited May 1, 2014 by xDevlinx21

[JudgmentJay]

 

Thanks for your response. IMO, it does pertain to Dark Souls 2 mods as SweetFX does use hooked .dll files in which case DS2 could and probably will lead to VAC bans seeing how it has happened before (in other games).

I really hope they don't start handing out VAC bans for people wanting to visually mod DS2 as that SweetFX does look really nice! So for now, I'll play it safe and stay away from mods until it's confirmed I won't get my ass banned.

 

Time will tell. Plenty of people use SweetFX in games that are VAC protected with no bans, but who knows. It very well could get you banned in Dark Souls 2. I'm going to continue using GeDoSaTo. If they ban for that/SweetFX/ENB, I think there will be enough of a public outcry that they will reverse the decision. Similar situations have happened in the past.

[DevlinSenpai]

 

 

Thanks for your response. IMO, it does pertain to Dark Souls 2 mods as SweetFX does use hooked .dll files in which case DS2 could and probably will lead to VAC bans seeing how it has happened before (in other games).

I really hope they don't start handing out VAC bans for people wanting to visually mod DS2 as that SweetFX does look really nice! So for now, I'll play it safe and stay away from mods until it's confirmed I won't get my ass banned.

 

Time will tell. Plenty of people use SweetFX in games that are VAC protected with no bans, but who knows. It very well could get you banned in Dark Souls 2. I'm going to continue using GeDoSaTo. If they ban for that/SweetFX/ENB, I think there will be enough of a public outcry that they will reverse the decision. Similar situations have happened in the past.

 

 

Agreed. Fingers crossed that we're free to mod visually only to enhance our own environments and gameplay and not to cheat. (even though we all know modders are still going to be there to try and troll others)

[Guest Arnn]

So any official word yet ?

[OpenSaucer]

So any official word yet ?

 

Yes, if you would just read the pinned thread... VAC has been disabled a long time ago, with no words of when, if at all, it would return.