L4D2 Hacks

Well, here's what's out there:

1) Utility that tells the server that all files are certified by VAC, bypassing server based anti-cheats. Overrides the sv_consistency and sv_cheats settings on the client, despite the server setting. That allows many client side "cheats" that are actually built into the game like full brightness, no-rain, etc.
2) Wallhack / glohack - of course. Multiple ones out there. Some just show characters through walls, others color the special infected red and survivors blue and highlight pills and stuff through the walls for survivors. Explains how some people I've played with always run into the right room to grab pills and pipes, but never bother to look anywhere there isn't anything.
3) Anti-boomer bile hack. Disables the bile effect on a boomed player so they aren't blinded.
4) Anti-recoil + no bullet spread
5) Fast respawn - I didn't expect this one but it explains a few things.
6) Speedhack. Only idiots use this as you might imagine, too easy to detect.
7) Auto-bash auto-dodge auto-evade the tank punches
8) SteamID Randomizer with name changer so you can get kick-banned and immediately reconnect on a different name and steamid


The problem with hacking in L4D2 is exacerbated by the fact that you typically don't play on your own server, or even the same server all the time. This means there are usually no server admins available to do human-based detection and the only option when a hacker is detected is to kick him (if his team agrees) or to find another server.

It's also very difficult to spectate - you get about a 10 second window as infected during which you can watch someone first person and usually the special infected are all dead during that, so there's no special hacking / aimbotting going on.

What's sad is that most of these cheats are actually made from a point-and-click "cheat generator" for valve games that VAC seems incapable of reliably detecting.

Lian Li case

I was thinking about how big Messiah's new case is and how nobody needs a case that big. Then I realized my Lian Li dwarfs it with 7 front facing 5.25" bays and 12 internal 3.5". All aluminum. Unfortunately I only have three USB ports in the front, not four, and they're all the way down by the floor ;-)

A new action hero