How will Blizz deal with Cheat Codes in Custom maps?

Custom Games
1

There are custom Maps Looking like the original Maps Ingame, but the filename is a bit different like a added ~ or _. Also some Maps have a different Filesize compared to the original map. Playing the game doesnt differ from the original map, so why these Maps exist?

I Konw there is some Code on the Internet which easy implements cheat commands in Maps. And also Websites providing hacked maps. The main problem to check them is most of the custom Maps are protected/broken with the actual Version of the WorldEditor so there is no way to open them in the WorldEditor and check if there are cheats inside, also the cheat commands maybe only work with one colour and different commands.

Here are some Examples I just found in my Download dir:
…………………………………………………………
WMW TNG 2.8b.w3x - 678kB
WMW TNG 2.8b~1.w3x - 680kB
…………………………………………………………
WMW TNG 2.70.w3x - 440kB
WMW_TNG_2.7O.w3x - 440kB
…………………………………………………………
(4)BurbenogTDv2.34eLegends.w3x - 293kB
BurbenogTDv2.34eLegends - 293kB
And some Burb Map file with About 600kB i deleted some time ago
…………………………………………………………
All These maps share the same ingame mapname, so there are maybe a few of them with cheats inside.

The only way to prevent this, is to download the Maps on Epic War or Hive Workshop and just host with the original Maps and only join games with the original Maps u already have -> lobbies where you don’t Need to download the map because the pic of the map is already there.

Maybe Blizz will Add something like a Custom-Map Mapbrowser which gives the real creators of the map the ability to upload the original map and will stop some kids insert cheatcodes in Maps.

The reason I write this post, is because the hostbots are gone. I don’t like them but the really one good thing they had, was the Hosting of only one map version. Hopefully the original Version with no cheats inside. Now the People spreading Hacked Maps all over the world and are not aware of this Problem.

2

Is this really a real issue? I have never encountered anything like this…

I’d say this is likely. Same way SC2 maps are linked to your BattleNet account, I’m imagine they bring the same system to WC3 since they are bringing it to the BNet App as well.

3

Why would they need to deal with this? If you want to play a map fairly, then host the fair version of that map…

1 Like
4

Leave our hacked maps alone :Feelsbadman:

5

Because its online cheating in another way.
Like Butcher said: “I’d say this is likely. Same way SC2 maps are linked to your BattleNet account.” -This would be a Possible way.
You cant see the difference because the Name is the same INGAME for These maps, you have to look in your Download dir, delete the other Maps and just re-download the original to be safe. I also said the same in my first post(download the good map and host this, or just join games with the original Maps)

The Problem is not myself because I’ll check if this is the good map but other Players don’t, they just see the same mapname three times in their list and just pick one of them, host it and so they get shared around, rehosted and so on…

1 Like
6

One of the challenges that complicates the issue you are seeing is the definition of who is the real author of the map.

I’ve seen a lot of maps over the years that were clearly modified by multiple authors over time who did not add cheats, but were simply reusing and expanding fun maps.
I would not want to kill the ability for people to learn from each other and share their inventiveness just to stop someone from changing their favorite TD in the world editor.

1 Like
7

This should not happen but it should be clear which Version refers to which author. Maybe just a Blizz-side Version Counter could help.

8

Maps already have a version counter and have for fifteen years.
Nobody cares though, and nobody looks at it. Or at least you’re implying that you don’t.