EPThttp://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=154717
I just would like to add my personal experiences and thoughts to the discussion from my 3-4 months of playing on the US Bnet servers (last 2 months were spent playing with maphack). All my thoughts are applicable to popular Bnet hacks and also private Iccup hack that I know exist for a fact as well.
The situation
Iccup isn’t working for me at all after a new Windows 7 installation, and I guess deep down although I can probably fix it with a bit of research, I just can’t face the intense competition on Iccup anymore. So recently I’ve started to play play/ob UMS and also 1v1 melee games on both West and East, and about 1/4 of the games I play are against hackers (yes it’s that bad – about ½ of this ¼ hacker pool are obvious hackers using an older version of Oblivion hack, and the other ½ are not-so obvious hackers who try their best to avoid detection with new hack releases and through various means that I will discuss; sadly it’s often impossible to tell if they’re hacking unless you analyze 5+ of their game replays, usually an impossible feat on Bnet unless they’re your clan mates or something).
The problem – my overview of the current hacking scene
Hacks are readily available – a quick google search and a 10 second download will get you set up and running; no installation, just inject a DLL it’s that easy. Older hacks, used by newbies into hacking are detected and countered quite easily; however newer hack versions, combined with careful not-too-abusive use of them by experience hackers are very difficult if not impossible to detect. I will breakdown available hacks and their known counters not by client (Oblivion, Apocalypse, etc.), but by function:
Automine:
Automatically selects Nexus, builds a probe, selects 4 initial probes and splits them perfectly, all on a single frame (usually 5 or 15). A function found in most popular hack clients – broken into 2 versions; the older versions perform these commands on frame 5, and the newer versions on frame 15.
In-game Counter:
Wdetector seems to be the only working in-game detector at the moment, and it will pick up on automining on frame 5 easily. No known in-game counters exist for newer versions that automine on frame 15.
Post-game Counter:
Can be detected by bwchart/bwrepinfo/BWHF and looking at the mining frame. All those aforementioned commands performed on frame 5 signals 100% certainty of hacking, all commands performed on frame 15 signals Jaedong-level speed and strongly hints hacking. Note: automine seems to split workers to the optimal mining patches following a pattern, so if a player consistently always split his workers in the same optimal pattern, count him as a hacker unless you’re playing bisu or jaedong.
Difficulty in detection:
Mining on frame 15 has become the standard of all new hack clients, and because human players can sometimes perform all the aforementioned mining commands on frame 6 and 15, hack detectors and replay analyzers can’t do much rather than add a little hacking suspicion. To exacerbate the situation, a good enough player can simply disable automining in the hack client ini. File, as automine only produces a very slight advantage for a large risk in getting detected.
Multicommand:
Allows selection for up to 255 units, with 1 hotkey as well. A function found in most popular hack clients.
In-game Counter:
detected by wdetector if grossly unusual APM spikes occur during the game that happens when a hacker 1a’s his 255 zerglings resulting in a 900 peak APM.
Post-game Counter:
detected by replay analyzers, watch for near-vertical jumps in a player’s APM after the mid-game where 2+ control groups of units are present in the game. Also, high APM with relatively few hotkeys also suggests hacking.
Difficulty in detection:
A smart hacker will simply never group more than ~20 units in a single control group. This way, he is still able to select 2x the units than you at a time, a significant advantage in large-scale battles that won’t produce the high APM spikes necessary to detect hacking. Also, multicommand can be disabled in the ini. File.
MBS, global unit queue, command repeat:
Multiple Building Selection – allows selection of multiple building and the issuing of a single command to be applied to all selected buildings. Global unit queue – hack client automatically builds units one at a time at all unit production buildings, essentially giving the hacker perfect macro at all times. Command repeat – a function that allows the last commands issued to be repeated automatically, applicable to unit production and worker production (build SCV, select, move to mine).
In-game Counter:
MBS and global unit queue often detected by wdetector, and command repeat is detected rarely.
Post-game Counter:
Watch the game replay – if all units are produced at the exact timing from the unit production buildings, then it’s 100% certain you’ve played a hacker. Also, if SCV rally location never changes, and is always perfect at the exact timing then also be certain you’ve played a hacker. APM spikes can also potentially result if 20+ gateways were built in game by the hacker.
Difficulty in detection:
MBS is easy to detect, however newer versions of global unit queue has smartened up – not all units are built at the same time but rather, with a slight delay between each production building much like the human macro. Command repeat is usually detected only by watching suspiciously repetitive patterns and APM spikes.
Nuke Anywhere:
Allows a ghost to launch a nuclear strike anywhere on the map even without vision. Maximum of 3 simultaneous nuclear strikes are allowed. Found as a standalone hack not typically built into popular hack clients.
In-game Counter:
Pretty obvious if your base blows up without a red-dot painting its target.
Post-game Counter:
Pretty obvious if your base blows up without a red-dot painting its target and his ghost safely in his base.
Difficulty in detection:
Obvious, used only on smurf accounts to have some fun (pretty enjoyable sending neverending nukes with 10+ nuclear silos in 3v3 & 4v4 Fastest games I must say).
Subunit auto-queue:
Builds interceptors/reaver scarabs automatically for the user.
In-game Counter:
APM spikes are detected by wdetector, but usually will be apparent if many (12+) carriers/reavers are used.
Post-game Counter:
Watching APM spikes in replay analyzers.
Difficulty in detection:
APM spikes are not apparent with fewer carriers/reavers, also disabled by experience hackers trying to avoid detection.
Maphack:
Allows the user to see everything you do and abuse the shit out of the matchup/your build order.
In-game Counter:
None really. You can strongly suspect but never be 100% certain whether it’s a maphacker or someone with gosu starsense.
Post-game Counter:
None really. You can strongly suspect but never be 100% certain whether it’s a maphacker or someone with gosu starsense. With more replays of the same user, watch for always optimal build order that counters exactly what you do, perfectly delayed defense timings for perfect macro, highly suspicious dropship snipes, optimal army movements, etc. all done with little or no scouting.
Difficulty in detection:
Blurry line between gosu starsense and maphack, with a careful hacker you can never be sure. A careful hacker will purposely scout in the WRONG direction sometimes to throw you off, but goes 2gate obs against your 2-fact anyway – can you honestly call that a hacker playing or just someone who plays safely? Worst of all – new versions of maphacks no longer triggers dropping from ANY anti-hack UMS map in existence.
The worst type of undetectable hacking friend/clanmate to play against:
200APM+ or whatever is enough race-specific that allows near perfect macro and a decent level of micro. No automine, MBS, etc. used. Only multicommand (no more than ~20 unit selected at once) and maphack used. Abuses macro openings, (pretend) scouts correctly to counter all cheese, and timing pushes/tech switches at the perfect timing to win games. Uses the latest undetectable maphack and disables obvious features of other hacks. Changes up patterns in BOs and purposely loses to unscouted cheeses from time to time in the clan, just to avoid suspicion.
My short stint playing with just maphack:
Not proud to admit it, but I used Oblivion for a few weeks just to see what it would be like on the dark side. Maybe my experience/method of play can shed some light in rooting out those long-time *really good* (hacking) clan mate that you always lose to. I disabled all extra hack functions and only used the maphack feature, and here’s my experience:
I was a C/C+ protoss on Iccup 3 seasons ago, 220APM/150EAPM who’s never really good but good enough to trump Bnet nonetheless, dropping maybe 20% of my occasional Bnet games to really good players/hackers. After I got oblivion, I went something along the lines of 300-2 on Bnet 1v1 melee and play/ob UMS games. I lost one game to a really good 350APM Korean who did not appear to hack because I slipped up my macro in PvT, and another one to a 2 hatch mutalisk hacker (I strongly suspected him anyway) in PvZ because I got greedy and he broke through my 3 cannons in my main. I was almost invincible. It’s a great feeling knowing you’ll win for sure at the start of the game, no matter the matchup. I would abuse all kind of horribly abusive macro openings on python (because that’s the map almost exclusively played on Bnet); 12 nex, 13 cc, 3 hatch before pool almost every single game and get away with it, while playing safe cheese-proof builds and scouting early when my opponent cheeses. For example, if my opponent goes fact-port in TvP, I’ll send a few dragoons to likely travel paths for the dropship or just sit them in my mineral line as soon as I see the starport going down – can’t accuse me of hacking for that.
Example of a typical TvZ:
I 9 supply depot without walling, and react to zerg’s pool timing – for 12 hatch, I 13 cc and take an economic lead vs 12 hatch 11 pool. Against 9/over/12 pool, I time my barracks accordingly and depending on the rush distance, either 2 rax to take a lead over the early pool or 1 rax bunker cc and take the economic lead. From there with the macro lead, even a vastly superior zerg can’t do much against my constant 3rd denying and much faster 8-minute mm/tanks/vessel death ball to seal the game. Meching is so easy it’s laughable – I eng. Bay block the 12 hatch, vulture harass to score a few drone kills against the late sunken, then go on to 2-port or just 1 fact expo macro my way to victory with the early econ lead. 14 cc Mech also works pretty well as I can send my scv scout just in time to spot the lings arriving and defend perfectly every time with good bunker/depot placement with SCV support. Haven’t lost a single TvZ this way yet, as although my late game terran is only probably D+, the early to mid game econ leads that I always score are too much combined with my perfect reactive macro (greedy oov style delayed-till-the-last-minute defensive play for maximum unit production, or perfect timing pushes against greedy plays by my zerg opponent). Basically, I’m Flash less his micro.
Example of a typical PvZ:
Equal Econ/Econ lead for me is also guaranteed here: Most zergs go 12 hatch, so I can always 13 nex and delay my forge in favour of my 2nd pylon, gateway, and gas depending on his pool timing. From there, with my economic lead P > Z with perfect information (I also fake 2nd probe scouting sometimes vs clan members and friends, most of time managing to slip into their base to see tech due to perfect ling/overlord sight avoidance):
Against 2/3 hatchery ling/hydra bust: slip a probe to see his ling/hydra count, build cannons and pull probes just in time to defend. Tech to storm and roll out with zeal/HT vs. 2 base low-econ zerg. GG always.
Against 2/3 hatchery mutalisk: 2 stargate corsairs with 2-3 cannons depending on spire timing, and gg from there after I get 1+ air weapons and 6 cosairs vs. the econ-crippling now useless 10-12 mutalisks.
Against 3 hatch spire into 5 hatch hydra: 8th probe scouts to block expo while I 12 nex myself, slip 2nd probe to 3rd hatchery site and try a cannon attempt (abort if OL / Lings head to pylon site, a small loss in minerals that works ~80% of the time). From there, I always go for 1+ speed zealots off 5 gateways, attacking weak defense points or at least threaten a ton of sunkens. Facing mutalisks, I sack ¾ of the zealot to buy time for cannons/Archons/3rd to be set up/made, and I like playing 3 base P vs 3 base Z. Facing fast lurkers, I stop zealot production after applying enough pressure and take a fast 3rd myself setting up cannons before lurkers arrive, while getting my robo/goon range for an unbeatable midgame 3-gas death ball. Vs pure hydras, I tech to storm and set up my 3rd while zealots are harassing, then from there it’s 3 base vs. 3 base yet again.
Example of a typical PvT:
Oh god, I think this is the most imba matchup ever with perfect information; pretty sure I can take quite a few games off of Flash with maphack on.
I always open 12 Nexus in this matchup and react perfectly to take an overwhelming econ advantage very early on.
Against 1 rax bunker rush with 3-4 scvs: I pull 6 probes + 1 zealot half-way built (built right after natural nexus goes up) and micro appropriately to kill bunker/scvs/marines. Huge econ lead for me results.
Against 1 rax bunker rush with 5+ scvs: no need to even abandon natural here. I stop probe production on 15/17 supply and build a faster zealot, which pops right as the bunker is going up and alongside ~6 probes, bunkers gets taken down. GG.
Against 2 factory: 2-gate range robo, micro accordingly + inherent imba nature of 12 nex = GG.
Against 1 fact-port: make goons off 2 gates, snipe dropship / place them in my minerals lines. GG.
Midgame: after taking the econ lead, depending on whether T adds factories/skimps turrets/gets armories, I add gates / go 12 nex into reavers into carriers / double expo yet again and it’s GG 10 minutes later when T pushes with 150 supply vs. my 5 bases, 20 gateways and 200/200 army with arbiter tech. This is one matchup where I think P truly > T with the miraculous 12 nex build when played perfectly.
What I’ve learned:
Playing with maphack has helped me TREMENDOUSLY. I now have a much deeper and better understanding of all the timings windows of all matchups. Lately I’ve been focusing on ZvT and TvZ as it’s the most fun M/Us to play for me, and I probably went from D to C- in the time span of 1 month in my TvZ matchup because playing with maphack is just such an efficient way of training. Instead of watching loss replays and trying to do the right thing the next game I play, playing with maphack on allows me to build optimally every game, while in game. Through constant reinforcement, a few BOs such as 13cc and 1rax cc get drilled into my gameplay much more quickly and my mechanics improve vastly as a result, even after I stopped using my maphack. Ultimately, for me at the very least, this seems to be a superior training method that I would recommend over just normal mass gaming.
Hacker vs. Hacker funfest:
The meat of my hacking experience. There are two types of games that result: 2 maphackers playing each other while pretending they do not hack, or 2 maphackers playing with the knowledge that their opponent also hacks and stop trying to conceal their maphackingness. Playing against the first type is just like playing someone with gosu starsense; the better player mechanically usually wins. I enjoyed several games that played out to be the 2nd type; a very, very, VERY good way to practice your mirror matchups and several inherent matchup imbalances manifested themselves when the hacking players are different races.
TvT:
- 13 cc gets destroyed early by rines/vulture rush. Not usually viable.
- Aggression builds such as 2-port, drops, also gets destroyed / countered at the economic loss of the aggressor.
- When both hackers are good, game degenerates into 3 factory vulture battles, sometimes into 1-fact cc standard games if the rush distance is large (3-fact vultures countered by bunker/simcity while getting a faster natural).
- Dropships become mostly useless until late game; split map always results when players are on equal level and victory is decided by a huge 150+ supply tank/gol battle in the center or near an expo.
PvP:
- DT openings never work (unless your opponent goes 3-4 gate). The hacker that puts down that citadel always loses; the opponent simply takes his natural much faster than the DT rusher and makes 1-2 cannons to take the big econ advantage.
- Always stick to 2 gate robotics and the game will be decided by goon/reaver micro. A very good way to practice this matchup, straight up. It’s like having the opportunity to play against Stork or Bisu who’ll almost always punish you for every slight slip-up keeping you constantly on your toes.
Typical game vs another decent maphacker:
we both opened gateway/core/gateway with no zealot, played it like PvT because it was cross-position on Fighting Spirit. He adds 2 gates to threaten a 4-gate all-in, I respond by putting down a citadel, he cancels 2 gateways immediately and sends a probe to natural, I cancel my citadel and send my probe to my natural for a faster expansion (300/4 minerals lost for him, 150/4+100/4 minerals/gas lost for me so faster natural!). We both get our robotics and pump goons off 4 gateways, then I take a faster 3rd and eventually my slight macro advantage compounded and he lost the big reaver/goon battle in the center.
ZvZ:
- This matchup is so lols when playing between hackers. Late game hive tech is guaranteed every game.
- Starts with both players 12 hatching, then triple hatching, then quadruple hatching, then... I’ve played a game where my opponent and I both 6 hatched before pool taking 3 expos each, then messaging each other “lol... pool time agreed?” before finally getting a pool down.
- The first attacking unit is made when ALL expansions on the map are taken and ALL bases are saturated with most tech building present/upgradings researching, usually 10 minutes into the game. After all, the first person to make attacking units before getting more hatcheries/drones take the econ disadvantage; your hacking opponent can simply put down 1 sunken and make 2 more drones for those lings that you’ve made.
- Epic late game 200/200 muta/hydra/devourer/guardian/ultra battles result, usually the person with a more vigilant watch on his opponent tech switches to a better unit combination wins.
LOL game played:
My opponent 5 hatches before pool, I 6 hatch before pool. Put me on the defense with a slight economic lead, which was enough to even out the game because his macro was slightly better. We both get main + natural gas, lair, and a spire. He didn’t save larva so neither did I; instead we drone whored like mad and took 5 bases each splitting the map. I made 2 lings at one point by accident which prompted him to make 4 lings, which prompted me to add 4 more which prompted him to make another 6... and the cycle repeats until we both have 2 control groups + 1 sunken at each expo, but neither of us decided to attack as that lone static defense would have decided the ling battle and put the aggressor at a disadvantage. From there, we each made 3 spires – 2 for constant upgrades at almost identical timings and another one ready to be morphed into a greater as soon as hive was done while pumping out mutalisks non-stop, and again neither of us attacked as we both down a spore colony at each expansion. From there, we each made around ~70 devourers, and from there he slipped up and forgot to gas one of his expos and I had ~10 more mutalisks than him which won me the huge air fight. Coldwar in starcraft at its finest.
PvT/TvP:
- Against a non-maphacker, 12 nex works every time due to the fact that every terran early game rush against the 12 nex is defensible in the Protoss’ economic favour. Against a hacking terran however... there is a ONE build that counters 12 nex perfectly, every time that leaves the protoss in worse economy. Namely, when T sees that you don’t make your gateway on 10 supply, he’ll simply send an scv right outside to your natural (not close enough to have the building SCV to be harassed by probes) and proxy a factory, while maintaining constant 1 rax marine pump to bunker up your natural with ~4 SCVs. 6 probes+1zealot wins against 5 SCVs+2 marines, but loses when a vulture arrives shortly which leads to sniped probes, and lost nexus before your range is even near completion.
- With that said, the only option is to play 1 gate standard opening vs T. However, T can then read your gateway count, and choose to siege expand/strong FD depending on your whether you 1 gate expo’ed, 2 gated, or 2 gate robo’ed. Econ advantage for the terran is almost a certainty.
TvZ/ZvT:
- Pretty even matchup when both players maphack. T 13cc’s, Z responds with 3 hatch before pool. Advantage goes to Terran in midgame however; No need for scans if Z goes mutas and either 3-4rax to deny third with the minerals saved from scans, or 3 rax pressure with no turrets against a lurker opening while teching up to 2-fact tanks and vessels. Usually, save from a perfect sandwich (which shouldn't happen, since T can see the whole map...) T deathball will roll the Z's expo before consume is done.
PvZ/ZvP:
- I can't ZvP for my life even with maphack, so can't really comment on this matchup. In PvZ, I just 1+ speed zeal my way to victory every game so can't comment on this matchup either.
Conclusion:
the race that is reactionary (gains an economic advantage if given the ability to skip static defense [aka., turrets in TvP and TvZ]) always wins when both players maphack (TvZ and TvP, to a lesser extent ZvP).
If anything, if you're C or below, you should get some friends, go into an OBs game and vision each other and play some matches. It'll open your eyes and make the timings of all matchups that much more clearer to you with just a few games; it's a different, and in my opinion, more effective way or practicing to say the least.
How to (hopefully) beat hackers:
- Against typical low-level hackers on bnet it's pretty easy actually. They'll usually abuse a few specific timing that they've grown used to and if you can fend that off, your superior Iccup mechanics can just go on to roll them 10 minutes later.
- Against C or better hackers... be ~ B+ level, macro perfectly, harass heavily to consume their APM that would otherwise go into macro, and hope they slip up their macro or mismicro at one point in the game.
Hopefully you find my long post somewhat informative or at least entertaining, I had such a slow day at work.
See you on Iccup with my new $15 private hack tonight.
I'm joking. Cheers and have fun.
