Sycamoyr on 26/7/2014 at 22:04
Starting out at TDM forums, just me complaining a bit. :mad:
I felt very left out as far as new membership goes. I couldn't even view my own profile! I also could not search for anything on the forum; granted using google works just as good if not better... They gave me error messages:
[#1026] You are not permitted to modify all or some of your profile information.
[#10146] You do not have permission to use the search system.
Ha! Just about the only thing I can actually do is “Manage Ignore Prefs.”; a function which I really don't need since I just started on there and haven't had the opportunity to be annoyed by anyone so bad that I must ignore them.
Another issue was that I couldn't contact anyone over the issue since this message pops up when I tried to seek admin help over there.
[#10245] You are not permitted to view member profiles.
Depressing.
All I wanted was to ask some simple newbie questions about TDM missions, but I felt like a wet dog left out in the cold. I wish that it would have been possible to have posted in just one thread which would have been open for newbies, and would it be so wrong to let newbies use the search feature? If I could have searched, at least then I might have found some answers to my questions.
In short, I had to jump enough hurdles when I had to suffer through the annoying Captcha on the registration page, why the tight security for new members? Didn't I prove I wasn't a bot when I signed up?
Sigh, I actually have to wait for someone to log in and email me when I'm registered, like really really registered this time. Why can't it be nice like TTLG? I don't remember having these kinds of issues when I signed up here. It all really puts a damper on my wanting to be part of TDM community. :devil:
Springheel on 27/7/2014 at 00:14
Validations are done manually now, ever since we got hit with a massive bot wave a while ago. And since I'm the only one doing them, sometimes several days go by before I get to it. You should be registered now.
Sycamoyr on 27/7/2014 at 00:25
Quote Posted by Springheel
Validations are done manually now, ever since we got hit with a massive bot wave a while ago. And since I'm the only one doing them, sometimes several days go by before I get to it. You should be registered now.
Thank you very much. This was so frustrating to me when i just wanted to ask a question or two.
Kolya on 27/7/2014 at 00:29
I don't now which options IP Board provides, but themed verifications questions ("What is the name of the Thief games protagonist?") and honey pots have proved very efficient in keeping bots out for us at systemshock.org. We can even allow guest posting with those measures. Manual verification works of course but it is tedious and slow. I'll gladly provide more detailed help if you're interested.
Sycamoyr on 27/7/2014 at 00:36
Quote Posted by Kolya
I don't now which options IP Board provides, but themed verifications questions ("What is the name of the Thief games protagonist?") and honey pots have proved very efficient in keeping bots out for us at systemshock.org. We can even allow guest posting with those measures. Manual verification works of course but it is tedious and slow. I'll gladly provide more detailed help if you're interested.
I seem to be fully registered now, but it was a bit distressing to be treated like a bot until further emails were exchanged. The registration process required that I input my information, complete a low-level math equation (seriously), decipher a captcha (which i admit took me a few tries), and agree to terms. I had to check my email to verify my email address by clicking a link back to TDM site.
Even after all that, still had to wait for someone to verify me. It was a trying process, but I'm happy to be in now.
Al_B on 27/7/2014 at 08:43
Bots can get past pretty much any question so don't take it personally. We have also shut off automatic registrations at times so it's not just TDM that does this. As inconvenient it is to wait for Springheel to authorise you it would be worse having TDM flooded with spam.
Sycamoyr on 27/7/2014 at 17:30
Quote Posted by Al_B
Bots can get past pretty much any question so don't take it personally. We have also shut off automatic registrations at times so it's not just TDM that does this. As inconvenient it is to wait for Springheel to authorise you it would be worse having TDM flooded with spam.
It's understandable to want to have such tight security, but it does come off as a bit of an obstacle course. Perhaps math equations aren't the way to go then, it would probably be better to ask a question only a Thief gamer would know; although even that would probably alienate those who want to use TDM yet haven't played any Thief (:tsktsk:).
....and thank you very much, Springheel, for your time in getting me registered. I appreciate that you are a busy person and I am grateful for your efforts!
Springheel on 27/7/2014 at 20:14
I'm hoping we can find a better option too. Glad you're aboard.
Bjossi on 28/7/2014 at 06:00
Quote Posted by Al_B
Bots can get past pretty much any question
I don't fully understand how these bots work but I doubt they have sophisticated question parsing logic that can deal with "any" question. I'd rather believe they do a search engine lookup, and/or a database query and copy the associated answer, or log the question for a human to solve if the lookups are unsuccessful and their parsing logic can't crack it.
In my experience I've been able to keep bots away for months at a time just by asking trick math questions ("What is eight plus three if eight is actually five in a disguise?"), or theme questions with a puzzle like being given a slightly incorrect word within a term ("Locking Glass") and being asked to write the corrected word.
Before using Q&A we were getting up to a dozen bot registrations every day, but after applying it the flood completely stopped, for months at a time we only get legit users. When the bots do start pouring in again (to a much smaller degree than before though) it's just a simple case of replacing the questions with fresh ones, very quick and easy with those trick math questions, just by changing around numbers, operators and wording.
