v3 Arcade - Games Arcade & Challenge System [vB 3.0.3]

v3 Arcade [3.0.3]
Games Arcade for vB3
Game copyrights belong to their respective owners.
v3 Arcade - Copyright ?2004 John Warwick, All Rights Reserved.
__________________________________
Arcade Verson: 1.0
vB Version: vBulletin 3.0.3
Author: John Warwick
Email: John[at]eovieinteractive.com
Site: www.v3arcade.com
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Updates
==========================
1.0.0 - Initial release

1.0.1 - Bug fix update
? This release addressed a couple of small bugs. Information on fixing
these issues can be found in the FAQ. (Included in this zip.)

1.0.2 - Bug fixes and new features
? This release makes all games on the Arcade main page appear in the
order which they were installed, regardless of whether or not it has
been played. (With the newest games at the top.)
? It includes a
page navigation system, allowing users to browse games by page. By default, 10 games appear per page.
? There is also a new search feature, for finding games by name/description. (Accessible through the "Search" menu in the navigation bar.)
? This release should be less CPU intensive than previous versions.

1.0.3 - Bug fixes
? Security fixes

History & Hack Information
- So, what is the v3 Arcade?
The v3 Arcade is exactly what the name implies - an online games arcade that offers seamless integration with your vBulletin forum.

The v3 Arcade is the first of the new generation of vBulletin additions. Back from its roots, the v3 Arcade is the vBulletin 3 edition of my original Arcade written in late 2002 (not to be confused with futureal's 'ProArcade', which was written during the Arcade's beta phase).

v3 Arcade Features Include:
? Integrated Flash gaming for vBulletin 3
? Advanced leader board system
? FULL Mozilla/Netscape Compatibility
? Moderation abilities for Mods/Super Mods/Admins
? PM & Email notification for events
? Advanced statistics for all users
? A higher level of security
? "Arcade Challenges", 1-on-1 contests between users
? Arcade awards system
? Automated and manual score pruning tools

This installation comes loaded with the following games:
? Tetris
? Snake
? Asteroids
? Chopper Challenge
? Space Invaders

If you have the source (.FLA) for a game that you want to use in the v3 Arcade, you can send the required files to john@v3arcade.com for conversion. (Providing permission has been given by the original author.) Within a reasonable delay, I'll post the converted game and installation script on vBulletin.org.


Testing
Tested on vBulletin 3.0.3, across multiple unhacked installations.


Thanks to...
? Kura: For helping out with vB3 difficulties!
? Erwin: Whose vB2 Flash Player inspired the original hacks
? Paul Neave: For providing the source for 4 of the standard v3 Arcade games


IMPORTANT NOTES
? If you do install this hack, please click on the INSTALL button. There are going to be some updates for this which you're really not going to want to miss!
? Each Arcade page has an Eovie Interactive and Flash Player link at the bottom. This is optional, but greatly appreciated.
? You may have noticed that this release of the v3 Arcade is not fully phrased. To phrase the arcade would require well over a hundred phrases to be added, making for a lengthy installation process! Futures version of the v3 Arcade will be phrased, with a more automated installation.
? And don't forget - BACKUP BEFORE YOU INSTALL!


Regarding the "ProArcade"
There has been a lot of debate on vb.org recently about the ownership of hack "concepts". My original Arcade hack (on which the v3 Arcade is based), was a progression of the my vBTetris Leaderboard hack - both of which came about before the ProArcade. I've spoken to Erwin regarding this, and he can confirm that this has always been an independent development; hence the v3 Arcade was authorised for release.

Fixes
If you're installing the Arcade from scratch, there are no fixes or updates to be applied. Simply follow the instructions in Installation.txt.
If you've already installed the Arcade, make the changes in Updates.txt.

[Click HERE to view a list of released games and modifications!]

Demos/Add-Ons/Beta Testing
www.v3arcade.com

Download the v3 Arcade (1.0.3) here:

[monstergamer]

any word on the X amount of post ?

[John]

Originally Posted by monstergamer

any word on the X amount of post ?

No, not yet. The next batch of features will come all at once.

Also, I have to work to survive. As much time as I do spend on this, I need to get other stuff done - apart from the game conversions, bug fixes, installation support, etc. for the Arcade. The hack has only been released for a few days, give me a chance.

[monstergamer]

Originally Posted by John

No, not yet. The next batch of features will come all at once.

Also, I have to work to survive. As much time as I do spend on this, I need to get other stuff done - apart from the game conversions, bug fixes, installation support, etc. for the Arcade. The hack has only been released for a few days, give me a chance.

take your time i am in no rush
but do you have some kind of idea of what the new features well be, or are you thinking as you go?

EDIT: one of my staff has asked me some thing..
i am going to turn on the auto pruning on for every 30 days

and they asked if there is was a way to have it post the top 5 socore for each game in a certin thread or forum id before it prunes the scores

[John]

Yep, I have a list.

[John]

Originally Posted by monstergamer

EDIT: one of my staff has asked me some thing..
i am going to turn on the auto pruning on for every 30 days

and they asked if there is was a way to have it post the top 5 socore for each game in a certin thread or forum id before it prunes the scores

There's always a way, as long as you know how to code it.

[Link14716]

Originally Posted by Detomah

Please feel free to correct me if you feel I am being paranoid with this.

I thought I better bring it to the attention of everyone that one of my members has somehow found a cheat for Asteroids and for Helicopter.

I am not totally sure how he's doing it, but it's so blatently obvious that he's doing it it's unreal.

Spot the cheat:




For those who did not spot it, look at the times for Skan0r. It may not seem too extreme but it like this for him on ever game where he has become leader. His times are 3 and 4 times longer than anyone else. I don't think it can be put down to him having loo breaks either.

As I said I'm not sure exactly how it's being done, but I do think it may have something to do with having the right click options available.

Is anyone else having a similar problem to this? I really don't think it's just me going crazy? Is it? If someone else is suffering this, is there anyway you figured to stop it and what exactly is it he's doing?

John - Any luck figuring out anything that could be causing scores to not be submited?

Want to see one of my Chopper Challenge scores?

3 	squall14716 	2044 	The crown is mine, +++++.   	8:27pm Jan 19 	4091 secs

Anyways, I've installed every modified game to date. One game that I'd like modified is "Alien Attack". I'll grab an .fla and post it in a few minutes or something. I tried it myself with little luck (not that I had luck doing it for ProArcade either...).

[John]

Originally Posted by Detomah

One of my members has found a huge weakness/exploit in the Maeda Path game.

At the end of the level there is a little arrow you can click on for a bonus. There is nothing at all to stop anyone from just repeated clicking on that and getting absolutely huge scores. :/

I've tested the exploit and it is there. Anyway to fix it?

John - With regards to my earlier post including that possible fault, the common connection is that it's happening to people who beat the high score on games (not every time though, it's happened roughly 22 times from over 20,000 game plays). I managed to replicate it myself while I was checking the bug mentioned above.

By the way, Maeda Path has been updated. (Just download the zip again and overwrite the swf file.)

22 errors in 20,000 game sessions, that's 0.01% of all scores. It could be packet loss - it happens. You were lucky to manage to replicate it. (I've been unable to.)

Either way, arcade.php has been updated in the zip - I suggest you update, it might help. (It'll stop the database errors.)

[MaDCaT75]

John I must say..... for being as busy as you are and keeping up with this fast paced thread.... congrats :up:

[Smirks]

Originally Posted by Hwulex

Those are merely template hacks, HTML. They would be easy enough to add if you so desired. If you're not sure on your HTML, pay the HTML School a visit. :up:



As for the bug in my mini_stats. The problem has been resolved. Please download the new instructions and rehack. Delete what you added into arcade.php before and add the new code. Cheers.

Either there's still a bug, or it was reporting the wrong stuff before because acording to the first rev I should have been almost at 2 days, then it went down to just over 1 and now it's still around there. So, which was correct?

[Hwulex]

Originally Posted by Smirks

Either there's still a bug, or it was reporting the wrong stuff before because acording to the first rev I should have been almost at 2 days, then it went down to just over 1 and now it's still around there. So, which was correct?

I added multiple half hour sessions at a time and measured the time updates each time, and with the new algorithm, the results looked spot on for me.

The old one was very, very, wrong though.