Miserable Users for vB3

Miserable Users for vB3
Version: 1.01
vB-version: 3.0.0
Developer: KuraFire (original for vB2: Zzed)
Install-difficulty: Easiest
File edits: 0
Template edits: 1 (phpinclude_start)

Description of the Hack:
The Miserable Users Hack for vB3 is an upgrade from Zzed's hack for vB2. The vB3 version is streamlined and works without any file edits. It is purely template based.


Templates modified for this Hack:
phpinclude_start

(the above was generated via the Hack Tracking Log, soon to come)


1.01 update: January 5th, 3:10 pm CET
Instead of a custom check for the usergroup data to see whether the user is a Miserable User, vB3's function is_member_of() is being used now, cleaning up the code even more.


Here's what the Hack does: (original Hack thread)
This Hack will allow you to drive away people from your board without banning them. As explained by Zzed, the author of the original (vB2) hack:

Originally Posted by Zzed

So here is what really happens to a miserable user:

- There is a random 60-120 second delay each time they click on a link.
- 90% of times they have no search engine acccess.
- 75% of the times they get the server too busy error.

If they don't get the server too busy error:
- 50% of the times they may get a blank page
- 30% of the times they may get forwarded to the forum main page
- 20% of the time they may be able to see the page they asked for.

This vB3 hack uses NO FILE EDITS. Instead, it's all template based and Usergroup-based, making it even easier for you to manage your Miserable Users.



TO INSTALL:

1)
Create a new membergroup, and name it Miserable Users. Give them no particular permissions if you want, as you can use it as a secondary group (so you can effectively give them 0 permissions whatsoever).
Note: make sure to note down the Membergroup id !

2)
Put this code at the top of your phpinclude_start template:
Note: fill in the membergroup id from step 1 where it says "$miserableid = 8;" (replace the 8 with your id number).

PHP Code:

// Miserable Hack for vB3
    // Ported by KuraFire to vB3, original vB2 version by Zzed
    // #######################################################
    // Put the id of your Miserable Usergroup here:
    $miserableid = 8;
   
 // Check to see if the user is a Miserable User
 if (is_member_of(array('userid'=>$bbuserinfo['userid'], 'usergroupid'=>$bbuserinfo['usergroupid'], 'membergroupids'=>$bbuserinfo['membergroupids']), $miserableid))
    {
        $glitch = rand(60, 120);
        for($x=0; $x<$glitch; $x++)
        {
            echo ' ';
            sleep(1);
        }
    
        $vboptions['floodchecktime'] *= 10;
        $glitch = rand(0, 100);
        if($glitch < 90)
        {
            $vboptions['enablesearches'] = 0;
        }
    
        $glitch = rand(0, 100);
       if ($glitch < 75)
       {
           eval('$headinclude = "' . fetch_template('headinclude') . '";');
           eval('$header = "' . fetch_template('header') . '";');
           eval('$footer = "' . fetch_template('footer') . '";');
           eval('$timezone = "' . fetch_template('timezone') . '";');
           eval('$gobutton = "' . fetch_template('gobutton') . '";');
           $vboptions['useforumjump'] = 0;
           eval(print_standard_error('error_toobusy'));
       }
   
        $glitch = rand(0, 100);
       if ($glitch < 80)
        {
            if ($glitch < 50)
            {
                exit;
            }
         $templatecache['headinclude'] = '<META HTTP-EQUIV=\"refresh\" CONTENT=\"5; URL=$vboptions[forumhome].php\" />' . $templatecache['headinclude'];
        }
    }
    unset($ids, $glitch, $miserableid, $x); 


Done!

Note: this Hack will come in an HTL* package once the HTL is finished.

Toning Down The Pain:

You'll find that this hack is a bit rough on people, and may be getting too obvious. If you want to tone it down, here's what you can do:

Toning down the page load delay:
This line:

PHP Code:

     $glitch = rand(60, 120); 


specifies the random delay, in actual seconds. You can see that Miserable users will have at least 60 and at most 120 seconds loading delay for pages. If you want to dial that down, you could change it to 30, 60 for instance. The first number is the minimum amount of seconds they'll wait, the second is the maximum. A random number in-between the two will be used for each page load.


Toning down the % chance disabling of the Search engine:
This line:

PHP Code:

     if($glitch < 90) 


specifies the chance of the search engine being disabled. Currently it will be a 90% chance. Change the number to (for instance) 50 for a 50% chance.


Toning down the chance of a Server Too Busy error:
This line:

PHP Code:

    if ($glitch < 75) 


specifies the chance of getting a Server Too Busy error. Lower the number for a smaller chance.


Toning down the chance of a blank page:
This line:

PHP Code:

        if ($glitch < 50) 


specifies the chance of getting a blank page. Lower the number for a smaller chance.


Increasing the chance of getting a normal page:
This line:

PHP Code:

    if ($glitch < 80) 


specifies the chance of not getting a normal page. So, if you want to increase the chance of getting a normal page, decrease this number!


Toning down the chance of a refresh to Forum home:
This section:

PHP Code:

    $glitch = rand(0, 100);
       if ($glitch < 80)
       {
           if ($glitch < 50) 


specifies the chance of getting a refresh. If the 20% chance of getting a normal page is not the case, there will be a 50% chance of a white page, and if that doesn't happen, there will be a refresh. If you want to change it, meddle with those two options to find a balance you like.





Hope you guys enjoy this update of the excellent hack by Zzed, with the improvements I've made to it for higher maintainability (and, no file edits ).

[Brent H]

I did the same thing. They don't know they're being played with so they assume my site is screwed up and go somewhere else. If they DO re-register somehow it'll be easy to spot soon enough anyways.

Only thing is that I wish I knew how to make it forward them to a random page.

[trackpads]

Originally Posted by TheHeggy

Gotta say, this is way more effective than outright banning someone. I've got two users on my forums who haven't really done anything wrong, and if I just ban them it will look like I'm some kind of elitist dictator This way they just think their computer is all screwed up. LOL

Rock on.

Ahh.. so you are just a sneaky dictator (Only kidding, not serious )

[Boback]

Oh so bloody installed

[high]* Boback rubs his hands together![/high]

[smess]

what if you wanted to do this for more than one user group?

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Why you would want that?

Independent on the usergroups a member has, you can give them the secondary membergroup of the miserable userhack

[TMAC]

First:
Thank You for the hack.

Now will it work with Vbulletine 3.05?

Thank again

[loxosceles]

Here's a modified version of the template. The delay is wildly variable from 1 to 20 seconds, and there's an additional 20 second delay if it decides to display a blank page. Half of the time, there's a 2-4 minute refresh to the prior page, regardless of whether it's the vbulletin forum or elsewhere. You can go further back in the browser history by using -2 or lower instead of -1 in the javascript.

// Miserable Hack for vB3
    // Ported by KuraFire to vB3, original vB2 version by Zzed
    // #############################################
    // Put the id of your Miserable Usergroup here:
    $miserableid = 10;

// Check to see if the user is a Miserable User
if (is_member_of(array('userid'=>$bbuserinfo['userid'], 'usergroupid'=>$bbuserinfo['usergroupid'], 'membergroupids'=>$bbuserinfo['membergroupids']), $miserableid))
    {
        $vboptions['floodchecktime'] *= 10;

        $glitch = rand(0, 100);
        // disable searching?
        if($glitch < 70) {
            $vboptions['enablesearches'] = 0;
        }

        sleep(rand(1,20));

        $glitch = rand(0, 100);
        // blank page glitch
        if ($glitch < 20) { echo ' '; sleep(20); exit; }

        // refresh glitch - 50% chance independent of the blank page glitch
        if ($glitch > 50) {
            $refdelay = rand(110, 245);
            // orig URL=$vboptions[forumhome].php
            $templatecache['headinclude'] = '<META HTTP-EQUIV=\"refresh\" CONTENT=\"' . $refdelay . '; URL=javascript:history.go(-1)\" />' . $templatecache['headinclude'];
        }
    }
    unset($ids, $glitch, $miserableid, $refdelay, $x);
// End of Miserable Users Hack

[bulbasnore]

Not working for me on 3.0.5. Unless my test user is REALLY lucky. I have the right group ID and the user is in there with that as his secondary group. No difference in his ability to access the board.

Can anyone confirm it works on 3.0.5?

[Gnappy]

/me installed, thx!

[yoyoyoyo]

Originally Posted by bulbasnore

Not working for me on 3.0.5. Unless my test user is REALLY lucky. I have the right group ID and the user is in there with that as his secondary group. No difference in his ability to access the board.

Can anyone confirm it works on 3.0.5?

it works on 3.0.5 and 3.0.6