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 ).

[DSMNightmare]

Seems to work by just copying the original code and then adding the IP part to the "copy" of the original.

[SpankMe]

<font color="Red">*installed.</font>

At last a way to deal with the trolls. Now if only there were a hack to deal with the troll feeders.

[evo_j]

ok 30 mins later, can someone tell me where the phpincludes_start is located?? vbulletin 3.07??? cannot see it anywhere

[Marco van Herwaarden]

AdminCP->Styles & Templates->Style Manager->All Style Options

[jeff bourman]

This is a brilliant hack. Sometimes banning people is too much but random troubles over a few days is just annoying.
What is needed now is a way of scheduling it

[Slingblade61]

I've been using this hack for about 3 weeks and I'd like to say this;

Sheer, unadulterated genius!

It has worked perfectly every single time and as far as I know, no one has figured out that I kicked them off the site so I don't have to deal with any attempts at re-entry.

[rezovor]

*clicks install*

Thank you for such a wonderful hack! Honestly, I just added a user that came back as 3 different usernames. I tested it out (friend wanted to first) and it works awesome

[udo]

Excellent hack.

Is there any way to apply a separate glitch for replies only.

I use the hack with very moderate glitch settings, so it just slows down the user a bit. But I'd like to be able to act more strictly if the user tries to reply to a post.

[mtrac]

Originally Posted by Imperial Fritz

Ok there's a quick and very dirty way to go with IPs, provided you have just a few users you want to do this to:

If you wanted to test for either a miserable user or a guest with specific IP (user agent would also be nice), would the following work?

PHP Code:

if (is_member_of(array('userid'=>$bbuserinfo['userid'], 'usergroupid'=>$bbuserinfo['usergroupid'], 'membergroupids'=>$bbuserinfo['membergroupids']), $miserableid)||IPADDRESS=='192.168.0.1') 


Thanks. This hack is spectacular. I installed it, and a few weeks later added someone who contributes nothing except occasional potshots on every board he frequents. Then, I forgot about it. Saw Mr. Potshot logged in a couple of weeks ago and went to who's online to see what he was doing. Basically, nothing. Hasn't been back.

I now want to sic this on a nutcake lurker.

[mtrac]

I don't know if there's already an IP variable in VB that would make this easier, but replacing the above with the following works:

PHP Code:

||$_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']=='192.168.0.1'