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 ).

[SloppyGoat]

I didn't see anything hard about it at all. It's easy to install. It just didn't work right for me and one other person, for some odd reason. I think everyone else said it worked fine, right? Why me??!! DOH!!! :ermm:

[mharmon]

This hack is SOOO evil -- why TURN down the pain?? I'd turn it up!

[buro9]

Originally Posted by mharmon

This hack is SOOO evil -- why TURN down the pain?? I'd turn it up!

Or do as I did and remove the calls to the error page

This way it doesn't even look like my servers fault... they just think they have strange network problems

[SloppyGoat]

Originally Posted by mharmon

This hack is SOOO evil -- why TURN down the pain?? I'd turn it up!

Because, it's even more frustrating if they get a chance to type out a post, then it screws up on them! If they can't even get a page to load, they won't waste anymore time trying. But, if you get it tuned just perfectly, then they'll continue to try, getting more and more frustrated. The main objective, IMO, is to give them the false hope that they may actually be able to post something. LOL

[Silverstangs]

I love this hack, now can you add one more feature to it. Can you add a random "fly away" hack in which us admins can add a list of a dozen or so sites and the person in Misery will randomly end up redirected to on of those dozen or so sites?

Thanks
--Silver

[KuraFire]

Originally Posted by Silverstangs

I love this hack, now can you add one more feature to it. Can you add a random "fly away" hack in which us admins can add a list of a dozen or so sites and the person in Misery will randomly end up redirected to on of those dozen or so sites?

Thanks
--Silver

Sure, I'll add that to the HTL version upon re-release

[94DROPTOPZ]

"clicks install"

This is great, I don't know how I have lived without this :devious:

[RDX1]

VB Beta4:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: is_member_of() in /path/to/vb/removed/global.php(345) : eval()'d code on line 8

[KuraFire]

NerdNations, please put your PHP code in a [PHP] code block, NOT in a quote block!!!!

[Reeve of shinra]

Installed... havent tried it out yet but so far so good. Glad to see one of my favorite hacks ported to vb3.