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:

[John]

In futureal's arcade, cheating was simply a matter of checking the values going in and out, and then faking post results going into proarcade.php.

The *only* way of making a cheat-proof Flash arcade would be to use SSL encryption. Naturally, that isn't possible for most people.

The v3 Arcade uses a complete different system. All communications that set scores and other variables happen while the game is being played, at the end of the game the page is redirected. There are two stages.

1. At the beginning of gameplay, a new session is set.
2. At the end of gameplay, two communications are made - one directly after the other. Here the score is set, times are added.
3. If both final communications go well, a variable is brought back into Flash which then prompts a redirect to the high scores.

Not mentioning the security stuff, but that's the general idea. That's why adding this stuff requires the source - variable transmission isn't a simple getURL.

[NuclioN]

Ok. But i saw only 1 added set of codelines and this set is always the same code. Does this suggest that it only takes this standard set of code to let all flash games launch their different scorevariables into the database?

[LightBringer]

Ya know John, after reading your post I am wondering if it's an issue with the flash player and communication to my machine that might be the result of the problem I am having.

You tested my installation just fine and it worked like a champ, but when I used that same test account, I had no such luck.

I'm starting to believe that maybe the communications being made to set the high score / redirect are the issues here. The reason I say this is because after logging in under the test account, playing a game, I get no redirect to put comments, record high score, etc.

Is there anyway we can test this?

[John]

Originally Posted by LightBringer

Ya know John, after reading your post I am wondering if it's an issue with the flash player and communication to my machine that might be the result of the problem I am having.

You tested my installation just fine and it worked like a champ, but when I used that same test account, I had no such luck.

I'm starting to believe that maybe the communications being made to set the high score / redirect are the issues here. The reason I say this is because after logging in under the test account, playing a game, I get no redirect to put comments, record high score, etc.

Is there anyway we can test this?

You're right, there's an issue with the transferring of data between Flash and the arcade. But the cause of that is not the code that actually does the transferring. It's almost certain to be a mistake made in the installation.

[LightBringer]

Originally Posted by John

You're right, there's an issue with the transferring of data between Flash and the arcade. But the cause of that is not the code that actually does the transferring. It's almost certain to be a mistake made in the installation.

Hrm..even if others can log in and play just fine (as you tested yourself)?

I will try reinstalling again and see if that's the issue.

Thanks m8.

[John]

Originally Posted by LightBringer

Hrm..even if others can log in and play just fine (as you tested yourself)?

I will try reinstalling again and see if that's the issue.

Thanks m8.

I'm sure it's possible to screw up the installation in a way which would cause these weird problems... if it still doesn't work, I'll look into it.

[JamesFrost]

Fantastic hack. I've found a small bug when vb is setup to show template info as comments in HTML, this also appears on the e-mails from the arcade :

<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: arcade_email_beatenbody --> Hello hongkongfuey,
				
LilBunnyRabbit has beaten your high score in "Simon".

Your old score: 7
New high score: 18

Want to claim back your title?
Play: http://www.martialartsplanet.com/rc1...play&gameid=10

Yours,
Martial Arts Planet team

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unsubscription information:

Tired of these email notifications? Turn them off in your Arcade settings.
<!-- END TEMPLATE: arcade_email_beatenbody -->

[John]

You need to turn off template highlighting in your vB options.

[Zachery]

Originally Posted by JamesFrost

Fantastic hack. I've found a small bug when vb is setup to show template info as comments in HTML, this also appears on the e-mails from the arcade :

<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: arcade_email_beatenbody --> Hello hongkongfuey,
				
LilBunnyRabbit has beaten your high score in "Simon".

Your old score: 7
New high score: 18

Want to claim back your title?
Play: http://www.martialartsplanet.com/rc1...play&gameid=10

Yours,
Martial Arts Planet team

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unsubscription information:

Tired of these email notifications? Turn them off in your Arcade settings.
<!-- END TEMPLATE: arcade_email_beatenbody -->

a vB Option for developers / coders nothing more

[Zachery]

Originally Posted by MaDCaT75

well can you tell me where to buy this flash decompiler??????

Using the game with out the auhtors expressed written consent and can result in a lawsuit