Hearthstone

[smackababy]

How do people cheat in a game that is entirely server side run?

It is not entirely server side run. You install a client which talks with the server. Now, depending on how they do talk with said server, a hacked client could do things like show your opponents cards, your deck order, and offer a value based "best play" feature. That all depends on how much your client actually knows, but does not display to the user. Similar to map hacks in Dota / Starcraft. Your client knows where everyone is, and hides it. The server communicates that. You can force the client to show such. Battlefield also has this with DX Injections forcing the drawing of spotting of everyone at all times.

 

[smackababy]

Arena lets you have more than 2x of the same card. Not sure if bug or intentional.

Was in constructed. And it was of a card I was only allowed to have 2 in. I probably was just mistaken, as I don't think there are cheats that would allow you to break the server rules for deck composition.

And if Arena allows it, it is probably intentional.

 

[Aikouka]

It is not entirely server side run. You install a client which talks with the server. Now, depending on how they do talk with said server, a hacked client could do things like show your opponents cards, your deck order, and offer a value based "best play" feature. That all depends on how much your client actually knows, but does not display to the user. Similar to map hacks in Dota / Starcraft. Your client knows where everyone is, and hides it. The server communicates that. You can force the client to show such. Battlefield also has this with DX Injections forcing the drawing of spotting of everyone at all times.

I don't understand why you say it's "not entirely server side", but then go to state how it could be entirely server side. If I had to guess, I would say it's more Diablo III (all server-side) than StarCraft II (not server-side at all). How else could Blizzard try and charge you for cards and such when you could just hack them into the game. That would be so facepalm-worthy of Blizzard if they attempted that.

So, why wouldn't you be able to see the cards via hacks? If I had to guess, Blizzard has no reason to give you the card information until it's played.

 

[Zeze]

My review of Hearthstone.

Tell me it gets better.

 

[Aikouka]

Ooo! I got a beta key! :awe:

My review of Hearthstone.

Tell me it gets better.

Did you ever get to play against another person? You never mentioned it in your review.

 

[Malladine]

got in on Friday evening...and played until 1am. Which is a lot for me these days. Very crisp game visually/audibly, gameplay is simple yet not too simple. I've played mostly Shaman so far and achieved lvl 11 via Play mode. Practice vs AI is pretty dull since most of the excitement is in knowing you're playing another person. By the way I really like the fact there's no chat feature, and that I can see where their mouse is targeting. Friggin fantastic, I hope they don't change that.

 

[Rhezuss]

I want an invite!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[smackababy]

I don't understand why you say it's "not entirely server side", but then go to state how it could be entirely server side. If I had to guess, I would say it's more Diablo III (all server-side) than StarCraft II (not server-side at all). How else could Blizzard try and charge you for cards and such when you could just hack them into the game. That would be so facepalm-worthy of Blizzard if they attempted that.

So, why wouldn't you be able to see the cards via hacks? If I had to guess, Blizzard has no reason to give you the card information until it's played.

D3 isn't entirely server side. The client does certain things and is verified on the server (movement is an easily noticeable one, with all the rubberbanding and such). Now, how much and when Blizzard communicates with the client will determine how much a person could cheat. A move calculator (suggesting best possible moves for what you have in your hand and what is on the board) would be easy if you only had the information you can see at that moment. If the server is communicating more (your deck, your opponents hand / deck), it would be easy for the client to hack to show that. Also, something to take into mind, You know all the cards in your deck, if you can find out the seed they are using for their random to shuffle the deck, it would be rather easy to guess which cards are coming next. Someone did this for an online poker site (they were using system time; the default random seed) and cheated their way to a bunch of money.

I doubt there will be a hack to buy cards or anything like that. That is all going to require server authentication. It just does come down to how much information the server is feeding the client.

An example of something unavoidable is like in BF3. The server feeds all player location information to the client, no matter if you can see them or not. If it didn't, you would possibly have lag detecting people and that would be pretty bad in a FPS. The problem is a simple DX injection can allow you to force Direct X to draw the location (or spotting markers) on every player at all times.

 

[smackababy]

My review of Hearthstone.

Tell me it gets better.

The game is a classic trading card game, except in all digital format. It is simple in rules and mechanics, yet the complexity comes from the actual gameplay. Similar to a Dota. The basic concepts of the game are rather easy, but the accompanying strategies to master it, are much harder. Dota has a much higher mechanical skill requirement though.

If you don't enjoy trading card games, this most likely won't change your mind. However, for being "free" to play, it is very polished and sleek.

It might be because I haven't played any bnet game in a couple months, but the bnet launcher is a pretty good addition I think. A single hub, where you can view the patch notes, update and launch each Blizzard game is a good idea.

 

[Zeze]

The game is a classic trading card game, except in all digital format. It is simple in rules and mechanics, yet the complexity comes from the actual gameplay. Similar to a Dota. The basic concepts of the game are rather easy, but the accompanying strategies to master it, are much harder. Dota has a much higher mechanical skill requirement though.

If you don't enjoy trading card games, this most likely won't change your mind. However, for being "free" to play, it is very polished and sleek.

It might be because I haven't played any bnet game in a couple months, but the bnet launcher is a pretty good addition I think. A single hub, where you can view the patch notes, update and launch each Blizzard game is a good idea.

I've been meaning to change my rating. I rated the game bit prematurely.

I played this game nonstop last weekend. While minion mechanics remain staple and I only saw rare cases of pure minion-less spell casting & hero attacking actually work, overall the game is VERY fun with lots of varied flavor cards.

I'll rate is as high as 9/10.

 

[Phanuel]

D3 isn't entirely server side. The client does certain things and is verified on the server (movement is an easily noticeable one, with all the rubberbanding and such). Now, how much and when Blizzard communicates with the client will determine how much a person could cheat. A move calculator (suggesting best possible moves for what you have in your hand and what is on the board) would be easy if you only had the information you can see at that moment. If the server is communicating more (your deck, your opponents hand / deck), it would be easy for the client to hack to show that. Also, something to take into mind, You know all the cards in your deck, if you can find out the seed they are using for their random to shuffle the deck, it would be rather easy to guess which cards are coming next. Someone did this for an online poker site (they were using system time; the default random seed) and cheated their way to a bunch of money.

I doubt there will be a hack to buy cards or anything like that. That is all going to require server authentication. It just does come down to how much information the server is feeding the client.

An example of something unavoidable is like in BF3. The server feeds all player location information to the client, no matter if you can see them or not. If it didn't, you would possibly have lag detecting people and that would be pretty bad in a FPS. The problem is a simple DX injection can allow you to force Direct X to draw the location (or spotting markers) on every player at all times.

Why would their server communicate more than the bare minimums? Number of cards in hand, card from hand being played, creatures on the table. Nothing else needs to be communicated to the opposing client.

Your deck shuffle is all done server side and you just see the results when it draws a random card for you.

I highly doubt there is any hacking in this game, nor could there possibly be any going forward.

 

[darkewaffle]

Why would their server communicate more than the bare minimums? Number of cards in hand, card from hand being played, creatures on the table. Nothing else needs to be communicated to the opposing client.

Because DRM!

 

[Phanuel]

I'm failing to understand how DRM could possibly be a reason to expose more of what can be done server side to the individual clients. The game is already at maximum DRM due to be a server->client relationship.

 

[smackababy]

Why would their server communicate more than the bare minimums? Number of cards in hand, card from hand being played, creatures on the table. Nothing else needs to be communicated to the opposing client.

Your deck shuffle is all done server side and you just see the results when it draws a random card for you.

I highly doubt there is any hacking in this game, nor could there possibly be any going forward.

To make the experience more fluid. If they make the call when the card is brought into the game (when drawn, not played), they don't have to make the call when it is played. It alleviates lag. I am not saying they do this, but they easily could justify it with usability. Same reason for my BF3 player location example. They could keep that information on just the server and broadcast it "as needed", but at the expense of gameplay. They are already broadcasting mouse location of the opponent.

I am also not claiming there is hacking. I am merely saying the possibilities of what they could hack is limited to what the server is broadcasting to the clients (with the exception of the random seed exploit, because that could be done regardless of what the server broadcasts unless a shuffle happens every time you draw a card).

 

[Aikouka]

I'm failing to understand how DRM could possibly be a reason to expose more of what can be done server side to the individual clients. The game is already at maximum DRM due to be a server->client relationship.

I think he misunderstood your post to be asking the question of why the client would need to talk more than necessary, and he was making the usual Blizzard always online DRM jab.

EDIT:

To make the experience more fluid. If they make the call when the card is brought into the game (when drawn, not played), they don't have to make the call when it is played. It alleviates lag.

I don't think it's really an issue because the game is played in a much slower turn-based style. Also, the server has to validate all card plays, minion attacks, hero attacks, etc. anyway.

 

[crownjules]

So is this game M:TG but with Blizzard lore as the backdrop? What sets it apart if so.

 

[smackababy]

So is this game M:TG but with Blizzard lore as the backdrop? What sets it apart if so.

Some of the mechanics are different. The resources required to use cards are not cards themselves. You use mana that refills each turn (sort of like action points). You start with 1 and gain 1 additional mana per turn until 10. Rather than color based cards there are generic cards and classes. Generic cards can be used by every class and each class has class specific cards as well as a class skill that uses 2 mana(Paladin can spawn a 1/1 card, hunter can directly attack the player for 2 damage, priest can heal any card for 2 life). Additionally, you cannot chose to block. Instead, certain cards have a taunt mechanic where you must attack them if they are in play. Oh, also you don't lose if you run out of cards in your deck (which is only 20 cards compared, but you don't have to have resource cards). Instead, you lose life each turn you cannot draw a card. So, there aren't any burn deck strategies.

A few other nuances here and there differentiate it. If you have played MtG, you will pick this up quickly, but even if you haven't, the basics are easy enough to learn.

 

[gothamhunter]

Some of the mechanics are different. The resources required to use cards are not cards themselves. You use mana that refills each turn (sort of like action points). You start with 1 and gain 1 additional mana per turn until 10. Rather than color based cards there are generic cards and classes. Generic cards can be used by every class and each class has class specific cards as well as a class skill that uses 2 mana(Paladin can spawn a 1/1 card, hunter can directly attack the player for 2 damage, priest can heal any card for 2 life). Additionally, you cannot chose to block. Instead, certain cards have a taunt mechanic where you must attack them if they are in play. Oh, also you don't lose if you run out of cards in your deck (which is only 20 cards compared, but you don't have to have resource cards). Instead, you lose life each turn you cannot draw a card. So, there aren't any burn deck strategies.

A few other nuances here and there differentiate it. If you have played MtG, you will pick this up quickly, but even if you haven't, the basics are easy enough to learn.

To be fair:

Rather than color based cards there are generic cards and classes. Generic cards can be used by every class and each class has class specific cards as well as a class skill that uses 2 mana(Paladin can spawn a 1/1 card, hunter can directly attack the player for 2 damage, priest can heal any card for 2 life)

This equates to artifacts and land colors, effectively.

 

[smackababy]

To be fair:


This equates to artifacts and land colors, effectively.

Yes, but I was more trying to highlight you can't have a mixed deck. You can't have a paladin / hunter deck like you could a red / black deck.

 

[Zeze]

I wish ranking/matchmaking was hero or deck based, not account wide.

I'm 3-star platinum with Rexxar (Hunter). I'm sick of his mechanics and want to try a different hero.

Of course my level 10 Mage cannot even practice properly in both ranked & unranked.

 

[Malladine]

I wish ranking/matchmaking was hero or deck based, not account wide.

I'm 3-star platinum with Rexxar (Hunter). I'm sick of his mechanics and want to try a different hero.

Of course my level 10 Mage cannot even practice properly in both ranked & unranked.

ah i thought this was hero based

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

So...I can't even beat a single hero with my noob mage deck. Practice mode. I've only tried a couple times though. Maybe I didn't get a good hand or something. I'm a former Magic player too. I made some really good Magic decks, but that was eons ago. Don't remember how to construct a good deck now. I'm gonna have to google for help, it just seems I shouldn't have to be googling already...like its too early.

 

[smackababy]

Try a few other character. You start with extremely awful cards in those practice decks. As you level up, which you do fairly quickly early on, you get better cards.

 

[waggy]

I got rolf stomped by a guy with a legendary card. it was over in a few turns =(

 

[Zeze]

So...I can't even beat a single hero with my noob mage deck. Practice mode. I've only tried a couple times though. Maybe I didn't get a good hand or something. I'm a former Magic player too. I made some really good Magic decks, but that was eons ago. Don't remember how to construct a good deck now. I'm gonna have to google for help, it just seems I shouldn't have to be googling already...like its too early.

To be frank, the basic cards (hero-specific) are designed to be to quite well-rounded. For Mage, it gives you AOE dmg, single nukes, and single disables to utterly shut down both big minion & lots of small minions.

Lots of people lose because:

- They run out of cards and can't spend mana (you MUST have LOTS of 'draw card' abilities). Get both of the Arcane Intellect cards (draw 2 cards) & Engineering minion (only 2 mana), and that Tinkering dude (4 mana, draw 1 card)

-Always have minions and taunts to protect yourself and soak up damage. Sheer DPS build don't work in this game. Minions dish out lots of free damage that your spell could never match.

- You only need like 1 to 3 cards that are 5 to 7++ mana. Customize your deck with LOTS of 1-3 mana cards for faster set up & action. I still haven't run out of cards once in this game.

Give these a try, you'll notice immediate results.

Most of the time, it's not the legendary cards that make you lose.