I realise this list is for half-life dedicated server discussion but as this topic relates to VAC i thought it might be an interesting one to put to you lot.
ETAC (the European Team fortress Admin Council) are a group that provide a central resource for cheat bans, etc. across loads of major european TFC leagues (etac.burstfire.net) and one of their members posted this on the Far2cool forums (home of the UKTFCL/ETFL and some other well known UK/EU tourneys.)
http://forums.far2cool.com/topic.aspx?PID=658361&P=1
If you cut through the flaming, basically rebo (one of the ETAC admins) is saying that for demos to be reviewed properly to see if a wallhack is being used, admins need to use a 'wallhack' - one of the programs out there at the moment being x-spectate which is what they're using. And he's basically paranoid that if x-spectate is being used it may get picked up during offline play and the admin may be VAC-banned (which is what the post is getting at: Should the admins get an ETAC ban as well for this sort of thing.)
I thought that the client modules of VAC weren't even running - at all - unless you're connected to a VAC secured server, so so long as you ensure that you uninstall any cheat that you may be using for offline play you should be safe? One of the things i was wondering about was stuff like "Again there is the point of "well unplug your internet and you will be alright" well im sorry but VAC is quite sophisticated now and i really wouldnt want to try my luck with this method too many times. It simply isnt worth the risk.".
Further on stuff like this is said: "VAC doesn't work like that MAC, i could be watching a demo today with a wallhack and wouldn't get banned till next week when i joined a server to play a match :/" (from shagaire) Now, i thought that unless he was actually running the cheat (hook) when he joined the secure server it wouldn't matter wether or not he had used one to view a demo - VAC scans what's currently running. more wise words from rebo: "The way VAC works is it collects data on every program you are runing, then at a later date if it finds one such program it will prepare a ban at the next VAC update. Therefore there is no direct link from a VAC ban to a particular cheat"
The line that i'm really questioning though is this one: "You misunderstand how VAC works. If I install X-spec now then de-install it 2moro after using it only once. 6 months down the line if Valve decides to ban it i will be VAC banned because VAC records all programs run when you play with steam. Offline play is no solution, there is no gurantee the steam client wont(no or in the future) cache this information and send at a later date."
Personally, i think that's complete bull. From what i understand vac only looks for cheats and programs when you're connected to a VAC-enabled server - you can do what you want when you're not and it isn't logged or cached or sent to steam in any way.
Am i right in this? Or am i (like most people who don't have a clue) talking bollocks..
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