Are we protected from bot accounts? Already we have one: http://forums.spheredev.org/index.php?action=profile;u=7

I'm just curious. Now that N E O (neologix) is an admin, I'm sure everything he wanted to do to combat such attempts can now be done. I hope, that is.

I have a set of plugins in mind that should work. Will report shortly.

Ok, starting out w/a Honey Pot plugin, httpBL. GMods, let me know if such an option appears in the Members menu of your Settings, thanks!

Are we protected from bot accounts? Already we have one: http://forums.spheredev.org/index.php?action=profile;u=7

I'm just curious. Now that N E O (neologix) is an admin, I'm sure everything he wanted to do to combat such attempts can now be done. I hope, that is.

I saw that account, but how can you tell it's an actual bot? The only thing weird about it so far is the nickname, and people are known for making weird nicknames, too...

Yeah, but considering only the active members of sphere knew this place was up this early, I doubt it's just someone random. They would have at least said 'hi'.

N E O: I don't like the verification process, since it would harm our outreach. Isn't there any way we can detect bots without having users PM a mod? RMN has virtually no botters (I do see them from time-to-time) but it's for the most part fairly secure. Their account register uses a reCaptcha, which is far better than the captcha we've been using to register here; this could be a good start.

I need to test what I put in first; a reCaptcha mod is the next step after the 2nd stopforumspam mod.

I'm all for reconsidering the verification process as long as we have a better alternative; I still want members we know are real people to be put into the Verified group, but if we find out we don't need to limit permissions then I will simply make it a superficial group but it will still provide staff with another way to filter member lists.

Re that specific user - the website in question has a YouTube video for what looks to be a Castlevania 3 mod or something, and the YT channel seems legit. There's also a highscores tracking page on the site, so the game in question might very well have been made from the ground up in an engine instead of hacking CV3. Original announcement of that game seems to be on this forum.

Re that specific user - the website in question has a YouTube video for what looks to be a Castlevania 3 mod or something, and the YT channel seems legit. There's also a highscores tracking page on the site, so the game in question might very well have been made from the ground up in an engine instead of hacking CV3. Original announcement of that game seems to be on this forum.

Good! I'm glad I was wondering that we've already begun falling into the pitfall of the previous forums. Anyways, I trust you will have all the best anti-bot stuff installed.

Are we protected from bot accounts? Already we have one: http://forums.spheredev.org/index.php?action=profile;u=7

That's not a bot, that's an actual user on RMN. I've even spoken to him on IRC.

I am accessing the forums sometimes via 3G on my way home. Recently I got a bot verification site where I had to input a math formula result two times. But I was logged in. Could we remove that at least for logged in users? Maybe you can't do anything about it, then nevermind. I just wanted to report:) at home I do not get that.

Recently I got a bot verification site where I had to input a math formula result two times. But I was logged in.

I'll see what's going on with that; so far I haven't come across it myself, but I did put some pretty stringent defense mechanisms on this incarnation of the forums.

I'll see what's going on with that; so far I haven't come across it myself, but I did put some pretty stringent defense mechanisms on this incarnation of the forums.

I think that's a good thing, even if it's very inconvenient sometimes. The spam was SO BAD on the last forums, plus the community is very small right now. (Although once TurboSphere is finished, and if there's some way to write combined engine/editor plugins, Sphere will probably be the most powerful 2D game engine around.)

Although once TurboSphere is finished, and if there's some way to write combined engine/editor plugins, Sphere will probably be the most powerful 2D game engine around.

Jeez, no pressure, right?

Jeez, no pressure, right?

Seriously though, fast JS (V8) + friendly graphics API, possibly using OpenGL + plugins = a very good 2D graphics engine. I was hunting around for a while for a good one to replace Sphere (just looking for alternatives), and the best I found was Love2D which is very good, but doesn't have any network functions yet and doesn't have a built in map engine. If Sphere were modernized and presented as more of a general 2D game engine and less of an RPG engine, I could easily see lots of people making all sorts of stuff with it.

Well, there is flash. You can do a lot with it even without paying any cent. I did some pixel art games with that. But sphere is somehow cool. I always like coming back to it.

Back to topic. I don't mind entering the numbers if it keeps the forum clean I am already used to it.

I've always planned on experimenting with cocos2d for HTML5 games and as a possible Sphere replacement for desktop games (at least for a proper version of Artyxx anyways) once I stop failing my comp sci class (a combo of inconsistent internet access and a weird work schedule).

@Metallix - I don't suppose you can post a screenshot of this verification happening? If it's only mobile I'd also love to find out if it's happening on iPhone or Android only or both.