[cix]

Originally Posted by DJEarthQuake That code does not force anybody to download anything, it does not allow them entry.

I think there might be a bit of confusion here. I wasn't saying that the code forces clients to download files. Rather, I was explaining that even if you could force downloads (which you can't), it wouldn't work due to the game engine's checks and the fact that the client.dll/client.so file often reside outside of 'valve/' directory. I was highlighting the limitations of the 'force_unmodified()' native function, not claiming that the code would force downloads.

The key point is that detecting modified clients is challenging because files can be placed in '<game>_addon' directory which can be overloaded without overwriting the base files in the 'valve/' directory.

[mlibre]

with reverse engineering it seems not to affect

[DJEarthQuake]

When using sub-directory, there is still symbolic link it to designated spot or else game won't run and is effectively caught.

[cix]

Originally Posted by mlibre with reverse engineering it seems not to affect

Are you talking about finding a way to bypass the rechecker plugin (which seems possible) or reversing the server to detect custom clients? More details would be helpful to understand the context and provide a better response. What exactly seems not to be affected?

Originally Posted by DJEarthQuake When using sub-directory, there is still symbolic link it to designated spot or else game won't run and is effectively caught.

I have no idea what you're referring to, I'm assuming you're talking about the <game>_addon folder.

Here's an example, if you put the modified client file inside of valve_addon directory, the game will load that file instead of the one inside of valve directory.

1- Half-Life\valve\cl_dlls\client.dll (official)
2- Half-Life\valve_addon\cl_dlls\client.dll (modified)

Therefore, it becomes meaningless to use force_unmodified() as such:

PHP Code:

force_unmodified(force_exactfile, {0,0,0}, {0,0,0}, "cl_dlls/client.dll") 


[DJEarthQuake]

Keep clean file in said directory also and it's path in script. One way of doing that is symbolic link.

[cix]

Originally Posted by DJEarthQuake Keep clean file in said directory also and it's path in script. One way of doing that is symbolic link.

What you're saying is that we keep a clean file on the server at [HLDS\valve\cl_dlls\client.*] and we use a symbolic link to point the file in which directory on the server [HLDS\valve_addon\cl_dlls\client.*]?
How is using symbolic link going to help with detection or prevention?

In the force_unmodified() function, the path to the target file is checked with the client using the exact same path used on the server, if both the server and connecting client does not have the same version, it will kick the connecting player.

If you call this on the server, then the connecting player must have the same version of client.dll as the server:

PHP Code:

force_unmodified(force_exactfile, {0,0,0}, {0,0,0}, "cl_dlls/client.dll") 


However, if you have something like this, then it will kick every player connecting to the server that does not have the client.dll file in the valve_addon/cl_dlls directory.

PHP Code:

force_unmodified(force_exactfile, {0,0,0}, {0,0,0}, "../valve_addon/cl_dlls/client.dll") 


I'm trying to make sense of what you're trying to imply, please elaborate.

[DJEarthQuake]

If one is expecting a cracked dll there; put official dll there.

[cix]

Originally Posted by DJEarthQuake If one is expecting a cracked dll there; put official dll there.

Have you actually tried this ? You may want to read my posts again:

Originally Posted by cix You also cannot precache and force a client to download certain file types .dll, .so or .dylib, because they will not pass the engine's IsSafeFileToDownload() check. Even if it did pass the check, the file cannot be downloaded outside of the game/mod directory, which is where the <gamedir>_addon directory and the custom client.dll resides. The downloaded resources will most likely go to the valve_downloads directory, in that case, calling the force_unmodified() native function for "../valve_addon/cl_dlls/client.dll" will be meaningless.

If you put the "official dll" to this path HLDS\valve_addon\cl_dlls\client.dll on the server, there is no way for this file to be transferred to the connecting client. If you do put it there and then force consistency using:

PHP Code:

force_unmodified(force_exactfile, {0,0,0}, {0,0,0}, "../valve_addon/cl_dlls/client.dll") 


Originally Posted by cix ...then it will kick every player connecting to the server that does not have the client.dll file in the valve_addon/cl_dlls directory.

That is not a solution. I feel like you don't even understand the issue here. The "cracked dll" is on the client and the server is trying to block when a player has the "cracked dll". By cracked I hope you don't misunderstand again for non-steam, it's actually modified or altered .dll file.
^{* If you have comprehension issues, I suggest translating my answers into your native language using DeepL or ChatGPT.}

[DJEarthQuake]

That's the whole point if the checksum of the 2 files does not match they are kicked.

[cix]

Originally Posted by DJEarthQuake That's the whole point if the checksum of the 2 files does not match they are kicked.

Yes, but that's assuming every player that wants to connect to your server create new directories at Half-Life\valve_addon\cl_dlls and add the client.dll file. This is not a solution. There's also a way to circumvent this, making it entirely pointless.