Data Liberation

[Exousia]

I was delivering the mail today--yes, I am a postal worker--and I was thinking about this game because, well, there's not much thought behind getting the mail packs into the right box after you've done it a million times even though a lot of my fellow carriers can't seem to get it right half the time and I was wondering, "if information is the most valuable commodity in the HP world then why is there so little of it?" There's an abundance of programs on all these servers but no actual information. (Yes, technically programs are information, but I'm talking about practical, real-world information.)

To a businessman/woman, the tools of hacking, the log deleters, virii, password breakers are simply distracting details better left for tech teams and information facilitators in their employ, nothing worth their time. What's important to them would be "what is the competition up to?" I'm talking about schedules, employee rosters, inventories, office memos, etc. Certainly the fact that Hakuza is working on production of a new beverage which will compete on the global market with their own will be of great value to Omnicron. It is of little value to a hacker, however, unless he/she wishes to liberate this information, stored in a file on a secret Hakuza server and upload it to a secure Omnicron FTP server for a bounty.

My suggestion then is to create a new file type, a data file. The contents of these data files a pretty much inconsequential to us players but they could contain valuable and sensitive information which would cause problems for a MegaCorp if this information were leaked to the public (True Light) or appropriated by competitors (other MegaCorps). The only real distinction which may be needed is who originated it: True Light Data File, Hakuza Data File, Icarus Data File, or Omnicron Data File. Since these NPC servers exist somewhere in the HP world "physically," they may well contain such sensitive data which is necessary for the day-to-day operation of their local and regional offices, stored there simply for convenience or out of negligence. We all know how some business people are: "I really don't feel like going through all this security stuff, remembering all these passwords hurts my head, so I'll just download it and work on it here then upload it when I'm done. No one will notice because I'll delete it afterward."

So, we've populated the NPC servers with data files, now what? Well, someone must be interested in it! We've created a new mission type, haven't we? This is "Data Theft" or "Data Liberation" depending on how you look at it. Basically industrial sabotage in real-world terms.

What we do is we list the Data Theft mission complete with IP address and file number (or maybe no IP but a file number and an owner for more a more advanced and more profitable version) and list it on a server. Hakuza wants file #xxx998 True Light Data File on 128.x.x.x uploaded to their secure FTP server at 129.y.y.y for example. To complete this, one would break into 128.x.x.x and download the file. Once it is acquired, we upload it to 129.y.y.y. When one clicks Task Complete on the upload, the mission is complete and the cash reward is received.

To expedite the mission we could make the upload to the FTP receiver instantaneous (download was mirrored to a movable media like a disc and physically handed off to an anonymous drop) or use a reduced upload time (FTP server uses a specialized hardware connection provided by the employer). The theory behind the secure FTP server upload is that the hardware accepts any upload but will not accept remote log ons (for whatever reason) so the hacker connects, then goes to their files/programs list and clicks upload, hopefully simplifying things for all involved in implementing and using this suggestion.

So as not to make this process too laborious, we could have a wide range of file sizes. This will, of course, put a great deal of importance on HDD capacity and bandwidth in terms of completing these missions but it will also create competition between hackers for the acquisition of this data in order to complete the missions. It becomes a PvP kinda thing as people may think to encrypt these files, delete them, or hide them in order to prevent others from obtaining them first. They may even start out encrypted or hidden for added bonuses. This may also create a need to remove virii to free up bandwidth to obtain the data faster. Evil, I know, but someone's going to try and remove or capture virii for cash so another motive do to it for cash isn't going to change things much and will definitely create more situations where people weigh the value of a good hack against upsetting others, creating more opportunities for competition and PvP scenarios--more conflict = more plot.

Well, this is all well and good for those who have decryptors, unhiders, and lots of bandwidth, but what about all those poor noobies with only 5 bandwidth who are just starting out and see all those juicy data files laying about?

These data files could also be delete missions. Data gets in the wrong place, someone gets canned for it, the higher ups have already deleted it from the insecure server, but someone's copied it to another server! Oh, nos! We should hire a hacker to go destroy it. That's what they're good for.

So, in theory, this creates a new mission type and some added flavor to the game. It fleshes it out a little, making it more tangible and hopefully tantalizing the imagination a bit. It may even give True Light something to do other than research the infamous Revelation virus. It's all about the information, after all. It's out there somewhere waiting to be liberated.

Now, shoot holes in it. 

[Raistlin]

Actually, this sounds like a really fun idea. My only objection to it is that it doesn't work with the way download mechanics are right now. If things haven't changed since I was last paying attention, you can violate the bandwidth cap on a public or secret server for the purposes of uploading or downloading. Unfortunately, this means that those with 20k bandwidth boxes could be done with the mission before others have even finished downloading the first megabyte. If we find a workaround for that, though, this sounds cool.

[Exousia]

Was afraid of that. I've not played with the bandwidth limitations as much as some and figured a more experienced player would be more familiar with the mechanics.

I thought it was part of the workings of the virii that they would not bump downloads and would fail to operate if there was insufficient bandwidth for them. If what you're saying is true, then this limitation, if it exists, is rendered ineffective by the bandwidth overload.

After some thought, perhaps public servers can have their bandwidth overloaded but they do not spawn data files of significant size, rendering the missions much more useful to noobs and much less interesting, if nothing else, to veterans who could technically bulk download them and complete the missions but hopefully would get tired of the mediocre payouts and frequent bouncing. The big money, including a hazard payout increase built into the bounty, would be in the secret servers where the bandwidth is definitely limited but those going after them would, most likely, have the tools to deal with the obstacles.

Also, the incorporation of data files as delete missions would work well for adding more opportunities for noobs even if the actual theft of the data would require a more advanced player. Data theft, which would require more time and a larger investment in hardware would naturally pay out better than a delete.

[siremi]

This is an awesome idea. Kudos!

I can think of at least one way to limit and even the field and make it in line with delete missions:

- .DAT files are on a networked terminal closed off from the main network and only linked to the particular corporation server that only allows downloads of up to 5 kbs per connection. This effectively limits and evens out the odds for everyone downloading / uploading the file.

[Exousia]

This is an awesome idea. Kudos!

I can think of at least one way to limit and even the field and make it in line with delete missions:

- .DAT files are on a networked terminal closed off from the main network and only linked to the particular corporation server that only allows downloads of up to 5 kbs per connection. This effectively limits and evens out the odds for everyone downloading / uploading the file.

So you still connect to the public/secret server and play with virii, etc. normally and eat up bandwidth, overload as usual, but these .DAT files show up under the files/program listings because they are part of the local intranet but the download bandwidth is capped at 5kbs?

Yeah, that would level things out for the noobs and all, but we would lose the bandwidth competition and there would be no reward for higher hardware investment. Perhaps a higher cap at say 50 or, better yet, have it variable depending on the bandwidth of the host server, say 10% of the host server's bandwidth, so higher level hardware boxes would have higher capacity and have it not be per connection but in total. So a 450 kbs host would have terminals running at 45. Use Overload Malware on the host and the terminals suffer as well too!

Or there could also be a frictional loss in bandwidth such that the bandwidth devoted to the effort by the downloading machine, up to a certain point, isn't exactly what is available. That "lost" bandwidth is due to the host's efforts to mediate multiple connections. Let's say Joe Blow connects to a server and downloads a data file, eating up 15 out of 30 available BW. Mary Jane comes along and devotes 20 kbs to the same effort. Both are within the limit but the total is larger than the cap of 30. Mary Jane, being second takes a percentage loss in effective BW proportional to the overload, but Joe Blow also feels it but is less effected because he had devoted slightly less BW. If, seeing this, Joe Blow increases his BW to 25 to speed things up, he increases the overload loss. Of course no one can have an effective BW over the cap of 30, even if they are devoting much more BW to the effort than the cap. (This idea definitely needs some tweaking and fine tuning and may also be applied to BW overloading the public/secret servers eventually in a separate suggestion/bug fix/whatever.)

Perhaps also, or instead, if the host is overloaded, the terminal's BW suffers to a certain extent. Maybe use the 10% of the host's total BW capacity and modify it down to 5% of the host's BW depending on how overloaded the host is. Since these terminals would be dependent, at least in part, on the network connected host, this makes sense. Free up BW on the host and the terminal(s) are effected.

[Ged Crimsonclaw]

I love the idea.  And real world data files can scale up to terabytes as well  .

That aside, I'd drop any complex BW limiting.  I like the scaled BW per server capacity though.  Upload, would it be best just to another server, with implicit disappearance of file when the mission is completed?  Also would have a very clear trigger point, on the upload task complete.  (Or decrypt task complete -- depending if decryption is needed).

Just throwing in my own two cents, that I favor this mission type proposal.  Here's hoping it can be done  .

[Adramalech]

I like the idea, I like it very much!
and all ideas to improve the feeling of a 'real' world will make the game better,
if we, information facilitators, have to fight the mega-corps to make the world better, then there should be more ways to
fight them, like this one, and it should have effects too, otherwise were still fighting for nothing..

(have no ideas myself though  )

[Seb]

Woah, Sir Emi likes it, and I'd love to see it implemented- woot!
-oh, but can we read em? 

[Exousia]

The mission part of this is actually pretty simple. I was thinking originally to use a secure FTP type upload system with a permanent IP address assigned to each MegaCorp and True Light as the recipient. The mission completion point would be hitting "task complete" after initiating the upload process.

In theory, it's like this:

1) You take the mission as per usual. The mission type is, of course, "Data Liberation." I believe even the MegaCorps in their own minds believe themselves to be the protagonist in all this, so they would see it as liberating the data from an evil entity no matter who it came from.

2) You then connect to the target server and download the file to your own server. This requires that you have enough bandwidth and enough hard drive space to accommodate this. I'm very much a fan of having a reason to mess with the available bandwidth on the target server in order to expedite the process and to have hackers competing for that bandwidth by either killing one another's virii to free it up or even breaking into one another's servers and hitting them with malware overloads if they're feeling really evil.

This is where the discussion is. It's about how to balance it out so that it doesn't favor veterans necessarily and to account for the current issue with public/secret servers allowing unlimited overloading of their bandwidth for downloads. Basically, it has been suggested that the winner will always be the one with the highest bandwidth capacity. Sir Emi suggested a fixed cap at 5 kbs per connection (per hacker) for these files under the assumption that they were actually physically located on limited capacity terminals attached to the server. I suggested several compromises including my favorite, that these terminals which contain the data have a capped 10% of the host server's BW which can be modified down to half of this due to the overloading of the host server. So a server with 350 kbs BW would allow up to a 35 on the data files, and if that server is overloaded by say 150%, the BW is reduced to 75% of that capacity or 26.25 kbs. (This could well be the "per connection" cap in order to simplify things.)

3) Once you have the file on your hard drive, you upload the file to the destination. This could be completely like a Gold Account Secure FTP server and be completely dependent on the private server's BW. Once you hit "Task Complete" on this process, the mission is completed and you receive your HPD bounty.


Something I was also thinking about is that maybe having this mission type favor veterans isn't such a bad idea. Right now all one needs to do to complete several deletes at once is enough CPU. I feel that if we give the veteran players, those who have built up their bandwidth and hard drives a lot, something to do other than deletes, this will free up more delete missions for the noobs to complete and get going in the game. With something much more interesting like Data Liberation to look forward to, the delete missions could be almost entirely the domain of younger players who need that boost in HPD. Certainly these data files could also increase the number of delete missions available as well.

[Exousia]

Woah, Sir Emi likes it, and I'd love to see it implemented- woot!
-oh, but can we read em? 

That could be funny to have random text files pop up talking about the latest inter-office romance or a random list of names, birthdays and identification numbers. That might open up the possibility of identity theft scams as a suggestion later on down the road and I feel like that may be making it a little too real.

You thinking something likes this:

FROM: Carl Montegue, Icarus Berlin Pharmaceutical Research Division
TO: Madeline Capulet, Icarus Rome Marketing Division
RE: "Aphrodite" Drug Tests

While the latest batch in this series (AFD#791d) has showed promising results, there are serious side effects in our rodent and primate test subjects. These side effects include vomiting, vertigo, rash, and unusual hair growth on the extremities. If you can come up with a catchy slogan and a positive spin on the side effects, then it's otherwise ready to hit the stores by St. Valentines' Day of next year. As long as Omnicron doesn't get wind of this, we'll be riding a high volume sales wave that will virtually corner the market! I'm sure we'll both benefit from the 14 million HPD reward for the research division which completes this project first--I suggest that perhaps 10% of this could find its way to your Swiss account "accidentally" if you could put a rush on this. After all, it only seems to shorten the life span of the test subjects by a measly 21% of expected on the average and that's only because a measly 2% of the subjects had an allergic reaction to it and died instantly and very very very painfully.

Seriously, I still have nightmares.

[siremi]

FROM: Carl Montegue, Icarus Berlin Pharmaceutical Research Division
TO: Madeline Capulet, Icarus Rome Marketing Division
RE: "Aphrodite" Drug Tests

That is just hilarious  

I think it can be expanded so the .DAT files do actually contain this kind of info and other stuff.
The results could very well lead to extra rewards, like a nice software that can boost a program version, or some HPD, etc )

[Exousia]

FROM: Carl Montegue, Icarus Berlin Pharmaceutical Research Division
TO: Madeline Capulet, Icarus Rome Marketing Division
RE: "Aphrodite" Drug Tests

That is just hilarious  

I think it can be expanded so the .DAT files do actually contain this kind of info and other stuff.
The results could very well lead to extra rewards, like a nice software that can boost a program version, or some HPD, etc )

Thanks. That would definitely add another dimension of that "realistic" feel. The contents don't need to (and probably shouldn't) be serious and could have a comical reward such as that stupid little thing which I wrote there on the fly. (I write short stories in my spare time, purely for fun.  ) People may even want to collect the data files which could contain a pointer to specific text segments so you could eventually have an archive containing the ever-growing array of memos, lists, and emails. Of course the pointer would be randomized so you may get duplicates, but, I don't want to write a unique text blurb for the hundreds of thousands of data files that could potentially be created so I'm pretty sure that yourself, Sir Emi, wouldn't want to either. 

[virus man]

You could also have some that lead to clues about specific things such as what server the first revelation virus will appear on etc.

[Exousia]

Great ideas.

Perhaps, these data files could easily be partial research updates for Revelation. "Revelation Stage 32" for example. Find it on a True Light server and upload it to one of the MegaCorps and there's a chance at an upgraded Faith being spawned. If we notice a trend in where these Revelation Stage data files are being spawned, we know that True Light is trying to build Revelation on that server.

These data files could also be partial research updates for any program really, and grant, as mentioned previously, version updates to relevant software. They could contain pointers to bank accounts and such as well, pay stubs, etc. and grant HPD rewards. Of course, we can't allow double dipping, so we would need them to automatically be wiped or corrupted as far as missions are concerned.

So, with this concept, you could theoretically be asked to steal a file and open it to find it contains a Fire Wall research update which you can choose to use and gain .1 to a selected Fire Wall or upload and complete the related mission for cash.

I'm happy to have other minds adding to this idea!

[Seb]

Exou, you really hit gold here  good job!