Vacation mode

[Sirrobert]

I just came on a problem.

Tomorrow I an planning to go on a 2 week vacation, leaving my server open and exposed for 1 week (i still have newbie protection, witch stops after 1 week of inactivity)

so maybe it would be a good idea to make a possibility to go away without leaving you server open for attacks (so pulling the plug to the WWW in essence)
Than you have to stay in this mode for at least 2 days after you activate it, and you won't be able to access anything, just as no-one can access you, to prevent someone who just goes in vacation mode every night

[black_ice]

That, is a brilliant idea, and realistic as well.
/signed

[Moen Co.]

I like the idea, needs just two clarifications.

First off, using vacation mode would have to kill all processes on the machine, for obvious reasons.

Second, the minimum should be increased to somewhere in the area of a week to discourage abuse.

[Sirrobert]

Agreed.

In vacation mode al connection with the WWW wil be terminated, including your own virri, virri on your machine from someone else should stay there really to prevent the vacation mode being used as a way to stop al virri on your server
And in vacation mode, you won't get any AP ofcourse

Though as a minimum a week is a bit much, mabay 3 days?

[Moen Co.]

Both owned virii and virii installed on your gateway should collect profits during vacation mode, but both cases would have to wait until vacation mode is over to collect.

Also, I'm not sure if you understand, vacation mode would stop all processes on your gateway, this includes internal processes such as research.

As for the minimum, I don't want it to be something that people use for reasons other than they won't have an internet connection for a couple days. My thinking is that if you're going to a place that doesn't have an internet connection, you're going to be there for a while anyway. Maybe 5 days, but any lower and I feel people will use it for other purposes. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on this as well.

[ZacQuicksilver]

I suggest the following mechanics for "Vacation Mode":


When you start "Vacation Mode", it takes 30 minutes for the server to shut down. While it is running, the only processes that can be running are Virii, Firewalls, and Password Protects.

At the end of this, the following things happen:

1) All your servers go inactive.
2) All your virii stop aging.
3) All virii on your servers stop aging
4) You cease to have any IP.


After at least some minimum time, you can order a startup.
Startup takes 1 hour. When startup completes, the following things happen:

1) All virii begin aging again
2) Each of your servers get a new IP
3) Anyone with Virii on your servers regains contact with their Virii (and thus is informed of your new IP)
4) A new process begins: Initiating web connections. This process takes 30 mins.

Until you complete the Initiating web connections process, you can not initiate connections.



This way, it can't be used to boot people off your server(s), nor as a panic button, nor as a way to evade a dedicated attacker. However, it will allow you to take a few days off if that's what you need.

[Raistlin]

It seems kinda complex; what's wrong with just changing IP's and not connecting after you leave? Odds that someone buys your IP are pretty slim, and 1k isn't that much these days. A few missions, max. And if you can't scrape together 1k, you are probably new enough that formatting won't hurt much, so if someone DOES hack you, formatting is a viable option to get them off your server.

[Moen Co.]

When you start "Vacation Mode", it takes 30 minutes for the server to shut down. While it is running, the only processes that can be running are Virii, Firewalls, and Password Protects.

How does that not act like a panic button? I like the delay idea, but how does your process restriction not act as a panic button? You're saying that downloads, deletes, and virii activations are not allowed once someone hits the vacation mode button. Raising activation time to an hour or more, allowing all processes to run during that period, then killing everything once the server shuts down.

2) All your virii stop aging.
3) All virii on your servers stop aging

Why? The vacationer's virii will still be disinfect/capture prone, so why not let the vacationer pick up the profits after a week or so if no one's gotten to them yet?  As for other people's virii on your server, I see why you want them to stop aging.

4) You cease to have any IP.
2) Each of your servers get a new IP

Free IP change should come with one or more of the following:
1.) Long cooldown (Think in the 2-4 week range)
2.) Long minimum vacation (Back to one week)
3.) Fee to activate vacation mode, rate based on number of servers owned.

It seems kinda complex; what's wrong with just changing IP's and not connecting after you leave? Odds that someone buys your IP are pretty slim, and 1k isn't that much these days. A few missions, max. And if you can't scrape together 1k, you are probably new enough that formatting won't hurt much, so if someone DOES hack you, formatting is a viable option to get them off your server.

Point taken, but this is something that should at least be thrown on the back burner if there are any major changes to any of the features you just described.

[Sirrobert]

I suggest the following mechanics for "Vacation Mode":


When you start "Vacation Mode", it takes 30 minutes for the server to shut down. While it is running, the only processes that can be running are Virii, Firewalls, and Password Protects.

At the end of this, the following things happen:

1) All your servers go inactive.
2) All your virii stop aging.
3) All virii on your servers stop aging
4) You cease to have any IP.


After at least some minimum time, you can order a startup.
Startup takes 1 hour. When startup completes, the following things happen:

1) All virii begin aging again
2) Each of your servers get a new IP
3) Anyone with Virii on your servers regains contact with their Virii (and thus is informed of your new IP)
4) A new process begins: Initiating web connections. This process takes 30 mins.

Until you complete the Initiating web connections process, you can not initiate connections.


This way, it can't be used to boot people off your server(s), nor as a panic button, nor as a way to evade a dedicated attacker. However, it will allow you to take a few days off if that's what you need.

That's perfect, really.

Only I don't think you should get a new IP after your vacation mode, otherwise everyone could take a simpel break to change it.
You should keep your IP (so it reapeers in the databases it was in)

Raistlin:
You may be able to change your IP after you return, but than someone can stil remove al of your data, stetting you back days, making the newbies just hate the game and stop.