Enable admins to limit number of alts per account

[Erth Paradine]

Suggestion:
Enable admins to limit number of alts per StarMade account.

Currently:
Players can currently login with an infinite number of alts, although the existing server.cfg directive "PROTECTED_NAMES_BY_ACCOUNT" does provide a basic pre-existing mechanic to unprotect older alts, it does not prevent concerns broached within.

Result of proposed:

• Server owners could limit the number of permitted alts, and therefore better manage and minimize risks, while unambiguously communicating particular boundaries and server rules.
• Players would be able to more readily recognize typos in their username.

Suggested Method:

• Expand upon the existing server.cfg option PROTECTED_NAMES_BY_ACCOUNT, to also use as a limit to the number of permitted alts that a player may login with.
• Or, add a new directive such as MAX_NAMES_BY_ACCOUNT that does the same as above.

Rationale:

• Players can, and do, exploit the "new player" gifting system to stockpile credits, and other basic resources, by relogging as multiple alts, dropping items/credits, relogging, dropping, rise, repeat... This relogging strategy circumvents an intended game mechanic: if admins intended to grant 5x, 10x, or 50x's the number of originally gifted items, then they would have originally done so.
• Players can, and have, "spammed" account databases with often abusive/offensive IGNs. I don't see the value of these nuisance behaviors.
• Players that have reached their maximum limit, but mistakenly login with a mistyped username, would now have a quick and less publicly embarrassing means of recognizing their mistake.
• Most MMOs permit the use of alts, as they're a valuable feature for a variety of reasons. Although unlimited alts is a mechanism ripe for abuse - as experience is illustrating.

Defects/Workarounds:

• Players can still consolidate resources from a limited number of alts.
• Players can use (purchase?) multiple accounts, and consolidate resources: this increases the "cost" to abuse, and is therefore an abuse deterrent.
• Players can still team-up, consolidate resources, etc. Again still possible to abuse via this method, but it requires multiple coordinated actors, and is therefore a deterrent against more casual abuse and solo actors.

Alternative Strategies:

• Provide a means for server owners to throttle number of permitted alts created per account, per specific timeframe.
  • Through a configuration directive such as MAX_NAMES_BY_ACCOUNT_PER_DAY
  • This process would not ultimately limit number of permitted alts per account, but it would greatly throttle, frustrate, and therefore discourage abusive behaviors. It also would not help players quickly recognize typos in their username.

 

[therimmer96]

What would stop me from using an alt registry account? Many of us already have them for forums alts, and they're simple enough to make.

 

[Erth Paradine]

What would stop me from using an alt registry account? Many of us already have them for forums alts, and they're simple enough to make.

Nothing, and I in-fact acknowledged that possibility in "Defects/Workarounds". In those particular cases, the overall intent is to increase the "cost" to abuse, and therefore act as an abuse deterrent. When Schine starts charging for the game, nothing prevents a player from selling their IRL house for the funds to buy enough accounts. The point here is a deterrent to excess.

 

[Zedrackis]

You can limit the number of protected alts per account now, just FYI, its in the server.cfg

 

[Erth Paradine]

You can limit the number of protected alts per account now, just FYI, its in the server.cfg

Yep - pointed that out in the 2nd sentence of my original posting. Limiting number of protected accounts doesn't address the underlying concerns though.