In a playful yet stringent measure to combat irregularities, Valve has incorporated a novel form of punishment for unscrupulous players in its soon-to-be-released laney shooter, Deadlock. Instead of banishing the culprits straightaway, the gaming company has enriched its anti-cheating protocols through a quirky twist: converting the cheaters into frogs—subject to a majority vote by their opponents in the ongoing match.
The vivacious new feature was substantiated by a Counter-Strike 2 modder via a post on Xitter just as Valve subtly dropped the revelation in a remote corner of their patch notes. Described as the “initial Anti-Cheat detection system” by Valve’s developer, Yoshi, it gives the opponents of the identified culprit a choice: to expel the offender instantly and cease the game, or metamorphose the rogue player into an amphibian for the remainder of the session, only to ban them afterward.
However, Valve is treading cautiously, maintaining a conservative detection mechanism, while they engineer a sophisticated second-version anti-cheat system. Activation of user bans will commence a few days post-update, they affirmed.
Despite being deep in its development phase, Deadlock has attracted a massive follower base, with tens of thousands engaged even before the game was officially publicized. Valve’s acknowledgement has only added to the enthusiasm.
Yet, a musing arises: a whimsical punishment, such as this, could potentially entertain rather than deter wrong-doers. Certainly, some might derive eccentric joy from this gimmick and be spurred on to circumvent the system even more ardently, however, there is also the likelihood of the novelty wearing thin, which could annoy some. Additionally, this could be read as Valve’s effort to demonstrate their resolve to counteract cheaters, especially in light of ongoing criticism regarding unchecked cheating in Team Fortress 2. Recently, they have started addressing these concerns too.
This landmark initialization of an anti-cheat system isn’t the only upgrade Valve has undertaken in this update. As per expectation from a game that is still being pieced together simultaneously with thousands of players indulging in frenzy on its turf, numerous other tweaks are in the offing. Changes in map layout and modifications to the playable characters are observed. For instance, the hook range of Bebop has been decreased from 30m to 25m while Dynamo’s “Singularity” radius is down from 8m to 7m. Even though I may not be an active participant in the game and have a thorough understanding of these developments, they are undeniably pertinent for stalwart fans.
Yet, all this has only intensified curiosity about Deadlock. If you wish to play, your entry into the game depends on an invite from a current access holder. Nevertheless, rest assured, I have a way in, with acquaintances in the right places. So sit back, enjoy the game, and remember, no cheating, or you might just find yourself croaking!
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