Research help for class.

I'm currently in a class as part of my degree in Information Technology called Special Topics in Web Development. The class's main purpose is to explore Second Life and see if it holds any value as and education resource. I was hoping that everyone here could answer two questions for me.

1. What kind of hacking, if any, goes on in SL? I was wondering what kind of hacking would occur in a game that's fully scriptable.

2. Out of all the scripts you have made, how many use the functions llSetRemoteScriptAccessPin and llRemoteLoadScriptPin? Answers like 3 out of 112 would be best. Just estimate the number if you don't remember.

Thanks for any feedback.

"Hacking" is a pretty contentious term. Could you provide a definition so we know what you're asking for?



I can't give a count like that... I write too many scripts. I would have to estimate that it's in the 5-10% range, although I hope to use these functions more often in the future.

Sorry for the vague "hacking". I didn't define it well cuz it's always different in different games. I'm talking about manipulating the client to do things beyond what Linden Labs intended, manipulating packets, gaining money 'magically', etc. Basically anything that could get someone in some trouble with Linden Labs.

The percentage is just as good. Thanks.

Oxin that type of hacking is done on the SL client either using the libsecondlife or opensource client and not using LSL scripts. Some examples would be copybots, searchbots and landbots. Megaprims were created using a hacked client.

There are a couple of scripts that 'steals' money from an avatar and pyramid schemes but those operate within the LSL permission. If you give a script permission to take money from you it can be abused.

I don't use llSetRemoteScriptAccessPin nor llRemoteLoadScriptPin since their main purpose is for updates. I find it easier to just give the updated object than than try to update the scripts.

You may want to use the terms "cracking", "exploiting" or possibly "griefing" instead of "hacking".

Not trying to nit-pick, but the term "hacking" has a much more neutral meaning within the industry especially within scripting circles like the programmers in SL. A "hack" in these situation is often a seemingly crude work-around which the scripter is forced to use in order to get around deficiencies within the scripting language they are working within. These can be the results of working around known bugs in the game/system/scripting language or just a lack of functionality in the scripting language.

Howevery, I don't really have a response for your questions since I am still too new to SL, though I have worked in many other similar systems.

I don't normally correct people when they call SecondLife a "game", but since you're writing a paper I thought I'd jump on it and help you. SecondLife is most definitely NOT a "game". You do not log in to level, slay goblins, or gain phat loot. (though you may visit certain regions to do so). It's an interactive platform that is attempting to become the next generation of the internet. There are games within SL...but SL in itself is not a game.



As far as exploits (because, yes, a 'hack' is an ugly way to program), I don't know that there really are many in SL due to the wide open permission given by Linden Labs to the residents. LSL is famously clunky and actually rather exploit resistant (partially because it is so clunky). HOWEVER...a famous example of an 'exploit' used to harm others is the Grey Goo attacks that have happened in the past.

Grey Goo is more a grief-tool than an 'exploit' though, as its purpose is to crash the grid rather than achieve money or power for oneself. Grey Goo is a nickname for self-replicating objects that multiply quickly grid-wide, over-tax servers, and cause everything to crash.

Other exploits you generally hear about are the fault of buggy scripting (anyone remember when JEVN vendors were giving out stuff for L$1?) and the fault of the in-world maker rather than Linden Labs.

Thanks for that, Milambus. This is definitely something I was wondering about. I'm well aware of the various meanings of "hacking" and know that "cracking" and "exploiting" are much more appropriate terms but in the gaming world, "hacking" seems to be universally agreed upon. I find it interesting that in SL, the term "hacking" is more appropriate for crude code, as originally intended.


I suppose it really depends on how you view Second Life but I understand what you're saying. I tend to describe SL as a virtual world to others but I can't help but view it as a game in many aspects. Personally, I spend a lot of my in-game time scripting and exploring and I rarely participate in the economic aspect.

Thanks for the feedback and keep it coming. It's helping quite a bit.

Destiny Niles hit it on the head, changes to the client ect are openly done tru the opensource client project and libsecondlife




maby a cupple times out of hundreds of scripts