PSU: Body Swapping

[Ryna]

I received my copy of PSU a couple of hours ago. After getting it installed, I went online and recreated my character from closed beta. Once I finished up the tutorial, I decided to warp to 4F to do some Guardian Colony missions.

While waiting for my character to load. I noticed there was a Level 14 Male Beast standing where I was expecting to load. However, I didn't think much of it until I pressed the direction controls. Much to my amusement, the beast started to move. Realizing there was an error, I signed off.

After I reloaded my account, the Male Beast character had replaced my character in the first character slot. It seems I also inherited all of his weapons.

I wonder if the other guy inherited my "old" character?

Bye Bye Sonic statue.

[DarkShadowX]

That just seems weird, yet strangely interesting, though bad cuz what if you lost your character or something and you had real good stuff. I'd go F**king crazy on ST and Sega.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: DarkShadowX on 2006-09-01 11:13 ]</font>

[Alpha-Hunter]

That sucks man. did you atleast get anything good?

[Naes_Siwel]

Woah... Not sure if it's a big deal or anything but, I say you should contact ST and let them know.

[Kers]

OH SH*T, that's terrible! I'd like, not go online until that's fixed...horrible!!

Edit: You know what...Sega should do a freakin Rollback, they can't really return the characters to the respective accounts without some of them being tampered.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Kers on 2006-09-01 11:20 ]</font>

[DarkShadowX]

ummm, you can stop posting over and over now.

[Ryna]

Aside from my Sonic statue, I wasn't far enough into the game to lose anything.

[zaff100]

That one is a little perplexing, perhaps packets were incorrectly sent from the server.

[DarkShadowX]

I wonder if others have had this problem, personally I'm interested if this applies to PSU for PS2 since thats what I'm getting PSU on.

[zaff100]

If it has happened due to a mishap in the server and the packets being sent the wrong way then no matter what platform your on you will have the same problem.

This is just a guess but, they will be storing the data on the server in the same way for all the platforms of the game then when you load up your character it will determin if your loading it on PC PS2 or X360. Then once its loaded you go about your business as usual.

If the server has indeed screwed up with the packets, i.e sent the wrong packet to the wrong client connection then no matter what platform your on your client will accept the packet, load the game, send the packet containing the information you just recieved BACK to the server saying "YES IM HERE". Once this has happened then the server will store the data its just recieved over the top of your origional character.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: zaff100 on 2006-09-01 11:27 ]</font>

[PhotonCat]

If you can contact Sega somehow, maybe Sega of Japan, you really should tell them what happened. I NEVER heard of that happening in a online game before. It SHOULDN'T happen. It also sounds like someone hacked. Although it is probably a programing error.
But that is really sad that even happened.

Hope it is fixed before the USA release.

[Emrald]

I'm sure it will be fixed before US relise if everyone warns Sonic Team now because if no one warns them then how will they know? and if they don't know how can they fix?

[ShinMaruku]

Eventually somebody is gonna use that as an exploit if they can force it...

[Tycho]

Whoa, that's just ridiculous. T_T;
I really hope Sonic Team is already aware of the problem, because if this is going to be common, it would be about as bad as character corruption. They had better find a fix for it fast. I wonder if you could get back the statue if you were to inform the company (through Espio?) of this.

[zaff100]

Forcing the server to replicate an error like that would mean literally finding a specific needle in a stack of needles, as it may just have been a Server error and nothing to do with coding. Its similar to just suddenly getting kicked of a game the server decided it had had enough and boots you off.

Whilst playing Ragnarok Online I had a few problems with packet data loss and gaining extra bits here and there, but most packets use a hashing digit and in the end it came to no harm the packets were discarded and I just kept getting disconnected from the servers.




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: zaff100 on 2006-09-01 11:44 ]</font>

[uhawww]

This really needs to be reported to PSU Support Inquiry.
http://phantasystaruniverse.jp/support/inquiry/

[Ryna]

On 2006-09-01 11:47, uhawww wrote:
This really needs to be reported to PSU Support Inquiry.
http://phantasystaruniverse.jp/support/inquiry/


Do you think they understand English?

[Newman12]

It says only use the support inquiry in japanese, no other language is supported.

[uhawww]

I can assist if you want it reported in Japanese...
though this kind of seems like one of those one-in-a-million flukes.
PM me if you want to give it a try...


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: uhawww on 2006-09-01 12:15 ]</font>

[SSNX]

This just shows that if you where to change the character data in the RAM (by hacking or server errors) the server would just accept the changes. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

And (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2823.jpg) what (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2825.jpg) happened (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2826.jpg) here? (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2827.jpg) Glitches (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2829.jpg) or (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2832.jpg) hacks? (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2835.jpg)

[uhawww]

Well, the blue glow thing happens when you first log into the game when it loads your character model. As for the rest...not sure, unless this is a clever photoshop job.

[EtherForce]

O.O Wow, maybe your character turned into a 'default character' of sorts due to some kind of bug. If you actually 'switched' characters with somebody that would be even more incredible!

[DarkShadowX]

On 2006-09-01 12:39, uhawww wrote:
Well, the blue glow thing happens when you first log into the game when it loads your character model. As for the rest...not sure, unless this is a clever photoshop job.



It looks like a very good photoshop to me.

[ORM-D]

Umm wow. Hopefuly they get this problem fixed. Cus i remember reading in a psm mag that this game is virtualy impossible to hack. Even know that is probably not a hacker thats still a loop hole for a hacker to get into. Maby we should keep stuff like this on the DL and just report it when we find it. Dont get me wrong it was right of you to tell us but that means hackers know that there is a loop hole. Well any way i would report it fast.

[A2K]

It actually sounds more like a database error than a simple packet routing thing to me. Perhaps the servers are feeling a bit of stress from the flood of new users, eh?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: A2K on 2006-09-01 13:33 ]</font>

[Kers]

On 2006-09-01 12:29, SSNX wrote:
This just shows that if you where to change the character data in the RAM (by hacking or server errors) the server would just accept the changes. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

And (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2823.jpg) what (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2825.jpg) happened (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2826.jpg) here? (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2827.jpg) Glitches (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2829.jpg) or (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2832.jpg) hacks? (http://psu.rdy.jp/src/up2835.jpg)



That could be the same bug, in the sense the character was switched with no character instead of another. I hope these problems resolve quickly.

[Wubbie]

Hmm... as SSNX stated, this could open up hacking again >.<...

They could simply change their character in the RAM and the server will accept it... The PSU team is going to need to find a way to compare what is being saved and what was already saved and only allow "possible" solutions be saved rather then "impossible" changes.

[Tycho]

As for the 'zero' characters, it seems to be a common glitch. It's not a hack.
On 2006-09-01 12:29, SSNX wrote:
This just shows that if you where to change the character data in the RAM (by hacking or server errors) the server would just accept the changes. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif
I don't think that the save data could be altered client-side that way actually. It must have been the server that caused this, rather than the client. I don't think it could allow for 'NOLing' or the like.

[zandra117]

Ryna is the first person ever recorded to get NOLed in PSU

[Shiro_Ryuu]

did you get the beast's stats or did you keep your own stats?

[Nekomimi]

Do you people honestly think Sega wouldn't think of something as simple as client-side hacking prevention? Seriously. I know PSO was bad but that's no reason to start doomcrying over something that's probably a simple server error. This kind of thing happened in WoW when it was new too, it's just the massive amount of server traffic causing errors.

[Tycho]

@uhawww: Considering this news post (http://phantasystaruniverse.jp/news/wis/?mode=view&id=27), I think it might indeed be a good idea to submit a form about it. Hopefully they'll understand the situation and will be willing to deal with it, even though everyone is probably complaining to them because of the glitches and overloaded site/game servers. ~_~

[Fleece]

On 2006-09-01 14:59, zandra117 wrote:
Ryna is the first person ever recorded to get NOLed in PSU



I think you mis understand, His beta character got switched with someone elses beta character i believe.

Or that the area that was allocated for his beta character was replaced with that guys beast. So when his account accessed the area that USED to be his beta slot it loaded somebody elses character instead. Who knows how many implications this Wont and will have.

[Pop_Rocks]

I can't beleive I have to be the first one to say this.


Invasion of the Body Snatchers!!!

[DarkShadowX]

On 2006-09-01 15:48, Pop_Rocks wrote:
I can't beleive I have to be the first one to say this.


Invasion of the Body Snatchers!!!



Damn! I knew I forgot to say something!!!

[Ryna]

On 2006-09-01 15:40, Fleece wrote:
I think you mis understand, His beta character got switched with someone elses beta character i believe.

Or that the area that was allocated for his beta character was replaced with that guys beast. So when his account accessed the area that USED to be his beta slot it loaded somebody elses character instead. Who knows how many implications this Wont and will have.


I recreated my closed beta character. There was no "carry-over".

After looking at the PSU site, I noticed they did an emergency maitenance because of an issue people were having with "My Room". As I was leaving My Room for the first time (outside the tutorial), I had access to all the areas in the game. Normally, you only have access if you've visited a space. This leads me to believe that the Level 14 Beast had access to all those places and the swap happened right after I left my character's room.

So I think Sonic Team is familiar with what is happening.

[McLaughlin]

On 2006-09-01 15:48, Pop_Rocks wrote:
I can't beleive I have to be the first one to say this.


Invasion of the Body Snatchers!!!



I was reading through the topic to make sure no one else posted it before I did.

Blast you!!!

[vitius137]

This is what happens when they don't release an open beta!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope Sega of America will make an open beta to make sure there are no huge bugs when the US version is released.

My condolences, Ryna. Fortunately this happened early before you got too far ahead with your character. I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling that Sonic Team will restore your character (and the male beast's) soon.

[Kers]

I thought the closed beta would be pretty good. I guess we could view the JP version of PSU as the Gamma test? lol..

[vitius137]

On 2006-09-01 16:28, Kers wrote:
I thought the closed beta would be pretty good. I guess we could view the JP version of PSU as the Gamma test? lol..



I believe Delta comes after Beta, correct me if I am wrong http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[McLaughlin]

Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Uh...Hold on, I'ma go check google >_>

[DarkShadowX]

On 2006-09-01 16:39, Zeta wrote:
Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Uh...Hold on, I'ma go check google >_>



Lets just skip all that and go straight to Omega.

[McLaughlin]

Ok, it goes Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi, Omicron, Pi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon, Phi, Chi, Psi, Omega.

Least I remembered part of it >_>

[Kimil]

Holy Shit, Have you contacted ST yet? Unless your the first pesron who this happened to, there may be some news about this somewhere on a Japanese site, lets all keep an ear out for this,

----------
EDIT
----------

Is the character you 'inherited' any good?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Kimil on 2006-09-01 17:23 ]</font>

[McLaughlin]

Ryna can't have been the first person this has happened to. It took two to tango here. I'm sure the person who owns the Beast is PO'd too. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Zeta on 2006-09-01 17:28 ]</font>

[vitius137]

it would be cool if we knew what he was thinking right now.

[Axios-]

His thoughts would need to be dubbed.

[vitius137]

On 2006-09-01 17:31, Axios- wrote:
His thoughts would need to be dubbed.



Indeed, I wouldn't mind subs though.

[McLaughlin]

On 2006-09-01 17:51, vitius137 wrote:

On 2006-09-01 17:31, Axios- wrote:
His thoughts would need to be dubbed.



Indeed, I wouldn't mind subs though.



I have a feeling you'd be reading alot of *s

[Ryna]

On 2006-09-01 14:59, zandra117 wrote:
Ryna is the first person ever recorded to get NOLed in PSU


Tycho translated the name of the Beast as Bongo. So I am the first reported person to be "Bongoed".

EDIT: I wonder if the other guy was "Rynaed"?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ryna on 2006-09-01 18:15 ]</font>

[Unknown_PC]

The 'body swapping' incident happened to two of my characters as well as a couple of friends' characters last night before the emergency maintenance.

Those characters' names, inventories, stats, etc were overwritten and replaced with someone else's character. Though PM stats, PM synthesis data, PM stash, and shared stash remained the same.

Looks like something went terribly wrong with the My Room servers yesterday. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

[Fleece]

You know when they say

"PLEASE LOG OUT BEFORE THE MAINTENANCE!"

Now you know why. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Kyunji]

Well, this mess just goes to confirm Parn's comment that the grand opening couldn't possibly go off properly. I can only hope that this has been fixed.

[Unknown_PC]

On 2006-09-01 18:20, Kyunji wrote:
Well, this mess just goes to confirm Parn's comment that the grand opening couldn't possibly go off properly. I can only hope that this has been fixed.



One would hope it's fixed for good, I am now storing all my excess items in the stash for good measures

On another note, the default location after logging in has been changed to the lobby instead of My Room.

[zaff100]

Ok just got back in from a good night out drinking so excuse the bad spelling and grammer please. All this about RAM hacking, please before you post about such matters actually learn how a game is programmed, understand how it interacts with the basic fundamentals of the computer. Learn how things are actually stored and accessed via the computer, also learn how a network is set up and actually works. Learn about packets too, how they are sent, why they are sent, the protection behind them.

I kind of have the advantage of being a Games Programming undergrad and have had to learn all this due to my degree choice but simply hacking the client isnt going to cut it this time unlike PSO DC and PSO GC.

All I have to say without going into all the technicalities is dont worry, sure somebody will hack the game it nearly ALWAYS happens, there will be somebody out there with too much time and they will succeed in hacking the game but unlike older versions of PSO I doubt we will see a server full of hackers.

[Velocity_7]

http://phantasystaruniverse.jp/news/wis/?mode=view&id=27

SEGA has noticed the bug and has attempted the fix but it seems I can't get into My Room either at this time. My data is safe, fortunately.

They mention here to report if your data's been screwed, Ryna. I suggest you do that, if you want your data (and the Sonic Statue) back.

To everyone else, please avoid using your My Room until further notice from SEGA.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Velocity_7 on 2006-09-01 22:21 ]</font>

[vitius137]

glad they're taking care of it. OMG I REALLY WANT PSU SOOO MUCH (sorry for the outburst -______-')

[JettaBlaze]

Has anyone been able to reproduce this bug other than during server maintenance? Also, how often does the server maintenance occur, and at what time?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: JettaBlaze on 2006-09-02 00:44 ]</font>

[Tycho]

@Jettablaze: Unknown_PC said he knew of the glitch.
@zaff100: TU Delft?

[JettaBlaze]

On 2006-09-01 18:14, Unknown_PC wrote:
The 'body swapping' incident happened to two of my characters as well as a couple of friends' characters last night before the emergency maintenance.

Those characters' names, inventories, stats, etc were overwritten and replaced with someone else's character. Though PM stats, PM synthesis data, PM stash, and shared stash remained the same.

Looks like something went terribly wrong with the My Room servers yesterday. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif



Would you say this bug occurred right before the server maintenance? How long before the server maintenance did this bug occur?

[Unknown_PC]

On 2006-09-02 01:33, JettaBlaze wrote:

Would you say this bug occurred right before the server maintenance? How long before the server maintenance did this bug occur?


It happened to me 1~2 hours after the first maintenance yesterday (18:00~20:00 +9 GMT, the one with patch Ver.1.0004). The servers were really laggy back then with everyone trying to log on. I was in My Room, lagged out, logged back to character screen, and found out my character was replaced with a stranger's.

Then there was the 2nd downtime yesterday, an emergency maintenance happened at around 5:45~6:15, +9 GMT. So to answer your question, this bug occurred to me around 6~7 hours before the emergency maintenance

The bug is fixed hopefully and I've sent a few inquiries, but no idea if or when the character will be restored...

[JettaBlaze]

On 2006-09-02 01:53, Unknown_PC wrote:

It happened to me 1~2 hours after the first maintenance yesterday (18:00~20:00 +9 GMT, the one with patch Ver.1.0004). The servers were really laggy back then with everyone trying to log on. I was in My Room, lagged out, logged back to character screen, and found out my character was replaced with a stranger's.

Then there was the 2nd downtime yesterday, an emergency maintenance happened at around 5:45~6:15, +9 GMT. So to answer your question, this bug occurred to me around 6~7 hours before the emergency maintenance

The bug is fixed hopefully and I've sent a few inquiries, but no idea if or when the character will be restored...




Thanks for the detailed response, Unknown_PC. From your description, it sounds like the bug occurred during high user traffic after the first server maintenance, rather than during the server maintenance itself. This information is important for reproducing the bug on test servers.

Hopefully, the servers have backed up the character information prior to the server maintenance so that your character can be restored. At least this issue can be addressed now rather than later. Thanks again and good luck on the restoration of your character.

[Pitchshifter]

That sucks. But I guess it's good that it's happening now instead of when people are like level 200. Especially if SEGA couldn't reverse it to get peoples characters back to them.

[DrizaSiegmund]

.....heck IM just glad this can be resolved!

[KylePhoenix]

So it's officially called Bongoing?

Well it sounds rare but NO MATTER WHAT it will definatly happen to me at some point.

Sega prolly won't fix it either.

[Nilot]

I'm reading article after article about this stuff, a few days online and theres already so many reports on duping again, I hope that things will get better before the US players get the game in October... I don't wanna log on and find all my new lvl 1 friends spamming their Dark Flows (Sure thats a bit of an exaggeration but whatever! ;-;)

[McLaughlin]

When your brand new servers can support 5 times the number of people they're supposed to, and when you can launch an MMORPG flawlessly, then you can speak.

As for duping, I'd like a link, because I've heard nothing on the subject.

[Saiffy]

Body Snatching is shorter than BS?

[Mewn]

There wasn't widespread duping. Sega simply said that there was an exploit which could be used to dupe items and meseta, and they've taken the network servers down while they fix the problems they're having.

[Spellbinder]

Rumors spread so quickly don't they? >.>

[McLaughlin]

Stupidity spreads faster >_>

[Nilot]

No need to be mean, take it to the venting forum