rec.autos.simulators

R. Hashana
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   5. Anticipated Frequently Asked Questions
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1. Can I make DTR crash by adding my own data?
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Yes - we can not validate absolutely everything to make sure that what has
been added will not cause problems.

2. Can I break DTR (ie not crash but not work properly either)?
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Yes, for the same reasons.

3. Can I cheat by adding my own data?
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Yes.

4. In single player or multiplayer?
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Both.

5. So extractpf means that if I play multiplayer, everyone else is probably
   cheating?
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No. Here is a full description of how things work:

DTR will accept data outside of the packed files, and use it in addition to
the data in the packed files. Specifically, when searching for a file DTR
will first look in the packed files - if it is not there, it will look
external to the packed files. DTR requires this to work properly.

This means that you can *add* your own data to DTR, but you can't *modify*
the existing data. You don't need extractpf to be able to add your own
data -
extractpf just makes it easier for you to know what to add.

To cheat in multiplayer, you might want to increase the power of a car, and
then race with that (or modify any of the other parameters). However,
because
of the way DTR works, you can't modify the existing data. To be able to
change
a car's power or other parameters, you'd need to first add a new car of your
own.

In multiplayer, however, it is only possible to select a particular car, if
*everyone* connected to the game has that particular car. So if you are
playing against someone, they can only be using their own modified car, if
you've also copied the car from them. If you do ever copy a car from
someone,
and then they use it in a multiplayer game, keep in mind that they may be
cheating. But then so could you.

You can create your own skin, and then you are able to use it in a
multiplayer
game, if everybody in the game has the car that skin uses. If other players
do not have the skin, they will see a default skin on your car. The skins
define various parameters, including initial tuning values, and upgrade
levels. This means it would be possible to create a skin with different
upgrade levels to the defaults, and race with it in multiplayer, without
anyone else knowing. However, the multiplayer cars should already be at the
maximum upgrade level. The actual effects of the upgrades are defined in the
cars. In theory, you should not be able to get an advantage here.

"In multiplayer, however, it is only possible to select a particular car, if
*everyone* connected to the game has  that particular car. So if you are
playing against someone, they can only be using their own modified car, if
you've also copied the car from them. If you do ever copy a car from
someone, and then they use it in a multiplayer game, keep in mind that they
may be cheating. But then so could you."

Someone CANNOT cheat in multiplayer unless YOU also have their "hacked" car
files on YOUR computer, and YOU can't cheat against someone else unless they
have YOUR "hacked" car files.  I believe this also means that EVERYBODY in
an online session must have the car files before it can be used in an online
session.  I have tested this to some extent myself with the Gold version --
by creating a hacked car file, I was able to build a "supercar" cheat file,
but I was NOT able to use it during online sessions (because my machine was
the only platform with the files, it could not be selected for online play).

Think of the readme as a warning, rather than instructions -- cheating
online is impossible so long as one person is running a clean install.  If
you install other people's modified car files, then you open the door for
cheating -- by yourself, and also by others.  Either way, you'll only be
cheating yourself in the end.

-- JB