communication interception device

[tec_server]

communication interception device

the commuication interception device is a probe that, when positioned at an enemy homeworld, produces copies of transmissions and delivers it to you. it recieves all messages, incoming and outgoing, at the target homeworld. probe owner recieves: body of message, sender name, reciever name. this probe in no way alters the original message, and original sender and reciever are unaware that the security of their communications have been compromised.


scanradius: 1

speed: warp 6

researchtime: 1 d 12 h


needed research:
improved computer technology

battle details:
battle engine syntax:

[Achilles]

I designed this probe to add a little depth to the game. One thing that has never been absent in warfare is intelligence. One of the prime methods of gaining intelligence on your enemy is to intercept his communications. This has been a part of war since the dawn of man. In response, man has developed ways to conceal their messages, and has put forth an equal effort to intercept his enemy's communication.

The same should (according to my humble opinion) apply to the game. With this probe, methods would have to be employed to keep messages safe. This can be as simple as using foreign languages and code words, to using more intricate methods of encryption. I think it would add a bit of spice to the rivalries, and it would not compromise the game itself.


_________________
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
-Napoleon

[ This Message was edited by: Achilles on 2003-09-12 04:04 ]

[Cyber-Shark]

@ inventor, this is a great invention. I think that this could be a good challenge. Though it might be a little more interesting if it scrambled the numbers on every 5th or 6th message or something like that to make your com system not 100% reliable. Yes, having someone intersepting all of your messages could be a proble, but it would be interesting to have unreliable com systems. It is good the way it is but I think that this could make it a little better for the user and a small nuciance for the victim.

_________________
Cyber-Shark was here!

[JaM]

It is not a bad idea at all. I like it.

[kamekaze6]

yeah the other idea is good to combat this

_________________
STFU N00B!!!!111!1!

Click!!

[Achilles]

Actually, the intent was to force alliances to think about security. I think it would be fun to create code books and other encription systems, and to try to crack enemy codes.

For example, an leader could send out to their allies a cypher (such as a=B, b=C, c=D, etc.) and then they could manually encrypt their messages. Then they would use the same system in reverse to decrypt their codes. There are hundreds of different encryption methods that have been employed in the past, and there is a lot of information on it in books and the internet. Of course my example is the simplest monoalphabetic cypher that has ever been created, but each alliance can settle on their own code system, and maybe publish it on the alliance screen

[Achilles]

Oh, and maybe the MoC can be in charge of communication security. It would give them something good and interesting to do

[darklim]

But the private messages don't are to everybody...
Sometimes can be private chat and don't are funny is you messages are spied... Example: I'm chatting with my girlfriend about the date... Is that are spied?

_________________
The Spam Master of the Spam Alliance

[kamekaze6]

dark lim
why not use e mail instead then?

[JaM]

Yeah, he only means ingame messages. Ingame messages are not intended to contain private information .

Instead of encryption you could speak the kazuuula, e-ray, nanite or mycilloids language

But if this bug-probe does to much damage, people will use or the way of communicate: e-mail, ICQ. But the best would be a private forum or a forum with a private section (such as in this forum the administration section), because this wouldn't use additional programs than you use for SpaceTrace and can be located anywhere in the world.

[kamekaze6]

jew tista' tuza lingwa differenti. il-grupp minn liema jien naghmel parti kollgha nitkelmu malti

translation: or you could use a different language the alliance i am in speak maltese

(malta is a central mediterranean island nation look in your atlas)
try and crack a message like thatwithout my help, lol!!!


[ This Message was edited by: kamekaze6 on 2003-09-14 15:41 ]

[JaM]

Try to find some alliance members .
And if one non-alliance member speak that language your code is broken.

And you have machine translators such as WorldLingo for other more popular languages as french, german and spanish.

[admin]

in fact, this probe would not be good, coz the alliances would only use less the ingame messages, but the language encryption thing is nice, read about this:
http://forum.spacetrace.com/viewtopic.php?topic=2011&forum=12&0

[kamekaze6]

why was this moved here it was fun

_________________
STFU N00B!!!!111!1!

Click!!

[Achilles]

I want to argue for this probe.

In World War One, there were two types of communication used. Radio and cables. The radio was easily intercepted, and this is where encryption was most valuable. Cables were not, and lines were cut, not tapped. Messages were also delivered in person, which cannot be intercepted unknowingly to the source and intended recipient. (To apply this to the game, for the rest of my post substitute "radio=in-game messages" and "cable=email".)

I know this game is not set in WWI, but these principles were used in WWII, and throught the industrial/computer age.

It is quite a hassle to send out E-mails for small messages, and even to use ICQ or other instant messages. This would be reserved for lengthy, strategic messages. Tactical, short messages would be more efficient to encript or encode and send out. Last round, I sent out over ten messages a day. E-mailing these would become tiresome quickly.

On the other hand, a code book could be designed in a day and distributed. When I say code, I mean a word for word encription system. Such as, attack=eat and defend=swim. You could probably break down most frequently used words in spacetrace to about 100-200 words. This would be nothing to do, and it would be fun. (and fun to try to crack)

Encryption is a letter for letter exchange, and is more time consuming to encrypt as well as decrypt. There are many security features you can add to these. (Again, fun on both sides.)

If you were going to send out a general order of strategy, you can go ahead and use E-mail, no problem. But the in-game message system would never be abandoned, as it is too efficient and convenient.

_________________
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
-Napoleon

[ This Message was edited by: Achilles on 2003-09-15 18:02 ]

[kamekaze6]

the results in the poll point in one direction-->this=good
and with this feature it would it would be a better strategy and you could intercept and crack a cheater's code an he would be banned

_________________
STFU N00B!!!!111!1!

Click!!

[kamekaze6]

and you can crack the codes of filthy cheaters

_________________
STFU N00B!!!!111!1!

Click!!