Square Enix wants you to forget that the stalking issue still isn't fixed

[MiaBlaze-Cari]

Never said as such but do try again. I have stated several times that PlayerScope merely combined into one what several mods already did. Please read any of my previous posts.

The main point I am stating is that the "stalking" aspect of this and specifically the fact that it actively alerts the user of any name changes/cross references their lodestone info is not NEW. Mods can also be used to pinpoint the exact location of a searched for user (long as they are on current server). Old mods, all of them. PlayerScope is just a cleaner all in one mod that released relatively recently.

PlayerScope uses AccountIDs that are sent since the beginning of Dawntrail due to the implementation of the new Mute List and Blacklist system. This was not the case before DT released. Therefor PlayerScope utilizes all the AccountIDs that are sent in conjunction to the ContentIDs which makes them able to track all characters linked to one specific account. This is not really a secret and has been mentioned multiple times in different topics already. Also the patchnotes did state that AccountIDs are exposed:

In accordance with measures introduced in Patch 7.2 to help prevent the identification of account IDs that are not displayed in-game, relevant saved client data has been reset.

Source: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...358e341e4cc06d

[yshdmt]

PlayerScope uses AccountIDs that are sent since the beginning of Dawntrail due to the implementation of the new Mute List and Blacklist system. This was not the case before DT released. Therefor PlayerScope utilizes all the AccountIDs that are sent in conjunction to the ContentIDs which makes them able to track all characters linked to one specific account. This is not really a secret and has been mentioned multiple times in different topics already. Also the patchnotes did state that AccountIDs are exposed:

Source: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...358e341e4cc06d

About that:

It has been confirmed that this account ID modification is reversible and original account ID can be obtained from modified account ID using simple mathematical formula. Changes that were done by SE are ineffective. Additionally, plugins are still not mandatory for it and it can be done via packet sniffing as well.

PlayerScope has been updated ages ago and are working exactly like it did in 7.1 with the exact same account ID tracking.

[Havenchild]

PlayerScope uses AccountIDs that are sent since the beginning of Dawntrail due to the implementation of the new Mute List and Blacklist system. This was not the case before DT released. Therefor PlayerScope utilizes all the AccountIDs that are sent in conjunction to the ContentIDs which makes them able to track all characters linked to one specific account. This is not really a secret and has been mentioned multiple times in different topics already. Also the patchnotes did state that AccountIDs are exposed:

Source: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...358e341e4cc06d

Again for the reading impaired, the account IDs have always been available as mods existed long before that route to the lodestone info of accounts regardless of name/server change and update via mod, in real time. SE did not even deny it being available in their notice, only that they would try to add subterfuge to process via resetting client data etc.

The fact of the matter is, SE has built an ecosystem of XIV around the account ID which interfaces with lodestone as well. Without upending the entire system, there is no way to resolve.

[MiaBlaze-Cari]

Again for the reading impaired, the account IDs have always been available as mods existed long before that route to the lodestone info of accounts regardless of name/server change and update via mod, in real time. SE did not even deny it being available in their notice, only that they would try to add subterfuge to process via resetting client data etc.

Again for the reading impaired. The AccountIDs of other players have never been sent to clients.

[Havenchild]

Again for the reading impaired. The AccountIDs of other players have never been sent to clients.

Mods have accessed this info regardless. This isn't new with Dawntrail, whoever says that is lying to you. Again PlayerTrack existed years ago, look it up.

[MiaBlaze-Cari]

Mods have accessed this info regardless. This isn't new with Dawntrail, whoever says that is lying to you. Again PlayerTrack existed years ago, look it up.

Lodestone ID is not your Account ID tho. So what's your point? All I see are poor excuses that can be dismantled within mere seconds.

[Havenchild]

Lodestone ID is not your Account ID tho. So what's your point? All I see are poor excuses that can be dismantled within mere seconds.

Your account ID is irrevocably linked to your lodestone ID. Even IF the client did not store your account ID directly (the mod libraries support storing information) or wasn't the exact same number, it's all moot as long as lodestone exists in it's current form. The mods are working NOT because the account ID is stored or not on the client. The mods are working because lodestone stores that information somehow and it is able to cross reference in real-time. Your lodestone ID or whatever the "hook" is doesn't change. This is why when you change your name it still syncs up to the url of your lodestone page.

They can mask the account ID a thousand times, and the mods will still work. They can change account ID and the lodestone ID and the mods still "work" but will take alil longer (long as the name remains the same at that point). The only way to truly delink and disenfranchise a potential "stalker" here would be a three way scramble of account, lodestone AND character name. Possible for probably individual help desk tickets but no way is this happening on a broader scale. If even one of those is not done in that overton window, you will still get tracked.

The nuance of how it works is irrelevant though. The ultimate point is that outlawing/taking down PlayerScope alone is pointless to a persistent stalker. There are mods still supported that do all of the same features. And SE can't really solve the problem without a massive rework to how the game, website, apps work and I for one highly doubt you would get such a revamp from any company.

You'd have better luck blocking whatever files apps like Dalamud hook to, but those share similar files to the apps/plugins that cosmetic mods are based off of and the moment you kill that SE will lose a sizeable amount of players they know use them.

[MiaBlaze-Cari]

-- snip --

You're still ignoring as to how PlayerScope works and also ignoring the main reason as to why playerscope is problematic for most on this scale. I looked at it's source code (got it from someone who is on their weird discord server and sent it to me, I won't disclose who for obvious reasons). Even tho the dev tried to obfuscate it, which is a silly thing to do when you work with .Net, the code can easily be restored to readable format. It doesn't really matter if a variable has a proper name or just gibberish when the API you're calling isn't obfuscated at all and exposes the datatypes being used. Doesn't even take long for such a small codebase either to get into it. Best part? You won't even need this Dalamud or anything in that regard to get the AccountIDs since they're simply sent by Square so you can just capture the packets instead, completely outside of the game. Each person that loads in on your end gets their AccountID AND ContentID sent to you. The ContentID was always sent which is what allowed name tracking and stuff like that from what I've seen so far. PlayerScope uses the exposed AccountID instead which Square tried to obfuscate (and miserably failed at it btw) to link characters to one account. This wasn't the case before Dawntrail. It doesn't matter how other plugins work when this specific one is effectively exposing all your alts. People have reasons to have alts as this used to be some sort of escape point from stalkers which is now, thanks to PlayerScope, no longer possible. I am not aware of ANY other plugin/mod/whatever being capable of linking the alts of others to their account. The only AccountID you got access to clientside prior Dawntrail was your own but not the AccountID of others. You only got their ContentID. Do you understand now why this is an issue? Or are you still going to play the "But the others..." card?


Look, I totally agree that other mods are also problematic especially on this topic. However you're essentially misunderstanding as to how this thing works.

[yshdmt]

Your main's Lodestone ID could never be resolved back to your alts prior to 7.0 Blacklist.
Now you can do Lodestone -> Search in PlayerScope -> See account ID -> See all alts/characters with the same account ID.
This was not possible before 7.0, Havenchild

[Havenchild]

Your main's Lodestone ID could never be resolved back to your alts prior to 7.0 Blacklist.
Now you can do Lodestone -> Search in PlayerScope -> See account ID -> See all alts/characters with the same account ID.
This was not possible before 7.0, Havenchild

snip

Just to be clear, I am not denying that PlayerScope has enhanced capability, only that if people were of the mindset that PlayerScope alone is enabling stalkers that is folly as other apps can do more or less the same.

In regards to the searching/cross referencing aspect of PlayerScope, you are right in how easily the information is available. As for the account ID, iirc the mods like PlayerTrack pulled your account ID as well prior to DT. This was to my understanding how it was able to identify and directly display when a user changes their server and character name in the game chat. Either it pulled it or it's directly referencing your lodestone ID and able to cross correct between the client and webpage right back into the client that "yes, this is the same person" "A/Server" -> "B/Server"

The lodestone ID from this interaction does not appear to be completely delinked from your account ID within your client. if that's the case, the account ID is recoverable. Adding a search feature to that is just an extra step, but if the mod is storing this info in real time, then once an alt is "logged" by the mod and reverse engineers the account ID, the user is no longer hidden on an alt once the account ID is logged a second time on a diff char. Call it some sort of "white modding" so to speak, but this always seemed possible just that no mod had a search account ID feature automatically built in.