PSN + Console Ban - Warning for GTA IV dev/modders

[rodd1981]

Hi everyone,

Just stepping by to let you guys know that I've got a combo ban on PSN (Console + Account) last thursday.

There are countless posts of people reporting PSN bans on ps3hax (check the thread link below):

BANNED Poll - Page 21 - PS3Hax Network - Playstation 3 Hacks and Mods

There are reports of people getting banned by just logging in with CFW (no sign in with multiman running, no BO2 cheating, etc).

So, if you really want/need to log on PSN, I suggest you buy a 2nd PS3 and use OFW (or face the consequences of getting your console + account banned permanently). Using a dual-boot PS3 won't work because your PSID would still be the same.

There are some homebrews available to get your PS3 unbanned, but none of them seem to have worked for me (PS_Unban and PS Unban Tools). You also need a valid PSID to get back online on PSN and the post below explains why it's nearly impossible to get one randomly:

https://www.nextgenupdate.com/forums...sid-patch.html

Here are some tips for those who are still working in GTA IV online mods or still wanna play online with CFW:

1) If you really wanna play or develop ONLINE mods with your CFW, create a new PSN ID and always use it while signing in with CFW. This will avoid you from losing your main PSN ID if $ony gives you an account ban (but bear in mind that you will have the risk of getting your PS3 console+account banned).
2) Buy a 2nd PS3 and use OFW to get online (I've seen several people reporting about getting bans and always thought "this will never happen to me", until I got screwed )
3) Never do abusive/excessive use of mods while playing with strangers (as they can do a "Grief Report" of you to $ony - and this will speed up the probabilities of getting your *ss banned )

I'm in the process of buying a 2nd PS3 for online playing only (so I suggest everyone to do the same - and please follow the tips above). Stop thinking that you will never get banned, because it will happen sooner or later

[coldmurda]

Yeah its easy to get caught, after about 1 minute on my FTP Server I got banned after signing out, console ID and account (luckily back-up account)
I just use and old console ID from a previous PS3 that doesn't play games, never sign in when on homebrew, and only log on to test online mods.

I think modded EBOOTs can even get you caught (not sure about that)

[creighton]

I must be asking for it then haha. I never sign out when using Blackbox FTP. In between the already horrid process of testing mods, that extra step of signing out first is really asking too much. I'm only in Blackbox for about 30 seconds, and then I immediately start GTA back up. So far so good, knock on wood.

[EvilB]

Well i haven't been banned/flagged yet and i have used some homebrew while signed in but i haven't used any eboots that have been resigned. so fingers crossed i slipped thru this ban wave.

[jumper]

Last year I forgot to sign out and left multiman running for like an hour Hopefully they aren't working their way though a massive backlog and I slipped through as well. This is why I'm hesitant to transfer mods to OFW now, if I get caught on that ps3 and it gets banned I will be screwed.

[InTheSevens]

Last year I forgot to sign out and left multiman running for like an hour Hopefully they aren't working their way though a massive backlog and I slipped through as well. This is why I'm hesitant to transfer mods to OFW now, if I get caught on that ps3 and it gets banned I will be screwed.

Can they even detect the modified files of the game on OFW? I know they can detect homebrew on a CFW, but to detect the modified game files on OFW, wouldn't they technically have to go remotely looking around inside your PS3? That sounds like an invasion of privacy and illegal to me.

[zorg93]

Can they even detect the modified files of the game on OFW? I know they can detect homebrew on a CFW, but to detect the modified game files on OFW, wouldn't they technically have to go remotely looking around inside your PS3? That sounds like an invasion of privacy and illegal to me.

if they did checksums of the files(like hash checks) they could in theory go round checking, however I dont think they'd go that far

[jumper]

I was thinking more along the lines of being seen with obvious mods in game. We have no idea who we play with sometimes, and seeing as there was a rockstar event on PS3 GTA only a few days ago, there could likely be employees who still play in their free time. Plus we have no idea what their servers log, it could be nothing, I might just be paranoid. No matter what happens I have no plans to buy a third console, so I don't want to risk my best chance at playing online.

[zorg93]

I was thinking more along the lines of being seen with obvious mods in game. We have no idea who we play with sometimes, and seeing as there was a rockstar event on PS3 GTA only a few days ago, there could likely be employees who still play in their free time. Plus we have no idea what their servers log, it could be nothing, I might just be paranoid. No matter what happens I have no plans to buy a third console, so I don't want to risk my best chance at playing online.

ahh the joys of playing/modding on pc, never have to worry about being computer banned

[InTheSevens]

I was thinking more along the lines of being seen with obvious mods in game. We have no idea who we play with sometimes, and seeing as there was a rockstar event on PS3 GTA only a few days ago, there could likely be employees who still play in their free time. Plus we have no idea what their servers log, it could be nothing, I might just be paranoid. No matter what happens I have no plans to buy a third console, so I don't want to risk my best chance at playing online.

I'd much rather get my OFW banned than my CFW. It's much easier to go buy a new PS3 than to find another jail broken one, especially a reliable one.