Garry’s Mod April 2019 Update Modifies TOS and Adds New Tracking Tool
302 replies, posted
If anyone wants info on how to remove/disable it:
go to: SteamApps\common\GarrysMod\bin find "GameAnalytics.dll", delete it, make a blank file, rename it "GameAnalytics.dll" and set it as read only.
Then go to: SteamApps\common\GarrysMod\garrysmod\bin find "analytics.dll", delete it, make a blank file, rename it "analytics.dll" and set it as read only.
Take a look into some Reddit comments (there's more by him after this parent comment) by Garry that explain that they're not using Redshell and they're only tracking how many people play the game, when and how long they play. (I know it's in the article, but someone could have missed it)
https://www.reddit.com/r/gmod/comments/bja1tw/regarding_the_new_update_and_the_new_user/em7f5ah/
To everyone who defends usage of this:
configureBuild, configureUserId, initialize, setEnabledManualSessionHandling, gameAnalyticsStartSession, gameAnalyticsEndSession
Please give me definitive proof that calling any of those methods does not initialize all possible data collection inside of this analytics library.
If garry went to Epic, it would be the exact same thing.
That's because his own forums would say hurtful things to him that'll hurt his gentle feelings ;(
What surprises me is that the update was released almost a week ago and after 4-5 days people started complaining about it. What took you guys so long?
To me, it looks like this is a witch hunt because someone claimed GameAnalytics is RedShell. Is there any proof that it's RedShell?
And @garry , why use this free suspicious tool if Steam already provides this kind of data?
He might be thinking of releasing games in more places than just Steam.
https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/111296/1667b9f6-c8ff-42f8-8ca6-16abac1991dd/shitgamesgarry.png
I couldn't resist.
You shouldn't need to ask. It should be an option. Personally I don't care if it's opt-in or opt-out. But the option is a necessity.
@Willox linked the library's Github in the other thread. You'd need to go through and actually check the code by hand which would be tedious though. People probably wouldn't be kicking up such a stink if they'd used an in-house solution instead and added an in-game option to disable it instead of apparently having to contact them to do so.
Checking this code doesn't help at all. All it does is call methods inside of the compiled library and we don't know what the hell is going on inside of it.
The entire point of analytics is mass collection, not a person-by-person breakdown. If you are worried about things you say or do being cataloged I remind you that every person in the games you
play has the ability to record what you say and type and post it elsewhere (youtube or steam screenshots).
I don't want chinese-owned analytics software to collect any data on my computer just because garry is greedy and don't want to make his own solution like he always does or pay for it.
Garry is collecting the data and paid a chin middle-ware company to do it.
This is like Accusing WWise of stealing audio masters or Simplygone of stockpiling studio assets.
If the data went to china why would garry pay for it. He gets the data and they get his money.
wait until edward snowden hears about this..
tiananmen square 1989
I know you are shitposting, but What does Valve have to do with this? Do you have an agenda or something?
Sorry to say this, I don't care if the company is Chinese or not, I don't wanna share my personal information without my consent, if you don't care, good for you, but your shitposting doesn't help.
Please, do some research before you start discussion.
https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/111296/bea4594e-c23e-46af-ac6c-80e976a064d6/изображение.png
childhood is idolizing Garry's Mod
adulthood is realizing JBMod was right
Do you have any proof that they share the same data that this tracking tool?
Also, even if what you say is true, that doesn't make it better, because X does it that doesn't make Y less shitty if they also do it.
That dang Garry is sellin your souls to Chinese satanic corporation to build dang moon base where they'll resurrect dang Hitler.
I tell ya'll that shit is getting crazy, those dang reptilian overlords are growing human-lizard hybrids, and they are using those analytics to power up their AI which will control the humanity.
Don't trust me? Read the first Harry Potter book, it was actually written in 1866 but later stolen by one of those dang lizard hybrid!
Garry's Mod | Facepunch Legal
"We will never share your information with third parties for their own marketing purposes without first obtaining your consent."
"We will store your information in the Europe where possible. We will do
our best to keep this information secure. No information security system
is perfect so please remember to be careful."
"When you use, play or access the Facepunch Services we or third parties
on our behalf may collect details of how you use our services,
including: metrics information about when and how you use the services;
date and time of request and referral URL; traffic data; language
preferences; in-game purchases; achievements; scores; gameplay
statistics; time spent playing; and your geographical location data."
All seems pretty standard to me. If you believe these statements are made in bad faith I urge you to begin legal proceedings against Facepunch Studios
That's literally what about every game does to balance design, how is this news. How are you supposed to balance a game if you dont have data on how people play the game.
When a multiplayer game team says "weve balanced this gun because we saw that few people used it" how do you think they got that data to know for sure.
gameanalythics collect more than that:
2.6 When Your Game is connected to our Services and used by Customers,
we may collect the following from Your Customers’ devices: IP address,
device events, hardware settings, browser type, browser language, the
date and time of request and referral URL, cookies that may uniquely
identify their browser.
Which is an important distinction. What the tool is capable of and what Garrysmod is using it for are two different things. That website describes features it offers developers, not how those developers
use it. Facepunch is beholden to the legal policy that they have had you agree to. If their tools do things that aren't described in that legalese its a violation.
Just keep in mind Steam Itself does those things you bolded.
You realize that "we may collect" in this case means "we may collect if we want to", not "we may collect if you choose to use this feature", right?
You needing to ask makes it opt out.
This is super, SUPER basic telemetry. There is actually no reason to be upset.
You're misinterpreting what I said here. I'm making a distinction between having to go out of your way to explicitly contact the developers to opt out and having an in-game (or other local) option to do so. Contacting the developers to opt out is not only something that most people are not even going to consider a possibility but is an enormous waste of time on the part of both the user and the developers.
That's your opinion. Some people flat out do not want their actions to be tracked. And that is their prerogative.
I can only speak for myself here but removing my choice in the matter is the one way to ensure I will find a way to break their telemetry or simply uninstall their game and never touch it again. In contrast giving me a choice in the matter makes me more likely to leave it enabled. Especially if I'm able to go and examine exactly what telemetry they are measuring.
Why do some people seem totally blind as to why the Chinese gathering an incredible amount of data on the west could be a very bad thing? I find it beyond bizarre honestly.
They are just trying to catching up with google and amazon. Businesses so far reaching that you can search something on your phone and have your pc internet browser change the ads you see even
without logging in on either device.
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