[Modification] Miserable Users for vB3

**Lyte** · 09-21-2006, 06:53 PM

Miserable Users for vB3

This is an upgraded hack (from Zzed) which is designed to the heck out of people who might come to the forum to you!

This hack requires three easy steps. 1. Upload XML file from your hard drive into your VBulletin forum. 2. Create a new Miserable User group. 3. Set the preferences for what your want Miserable Users to experience when they arrive at your forum.

So, here are my instructions on how to install this hack...

Step One:

Download the XML file for VB org to your harddrive. Do not forget where you put it!

Log into your Admin Control Panel (AdminCP) -> Scroll down to Plugins & Products -> Click Manage Products -> Scroll down and click [Add/Import Product] -> Click Browse and go to where you downloaded the file: Miserable-users. Now, click on the file to highlight it -> Click Open -> Click Import.

Step Two:

Log into your AdminCP -> Click UserGroups -> Click Add New Usergroups. Under Title type Miserable User. There are some preset "permissions" when you create a new Usergroup. You can leave them as they are or change them. It makes no difference to the hack itself. Scroll to the bottom and click Save.

Once you hit Save you'll see at the top the ID number that has just been assigned this new Usergroup. You'll see it at the top of the group info. I will look like this: Usergroup: Miserable Users (id: X). The letter X being the number number just assigned to your new group: Miserable User. Just an FYI... this number will depend on how many Usergroups have been created before this one.

Step Three:

From your AdminCP go to vBulletin Options -> Miserable Users and type inthe ID number for the first open box: Usergroup id If you're unsure, that would be the "X" number from above.

Now, continue down and adjust (if you want) any of the setting in each catagory. Remember that that numbers entered will translate into percentages! So, for the first one, if you put the number 50 in the box 50% of the time any person will get a server busy message.

Here are other examples of what will happen to a member classififed as Miserable. They will suffer...

Slow response (time delay) on every page (20 to 60 seconds default).

A chance they will get the "server busy" message (50% by default).

A chance that no search facilities will be available (75% by default).

A chance they will get redirected to another preset page (25% & homepage by default).

A chance they will simply get a blank page (25% by default).

Post flood limit increased by a defined factor (10 times by default).

If they get past all this okay, then they will be served up their proper page.

Now, to set a member as a Miserable User you just need to edit their profile! Go to AdminCP -> Users -> Search for Users (find the member) -> Usergroup Options (right column) and select from the Usergroup Options dropdown: Miserable User. The selection can be made either the primary group or as a secondary group.

And there ya go!

Lyte

firestorm · 09-21-2006, 07:04 PM

Well am I in that? I get the not authorized to view this page probly once a day

lol

**Lyte** · 09-21-2006, 07:14 PM

You mean the "Forbidden" error page? Naw, that has to do with the hosting issue. I was hoping to get us moved over sooner but it will probably later next week.

Lyte

firestorm · 09-21-2006, 08:22 PM

Anytime is better than never

.

jordan · 09-25-2006, 12:23 PM

I've always wondered what this Hack is - what does it do?

**Lyte** · 09-25-2006, 01:54 PM

Hey Jordan,

The hack is called "Miserable User" and what it does it in post #1. There's a link in the name which will take you to the origin of the hack which is over on VB.org.

Lyte

dr911 · 09-25-2006, 02:20 PM

Do I "qualify" as a "Miserable User" ?? Ha ! Ha !!

pooq.co.uk · 09-25-2006, 02:30 PM

Isnt it easier just to ban a user who warrants being 'miserable'?

firestorm · 09-25-2006, 03:45 PM

whats the fun in that?...lol. Yea, that'd be the easiest way, but if they persist on coming back, see what limits they will go to, just to post.

jordan · 09-25-2006, 03:58 PM

I see what it does now. That is funny.

**Lyte** · 09-25-2006, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pooq.co.uk

Isnt it easier just to ban a user who warrants being 'miserable'?

Yeah, but if you just ban them they'll just come back under another nick. You can ban their email addy and IP if you want too. If they think something is wrong with the site they might just go away on their own.

I think those who persistantly ignore the rules deserve being miserable. It might be a means of penance too vs just being banned! lol

Lyte

AngelArs · 03-20-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pooq.co.uk

Isnt it easier just to ban a user who warrants being 'miserable'?

Not really. The key lies in psychology. Let's look at both examples. When you ban a member and they return to your site they will be notified that they have been banned. This now gives them an incentive to try to 'get around' your ban. In some instances they may become successful.

Now alternately let's say that we place them into a new usergroup called 'miserable users'. Now when they return to your site they just have a lot of problems loggin in and viewing the forum pages. Even if they write to you and ask you what is going on, you can always just tell them that no one else is having any problems, and it must be something on their end, possibly their computer. Of course they will try to find out what is wrong, but the beauty of this hack is that it's like quick sand, and the more they find to fix it, the more distressed they will become. 9 out of 10 times they will just get so frustrated that they will just give up and leave your site (which is exactly what you want)

**Lyte** · 03-20-2007, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelArs

9 out of 10 times they will just get so frustrated that they will just give up and leave your site (which is exactly what you want)

Exactly... think of how quickly you might get frustrated with a site that doesn't resolve/work properly. How often would you return?

Lyte