URL hacks

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Revision as of 08:20, 30 April 2011 by Revenant (talk | contribs) (moved Actions via "question marks" to URL hacks: More accurate name)
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Because of the methods used to interact with the server, one can sometimes achieve the exact same effect as clicking an action button by typing the proper URL string into your browser bar. Many of these actions are specific to certain situations, and will do nothing more than refresh your page outside those cases. Some of these URL commands can be used to perform actions that have results that otherwise couldn't be achieved. There is likely a range between these options; most of these actions are entirely normal actions performed in a manner that allows an potentially improved user interface, but some can be used as the basis for bug exploits.

?rise

The most notorious example of this is http://www.urbandead.com/map.cgi?rise - this is the good old ?rise that many zombie players use. It causes a logged in character to stand up from the dead (as a zombie if killed or as a survivor if revived) and refreshes the screen with appropriate information. If one's character was already standing, it does nothing except refresh the screen- it doesn't cost an Action Point (AP), though it does count towards your IP hits.

Scent Trail

Zombies can use http://www.urbandead.com/contacts.cgi?username=xxxxx&password=xxxxx to log in and go to their contacts list at once, and then use http://www.urbandead.com/map.cgi?rise to load the map and stand up at once. If they were attacked by a survivor and picked up a scent trail, this would normally be lost if they were killed, but with this technique, they can still see the scent trails, regardless of if they were since killed.

Barricading

Barricading has no fixed action URL, to prevent possible abuse from Bots and fast barricading through refreshes and such. Instead, each time that the option is given it is assigned a number after it, such as map.cgi?barricade69, and only if that specific number is used will the action be performed.

Benefits

Benefits of using URLs instead of using in-game commands include:

  • Faster actions - All URL actions can be performed without having to wait for the page to load to give the option.
  • Bookmarking - All URL actions can be bookmarked.
  • UDID instead of contacts - UDIDs can be used instead of using contacts.
  • Scent Death can be used as a corpse as well as in standing zombie form.
  • Flailing Gestures can be performed without according limitations for them reached.
  • Malls can be searched in general even with the Shopping skill.
  • Personal Radios and Radio Transmitters can be retuned without using an IP hit and 1 AP clicking to retune them.
  • Mobile Phones can be accessed without taking 1AP clicking on the item button.

Problem Actions

Some actions can't be performed by only using URLs, or there are problems related to their use:

  • Speak - Using ?speech doesn't work.
  • Barricade - As discussed above, there is no one URL that will always work.
  • Binoculars - Can't be used, along with most items that use selection when clicking to use them with URLs.
  • First Aid Kits - Can't be used on anyone other than yourself with URLs.
  • DNA Extractors - Can't be used with URLs.
  • NecroTech Syringes - Can't be used with URLs.
  • Stale Candy - Can't be used with URLs.

Typing Text

Such actions as Broadcast, Graffiti and Text Messaging need to pass to the server the text typed by player. However, not any character can be placed in URL and some of them may needed to be encoded. For example %20 should be put instead of " " (space). For more information on URL encoding and an automatic converter look here

URL Actions

Movement and Interface

Attacking

  • http://www.urbandead.com/map.cgi?target=y&weapon=z - where y is a Target Code and z is an Attack Code - Unlike clicking the action button, this version allows you to use the f5 key to attack again, select a specific zombie from UDID without having it as a contact and can also be bookmarked. A common use for this is to use "b" as the target and "maul" as the weapon; this gives a url (often stored as a bookmarked link) that lets a zombie attack the barricades, and then attack again very easily (and quickly) by hitting f5. Similarly, a bookmark using "z" for the target and "shotgun" or "pistol" for the weapon is potentially handy for survivors who fight zombies "real time".

Zombie Commands

Survivor Commands

Miscellaneous