User:Polavux/Hacker flag: Difference between revisions

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{{Image needed|PNG of the hacker flag in BTD6 (i.e. the two leaves on a Settings button, and a variant with just the two leaves)}}

The '''hacker flag'''<ref name="support"/> is a [[wikipedia:Flag (programming)|data flag]] (or, in some games, a [[wikipedia:Bit field|set of flags]]) in the player's save file in certain [[Ninja Kiwi]] games that is set if Ninja Kiwi considers the player to be a cheater. When a player's save file is "flagged", certain features in the game behave differently. Usually, games with online play will prevent flagged players from interacting with non-flagged players by placing flagged players in a "hacker pool" that only allows matchmaking with other flagged players. Most games have a subtle visual indicator if the flag is set; for example, in ''[[Bloons TD 6]]'', two small leaves appear behind the settings button on the main menu. The only way to remove the flag through legitimate means is to request Ninja Kiwi's Support Team to remove it.

The way the hacker flag can get set depends on the game. Usually, the game flags the player automatically if it detects that the player altered the game's files, altered the game's memory at runtime, or obtained currency or items illegitimately. ~~[explain situations~~ where ~~a player can get the flag through legitimate play because nk sux]~~ The Support Team can also manually flag players reported for cheating.

The way the hacker flag can get set depends on the game. Usually, the game flags the player automatically if it detects that the player altered the game's files, altered the game's memory at runtime, obtained currency or items illegitimately, or achieved impossible scores in events. However, there are cases of players being falsely flagged from game glitches and events where extreme scores are possible to achieve legitimately. The Support Team can also manually flag players reported for cheating.

Ninja Kiwi's support website refers to the state of having a flag as a "'''flagged account'''",<ref name="support">{{cite|url=https://support.ninjakiwi.com/hc/en-us/articles/8174850681745-Account-Flagged-for-Hacking|title=Account Flagged for Hacking|publisher=Ninja Kiwi|retrieved=16 may 2026}}</ref> though this is misleading because the flag is set per game save, not per account; ~~being flagged in~~ one Ninja Kiwi game does not affect any other games on the same account.

Ninja Kiwi's support website refers to the state of having a flag as a "'''flagged account'''",<ref name="support">{{cite|url=https://support.ninjakiwi.com/hc/en-us/articles/8174850681745-Account-Flagged-for-Hacking|title=Account Flagged for Hacking|publisher=Ninja Kiwi|retrieved=16 may 2026}}</ref> though this is misleading because the flag is set per game save, not per account; having the flag on one Ninja Kiwi game does not affect any other games on the same account.

==Effects of hacker flags in ''Bloons'' games==

===''Bloons TD Battles''===

===''[[Bloons TD Battles (mobile)|Bloons TD Battles]]''===

*If the game's cheat detection triggers in the middle of a match, the offending player automatically surrenders. The opponent receives a pop-up message that reads "Your opponent has been disconnected because they weren't playing by the rules!"

*The version number on the main menu and settings displays a space between the "v" and the number, and has a period at the end.

*Online matchmaking only matches flagged players against other flagged players.

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</gallery>

===''Bloons Monkey City''===

===''[[Bloons Monkey City (mobile)|Bloons Monkey City]]''===

*When playing on a platform that has in-game advertisements, the game ~~will play~~ forced ads even if the player made ~~a purchase~~ to disable them.

*When playing on a platform that has in-game advertisements, the game plays forced ads even if the player made purchases to disable them.

*[[Contested Territory (BMC)|Contested Territory]] only groups flagged players with other flagged players.

===''Bloons Supermonkey 2''===

===''[[Bloons Supermonkey 2 (mobile)|Bloons Supermonkey 2]]''===

===''Bloons TD 6''===

===''[[Bloons TD 6]]''===

*Two leaves appear in the top-left of the settings button on the main menu.

*The player's scores do not register on [[Race Event]] and [[Boss Bloon Event]] leaderboards. This also prevents the player from earning rewards based on their ~~position~~.

*When the flag is set, the game also resets the player's profile stats (presumably to stop Ninja Kiwi's player analytics from recording illegitimate stats).

*[[Co-op (BTD6)|Co-op]] matchmaking only matches flagged players with other flagged players.

*The player's scores do not register on [[Race Event]] and [[Boss Bloon Event]] leaderboards. This also prevents the player from earning rewards based on their leaderboard rankings.

*The player cannot access the following events:

**[[Contested Territory (BTD6)|Contested Territory]]

**[[Sweepstakes Event]]

**[[Social Season Event]]

===''Bloons Adventure Time TD''===

===''[[Bloons Adventure Time TD]]''===

*In the [[Martian Games]] menu, an animated sword icon appears next to the player's name at all times. Normally, this icon only appears next to ''other'' players who are actively playing the map and never appears next to the name of the same player from their view.

*In the [[Martian Games]] menu, an animated sword icon appears next to the player's name at all times. Normally, this icon only appears next to ''other'' players who are actively playing the map, and never appears next to the name of the same player from their view.

*Martian Games only groups flagged players with other flagged players.

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</gallery>

===''Bloons ~~Pop!~~''===

===''[[Bloons TD Battles 2]]''===

*The version number on the main menu and settings displays a space between the "v" and the number.

* Online matchmaking only matches flagged players against other flagged players.

~~===''Bloons TD~~ Battles 2''===

*The version number on the main menu and settings displays a space between the "v" and the number.

Battles 2 flagged player.png|Flagged player (version 3.1.2)

* Online matchmaking only matches flagged players against other flagged players

</gallery>

==References==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <!-- there is no known flag system in BTD5 or BCS -->
+{{Image needed|PNG of the hacker flag in BTD6 (i.e. the two leaves on a Settings button, and a variant with just the two leaves)}}
 The '''hacker flag'''<ref name="support"/> is a [[wikipedia:Flag (programming)|data flag]] (or, in some games, a [[wikipedia:Bit field|set of flags]]) in the player's save file in certain [[Ninja Kiwi]] games that is set if Ninja Kiwi considers the player to be a cheater. When a player's save file is "flagged", certain features in the game behave differently. Usually, games with online play will prevent flagged players from interacting with non-flagged players by placing flagged players in a "hacker pool" that only allows matchmaking with other flagged players. Most games have a subtle visual indicator if the flag is set; for example, in ''[[Bloons TD 6]]'', two small leaves appear behind the settings button on the main menu. The only way to remove the flag through legitimate means is to request Ninja Kiwi's Support Team to remove it.
-The way the hacker flag can get set depends on the game. Usually, the game flags the player automatically if it detects that the player altered the game's files, altered the game's memory at runtime, or obtained currency or items illegitimately. [explain situations where a player can get the flag through legitimate play because nk sux] The Support Team can also manually flag players reported for cheating.
+The way the hacker flag can get set depends on the game. Usually, the game flags the player automatically if it detects that the player altered the game's files, altered the game's memory at runtime, obtained currency or items illegitimately, or achieved impossible scores in events. However, there are cases of players being falsely flagged from game glitches and events where extreme scores are possible to achieve legitimately. The Support Team can also manually flag players reported for cheating.
-Ninja Kiwi's support website refers to the state of having a flag as a "'''flagged account'''",<ref name="support">{{cite|url=https://support.ninjakiwi.com/hc/en-us/articles/8174850681745-Account-Flagged-for-Hacking|title=Account Flagged for Hacking|publisher=Ninja Kiwi|retrieved=16 may 2026}}</ref> though this is misleading because the flag is set per game save, not per account; being flagged in one Ninja Kiwi game does not affect any other games on the same account.
+Ninja Kiwi's support website refers to the state of having a flag as a "'''flagged account'''",<ref name="support">{{cite|url=https://support.ninjakiwi.com/hc/en-us/articles/8174850681745-Account-Flagged-for-Hacking|title=Account Flagged for Hacking|publisher=Ninja Kiwi|retrieved=16 may 2026}}</ref> though this is misleading because the flag is set per game save, not per account; having the flag on one Ninja Kiwi game does not affect any other games on the same account.
 ==Effects of hacker flags in ''Bloons'' games==
-===''Bloons TD Battles''===
+===''[[Bloons TD Battles (mobile)|Bloons TD Battles]]''===
+*If the game's cheat detection triggers in the middle of a match, the offending player automatically surrenders. The opponent receives a pop-up message that reads "Your opponent has been disconnected because they weren't playing by the rules!"
 *The version number on the main menu and settings displays a space between the "v" and the number, and has a period at the end.
 *Online matchmaking only matches flagged players against other flagged players.
@@ Line 16: / Line 18: @@
 </gallery>
-===''Bloons Monkey City''===
+===''[[Bloons Monkey City (mobile)|Bloons Monkey City]]''===
-*When playing on a platform that has in-game advertisements, the game will play forced ads even if the player made a purchase to disable them.
+*When playing on a platform that has in-game advertisements, the game plays forced ads even if the player made purchases to disable them.
 *[[Contested Territory (BMC)|Contested Territory]] only groups flagged players with other flagged players.
-===''Bloons Supermonkey 2''===
+===''[[Bloons Supermonkey 2 (mobile)|Bloons Supermonkey 2]]''===
+{{Empty}}
-===''Bloons TD 6''===
+===''[[Bloons TD 6]]''===
 *Two leaves appear in the top-left of the settings button on the main menu.
-*The player's scores do not register on [[Race Event]] and [[Boss Bloon Event]] leaderboards. This also prevents the player from earning rewards based on their position.
+*When the flag is set, the game also resets the player's profile stats (presumably to stop Ninja Kiwi's player analytics from recording illegitimate stats).
+*[[Co-op (BTD6)|Co-op]] matchmaking only matches flagged players with other flagged players.
+*The player's scores do not register on [[Race Event]] and [[Boss Bloon Event]] leaderboards. This also prevents the player from earning rewards based on their leaderboard rankings.
 *The player cannot access the following events:
 **[[Contested Territory (BTD6)|Contested Territory]]
 **[[Sweepstakes Event]]
+**[[Social Season Event]]
-===''Bloons Adventure Time TD''===
+===''[[Bloons Adventure Time TD]]''===
-*In the [[Martian Games]] menu, an animated sword icon appears next to the player's name at all times. Normally, this icon only appears next to ''other'' players who are actively playing the map and never appears next to the name of the same player from their view.
+*In the [[Martian Games]] menu, an animated sword icon appears next to the player's name at all times. Normally, this icon only appears next to ''other'' players who are actively playing the map, and never appears next to the name of the same player from their view.
 *Martian Games only groups flagged players with other flagged players.
 <gallery>
@@ Line 36: / Line 42: @@
 </gallery>
-===''Bloons Pop!''===
+===''[[Bloons TD Battles 2]]''===
+*The version number on the main menu and settings displays a space between the "v" and the number.
+* Online matchmaking only matches flagged players against other flagged players.
-===''Bloons TD Battles 2''===
+<gallery>
-*The version number on the main menu and settings displays a space between the "v" and the number.
+Battles 2 flagged player.png|Flagged player (version 3.1.2)
-* Online matchmaking only matches flagged players against other flagged players
+</gallery>
+==References==
+<references />