User:Polavux/Hacker flag

The hacker flag is a data flag (or, in some games, a 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.

Ninja Kiwi's support website refers to the state of having a flag as a "flagged account", 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.

Effects of hacker flags in Bloons games

Bloons TD Battles

• 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.
• The Weekly Competition menu displays "No data found." on all leaderboards.

• 
  Settings menu
• 
  Weekly Competition menu

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.
• Contested Territory only groups flagged players with other flagged players.

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.
• The player cannot access the following events:
  • Contested Territory
  • Sweepstakes Event

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

• 
  Martian Games' hacker pool from the perspective of the player named "DesArch"

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