You Won't Get Banned For Using Singleplayer GTA V Mods

[CrystalShadow]

Anyway, most trainers I know of don't do anything to the memory of a running process. They alter the data in the save files.
At worst that will crash a game, depending on how robust the code that loads save files is...
More likely if it messes something up the file will just get treated as being unreadable and ignored...

Hardly the same level of risk as memory hacks...
But as I said, how would even do that with any code that doesn't set off a dozen security warnings?

You're confusing a save editor with a trainer. A save editor does what you are describing. A trainer does modify memory values but those values are stored in RAM and at the worst case scenario causes the game to crash which will force the game to be shut down and be purged from the RAM. In fact, a poorly made save editor is FAR more hazardous to a game than a poorly made trainer because of the temporary nature of what the trainer affects while a save editor can corrupt the save completely which would require the player to start over.

OK, but something like that seems incredibly unlikely. The basic memory architecture and operating system design of a PC explicitly prohibits messing with the RAM belonging to another process unless you have either kernel level memory access. (which is mainly just the OS kernel itself, and system drivers), or manage to find a security hole or patch the trainer into the game's executable so it operates from the same process as the game it is modifying.

It seems highly unlikely to be something that is commonplace.

Do you know what a General Protection Fault is? - This causes the system to halt, and on windows is one of several ways to 'bluescreen' a PC.

But do you actually know what it means? - It means a piece of code tried to write to a memory location that isn't part of it's own process...

What you're describing sounds highly dubious and improbable... You don't just arbitrarily rewrite the memory of a program to do cheap tricks in a game.
That violates so many basic process security features it's very hard to believe stuff like that is around.
(There are exceptions of course, the fact that emulators can modify the RAM content of an emulated game is no surprise because the RAM in question is part of an emulated system which was created by the same process as the emulation software. In that case, all of the RAM, cpu registers and so on are part of the address space of the emulator itself, so it can do whatever it likes to them.)

Anyway, I'm having a very hard time believing the existence of stuff that does what you're claiming. Sure it isn't completely impossible, but it's an absurdly convoluted thing to be doing just to mess around with a game a little bit.
Save file editing is absolutely trivial by comparison. Anyone that can program to a modest standard should be able to create a reasonably functional save game editor - (if they can figure out the file format).
Only a handful of people with obscure technical knowledge could create anything that actively modifies the RAM of a game as it's running, and actually get it to work (rather than just crashing computers, triggering severe system security warnings, or other random things...)

 

[flying_whimsy]

Also the language in their statement still reads as harboring some secret and irrational hatred for mods.

Two words: Hot coffee.

OT: The impression I've had for that last few years has been that rockstar hates releasing games on pc: I don't think they like giving up control to pc users. Considering their games tend to court public outrage, letting people go that one step further with mods does seem like it's asking for trouble. Since they started to delay or even skip pc releases, it does seem to help negate some of the trouble they tend to get into (I'd still like to play red dead redemption at some point).

GTA 3: they were worried about people ramming planes into buildings 9/11 style so they hampered flight. I'm not sure if it was ever modded in, but I know the worry was there.
GTA San Andreas: modders found a sex minigame that wasn't accessible in the final build of the game, causing it to be removed from shelves and the first printing of the game to have its rating changed from M to AO. The Chicago transit authority even removed advertisements for GTA IV years later, blaming the hot coffee mod controversy.
GTA IV: No nudity, it was modded in. For the Lost and the Damned expansion, rockstar gave in and had it from the get go. They got crucified by parents groups.

And that's not even mentioning all the times gta games have been blamed for violent crimes or any of the other controversies they've run into.

 

[Dango]

Also the language in their statement still reads as harboring some secret and irrational hatred for mods.

Two words: Hot coffee.

OT: The impression I've had for that last few years has been that rockstar hates releasing games on pc: I don't think they like giving up control to pc users. Considering their games tend to court public outrage, letting people go that one step further with mods does seem like it's asking for trouble. Since they started to delay or even skip pc releases, it does seem to help negate some of the trouble they tend to get into (I'd still like to play red dead redemption at some point).

GTA 3: they were worried about people ramming planes into buildings 9/11 style so they hampered flight. I'm not sure if it was ever modded in, but I know the worry was there.
GTA San Andreas: modders found a sex minigame that wasn't accessible in the final build of the game, causing it to be removed from shelves and the first printing of the game to have its rating changed from M to AO. The Chicago transit authority even removed advertisements for GTA IV years later, blaming the hot coffee mod controversy.
GTA IV: No nudity, it was modded in. For the Lost and the Damned expansion, rockstar gave in and had it from the get go. They got crucified by parents groups.

And that's not even mentioning all the times gta games have been blamed for violent crimes or any of the other controversies they've run into.

Now that you mention it...


Ignore the #gamergate part

 

[flying_whimsy]

Now that you mention it...


Ignore the #gamergate part

That much touted first person mode? Yeah, you know someone out there is probably working on a rape mod for it. Whether a pervert or a troll, I'm sure it'll show up.

Although at this point I think a lot of parents groups have given up on gta, otherwise I'd actually be worried. There's no fighting one of the single best-selling pieces of entertainment in history.

 

[SadisticFire]

That much touted first person mode? Yeah, you know someone out there is probably working on a rape mod for it. Whether a pervert or a troll, I'm sure it'll show up.

Bah, loverslab is way ahead with Skyrim and New Vegas. Much more flexible, too.
i know because uh. Stuff
OT: Good? Hopefully they'll make sure it won't become a huge security risk for the end user or their servers due to the nature of a lot of these mods. I do wish they just added a more user friendly framework. but that's a wish. I'm not expecting them to add full LUA support to their game, but that would be sweet.

 

[flying_whimsy]

Bah, loverslab is way ahead with Skyrim and New Vegas. Much more flexible, too.
i know because uh. Stuff
OT: Good? Hopefully they'll make sure it won't become a huge security risk for the end user or their servers due to the nature of a lot of these mods. I do wish they just added a more user friendly framework. but that's a wish. I'm not expecting them to add full LUA support to their game, but that would be sweet.

modding for bethesda-powered stuff is way farther ahead, yes, but considering how much the media thrives on gta controversy all it will take is one article or report to start landslide into another moral panic.

 

[vallorn]

She talks about triggering while playing a GTA game. What the FUCK! That's like being a devout Mormon, going to a hardcore BDSM club, and then complaining about the unnecessary sexual violence. Not to mention, the idea that the only game she plays online is GTA and thus 'no longer plays online' is fucking hilarious.

Non gamers love to not understand anything about gaming. I still love the part about "eerily realistic" when... it's really really not.

"These hackers, sometimes also known as modders". And now I want to sit down and teach this news team the fucking nuances of words. Congratulations all modders like myself, we're all apparently hackers who are tied to 'virtual rape' in games!

and now... "Won't somebody think of the children!?" Urgh these people just... Ugh...

 

[Denamic]

Now that you mention it...


Ignore the #gamergate part

I played GTA V online, and it was horrible! Within 2 minutes, someone murdered me and stole my car! I may be traumatized for life.

Also, one of my cats' name is Dango.