QUOTE(Max @ Jul 24 2008, 12:13 PM) 
I'm interested in hearing more about why people dislike Punk Buster. I don't know too much about it, although I can't say I've had any problems with the games I've played that integrate it (namely Wolfenstein Enemy Territory and the Battlefield games).
I'm no expert on Punkbuster, but here are a few:
First, Punkbuster is incredibly invasive - perhaps moreso than the Warden. Such features are:
- Scans hardware and assigns bans based on it.
- Scans all processes launched after game execution and sends them to the server.
- Scans graphics libraries and other game-critical files (not so bad by itself)
- Scans entire contents of memory
Punkbuster also contributes to system instability for many users in mild to moderate form:
- Updates in the background causing latency and processor usage
- Creates an additional layer between the client and server, potentially causing fps and ping spikes. Can randomly drop clients due to minor connection problems that would otherwise not drop the player.
- Due to a failure in the detection system, running any other program (such as antivirus) while playing has the potential to create a hardware ban against all servers in all games that run Punkbuster. The proposed solution is to disable all background processes.
- Punkbuster has a history of problems with 64 bit systems, such as completely locking players out of servers if they run on a 64 bit platform.
- Punkbuster has a history of problems allowing user-level accounts from connecting to servers, and requires an additional process to run plus the pb client, and in some cases may still block users from connecting, depending on what game they're playing.
The EULA even states that Even Balance has final say in banning a client, not the server operator. If you get onto one of their global lists, it can be impossible to get removed, and can
I'm one of the most legit players I know, and an implementation of a system this invasive would make me want to crack it, which could result in my being permanently banned from NS2.
The system is far too obtrusive for a simple internet game. Its implementation, despite how much I like NS2, and despite the fact that I would likely still play it, would actually cause me to hesitate to purchase the game.
Again, I'm no expert.