March 24, 2025 - The Purge 2 in TMUF

Last updated: March 25, 2025

A noticeable change was made again in the Trackmania United Forever leaderboards on March 24, 2025, which fully applied ingame on March 25. In response to the Exposing Trackmania's Biggest Con-Man... investigation initiated by Arkes, Nadeo has acknowledged the alt account problem in Trackmania United Forever, and removed all of the records driven on proved alt accounts, most notably those belonging to riolu. The records were removed on March 24, but ingame, they were publically updated on the next day (with the exception of opponent skillpoints, which were updated immediately, as it uses a different kind of request). It was possible to extract the leaderboard data from the 25th and the day before using some simple reverse engineering techniques.

In comparison to Purge 1 from July 23, 2021, this one is focused entirely on alt accounts and not any other cheating methods. Many of these accounts had records removed that weren't ever proved to be cheated via external software.

This leaderboard change was announced by Hylis on X on March 24, 19:30 CET.

• Disclaimer
• Transparency
  • Libraries used
  • Full source code
• 2 610+ records have been removed
• Data accuracy in the next results
• Logins with removed records within Top 10 world
• Remaining records of these logins within Top 10 world
• Maps with the most removed records within Top 10 world
• Unaffected maps within Top 10 world
• Data accuracy reminder
• Conclusion

Disclaimer

The point of this report is to share changes that have happened to the leaderboards. There are no claims on cheating via external software, this purge is focused on the alt account problem. Please, do not witchhunt the nicknames mentioned.

Transparency

I used Fiddler 4 to look through the HTTP requests the game does to get the leaderboard data. The game communicates with the server by using the XML-RPC protocol. Basically, the client sends some conventional XML to a server and the server returns some conventional XML back. The request name for the leaderboard data is GetCampaignScores. Once proper arguments are assigned, this will then return the URL of the downloadable leaderboard data. The format of the URL looks something like this (must be http, not https):

http://scores.trackmaniaforever.com/scores[number]/[campaign]/[campaign][zone].gz

• [number] - The ID of the score set. This number can be between 1 and 7:
  • 1-6: active sets that loop around and update. That means you can access the leaderboards up to 5 days back, right now. As an example, these are the last modified dates taken from 15 July:
    • scores1 - 07/12/2021
    • scores2 - 07/13/2021
    • scores3 - 07/14/2021
    • scores4 - 07/15/2021
    • scores5 - 07/10/2021
    • scores6 - 07/11/2021
  • scores7: Special case! This is an inactive set of records from 04/12/2008. Check how the leaderboards looked back then!
• [campaign] - The official name of the campaign without spaces. Possible ones are:
  • UnitedRace
  • UnitedPuzzle
  • UnitedPlatform
  • UnitedStunts
  • Nations
  • ManiaStar (StarTrack)
• [zone] - The zone ID to focus on. Based on this, you will always get the World leaderboard + other leaderboards that lead to your zone. You can only use the liveable zone ID (the one you select in game). The values are unpredictable, but I managed to export all of the IDs for each zone.

These URL endpoints are updated every day throughout the night in the loop I mentioned above. They start updating at 3:39 GMT from Japan and stop updating at around 9:13 GMT in China. However, they are overwriten and published at once only **after all of the sets are updated**, around 1 hour after the last China set, unless broken timezone. The records from March 25 arrived at 11:11 CET.

The content of the leaderboards file is compressed with gzip and contains binary data that can be read like this. It contains all map UIDs of the campaign. For each map: Up to 4 or 5 leaderboards based on the zone ID, always including the World leaderboard. For each zone leaderboard: Top 10 records with rank, time, login, and nickname. Then, a list of all times driven on the track without login or nickname used to calculate the number of skillpoints. The total amount of records for each map can be calculated with this data. Replay URLs aren't available in these leaderboards. By default, they are protected by authentication, but it's possible to get around it. However, it's worth noting that replay downloads become unavailable the moment Nadeo removes them. This is problematic when trying to post-analyze these records. But there's a high chance most of these records have been archived before.

The replay URL looks like this (for curiosity):

http://data.trackmaniaforever.com/official_replays/records/X-XXXXX/X/XXXXXXX.replay.gbx

For the report, I used before_v2.zip (from March 24) and after_v2.zip (from March 25), containing all of the official campaign GZ files, available in scores3 from March 24-29 and in scores4 from March 25-30. The 'before_v2' leaderboards contain data from Japan ~3:39 GMT (March 24) and the 'after_v2' leaderboards contain data from Japan ~3:39 GMT (March 25). There's a smaller time gap possible by using the China dataset, but practically it isn't anything different, proved in previous report). To assign map names to the map UIDs, a maps.json was pre-generated.

The website generates all of the data on the fly when started. Only the files mentioned above were used to generate the result.

Libraries used

• ManiaAPI.NET (XmlRpc)
• GBX.NET

Full source code is available here.

2 610+ records have been removed

And it might be just a bit more, because of the players driving official times at that day. But it's difficult to get the exact number. This result was calculated by using the total record count of all campaigns on March 25, subtracted from the result of March 24.

Data accuracy in the next results

The following results were calculated by only using the top 10 world leaderboards. It is the most suitable leaderboard zone for this report because it affects everyone who hunted the world records. I have extracted all of the zones of the account logins sent to me for future investigations, but these haven't been counted for now.

Logins with removed records within Top 10 world skip

The results. You can click on the maps to get the leaderboards before and after. JSON

15 logins have been affected by the wave.

15 logins have been completely removed.

Remaining records of these logins within Top 10 world skip

Calculated by taking the affected records and subtracting them from all records from before.

Maps with the most removed records within Top 10 world skip

Calculated by taking the affected maps and then checking every login if they had a change on this map.

Unaffected maps within Top 10 world skip

Calculated by taking all official maps and substracting the list of affected maps.

223/422 (52.84 %) top 10 world leaderboards have not been affected.

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• A02-Race JwKdDsOUh4L9_eYyRsdiA2o1fW1
• A03-Race mWxQhvvPOoNfPaq18j3dokLqyO7
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• A06-Obstacle syko1DvAxleoVlqMsc1sJzqbt66
• A07-Race KzeBzLOI62lxu3haZCPFn_4BfD6
• A08-Endurance KDBPTuNkrZG6jMxuRqmDBbLjfp6
• A09-Race TteOqSjrhVsdjZYAaLuGBWX2a4c
• A10-Acrobatic jH8X3qPtpn6pj3dLAaq08pyDdp1
• A11-Race N0CpLabOm8Kk6Lsf0kwelgHiMQm
• A12-Speed zwAbNlFSDcXjRBk0YSMyxc5kJJ8
• A13-Race K27AW3HYV47qqqXentunIoUERu8
• A14-Race 6ktPCqLADXXuy5LaOLTzktaGlKf
• A15-Speed dJQvN8hB18o3SXNl897MOShzZQ5
• B02-Race b4ubJL0Aayrg7aqhe0RwI4jBQR1
• B03-Race HIH70OwdsvC7ZX_oKOWhwqDITx2
• B04-Acrobatic OfPhGxBSu5zHgl3GsndJGGens8k
• B06-Obstacle SZHG1tFsmJLJInUsruGgREWsFq1
• B07-Race NdajMtuuXvuxhfGkye4Om8wUXYi
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• B09-Acrobatic t6kPFNQiJTm3rFqjGRGHBxwZOkd
• B10-Speed o7StLUfi3bsutUxdOjQgsOO6p_m
• B12-Race p4PhXsVTp7NhVmhSLZXeJjrFahe
• B14-Speed bx9QX_lcEZ0IIGKXeYOw3lWqBXh
• C01-Race eDgWjoKe2dT3GfoTCGCmI_qMvfk
• C02-Race hlRjJEZGm0yr1sT91CtdIwmqsti
• C03-Acrobatic c4oQLgleEPkNtehypwdYXTkmVvi
• C04-Race yWy7ROt2lgk2zL44HKdBgUjuthi
• C05-Endurance UR7xWwTkMeFB2kqVLVVOGDBCKFb
• C06-Speed fwj7Gn1nSQ_8qx6MPUtzAfHngTj
• C07-Race PLVn84D8NoVGjidP1pLafZP8qA8
• C08-Obstacle Hb_oIOr6Y4_I3aoMogsTPufz8hl
• C09-Race 9MOwoNkpYZhw8e99cxFI3hVZrvi
• C10-Acrobatic XYiTfAdultrTWVJpjl_Bdnf7x4l
• C11-Race npRjhClGPZMs_YK_T5yUrnWY0q9
• C12-Obstacle znbgMZayw8uBByLWqc6kYsEfG6l
• C13-Race qxHe8iBNC2soNhkOoOvEKDkxZ58
• C14-Endurance uuGCAivChymPBU6TAHp6qIKSoR4
• C15-Speed n4QZfCzSzwMxsY2ILHFUEEipjtg
• D01-Endurance E0ZXX6DbQ1wZXMiLYW77zgjFcB9
• D02-Race r7OqCgR3yODNwmJcPGyUafJKRAh
• D03-Acrobatic KvPlXufFJaLjDGSRP1rcregOaX3
• D04-Race h1doGRJ46hAGF3AeCJPsPHE_Vb2
• D05-Race iDnUBYbFhfD0QIPmIyRvy1UIw_0
• D06-Obstacle Twnk9iISEER4KYGY8bfPffK5BU5
• D07-Race bRZJ7Wn3QyftteDpbnIYlrcEqp9
• D08-Speed RgXELEylfSWdjQG_XiiTFVkYi99
• D09-Obstacle ka5WLGb0IrqZ1L7fVb6dXHNTWF0
• D10-Race icDiiqPi3EljXk49VJ6WUl0LQzb
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• D12-Speed DceckSvMpluYYGHaEeALei6A4tf
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• D14-Endurance vIIX52BcNOt86BJ1NrZq6_bJir5
• D15-Endurance q9ETZ0R5yClf_9wDxsPI41gO6V6
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• E02-Endurance FW0uBAWV9d_9K9Dl2ZTYMn6iJHd
• E03-Endurance DTq2M5w_EKfxPgXLRJ29kHndMYj
• E04-Obstacle xedOkArRfmIHfm9VFnKrLsOQ4hd
• E05-Endurance eMBnCjky7WmlP9G0R9xOrNFQV7c
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• PlatformD5 nlBHAwNvJKzCtK7JvJLPU7dHe47
• PlatformE Q6UgQE5m9SCyrlc1Id0q9oUm4Ph
• PuzzleA1 _pqADDWXn6nWH32zwc1TomwHc40
• PuzzleA2 yvzhDoVGCyZhoOweE6hBN8FZ_V7
• PuzzleA3 myAlqzQFGbnGnTsVaA8DjgKfs50
• PuzzleA4 roE9wTDLbZ7weH1n_4AEchFaHug
• PuzzleA5 iA_AXQiic7eWk5lcxUqaWs5xKO4
• PuzzleB3 Xha9e6XGGHvV0cJBBFEFuBE8Xd0
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• PuzzleC5 ZC8AqeF8Hpy2FZQf3I7hFiCW2bj
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• PuzzleD3 7olYAPOPYQH3Pl574FiiqUUfjM1
• PuzzleD4 W_P4NRUKnMOKUyGz_CmNRAcMHWm
• PuzzleD5 0S6aVMKPv51IpON3nQlBfrTxSzl
• PuzzleE Mlpu0iPVjm29W_xpxVPw2xc3Kla
• StadiumA1 4kQ_0mHdJtnSdsQty9ZX0W8SDb1
• StadiumA2 u8WV4GNAj7tJe22gwcseGtPNP1n
• StadiumA4 Eh81Raowv4vxF9gKQ6g5DA5kNA6
• StadiumA5 TGQmmc6MHpqlt5gzl9LkEfzsCB9
• StadiumB3 hm4BM_c3sqpI2qzgX2vR9acvTj4
• StadiumC1 5lSunHjU4j0twFNK7MQNP5FOp3m
• StadiumC2 3QBb5EgTVuUNhnDrizNJmi4K4Ii
• StadiumC3 q0ljLrLGWogdntNr85I4UrwPsLf
• StadiumC4 3uxg8E_RaZSQezPhykAveG3tH_6
• StadiumC5 Yv5PKpzZhwTSFpKPeitsjsgDTJ1
• StadiumD1 Jy1iY548W5lQ1wUZxi4QdWcUJig
• StadiumD2 w6QxL8QkmzuC7zUeQ9lfzlGFX92
• StadiumD3 ZQu1Y0CVPbrHrXlTupqwz6F7CQi
• StadiumD4 xm4qMVhLEiq35ZyzMf6vMudIwxi
• StadiumD5 rE2zbgLaeB7aCoSpRXqm8Q62rXk
• StadiumE QYolmOMD2GrKJ3QtS62rQWV8JOg
• IslandA1 BFLkfRWgOLoqhmFoGQmcIpMG7f3
• IslandA3 tGOCtEIitr7u8GGshFsat_0hAZ2
• IslandA4 dMUhOtUAj1XhssvIJn5hrTEslX4
• IslandA5 5qigQIX0mBqHUtFQ5rHC5h5SZ47
• IslandB1 cNVFIz24Lp6zvxlOURjU5Hfi8hb
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• IslandB5 bg9z0E_7QY8vwYVEQBssRBH6Knd
• IslandC1 rX5YyKmUiPBmyvzj34hWdrVWrK2
• IslandC2 5RLV0JFiEknMWSoLfOP93JXoJe1
• IslandC3 Acogr0IIF6bqJv5jjlINxw8aZp0
• IslandC4 X6CxBL5bSBGhWXmhzLdEsiEcPSa
• IslandC5 byoRiBrftGh9sL6SpqGpKxH2h8m
• IslandD1 A7s5IpC7XfDWknn1PXKKBKCD2W1
• IslandD2 E7XQEP4oT4qP8NYeOn81YPYgEO5
• IslandD4 ST387vLgNaX4HbasZzXruPq3kzh
• IslandD5 PTOfMzMx8Sdrk4by2lJFqf9vtJl
• IslandE cwggfRlLkPBFbxxzxwxHK6cCWN0
• DesertA4 irSjbm9UWTVfcaMZm3HlLg5Gewc
• DesertE tQLFM7pwSGUrtbgKG73cRHptng2
• BayA1 KK8GilfJAgzqG_NFkyls9TAGiO3
• BayA2 6buhcEyIPyS_xoKlt8OQKiGjY5k
• BayA4 owjlOUpiUQ3FqK16PNGAOUrT5x9
• BayB3 UMbXb6QFLSK7htbk1wFeUIwq113
• BayB4 CiC_mlGNS7sEVGFcFppEskFn8of
• BayB5 qtW6yA7T424zfXZifFRVN3HD2om
• BayC1 xnVb_5H4zM7LrTmwlqSu7I89WIm
• BayC4 BEVHXBWkNy4Fd7SukIPneaNhMwf
• BayD1 iAMrEREtlhtVQlsGNYdAD0uU3P8
• BayD2 sfe9vjSKIyMyt21Ye1US9fO3d2f
• BayD4 DxIxSLl1P8K2dO9DUEvU4KPqrz5
• BayD5 RJHi5c19gnBFZIdz1GLLOXHYobi
• BayE kZtq8ip2iZTf56GZjaICYoaqvc0
• SnowA2 eZoARW46f9HTlWtrNweTNUHzVba
• SnowB5 KOlYpZNGUTAevOQ7KXh5yw3LEr5
• SnowC2 PMjgzPR2XKuSf_xqJGs8fESdjI7
• SnowC4 Vo9x9JGDFROJM8uYNRmcaBw3N54
• SnowD3 NvKB_hLYO2yRdh1fkUlhdHuhpua
• SnowD4 DzKVX_DeyJfsl_fNAeJAmnVnzLl
• SnowD5 lHyjPIxLIk3uV07EflGjdl81Y60
• SnowE 88z4rJMMroX4vqAglWRxpUt9Oa
• StuntA1 7OwvyziKkRFvMawvFRxFKTShuZc
• StuntA2 ixaEGIoJZtI8wGJSxNJpOSJhgOf
• StuntA3 ggzgw7BLPTicuzhVdJ2FZ_kuiS8
• StuntA4 tBAxMpglNoMF9weVv6gZRXWWpJ2
• StuntA5 sXKlZKzXcb4k5A7qzYP2zsabM_5
• StuntB1 DxgpaEXllisSgx9UNzO_0l0A1i3
• StuntB2 _nX6dQGfW5cIXaBh5PzmngNrd67
• StuntB3 HDyDEus9s3W6PrPF343mR1UfP8g
• StuntB4 zj6cbv7u4euFm9dbupYupkdYT61
• StuntB5 Fnwj4XR5xyPNWj3ANtoTdKIArJh
• StuntC1 V74Exu12wdcWQ9uM8aXdDvoPe89
• StuntC2 50tndNIQsgbqvUBkZbbr36kdHHe
• StuntC3 03ufa6CukZPNsQIWjf2ROQLVubi
• StuntC4 36hb7pWuzLamJzWOKIPmu0P3owh
• StuntC5 UdM7aRiXJ0wnIV8VwrjWzKAlb8h
• StuntD1 fBHr1oWZhY4kVEU3nhwkJfCT_A3
• StuntD2 xmo3KvUsB74LlOkQ9E2F7PIuLd3
• StuntD3 NJSGdur7fytqLMEo_kgr61FNbI4
• StuntD4 dizVaot6NWqdIHrJi3IpHFfAHu5
• StuntD5 pJS9sWRWpV01wIlseKCMnucDazg
• StuntE1 q0GQTB4wGqB9Hh3NMOPjMTe8yKl

Data accuracy reminder

The tables have been only measured from the Top 10 world leaderboards. All of these are only the minimal values of the changes that have been made. I've also downloaded leaderboard data of all relevant zones from the two investigated days to be later analyzed.

Conclusion

With this action, Nadeo confirmed that they have no interest in keeping records driven on alt accounts, and that it's not a good idea to abuse your skill to pollute the leaderboards.

I personally hope that similar actions will be taken for Trackmania 2: Stadium and Lagoon in the near future. We need to treat official Trackmania leaderboards equally for healthy competition. So far, things are looking bright though.

Thanks for reading.