Copy Protected Software

[realmzmaster]

I believe that a software company has the right to protect their investment. Almost all of the copy protection methods suck wind. The protection method will be broken within hours of the product hitting the market.

Some companies delay the release of a product until the copy protection method can be put in place. An example of this is the Westgate expansion for Neverwinter Nights 2. The expansion has been ready for at least nine months. Atari has delayed the release until it can get its new DRM in place. The expansion was due to be released this month. The release has been push back once again to July, because the copy protection is not ready.This expansion will only cost $10.

I have been dealing with copy protection schemes since the early 80's. One notorious example was Datasoft (IntelliCreations) Alternate Reality: The Dungeon. The copy protection would not allow the disc to be read correctly on third party drives. I had a legitmate copy. I ported my character over from Alternate Reality: The City which read perfectly. My character was promptly thrashed by the Long Arms of the Law. Two officiers in suits beat my character to a pulp and then accused me of having an illegal copy.

It took me four tries talking and sending my discs to IntelliCreation, before I got a copy I could run.

The best copy protection I have seen was by Infocom. The packaging, feelies and manual were essential to solving the adventure. You could copy the disc all you wanted but without the other items you could not solve it.

I even like the codewheel with the SSI Gold Box Forgotten Realms CRPG. Because they incorporated its use into the game.

The new digital means of copy protection are a pain in the eye.

But, this is MHO.

[BasiliskWrangler]

No digital copy protection works. Simple as that. We don't use any for that reason.

Right now, the only thing that an independent studio like Basilisk Games can do is literally beg people to support us if they enjoy our game(s). Nothing is more insulting and damaging to morale than to see our game posted for download, especially when we see download numbers that far exceed our own sale numbers. What the hell is wrong with these people? I think people just don't understand that unlike other industries that make money from multiple sources (such as a singer making money from album sales, concerts, product promotions, etc.) we only make money from sales. We absolutely have to have support from people to continue, and for all the thousands of people who have downloaded the game illegally, you can still make it up by going to the purchase link and buying your copy.

If you love computer games and want to see more quality games get made, please support the developer.

[acoustibop]

And all the more so with Linux versions - so few game developers are making Linux versions that I think it really behoves Linux users to support them. But you still get people, even on reputable Linux forums, trying to wheedle free copies out of people or boasting that they didn't pay for their copy - and even posting links to download sites.

How stupid can you get? Just to deal with their own immediate satisfaction, they're quite prepared to mess up the whole gaming scene for Linux users - including themselves. I guess once they've fouled up the Linux scene, they'll just have to move back to Windows - pretty dumb, since their initial motivation to use Linux was probably that it's free.

[BasiliskWrangler]

Well, I am not 100% sure that Basilisk Games will always remain copy protection free. There are some new technologies on the horizon, specifically those that utilize an encryption chip built into motherboards...

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/e ... s-bushnell

Now then, what we will never use is any kind of copy protection that makes it harder for legitimate users to play a game that they paid for, or anything that will slow down performance. We would never use a disc-checker, because those are notorious for failing. I do not like anything that requires constant validation with a remote server; that's a huge pain-in-the-ass. However, it looks like many Distribution Vendors (such as Plimus) are starting to look into this new encryption technology that could be very effective and non-intrusive.

If that technology comes into use, Basilisk Games would probably use it. Why? Because we have been shown that if we trust gamers to do the right thing, about 90% of them don't.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

Wow. A near 90% piracy rate? It's amazing you're willing to continue to develop in the face of that kind of disrespect. Really, that's what it's about, people who have no respect for the time and energy of the creative people involved in making these games. Thanks for sticking with it. You can count on me to keep buying, and browbeating would-be pirates in line.

[Jude]

Well, I am not 100% sure that Basilisk Games will always remain copy protection free. There are some new technologies on the horizon, specifically those that utilize an encryption chip built into motherboards...

I doubt if that would work any better than the games that used to require dongles and such. As technology changes, it will make the game not work for people who bought it legitimately, which only angers and disappoints your loyal customers. And there is also the immediate problem of differences in hardware...

I, too, liked the code wheels.

Jude

[Iane]

True and it makes you sick to think that someone who purchased this game uploaded it within 24hrs to a torrent site just to be cool - that person can rot in hell - in the 1st 4 months of games release I had 100's of download links removed from net from the likes of rapidshare etc - this I did out of the love of this game - I wanted Eschalon book 1 to succeed - I wanted to see a Book 2 and 3 - so much so I purchased 2 copies of book 1 - when book 2 is released I will do the same and surf the net for those bastard links to have them taken down maybe we should form a Basilisk HIT SQUAD and get all pirated copies removed from net

I love Indie Gaming and have a page dedicated to who I support


EDIT: - To show effects of what piracy does http://www.edigames.com the makers of Morning's Wrath nearly collapsed from hardly any sales of this game - why no sales - well maybe because the game was pirated 1000 to 1 sold and I think that's sad real sad - I'm glad to see he's still willing to give it another shot and they are releasing a new game soon as well as morning's wrath - both these titles I will be purchasing when available again and if they are the sort of game you like please do the same

[realmzmaster]

BW wrote:

I do not like anything that requires constant validation with a remote server; that's a huge pain-in-the-ass.

This is the problem I have with Dark Basic Professional. Every upgrade requires a validation check. Also the software will occassionally ask for a check to make sure you are using a legitmate copy. Now, this is not to bad except the Game Creators are in England. If I have a problem with the check it requires an e-mail or sometimes a call to England to get it solved, because the software will act like I am running a trail version.

The only hope is that developers can live off the 10% BW talks about and hopefully educate the other 90% to the harm they are causing. But, I am not holding my breath, wating for it to happen. I like living.

I will keep on supporting companies that make games I like with my dollars.

[Jude]

I hate the "call home" validation check, too. When I buy a game or other software, I consider it mine to use as long as I have a machine that will run it. The companies that require the "call home" to use their software cannot guarantee that they will still support the software in the future or even that they will still be in business, then.

Another problem is that if I replace my hard drive, re-install my system software, or get a new computer, this often breaks the registration for the software.

I don't know what to do about the pirates. Even a code wheel, or a check for a particular word in the rulebook can be gotten around now that everyone can scan such things. I doubt if it will get better, since people seem to actually be proud of stealing stuff rather than being ashamed.

But most anti-pirate stuff only annoys the real or potential buyers; the pirates consider it a challenge.

I have quit buying games from two companies that I used to buy from regularly because they use a registration process that I find unacceptable (it will only work once, if something changes and you need to re-register--too bad). This means there is software I want that I won't buy, but I won't pirate it, either, although I'm certain many people are. This means that they have lost at least one regular customer because of their anti-piracy methods.

Some companies sell unlocked CD versions of their games for those who don't want to mess with registration codes and the like. In that case, I buy the CD version, which requires that the CD be in the computer for the software to start up. This is okay, so far, because nearly all computers have CD drives. But in two separate cases, I have found that the game patches would not work with my CD version of the game, and both companies' "support" was that they would give me a "call home" version as a replacement--just what I was trying to avoid in the first place!

Some software has online capabilities and companies can check the registration code of anyone using it to go online. If the same code shows up more than once at the same time, then they know who has pirated their game and they can take measures to invalidate the code or press charges. But this only works for for software that is used online.

I still prefer the honor system, but not many people have honor, nowadays, it seems.

Jude

[realmzmaster]

Along with copy protected software problem is the patch updating problem. I clearly saw this problem when I installed NeverWinter Nights 2 and hit the Update button. Two hours later I had the updated version. Now if I uninstall NeverWinter Nights 2 and want to reinstall it at a later date I have to go through the same process. I cannot get a downloadable patch from Atari that I can save to DVD for later use.

I was able to go to Neverwinter Nights Vault and get the patches about 1 GB worth (that in itself is another issue). They also have NWN2 Patcher which was created by tnt220 (user). The site has the official patches from Obsidian which were private (Why were they private?), but have been made public. But it also goes on to state that Obsidian does not support the patches or the NWN2 patcher outside of their official updating process. I wonder what would happen if Obsidian ceases to exist. I guess I and many others would be out of luck.

Give me a downloadable patch anytime so I can save it for later.

[Sslaxx]

Piracy is unbelievably harmful, especially for small concerns such as Basilisk. The dishonesty of people is astounding.

[Axxaxx]

I do not like anything that requires constant validation with a remote server; that's a huge pain-in-the-ass.

Why ? Doom 3 and Quake 4 on Linux (and windows too I guess) had a similar thing for single and multiplayer, if your serial key was not valid you could not run the game, but the check was istantaneous and harmless, it happened only when you started the game, not during the game. Validation + serial key I think is a good method to fight piracy.

Oh and the penumbra series (talking about VERY indie games) has a serial key to install the game, I have both linux versions and you can't run the installer if you don't provide a correct serial key, and if I'm not wrong the key gets checked on line that moment.

I think you should try something like that.

[Jude]

I do not like anything that requires constant validation with a remote server; that's a huge pain-in-the-ass.

Why ? Doom 3 and Quake 4 on Linux (and windows too I guess) had a similar thing for single and multiplayer, if your serial key was not valid you could not run the game, but the check was istantaneous and harmless, it happened only when you started the game, not during the game. Validation + serial key I think is a good method to fight piracy.

Oh and the penumbra series (talking about VERY indie games) has a serial key to install the game, I have both linux versions and you can't run the installer if you don't provide a correct serial key, and if I'm not wrong the key gets checked on line that moment.

I think you should try something like that.

I think the first two paragraphs of my last post give some good reasons why people hate the "call home" check. I won't buy software that requires that.

Jude

[Axxaxx]

Yes I know that when a company dies the copy protection still stays, but it's the publisher NOT the developer who manages the copy protection in most of the cases.

Anyway copy protections are a problem, encryption chips are NOT a solution (99,99% of the computers don't have them) and probably call home is a risky solution because you could lose the game if support for it dies.

But I don't know other methods, drm are the worst method of all and I won't even mention them.

[realmzmaster]

Call home validation depends on the viability of the company. If the company goes out of business the game will still try to do the validation check. The game does not know the company has gone belly up and will disable the game or make it run like a demo.

There is no perfect system of copy protection. If a person can make it, another person can break it. Basilisk games is depending on the basic honesty of people. Unfortunately that seems to be seriously lacking.

Some of us understand that it takes a great deal of work to make a good polished game. We support those people with our dollars. A great many do not seem to give a hoot. I have heard all the excuses and they are just that excuses.

It is amazing that all these thieves have no problem ripping someone off, but scream the loudest when they are being ripped off. It has never been a perfect world, but more and more we seem to looking over into the abyss.