SecureFile: Attempt to protect AGS games from piracy...

[arj0n]

Vince, that's correct, spreading the serial will do.
And distributing a game with an online "blacklist-connection" check or something to check if a serial isn't used more than once is too annoying, that's more an option for big applications.
But that might/can even be defeated by the fact that when people really want something which is protected that way, certain people or groeps will make key generators, even on demand...

I guess for games, as an author you need to get the attention of a big group of people that really likes it and wants to pay for it, e.g. on a forum, interact with people about the game, releasing demo('s) (or maybe even a first game as freeware). (Like Dave and or Ivy from Wadjet Eye Games do)
Once these people like it, they will pay for it. A sort of community effect.
This group is, in my opinion, the mainstream to get your money.
The rest that obtains a pirated version, those torrent-crawlers, will always be there.
Even worse will be spending money on a protection for a game.
A waste of money and only a trigger for some to create a crack/keygen...

My 2 cents...

[Leon]

I think the whole number of pirated games is seen out of proportion. Most people who play pirated versions, wouldn't buy the game in the first place so you really shouldn't see them as 'lost'. You should see it as promotional. Sure, when every pirated version would have been really sold, you'd earn more, but that's not realistic.

If someone really wants to play, he/she'll buy it. At least that goes for me. I have a lot of pirated versions of  games that I've looked at and didn't find it worth buying. I didn't finish them either. But I did get interested in what else the company had to offer so actually see it as a commercial (or demo).

Same with audio. I download loads of tracks and if I really like a number, I'll buy the album. But I don't think it's worth buying if I listened to the track once and wasn't even interested in the one song. And of course there's the financial part because I think some albums and games are way overpriced (NDS and WII are the worst). I must say that PC games are pretty much on track right now for under £20. And it doesn't matter if the author is a company or an indy... that's irrelevant to me.

So all in all, what's to gain/lose here?

[Clarvalon]

Interesting thread.  I tend to agree that DRM that treats the consumer as a criminal is a bad thing.  Having said that, Steam seems to work pretty painlessly and adds a layer of functionality that makes it all worthwhile.  Even the PlayFirst DRM didn't really bother me that much.

From a developer's point of view it's a pain having to worry about this sort of stuff.  The general consensus amongst Indie developers seems to be that simple copyright is the best way to protect code and assets, and to regard piracy not as lost sales but as a means of greater exposure.  Fortunately the xbox 360's (digital distribution, not disk based) DRM prevents XBLIG piracy, though for other platforms it is a bit of a headache.

[Vince Twelve]

If I knew that credit card information is used for my personal copy of the game to show the name I probably would not buy the game. Credit card information is something I don't want to give away anyway (thats why I hardly buy anything on sites I don't fully trust) so I wouldn't want someone to mess around with this information, even my name.
In this case, I'd rather pirate the game then buy it myself  :

I absolutely agree.  Just wanted to clarify that I'm not planning on doing this.  Just throwing the idea out there.

[zabnat]

Pirates will find a way. Most of them don't even care about what they are cracking, they just get a massive kick out of cracking other people's software.

This is true. Cracking a copyprotection is like a game. They enjoy it as much as we enjoy cracking a good puzzle in adventure games.

If I knew that credit card information is used for my personal copy of the game to show the name I probably would not buy the game. Credit card information is something I don't want to give away anyway (thats why I hardly buy anything on sites I don't fully trust) so I wouldn't want someone to mess around with this information, even my name.
In this case, I'd rather pirate the game then buy it myself  :

Well, if someone starts putting credit car information on the games, I think the credit card companies might have something to say about that. And when even just a name: kids would have their parents names on the games or maybe some guys name who bought it for a present? And then it would need to be visible otherwise nobody will know their name would be inside the game. Then some 10-year old shares the game and spreads around the world. You'll get the name of the kid (or his parents) and get $80,000 per estimated illegal download. And I'll bet your company will get some good publicity on the papers.

And I also agree. I don't like inconvenient copyprotections. Steam works pretty well, that's why most of the games I've bought are via that. If I have to choose between some StarForce drm and pirating a copy, I'm pretty sure I'll go for the latter.

[Layabout]

I like how steam isn't intrusive and logs your cd-keys to your account, so no matter how many now computers you buy or if you lose the disc, you'll never lose a game.

Most other companies would just say 'Your loss, if you want to play the game, buy a new copy!'

Not only does it protect them, it also protects the consumers purchases. It's a two-way street. How it should be.

[Radiant]

Given how much trouble commercial companies are having getting security to work without being overly obnoxious (and that most of them are failing at it big time) I don't think this is a job for an amateur game design community.

Besides, how many commercial AGS adventures are there anyway? Five, maybe eight? Out of many many games made?

[Snarky]

Given how much trouble commercial companies are having getting security to work without being overly obnoxious (and that most of them are failing at it big time) I don't think this is a job for an amateur game design community.

This.

Besides, how many commercial AGS adventures are there anyway? Five, maybe eight? Out of many many games made?

Well, let's see:

The Shivah
The Blackwell Legacy
Blackwell Unbound
The Blackwell Convergence
Super Jazz Man
Diamonds in the Rough
Time Gentlemen, Please!
Les Miserables
Downfall
Hauntings of Mystery Manor
Intrigue at Oakhaven Plantation
Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman's Mine
Adventures of Fatman
The Zone
Deluxe editions of ~5 of Yahtzee's games (now made available free)
Banana Man(?)

So about 20 AGS games have been released commercially at various times.

[Dualnames]

New version

http://ledzepforever.googlepages.com/SecureFileTestV1_1.rar

Now its unbreakable via Hex editor.

[arj0n]

Sorry Dual, the unbreakable V1.1 can be bypassed too, using a hexeditor.

[Dualnames]

Sorry Dual, the unbreakable V1.1 can be bypassed too, using a hexeditor.

Have you managed to? You can see it via HexEditor of course, but you can't see what I don't want you too. If you bypassed it upload it somewhere..

The program works this way, the dat file stores whether the game is in lock or in unlock state. The vgm holds the serials. The dir holds directory of files, such as filenames, decryption passwords.

The dat of the dir file, cannot be seen with a HexEditor either used on the file or the exe, at least not the 3 I tried to.

Using the game.previous_game variable it prevents from executing the program without SecureFile, securefile passes an int value with this command: RunAGSGame(filename,0,variable);

Also if certain files are deleted game locks up.

Can you explain how your SecureFile works?  For example, what stops one person's serial number from working on another person's computer?

That's the only real flaw. Which is the only thing i can't beat without annoying the user. If that's changed, it will bug the player if he wants to install the game in another computer. The only way to IDENTIFY a serial number to oneself is to have him connect to the net, and that causes annoyance.

I'm just doing this whole thing for fun purposes and to see whether it CAN be done, creating a non-annoying yet cracksafe system.

[arj0n]

Have you managed to? You can see it via HexEditor of course, but you can't see what I don't want you too. If you bypassed it upload it somewhere..

Uploaded

[Dualnames]

Can I ask how? I can't see that data with my HexEditors (3), that's why..

EDIT: Not really. Hehe. I got an error message! SecureFile can't be pawned!!



Still wondering what you did though if you care to tell me I'd appreciate it.

[arj0n]

Not really. Hehe. I got an error message! SecureFile can't be pawned!!

Sending a copy 2 you is not enough to get it working.
I've checked it again and this is the only and exact way how to bypass your SecureFile_v1_1:

01.: delete all files in the saved game directory (in any case: agssace.temp, agssave.101, agssave.temp)
02.: edit secfile.vgm and replace everything with anything, I replace it with hexcode A0 which is textstring altcode-255.
03.: run SecureFile.exe and hit enter when serial is asked
04.: watch the 3 happy dolphins  

sorry, pawned again...

[arj0n]

Strange thing is when I backup agssace.temp, agssave.101 & agssave.temp in a rar file, then run the "cracked" game it crashes with the pirated message.
When I extract the rar and place agssace.temp, agssave.101 & agssave.temp back the game still crashes with the pirated message.
To get it working again, I need to delete the files mentioned above plus secfile.dat,  & secfile.vgm.
Then I need to edit the vgm file again and only then it works again.
That's why my uploaded stuff you tried didn't work at your pc...

[Peder 🚀]

I can't find those savegame files anywhere!
Their not in the game folder nor in the Vista "saved games" folder.

[Dualnames]

Not really. Hehe. I got an error message! SecureFile can't be pawned!!

Sending a copy 2 you is not enough to get it working.
I've checked it again and this is the only and exact way how to bypass your SecureFile_v1_1:

01.: delete all files in the saved game directory (in any case: agssace.temp, agssave.101, agssave.temp)
02.: edit secfile.vgm and replace everything with anything, I replace it with hexcode A0 which is textstring altcode-255.
03.: run SecureFile.exe and hit enter when serial is asked
04.: watch the 3 happy dolphins 

sorry, pawned again...

Ok, so you've cracked it right? Or you got pawned?
I'll add another security check.

That will make the game unpawnable.(trust me)

Great job, there Arjon btw.

I can't find those savegame files anywhere!
Their not in the game folder nor in the Vista "saved games" folder.

They are in MyDocuments\MySavedGames\Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Remake

[arj0n]

Peder,

They are only created *after* you have entered a right serial or bypassed the serial input.

[smiley]

Cracked.
Made the engine believe 'AbortGame' is 'IsButtonDown'.

[arj0n]

Neat smiley