A few desperate questions about AGS's apparent copy-lockout feature...

six_plus_one · Fri 25/08/2006 08:54:10

Okay, I've tried tinkering around with this, finally broke down, searched the forums and several reference manuals now for information regarding this, (to little avail), and it would seem that:

1). AGS has a feature that prohibits you from editing any version of your game except when working with the genuine, original files (on the computer your game was originally started on). This means that a duplicate of your game, all files copied faithfully, transfered to a disk or another computer's hard drive will be rendered non-editable, to you and to everyone else.

2). There is no way to prevent this from happening. No manual override. If you don't stick to one machine, you don't get to work on your game. Period.

I guess my question is: "Is this really true or am I waaay off-base here?" I mean, I appreciate that someone out there (SeÃ±or Chris, quite likely) values the hard work everyone puts into their games and is actively protecting their content, but I think that there ought to be a manual override option where you can check a little box saying, "Please do NOT copy-lock my game," at the very least. I've really, really wanted to start editing my game from different computer stations, (ideally from off of a portable flash drive), but the current system has me tied down to just one location, and I'm not too thrilled with it.

Please tell me that there is still some hope here.

Thanks bunches in advance,
six_plus_one

SSH · Fri 25/08/2006 09:15:43

I work on my game with multiple computers all the time. Make sure you have the same AGS version on both computers, then simply zip up the game dir and send it back and forth. You don't really need the whole game dir, even (although it can be easier just to zip up everything). Certainly not the Compiled folder and none of the backup files, either.

Khris · Fri 25/08/2006 11:06:09

Calm down, buddy.
So far you're probably the only person on earth who has encountered that "feature".
People here happily exchange their source code all the time.

There's got to be something very wrong with your machine. What error message do you get?

SSH · Fri 25/08/2006 11:16:00

Apart from anything else you can make a Game Template from your game which includes almost everything. And of course you need to be able to back up your files. So as khris says: why do you think such a feature exists?

R4L · Fri 25/08/2006 12:15:57

Quote from: six_plus_one on Fri 25/08/2006 08:54:10
Okay, I've tried tinkering around with this, finally broke down, searched the forums and several reference manuals now for information regarding this, (to little avail), and it would seem that:

1). AGS has a feature that prohibits you from editing any version of your game except when working with the genuine, original files (on the computer your game was originally started on). This means that a duplicate of your game, all files copied faithfully, transfered to a disk or another computer's hard drive will be rendered non-editable, to you and to everyone else.

2). There is no way to prevent this from happening. No manual override. If you don't stick to one machine, you don't get to work on your game. Period.

You aren't burning these "games" to a disc are you? Are your files marked read-only? That is the only reason that I can see why your having this problem.

six_plus_one · Sat 26/08/2006 00:37:53

Hmm... so no one else has run into this at all? Perhaps it's the way I'm transferring the files.

You know, I believe I DID use a CD-R when I transferred my files to my second computer. My friend also tried creating a game on a flash drive and found that he could not save any changes back onto the flash drive when it was used in another machine. The fact that we consistently ran into this problem seemed to suggest an editing-lockout feature. Also, neither of us ever thought to zip the files before transferring. Perhaps this is a vital step?

The error message received when I attempt to save a game on the second computer is as follows:

ERROR: Unable to open custom exe 'Compiled\GOOD 1.exe' for writing. If you are currently running the game, shut it down.

From what you guys tell me, it sounds as if I might even be trying to edit the wrong exe file. Boy, would that be a stroke of genius! Well, I will try following your suggestions and see if I can't get it right.

Also, if a CD is no good for game file transfers, what would you suggest? I wager a zip disk would work alright.

I really appreciate the help you guys are giving me on this matter! Thank you, thank you!

EDIT: New developments. Just phoned my friend and he tried to edit my game (transferred to his hard-drive) that was transferred by way of CD-R.

An error message told him:

Unable to save the game files. If you recently copied your game off a CD, the files may have been set to read-only. Also make sure you have the necessary priveledges to write to your game folder.

So, it would seem that putting your game files on a CD is a no-no as it sets the files to "read-only," making them unalterable in the future. Now I just need to go steal my dad's ancient, dusty zip drive.

Oh, and SSH, excellent point about using the same version of AGS on both machines. I can't believe it never even crossed my mind! Even if it's not the source of this issue, having the same versions loaded will help avoid numerous other issues in future, I am positive.

monkey0506 · Sat 26/08/2006 01:24:32

Well you can set the read-only status of a file once it's off the CD (obviously you can't change it while it's stored on the CD).

So...for saving the file, you would definitely need to have it in a place that the computer can save to (such as the hard drive, and not on a CD).

I think that may have been the source of the problem in the first place...

six_plus_one · Sat 26/08/2006 02:07:49

Problem Solved! It would seem that the read-only setting which gets applied to files burned to a CD is the culprit! I used a zip disk and my game saves just fine!

Monkey, it sounds like you're saying that the read-only setting can be un-checked in a file's preferences window. This is very good to know, but I think I'd just as soon avoid the whole issue by using a zip or flash disk.

Now I ought to call my friend and find out the exact circustances of his error when saving changes to an AGS game on his flash drive. It's probably the case that one or more of his files is set to read-only as well.

I would suggest a sticky-thread covering all this, but then I guess not too many other folks ever run into this particular issue. More "operator-error" than anything, I suppose!Ã,Â

Thanks a million, everyone, for helping me resolve this once desperate problem!!!

monkey0506 · Sat 26/08/2006 02:12:30

Well I'm glad to hear the problem is resolved. And...for future reference...CD-R isn't really the best medium for what you're doing anyway. Because, say, if you wanted to move it again to another computer you would have to burn a whole new CD. CD-RW would work, however a flash or zip drive is faster (and more durable). Oh...and the flash and zip drives don't force the file into read-only mode like a CD would.

Aside from checking that none of the files on the flash drive are read-only, perhaps moving them off the flash onto the HDD would work as well. Not entirely sure about the saving process, but I know that when I've tried to run AGS programs off of floppy disks before I have gotten errors about it running out of memory...so...try that as well if it's not the read-only issue.

six_plus_one · Sat 26/08/2006 05:11:22

I've just contacted my friend, and, while the flash drive in question is now entirely inoperational, (due to repeated trips through the wash), he says that he almost certainly believes the game he tested it with was off of a CD-R as well. Looks like it's just CDs that pose the read-only problem.

As for me, I've yet to buy a flash drive, but I'm sure it will work fine for multi-station AGS editing!

Thanks again guys!!