Civ I's Useless Copy-Protections

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
I don't see the CD protection scheme as bad since without it a group of people can just do full installs on their computers with one copy of the game.

Why that is a bad idea is because, if people don't want to buy it in the first place they just make a search for a non CD crack, and for a well known game as civilization this would be pretty easy. The bad idea about it is because it's just a waste of time to implent it.

And another thing, the sales wont go up because there's a copy protection in the game

[Grumbold]

The new Fade concept may help for a while until they manage to crack what is detecting an illegal copy. Hopefully it is embedded in the game code rather than being CD dependant.

[Mahdimael]

Most games nowadays come with a generated key that you enter in once during install or whatever. This key is verified with the game servers when playing online, but doesn't have any security functionality when playing alone. Even if a key generator is made, the key that is generated won't be valid online, where there is a database of the real keys. this method has worked pretty successfully in Half-Life as well as some of the Blizzard games (Diablo2, Starcraft)

[Inverse Icarus]

bah.

no game is uncrackable.

look at quake 3.

it took them 4 months, but they made illegal copies playable.

every cd key is made by an algorithm, and once that algorithm is discovered, you can generate as many keys as you like.

its not like a LIST of serial numbers, as many people think.

the cd key is just a string, that after manipulation by the program becomes a single number.

so if u find out what the answer has to be you can generate billions of keys.

anyway, if that takes a while, buy the game, install, copy cd, write down key, scratch the CD, and return, claiming the CD was scratched when you bought it.

they can't re-sell a broken Cd, so the key is YOURS.

keep it free!

oh, and if u need new ram goto best buy, and buy a 128 meg chip or something. pay with CASH. go home and put your 16-64 meg chip in the box and return it.

i've done this twice.

<-- isnt that hitler?

[Gramphos]

Originally posted by UberKruX
oh, and if u need new ram goto best buy, and buy a 128 meg chip or something. pay with CASH. go home and put your 16-64 meg chip in the box and return it.

Think of the poor one that buys your old chip.

[Gramphos]

Originally posted by Mahdimael
Most games nowadays come with a generated key that you enter in once during install or whatever. This key is verified with the game servers when playing online, but doesn't have any security functionality when playing alone. Even if a key generator is made, the key that is generated won't be valid online, where there is a database of the real keys. this method has worked pretty successfully in Half-Life as well as some of the Blizzard games (Diablo2, Starcraft)

That is the best way to do things. (If you have online games.)

UberKruX:
In my last reply to you I forgot to tell you that they probably just would give you a new CD if you turn up with a Scratched one.

[tniem]

Originally posted by UberKruX

anyway, if that takes a while, buy the game, install, copy cd, write down key, scratch the CD, and return, claiming the CD was scratched when you bought it.

they can't re-sell a broken Cd, so the key is YOURS.

keep it free!

oh, and if u need new ram goto best buy, and buy a 128 meg chip or something. pay with CASH. go home and put your 16-64 meg chip in the box and return it.

i've done this twice.

Yes, I got just what I wanted by logging into Apolyton today, my daily dose of how to be a criminal. First rape stories, now stealing, can't wait to find out what I will learn tomorrow.

[Inverse Icarus]

OH! i missed rape stories?!

and gramphos, no, i've done it before.

you just pretend like you're a huge jerk, and its THEIR fault it scracthed.

yell, and say you're never shopping here again. just ask for your money back. your taking your business elsewhere.

the customer is always right.

thats how i got black and white anyways.

oh, and i find empathy only causes problems, so i try not to think of the poor sucker that buys my 16 stick.

the system was made this way. and i was made to break it.

if i had it my way, software would be all open source. all free.

but then again the world is based on greed.

damn you.

[Inverse Icarus]

well, if I had to choose a protection system, to scare off n00bs and such, i'd do this.
[list=1][*]CD Key Check. Same CD key every time.[*]ONE CD KEY allowed on internet at the same time (if theres a central server, ala Battle.net)[*]if no central server (TCP/IP or LAN) the same CD cannot be used on both machines.[*]an automated service for stolen keys (ala the keygen). DELETES USABLE KEY THAT WAS STOLEN, gives user a new key.[/list=1]

[Kropotkin]

Isn't #3 a bit cruel? If I buy a game I want to be able to play it against a friend over the LAN. After all, a computergame costs quite a lot (unless you play it for ages like civ2) so I think consumers should be able to do that.

[Darkknight]

Originally posted by KoalaBear33
It's not as if 5 year olds play civlization

KoalaBear33

I'm sorry I didn't know my cousin was a freak. Even he could figure out the pictures.
And the guy with the hammer is construction.

[KoalaBear33]

Uber,

yo what you are doing is lame... If you can't afford something that is a different story.. but wnen you CAN and you cheat then it is lame...shouldn't be doing it...

KoalaBear33

[Guest]

Originally posted by UberKruX
OH! i missed rape stories?!

and gramphos, no, i've done it before.

you just pretend like you're a huge jerk, and its THEIR fault it scracthed.

yell, and say you're never shopping here again. just ask for your money back. your taking your business elsewhere.

the customer is always right.

thats how i got black and white anyways.

oh, and i find empathy only causes problems, so i try not to think of the poor sucker that buys my 16 stick.

the system was made this way. and i was made to break it.

if i had it my way, software would be all open source. all free.

but then again the world is based on greed.

damn you.

You are a first class Pr*ck! You are a thief and a liar, but what gets me, is that you are proud of it! I'd like to see you face the day someone steals something from you that means very much to you! You'd be sure to have a differnet opinion about stealing.

I hope you get your just deserts soon!

BTW: YOU wouldn't have to pretend to be a JERK, you already are!

[Inverse Icarus]

i dont steal from people. that is wrong.

i dont steal from the community. that is wrong.

i do not steal from the government. that is wrong.

i steal from the huge capitialistic companies who produce software purely for profit.

yes. i understand the coders have to be paid. understandible.

but, for example, world war 2 online.

$50 for the game, and then a monthly fee to play?

thats un-fawking-believeable.

and about ram, they can crank that stuff out for a nickel, and charge you 100 bucks for it.

big business blows.

if it wasn't for civ i wouldn't have the crappy excuse for an OS called winXP.

[Sabre2th]

What does civ have to do with WinXP uber? And, yes, it's still wrong.