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Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 3:10 am
by Lum
Datz ma zoftweeeeereee, brouuuuuuuuuu, I'll do everyzinnnn inma pawa to enzure ya don't make copiez of it!!! :ugeek: :twisted:

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 3:11 am
by Silverware
JanB1 wrote:There were even crazier DRMs. There was a game that had a disk with different numbers and characters and another, overlapping disk that had cutouts. During the installation, you had to turn the disk with the cutouts to a specific location and then you had to put in the numbers and characters you could see in a clockwise manner, starting from a specific point. That was one of the crazier DRMs I saw so far. :D

And about the "disk in drive", that's pretty easy. Copy all the stuff from the cd and make an image file from it. Mount it in a virtual drive and voila: ready to go. ^^
Or for Freelancer, grab the No-CD that is available at any site that still talks about freelancer.

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 8:20 am
by FormalMoss
Silverware wrote:
kostuek wrote:
JanB1 wrote: Good thing I'm not from Germany. And I dunno if there's a copy protection. But I don't think so. Old games were DRM free (mostly). :D
Since I'm a bored human being, I did a quick research. Freelancer would ask you for the original CD in your disc drive, which was probably the first version of DRM for games. :D
WRONG! :V
The earliest DRM was even more fun!

The DRM for SimEarth for example, had you look up specific numbers and values from the manual.
While now they are all mapped out and available in a text document, at the time you would have to own a copy of the manual to be able to play. :3
And other versions of this book-codes, had them printed on a laminated piece of plastic that prevented photocopying! How old skool is that? :) :D

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 8:34 am
by mcsven
Freelancer was released in 2003, well before one-time activation codes and the like. Buying a second-hand physical (i.e. with DVD and manual) copy on the web is "legit".
JanB1 wrote:There were even crazier DRMs. There was a game that had a disk with different numbers and characters and another, overlapping disk that had cutouts.
At least one of those games was Monkey Island 2. I had a copy, loved it. Got stuck for ages on using the monkey as a wrench... heh.

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 11:48 am
by Zanteogo
I've been out of country for some time and when I catch up on LT news I find Josh has two new programmers! Good news!

I always felt this was too much for a one man show.

Keep up the progress Josh and team.

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 1:47 pm
by CSE
Actually the best DRM I have seen in the old C64 days was a game delivered with a floppy that had bad blocks (unreadable parts).
The game was checking at those address on startup and if not getting a hardware error, would stop working.

The workaround was a disk copy utility that actually somehow copied the bad blocks probably by repetitively passing the write head on the same portion. Yes, at that time it was possible to control the hardware that finely.

It was over my head, but I had to wait for the new utility to get my pirate absolutely legitimate copy of the game. Don't know what it was, though.

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 11:59 pm
by JanB1
mcsven wrote:Freelancer was released in 2003, well before one-time activation codes and the like. Buying a second-hand physical (i.e. with DVD and manual) copy on the web is "legit".
Does that mean I could make copies of mine, including the disk, Handbook and Box, and sell them to you guys? :think: :ghost:

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 12:00 am
by Dinosawer
No, that's copying, not reselling.

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 12:12 am
by JanB1
But I make a copy of it and SELL it to you guys. With the handbook and the CD and the box-art and everything! :ghost:

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 12:13 am
by Dinosawer
Yes, and you're not allowed to do that. :ghost:

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 12:26 am
by Silverware
JanB1 wrote:But I make a copy of it and SELL it to you guys. With the handbook and the CD and the box-art and everything! :ghost:
Selling the original copy, not illegal.
Giving away the original copy, not illegal.
Copying the original copy, illegal.
making a backup of the original, not illegal in some places (like nz iirc)
making a backup of the original, then giving away the original, but keeping the backup, illegal. (is copying then, because you gave away you rights to own that backup)


yay copywrite laws on dead games, screwing fans over since forever. :V

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 2:02 am
by JanB1
Silverware wrote:
JanB1 wrote:But I make a copy of it and SELL it to you guys. With the handbook and the CD and the box-art and everything! :ghost:
Selling the original copy, not illegal.
Giving away the original copy, not illegal.
Copying the original copy, illegal.
making a backup of the original, not illegal in some places (like nz iirc)
making a backup of the original, then giving away the original, but keeping the backup, illegal. (is copying then, because you gave away you rights to own that backup)


yay copywrite laws on dead games, screwing fans over since forever. :V
Ah, fuck. Imma keep my game then and just let you figure out a way to get the game, arr. :problem:

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 3:35 am
by Mistycica
My fave DRM is the one that crashes on systems newer than XP.
D:

Re: Thursday, May 25, 2017

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 3:45 am
by JanB1
Mistycica wrote:My fave DRM is the one that crashes on systems newer than XP.
D:
Well... :ghost: