SubQual
03-20-2005, 06:57 AM
I have been in PC gaming for many years and every year I think the game makers will wise up and use real protection, but every year they all do the same **** meant to stop copies but do nothing but tick off legal consumers. BTW they end up being copied anyway within a week.
Proper and effective copy protection is possible with just a bit of effort.
1) Require registration either online or via phone. Each copy has a specific serial number and these are recorded and limited, thus stopping key generators.
2) Registration REQUIRES valid postal information. In this way you have proper records showing who has the games and can track attempts to pirate.
3) Provide added material for registration.
Okay here is how this works. We go buy the game and install it. We enter the CD Key and it compares to key to a database. Now the game is fully functional but some features or later missions are missing. These are sent to the address you used for registration, thus meaning real addresses will be given.
The add-on and registration is keyed to a code created by specifics in hardware of the system registering in concert with the CD key.
This means the add-on and the registration will only work on one machine.
Now the game ships with enough material to provide say a week of play for an average gamer. it ships with the tutorial in full and some basic missions. The really good missions and online play are limited to the add-on disk.
Now go a step further, all patches need the key information and the add-on installed to work. Additionally about 45 days from release offer a second add-on to registered customers.
What this will mean to consumers is an increase in cost, say every gaming running 50$ to 75$ to cover the shipping and such. However after the first game or two of this the price should fall as piracy falls.
Piracy will fall on this since this system allows consumers to make backups as needed and provides additional features for registering properly.
Companies spend to much time attempting to stop or punish priates and not enough time rewarding those that buy the game legally. The old methods do not work, it is time to try something new.
Proper and effective copy protection is possible with just a bit of effort.
1) Require registration either online or via phone. Each copy has a specific serial number and these are recorded and limited, thus stopping key generators.
2) Registration REQUIRES valid postal information. In this way you have proper records showing who has the games and can track attempts to pirate.
3) Provide added material for registration.
Okay here is how this works. We go buy the game and install it. We enter the CD Key and it compares to key to a database. Now the game is fully functional but some features or later missions are missing. These are sent to the address you used for registration, thus meaning real addresses will be given.
The add-on and registration is keyed to a code created by specifics in hardware of the system registering in concert with the CD key.
This means the add-on and the registration will only work on one machine.
Now the game ships with enough material to provide say a week of play for an average gamer. it ships with the tutorial in full and some basic missions. The really good missions and online play are limited to the add-on disk.
Now go a step further, all patches need the key information and the add-on installed to work. Additionally about 45 days from release offer a second add-on to registered customers.
What this will mean to consumers is an increase in cost, say every gaming running 50$ to 75$ to cover the shipping and such. However after the first game or two of this the price should fall as piracy falls.
Piracy will fall on this since this system allows consumers to make backups as needed and provides additional features for registering properly.
Companies spend to much time attempting to stop or punish priates and not enough time rewarding those that buy the game legally. The old methods do not work, it is time to try something new.