We've all heard about it before. People using hotline servers, carracho servers, or even their own website, to distribute pirated software. They thrive by giving away other people's work for free. If we start developing comercial-quality games, what can we do to protect our games from being distributed for free? (without nuking their computer and breaking the law ourselves of course)

------------------
We are Microsoft.
You will be assimilated.
Resistance is futile.

Quote

Originally posted by Madman:
**We've all heard about it before. People using hotline servers, carracho servers, or even their own website, to distribute pirated software. They thrive by giving away other people's work for free. If we start developing comercial-quality games, what can we do to protect our games from being distributed for free? (without nuking their computer and breaking the law ourselves of course)
**

You really can't unless you use some sort of 'dongle' technology. Free distribution is, well, a 'free' way to get your game distributed. If it is shareware, then you can (with embedded password coding w/SN's) force folks to register it with you. If 'password opened' games show up, you should be able to trace the original registerer and 'go get he/she' if you wish. Password 'cracked' versions are much more difficult to deal with.

Illegal copies that are being 'sold' however, are another matter entirely, and one has much more help from various groups and agencies to put a stop to this practice.

The relatively large size of Coldstone games will probably limit the server distribution method, but then there is the new wave of CD-R(W) and DVD-R(W) distribution that might open up new channels. But, as above, only the password cracked and/or sold disks should be considered a threat for shareware.

Skip

------------------
...it wasn't me...

:sigh: your choice of subject lines makes me wish Andrew would implement a utility to let us mods modify the subject lines...

I'm hoping that CGE will have some built-in copy protection mechanism. Since PoG seems like it's going to be distributed by ASW, and Ambrosia states that they will distribute games that meet their quality standards, I would assume there will be some sort of protection or another.

However, no form of protection is unbreakable, and it seems that living with thieves will be a fact of life. Makes you appreciate what shareware authors go through all the better.

------------------
People who claim the sky is falling obviously aren't aware the earth is falling, too.