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TO PROTECT OR NOT TO PROTECT, THAT IS THE QUESTION!
Posts
WeasleX
0
WeasleX
View playlists
CloseNow there are projects out there, and I'm not going to name any names, (*sneeze*Laxiuspower*sneeze*) that seem to try to protect resources, that obviously were not built by them in any way shape or form. My question is, do you do this, and more importantly, why?
Projects like this tend to try to set folders to hidden, or set the resource to an xyz (which can easily be undone btw.) for terms of trying to protect the work. Now, if it was your own genuine work that you wanted to protect, I'd respect and understand that. Though with the aforementioned project above, most if not all of the resources, were not theirs at all, yet they chose to hide the resources.... It just seems out of whack to me.
Projects like this tend to try to set folders to hidden, or set the resource to an xyz (which can easily be undone btw.) for terms of trying to protect the work. Now, if it was your own genuine work that you wanted to protect, I'd respect and understand that. Though with the aforementioned project above, most if not all of the resources, were not theirs at all, yet they chose to hide the resources.... It just seems out of whack to me.
I have no opinion on this matter one way or the other but the general consensus around here seems to be it is heresy and no one should ever do it under any circumstances because then no one can cannibalize your resources.
I am a big proponent of sharing resources, especially rips/edits you compiled but did not create. I think even sharing original resources is a really good thing to do.
I tend to at least TRY to protect my own projects, not because of resources, but because I feel uncomfortable about the idea of someone altering my work in the editor and redistributing it. It is more of an attempt at version control.
I tend to at least TRY to protect my own projects, not because of resources, but because I feel uncomfortable about the idea of someone altering my work in the editor and redistributing it. It is more of an attempt at version control.
I can understand when you've got original resources that you don't want all over the place, but for a project that uses ripped/default everything I can't see why. I mean, I understand what you mean, Max, but really, how many times have you played a game and then decided to mess around with everything/change something and redistribute? Really?
Personally, I like to be able to have a look at the nuts and bolts of a game to see how they did such and such - how something works. Or if the walk speed is far too slow, then I'll add an event that'll speed em up, or if there's an unpassable bug - fix it.
Personally, I like to be able to have a look at the nuts and bolts of a game to see how they did such and such - how something works. Or if the walk speed is far too slow, then I'll add an event that'll speed em up, or if there's an unpassable bug - fix it.
Pokemaniac
3559
I left Think Outside The Box open firstly because I hadn't had time to test it(The whole last level was made in a night =/), but secondly so people could have a snoop around at the inside of the game. I actually probably would encrypt my projects otherwise, but it's more of a mental thing then a logical thing. Also by the sounds of it it's a lot easier to encrypt with VXP then it is with 2k3 but I don't use 2k3 so I wouldn't know. But XP at least has a tick box to encrypt the files. (With like a gazillion un-encrypters. They must be relatively easy to make- people do it for fun. =/)
I will put an Amazon coupon in my game to make people play it. X,-DD
That's why I have to use Molebox. I won't, if you guys promise me that you won't search the folders to get the coupon. The choice is yours.
That's why I have to use Molebox. I won't, if you guys promise me that you won't search the folders to get the coupon. The choice is yours.
I'd be more honored than offended knowing that someone wants to use my stuff in their games. If your project is good enough, people will know where the resources came from. If not, it's not worth protecting it.
I think overall amateur gamemaking community should have more of a spirit of mutual helping, instead of competition... and that applies for this case.
I think overall amateur gamemaking community should have more of a spirit of mutual helping, instead of competition... and that applies for this case.
the only reason I would protect the game is to stop people from test playing it in the editor, skipping through text and avoiding enemies, I'd like to make sure everyone is getting everything out of the game that I put into it.
Also, to a lesser extent, peeking in the database to read common events, or information about PCs who were in the database but not in the demo. This one is lesser, however, it's nice to know that some people are intrigued enough to get as much info about the game as possible from it.
But I don't write protect my game because then people would complain about it. RPGVirtuoso was complaining about it before I even thought about doing it this time.
Also, to a lesser extent, peeking in the database to read common events, or information about PCs who were in the database but not in the demo. This one is lesser, however, it's nice to know that some people are intrigued enough to get as much info about the game as possible from it.
But I don't write protect my game because then people would complain about it. RPGVirtuoso was complaining about it before I even thought about doing it this time.
RM protection like VXP and Molebox takes no time to crack (point script at game, let the sparks fly!). All you'll lock out are the people who aren't very interested in opening your game.
DFalcon
2141
The sense I always had was that the standard encryptions have never really been effective at protecting resources (whether they're original or not, though people might not go to the trouble of extracting non-original stuff).
So all encryption really does is prevent me from changing stuff in the editor, which is a pain because in most RM games I've played I've encountered a couple bugs I want to fix. (I can't remember changing a game for any other reason, such as to bring up walk speed - not because of a particular commitment to someone's artistic vision, it's just that I'll usually quit instead.)
That said, I think that particular point was more of an issue in an "everybody using RM2K(3)" community awhile back. Greater diversity of makers around here doesn't necessarily make games less buggy, but it decreases the odds that I have the maker and the knowhow to do something about bugs.
Your choice, but has this ever happened to anyone? I don't even remember hearing about any translation in the community whose translator didn't get permission from the original creator first.
So all encryption really does is prevent me from changing stuff in the editor, which is a pain because in most RM games I've played I've encountered a couple bugs I want to fix. (I can't remember changing a game for any other reason, such as to bring up walk speed - not because of a particular commitment to someone's artistic vision, it's just that I'll usually quit instead.)
That said, I think that particular point was more of an issue in an "everybody using RM2K(3)" community awhile back. Greater diversity of makers around here doesn't necessarily make games less buggy, but it decreases the odds that I have the maker and the knowhow to do something about bugs.
post=139213
I tend to at least TRY to protect my own projects, not because of resources, but because I feel uncomfortable about the idea of someone altering my work in the editor and redistributing it. It is more of an attempt at version control.
Your choice, but has this ever happened to anyone? I don't even remember hearing about any translation in the community whose translator didn't get permission from the original creator first.
post=139248
RM protection like VXP and Molebox takes no time to crack (point script at game, let the sparks fly!). All you'll lock out are the people who aren't very interested in opening your game.
gyahahahahahahaha
WeasleX
0
post=139213
I am a big proponent of sharing resources, especially rips/edits you compiled but did not create. I think even sharing original resources is a really good thing to do.
I tend to at least TRY to protect my own projects, not because of resources, but because I feel uncomfortable about the idea of someone altering my work in the editor and redistributing it. It is more of an attempt at version control.
See, I don't even protect my work. Why? Because people need to learn how to map, and how are they going to learn how to map by just playing the game. I personally, took a bunch of samples, put them in Ebon Scape to use as a reference (players can't play these samples) because the chipsets I used were just too hard to toy with. This was how I learned, I based it off of what the work was originally intended for.
If more people did what I did, we wouldn't have as many projects poorly mapped because people would know HOW to use those maps properly. (mapping is very important to me) Though I did add a Copy Right to my work, so that is a tool you could use if your that concerned.
Kaempfer
1932
I doubt I'll ever protect a game. Not only is it an annoying thing to do, it also runs totally contrary to the very basis graphics for most of RPGMaker games: rip and edits.
How often do you see graphics stolen from another RM game, anyway? I mean, a complete (or mostly complete) good game? If someone wants to use my edits and edit them themselves then I support that. But, uh, ideally only after I've used them so people don't get confused about who's using who's graphics!
How often do you see graphics stolen from another RM game, anyway? I mean, a complete (or mostly complete) good game? If someone wants to use my edits and edit them themselves then I support that. But, uh, ideally only after I've used them so people don't get confused about who's using who's graphics!
WeasleX
0
post=139272
I don't understand. You don't have to open the game in the editor to check the maps.
How else would you do it? Take a screen shot of every section of the game?
No, just play it. You don't have to COPY the maps, just learn from how they're made, right? Just observe them while playing.
WolfCoder
3554
WeaponBirth has random parts of it modify-protected. Some parts are just protected by default (Acknex does this) to deter people from injecting viruses and stuff. Other parts are protected by side-effect, my scripts get compiled into a single lump of binary data which also makes it harder to get at and change. By nature, it becomes protected, but not intentionally. My scripts kind of have to be turned into binary data to run at all, you know.
This is why I'm going to release debug versions of WeaponBirth which auto-compile the resource folders and scripts every time you run them in case people want to edit the events and stuff. It helps people point out flaws and such. Not to mention at the very end, the source code for the engine is LGPL and you could download it. And if you have a version of WED (Map Editor) and set your settings carefully so that it works with A6 engines, you could edit the maps too.
This is why I'm going to release debug versions of WeaponBirth which auto-compile the resource folders and scripts every time you run them in case people want to edit the events and stuff. It helps people point out flaws and such. Not to mention at the very end, the source code for the engine is LGPL and you could download it. And if you have a version of WED (Map Editor) and set your settings carefully so that it works with A6 engines, you could edit the maps too.
Shinan
4314
AGS protects its stuff by default. And I don't mind it at all. Though it's mostly to hide my horribly inefficient coding that I really don't want people to look at. But if people would like the resources I use they just need to ask and I'll give them to them (or alternatively link them to whereever I found them)
I actually like the "ask and you shall receive" method generally though. While it's simple to just steal and credit it's always nice if people ask before using something you made. (or at the very least say something like "I used your stuff" once they've released the game. Provided there's an easy way to get hold of the creator that is. But oftentimes there is.)
I actually like the "ask and you shall receive" method generally though. While it's simple to just steal and credit it's always nice if people ask before using something you made. (or at the very least say something like "I used your stuff" once they've released the game. Provided there's an easy way to get hold of the creator that is. But oftentimes there is.)
