Opened 18 years ago

Closed 18 years ago

#2256 closed defect (fixed)

ITE: Missing copy protection

Reported by: eriktorbjorn Owned by: sev-
Priority: high Component: Engine: SAGA
Version: Keywords:
Cc: Game: Inherit the Earth

Description

According to our TODO list, the copy protection screen for the original release of Inherit the Earth is not yet implemented. As far as I understand, it was hard-coded into the game engine, rather than scripted as it is in the SCUMM games.

Even though this would make it fairly simple for any would-be pirate to disable, we probably should implement it anyway as a gesture of good faith.

Ticket imported from: #1326833. Ticket imported from: bugs/2256.

Change History (12)

comment:1 by eriktorbjorn, 18 years ago

Owner: set to sev-

comment:2 by sev-, 18 years ago

I completely forgot about this. Thank you for reminding. This definietely should be done before relase. Raising priority to critical level.

comment:3 by sev-, 18 years ago

Priority: normalhigh

comment:4 by SF/simsaw, 18 years ago

I don't think this would make it harder for would-be pirates. If there is a copy protection they can simply hack it. And in this case they could simply offer savegames AFTER passing the copy protection.

comment:5 by eriktorbjorn, 18 years ago

Or they could pirate the Wyrmkeep release, which doesn't even have the copy protection.

But as I said, I see this as mainly being a show of good faith, seeing how Wyrmkeep were kind enough to provide us with the source code for the game.

comment:6 by (none), 18 years ago

Logged In: NO

Oh come on, this is just ridiculous - and taking away comfortness to other users. And remeber: There are still versions outside which don't have that copy protection.

It's almost making me sick seeing that you make such a (stupid) copy protection to priority 8 and pushing others down to 1 like the Simon2 map bug which is important to me. Rather fix four Simon bugs I tell you and you get 5 EUR and if you'll manage it before the release I'll give another 2 EUR.

And fixing that the mouse still is visible in end scene is also more important. Why caring about such a copy protection? That is so pass! Why do you think there no one since CD games? Because people HATE them! And on the other side it would make a bad impression on LucasArts to leave their games without copy protection but to include for other company's games. With this way you'll surely decrease the chances of making LucasArts' games freeware!

To be short: Put down the prioriy and better care for other bugs, thanks.

comment:7 by sev-, 18 years ago

Well, as a first thing we really should deny anonymous posting here. If you're so sincere why do you hide?

Second, we for ourselves decide which bugs should be fixed and when.

It is very important for us to implement that copy protection screen.

As of your Simon bugs...

To be short: go fix them by yourself and submit proper patches, I'll pay you 8 EUR.

comment:8 by fingolfin, 18 years ago

Woa, 5 Euros for fixing those bugs, with a "bonus" of 2 Euros? I wonder if you really think that would be "generous", of if you merely try to be deeply insulting. I wouldn't even start *thinking* about doing paid software development work for that kind of money. If you want to get us all so sincerly pissed off that we all just go away, turn our energies on more rewarding projects (or jobs), and let this project just die -- you are on the right track, congratulations...

If you were serious about offering payment for fixing issues... let's see, Mr. Nobody, I'll offer you a reduced rate of 25 Euros/hour (I normally wouldn't work for that kind of money, but hey, this is for fun, right?). I can't give a proper estimate for how long it would take to fix the mentioned Simon issues on the spot, though. Getting a proper estimate will take me between a half and a full hour of work, though. Paid, of course. But I think itLll be at least 2 working days, and at most a week (8 hours each).

Just mail me and we can arrange the payment details.

comment:9 by SF/simsaw, 18 years ago

I didn't mean to hide, it's just that this remember function didn't work as I expected... Argh, for crying out loud, don't wanted to start a "war". This 7 EUR just should be a little motivation and gesture, well, better forget about that. @fingolfin: Yeah, sure, one day when I am a very rich bonze. But this could take awhile, I can't wash dishes that fast... :)

It just hurts my eyes when I see such (in my eyes unimportant) things rated to high critical and my burg reports are set to lowest importance. Oh well, better to shut up and only post bugs after calculating a probability over 60% that they could be fixed in less than 2 years.

By the way, will it then be still possible to disactivate copy protection as in the LA games or will this be impossible? And did Wyrmkeep tell you have to insert this? Then it would be allright. But I can't imagine, copy prot. is out.

(Just btw: Is Wyrmkeep no also the copyright holder of DOS ItE and German "Erben der Erde" and is there a French version of ItE? Need to know that.)

comment:10 by sev-, 18 years ago

You find yourself in such position just because you seem to know a little about programming. But if something hurts you, do not hurt others. Especially in things like this. You completely discourage people and I know real stories when developers just abandoned their projects because of such users reaction. We're doing it completely voluntary. You've already demonstrated your aggression earlier on our forums and even some bugreports. That serves no good. (argh, this is a bugtracker, back to the topic)

Main difference between ITE and Simon is that we have complete source code for former but not the latter. Also Wyrmkeep was extremely cooperative with us and still is when we work on IHNM. So as eriktorbjorn points out that would be a sign of our goodwill when we will be faithful to their code and add that protection. Also our rule is to stick closely to original behaviour so if original has the protection then we should implement it.

As of making it optional. With LEC games it is different story. There exist rereleases of the games where game data stayed the same but .exe file was patched officially to skip the protection. That means that we can't tell a difference between them and so made protection an option. For example we added skipping of copy protection screen for Indy3ega only in August of 2004 when appropriate original version was found.

So for adding possibility to skip protection in ITE (only floppy version, both German and English) I have to ask Wyrmkeep. I will do it despite your harmful comments, just because I've planned it to do earlier.

German translation as well as Amiga port were made by outside companies, so they do not hold copyright on translation, but whole game and characters are still their. I never heard about French translation. Any pointers/hints/URLs?

comment:11 by sev-, 18 years ago

Resolution: fixed
Status: newclosed

comment:12 by sev-, 18 years ago

Fixed in CVS.

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