Macrovision plans to foil game pirates

CygnusZ · October 9, 2003, 15:06

Fade software slowly, so slowly, makes copied games unusable. Counts on gamer's frustration to spur sales of the legal code.

Macrovision, the anti-piracy company whose video-protection software has frustrated movie-dubbers for years, is now turning its sights toward gaming. According to an article on New Scientist's Web site, the company's new Fade protection system takes a unique approach to foiling illegal copying.

Instead of ruining the games outright, Fade installs a program that disables the game's functions over time. For example, an illegal copy of Codemasters' Operation Flashpoint, the first title to feature Fade protection, would play fine--at first. Eventually, though, the player would be unable to reload his guns or target opponents accurately, rendering the bootlegged game unplayable.

Ironically, Fade-protected games act much like a demo, giving players a taste of the action and then taking it away. By whetting the appetite of pirates, Macrovision is hoping Fade will help boost sales of its customers' legal copies.

Codemasters' Bruce Everiss seems pleased. "The beauty of this is that the degrading copy becomes a sales promotion tool," he is quoted as saying. "People [will then] go out and buy an original version."
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Source: http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6076592.htm

How interesting, but I think it's naive to believe that a bunch of "educated" programmers are going to outwit the hacking scene. Does this mean though that software companies are actually giving up on traditional methods of cracking down on distribution of pirated games? Also, it seems inevitable that the fadeware is going to affect legitimate players too. This will cause backlash against fadeware and lead to confusion on the hotline as to who has a "legit' game and who doesn't.

Harry Seldon · October 9, 2003, 16:28

It would be kind of cool if it worked. Basically a full feature demo at the outset. They're smoking crack if they think no one will crack that eventually, or that it won't accidentally happen to legitimate game users.

General Ludd · October 9, 2003, 16:38

I don't see how this will make any difference... it's the same cause, just different effect. They're just looking for ways to jerk around with people.

Traianvs · October 9, 2003, 16:57

Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

Standup · October 9, 2003, 17:06

The DVD version that i saw being touted had the DVD actually slowly corrode. I only read a brief press release but the idea was that exposure to air would start the slow decay of the disc. Sounded full of problems and i would have thought people would rent films if they only wanted to watch them for a limited time.
And if you're going to copy a disc you just do it sooner rather than later.

asleepathewheel · October 9, 2003, 17:13

I thought this was about Pirates 2

Quote:

Originally posted by Trajanus
Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

exactly what I was thinking. Hmm.

MattH · October 9, 2003, 17:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Trajanus
Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

I think a tax software (TaxCut?) company was trying to do copy-protection and they put a file in the boot sector of the hard drive that you can't remove without a low-level format.

Nubclear · October 9, 2003, 18:31

Wouldn't that be illegal? Many viruses do the same thing...

And this type of "protection" has been around for years. Hardly new.

DrSpike · October 9, 2003, 19:31

This will no doubt work, at least until someone figures out a way to make it obselete.

Main_Brain · October 9, 2003, 20:29

Aslo many games Nowadays are so short you can finish them (Low Replay Value) before it degrades.
To be more specific, Me and a Buddy finished Unreal 2 on a Weekend

Skanky Burns · October 10, 2003, 00:29

Maybe its a good thing - it would help promote games with depth.

Urban Ranger · October 10, 2003, 00:56

Since it is impossible to distinguish between an original and a bit image copy, what that means that either buyers of legit games will get shafted as well, or that it's another piece of crap as usual.

Take your pick.

Harry Seldon · October 10, 2003, 13:11

I'd like to go with legit gamers getting the shaft, please.

Asmodean · October 10, 2003, 14:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Trajanus
Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

Unless some value has been written in your registration database, forcing you to do a complete reinstall of Windows if you wish to play the game again.

Asmodean

General Ludd · October 10, 2003, 14:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Asmodean

Unless some value has been written in your registration database, forcing you to do a complete reinstall of Windows if you wish to play the game again.

Asmodean

Or delete it with a registry editer.

Asmodean · October 10, 2003, 15:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Osweld

Or delete it with a registry editer.

Providing you can find said value, and know with what to replace it

Asmodean

Qilue · October 10, 2003, 23:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Seldon
I'd like to go with legit gamers getting the shaft, please.

Legitimate gamers are already getting shafted.

A good thing though is buggy copy protection would give gamers here in Australia a legitimate reason for returning an opened game.

At present, a steaming pile of excrement masquerading as a game can't be returned unless the medium on which the game is recorded is bad, and even then, most stores will only replace, not refund.

Nubclear · October 10, 2003, 23:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Asmodean

Providing you can find said value, and know with what to replace it

Asmodean

Backup your registry before installing the game....restore your registry after it breaks.

Urban Ranger · October 11, 2003, 00:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
Backup your registry before installing the game....restore your registry after it breaks.

Once upon a time there was just the utility that did exactly that. It's called Cleansweep and was published by Quarterdeck. Alas, after Symantec snapped up Quarterdeck, the program is no more. Or should I say, they stopped producing updated versions of it.

sabrewolf · October 12, 2003, 08:57

i'm sure there something 'open-sourcy' around the web. it can't be too difficult to make a diff before and after the installation of a game...