Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!caen!umich!vela!hastoerm
From: hastoerm@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Moriland)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games
Subject: Re: Copy protection (e.g. the Lemmings debate)
Message-ID: <5289@vela.acs.oakland.edu>
Date: 1 Mar 91 15:27:13 GMT
References: <213@cbmswe.UUCP>
Reply-To: hastoerm@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Moriland)
Organization: Evil Young Mutants For A Better Tomorrow.
Lines: 63

In article <213@cbmswe.UUCP> hjalmar@cbmswe.UUCP (Peter Hjalmarsson) writes:
}
}(For the European developers that reads this, this is an answer to the
}copy protection debate that has been going on in comp.sys.amiga.games
}the latest week.)
}
}I really don't want to add fuel to the fire, but this is an idea that I
}haven't seen before, so I just thought that I would give a good idea (for
}free!) to those publishers that might be reading this:
}
}There has been said here that to give maximum performance for unexpanded
}A500 users, the program must be in a custom-DOS format. Also, the program
}must be copy-protected to discourage "friend-to-friend" copying. On top of
}it, the program cannot multitask, because it would be too large. (Please
}observe that I don't want to argue about the validity of these claims, it
}is only the arguments put forward by those who are for copy protection.)
}OK then, sell the program that way, much as it is today.
}
}Now, the unexpanded A500 users are happy, what about the "power users"?
}They don't want super-fast floppy loaders, they want HD loading, and multi-
}tasking.
}
}They have more memory, so a version that multitasks won't be a problem.
}They have a HD, so they don't need custom DOS loaders.
}
}In the package, also include a "HD-install" disk. This disk will pack up
}the custom-DOS game disk, and install it on the HD in normal file format.
}It will also replace the custom-DOS loader module with a normal-DOS loader,
}with a _key_disk_copy_protection_scheme_, asking for the original disk
}once each time the game is started. This version of the game will not load
}unless there is more than 1MB of memory, _thus_proventing_copying_to_the
}neighbour_next_door_who_has_an_unexpanded_A500.
}
}The latter is important since this version will probably be somewhat easier
}to crack. The "power users" however will not pirate it in the same amount
}as the "unexpanded" users, since this is more sophisticated users, that will
}want to have a manual, and so on.
}
}One might even choose to charge extra for this "HD-install" disk, by making
}the users who want it, order it via a coupon in the package. Remember, this
}is the type of users that is willing to pay a little extra for added
}functionality.
}
}
}So what do you think, is this a feasible way to solve the problem? Is the
}programming problems too big to make it a financially good solution?
}
}
}
}Peter Hjalmarsson, Amiga Developer Support, Commodore Sweden
}...{uunet|rutgers|pyramid}cbmvax!cbmehq!cbmswe!hjalmar
}No, I don't have a .sig, I make this up as I go along!

I could live with that....

				--Moriland



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