Where are all the cracks?

t.foster73 · #1 01-10-2003, 09:43

Is it me, or have many of the recent big releases not got cracks available for them? Games like Titans, TigerW04, Space Colony amonst many. Is it the new Safedisc/Securom protections that are foxing the crackers. I buy originals, but it's not half P****ng me off having to swap CD's all the time. COME ON GUYS, GET CRACKING!

TippeX · #2 01-10-2003, 10:23

heh you really dont have a clue, those games were cracked, your source for cracks is just crap.. thats all

krondike · #3 01-10-2003, 13:21

Quote:

Originally posted by t.foster73
Where are all the cracks?

Funny thing....becuse there are a Topic thread named "Where To Find Cracks"....

t.foster73 · #4 01-10-2003, 13:31

Where can I look for these cracks other than Siedler, G******world, Meg****mes, G****ix, or all the file sharing programs. Even Spielebrennen who can normally be relied on, seem to have had legal grief, and dropped all their cracks! Please
give me some pointers to better sites/methods.

viperspit01 · #5 01-10-2003, 21:24

Hey, don't bag Spielebrennen man, thats a damn good site, they might not have lots of cracks, but every crack I have ever downloaded from them works.....

I guess you will just have to be patient for GameCopyWolrd to update, they always have the cracks, so please be patient for everyones sake, remember, they first have to be submitted to GCW first, then it will be the webmaster (Empire I think?) choice whether they are posted on the site or not.....

EMPiRE · #6 01-10-2003, 22:29

All files/games will be posted, but you first have to get them to be able to post them... obviously

viperspit01 · #7 01-10-2003, 22:44

Quote:

All files/games will be posted, but you first have to get them to be able to post them... obviously

Indeed, but where are the files for some of the popular titles like Age Of Empires 1 & 2 and the Sims, I notice they are missing?

GLH · #8 02-10-2003, 03:33

The cracks for Age Of Empire (Microsoft) and The Sims + Expansions (EA) can you find on GameFix .

@viperspit01:
www.spielebrennen.de doesn't have any crack since a few month !!!
The reason is (when i remember right) the new copyright law here in germany.

viperspit01 · #9 02-10-2003, 05:59

Quote:

@viperspit01:
www.spielebrennen.de doesn't have any crack since a few month !!!
The reason is (when i remember right) the new copyright law here in germany.

Ok Thanks for that, but they have No-CD patches, No-CD patches don't violate any copyright laws in any country in the world as they are a stand alone patch and dont contain any of the games code. They are no different to mods, patches, trainers etc.

RincewindTheWiz · #10 02-10-2003, 06:40

Quote:

Originally posted by viperspit01
Ok Thanks for that, but they have No-CD patches, No-CD patches don't violate any copyright laws in any country in the world as they are a stand alone patch and dont contain any of the games code. They are no different to mods, patches, trainers etc.

They certainly violate the DMCA in the USA, and they will also violate the new laws coming down in all european countries because of a european directive. I'm not saying people will be actually sued for breaking a copy protection, but in the USA this is theoretically possible NOW. The DMCA forbids any bypassing of a copy protection device, and this includes patches. It will be interesting to see whether they can actually enforce this, but don't have to much illusions about patches...

krondike · #11 02-10-2003, 07:59

Quote:

Originally posted by viperspit01
Ok Thanks for that, but they have No-CD patches, No-CD patches don't violate any copyright laws in any country in the world as they are a stand alone patch and dont contain any of the games code. They are no different to mods, patches, trainers etc.

In Sweden any type of crack even no-cd patch are violate the laws. It's forbidden to backup your program, game or video in Sweden, even if it's in private use!

t.foster73 · #12 02-10-2003, 08:46

If altering game code is going to become illegal parse, are the game crack sites days all coming to an end? I have never downloaded a game in my life (other than a Demo or maybe Beta), but the thought of having to have the original on my desk gives me the creeps. I like to have my originals tucked safely away, while my backups are in a wallet if (or when) I need to reload windows and get the games re-installed. Let's be straight about this....Most downloaded WAREZ versions come pre-cracked anyway, I know as I've seen them being flogged at a local car boot sale. It's normally the genuine folks who are looking fo nocd cracks. The only problem I see is that having the crack enables you to sell the original and keep the game. While this is illegal, at least the person has bought the game in the first place, and thus the developer gets is money. I'm afraid honest people are few and far between nowadays. The fact is, when you can chip an x-box and buy an extra HD for peanuts, and then run hundreds of the latest titles from an option screen, it's just too tempting for many people, especially with games costing so much. There needs to be a radical new way in which we pay for and play our games. I purposely Don't own any console because it's more difficult to back-up the games. Unless I can make a back-up, I don't feel as though I OWN the game, if you see what I mean. I am reliant on the original not getting errors (rare I know, but it does happen). Console makers have to protect their products to a certain degree of course, but I've never bought any console since cartridge based ones. A cartridge is a solid piece of electronics that you feel is your own (sound like Gollum!), where as a cd is volatile media in my opinion. I know my veiws are sad and rather paranoid, but that is how I feel.

viperspit01 · #13 02-10-2003, 19:22

Quote:

They certainly violate the DMCA in the USA, and they will also violate the new laws coming down in all european countries because of a european directive. I'm not saying people will be actually sued for breaking a copy protection, but in the USA this is theoretically possible NOW. The DMCA forbids any bypassing of a copy protection device, and this includes patches. It will be interesting to see whether they can actually enforce this, but don't have to much illusions about patches...

Thats actually not 100% correct, what we have is stand alone "NO-CD patches" which lets just say, change the games orignal "byte Patterns" (jumps etc.) to disable the cd checks, this is not illegal, as the no-cd patch does not contain any of the games code (for instance, the no-cd patch can be a dos mode program, or a patch created with some in-house software). On the other hand, however a "Fixed exe" as most people like to call, are the games original executable with the code "reverse engineered" to remove the protection (removing the protection is not illegal in many contries, as this constitutes "backing up your game", im not 100% about this in Europe though), however the "Fixed exe" still contains the games code/coding, therefore using these "fixed exe" on a non legite copy is no different to pirating the game itself (as in obtaining the copy illgeally, say off some of the popular peer to peer programs, kazaa, overnet, e-donkey etc.)

And if you don't belive me check with your local BSA, and they also comply with the digital millenium act.

But Krondike if you say in your homeland that you can't backup your games in any way (which by the sounds of things, you need a new government!, as you legally purchased the game, and if its a "US" copy, then the EULA agreement still gives you the right to back up the game, when you click "I agree", so theres a bit of a technical for all the lawyers out their!) then yes that means any form of backing up your game, whether is be no-cd patches or not is illegal. Do you know why they came up with this law Krondike, and was there anything anyone in Swedan could have done about this? Pertition perhaps? Letters to the government? I know that letters and that might not work, but sometimes its worth a try.

BTW whats heppening with Alcohol 120% software? Because didnt they have to stop making it or something?

TippeX · #14 02-10-2003, 21:17

actually altering the executable in any shape or form is against the eula, and also probably some laws in some countries.. a no-cd patch (which patches the executable, either in memory or on disk) is strictly speaking illegal as the eula states no reversing allowed therfore for the patch to exist, the executable would have been reverse engineered/debugged to find where to patch..
like it or lump it, using cracks/no-cd patches or whatever is against the eula and by that its also against the law.. as for the magical right to be able to backup your software, i'd love to know who dreamt that one up as i cant see any legal information about it at all and i have searched.

GLH · #15 02-10-2003, 21:54

When i understand right the new german copyright laws, it is forbidden to bypass any copy protection. The way you use for that is not important. And that mean not only software-ways (Cracks/NoCDs). Also hardware. My LiteOn CD-Burner is able to make perfect 1:1 backups of Safedisc2 protected cds. Now it's illegal to make a backup of that.

And thats the problem with the new law. The manufactors only have to print "Product is copy protected" on the label/box of their product, without really having a copy protection on the CD.
If you have a backup of it, you have break the law.

Or do I see that wrong?