Nocd Patches

[Luciel]

Ok, so companies make protection so people cant copy the games and as annoying as some people who just want to make a backup find it, i can understand it, but, if u think about it, why couldnt game companies make nocdpatches? i mean it would let users be able to play their games without using the cd and thereby saving them from a reason of why having to make a backup and yes it would piss many out there because some of u download the games and i have to admit im not exactly innocent but i buy the games and i think this would be a good idea, what u guys think?

[TippeX]

erm thats a contradicction

the cdrom (as far as the companies are conscerned) is your ONLY proof of purchase, as its a protected cdrom, deemed uncopyable beause of the protection, the executable is wrapped with the protection, the protection checks the cdrom for authenticity.. therefore a nocd patch from the company would completely defeat the protection, and allow you to install the game, take it back to the shop, get a refund, go back home and backup your install which obviously would be illegal and against the rules of this board.. but maybe that helps paint the picture for you?

[Luciel]

hmm i ddint see it that way, well wat about an installation that didnt require a cd to play?

[t.foster73]

In my view, if you can't backup the CD, then you don't OWN the game, you just own the right to play it, as long as the CD holds out (Which won't be long at all, if it has to be in the CD ROM drive all the time).

[Joe Forster/STA]

Mind you, Luciel, there have been quite a few very nice games whose late upgrades removed the copy protection or they have never been protected at all: Quake 2 and Return to Castle Wolfenstein comes to my mind, but DOOM also came on plain floppy disks, if I remember correctly!

Joe

[Luciel]

that is rite joe, i still proudly own in mint condition the floppy version fo doom in its original box with the 39.99 price on it :P

[tbaher]

an installation that didnt require a cd to play

Or an installation with a "FULL" option for all the people with enough HDD space.
I think the protection should be in the install/setup part and not every single time you run the game. This should defeat the "return to store" thing.

How do you actually return a game to a store? "I didn't like it"?

i still proudly own in mint condition the floppy version fo doom in its original box

Do people still have floppy drives? Do floppy disks actually live that long? Did ANYONE play doom with a mouse? was it even an option?

[Luciel]

well in doom95 u could but only sideways and yes i do own a floppy at times its very usefull

And in the uk at least "game" have a policy of if u dont like the game (if u paid full price, not a reduced one) u can return it within 15 days wich its extremly stupid or u could always do wat i did with trackmania, yes it was good but not enough for wat i paid so i said it was buggy and it wouldnt run properly so they took it back, its not like there gonna install it and check is it? hope i dont get banned for this lol and for the record, i didnt make a backup lol

[Jedimaster Player]

I reckon for a protected Disk they should go at it like this:

You buy the Game from a retailer
You need a Serial but the package has no Serial or Activation thing except a Phone Number

You get home & you can not Install the Game, Until you Ring or Email the Company that made the Game (With your Proof of Purchase Receit) before they will give you a Serial Install Key.

So in otherwords you have to Register your Name with them for the Serial Key they gave you, & at the Same time the Disk has no Protection on it because it can not be installed without a Serial.

I guess they could make a CD Check on the Protection as it can still be easier to Backup with as its I believe our write to have a Backup of the Original.

Also I reckon if they keep going with all these Protections things that they should replace our Disks if they are Damaged through a lot of Playing with.

[caki]

Another revival. Looks like this board is being visited by Thread Paladins lately.

[Joe Forster/STA]

@Jedimaster Player: Wake up from your dream and learn much more about what crackers are capable of. E.g. Windows XP's activation - which is similar to what you described - was cracked within days or even hours... Also, activation is a bitch if you 1) have no Net access at home and 2) there are no distributors for the game in your country in which case you have to do an expensive foreign call! (Mind you, no, not all people live in the USA...)

[DABhand]

The only way to do it properly, is to either..

1. Distribute games with a unique code on each cd, which has to be activated via online or via phone call.

2. publishers to keep a note of all serials being used when games are shipped, and ask people to call or activate online, and cross reference the serial. If used more than once in a short time, they will know if one copy has been leaked.

[Jedimaster Player]

@Joe Forster/STA
Yes I can see where you are comming from, as this topic took me by surprise & its what I had 1st impressions of what they should do, but after you pointing that out with me its not as good as I 1st thought.

As they say there is always another way wether it's better or for worse, I reckon that Protections on Games will always be around...

Gotta think about what the guy thinks about his own Copy Protection when it comes to buying a Game with his own Protection Creation on it ? LoL

1. Does he get rid of his protection in the Game to play without it

or

2. Does he live with it & use the Original Disk all the time (I Bet Not)

or

3. Does he get the Game without the Protection on it ?

What do you think... What would you do in this sitsuation. Especially if you created the Protection for the Game you bought.

[glenbo]

sounds all good,but if i had to ring a phone number everytime i bought a game i just wouldnt bother anymore.

people dont like hassle.

hell i never even rang microsoft for my activation code,i just cracked it.(before i had the net)

[Jedimaster Player]

Yea ok But what if the Phone Call was free for the 1st Time only just to get your Code ?