How to protect your server and client files?
by Jorge Luis Gandulfo · in Torque Game Engine · 04/14/2004 (9:52 pm) · 51 replies
There is any way i can protect my code?
I mean the scripts are there for all to see and modify, also the exe contains both server and client code isnt that a bad thing to distribute?
I can protect the exe with some envelope software i bought, y can use enconding to protect scripts, but still is hard to make a protection for a MMO.
Any suggestions?
Maybe i have to get rid of some of the basic scripts, i dont know.
I mean the scripts are there for all to see and modify, also the exe contains both server and client code isnt that a bad thing to distribute?
I can protect the exe with some envelope software i bought, y can use enconding to protect scripts, but still is hard to make a protection for a MMO.
Any suggestions?
Maybe i have to get rid of some of the basic scripts, i dont know.
#42
This wont stop someone with real experience to unluck files/exe, but at least it will deal with 98% (or more) of the cracking/hacking attemps you might have.
Works fine for me, anyway you are right about the employees, but what can i do, im an indie developer with dreams to make a mmo :), and i need to host my game.
04/21/2004 (1:10 pm)
Mmm nah its not paranoia, im just being cautious, the good thing i found is, this Hard Key protection can protect the files you open or save with your Exe, the protection is an encryption that is very hard to go trough.This wont stop someone with real experience to unluck files/exe, but at least it will deal with 98% (or more) of the cracking/hacking attemps you might have.
Works fine for me, anyway you are right about the employees, but what can i do, im an indie developer with dreams to make a mmo :), and i need to host my game.
#43
as everyone has said, all the effort you are considering is a waste of time especially since you don't even have a game out yet.
Remember EVERYTHING has to be DE-CRYPTED to run in memory, it is a simple thing to scan memory and hack stuff once all that fancy encryption is undone!
you got alot to learn about why this is a waste of effort.
04/21/2004 (1:31 pm)
That HASP protection can be broken in less than an hour . . . with easily available and obtainable tools.as everyone has said, all the effort you are considering is a waste of time especially since you don't even have a game out yet.
Remember EVERYTHING has to be DE-CRYPTED to run in memory, it is a simple thing to scan memory and hack stuff once all that fancy encryption is undone!
you got alot to learn about why this is a waste of effort.
#44
You just don't give the client the server code, you keep it separate. Simple. We ripped out the entire hosting capability from our source when distributing.. this makes it a pain to clone the server and make it work.
04/21/2004 (1:32 pm)
Jorge: Well, scripts? If you're even thinking about distributing the server code in the binary, then you probably don't have to worry about the scripts!You just don't give the client the server code, you keep it separate. Simple. We ripped out the entire hosting capability from our source when distributing.. this makes it a pain to clone the server and make it work.
#45
I do not know a single mmo game that doesnt have a server emulator out there for it. EQ, DaoC, PlanetSide, UO, SB, AO they all have server emulators if you look hard enough you will find.
That said anytime you have files on a client machine someone will crack it eventuly. Took me all but 5 hours to crack the Lineage 2 encryption without even really trying to do it.
Eventuly as a developer you just have to cut your losses and focus on getting the game done long before even thinking of encrypting the files, ect. You could spend 10 years working on an encryption system only to never use it since you never made the game to start with.
Worry about making a great game first then once its done worry about the encryption. I could only dream of having a game that sells enough copys and generates enough interest that people would want to crack it, warez, ect.
04/21/2004 (1:33 pm)
I think Ben has said it best. There is NO way to secure your work. No matter what you do. How many years you put into it someone will crack it eventuly.I do not know a single mmo game that doesnt have a server emulator out there for it. EQ, DaoC, PlanetSide, UO, SB, AO they all have server emulators if you look hard enough you will find.
That said anytime you have files on a client machine someone will crack it eventuly. Took me all but 5 hours to crack the Lineage 2 encryption without even really trying to do it.
Eventuly as a developer you just have to cut your losses and focus on getting the game done long before even thinking of encrypting the files, ect. You could spend 10 years working on an encryption system only to never use it since you never made the game to start with.
Worry about making a great game first then once its done worry about the encryption. I could only dream of having a game that sells enough copys and generates enough interest that people would want to crack it, warez, ect.
#46
04/21/2004 (1:53 pm)
Anarchy Online most certainly hasn't got a server emulator that is working, it's capable of sending chat back and forth but more than that, no. Asherons Call haven't got any either.
#48
04/21/2004 (2:30 pm)
Everything can be "hacked", even that tool Jarrod. :)
#49
;)
04/22/2004 (4:24 pm)
Message from root@pliars.robertson.com on pts/0 at 18:25 ... 1 r00ted j00r pl14rz, j4rr0d EOF
;)
#50
04/23/2004 (7:08 am)
Nice try Ben but they are wire cutters and there is no T in my last name :-)
#51
04/23/2004 (7:45 am)
I just hacked the robertson's toolchest. :-/ 
Torque Owner Thiago Bastos
They could still edit the world database files to cheat, and steal private costumer information.
IMHO you're quite paranoid. You should try to secure the servers in the datacenter, not the server program. If you're using an external DBM it won't help you anyway.