Taking the p*^s
by FruitBatInShades · in General Discussion · 08/19/2005 (1:59 am) · 15 replies
I've had a bit of a situation lately and I'd like to pick your brains. I have been selling my Medieval Texture Pack and all has been going well. Recently I sold a copy to someone and there have been 27 downloads of their copy, a little extreme I think.
Everyone else has downloaded their copy once or twice so I feel the customer in question is taking the mick and has probably given the url out. I have disabled their download but how would I go about following it up now that there are 26 illegitimate copies out there?
Everyone else has downloaded their copy once or twice so I feel the customer in question is taking the mick and has probably given the url out. I have disabled their download but how would I go about following it up now that there are 26 illegitimate copies out there?
#2
a good way to limit piracy is to individualize the files.
it's a lot of overhead, but having an invisible watermark on images is a good way to reduce piracy.
If that's too extreme for you, requiring the user to input their name/password before downloading will slightly decrease piracy (make them have to share it on their OWN website instead of just posting a link to yours)
also, doing creative things like offering the textures ONLINE in a web-browsable gallery, instead of a download pack might help.. as long as it helps the user experience, not hinder it. Also releasing content updates (for free) to registered owners is a good way to build loyaly.
08/19/2005 (2:30 am)
Also, fyi...a good way to limit piracy is to individualize the files.
it's a lot of overhead, but having an invisible watermark on images is a good way to reduce piracy.
If that's too extreme for you, requiring the user to input their name/password before downloading will slightly decrease piracy (make them have to share it on their OWN website instead of just posting a link to yours)
also, doing creative things like offering the textures ONLINE in a web-browsable gallery, instead of a download pack might help.. as long as it helps the user experience, not hinder it. Also releasing content updates (for free) to registered owners is a good way to build loyaly.
#3
How would that help? The user still has the pictures on their PC. Just they have to load a couple more pages than just performing one down load. I must be missing something here. What is it?
08/19/2005 (4:46 am)
Quote:
doing creative things like offering the textures ONLINE in a web-browsable gallery, instead of a download pack might help.
How would that help? The user still has the pictures on their PC. Just they have to load a couple more pages than just performing one down load. I must be missing something here. What is it?
#4
This is just an idea:
Put up an ftp server with the texture files on it.
When someone purchases texture pack, allow them access to that directory.
Create a rule that the files can be downloaded only a certian number of times during a given duration. (Once per twenty four hours).
If the textures are downloaded every day from a different IP addy each time, then you can disable the account and contact the buyer.
This might be a minor inconvenience for buyers... so you could make an automated program to connect to the ftp site and DL the files, so that they wouldn't have to install a ftp client.
08/19/2005 (7:56 am)
Bat,This is just an idea:
Put up an ftp server with the texture files on it.
When someone purchases texture pack, allow them access to that directory.
Create a rule that the files can be downloaded only a certian number of times during a given duration. (Once per twenty four hours).
If the textures are downloaded every day from a different IP addy each time, then you can disable the account and contact the buyer.
This might be a minor inconvenience for buyers... so you could make an automated program to connect to the ftp site and DL the files, so that they wouldn't have to install a ftp client.
#5
The best way to reduce both is create a unique link EVERY TIME a valid customer wants to download a product they own. Using apache mod_rewrite, php and a little mysql you can easily create unique links that expire after X download attempts or Y time period or Z ip address, all the above, etc.
I have seen some people that use PHP to actually do the downloading fromt he server to the client, it works, but will eat through all your available cpu in no time. Don't do it. Let apache serve the files that is what it is good at, just make guessing the links basically impossible.
It is near impossible to uniquely identify a browser session. It would be nice to think we could simply restrict by ip BUT some providers (ie AOL) force their users to go though a proxy so every request will come from a different ip address :(
Best of luck,
--Rick
08/19/2005 (9:21 am)
I struggled with this for so long ...those F*@#! are stealing my hard work. What I came to realize is those F*@#! would never buy it anyway. So what you need to focus on is not stopping the pirates since they out number you 10,000:1 but minimizing your losses ie bandwith usage and cpu.The best way to reduce both is create a unique link EVERY TIME a valid customer wants to download a product they own. Using apache mod_rewrite, php and a little mysql you can easily create unique links that expire after X download attempts or Y time period or Z ip address, all the above, etc.
I have seen some people that use PHP to actually do the downloading fromt he server to the client, it works, but will eat through all your available cpu in no time. Don't do it. Let apache serve the files that is what it is good at, just make guessing the links basically impossible.
It is near impossible to uniquely identify a browser session. It would be nice to think we could simply restrict by ip BUT some providers (ie AOL) force their users to go though a proxy so every request will come from a different ip address :(
Best of luck,
--Rick
#6
Since I am a LAMP (linux, apache, mysql, php) guru... I have been thinking of posting several resources for managing products/free downloads for game companies/individuals just like you, Fruit.
One of which would be an expiring link similar to the one that GG uses and that Rick has mentioned.
It's a very good idea in my opinion.
08/20/2005 (2:58 pm)
Yes, Rick is correct about the unique link each time.Since I am a LAMP (linux, apache, mysql, php) guru... I have been thinking of posting several resources for managing products/free downloads for game companies/individuals just like you, Fruit.
One of which would be an expiring link similar to the one that GG uses and that Rick has mentioned.
It's a very good idea in my opinion.
#8
08/20/2005 (3:51 pm)
Well, Daz 3D has something where you have a number of downloads you can use and you have to ask them to validate your download after it expires. The person may also just be downloading it again and again. You don't know how many times I've downloaded Torque and Tim Aste's content packs! But 26 downloads in such a short time is a bit extreme. He probably is sharing the URL.
#9
I doubt to many people will share thier login and pass when personal info is accessible with it.
So far there have been no problems.
08/21/2005 (1:40 pm)
I limit the amount of times a downloadable item can be accessed ( once exeeded they must email support), plus the users has to log into the site before the downloads are can even be accessed. When a user logs in, they are displayed a members area, and this area links to thier stored personal info and past purchases, as well as the downloads area, where they enter thier unique ID. I doubt to many people will share thier login and pass when personal info is accessible with it.
So far there have been no problems.
#10
Heh... gotta love your Steganography.
edit:
Yeah, and thats pretty tacky... if they are going to steal your crap they could at least do it on their own bandwidth!
08/21/2005 (5:23 pm)
"it's a lot of overhead, but having an invisible watermark on images is a good way to reduce piracy."Heh... gotta love your Steganography.
edit:
Yeah, and thats pretty tacky... if they are going to steal your crap they could at least do it on their own bandwidth!
#11
not been ignoring you all, my network is down so I can't connect to the net! Got no idea whats wrong...sniff!
08/22/2005 (10:32 am)
Thanks Guys,not been ignoring you all, my network is down so I can't connect to the net! Got no idea whats wrong...sniff!
#12
--Rick
08/22/2005 (12:17 pm)
Hard limits on the number of downloads ends up being a support hassle. Better to do velocity based checks. Allows the honest people to redownload many times ofver the life of the product but quickly detects shared links and disables them.--Rick
#13
Bear in mind, the support techs mantra "Customers are idiots...." repeat ad infinitum. It may just be a dozy user who is using the link to the download to access the textures. They may be using something like ftpdrive, which makes ftp shares appear as windows drives.
I have something like the limited download thing working on a site of mine, let me know if you are interested.
08/25/2005 (11:41 am)
Yah, what he said. If you have access to your logs, you should be able to compare ip addresses etc to get an idea of what is going on.Bear in mind, the support techs mantra "Customers are idiots...." repeat ad infinitum. It may just be a dozy user who is using the link to the download to access the textures. They may be using something like ftpdrive, which makes ftp shares appear as windows drives.
I have something like the limited download thing working on a site of mine, let me know if you are interested.
#14
I cant see any practical legitimate reason why 1 user would need to download from more than 4 ip adresses during a 24hr period.
08/25/2005 (12:32 pm)
@Mark: one way to easily mitigate that is to allow a greater number of downloads from a specific ip address.I cant see any practical legitimate reason why 1 user would need to download from more than 4 ip adresses during a 24hr period.
#15
There are plenty of scripts out there that do this kind of thing already though, both free and paid for.
08/25/2005 (1:28 pm)
Yes, I agree. But it does mean using a script unless you want to keep browsing the logs manually.There are plenty of scripts out there that do this kind of thing already though, both free and paid for.
Torque Owner Jason Swearingen
probably the most 'surgical' tactic would be to call the person, say that "you are a legal representitive calling on behalf of
obviously if you cant call them, then the next best thing (email, whatever) and while you shouldnt overtly threaten them, generally if they were pirating it or letting their buddies from a website download it they will post a message saying "OMFG! I'm busted by the feds! i hope they dont put me in juvie and tell my parrents!" and then all is good.