10-10-2003 00:06									#1
	Macrovision plans to foil game pirates Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Fade software slowly, so slowly, makes copied games unusable. Counts on gamer's frustration to spur sales of the legal code.

Macrovision, the anti-piracy company whose video-protection software has frustrated movie-dubbers for years, is now turning its sights toward gaming. According to an article on New Scientist's Web site, the company's new Fade protection system takes a unique approach to foiling illegal copying.

Instead of ruining the games outright, Fade installs a program that disables the game's functions over time. For example, an illegal copy of Codemasters' Operation Flashpoint, the first title to feature Fade protection, would play fine--at first. Eventually, though, the player would be unable to reload his guns or target opponents accurately, rendering the bootlegged game unplayable.

Ironically, Fade-protected games act much like a demo, giving players a taste of the action and then taking it away. By whetting the appetite of pirates, Macrovision is hoping Fade will help boost sales of its customers' legal copies.

Codemasters' Bruce Everiss seems pleased. "The beauty of this is that the degrading copy becomes a sales promotion tool," he is quoted as saying. "People [will then] go out and buy an original version."
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Source: http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6076592.htm

How interesting, but I think it's naive to believe that a bunch of "educated" programmers are going to outwit the hacking scene. Does this mean though that software companies are actually giving up on traditional methods of cracking down on distribution of pirated games? Also, it seems inevitable that the fadeware is going to affect legitimate players too. This will cause backlash against fadeware and lead to confusion on the hotline as to who has a "legit' game and who doesn't.

	10-10-2003 01:28									#2
	Support Apolyton

It would be kind of cool if it worked. Basically a full feature demo at the outset. They're smoking crack if they think no one will crack that eventually, or that it won't accidentally happen to legitimate game users.

	10-10-2003 01:38									#3
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

I don't see how this will make any difference... it's the same cause, just different effect. They're just looking for ways to jerk around with people.

	10-10-2003 01:57									#4
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

	10-10-2003 02:06									#5
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

The DVD version that i saw being touted had the DVD actually slowly corrode. I only read a brief press release but the idea was that exposure to air would start the slow decay of the disc. Sounded full of problems and i would have thought people would rent films if they only wanted to watch them for a limited time.
And if you're going to copy a disc you just do it sooner rather than later.

	10-10-2003 02:13									#6
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

I thought this was about Pirates 2

quote: Originally posted by Trajanus Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

exactly what I was thinking. Hmm.

	10-10-2003 02:28									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by Trajanus Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

I think a tax software (TaxCut?) company was trying to do copy-protection and they put a file in the boot sector of the hard drive that you can't remove without a low-level format.

	10-10-2003 03:31									#8
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

Wouldn't that be illegal? Many viruses do the same thing...

And this type of "protection" has been around for years. Hardly new.

	10-10-2003 04:31									#9
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

This will no doubt work, at least until someone figures out a way to make it obselete.

	10-10-2003 05:29									#10
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Aslo many games Nowadays are so short you can finish them (Low Replay Value) before it degrades.
To be more specific, Me and a Buddy finished Unreal 2 on a Weekend

	10-10-2003 09:29									#11
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Maybe its a good thing - it would help promote games with depth.

	10-10-2003 09:56									#12
	Increase Your PM Length

Since it is impossible to distinguish between an original and a bit image copy, what that means that either buyers of legit games will get shafted as well, or that it's another piece of crap as usual.

Take your pick.

	10-10-2003 22:11									#13
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

I'd like to go with legit gamers getting the shaft, please.

	10-10-2003 23:50									#14
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Trajanus Muha, if I can't reload anymore, I simply uninstall/reinstall and voila

Unless some value has been written in your registration database, forcing you to do a complete reinstall of Windows if you wish to play the game again.

Asmodean

	10-10-2003 23:51									#15
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by Asmodean Unless some value has been written in your registration database, forcing you to do a complete reinstall of Windows if you wish to play the game again. Asmodean

Or delete it with a registry editer.

	11-10-2003 00:00									#16
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Osweld Or delete it with a registry editer.

Providing you can find said value, and know with what to replace it

Asmodean

	11-10-2003 08:12									#17
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Harry Seldon I'd like to go with legit gamers getting the shaft, please.

Legitimate gamers are already getting shafted.

A good thing though is buggy copy protection would give gamers here in Australia a legitimate reason for returning an opened game.

At present, a steaming pile of excrement masquerading as a game can't be returned unless the medium on which the game is recorded is bad, and even then, most stores will only replace, not refund.

	11-10-2003 08:53									#18
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

quote: Originally posted by Asmodean Providing you can find said value, and know with what to replace it Asmodean

Backup your registry before installing the game....restore your registry after it breaks.

	11-10-2003 09:27									#19
	Full PM-box? Change here!

quote: Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar Backup your registry before installing the game....restore your registry after it breaks.

Once upon a time there was just the utility that did exactly that. It's called Cleansweep and was published by Quarterdeck. Alas, after Symantec snapped up Quarterdeck, the program is no more. Or should I say, they stopped producing updated versions of it.

	12-10-2003 17:57									#20
	Get a bigger avatar today!

i'm sure there something 'open-sourcy' around the web. it can't be too difficult to make a diff before and after the installation of a game...