Copy Protection for CD based games (not downloadable)
by Nmuta Jones · in General Discussion · 06/30/2009 (9:59 am) · 10 replies
I've been readings posts on this subject on these GG Forums, and there are dozens of them, so I apologize for any redundancy, but my questions is slightly different.
My game will NOT be downloadable from the web.
It will be distributed on a CD-ROM.
I am looking for a very simple solution: Each of my CDs has a unique key on it somewhere. When the user tries to install, it checks my MySQL database to see now many times that game has been installed. If it has been installed more than 10 times, then my database will catch it, and ask the user to call me.
So it's pretty simple. After 10 installs of any given serial number, a red flag comes to me. And I can then disable that serial number until I get a phone call or contact from someone. That way I can account for some stealing and abuse but also I realize that some people (like me) have several computers and need to install it in several different places.
I've already built the MySQL database to handle this. All I need is to figure out a way to have each CD have its own unique key without driving me crazy making me manually put them in, and an installer that can communicate with my server to get the red or green flag for install.
Please advise.
OR, ALTERNATIVELY, I am open to any other suggestions you all have of existing services/ software that can handle this. My budget for spending on this ideally would not exceed $200.00
My game will NOT be downloadable from the web.
It will be distributed on a CD-ROM.
I am looking for a very simple solution: Each of my CDs has a unique key on it somewhere. When the user tries to install, it checks my MySQL database to see now many times that game has been installed. If it has been installed more than 10 times, then my database will catch it, and ask the user to call me.
So it's pretty simple. After 10 installs of any given serial number, a red flag comes to me. And I can then disable that serial number until I get a phone call or contact from someone. That way I can account for some stealing and abuse but also I realize that some people (like me) have several computers and need to install it in several different places.
I've already built the MySQL database to handle this. All I need is to figure out a way to have each CD have its own unique key without driving me crazy making me manually put them in, and an installer that can communicate with my server to get the red or green flag for install.
Please advise.
OR, ALTERNATIVELY, I am open to any other suggestions you all have of existing services/ software that can handle this. My budget for spending on this ideally would not exceed $200.00
About the author
Lead Developer for MediaBreeze Multimedia
#2
I'm not worried about a kid stealing my stuff. What I'm worried about is someone (most likely an adult) burning 100 copies and selling it themselves when they did not do any of the work to make the game.
07/02/2009 (4:35 am)
Yeah but remember that what I am proposing allows for some stealing. I'm ok with that. But after 10 copies have been made then that's enough.I'm not worried about a kid stealing my stuff. What I'm worried about is someone (most likely an adult) burning 100 copies and selling it themselves when they did not do any of the work to make the game.
#3
How many copies are you expecting to sell? and who will be pressing the CDs?
07/02/2009 (4:44 am)
If your game is good enough that people are copying it on an industrial scale, then you will have made enough money to put expensive copy protection on your second game. A $200 copy protection scheme will be broken easily by anyone planning on making large numbers of copies.How many copies are you expecting to sell? and who will be pressing the CDs?
#4
That way, it'll be pretty obvious to anyone if someone does do that and if they actually try to sell the game, you would be legally obliged to file a class action lawsuit against them.
But I guess this is one of the weakspots for CD games. Just out of curiosity, why are you preferring to go for physical media rather than digital distribution? But as for your question, I don't know of any 'cheap' copy protection software and I suspect you'll have to code that yourself..
07/02/2009 (4:47 am)
If you are worried about that, then why not imbed a splash screen having either your name/company with a copyright note?That way, it'll be pretty obvious to anyone if someone does do that and if they actually try to sell the game, you would be legally obliged to file a class action lawsuit against them.
But I guess this is one of the weakspots for CD games. Just out of curiosity, why are you preferring to go for physical media rather than digital distribution? But as for your question, I don't know of any 'cheap' copy protection software and I suspect you'll have to code that yourself..
#5
Believe me, I'm not saying that my game will be *that* good. I can't even compete with the products of most of the people on this site. It's just that I am catering to a niche market (urban high schools on the East Coast) and I've seen products within that market that aren't even that good get burned excessively.
It's not that the game will be "good" (I hope so, but I'm humble enough to know my limitations). Its just that if there's NOTHING on it I think that's a poor business decision.
Again, like I said, I don't mind piracy. I just don't want a complete free for all. I've seen school staff get one copy and burn 300 on a duplicator for the students. That's what I want to avoid.
07/02/2009 (4:52 am)
I found a place out in California that does duplication for a reasonable price. Believe me, I'm not saying that my game will be *that* good. I can't even compete with the products of most of the people on this site. It's just that I am catering to a niche market (urban high schools on the East Coast) and I've seen products within that market that aren't even that good get burned excessively.
It's not that the game will be "good" (I hope so, but I'm humble enough to know my limitations). Its just that if there's NOTHING on it I think that's a poor business decision.
Again, like I said, I don't mind piracy. I just don't want a complete free for all. I've seen school staff get one copy and burn 300 on a duplicator for the students. That's what I want to avoid.
#6
My target demographic is different than the average indie. My main buyers are schools, not individuals.
07/02/2009 (4:57 am)
and @Matt: because of my target market, there are many older school administrators that I deal with in my business (I'm in education), who are very very old fashioned folks. They want to "see" the product. These are people who make buying decisions for entire schools or districts. But they themselves are older (in 50s or 60s) and are just now getting up to speed on email. The game has a printed booklet that comes with it that talks about which educational standards the game addresses, etc. For this market, printed media just works better. They would buy without playing or seeing much of the game. Seeing a brief video and reading the booklet would be enough. My target demographic is different than the average indie. My main buyers are schools, not individuals.
#7
Why don't you go both ways? For school buyers, a physical product and for 'students' and 'parents' a digital product?
07/02/2009 (5:01 am)
Ahh, that makes sense then. Bit worried @ the admins just getting up to e-mail :\Why don't you go both ways? For school buyers, a physical product and for 'students' and 'parents' a digital product?
#8
You know, you're right. I think that may be a good idea, doing both. Thanks. I am also open to any ideas, which is why I posted here.
07/02/2009 (5:03 am)
@AdamYou know, you're right. I think that may be a good idea, doing both. Thanks. I am also open to any ideas, which is why I posted here.
#9
Matt
07/02/2009 (6:09 am)
You could just use a standard license key activation method. Most school IT administrators will probably know this from Windows, Office etc, so will be happy entering license keys, and you can track the license keys vs MAC addresses (or similar) for your database.Matt
#10
1. You generate the serials and this is stored in a database.
2. Each serial is printed in your cd, box, etc...
3. The end user try to install the game, and in the first or two window of the installator, you check the serial, you need that the serial contact the webservice and check if the serial is valid, the user can not install if fail.
i can make you the webapp for the Us$ 200 ;D :
1. serial generator.
2. webservice validator.
07/08/2009 (9:27 pm)
Make the things simple:1. You generate the serials and this is stored in a database.
2. Each serial is printed in your cd, box, etc...
3. The end user try to install the game, and in the first or two window of the installator, you check the serial, you need that the serial contact the webservice and check if the serial is valid, the user can not install if fail.
i can make you the webapp for the Us$ 200 ;D :
1. serial generator.
2. webservice validator.
Torque Owner Adam Bilbrough
Don't forget that copy protection forces users to find ways to crack the game and pirate it. Games like Sins of a Solar Empire has ZERO copy protection and ZERO DRM and that game has sold almost 1 million copies on a budget of less than $1M dollars.
Don't go the EA way.