Crispy Software Development founded. First product: genEpak
by Marton Szucs · 09/30/2009 (4:09 pm) · 17 comments
When I sent my first game test to my friends, they are modified it :)
I saw new textures, new hud, and I did't understand it. They was very creative, but I don't want to allow these changes in my game.
This tool is only for win32 platform at the moment, and I tested it with TGEA 1.8.1.
You can generate encrypted pak file from scriptsAndAssets directory, and protect it with password from creative users/gamers.
This is my first released product.
How it works?
You can generate a pak file easy with a command line tool.
Copy the generated file to your project directory, near the scriptsAndAssets folder.
When you run your product, the windows file handler try to read the files from encrypted pakfile first.
If it not success, the file read from the standard scriptsAndAssets folder.
You need a minimal programming knowledge to install this packaget, download the instruction manual from here:
PDF user guide without code modification help
You can buy genEpak from: www.crispysoft.com for the price of pizza.
#2
I visited your website, and I could not find any information about genEpak - other than the purchase link. How does it work? How do I have to use it? What does it look like? Is it something similar to Molebox? Is your application able to use a virtual folder structure in the packed file? If so, will an external file have priority over a packed resource? Can you pack from the command line to make things automated in case release / beta builds are made often?
This is a very interesting piece of software, but I think you need to tell us more before anyone can decide if this is going to help in the development / publishing of a game. Thanks in advance for any further info!
09/30/2009 (6:01 pm)
Hey Marton! Congrats on getting genEpak done!I visited your website, and I could not find any information about genEpak - other than the purchase link. How does it work? How do I have to use it? What does it look like? Is it something similar to Molebox? Is your application able to use a virtual folder structure in the packed file? If so, will an external file have priority over a packed resource? Can you pack from the command line to make things automated in case release / beta builds are made often?
This is a very interesting piece of software, but I think you need to tell us more before anyone can decide if this is going to help in the development / publishing of a game. Thanks in advance for any further info!
#3
09/30/2009 (6:20 pm)
Yes, you need, screenshots, videos, pdf brochure, etc... before make publicity... 
#4
First, the password probably shouldnt be hardcoded to a certain number of characters. Then again, it is really easy to change manually.
I think it could be nice to be able to have multiple epk files that could get loaded instead of just 1. The only reason I say this is because T3D and even TGEA have 2 main folders where sensitive files are located
(TGEA-common ,scriptsAndAssets T3D - core ,art ,scripts)
Took 10 minutes to add to T3D and is working well so far.
09/30/2009 (6:39 pm)
Just bought it and tried it out with T3D. I think there was only 1 minor change that had to be made in order for it to compile. I do have a few suggestions to make genEpak better.First, the password probably shouldnt be hardcoded to a certain number of characters. Then again, it is really easy to change manually.
I think it could be nice to be able to have multiple epk files that could get loaded instead of just 1. The only reason I say this is because T3D and even TGEA have 2 main folders where sensitive files are located
(TGEA-common ,scriptsAndAssets T3D - core ,art ,scripts)
Took 10 minutes to add to T3D and is working well so far.
#5
The password stuff: genEpak mix 2 passwords: a smaller user pass, and a 1024 bit random generated code. Is the user password too small? or you would like to encrypt the original user password in the source code?
09/30/2009 (6:59 pm)
You are the first customer, thanks for your purchase! I would like to update for multiple pakfile support, and auto directory detection. Thanks for comment, I will upgrade genEpak before weekend. If you have any problem with genEpak, please contact me, and I will fix bugs ASAP.The password stuff: genEpak mix 2 passwords: a smaller user pass, and a 1024 bit random generated code. Is the user password too small? or you would like to encrypt the original user password in the source code?
#6
09/30/2009 (7:00 pm)
That's cheaper than pizza!
#7
Good to hear that your adding multi-file support!
09/30/2009 (7:10 pm)
Well the current way of doing the password is fine. What you probably should do is tell the user if they would like to change the password length to something besides 16 characters, display the line of code they would have to change in the cpp file.Good to hear that your adding multi-file support!
#8
The second instance of that should be
09/30/2009 (7:16 pm)
Also on page 7 of the PDF file, it says:Function: Win32File::setPosition ... Function: Win32File::setPosition
The second instance of that should be
Function: Win32File::read
#9
And Steve is right ... it is cheaper then pizza.
As for the 2 archive option ... I normally move all my assets into the scriptsAndAssets directory anyway so this will work perfectly for me. :)
Damn Crispy and mention of Pizza has made me hungry ... aaaarrrggghhhhh.
10/01/2009 (2:20 am)
I have just purchased it and will be testing it later on today.And Steve is right ... it is cheaper then pizza.
As for the 2 archive option ... I normally move all my assets into the scriptsAndAssets directory anyway so this will work perfectly for me. :)
Damn Crispy and mention of Pizza has made me hungry ... aaaarrrggghhhhh.
#11
Novack: I use Stronghold example for testing my tool, and the performance loss is imperceptible. I tried to test it, but I have a Core 2 duo 2Ghz, and a stopper.
Loading from standard file system: ~ 4.3 sec
Loading from pak: ~ 4.8 sec
Sorry, I had no time to build a real measure system at the moment. If I will have exact times, I will share the times for everybody.
10/01/2009 (9:05 pm)
I will update genEpak tomorrow, because I found a string handling bug. And I'm working on a more flexible multipak handlig system.Novack: I use Stronghold example for testing my tool, and the performance loss is imperceptible. I tried to test it, but I have a Core 2 duo 2Ghz, and a stopper.
Loading from standard file system: ~ 4.3 sec
Loading from pak: ~ 4.8 sec
Sorry, I had no time to build a real measure system at the moment. If I will have exact times, I will share the times for everybody.
#12
10/01/2009 (9:17 pm)
Thanks Marton, that would be really useful.
#13
bugfixes, new features, etc...
If you have this product, please upgrade it to V1.2 for free of course.
If you have any problem with updating/downloading again from site, please contact me, thanks.
10/02/2009 (3:36 pm)
genEpak V1.2 is released!bugfixes, new features, etc...
If you have this product, please upgrade it to V1.2 for free of course.
If you have any problem with updating/downloading again from site, please contact me, thanks.
#14
10/03/2009 (6:38 am)
This is a pretty nice piece of software! :)
#15
10/03/2009 (10:44 am)
Anothr question: any plans to port this to Mac? otherwise by using this tool we lose cross plataform capacity.
#16
10/03/2009 (10:57 am)
I'm very sorry, but I have no Mac, I will try to search one around here (east europe). This tool modified only from windows side, so the engine's mac side will working like the standard TGEA. I don't touch the resource manager or another part of engine except the windows part of the engine. I put the Mac version in to my TODO list. I hope I will do Mac version ASAP.
#17
10/03/2009 (11:05 am)
Thats cool to hear Marton :) 
Torque 3D Owner User