In your opinion, would this anti-piracy measure work?

[Hausdog]

Okay, so let's say I'm programming a DS game. Naturally, I want everyone who plays it to buy it legally. So I write code that would test to see if the input variables are Windows (or Mac, or whatever), rather than, say, DS. If the game sees non-DS buttons, it runs code that wrecks the user's machine.

Better yet, it runs the code on startup, but it doesn't hurt a DS.

Is there any problem with this? Other than the problem of testing the game, I mean. Would it be possible to define some variables in the beginning, or would the emulator be too confining to allow this?

I wonder.

[atmuh]

every time the protect a game from flashcarts there is a fix in 2 days or less

[Hausdog]

Hm. Flashcarts would be a good way to get around it, I guess...

but I'm talking about the game, when run in an emulator on a PC, destroying the crap out of the system. The average thief won't think to put it on a flashcart, and probably doesn't even know what it is.

[Necrotic]

rule of thumb

if it can be done by someone, it can be undone by someone -- chances are the makers of the emulator would get wise and fix it if it was at all possible

I'm not sure to what extent the game itself would be able to be designed to access a computer running an emulator, though. And it would be illegal to cause their computer to be destroyed or cause any sort of lasting presence that they don't agree to I'd wager.

EDIT:

who the crap plays ds roms on pc emulators

also this

[atmuh]

who the crap plays ds roms on pc emulators

[BardicKnowledge]

Definitely illegal to "run code that wrecks the user's machine" but you could certainly make the game not function (assuming that this is possible in the first place).

[Hausdog]

I've done it before... but only for Phoenix Wright.

So the answer is "probably possible, but mega-illegal?" Okay then.

[Dhsu]

I'm gonna go with "probably not possible, AND mega-illegal."

Your game could be patched to circumvent the anti-piracy code. Additionally, emulators could be (or possibly already are) written to spoof DS button interrupts.

[the_muteKi]

The thing is that you could probably create code that would only work with specific timings that most emulators might not implement well, but it wouldn't be hard to create game-specific workarounds to fix them. There is a program for the Genesis that can tell you if it runs on an emulator or actual hardware based on certain timings in the system.

[CHz]

I don't really see how it would be possible for a ROM to actually do anything to the emulator's computer, short of exploiting some ludicrously gaping security hole that would be specific to a particular emulator. The whole point of emulation is to simulate a different system, so any code running in that emulator would be run on that virtual system and not, say, be able to drop an `rm -rf /` on the host system.

In fact, that's the reasoning behind people running a virtual machine in order to test installations or system tweakings or things like that: if they righteously fuck something up, the only harm done is to the image, so they can just chuck it and start over.

[1337 1]

rule of thumb

if it can be done by someone, it can be undone by someone -- chances are the makers of the emulator would get wise and fix it if it was at all possible

I swear its a sport in some places. Security isn't a safety measure to some, but a challenge.

A timed challenge.

[OverCoat]

Anti-piracy measure? Work? Hahahaha

that's rather naive

The best way to go about it is to just ignore it, and focus on programming a good game instead. Something people would want to buy.

[Synchronicity]

No. ppl will always find a way to "fight the system" and hack&crack software, games, etc. til you die

it's just the way it is

[SotSS]

I agree with everyone else. No matter what you do, someone will find a way to get around it, and quickly.

For example, I myself have been working for the past couple of hours or so (and I'm almost finished) on a hack that will undo your "anti-piracy" measures, and you haven't even implemented them yet. I'll probably have it released before you even make another post in this thread.

[Dhsu]

Haha, are you serious? If so, post your code when you're done.

[Hausdog]

My guess is that he's joking.

But yeah, I'm speaking theoretically; I'm glad DS games and earlier are easy to run on a normal computer.

[Gollgagh]

My guess is that he's joking.

But yeah, I'm speaking theoretically; I'm glad DS games and earlier are easy to run on a normal computer.

Since when are DS games easy to run on a computer?

[zircon]

Anti-piracy measure? Work? Hahahaha

that's rather naive

The best way to go about it is to just ignore it, and focus on programming a good game instead. Something people would want to buy.

Try cracking anything with a current-gen Synchrosoft dongle. There is a multi-page list of audio software that has not been cracked.

[OverCoat]

Try cracking anything with a current-gen Synchrosoft dongle. There is a multi-page list of audio software that has not been cracked.

DS games can't have dongles.

[The Coop]

It might stop a few people at first, but it won't stop those same people from tracking you down, and bludgeoning you into a bloody mound of mangled flesh with their busted equipment.

[Avatar of Justice]

Why should I be required to run your software on a DS? If I buy it, why can't I run it on whatever I want? Emulator, DS knockoff, whatever. Why are you hampering my freedom?

Anyhow, I'd assume any good emulator will fake games into thinking they are on a DS. I mean...it's an emulator after all. That's its job. It's not like it's going to be able to see that you have an ASCII keyboard or something.

[zircon]

If I buy it, why can't I run it on whatever I want?

Because it's not your product, and, within the confines of the law, the manufacturer can place limitations on how the product will be acquired and used. Technically speaking.

[Avatar of Justice]

Because it's not your product, and, within the confines of the law, the manufacturer can place limitations on how the product will be acquired and used. Technically speaking.

Oh I know the laws But I can still disagree with them. The major reason I don't like software being tied to a particular console for instance is because in 30 years my DS might no longer work, Nintendo doesn't make them anymore, and I'm in a position where I can't replay Phoenix Wright because it must be played on a valid DS.

[Drack]

The point of the emulator is to EMULATE THE ACTUAL HARDWARE. Emulators don't emulate extra nonexistant keys. The game only sees what's emulated. There's no way for it to see past that.

The entire idea is completely wrong from a computer science standpoint.

[Bigfoot]

I always liked this anti-piracy method. Pretty much "haha you spent so much time getting to the end of the game *erases your game*".