CV and hackers

* Crossposted in ZX.SPECTRUM
* Crossposted in SPBZXNET.GENERAL
* Crossposted in SPBZXNET.GAMES
* Crossposted in SPB.SPECCY

Having covered all aspects of the development and distribution of ChV, one cannot help but dwell
on such a nasty and slippery topic as hacker activity against
the poor programs... So:

1. Work on opening the hacker's activity, of course, has been going on since the first days of the appearance of the
full version (I know of at least three places of hacker's activity). For a long time, the skill of using the shadow monitor and the Magic button has disappeared, but a serious threat
remains.
2. The stupid hacker's idea that any protection is removed in
1-2 hours (in a month or two, maybe ;))) has been dispelled.
3. However, it is clear that the further you go, the greater the chances that a broken Raven
will appear. Time is on the hackers' side :(((
4. It is also clear that it is impossible to recoup a project that took a year and a half to develop in two or three months.
5. This is especially true against the backdrop of the declining number of Spectrum users.

Actually, the situation is as follows. If two or three years ago, rabid hacker
activities could not seriously shake the stability of the distribution of author
works, then now any hack can forever prevent you from developing
serious commercial projects :(
Therefore, in order to get ahead of the damnedhackers, I give them WARNING:

"If at least one Spectrum user refuses to purchase the game "Black
Raven", citing the possibility of purchasing/receiving a broken version, then
further activities of Copper Feet's on the Spectrum will be limited only to
the production of levels for the above-mentioned program!"

References to ignorance of this warning are not taken into account. As well as the
lack of ends, such as “Unknown hacker present...”

At one time, Yura Matveev beautifully said: “I won’t tolerate anyone
trying to take the STEP group by the balls...” The time has come for me to
join him...

For my part, it’s too early to whip up a fever :))) But it’s better “it’s too early” than “it’s
late”...

C Warm greetings, Slava!

Sorry to users - you, of course, can suffer for nothing :(

VM> Having covered all aspects of the development and distribution of CW, one cannot help but
VM> dwell on such a nasty and slippery topic as hacker
VM> activity in relation to a poor program... So:

VM> 1. Work on opening the CW, of course, has been going on since the first days
VM> of the appearance of the full version (I know of at least three places of hacker's
VM> activity). The skill of using the shadow monitor and the magic button has long since disappeared, but
VM> a serious threat remains. 2. The stupid hacker's fiction that
VM> is dispelled that any protection is removed in 1-2 hours (in a month or two, maybe ;)))).
VM> 3. However, it is clear that the further you go, the greater the chances that a broken Raven
VM> will appear. Time is on the hackers' side :(((
VM> 4. It is also clear that it is impossible to recoup a project that took
VM> a year and a half to develop in two or three months.
VM> 5. This is especially true against the background of the declining number of
VM> Spectrum users.

Haggle a little more (about a month?), and then, when the demand subsides, and there will be rumors about hacking
releasing a version without protection (with the ability to receive it via the Internet ;).
Here hackers will get screwed (to whomyou need a version of dubious quality), and
owners of emulators (of which there are many) and just people who do not like protection,
you will be pleased.

With God's blessing, Sergei Novikov AKA Spirit/Scenergy Moscow/RF/CIS

ZxNet: 095/100.99, FidoNet: 2:5020/689.1, InterNet: reviv...@chat.ru
Phone: (095) 952-46-19 [16.00-18.00]

Thursday January 15 1998 04:01, Vyacheslav Mednonogov wrote to All:

VM> For my part, it’s too early to have a fever :))) But it’s better “it’s still early”
VM> than “it’s too late”...

Unfortunately, it’s too late :( I already have an opened version on my table masterpiece
:(

P.S. It wasn’t me who broke it.

WBW, Alex

The Thruth Is Out There... [ X-Files Team ]

Sat January 17 1998 20:52, Alex Kuznetsov wrote by Vyacheslav Mednonogov:

SH> Unfortunately, it’s too late :( I already have an opened version of the masterpiece on my table
SH> :(

On 1 disc or 2?

Alex.

SN> Trade a little more (within a month?), and then, when the demand subsides, and rumors will spread about
SN> hacking, releasing a version without protection (with the possibility
SN> of receiving Internet ;). Here, hackers will get screwed (who needs a version
SN> of dubious quality), and owners of emulators (of which there are many) and just
SN> people who don’t like protection will be happy.

Hackers won’t get screwed. They have nothing to lose. If their goal
was to make money, then it’s even better for them - they will sell a BRANDED one, which is without
protection.

In any case, it’s not worth doing that. Those. the author will still remain
in -. The only ones who will be in + are freeloaders.

Good Luck...

... Philosophical error: Demonstrate the existence of a key to continue

With God's blessing, Sergei Novikov AKA Spirit/Scenergy Moscow/RF/CIS

ZxNet: 095/100.99, FidoNet: 2:5020/689.1, InterNet: reviv...@chat.ru
Phone: (095) 952-46-19 [16.00-18.00]

SN> Trade a little more (about a month?), and then, when the demand subsides, and rumors will spread about
SN> hacking, releasing a version without protection (with the possibility of receiving
SN> on the Internet ;). Here, hackers will get screwed (who needs a version of dubious
SN> quality), and owners of emulators (of which there are many) and just people who don’t
SN> like protection will be happy.

And I’ll stretch my legs :) The program is usually actively bought for six months and is inactive for
the next six months.

Okay, I’ve already spoken on this topic...

With warm regards, Glory!

17 Jan 98 20:52, Alex Kuznetsov reported by Vyacheslav Mednonogov about {ChV and
hackers}:

VM>> For my part, it’s too early to get into a fever :))) But it’s better “it’s still early”

Sunday January 18 1998 10:40, Sergei Novikov wrote to Alex Kuznetsov:

SN> And who? By the way, it’s not a fact that it doesn’t glitch somewhere at level 10.
SN> ~~~

1. Mystery. 2. I agree, it’s not a fact, I haven’t played it myself yet - Specky is in another apartment.

>So, I’ve been reading this echo for almost a week, and since I’m new to Fido,
>I didn’t immediately decide to write, but finally my patience ran out...
Why did I endure for so long? ;) ...if you want to write, write! :)

>Well, isn’t it clear that as long as there are traders, there will also be hackers. But you
will say that we are talking about pirates here.
About them, dear ones, throw them in a swing! ;)

> Again, as long as there is commercial software, there will be those who break it.
> And calls like let’s “eradicate” such people, imho, complete nonsense.
That’s how nature works ;) And as for eradicating...well, when the parasites
get eaten, you go look for poison on them ;)

> Because If you exclude all such people, then the market will be left completely without
> software. Because for the most part these are the same traders. For those who disagree, I explain
> that almost 90% of sellers argue, why should I spend money on
> a distribution kit if I get one working copy
> give it to a hacker, he will “neutralize” it and I will earn money without spending practically anything
> (or even nothing at all).
I must partly agree with this, having purchased a license, he must receive from the author
“maintenance” - just like is required for normal commercial software.
Then he will want to respect the interests of the author and not quarrel with him because of
hacking the version.
>So where is the way out, askyou?
>I believe that the solution here is not in catching “pirates”, but in increasing the volume
of software release and increasing the protection class. Protection so that legal
traders can make money on distribution kits and branded copies, while other
freeloaders will break the protection.
These are just extra costs for some and for others - and everything will fall on the shoulders of
buyers! It would be much wiser to collaborate and improve the quality of the software ITSELF, and not SHIELD and SWORD! After all, the intelligence of those who invent protections and remove them could
be aimed at catching bugs in programs, optimizing their code and much
other things, usually no author is able to create a complete mess; by the end of development he sometimes hates his creation (and reveres it at the same time),
something like how we love and at the same time hate our own children! when they
“harass us” in order to get to know us through this sophisticated torture ;)

>Well, how to increase the production of programs? Here it’s more complicated, but still using the example of the same ChV - why not, for example, Slava sell the engine from UFO2 or ChV to some group that, based on it, will create a similar strategy, but with different graphics, music, missions, etc. After all, on other platforms this is practiced with success. At the same time, all parties win, users get a new
cool game, the author of the engine is rewarded forwork, the authors of the game profit from the game itself, and the traders are happy.
Very good idea! Only the author should not sell the NAME! In the end, he can cooperate selectively. After all, they don’t give up their own daughter to the first person they meet, they want their own child to fall into the hands of a kind person. Those. if the “father” sees that he is being offered an interesting idea for the development of his “brainchild,” then why not cooperate? It is impossible to embrace the immensity.
It’s another matter if you have not yet exhausted your own fruitful ideas and want
to realize them yourself. But even then, many are not averse to collaborating with individual
graphics/coders/musicians, and maybe scriptwriters/designers,
and just listen to criticism, communicate with users, etc.
After all, the authors work not for themselves, but for the people!

>Naturally, the first ones to buy distributions will take the main jackpot.
I would sell simultaneously to different regions...after all, everyone There should
be approximately equal chances, and in any part of Russia people are waiting with the same
impatience for new products.

>And as it turns out, a great game will come out, everyone is in touch, but a month has passed,
>the game has passed or is completely boring and again we have to wait for the unknown, searching
>through endless demo versions and beta releases. This is where the outflow of people occurs.
This is due to poverty, IMHO. Of course bestsellers must followcontinuously until
interest in them dried up. But there is another danger - quickly becoming boring. Still, it would be better to have several interesting teams playing games in their own, unique style, at intervals. Let's say ChV came out. After some time
something else wonderful, then another, then another, and then again ChV-2.
But alas! for this, everyone needs to work “roll up their sleeves”, and not turn this into a hobby ;)

>After all, if, say, after ChV, say, a month or two later, a game was released written on the engine from ChV, but with a different content, then people would no longer think about leaving Speck, because regular software began to appear, and of high quality.
Dreams... dreams...a game of this level is not made in a month;), and therefore it is necessary
that everyone purposefully and persistently develop their ORIGINAL ideas
independently.

>And also, a small appeal to our highly respected coders and organizers.
>Guys, stop riveting games for youngsters or these endless logic games with
porn pictures. Well, this is complete nonsense, it’s 1998 in our yard, not 1989
> such games are practically not relevant, moreover, the authors can also fly away
with royalties, and users will remain dissatisfied. And don’t you
>don’t you feel sorry for your work and the time that you spend on the next tic-tac-toe
with pictures from Play Boy, insteadto create a real Game.
>Well, if you really want to, then just release a demo with the same pictures.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have feedback here... let traders collaborate more actively
with the authors and inform them of the public’s expectations. It would also be nice to publish
announcements of new games in newspapers and see how potential players react to them.
Why only games themselves? Any, including system programs, and here
respected publishers and networks can do a lot.
This is actually what we want, a civilized people actively creating
our world. Here you can’t say that “someone, for someone”, if “everything is for
everyone” is much more effective and fruitful :)

>Well, I’ve spoken out.
>If I accidentally offended or offended anyone, I ask you to generously forgive me, I didn’t mean to.
Yes, in my opinion, you started a very interesting conversation, I don’t know what he thinks
dearly respected All.
>
> Sincerely Jocker/OHG/Mafia pc.

Sincerely, Andrey Savichev / CGS
>