How Do Pirates Hack a Game ?

[Nisgeis]

Originally Posted by Herman

One of the rationale put forth for the implementation of DRM is the prevention of launch-day piracy.

It doesn't really work well, if the crackers are getting their hands on copies of the game before it is released, when the pirate version is available before the retail version is.

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

Well there's got to be an answer how to stop this.

For the niche genres, of which subsims definately are, I'd personally like to see a new type of model set up, where the player buys the main game for the same or slightly reduced cost, then every x months, the game developers release a new 'content' add-on with some extra features. This add-on could address some previous bugs and also add in new tech, like in the SH5 example, $10 for the tech and campaign of 1944. Then 1945 and all the high end tech. It could keep going on and being expanded, with more ships, more weapons, more stuff that there just isn't time for in a $40 / £40 (can't find the euro symbol) game.

The advantages would be the same dev team and engine could be kept on, which would minimise disruption and time lost in setting up a new titile and maximise the knowledge of the game engine being developed for. Also, there would be a steady income stream for the developer and steady improvements for the community. Even if people didn't want to play it, they could decide to 'donate' their money to support the genre. If the same title were continuously developed then we'd have, after a while, a very deep sim, with most of the issues addressed.

Of course this would have to be done properly, e.g. not have the same bugs ignored over and over, like in the patches. It would have to be a serious attempt to better the product, not just dash for the cash.