36 replies to this topic

[Saberhawk]

Introducing the FIRST tool that'll prevent leechers from stealing mod assets. This tool takes a .mix file and edits it in such a way that makes XCC not see it as a valid mix file, but lets TS/FS/RA2/YR read it with no problems at all. Just select the input mix in the first selector screen and a new file to write to with a different name in the second screen. It gets to work and gives you the perfect leech-resistant mix file. Also, there is no way to unencode the mix, so be sure you have a backup!

LeechKiller 1.0

PS: This is an alpha product. It may kill your dog, steal your bike, key your car, and whatnot. I take no responsibility for damages caused by this product.

Edited by Saberhawk, 22 June 2005 - 05:25 AM.

[DCoder]

Finally

[Speeder]

Hmmm, useful tool

[Mastermind]

Easy to break, but should be a deterrent to a casual theft at least.

[Rawlo]

goodstuff

[Saberhawk]

It removes the XCC LMD from the mix files. Even if they did find out what I screwed up in the header, they still won't have filenames.

[Blade]

Files names are not important anyhow as once you have ripped an item, you can rename it to whatever you want. I've said this on C-Gen as well, but I feel this kind of tool goes totally against the spirit of modding games. We are essentially trying to open up the game logic to let anyone develop missions and stories using the game engine and you go and release a tool that allows people to close it down again? I hope Olaf alters XCC to read the modified mix files personally.

BTW, Mastermind, it isn't theft but copyright infrigement...there is a BIG difference.

[Legion]

No, blade, it encrypts YOUR mix files, so no losers can steal your work from your mod. I like this program.

[Beowulf]

Yeah, you would.

[lefthand]

Doesn't anyone here feel a sense of irony with this? Here we are, modding someone else's game, and at the same time trying to protect our material so people won't attempt to do the samething we did?

[Rawlo]

your right never thought of it that way

[Ash]

Lefthand has actually raised a damn good point there.

Blade, don't be so self-righteous. Assloads of people throughout this community have bitched because their stuff has been th13fz0r3d! Better this option be here to shut those beotches up. If they wanna protect their stuff from potential talent thieves, the tool is now there for them.

So we can all be happy

[lefthand]

Well, I don't mind people putting software that prevents others from stealing material but I think we all have a moral obligation to allow others to modd our modds. However I don't feel the need to press this issue any further or condemn.
Even I admit I often hack into people's modds just to take unique vxls, shps and see how they coded the game. I find it interesting...sometimes I try to balance the modd myself or see how they "painted" their vxls.
It is for educational purposes...honestly!

[Blade]

Lefthand has actually raised a damn good point there.

Blade, don't be so self-righteous. Assloads of people throughout this community have bitched because their stuff has been th13fz0r3d! Better this option be here to shut those beotches up. If they wanna protect their stuff from potential talent thieves, the tool is now there for them.

So we can all be happy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I find it interesting that you focus on the people who actively complain about their material being taken and passed off as someone elses work and not instead focus on the few people who are actually abusing the good faith nature of creating and distributing additional content for the game. The only reason many of you are able to mod the game is because a few people worked out how to defeat the original protection on someone elses work and figured out ways of adding to that work. I agree with people being given credit for things they created when used in derivative works by other people (you all give WestWood and EA credit don't you ), but I think its selfish to basically say to people 'hey I created this, look at it, isn't it good? But don't even thing about trying to use it as a basis for you own ideas or use it along side them'. Most of human innovation comes from building on the ideas, art and technology that came before and frankly I find the idea of 'intellectual property' to be a big oxymoron. I just struggle to understand people that have this need to horde and control everything and only let other people acces it if they raise that person above 'average' people. What difference is it going to make to you in the end?

That said, this tool also makes it far more difficult to verify alleged infringers who may have used portions of other peoples work without giving them credit.

Yeah, I am self-righteous, deal with it.

Edited by Blade, 29 June 2005 - 08:15 PM.

[DedmanWalkin]

Coding, the part that can be learned by taking apart someone's mod, can easily be duplicated via reading through tutorials. It is in the graphics where any ripping really occurs. Do you think that Da Vinci would enjoy you taking his Mona Lisa, slightly editing it, and then saying you made it? No, Da Vinci would be pissed. Would the people at D-Day who spent months creating unique terrain, trees, and lighting enjoy you editing it slightly and then saying you made it? No, MigEater and the D-Day staff would be pissed. If someone wants to learn how to create graphics then they will start at the bottom like the rest of us.

\\//,DedmanWalkin

[lefthand]

Honestly, I am not interested in what Da Vinci nor anyone else's opinion about me possibly re-editting their work but what I am interested in is keeping the creativity alive in the community. This is why I never opposed anyone from re-editting my work or demanding to give credit to me. As long as people are still creating then I don't mind it and I feel obligated to give back to the community then say protecting my intellectual work...even if it becomes slightly editted. I am not here to make a name for myself but instead to simply provide a resource.
However I will take it a step forward, I really encourage people to see, copy and edit how others do their work and I advocate that they give back what they learned and try to make something standard even better.
This is how I started vxl, shp and ini editting. I generally took other people's stuff and observed how it worked and either I editted what they did or created something based around it.
Tutorials are fine but it is just words...nothing physical. I am interested in the physical. I feel this is how I learn.

[Rawlo]

I agree with lefthand there, when you're learning to make good voxels you need to look at other good voxels and generaly the only place you'll find that is in someones mod because very few people make their best graphics free to download if someone steals your voxels or shp's or whatever then feel free to pin their ears back with your screems of outrage however don't 'punish' (couldn't think of a better word) those who just want to learn from your good work

[Ash]

To be honest, I don't disagree with you on that score, Blade. I have to concede that I didn't think of it like that.

However, there are many MANY souls out there who would throw a total hissy fit about their mods being used as a base for others, and so I'm grateful for this tool as it might actually help feed their egos enough to keep them quiet.

I remember a certain feud with a certain individual about a certain alleged theft which never took place. Maybe this tool might be a peacemaker and help stop these allegations from happening.

[Legion]

Honestly, I am not interested in what Da Vinci nor anyone else's opinion about me possibly re-editting their work but what I am interested in is keeping the creativity alive in the community. This is why I never opposed anyone from re-editting my work or demanding to give credit to me. As long as people are still creating then I don't mind it and I feel obligated to give back to the community then say protecting my intellectual work...even if it becomes slightly editted. I am not here to make a name for myself but instead to simply provide a resource.
However I will take it a step forward, I really encourage people to see, copy and edit how others do their work and I advocate that they give back what they learned and try to make something standard even better.
This is how I started vxl, shp and ini editting. I generally took other people's stuff and observed how it worked and either I editted what they did or created something based around it.
Tutorials are fine but it is just words...nothing physical. I am interested in the physical. I feel this is how I learn.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You wouldn't say that if you had work stolen.

[lefthand]

And what makes you doubt that I haven't, Prime?
As I stated, making a name for myself via creation is a distant secondary concern.
I feel I am only here to provide.