Copy Protection

[Muyfa666]

Ok, so today I installed my old Monkey Island 1 ega version, and was surprised to see that the copy protection was there (it wasn't in old versions of ScummVM). I read some about it and it seems that games which were never re-released with a copy protection override are protected in ScummVM. I admit it was plenty fun to use my old "code-wheel" for MI1, but I want to know which games are still protected so that I know which manuals to keep in close reach. I know of Indy3 ega and Mi1 ega. Are there more of them?

[Morganoure]

If you search for the codewheel here on this forums, you'll probably notice that while the copy protection is shown, you can enter whatever you want

[Muyfa666]

Nope. I can't enter the game without the right code. Same goes with Indy3.

This only occurs with the daily build. When using the last "official" release, ScummVM bypasses the protection. Weird.

[clone2727]

Ok, so today I installed my old Monkey Island 1 ega version, and was surprised to see that the copy protection was there (it wasn't in old versions of ScummVM). I read some about it and it seems that games which were never re-released with a copy protection override are protected in ScummVM. I admit it was plenty fun to use my old "code-wheel" for MI1, but I want to know which games are still protected so that I know which manuals to keep in close reach. I know of Indy3 ega and Mi1 ega. Are there more of them?

I believe Kirben had changed this, and all the ega games now need the copy protect codes.

[Morganoure]

Oh, and I just bought "LucasArts Zehn Adventures" (10 classic LucasArts games) on eBay without codes for four games, thinking they would run in ScummVM. Well, I'll see which versions those are when they arrive

[Kirben]

The copy protection was originally disabled for Indy3 (EGA) and Monkey Island 1 (EGA) in the distant past, due to the copy protection screen not been displayed correctly at the time. But the copy protection was not enabled again, when the graphics display was fixed, until more recently.

We only disable the copy protection, if there is an original release of a game, where the copy protection disabled in code (Not game scripts).

The best way to check, is to see if copy protection codes are included in manuals, although they might often be missing with second hand games. Or run the original game on Amiga/DOS/Macintosh and check if the copy protection is requested.

If you know of any original releases of these games, which had copy protection disabled please add a bug report about the issue. We need to know the exact release of the game, for future reference. It would be useful if the original executable file could be attached to bug report too, so we could examine how original code disabled the copy protection.

[exofreeze]

re-enabling copy protection? Well thats no good :/

I own a disk copy of MI2, not a CD copy... I did however manage to buy a CD copy second hand. The only way Im able to play it (due to copy protection) is through scumm.... if copy protection is re-enabled ins cumm, I can't play my game anymore... thats crap.

Somehow I dont think lucasarts is gonna send me a "replacement manual" to go with my "monkey island madness" cd.

I whole heartedly disagree with the re-inclusion of copy protection screens, it's only going to lead to people having to obtain PDF's of original manuals or keep their collectible original manuals out every time they want to enjoy their game.

A good example of this is my KQ6 "Handbook of the Green Isles" book. I prefer to download and print a crappy scan of someones elses manual, then open up my KQ6 box and take a chance of messing up my original copy. Either way - it doesnt keep illegal people out - and never has, hence the fact manufacturers no longer bother with such things.

Looks like i'll be refraining from updating SCUMM in the future.

[Kirben]

Did you even read the previous messages? Monkey Island 2 was never mentioned at all.

Monkey Island 2 had the copy protection disabled in several releases, so the copy protection is disabled under ScummVM.

We only disable copy protection in games, where the copy protection was disabled in original game, so we are covered in case of legal issues.

LucasArts in particular have caused issues in the past, so we don't won't to leave any possible issues open either.

[Kaminari]

I prefer to download and print a crappy scan of someones elses manual, then open up my KQ6 box and take a chance of messing up my original copy.

Then maybe you should donate your mint KQ6 handbook to a museum.

[exofreeze]

I prefer to download and print a crappy scan of someones elses manual, then open up my KQ6 box and take a chance of messing up my original copy.

Then maybe you should donate your mint KQ6 handbook to a museum.

I've been collecting original games for years now, and I consider it a hassel to get into these already fragile cardboard boxes just to reference "the language of the ancients".

Your "comment" is the equivilant of of a 3 year old saying, "Well why don't you marry it then".

Adventure games were a huge part of my life growing up. These days I am always dissapointed to see new releases in lsipcovers with pdf manuals - they don't seem to have any care putinto the packaging or presentation. A game like KQ6 on the other hand showed a lot of personal touches, or the Manual/Storybook for Conquests of Camelot is another good example. the fact that i would like to keep these items in good condition is a refelction of my respect for them and the people who took the time to create them. I would like to one day be able to play through KQ6 with my son and watch him realize that the pictures in the background are more then just decoration - they are a map to the labyrinth. Or that the language of the flowers detailed in Conquests of Camelot are a riddle. If my manuals are all torn up what am I going to do? Print out a scrappy scan off just the page with the answer to get by the protection? That takes all the "adventure" out of discovering the code hidden in the manual in the first place.

Just because you have no appreciation for these representations of a time when games had some thought put into them, doesn't mean that everyone who collects such things should run off and donate them to a museum. All you've proven is your immaturity and disregard for the way these games USED to be presented.

Kirben on the other hand replied with useful information. I appreciate the heads-up - I did read the previous message, I just misunderstood. I wsn't aware that copy protecton had been deactivated in Monkey Island 2 in later releases.

[Kaminari]

Just because you have no appreciation for these representations of a time when games [...]

... Who the heck do you think you're talking to?

I've spent my youth with computers and consoles you've never heard about. Do you know what a Shark is? Have you ever played on a Telescore circa 1977? Save your patronizing crap for people who really don't know jack about "oldskool", and stop reading between the lines if you can't make the difference between a harmless sarcasm and a "3-year-old-equivalent comment".

I whole heartedly disagree with the re-inclusion of copy protection screens [...]

Bottom line is: emulation or not, a copy-protection is a copy-protection. Deal with it and open your cardbox if need be. I too have been collecting items for years and some of them are more than twenty years old -- that never prevented me from actually manipulating them because I am a very careful person when it comes to this stuff. I have manuals in pristine condition which I nevertheless must have opened up a hundred if not a thousand times. If you think you can't enjoy your retrogaming artifacts and preserve them in a decent shape at the same time, then maybe you don't deserve to own them. What are you going to say to your kid when the time comes? HANDS OFF?

[fingolfin]

Please folks, keep it calm and civil. If you are both that old to have played all these games when they were released first, surely you will have the wisdom and experience in you to deal with each other in a more friendly manner.

As for the copy protection and protectiong your valuable original releases: Well, at least for Monkey Island that is easily solved: Go and buy one of the newer re-releases which include a code wheel. Me, I have 3 or 4 MI1 code wheels, I think...

Or you could make a copy of the "precious" one, though that might be difficult without damaging it.

[exofreeze]

Kaminari - I don't care if you personally helped code Mystery House - your personal adventure game expertise/experiences was never in question. My comment was simply saying that your response indicated you ddin't much care for the side material (manuals etc). If thats not true, if your able to use them "thousands of time" as you put it, and keep them in grand codition, then great. But don't get all pissy with me about one assumptual comment, when everything you have said to me so far is insulting and assumptual.

You decided, in all your wisdom, to make snarky comments which had no place, function, or use in this thread.

I have explained why this is an issue to me, and yet you still make obsurd assumtpions as to whether or not I "deserve to own" my own games.

I compeltely agree with fingolfin - even though I returned to this thread to find your insulting comments, I took time to explain myself - if for no other eason, to try and give you the same perspective I have.

Insetad you take it as a personal attack and ask ridiculous quetions trying to prove you have some type of "adventure game superiority" - as if only people whom "don't know oldskool" (as you so elegantly put it) don't have any place making comments here.

Quite the opposite Kamimari - people whom have no respect for other's opinions, people whom self-riteously post that others don't "deserve" tobe adventure gamers, and people whom believe that just because they played an adventure game from the wonderfully mispelled "oldskool" gives them the right to act this ay - those are the people whom don't belong here.

I'm done trying to deal with you civily and frankley, responding to comments on par with "why don't you donate it to a museum " really are not worth it.

What are you going to say to your kid when the time comes? HANDS OFF?

Well, you quite obviously didn't read my entire post, just enough to get pissy.

I specifically said:

I would like to one day be able to play through KQ6 with my son and watch him realize that the pictures in the background are more then just decoration - they are a map to the labyrinth.

It's worth mentioning here again that i apprecite Kirben's response, as it was actually informative, and I appreciate fingolfins attempt to moderate.

As for the copy protection and protectiong your valuable original releases: Well, at least for Monkey Island that is easily solved: Go and buy one of the newer re-releases which include a code wheel. Me, I have 3 or 4 MI1 code wheels, I think...

I appreciate the suggestion. I'm not sure if it got stated clearly in my previous response, but I had read the initial wrong and was under the impression that all copy protection was being re-enabled (not just ones that were removed due to technical issues). My copies of MI1 dont have any protection on them, so it's really not an issue - it was my MI2 that concerned me, but since that is one of the games not being re-enabled - theres no problem at all

The example of using manuals and such was in regards to games that scummvm doesnt support anyays - like Conquests of Camelot and KQ6 - in other words, large intricate manuals with many pages dedicated to copy protection. Something like a codewheel would not bother me at all to re-create.

In the end, this whole copy protection ting is not that big of a deal to me - I simply mis understood the initial post. I apologize to anyone who got all worked up that I had the audacity to come in here and state my opinion and throw out a vote for my own persoanl tastes.

I do not however apologize for anything said to Kaminari, as he has single handedly turned this into a flamewar.[/quote]

[fingolfin]

Unfortunately, exofreeze, you haven't quite understood what I said either... It wasn't meant to say you are right and kaminari wrong, but rather that maybe you two should try to calm down and get back to business, instead of flaming each other... there goes that dream, then *sigh*

Anyway, I am locking this thread now, if you two want to keep flaming each other, you can do so via private messages or emails.