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RM GAME AS SINGLE EXE
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Rave
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CloseWant to make your game into single EXE, as 'portable' version or just "encrypt" resources in RM2k3 game? Well, to this point only solutions you could use were Molebox and Thinstall, but I've recently learned about new, free solution for that kind of stuff called Cameyo.
It works basically like Thinstall (not sure if Molebox works in similar way), so if you can make 'portable' app in Thinstall, here you would be able too.
For those who don't know, I've wrote basic instructions.
Before we start though I'll tell you how this work. Basically Cameyo (or Thinstall, for that matter) takes two "snapshots" of your system: Before and after installation of program you want to make portable. Then it compare them and add modified/added files and registry keys to the package. When you are running portabilized app, those files are unpacked and reg keys are temporarily added to registry.
So you'll have to make "normal" installer anyway before you'll start portabilizing your app. Cameyo works fine with InnoSetup installers (catches changes correctly), not sure about RM XP/VX/Ace built-in installer solution.
1. First you start Cameyo and click Studio tab at the bottom. Then you click "Capture app locally".
2. You wait for snapshot to be taken (here's tip: Do it in windows installed in Virtualbox, because taking snapshot of system that isn't just after reinstall takes ages)
3. You are installing your RM game (or any other program, but here we are talking about RM games)
4. When installation is done, click "Install done" in Cameyo's window. It will take post-install snapshot and will present you window where you'll choose which exe file it should run when you are running your package (RPG_RT.exe, or Game.exe, not uninstall app ;)). Here you can also set where package will be saved.
5. Done, now you can run your game in portable form and you are safe that someone will rip out your resources (and in VX/Ace Audio folder is still unecrypted, also exitbrain's encyption is so easy to break...).
So why not WinRAR/WinZIP/7zip SFX archive? Well, you can easily extract them and rip resources out and if you'd use passworded archive, users will have to enter password every time they start game, which defends purpose of encrypted archives.
It works basically like Thinstall (not sure if Molebox works in similar way), so if you can make 'portable' app in Thinstall, here you would be able too.
For those who don't know, I've wrote basic instructions.
Before we start though I'll tell you how this work. Basically Cameyo (or Thinstall, for that matter) takes two "snapshots" of your system: Before and after installation of program you want to make portable. Then it compare them and add modified/added files and registry keys to the package. When you are running portabilized app, those files are unpacked and reg keys are temporarily added to registry.
So you'll have to make "normal" installer anyway before you'll start portabilizing your app. Cameyo works fine with InnoSetup installers (catches changes correctly), not sure about RM XP/VX/Ace built-in installer solution.
1. First you start Cameyo and click Studio tab at the bottom. Then you click "Capture app locally".
2. You wait for snapshot to be taken (here's tip: Do it in windows installed in Virtualbox, because taking snapshot of system that isn't just after reinstall takes ages)
3. You are installing your RM game (or any other program, but here we are talking about RM games)
4. When installation is done, click "Install done" in Cameyo's window. It will take post-install snapshot and will present you window where you'll choose which exe file it should run when you are running your package (RPG_RT.exe, or Game.exe, not uninstall app ;)). Here you can also set where package will be saved.
5. Done, now you can run your game in portable form and you are safe that someone will rip out your resources (and in VX/Ace Audio folder is still unecrypted, also exitbrain's encyption is so easy to break...).
So why not WinRAR/WinZIP/7zip SFX archive? Well, you can easily extract them and rip resources out and if you'd use passworded archive, users will have to enter password every time they start game, which defends purpose of encrypted archives.
Please do not do this unless your game is complete (with no bugs whatsoever). Otherwise if a bug arises, it's impossible to fix and no-one really wants to wait on the creator to fix and re-release when they could fix it easily enough themselves (most of the time).
author=Liberty
Please do not do this unless your game is complete (with no bugs whatsoever). Otherwise if a bug arises, it's impossible to fix and no-one really wants to wait on the creator to fix and re-release when they could fix it easily enough themselves (most of the time).
The moment your game is fully tested and complete, though, this is a much more pleasing option for distribution outside of RM communities, no?
I'll repeat this third time. Don't encrypt 'till you're sure that every bug (especially game-crashing ones) is gone.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
Hmm, I don't know if your average player really gives a shit if the game has multiple files after it installs or not. They're not gonna ever look at the program directory, they just care that there's a working installer, and that after it's installed there's a working shortcut on their desktop or in their start menu.
The real point of this is of course to make it more difficult for people to rip your resources. If you are making your own original graphics and music I can see the point. If you are using Wild ARMs rips then kindly go blow a horse :)
The real point of this is of course to make it more difficult for people to rip your resources. If you are making your own original graphics and music I can see the point. If you are using Wild ARMs rips then kindly go blow a horse :)
Rareware
0
Only usefull if you dont want players ripping your resources.
Of course, you could always find a way to watermark the tilesets and chipsets...
Of course, you could always find a way to watermark the tilesets and chipsets...
Another thing is that you can distribute it as single exe directly on your site. ZIPs/RARs requires actual EFFORT (thing that not everyone can afford), so installing app requires effort (and usually admin rights - no go if you want to play in library, etc.), while downloading and running single exe doesn't.
Want to make your game into single EXE, as 'portable' version or just "encrypt" resources in RM2k3 game?Two words: Fuck no.
And to anybody reading this topic and even considering this idea: Don't bother trying this, you'll only end up with angry and alienated players.
Well, to this point only solutions you could use were Molebox and Thinstall, but I've recently learned about new, free solution for that kind of stuff called Cameyo.This and the content following reads out like some sort of crappy phishing advertisement sent from some so-called prince in Nigeria.
5. Done, now you can run your game in portable form and you are safe that someone will rip out your resources (and in VX/Ace Audio folder is still unecrypted, also exitbrain's encyption is so easy to break...).I can rip out graphics with Print Screen and CTRL+V, I can rip out audio with the appropriate recording software/hardware. Your point?
author=Rave2010Since when have we devolved to a point that extracting an archive could even plausibly be considered "effort", let alone installing software which is designed to (hopefully) make everything so easy a monkey could do it?
Another thing is that you can distribute it as single exe directly on your site. ZIPs/RARs requires actual EFFORT (thing that not everyone can afford), so installing app requires effort (and usually admin rights - no go if you want to play in library, etc.), while downloading and running single exe doesn't.
I can rip out graphics with Print Screen and CTRL+V
How about graphics with alpha channel? Or autotiles? Those aren't as easy to rip...
I can rip out audio with the appropriate recording software/hardware.
Trust me, is a hell easier to just copy BGM/SE file than to try to rip it off with Audacity. Especially if game is using SEs a lot and long, self-looping BGMs that you can't get beginning of. Even person who work with audio FOR A LIVING would have trouble with that.
Also using Cameyo it requires effort, but only of the game's author part (and author already took effort to make game). On user part you just double-click (or single-click, depending of Windows Explorer's settings) exe file and game just runs.
Also how about just preventing people from cheating, a.k.a. making event that gives player 10000 GP and best items every single time player is talking to it?
As previously stated, XP/VX/Ace's so-called encryption is so easy to break thru and make project editable... And 2k3 and earlier has no encryption.
How about graphics with alpha channel? Or autotiles? Those aren't as easy to rip...How do you think we ripped all those chipsets we use for RM2K(3)?
Trust me, is a hell easier to just copy BGM/SE file than to try to rip it off with Audacity. Especially if game is using SEs a lot and long, self-looping BGMs that you can't get beginning of. Even person who work with audio FOR A LIVING would have trouble with that.Again, the point of the matter isn't that it would be hard to rip, it's that we can rip them regardless.
Fact is we can rip any game, no amount of encryption will change this. The only certified way to stop ripping is to not present the player with the material and then what would we even have left to present?
Also using Cameyo it requires effort, but only of the game's author part (and author already took effort to make game). On user part you just double-click (or single-click, depending of Windows Explorer's settings) exe file and game just runs.Unless you get over the idea that extracting an archive or installing a piece of software somehow constitutes "effort" I doubt we'd get anywhere here, let alone you getting taken seriously by anyone reading this topic.
Also how about just preventing people from cheating, a.k.a. making event that gives player 10000 GP and best items every single time player is talking to it?Are you implying that we're all cheating bastards? I admit I've cheated in many games, but such a blatant and pretentious assumption offends me.
Besides, if we really wanted to cheat I'm sure we'd be breaking out the hardcore hacking tools to modify memory used by the application and the like, again something encryption won't protect against.
As previously stated, XP/VX/Ace's so-called encryption is so easy to break thru and make project editable... And 2k3 and earlier has no encryption.And I'm glad the encryption is only lip service for the former and non-existant for the latter, otherwise it places needless complications on the players.
Personally, I make it a point to decrypt every XP/VX/VXA game that I decide to play (exceptions being games made exclusively of original content and commercial games), and I'd probably upload the decrypted copies somewhere too if I wasn't lazy. If I come across an encrypted game I can't decrypt (barring the exceptions) I just pass it over since there's plenty of fish in the pond.
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