WARNING: all online games can be downloaded and stripped

ckck Member Posts: 224
edited November -1 in Working with GS (Mac)
This may have been discussed before. I just figured out that you can download any game on gamesalad.com, load it into the editor and strip it (code, assets, etc.). I'm not saying how, but you can. I know this is a sharing community, and I really appreciate everyone uploading templates - I've learned a lot from them - but if you want to keep your assets or code proprietary, uploading isn't a great idea. Even if you don't upload as a template, your game will become a template.

That said, I'm off to submit Danger Cats to the iTunes store (just kidding - it's a truly GREAT game btw).

Comments

  • ckck Member Posts: 224
    Come on, TSB, just one.
  • JamesZeppelinJamesZeppelin Member Posts: 1,927
    I always figure if anyone really wants something they will get it.
    Even the iphones apps arent that safe. They can crack anything these days.
  • firemaplegamesfiremaplegames Member Posts: 3,211
    Yes, it is known.

    But you would need a copy of GameSalad to do anything with the .gameproj file. And you would need a GameSalad license to publish stuff.

    You COULD strip out all the art and music and use it for your own game, but you could do that pretty easily with ANY app already on the App Store. You just need a jailbroken iPhone.

    And Danger Cats! and Stunt Squirrels! were written with the same 35 behaviors that everyone has access to. There's no magical trickery there. (actually only 34, since I didn't have Interpolate!)

    I put all of my games on gamesalad.com knowing full well that people can download them, read through the code, rip out all the assets, etc. A very amateur hacker could easily do this.

    Even I can easily download any youtube video or open any Flash game on the web and read through all the code. It's what you do with that power that counts. Hopefully you will use it to learn.

    I WOULD mind if you stole my artwork, or used any of the music/sfx as they are paid for and licensed by me.

    I do not mind, however, if you read through the code. My hope is that it will make you a better programmer.

    Also, one of the great things about being on gamesalad.com is that my games have been played over 3,200 times. I love that. Hopefully those players tell other people, convince their friends to download the game, or just be inspired to make something with GameSalad.

    That is worth the risk to me.
  • Koda89Koda89 Member Posts: 275
    Huh, didn't know that. Well I'll still do it. Don't really care. But yeah, they should fix that, considering how in their App submission tutorial, they say to upload the game to the site....

    But as I said, I don't really care.
  • ckck Member Posts: 224
    I was trying to help, and to be complimentary to Danger Cats.
  • firemaplegamesfiremaplegames Member Posts: 3,211
    No worries!
    I didn't mean for it to come across that I was annoyed.

    Gendai knows about the issue. They had talked about changing it, but I can only imagine that some new way would be figured out as well.
  • JamesZeppelinJamesZeppelin Member Posts: 1,927
    Its not like there is just a download button. You have to be clever enough that if they changed it you would just find a new way.

    Cracking games is nothing new or even hard. Its just a matter of pride.

    I actually had jail-broke my first iphone but put it back after about 4 hours just because i felt dirty. lol

    On that note be ready for Stunt Squirrels Deluxe!
    Just Kidding, Joe! :)
  • iPhoneDevForMeiPhoneDevForMe Member Posts: 362
    Does this mean its "easy" to figure out, or does it takes some skill in hacking to figure it out?

    If just anyone can figure it out, I wouldn't want to post my games, personally. FireMapleGames does have a good point though! Artwork is the biggest worry in my opinion!
  • firemaplegamesfiremaplegames Member Posts: 3,211
    If it is your thing to download stuff from the internet for free, you can figure it out easily enough.

    But what is nice about posting the games online is that you can get feedback before you release it to the App Store.

    People will find bugs that you didn't think of. People will have nice suggestions about how to improve your game.

    it's easy to get a little nearsighted when working on a game so intensely.
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