Hi, Will. All I can say in my own defense was I wasn't aware of this security issue when I began designing titles for USA Games. My soul interest was writing the games, and figuring I could concintrate on security later. Couple that with a fact I normally write apps for Unix type operating systems, and I was writing my first serious Windows applications in dotnet I didn't know the cons of dotnet development that I know now. Now that I know I am in a position to correct that error before someone has a chance to take advantage of my previous mistakes.
will wrote: > hi > > i'd just release the game now and if people hack it so what, it gonna > happen > that the way of life > as liam says, honest people will buy it, dishonest, won't > To be fair this security issue should have been checked out before > development, if this was an issue with dot net > not flaming just pointing out and commenting > regards, will > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Thomas Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 9:37 PM > Subject: Re: audyssey: USA Games news. > > > > Hi, Shaun. > > yes, that is correct. we have to start over from scratch if we switch to > > C++. > > > > > > shaun everiss wrote: > >> so this means you need to redo the usagames engine to then? > >> At 08:58 a.m. 21/02/2006, you wrote: > >> > >>> Hi, Shaun. > >>> I really can't even begin to make a guess at when the updated STFC 1.0 > >>> would be ready. As you might guess some code can be directly copied or > >>> salvaged, and some of it has to be rewritten do to C++ specific > language > >>> requirements. > >>> One thing right now is I don't have the USA Games engine now that > it has > >>> the same security issues as the game so everything is upside down, and > >>> needs to be rethought from the ground up. > >>> > >>> > >>> shaun everiss wrote: > >>> > >>>> I understand, gmagames have a system hardware id bassed system, and > >>>> others have simular id based systems. > >>>> Just don't go the way of ms with activation punnishing the lagit > guys > >>>> thats all. > >>>> Also if you decide to make your data files non hackable, there are > >>>> those of us that contribute sound and like to look at our sounds > we put > >>>> in places. > >>>> When will the stfc port be ready in the new c++ code? > >>>> At 09:53 p.m. 20/02/2006, you wrote: > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>> Hi, Shaun. > >>>>> While it is true there is no way for a developer to absolutely > secure > >>>>> a > >>>>> product from theft, cracks, and piracy there are ways to make it > >>>>> harder > >>>>> and minimize the chances. > >>>>> If you think of it this way you can't completely secure your > home from > >>>>> burglers, but you will do whatever is necessary to make it harder. > >>>>> Before you leave you check the windows to make sure they are > down and > >>>>> locked, lock the doors, and if you have one arm the security panel. > >>>>> Noone I know of in a high crime neighborhood leaves for work > with the > >>>>> back door unlocked, an open window for people to crawl in to, or > owns > >>>>> a > >>>>> security panel and decides to leave it off. They would at least do > >>>>> those > >>>>> security measures to make sure their home was safer than it would > >>>>> otherwise have been. > >>>>> As for piracy in this comunity sad to say, but I recently found out > >>>>> there were an alarming number of accessible gamers pirating GMA's > >>>>> Shades > >>>>> of Doom 1.0. Even though there were plenty of honest gamers like me > >>>>> who > >>>>> baught their copies GMA and my company USA Games must protect our > >>>>> games > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>> >from those less than honest people as best we can. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>> shaun everiss wrote: > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> Well I suppose you know what you are doing. > >>>>>> Its however good to note that nothing is secure, as you can't > secure > >>>>>> for everything and or anything. > >>>>>> I would never hack a program though. > >>>>>> I am not like that. > >>>>>> At 08:55 p.m. 20/02/2006, you wrote: > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>>> Hi, Matt. > >>>>>>> Thanks. I only wish I had taken more time to research security > >>>>>>> before I > >>>>>>> began writing STFC. If I had known how security week the final > >>>>>>> product > >>>>>>> would be I would have of course done things much different. As it > >>>>>>> stands > >>>>>>> I can not release the game as is, as any reasonably compatent > hacker > >>>>>>> could crack the game in a matter of minutes which is not > exceptable. > >>>>>>> However, on the bright side of this I am finding out some good > >>>>>>> alternatives to doing things and if I choose that route USA Games > >>>>>>> not > >>>>>>> only will be more secure, but there are some extra bonuses > involved. > >>>>>>> I am currently strongly thinking of converting all projects to > C++. > >>>>>>> Not > >>>>>>> only would I have a better security for the game there is better > >>>>>>> documentation for writing game scripting engines, better > support for > >>>>>>> SAPI tts engines, etc.... So this might have a bright side to it. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> matt wrote: > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> That is bad news. I must commend you though for being a game > >>>>>>>> creator who > >>>>>>>> comes out and says when something is going wrong. I do not mean > >>>>>>>> anything bad > >>>>>>>> about anyone else just saying that is a cool thing to say. I > wish > >>>>>>>> you the > >>>>>>>> best of luck in fixing the problem. Later, Matt > >>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>>>>>>> From: "Thomas Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>>>>>> To: <[email protected]> > >>>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 11:25 PM > >>>>>>>> Subject: audyssey: USA Games news. > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> USA Games News > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> 2/20/2006 > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> STFC Release in Doubt > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> Greetings gamers, > >>>>>>>>> We at USA Games have some good and bad news for our fans of > STFC. > >>>>>>>>> The > >>>>>>>>> good news the game is practically complete and is pretty > reliable. > >>>>>>>>> The > >>>>>>>>> bad news is that recently we have discovered some security > issues > >>>>>>>>> with > >>>>>>>>> the product which is of grave concern to me inparticular. As a > >>>>>>>>> result > >>>>>>>>> this security issue could set development back for months, > and at > >>>>>>>>> the > >>>>>>>>> least a few weeks. > >>>>>>>>> Unfortunately, the nature of the issue forces USA Games to > choose > >>>>>>>>> between two options. the first option is to pay a quite a > sum of > >>>>>>>>> money > >>>>>>>>> to purchase licenses for pro grade security applications. The > >>>>>>>>> second > >>>>>>>>> option USA Games rewrites STFC in a language in which this > >>>>>>>>> security hole > >>>>>>>>> is not a factor. As USA Games does not currently have the funds > >>>>>>>>> for the > >>>>>>>>> former choice it will likely come down to the second choice. > >>>>>>>>> However, > >>>>>>>>> after just completing the game I am not in any mood to start > over > >>>>>>>>> and > >>>>>>>>> port the current game to something new. > >>>>>>>>> As a result of this security discovery USA Games is haulting > >>>>>>>>> production > >>>>>>>>> on all of our titles until a suitable security can be > devised. It > >>>>>>>>> is > >>>>>>>>> possible some projects may have to be rewritten from > scratch, or > >>>>>>>>> at the > >>>>>>>>> very least wait until USA Games has enough funds to complete > them > >>>>>>>>> using > >>>>>>>>> pro grade security software. > >>>>>>>>> I hope that in the future USA Games will be able to bring some > >>>>>>>>> truly > >>>>>>>>> awesome titles to you all, but for the time being we will be > >>>>>>>>> returning > >>>>>>>>> to research and experiment. Once we have something we are sure > >>>>>>>>> will work > >>>>>>>>> for us we will continue production of our titles. > >>>>>>>>> Thanks, and happy gaming. > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> to leave send a blank Email to: > >>>>>>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>>>>>>> You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing > >>>>>>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>>>>>>> to go nomail send a blank message to: > >>>>>>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>>>>>>> change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. > >>>>>>>>> Yahoo! Groups Links > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> to leave send a blank Email to: > >>>>>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>>>>>> You can contact the list owners/moderators by Emailing > >>>>>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>>>>>> to go nomail send a blank message to: > >>>>>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>>>>>>> change "nomail" to "normal" to resume messages. > >>>>>>>> Yahoo! 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