RMMV MV - Detect where game was downloaded from, and show block screen if detected site is unknown?

[kanyatanishande]

Hiya, me again with a post that may be a bit longer than the usual (idk really). If any of you reading this happen to be friends of mine or just know me well, you may be aware I'm working on an RPG game named Pinori (which explains my presence on the RPGMaker forums and why this post exists). The game is currently devlog only on GameJolt, and no packages exist on the itch.io page I made for it (nor on GameJolt, but that's beside the point). I currently have a system that, when the game starts, it asks the player where they downloaded the game from. If the player tells the game they did not get it from GameJolt OR itch.io, a block screen will eventually show saying that third-parties are unappreciated and I worked hard to set up the real webpages where the game came from, and please download the game from [so and so 1 and 2]. Unfortunately, this system of mine will only be effective up to a point (aka honest players), and is quite blatantly easy to bypass by simply lying to the game saying you got the game from, let's say, GameJolt (since that page came first). I want that to change.

What I'm trying to say is, I'm looking for a way for the game to detect where it was downloaded from (let's say from some kinda fishy website like Softonic LOL) and if it didn't come from GameJolt or itch.io, instead of the game having to ASK the player if they downloaded from either of the REAL choices, it automatically triggers the block screen based on the data it picks up.

GameJolt = lets you play
itch.io = lets you play
Softonic/any other shady site = block screen

Is this possible? Or am I going a bit far with the requesting?

P.S. for your amusement, I've attached the image that is supposed to trigger on this "block screen".

 

[Dev_With_Coffee]

If the game is run directly by the browser, it may work, but when downloading to the computer, there is no way to verify the source.

 

[Shaz]

If you are going to ask the player, you may as well skip this, as where they downloaded from and where they SAY they downloaded from aren't necessarily the same things, and you have no way of verifying. In other words, people will either just lie, or will keep trying until they guess one that works.

If you still want to do it, you don't need a plugin. Just have New Game take them to a blank map with an autorun event, a Show Text asking the question, and a Name Input so they can enter the answer. A skip title screen plugin would allow you to ask before the title screen appears rather than on New Game, and a Global Data type plugin would let you save the answer so it only ever asks once unless they uninstall the game and reinstall. Both of those plugins already exist.

But imo if you're letting the player just key in anything they want, it's not worth the time. Maybe just do it in a splash screen instead, thanking players who got it from one of those sources, and encouraging those who didn't to go there instead.

 

[PixeLockeT]

Is there a way to set up a password in-game/on-file or something, and provide that password only on the page you want the game to download from or something similar to that? That's how most people I know make people verify file sources. It's a bit stronger than the solution you were working with.

 

[kanyatanishande]

Is there a way to set up a password in-game/on-file or something, and provide that password only on the page you want the game to download from or something similar to that? That's how most people I know make people verify file sources. It's a bit stronger than the solution you were working with.

That could be easily spread around though. That's why I didn't go for that.

 

[Dev_With_Coffee]

Excuse me... If you are playing via the browser, it is possible

If the game is run directly by the browser, it may work, but when downloading to the computer, there is no way to verify the source.

 

[PixeLockeT]

That could be easily spread around though. That's why I didn't go for that.

It's safer than what you had a solution simply because it's not a choice based and be done with deal, and passwords and copying those over deters stealers more because it's more effort to share info that way. That's why you see this done in multiple places. If you make things more a hassle for the uploader they'll sometimes think it's not worth it.

 

[ShadowDragon]

make hardcoded splash screen "Provided at GameJolt, RPGMakerWeb" etc,
if not and sold, and splash say it's free, than they are tricked.

but specific download from the site is not possible.
although, splash screen arent 100% secure as well, as they can modify
very easely if they have the maker.

any easy or hard way aren't there really.
you can add a txt file in serval places if the game is downloaded fro m the
provided sites, if the TXT file arent there, it's from a fishing site or otherwise.

 

[SigmaSuccour]

"We don't like third parties."
...the player would not care for some random "we".
(They may, after they play your game and like it.)

it would be better to reword it to: "Warning: You've downloaded a pirated copy."
And inform the player the game's free, and where they can download the original from. Since the pirated copy may have been modded, or contain a virus.
And so they should download from original webpage, for the most updated, bug-free, and safe version of the game.
This I believe, will be more effective.

Edit: You can have the player reach the game's page, just by typing "Pinori" & "gamejolt/itch.io" on google. You don't need to make them type it all out.
Alternatively, you can use the following script call to open the webpage in their default browser:

require('nw.gui').Shell.openExternal('link.com');

Example:

require('nw.gui').Shell.openExternal('https://gamejolt.com/@SigmaSuccour');

(I use this in my game to link to all my online profiles and pages)

 

[kanyatanishande]

it would be better to reword it to: "Warning: You've downloaded a pirated copy."

Free games can still be considered pirated if modded or hosted on a third party site?
Thought that was only a paid thing...

 

[SigmaSuccour]

Free games can still be considered pirated if modded or hosted on a third party site?

Yes. @kanyatanishande Piracy is illegal use, copy, or redistribution.
If you have it on your site, and forbid redistribution & modding.
Then it's still piracy if someone got your game from a different website. Or if someone modded it.

 

[ATT_Turan]

Free games can still be considered pirated if modded or hosted on a third party site?
Thought that was only a paid thing...

The word "pirate" originally has nothing to do with money - it was a person who performed illegal actions. Of all the things a pirate might do to another ship, getting actual money was pretty uncommon.

 

[kanyatanishande]

This makes sense. I've created a screen based on collected thoughts. I don't know if it's the best, lol.
Does this look good? Or should I redo this?

 

[SigmaSuccour]

@kanyatanishande I'd suggest a redo.
If you're unsure. Redo it 5 more times.

 

[kanyatanishande]

Alrighty! Here's a different type. Does it look better or worse?
Edit: I think the bottom part looks stupid now that I think about it, I wish I saved the pdn UUUGH

 

[SigmaSuccour]

Oh, so much better! @kanyatanishande I like this one!
And yes, that last line about pirate... it made me pause and scratch my head.

 

[kanyatanishande]

Yay! I might as well remake it without the "if you're sure you are no pirate" part in the press OK to continue thing. There was something in the background (I'll let you look carefully to see for yourself) that I don't want to end up messing up, so that's why I want to redo things.

 

[kanyatanishande]

Changed "Press OK to continue, if you're sure you are no pirate" to just "Press OK to continue" because "if you're sure you're not a pirate" makes no sense. Like, are you sure you're not a pirate? LMFAO

 

[SigmaSuccour]

Hmmm... pardon my bad eyesight, I don't think I notice anything in the background.
Also, I just noticed the eyepatch, haha. Nice touch.

 

[kanyatanishande]

Hmmm... pardon my bad eyesight, I don't think I notice anything in the background.
Also, I just noticed the eyepatch, haha. Nice touch.

BG: I'd be glad to elaborate on that one. It's simply a super hard to see image of a shadow demon character (Shadorako) and her intimidating smile.

Eyepatch: Thanks!