Distributing a new MOD

[maveryck21]

Hi

I'm making a Mod for half-life 2. Is there any way to protect the files of the Mod so that is impossible to modify the maps or models created?

Is there anyway to create an autorun cd with the Mod?

Thanks for any help

 

[Rapstah]

The maps distributed with it are protected by default, and so are the models. Models can be decompiled though, leading to stealing.

 

[maveryck21]

ok thanks

but is it possible to sell hl2 mods without steam?

 

[Rapstah]

No.

 

[maveryck21]

Even if i use the Quark army knife? Because if i build the map on that editor i think that it isn't protected.

Thanks for the help

 

[Au-heppa]

I think bspzip.exe (or some other) allowed you to put your model files inside the map file so that no-one can "steal" them.

 

[theholygod]

I read somewhere that you can encode script files. I know that dystopia does it.

 

[Shinobi]

whoa whoa, you can in fact prevent your maps from being decompiled by VMEX (Which I beleive is the only working source decompiler)

you have to take a few steps

the easiest way is to do the following

A. There are several ways (in order of increasing security):

1. Add a property key "no_decomp" with value "1" to any entity. (You will need to turn off smart edit to do this).
2. Use a texture called "tools/locked" on any non-culled face in the map. (This is not a real texture, so you will have to make a custom one.) You may hide the texture in a sealed room, but it can't be on any culled face on the map (facing towards the void).

 

[L3TUC3]

Is there anyway to create an autorun cd with the Mod?

Thanks for any help

Depends on what you're trying to do. You cannot run the mod from a cdrom or dvdrom (you need steam and an installed copy of hl2/sdk base/css/hl2:dm) but you can create an installer (a program that copies the files and folders needed to play to its proper destination) that's able to execute if autoplay is enabled.

Simply open up your favorite text editor and copy the following:

[autorun]
OPEN = MYMODINSTALLER.EXE

Replace MYMODINSTALLER.EXE to whatever your installer is called. Then save the file as "autorun.inf"

Burn this file and the installer to the root folder of your cdrom/dvd-rom and voila.

 

[Crispy]

Hi

I'm making a Mod for half-life 2. Is there any way to protect the files of the Mod so that is impossible to modify the maps or models created?

Is there anyway to create an autorun cd with the Mod?

Thanks for any help

You cannot fully protect any of the files of the mod. Maps can be decompiled, models can be decompiled and texture/material files can be decompiled into their base elements. [Edit] I've never heard of what Shinobi mentioned but if there's a way to encrypt/protect something there's sure enough a way to break it, all you'd be doing is prtecting it from a larger audience, and if your mod were popular enough sooner or later someone would simply release a cracked copy of the mod on a torent site and you'd be back to square one. The only way you could hope to protect it would be to somehow encrypt the installation file and only allow trusted individuals the decryption string, but even then once the file had been decrypted and installed to run the mod the files would still be vulnerable to decompilation and distribution.

It is possible to create an installation CD for your mod that would autorun and extract the files to the right folder (didn't notice the above post that tells you how to do it), but you can only distribute these CDs for free. I repeat: you cannot sell anything you make with the SDK tools without approaching Valve for permission (and agreeing on a fee, no doubt). So don't even think about it unless you like the idea of a criminal record and legal proceedings being brought against you.

 

[Kester^]

However, people can pay you for the actual cd/dvd, just not the contents of it, but they can make a donation towards the contents.

I love a legal minefield =]

 

[Crispy]

However, people can pay you for the actual cd/dvd, just not the contents of it, but they can make a donation towards the contents.

I love a legal minefield =]

I wasn't going to mention that because I'm definitely not sure how well protected you'd be from legal proceedings based on that technicality. Sound more like a job for an angry lawyer type to me.

Hey, hang on? DID SOMEONE SAY ANGRY LAWYER?