Steam = Piracy Tool

[volume]

Isn't Steam going to make it easier to steal Half-Life 2? Think about it... all you have to do is crack open the box, read the CD-Key, and put it into a Steam account which then lets you download the full game.

Unless two things are done:
1) You must provide the Proof-of-Purchase number.
2) The CD-Key is hidden inside the inner CD case.

discuss :bounce:

 

[ComradeBadger]

Considering shops put display cases out, and therefore they won't contain the key..

 

[volume]

Considering shops put display cases out, and therefore they won't contain the key..

When I wrote this, I had stores such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Target in mind. I know that EB Games is smart enough not to leave the product in the open.

 

[Dulrough]

Umm... Technically what you pay for when you buy software IS the CD key. The CD key is pretty much a licence to use the software. I can see where your coming from, but if your gonna crack open the box you might as well take the whole damn thing.
Also most CD keys are in the inner case.
You can do this already by steeling a CD key as you suggested, the just Downloading it from a warez site or summat and presto stolen software.
Sorry if this makes no sense its late and i dont want to think right now...

 

[UKchaos]

The DVD cases are usually wrapped tightly cellophane to prevent this. If HL2 uses a box then i bet the cd key will be stored inside a CD case, also with cellophane.

 

[ComradeBadger]

When I wrote this, I had stores such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Target in mind. I know that EB Games is smart enough not to leave the product in the open.

Can't speak for american shops, but round here, even the local Woolies have things in display cases.

 

[ValVed RaY]

umm here, gamestop, eb games, wal mart best buy have all media out in the open... it is very easy to peek.
or you can buy the game, write down cd key. delete cd key with an eraser and return it saying theres no cd key and that you dont want the game anymore!!.
or so i heard.

 

[volume]

Umm... Technically what you pay for when you buy software IS the CD key. The CD key is pretty much a licence to use the software. I can see where your coming from, but if your gonna crack open the box you might as well take the whole damn thing.
Also most CD keys are in the inner case.
You can do this already by steeling a CD key as you suggested, the just Downloading it from a warez site or summat and presto stolen software.
Sorry if this makes no sense its late and i dont want to think right now...

Yes, but 99% of the time, a CD-Key found on a Warez site will be invalid online, making the key pretty much useless.

 

[UKchaos]

Maybe the solution is to generate the key during the disc manufacturing and have the key automaticaly stored into an easily accessible txt file.

However i think the situation of someone breaking open a box in the middle of the store quite rare. Besides if nobody noticed someone pulling this stunt, then they wouldnt notice them pulling off the security tags and putting the whole box in their bag.

or you can buy the game, write down cd key. delete cd key with an eraser and return it saying theres no cd key and that you dont want the game anymore!!.

In the UK, GAME (same company as EB) have recently introduced the policy of not allowing PC game returns for this very reason.

 

[volume]

Maybe the solution is to generate the key during the disc manufacturing and have the key automaticaly stored into an easily accessible txt file.

However i think the situation of someone breaking open a box in the middle of the store quite rare. Besides if nobody noticed someone pulling this stunt, then they wouldnt notice them pulling off the security tags and putting the whole box in their bag.

I've seen plenty of people pull it off. It isn't hard at all. Just come to the store with a pen and paper.

 

[sabre89]

Can't speak for american shops, but round here, even the local Woolies have things in display cases.

Pretty much every store besides EB Games and other games stores but everything on the shelves making it easy to steal keys if there is no one around.

I've never done it myself, but i've thought about it. :cheese:

 

[UKchaos]

I guess if you buy from a store you better rush home to activate the key in case someone took a sly look at it 5 minutes earlier. Better yet, dont buy from stores at all unless the product has some sort of seal (such as cellophane) to protect it. Personally, i always mail order, its cheaper and doesnt involve leaving the house

 

[MrWhite]

This is really easy... but I don't think you'll have to worry about someone taking your cd key, because alot of poeple wont take the risks to do it.

And if you did and honestly bought it, you could always callu p Valve support and say that your cd key wont work.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

If you're that clever, you probably have enough cash to buy it legit anyways.

'Warez' and such are an admission of personal failure on the part of the thief.

 

[iamaelephant]

In New Zealand there's a company called The Warehouse, basically like a K-Mart type place with a 30 day money back guarantee. I've bought about 12 games from them, copied the CDs and keys, and returned the game and got my money back. They never ask questions, they dont even ask why you are returning it.

 

[burnzie]

the cd key wont allow you to download, because technecly your suposed to have the cds with that cd key, it probably wont let you download because with that key, your supposed to have a cd/s to install it off.

better of trying to steal a ATi coupon.

if this makes any sence at all

 

[oD1Nz]

In New Zealand there's a company called The Warehouse, basically like a K-Mart type place with a 30 day money back guarantee. I've bought about 12 games from them, copied the CDs and keys, and returned the game and got my money back. They never ask questions, they dont even ask why you are returning it.

Shhh! Other New Zealanders might catch on!

 

[Dead-Inside]

the cd key wont allow you to download, because technecly your suposed to have the cds with that cd key, it probably wont let you download because with that key, your supposed to have a cd/s to install it off.

better of trying to steal a ATi coupon.

if this makes any sence at all

Are you saying VALVe won't let you download HL2 if you've bought it in the stores? ... What if you've damaged your CD, or it came scratched (For whatever reason), you mean VALVe would be stupid enough not to let you DL from steam? Come on.

And hey iamaelephant (Which btw, is spelt wrong, lol) I'm sooo moving to NZ now!

 

[Ansur]

I don't see what'll make the difference.
Now, you could go to the store, find a half-life copy and 'steal' the cd-key.

Next, you use a p2p to download the game, you enter the key et voila, happy fragging.
Just the same with hl² and steam I presume.

 

[WillH]

yeah steam can only make piracy harder, right now its like cakewalk.

 

[FISKER_Q]

the cd key wont allow you to download, because technecly your suposed to have the cds with that cd key, it probably wont let you download because with that key, your supposed to have a cd/s to install it off.

better of trying to steal a ATi coupon.

if this makes any sence at all

If that was the case we probably couldn't download Half-Life and etc now.

Anyways to the topic, if that's the case then your local retailer is the piracy tool, not steam.

I don't know a single retailer that doesn't either:

1. Put them in plastic cases that contains alarm which cannot be open without the tool
2. only have the box and no cd-key in it.
3. Have celluphane to prohibit people sending them back in stock for a new game.

By nr. 3 i mean that you can like ask for a game, he goes out back and gets it, that takes a considerable amount of time. Then you also want another game. And while he is getting that you open the other box and you write down the cd-key, afterwards you get the price and you act shocked and then you want the first game taken out.

However that would probably be spotted very quickly since the case has celluphane around it.

So unless the store is stupid about showcasing games it's not going to be a problem.

Edit: Of course it's a cakewalk if you stole the product you idiots. Or the product key, that's like the cakewalk with any game out there. You know why? Cause you actually "own" the product if you stole it.

So don't call copy protections bad cause they can't look into a store and see that the copy is stolen.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Another idiotic post! Well done volume....

WELL DONE

 

[deathryuu]

yes steam lets you download the game once youve entered the key..how do i know? when i bought CZ and brought it home, i decided to be lazy and not install the game with the cds, and simply entered the cdkey into steam...it let me start downloading the game the right away.

and no this isnt steam's fault that stores do have game boxes out in the open..

 

[VoiD]

Its very simple to stop this, as soon as i buy the game and take it home and find that they key is already in use because its been stolen, i email valve with my proof of purchase. They deactivate the key and send me a replacement.
If valve does something similar to this it becomes a non-issue, although i suppose they might get a small amount of time with a free key until someone purchases it.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

I had an idea about anti piracy a while bk....


I will post it when I can remember it fully..




Actually, I will post the gist here now:

I think that in the box there should be two keys in a pair. One which you use to activate the game. (ie the normal CD key that theifs steal from the boxes anyway). And another key:

If a customer buys the game enters the first CD key and it is rejected because it is allready in use they should be given the option of entering the second key. Once this specific second key from the pair is used steam will automatically deactivate the primary account and give the new user a new acount based on the second key in the pair.



This will mean that users that legally buy the game are guaranteed the game and the theifs can loose their accounts at any time due to the new system.



I don't know if this is clear enough for you all to understand. But when I thought of it it was practically fool proof. The only exceptions that I could see were very rare. Such as two hackers stealing keys from the same box and one hacker disableing the other hackers account.





Tell me what you think!

 

[UKchaos]

I think that in the box there should be two keys in a pair. One which you use to activate the game. (ie the normal CD key that theifs steal from the boxes anyway). And another key:

If a customer buys the game enters the first CD key and it is rejected because it is allready in use they should be given the option of entering the second key. Once this specific second key from the pair is used steam will automatically deactivate the primary account and give the new user a new acount based on the second key in the pair.

What if the thief stole both keys? Remember someone highlighted the point that you can buy the game then return it for a refund soon after, giving plently of time to copy down all cd keys etc.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

Yeah, but it wouldnt really matter because so long as the legitimate user got the right key in the end they can still use it to disable the orriginal account..


Like I said, once I have more time I will explain the finer points.


Its just an idea remember. I dont mind if it is complete rubish.

 

[Gunner]

In New Zealand there's a company called The Warehouse, basically like a K-Mart type place with a 30 day money back guarantee. I've bought about 12 games from them, copied the CDs and keys, and returned the game and got my money back. They never ask questions, they dont even ask why you are returning it.

Hehe, the big stores over here (paris) have caught people doing that a few years back and now they don't take returns, I'm talking about the Fnac and Virgin. But who cares, certainly not me, I'm gonna buy HL2. Might even buy a second copy for a friend. I've been playing Halflife DM for five years and CS for four years now, I want Valve to get my money =)

 

[Kyorisu]

When the last Myst game was produced all the copies didn't have Cd-Keys. A few days later you could stroll into Target look at the back of the box and bam there was a sticker with the cd-key. Write that down scribble out the one on the box and you got a key.

I never diid that though.

 

[Cylleruion2012]

my friend's geforce 2 broke once, so he bought a brand new radeon for $250 and then returned it with the geforce 2 in the box.

I'd hate to be the poor bastard who got it >.<

 

[Cylleruion2012]

Hehe, the big stores over here (paris) have caught people doing that a few years back and now they don't take returns, I'm talking about the Fnac and Virgin. But who cares, certainly not me, I'm gonna buy HL2. Might even buy a second copy for a friend. I've been playing Halflife DM for five years and CS for four years now, I want Valve to get my money =)

Yep, I agree - I've been playing Half-Life and various mods for a long time, and I got all three copies of HL that I have (as well as 2 Op4s, 1 Blueshift, and 2 CS retails) as presents from various people. I never pirated one though. The only time Valve's ever seen my money was when I bought my friend the platinum pack (share the love, people).

So, I'm getting the collector's edition to make up for it.

 

[Someone]

Same here in my part of the US (for most stores). They won't take a return if the box is open...only for the exact same game.

 

[MrWhite]

Also, Best Buy and Circuit City are places to do this, but game stores like gamestop or EB this wouldnt work because when you return you only get store credit.

Unless you just want another game with it

 

[volume]

Another idiotic post! Well done volume....

WELL DONE

I was trying to start a discussion on what people think about Steam and it's positive/negative effects on piracy. I suggest you shut your face. :cheers:

 

[Kirkburn]

Kind words ....

I think Steam is 'a good thing' for VALVe as it gives them much more ease to track their games and cheats.

 

[PvtRyan]

Copying CD-Keys in the store is possibly the lamest and lowest thing a human being can do and people who do it should be shot on sight. Really.

You pay 50 hard earned euro's (or any other currency) only to find out some asshole stole your key in the store and he is playing happily online with his filthy warez version, while your expensive product is worthless.
This goes beyond simple warez, with this you actually hurt other people, other people who do pay for their software. Those assholes really piss me off.

 

[Epsi]

Agreed.

The worst are those who complain their CD-Key doesn't work online when they've bought their new copy, so decide they're going to rip off a CD-Key from a shop. Way to be part of the problem.

 

[DeltaBlast]

Here they only have the boxes on display, once you buy it, they put the cd and the manual in it

 

[Kirkburn]

Here they only have the boxes on display, once you buy it, they put the cd and the manual in it

Yes, but it won't happen in all shops, and i'm sure it won't apply to every shop in Holland!

 

[PvtRyan]

Yes, but it won't happen in all shops, and i'm sure it won't apply to every shop in Holland!

Actually, I wouldn't know any shop that has the game in the boxes. Sometimes the developers are stupid enough to put the cd-key on the inside of the box, but the game or manual isn't in it. At least not with the major retailers.