A
account4343
Guest
During the last few years, I have encountered at least 9 cracked versions of Steam. The most useful part of the cracks I have seen is that they allow you to download games directly from Steam content servers, with a blank account, or with no account at all. In cracked versions of Steam, you simply pick a game in the "my games" list, right click, and install whatever game you want, without paying, from the Steam servers.
Then, after the game has been downloaded, it can be launched using the cracked client or one of the many Steam game cache file launchers out there, and then you can play online with it. (Not on VAC2 servers; unsecured, cracked servers only)
This is a huge problem, but it could be fixed very easily. Here's my idea:
Right now, Steam relies partially on the client-side version of Steam to check if the steam account owns the game. (I believe the function is called SteamIsAppSubscribed?) This should be eliminated. All verification should be done at the Steam servers themselves, not on the client side software, which can be cracked! The easy and permanent fix for this problem is:
If someone wants to download a game, a message is sent to the Steam servers requesting "I want to download the game _______." The Steam servers reply, "Ok, send your username and password (encrypted, of course) so we can verify if you actually own the game." I think the encrypted password is stored in either the clientregistry.blob file or Steam's memory, so the user would not have to enter username and password (to decrease inconvenience). Then, the once the Steam servers have recieved the information, they check to see of that account has the correct password, and then checks if the account owns the game. If the request is valid, Steam creates the cache files and starts to download; if it isn't valid, Steam breaks the connection. This download request should have to be done everytime the user logs into Steam, to make sure the downloads are legitimate.
This is a very basic idea. VALVe, why do you allow Steam cracks to work? Do you simply just not care? I am very surprised you have not fixed this yet. It will not hinder the legitimate game community in any way. It seems that although the Steam idea was created to stop piracy, it has actually supported more piracy. I heard somewhere that VALVe wants Steam to make game distribution easier for game developers, and doesn't care at all about people trying to crack it. Is this true? Or maybe you just care about your cafe system for revenue? Come on, VALVe! It's not that hard! You are supporting cracks of your own product by continuing to allow insecure downloading!
Or perhaps this is the reason:
Those who use Steam cracks know that you can download and play most multiplayer games, but you can't download any single player games. For instance:
Counter Strike but not Half Life
Half Life 2 Deathmatch but not Half Life 2
Dark Messiah multiplayer but not singleplayer
Get the idea? After a few months of being annoyed at the non-VAC2 hackers, as well with the Steam servers being down multiple times each month, you get mad and buy the legitimate game. Is this why?
What do other people think about this?
Then, after the game has been downloaded, it can be launched using the cracked client or one of the many Steam game cache file launchers out there, and then you can play online with it. (Not on VAC2 servers; unsecured, cracked servers only)
This is a huge problem, but it could be fixed very easily. Here's my idea:
Right now, Steam relies partially on the client-side version of Steam to check if the steam account owns the game. (I believe the function is called SteamIsAppSubscribed?) This should be eliminated. All verification should be done at the Steam servers themselves, not on the client side software, which can be cracked! The easy and permanent fix for this problem is:
If someone wants to download a game, a message is sent to the Steam servers requesting "I want to download the game _______." The Steam servers reply, "Ok, send your username and password (encrypted, of course) so we can verify if you actually own the game." I think the encrypted password is stored in either the clientregistry.blob file or Steam's memory, so the user would not have to enter username and password (to decrease inconvenience). Then, the once the Steam servers have recieved the information, they check to see of that account has the correct password, and then checks if the account owns the game. If the request is valid, Steam creates the cache files and starts to download; if it isn't valid, Steam breaks the connection. This download request should have to be done everytime the user logs into Steam, to make sure the downloads are legitimate.
This is a very basic idea. VALVe, why do you allow Steam cracks to work? Do you simply just not care? I am very surprised you have not fixed this yet. It will not hinder the legitimate game community in any way. It seems that although the Steam idea was created to stop piracy, it has actually supported more piracy. I heard somewhere that VALVe wants Steam to make game distribution easier for game developers, and doesn't care at all about people trying to crack it. Is this true? Or maybe you just care about your cafe system for revenue? Come on, VALVe! It's not that hard! You are supporting cracks of your own product by continuing to allow insecure downloading!
Or perhaps this is the reason:
Those who use Steam cracks know that you can download and play most multiplayer games, but you can't download any single player games. For instance:
Counter Strike but not Half Life
Half Life 2 Deathmatch but not Half Life 2
Dark Messiah multiplayer but not singleplayer
Get the idea? After a few months of being annoyed at the non-VAC2 hackers, as well with the Steam servers being down multiple times each month, you get mad and buy the legitimate game. Is this why?
What do other people think about this?
