Securing Content

[StrongHarm 13]

Hello,

I'm unclear about how we can secure our SP content to prevent it from being used by others for the contest. I have an existing SP mission out there that I'd like to use, but I'm afraid that other people might download my mission, alter it slightly, then submit it. How will this be prevented?

I'm working on a new mission that I might want to submit. Should I not share this mission with the community until after the contest is over? That would be a shame because it's shaping up to be a DOOZY!

Thanks,

StrongHarm

[nuxil 2]

Hi.

There is no way to secure your mission. unless bis releases the tool to encrypt the pbo files which i doubt that they will do.

So. you have 2 options to secure your mission.

1* Obfuscate the scripts

2* create a dll file which contains your script data. and encrypt it. decrypt it on read. ofc you need to make some sqf logic for this too tho.

altho nr 2 is a bit harder than 1 to do. + none of them will secure your scripts 100%.

you will not be able to secure your other data. ie. description.ext. *.hpp files , *.paa files. etc. only sqf to some degree.

[JdB 151]

I'm unclear about how we can secure our SP content to prevent it from being used by others for the contest. I have an existing SP mission out there that I'd like to use, but I'm afraid that other people might download my mission, alter it slightly, then submit it. How will this be prevented?

I'm working on a new mission that I might want to submit. Should I not share this mission with the community until after the contest is over? That would be a shame because it's shaping up to be a DOOZY!

First rule of content creation: If you don't want your work to be used by others without your permission, don't release it at all. In this case the only option you really have if you stick to your current plan is to delay release until after the contest is over.

Sad but true :(

[Kydoimos 916]

My plan is to release a series of missions as part of a campaign, over an extended period, until the deadline - that way, although people might be able to 'lift' some of my early material, I'll always be several steps ahead... hopefully!

[.kju 3245]

once you release your stuff, your ownership will become clear - noone can just steal it for the competition

[StrongHarm 13]

It would be nice if we could send a dated archive of the mission in to BIS that they'll have on file to protect our ideas, so we could then push it out on steam to the community to put it through trials. The dated archive would serve as our 'copywrite'.

[L3TUC3 32]

Oh StrongHarm, you delaying a mission would be a sad day. Your air support day 2 is most excellent.

Straight up lifting scripts into other missions isn't that great most the time unless you constructed it such to be modular. Even then it probably won't fit the requirement exactly and needs adaptation.

They'd need to know how scripting works, how the code relates to the mission and how they can apply it to their mission. In the case of your work, they'd need to be pretty in the pink to understand any of it, let alone to simply copy it. By that time it's probably someone skilled enough to make something completely original themselves if it's to be an improvement of what you did. Anything less would be a bad port and an obvious one.

I peeked in your mission to see how you did a couple of things, it's very impressive but pretty complicated at times, to me anyway. In your case the mission as a whole is such a complete package it nears on perfection, and anyone who wishes to even approach it in quality needs some serious design clout to begin with. Copying bits and bobs from you would probably not even lift their entry up far enough to win unless there's some significant other X factor.

Just include a header with each .sqf in which you state who made the script, when and for what reason (not necessarily what it does). People are going to be dicks anyway but in your case I doubt they can get away with it easily for the competition in any significant degree that it isn't obvious.

I feel releasing pre-emptively only cements the foundation of your original work and it's going to be hard to argue for others they did anything before you or you somehow copied them. If certain features/similarities pop up in others' entries BIS should be able to see pretty quickly if it was plagiarism. Just make your entry so crackin' good there's no dispute.

[StrongHarm 13]

Thank you L3TUC3, sound advice and high praise.