Hey guys,
I wonder if there is any official way to reserve my rights for any map that I make, I don't want anyone to decompile my map and edit it (is there any way to prevent that ?!)
I would be grateful if u can help me.
There are many ways to prevent someone decompiling your map. Each decompiler has things that it searches for and stops at if it finds it in the BSP. This can be a property you add to any random entity, or a certain arrangement of brushes. There are also programs that will scramble the names and functions of entities so that anyone that decompiles it will have a hard time following the logic.
Here's the thing, though. I won't link you to any of this because it's totally useless. Anyone can get around decompile protection, no matter what it is or what kind you use. You can find them on Google if you look hard enough. I've gotten around every form of decompile protection without writing a single line of code just by knowing about BSP and VMF structure. Anyone with an above average grasp of Source (or the ability to get me or anyone else knowledgeable to help them) will get around your decompile protection every time.
In reality, it's very rare for someone to bother stealing a map and rerelease it, even if they want to modify it. This is especially true if when you release it, you say that you prefer people contact you for changes. More often, someone will want to decompile your map to find out how something was done or built. If that's the case, you should be proud that someone uses your map as a learning tool. That means you did well.
My sincerest advice is to not even bother.
Ah yes. As long as you keep it well documented that YOU are the rightful owner of the map, there is no way anybody can steal your map. A person trying to claim ownership of your work when you have something like a tf2maps thread documenting your progress is in deep shit as soon as the community finds out.
Look here http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=8227
The thread says when it was first posted, other users have taken screenshots of the maps early versions for feedback purposes, there are various discussions on the map's layout and so on... All with dates that go far back. If one were to try and claim that map, he would have to explain how there can be 3 year old alpha screenshots that he didn't take. Stuff like that.
Also, what i tend to do is to keep the vmf's of every single version of my maps. If someone were to try and claim my map, i would be able to show a library containing every single version from a1 and upwards, which the thief could not.
Chain of Title - document everything you've done - start to finish - so when you see an "Official" map that just happens to be yours - it makes it easier to make a case that the true ownership belongs with you and not the other person.
One of the ways you can do this is making multiple versions a,b,c,d,e,f, or 1,2,3,4,5, etc as you go - not only is it good for backup purposes but it also shows map progression as you make it. If the other dude only has one or two but you have a series that a definite progression over months - the judgement starts to lean in your favour.
If you also start to post here as well showing progression of you map versions - then you would also have some community feedback that the map was yours originally and not someone else's - of course this could be subject to change if you put your map into the orphaned repository and someone else picks it up.
Doom linked me a map he had been unable to decompile and open successfully. Doom is a pretty smart guy.
Took me 3 attempts at diagnosing the issue and a grand total of 5 minutes before I got it open. It probably took longer to "protect" the map than it did for me to crack it open.
Doom linked me a map he had been unable to decompile and open successfully. Doom is a pretty smart guy.
Took me 3 attempts at diagnosing the issue and a grand total of 5 minutes before I got it open. It probably took longer to "protect" the map than it did for me to crack it open.
I'll say the same thing about this that I say about all other forms of media: The best way to keep people from stealing it is to not give them a good reason to.
In this case, that means don't develop it to the point where it shows promise and people get excited about seeing it continue and then get bored and stop working on it. That's the main reason someone would want to steal someone else's map and work on it, and it's the reason we now have a place where people can post unfinished maps they're sick of working on for other people to legitimately take over.
decompile and open successfullyNow, now. Did I not tell you at least three times that I did decompile it?