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AppGameKit Classic Chat / Include Media in Windows App?

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Crazy Programmer
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Posted: 1st Sep 2015 20:39 Edited at: 1st Sep 2015 20:47
I have been searching and cant find anything AppGameKit related.

I have been trying to include media inside the .Exe for AppGameKit Windows App.

Can this be done?

I'm not wanting to just put the media folder inside a zip folder for everyone to take and use the media at there free will. If your going to get it I want you to atleast have to work for it.


http://www.appgamekit.com/documentation/guides/50_windows.htm
I figured if it could...It would be here

http://crazyprogrammerproductions.webs.com/
Markus
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Posted: 1st Sep 2015 21:51
i guess its already in the "v2 Feature Requests" thread.

maybe u can handle it with the Memblock commands if u have agk v2.
means the file is encrypted,load it into memblock,decrypt,
and create image or sound from memblock.

AGK (Steam) V2 Beta .. : Windows 10 Pro, 8.1 Pro 64 Bit : AMD (15.7.1) Radeon R7 265 : Mac mini OS X 10.10 (Yosemite)
DavidAGK
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2015 00:03
This is such a repeating theme, and for good reason, that hopefully it moves up the V2 Feature Request list. I think pretty much everyone would like to be able to have everything in an exe and media automatically encrypted.

Using Tier 1 AppGameKit V2
Started coding with AMOS (Thanks Francois Lionet)
Crazy Programmer
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2015 00:21 Edited at: 2nd Sep 2015 00:21
Quote: "maybe u can handle it with the Memblock commands if u have agk v2."

I will have to look into that when I have the time.


Quote: "This is such a repeating theme, and for good reason, that hopefully it moves up the V2 Feature Request list."

I would like to see this implemented very soon but given thought id rather have a few other features first. Though it is a much needed request.

http://crazyprogrammerproductions.webs.com/
CJB
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2015 11:18
Quote: "everything in an exe and media automatically encrypted."


Absolutely agree 100%. In fact, automatic encryption of media on all platforms would be ideal.

V2 T1 (Mostly)
Phone Tap!
Uzmadesign
Markus
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2015 13:35
my ideas about is to replace the direct file access.
but that is something for paul.

something like

LoadImage(GetDataFromFile("file.png"))
LoadImage(GetDataFromWWW("http://www.google.de/file.png"))
LoadImage(GetDataFromMemory("1:file"))
LoadImage(GetDataFrommemblock(1))

in the end we have something like this
LoadImage(LoadData(url))
LoadSound(LoadData(url))
SaveData(url,ImageData())
SaveData(url,SoundData())

LoadData/SaveData just using a byte array

other file access based commands need a replace and get data only.
possible with overloaded functions backward compatible.

AGK (Steam) V2 Beta .. : Windows 10 Pro, 8.1 Pro 64 Bit : AMD (15.7.1) Radeon R7 265 : Mac mini OS X 10.10 (Yosemite)
Mobiius
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2015 16:08
Quote: "GetDataFromWWW("http://www.google.de/file.png")"

This already exists.



RemoteFile$ is the file to download.
LocalFile$ is the filename to save the downloaded file as.


Quote: "LoadImage(GetDataFrommemblock(1))"


Again, AppGameKit has the following commands built in already.


It my not be ideal, but there are commands already in place for this purpose.

Also, including media in an EXE is in my opinion wrong, as it bloats the fileseize of the exe, increases the load time as the program has to extract all files before the code can even start executing, and once the exe is actually running, the media exists on the drive as unencrypted, unprotected raw media anyway.

Your best bet would be to create your own file format (Or use memblocks), and load that in yourself. AppGameKit 2 would be better for this than AppGameKit 1 as it has native sound, file and image memblocks, rather than just image.

CJB
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2015 16:59
Quote: "as the program has to extract all files before the code can even start executing"
Only if the executable has been built to do that. It could just as easily read the encrypted and compressed image media directly from the executable file using an fseek offset, whose indexes are built automatically at compile time.

V2 T1 (Mostly)
Phone Tap!
Uzmadesign
SpecTre
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2015 17:49
It would be good if AppGameKit could create a packed file which is encrypted that the main program can load from and it would auto load from the encrypted file.

The Amiga and Amos were great!
My website LEAP - Download Paint Pot here!
Markus
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2015 00:25
@Mobiius
yes but its not the same.
we are faster if we went straight for the goal.
means the effort 1x from tgc save all xxxxx agk developers (spare) time.
my idol in past:
all
http://www.blitzbasic.com/bmdocs/command_list_2d_cat.php
incbin
http://www.blitzbasic.com/bmdocs/command.php?name=Incbin&ref=2d_cat

AGK (Steam) V2 Beta .. : Windows 10 Pro, 8.1 Pro 64 Bit : AMD (15.7.1) Radeon R7 265 : Mac mini OS X 10.10 (Yosemite)
SpecTre
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2015 00:36
Quote: "incbin"


Something like this would be ideal and what I was explaining above.

The Amiga and Amos were great!
My website LEAP - Download Paint Pot here!
Crazy Programmer
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2015 03:58
Quote: "It would be good if AppGameKit could create a packed file which is encrypted that the main program can load from and it would auto load from the encrypted file."

+1

http://crazyprogrammerproductions.webs.com/
Delta V Software
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2015 05:19
I don't know why you guys want to hide your media so badly. If someone wants your assets they will find a way. It will only be a matter of time until someone finds a way to get the media. The file still needs to be loaded so at somepoint it needs to be located on RAM or VRAM and be unencrypted on the memory so it can be used. So people could still steal your assets then. Also allowing them to see your assets lets people make mods for your game this can be a good selling point/feature and can increase the life span of your game.
SpecTre
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2015 15:38
Quote: "I don't know why you guys want to hide your media so badly. If someone wants your assets they will find a way. It will only be a matter of time until someone finds a way to get the media. The file still needs to be loaded so at somepoint it needs to be located on RAM or VRAM and be unencrypted on the memory so it can be used. So people could still steal your assets then."


This would not be possible for the average person though and would protect your assets that you have spent a long time working on or using your hard earned money buying.

Quote: "Also allowing them to see your assets lets people make mods for your game this can be a good selling point/feature and can increase the life span of your game. "


This could be a possibility, however the way things are set up now for example a 2D game, you could totally change the assets of a game to make it look like a complete new one with no signs of the original game in question so this would not be a case of just putting mods on part of a game.

The Amiga and Amos were great!
My website LEAP - Download Paint Pot here!
Mobiius
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2015 20:11
Quote: "This would not be possible for the average person"

The average person wouldn't care. They play games for the game, not for the ripping or modification of assets.

Crazy Programmer
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2015 20:47 Edited at: 3rd Sep 2015 20:51
Quote: "The average person wouldn't care. They play games for the game, not for the ripping or modification of assets."

I still wouldn't want my game changed unless it was suppose to be a feature.
If you like it +1
If you don't - 1

If you like it but only will play if you can change it... + 1 - 1 = 0
No room for 0s in my book....

That would be losing what....1 in 5000 gamers? So every 1,000,000 downloads....200 people wish they can change your game.

http://crazyprogrammerproductions.webs.com/
Conjured Entertainment
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Posted: 4th Sep 2015 05:32 Edited at: 4th Sep 2015 05:35
@Delta V Software
Well said!
I totally agree.

I only packed my games when using licensed assets that required it.
Nowadays, I try to make all my own assets so I don't need to worry about it.

Quote: "The average person wouldn't care. They play games for the game, not for the ripping or modification of assets."

Agree here too.
People wanting to rip off game assets would probably be a very small percentage of people, and that number would be close to their age.
People wanting to crack your encryption, for the challenge of it, would probably be higher.

I have felt for a long time that witch hunting is useless, and that your time is better spent on serving your honest customers.
My advice is to focus on your game development.


Coding things my way since 1981 -- Currently using AppGameKit V2 Tier 1
BatVink
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Posted: 4th Sep 2015 20:15
Quote: "This is such a repeating theme, and for good reason, that hopefully it moves up the V2 Feature Request list. I think pretty much everyone would like to be able to have everything in an exe and media automatically encrypted."


This is the topic of my tutorial in the next newsletter. Not in the exe, but protected from the average pirate. The best protection is of course that pirates are focused on AAA games, not our humble creations.

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur
TutCity is being rebuilt
SpecTre
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Posted: 5th Sep 2015 00:20
Quote: "This is the topic of my tutorial in the next newsletter."


Look forward to this

Quote: "The best protection is of course that pirates are focused on AAA games, not our humble creations."


I think it is more the average Joe we want to hide it from to make it look a more professional package.

The Amiga and Amos were great!
My website LEAP - Download Paint Pot here!
Crazy Programmer
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Posted: 5th Sep 2015 00:46 Edited at: 5th Sep 2015 00:46
Quote: "This is the topic of my tutorial in the next newsletter."

I cant wait

Quote: "I think it is more the average Joe we want to hide it from to make it look a more professional package."

As long as your publishing for phones and not windows...The average joe will never unzip your APK to see your media

I don't even have the software installed atm to Unzip an APK myself. ( I didn't even know it was possible till Funell pointed it out. )

http://crazyprogrammerproductions.webs.com/
BatVink
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Posted: 5th Sep 2015 01:06
The tutorial uses encryption and a hash key, so it will stop everyone but the most determined hacker.

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur
TutCity is being rebuilt
Jambo B
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Posted: 5th Sep 2015 03:14
Quote: "I don't know why you guys want to hide your media so badly. If someone wants your assets they will find a way. It will only be a matter of time until someone finds a way to get the media. The file still needs to be loaded so at somepoint it needs to be located on RAM or VRAM and be unencrypted on the memory so it can be used. So people could still steal your assets then."


Some previous posters alluded to this, but in almost all media assets which I have bought, there is a clause in the licensing terms which prevents the assets being stored in a way which is immediately available and accessible; i.e. in the media folder.

I encrypt mine at the moment - even just encrypting the first few bytes means that someone trying to open the file by double-clicking it in Windows will pop up an error.

Of course it is still possible for someone to hack the assets out of a game, but at least a bit of easy encryption satisfies licensing terms.

James
DavidAGK
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Posted: 5th Sep 2015 22:38
Tutorial sounds good...but I'd still like, on compiling, to end up automagically with one exe that holds all the media automatically encrypted.

Using Tier 1 AppGameKit V2
Started coding with AMOS (Thanks Francois Lionet)
Conjured Entertainment
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Posted: 6th Sep 2015 23:08
Quote: "Tutorial sounds good...but I'd still like, on compiling, to end up automagically with one exe that holds all the media automatically encrypted."

I recommend auto-encryption too, just because most users will be using 3rd party assets that require it.
Makes a really nice feature for AppGameKit users to have that taken care of automatically.
It is also a nice feature for future AppGameKit asset developers to know their stuff will be protected automatically.

Quote: "means the effort 1x from tgc save all xxxxx agk developers (spare) time."

This argument seals the deal. (and how could anyone argue with it?)
It's very logical from a production standpoint.


Coding things my way since 1981 -- Currently using AppGameKit V2 Tier 1
DavidAGK
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Posted: 9th Sep 2015 19:25
Have TGC's said anything about this? Wonder what their thoughts are? As CE says, would be a real bonus to developers knowing their assets are all automatically encrypted. Having a single exe would also make distributing demos etc easier.

Using Tier 1 AppGameKit V2
Started coding with AMOS (Thanks Francois Lionet)
Crazy Programmer
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Posted: 9th Sep 2015 20:32
Quote: "would be a real bonus to developers knowing their assets are all automatically encrypted. Having a single exe would also make distributing demos etc easier."

I really wish for this in the near future.

Also I'm really looking forward to BatVinks tutorial.
I havnt really used Memblocks and wouldn't have the slightest clue on where to start for encrypting images.

I'm hoping it is more simple than I think it would be and gives everyone the opportunity to take advantage for awhile and let TGC fix a few bugs with AppGameKit and work on the 3d commands.

Beta Test Age of Knights:https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.CrazyProgrammerProductions.my_AgeOfKnights
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