Hiding Files Code Help

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Original post by Mad_Koder I am planning on programming a game in OpenGl, I however do not want all my files for the game (bitmaps, sound, models and such) to be accessible to anyone who downloads the game. In other terms, I am wondering what would be the easiest way to hide the files such as game on CD's do?

Games on CDs don't hide the files. They may store them compressed, or in archives with proprietary formats, but they have to be there for the game to be played.

It's a waste of your time and energy anyway. People who are determined to get your resources out of your game will get them, but given the high quality resources available elsewhere (other games from less paranoid developers, free online, etc), I doubt anybody will care enough.

The only real enforcement you have to prevent people from using your assets is legal. After all, we've all seen homebrew projects that use graphics ripped from 80s-era cartridge ROMs. If people can be dedicated enough to extract bitmap images from printed circuit boards and EEPROMs, your data - already on their computer - doesn't stand a chance.

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Lastly involving just a program; if I have a program that you must have a password to get start such as one so I can only open the program ( I guess the best analogy would be a Program with a needed password, or a Parental Settings program or whatever), how would I store the password, where are the passwords stored? (I am probably just over thinking and will kick myself)

You can store the password on the local machine encrypted, or - if you are looking at the Product Activation model - you can store them on your server and have the software transmit it across the network using SSL.

However, something tells me that you're obsessing over these aspects when your game isn't even complete - or perhaps playable! - yet. I say focus on making a great game first, then focus on protecting your investment. After all, there's no point to protecting a non-existent investment.

1st question:
You can either create a file format for each file type you want to hide (eg. create your own model format, your own image/texture format) and don't say anything about it's internal structure or you can create a mega file format that packs all these assets together (this article should help you: GD Article: Creating a PAK file format). Aditionaly you can encrypt these files.

None of them is impossible to break and get the info, it just makes it a bit harder.

As for the 2nd question: I have no idea, sorry.

Hope I've helped.

[edit]Beaten by a big post that makes mine ashamed[edit]

Have a secret algorithm that encrypts passwords. When a user creates a password, encrypt it and store it in encrypted form. When a user logs on, encrypt the password they enter with the secret algorithm then compare it to the encrypted stored form.