Hi Philip,
That is a really tough question. Both as a game player and developer
myself I'm faced with this very question. Here is my thoughts on the matter.
What it really boils down to is a question of convenience for the
customer or better security for your product. As a developer who is
interested in seeing customers pay for the time and work I put into a
project I feel compelled to use some form of hardware based product ID
system or internet product activation. However, as an end user myself,
of such product registration systems, I personally hate them. I
generally find the registration system, if not flexible and easy to use,
is a major deterrent from purchasing the product. I've actually stopped
using certain products just because the registration system was too much
of a hassle obtaining new keys for all of the time.
For example, I often upgrade my computer if and when I have the cash to
do so. Since I custom build my desktops it is easy to swap out a
motherboard, processor, and memory so one day it might be a 3.0 GHZ
system with 1 GB of ram and after I finish performing an upgrade it
might be a 3.5 GHZ system with 2 GB of ram. Such upgrades are quite
normal for me. However, because a lot of software now uses hardware
based registration systems performing an upgrade like that causes me
endless frustration and agrivation, because I have to contact every
developer, explain to them why my product doesn't work, and ask for new
keys. Obviously, this is a massive hassle.
Some developers such as BSC Games, GMA Games, etc are pretty friendly
about it, know I do this, and are willing to grant me a new key if and
when I need them. Some developers, Microsoft to name one big one, tells
me I have to purchase a new license for Windows because Windows was
designed to be installed on a single computer where the hardware is
assumed to be the same without major upgrades. So that naturally effects
my desire to keep up to date with upgrades.
As a result I've had to make major changes in what software I support,
buy, and install on my computers. My desktop runs Linux because it is
cheaper,
doesn't have some draconian registration system, is easier to maintain,
and does just about everything I want it to do. Since I don't upgrade
the hardware on my laptop that is the system I install Windows on, plus
my games, and have elected to register all of my Windows software on
that system. Primary reason is that is the only way to keep from having
to e-mail every developer under the sun for a new key anytime I perform
a system upgrade on my desktop system.
While an internet product activation system isn't that bad still it bars
valid users from a clean and simple way to register his/her software. In
the end knowing what I know about both the good and bad about
registration systems Mysteries of the Ancients uses a user name product
key system. That is the product key is tied to the user's user name. It
is considered the weakest security system a commercial developer could
use, but makes it simple and easy for an honest customer to use. Since I
am not primarily writing my games for money, do it more as a side hobby,
I tend to use the honors system on such things. I feel customers who
really enjoy my work, want to contribute to USA Games for future
developments, will pay for the games and legally register them. Those
people who lack a conscience or just don't care will pirated it anyway
regardless how secure I try to make the registration system. So I tend
to try to benefit the customer rather than punishing them for what a few
unscrupulous people will do anyway.
HTH
Philip Bennefall wrote:
Hi all,
I just wanted to throw out a quick question here. As expected, there are quite
a few user keys for Q9 floating around as I am only using a name/key
registration system. Now, my question is; is it the best way to do things, or
should I adopt an Internet unlocking strategy? The product ID/key approach is
out of the question as regenerating keys for people can become quite a
nightmare, and so the only option left for me is to make it check the
registration data online. This of course forces the user to have an active
Internet connection at the time of registration, but I think most people do
these days. So, should I keep the registration system as it is or change it for
all my future products to be Internet based?
Kind regards,
Philip Bennefall
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