"KaM Editor" WIP thread

[Krom]

Harold, maybe we don't understand each other. Maybe you are talking about bright side and don't notice I'm talking about dark side effects? :roll:
I want to take measures to prevent thiefts of intellectual property and I find it very disrespectfull of you to openly attack my approach.

For example: why don't you upload TKE sources to web, so someone could take them and make a dozen of hacks and upload his own TKE claiming to be author. Why not someone uses your sources and makes a cheated TKE version where militia inflicts x10 damage. Then add multi-player hassle with all these hacks cheats and different builds... :roll:

[harold]

Actually, I did upload them (and everyone can use .net Reflector to view/edit TKE)
If someone goes around saying he made TKE (and maybe even ask money for it) then that's up to him (or her). I will of course take some measures against hacked multiplayer clients (only if they play against normal ones), which can be broken of course, but as always, hackers will get their way if they really want to. (XOR-ing the tcp stream with the SHA1 hash of the program and datafiles might be enough, but I have better ideas)

Anyway. I will stop complaining if the edit protection is only on maps made by your editor (not on, for example, the original maps), though I am aware that that would be hard to achieve. (hidden signatures can be removed)

So, do you think I/you should introduce a protected map format?
And/or a protected map+mission format..

[Krom]

Work is going on
Version 0.4 new shading can be seen here in news: http://krom.rscsites.org/Downloads/

[harold]

Impressive
What about a protected map format though?

[Merchator]

Hey, looks awesome!
Hope you will finish this one
Maybe you can add some features that are in this thread, too?

[Krom]

I'm sorry, where is the DL link? :roll:

I know this rant "hackers will make anything sooner or later". Thats least constructive way of thinking When you make anything enough complicated to hack noone will bother hacking it Take for example RAR password protection - 5char password can be bruteforced in hours, but say 14chars pass requires few years, noone has so much free time

I don't think any maps made prior to KaM Editor appearence are free of authorship. Also since they were actually made why don't authors stick to editors they did used back then
I will think about it, but so far there seems to be nobody interested in this issue but us.

Sure thing TKE should make sure all MP players maps and engine files are identical (say every 5min to detect trainers cheats).

P.S. When someone wants to make a nice map that can't be edited - make a map and start playing it in KaM, make a save and upload savefile

EDIT: I posted news and then sit writing this text

[The Knight]

Which features are planed for 0.4? then i will write a news about it

[harold]

here:
http://www.freewebs.com/knightsandmerchants/downloads/KAM%5FTKE.7z.torrent
and an older one:
http://www.freewebs.com/knightsandmerchants/downloads/KAM%5FTKE%5F1.0.0.0%2Dtest%5Fversion.rar

Anyway, KAM is pretty much abandonware now, but whatever, people can turn them into .pro's anyway (or use Quage's editor).. so I rest my case. Up to you now.

The "long key" trick only works if the key is unknown, which can not be the case if TKE has to load the maps (if TKE has the key, then it can be stripped out of it). In fact, without something being unknown there is no way to really protect something..
Any ideas?

[Krom]

Hey, that is very nice of you TheKnight

ok, I'll try to sum up what I have done in last few days:
- new shading is done, not a KaM replica but 75% of it
- improved circle and square brushes, now they make really smooth hills and are more versatile
- pro format saving removed, now all data is saved in map file footer (encrypted) That should solve "what If I loose PRO file??" rant
- small bugfixes and improvements aswell some internal refactoring to make coding more pleasant

Now things I plan to make and work on:
- city planner to place roads and houses (old example: http://knights.x10hosting.com/KaM/Screenshots/Tools/SE/Krom/kamed2.jpg)
- other suggestions mentioned in this topic (around half of them are accepted and will amke their way into Editor sooner or later)

[Krom]

here:
http://www.freewebs.com/knightsandmerchants/downloads/KAM%5FTKE.7z.torrent
and an older one:
http://www.freewebs.com/knightsandmerchants/downloads/KAM%5FTKE%5F1.0.0.0%2Dtest%5Fversion.rar

Anyway, KAM is pretty much abandonware now, but whatever, people can turn them into .pro's anyway (or use Quage's editor).. so I rest my case. Up to you now.

The "long key" trick only works if the key is unknown, which can not be the case if TKE has to load the maps (if TKE has the key, then it can be stripped out of it). In fact, without something being unknown there is no way to really protect something..
Any ideas?

Looking in sources now .......... Meanwhile

Key length was not my point, my point is "The harder it to do and the less advantage it gives the less ppl will actually try hacking it" So the more complicated hackers way would be the less hackers will bother.

[Krom]

Harold, I was talking about source codes, not about unreachable torrent link

EDIT: Sorry for triple-post

EDIT2: Got the torrent, looking into sources

[The Knight]

A efature request from my site is improving the GUI. Sorry, but it looks terrible, like an alpha version or so. Couldn't you kill the button in head of the GUI (new map, about, help..) and use for example Microsofts Office 07 RIBBON or set in into menu panel in left side... Thunderwolfs Editor is an example for perfect looking editor I think. I would be crazy in head, if you also can develope such a nice GUI.... the current GUI, i find it "circumstantially". :roll:

[harold]

It's reachable and you have the source (assuming that someone from Russia who is connected with pppoe and uses ?Torrent 1.7.5 is you)

Extremely complicated stuff only makes the time it takes until it's hacked longer.. And not even that long, someone will use a disassembler or reflector and all secrets will be lost

Now, I also have a feature request of which I'm not very sure whether it has been said already: copy/paste rectangles of terrain with modes that select whether you copy tiles/heights/objects (preferably also across two instances of the program, so it becomes easy to re-use your mountains)

[MrVV]

Ahhh, a thread about TKE
I have heard of that.
It looks very good, too.

My question is:
Can i find a beta or something?

Thank you!

MrVV

[harold]

Yes, use either link that I posted, the torrent is more recent
You will not find anything usable though and this is not a tread about TKE