Tired that everyone copy your mode by one click and then using as his own? Then this article for you! This guide how you can protect your mode by key-actions and about something else.
I actually was inspired by this post about everyone can copy the mode by one click, so i decided to make a guide for players and suggest to Blizzard idea.
All who worked on the mode a days and more, know, why so offensively, when you paid so much efforts to make interesting, balanced and unusual mode, and someone just copy it by one click, clear the description and keeping the mode like they created it.
We already know the system of match joining:
- For all
- For friends only
- Only by invitation
So, i suggest for Blizzard developers the the idea how to fix this problem.
The author of the mode can pick in special block âPrivacyâ who can copy the mode.
https://ibb.co/GpVfcSR
Like joining to match system i suggest this variants:
- ALL PLAYERS
- FRIENDS ONLY
- NOBODY
https://ibb.co/rkrNDfn
After author picked the âNOBODYâ mode, all who havenât access to copy canât copy the mode.
https://ibb.co/s1L5cz0
This thing will be so useful for authors and people will put more efforts to creating the interesting modes, knowing that their work will be rewarded by admiration of others players.
In case this mode is open sourse âALL PLAYERSâ, other people can copy it and save settings like usual.
Another way - just create the special block where will be who creator of the mode, and who developer of the mode.
https://ibb.co/0J67DL3
And now, while Blizzard thinking about this ideas, i created guide for players how they can protect now their modes from unhonest players.
THE FIRST WAY
The basic way to confirm your authorship, dont be lazy - make the Description. Of course, everyone who copyed the mode can easily change it and write there own Battletag, but honest players will not change it and will keep the mark of author.
https://ibb.co/bPz2m3J
Advantages:
- Easy to make the mark, it does not take much effort.
- The mark will be in your description and everyone can see it
Disadvantages:
- Also everyone can easy change it and put there own Battletag
THE SECOND WAY
The second way more reliable, but it not 100% protect your mode. The way - you change all comments from your code to your battletag
https://ibb.co/qYq5D4C
Advantages:
-
I swear, when i copyed some codes from my friends SO HARD to understand what does each function and especially hard to understand the code of mode generally. It will be one more stair for protect your more from people who can copy it and modify, and then pass as own.
-
50% Auditory who copy the mode even donât go to the code and just use it as it exist now. Even if someone want to change it from Battletag to 1-2-3-4 etc. it will be so hard if you have 50+ functions, so the more functions in code, the more probability that the player who can change it just wonât do it because it will be so long. And if he will try to pass it as own, everyone who also copy the mode will see the real author of the mode.
Disadvantages:
-
It can be long, not so long, but maybe on it you will spend about 1-2 mins of your free time.
-
Better have unauthorized and authorized variations of the mode, because if you will have only the authorized variation and want to modify it somehow, you can get confused if own code.
THE THIRD WAY
The hardest one and most reliable. Encoding and decoding the mode by actions-keys of the author.
The idea is: If you will not do some actions and the start of game, game mode is changing the rules in some match time (as simple example, if Author of game in slot 0, will not make 10 teabags and hello communication, the mode in 30 seconds declare draw or start damage over time to all players 9999 time and 9999 damage).
The simple example of code you can get here:
N17ZY
This mode have the 2-keys activation: The 10 teabags and hello communication from the player in slot 0. If any condition is false (teabags < 10 or Hello = False) the mode close in 30 seconds Total Time Elapsed.
For you - not hard to make 10 teabags and say hello at the start of the game, but everyone who want to copy your mode and will try to play it, they will discover that nothing works. Only who know this rule (author or his friends who know about this thing) can play mode normally.
Of course someone can try to decode it. To try a find a function of Key-Actions and delete it. But the more key-actions will be - the more hard will be to decode it. Actually, if you put the key-actions not at the top or bottom of code, but in the middle, player can spend so much time for read all your code and delete not In-Mode function, because if he delete the system function, game mode will stop work normally. If you combine with Second Way, the decoding become almost impossible or will be needed so much time, so no one will be ready to this sacrifice only just to play your mode.
Advantages:
-
So strong protection level Ńopyright of mode.
-
So hard to decoding mode even if player skilled in Workshop.
-
Mode stop works for all who dont know the key-activations. So you can choose who should know it, who shouldnât.
Disadvantages:
-
If you want strong protection of copyright mode, will be needed much action-keys , scattered at the different parts of your code. It can be so long and much work needed for it.
-
Works only if author or who know the keys, in game now. If author will leave on 1-2 mins to somewhere so mode stop working.
How mode working you can watch here:
THE FOURTH WAY
The patent of the gamemode somewhere, like some sites or youtube video.
Advantages:
-
If you add your mode at the some popular resourse, all auditory of this resourse will know that you developer of this mode.
-
Also it will be evidence of your authorship if someone in game will try a pass mode as his own, the early youtube video or post on popular resourse will be good authorization of your mode.
-
By this way you can also get some popularity in the community as good gamemoder.
Disadvantages:
-
If you invented same mode, which someone already created, resourse can not admit your authorship of this mode.
-
If you posted the mode not on so popular resourse, people can not admit your authorship too.
THE FIFTH WAY
Elegant, but not so effective way - The Hidden Code.
The idea is:
Algorithm:
- Pick lobby mode âClosed for allâ
- Pick the preset you want
- Start the mode
- Change in settings from mode preset to empty-preset mode
- Open lobby for others
Mechanics of copying mode works, that people can copy the preset which activated now, not which in game now. So, if you picked the empty-preset mode, people who copy it copying the empty mode without any settings, which protecting your mode 100% from copying.
Advantages:
- 100% protecting level of mode, because people just cant copy real setting of your mode
- Not needed to encode/decode mode, which making this way easier
Disadvantages:
- You can do this only one time, because when gamemode will restart, the settings of the mode will be emply, and you need to refresh it. After mode settings will be refreshed and before you change it back to empty, will be some time for real settings of mode will be activated, so people can easy copy it. For prevent it, you need to kick all people from lobby and repeat the algorithm above. Because you need to kick all, that way not effective, because people will not back to your lobby, so this way effective only if you planning only one game.
I hope this guide was useful for you. Be honest for others and donât get hung up on protecting of your mode, but also be honest for other players. Never copy and use it without author-marks.