View Full Version : Earthbound (SNES) copy protection
skaar
06-06-2009, 03:53 PM
I came across this article recently:
http://www.infinitelives.net/2008/10/03/earthbound-is-no-py-it-will-destroy-you/
Perhaps the most prominent example of cartridge-based DRM was in the SNES classic Earthbound. Those that had Super Nintendo disc copiers would find that their illegal copy of Earthbound seemed to play fine. What they didn’t know was that the game was spawning way more enemies than normal, making the entire game an endless annoyance. And to those intrepid pirates who slogged their way through anyway, Earthbound had a special treat for them—the game would freeze in the middle of the battle with the final boss, taking the time to instead delete whatever saved games it could find.
I had no idea they had done anything like this, and I think it's freaking brilliant. Now my QUESTION is - does this affect people playing through the game on an emulator? ;)
NayusDante
06-06-2009, 04:46 PM
DRM with a sense of humor. EA should take note.
I've played halfway through on my PSP, but didn't notice any more enemies than normal. Then again, I was playing the NewGame+ hack. Still, I'm sure people would have noticed it in emulation by now. I also never noticed any problems on my cart while using GameGenie, the only way I could finish anything as a kid.
I did, however, wonder if my game got screwed up. The GG codes I used maxed out everyone's HP to where it was displayed with random garbage graphics, and one day I mistakenly shoved the SNES and it froze. After that, I heard three beeps randomly while playing, and figured it was screwed up. Years later, I realized that meant my chicken hatched.
I'd like to know if there's a way to trigger this "hardcore mode" on a legitimate copy.
Tupin
06-06-2009, 04:49 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmyoV1bkXNI
There's a video of it, and no, it doesn't affect emulators because people removed the anti-piracy measure on most dumps.
aclbandit
06-06-2009, 04:59 PM
Haha, that's pure EVIL and pure AWESOME! The funniest DRM story I've ever heard, I think.
Starwander
06-06-2009, 05:46 PM
This is truly justice! I love it.
NayusDante
06-06-2009, 06:52 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUJP0-3Nt1I
That one has the Pro Action Replay code in the description, C0283480.
You have to wonder if it can be on for most of the game, then turned off at the final battle.
CDiablo
06-06-2009, 06:54 PM
Awesome! I womder if Mother3 has the same type of protection.
roushimsx
06-06-2009, 07:05 PM
There's a video of it, and no, it doesn't affect emulators because people removed the anti-piracy measure on most dumps.
I'd think that the lack of problems through emulation has more to do with the emulators than with the dumps. Perhaps early dumps needed to be patched/hacked/intro'd, but with the rise and dominance of Good* sets out there, I think most people have a clean dump.
Shadow Kisuragi
06-06-2009, 07:43 PM
That's one of the best DRM devices I've heard of or seen...
For the person that mentioned EA using humor with DRM - would you honestly want all of your hard drive wiped for pirating? :)
Awesome! I womder if Mother3 has the same type of protection.
It doesn't, I've played through the whole thing without any problems.
NayusDante
06-06-2009, 09:38 PM
That's one of the best DRM devices I've heard of or seen...
For the person that mentioned EA using humor with DRM - would you honestly want all of your hard drive wiped for pirating? :)
Would you pirate a game if it did?
CDiablo
06-07-2009, 12:40 AM
Would you pirate a game if it did?
I think that total hdd deletion would be brutal, but I wouldnt even purchase a game with the ability to do that. No matter how well it was tested, I'd be worried that it might f up.
roushimsx
06-07-2009, 01:16 AM
That's one of the best DRM devices I've heard of or seen...
For the person that mentioned EA using humor with DRM - would you honestly want all of your hard drive wiped for pirating? :)
Shit, just buy Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor and install it somewhere other than the default directory. Don't bother patching it up. When it comes time to uninstall, goodbye hard drive!
Kitsune Sniper
06-07-2009, 01:45 AM
That's one of the best DRM devices I've heard of or seen...
For the person that mentioned EA using humor with DRM - would you honestly want all of your hard drive wiped for pirating? :)
I really don't think any company would be that stupid. Destroying another person's data would be grounds for a huge civil lawsuit.
skaar
06-07-2009, 02:49 AM
I really don't think any company would be that stupid. Destroying another person's data would be grounds for a huge civil lawsuit.
Hey, if you were using some kind of aftermarket illegal device to connect a virtual copy of the game to your system to pirate a copy of someone's software, and it ONLY targeted data that it had full access to and had created (ie saved data) - you're fair game.
If you're going to live by the pirate code, you die by it! ;)