Messages in game code for crackers
 

For any ex-crackers reading this, did you come across software that had hidden messages intended to be read by a would-be cracker?

I suspect that if there was room free, some programmers (maybe while writing the copy-protection) would probably leave discouraging/offensive/pleading messages to anyone looking through their code :)

I seem to remember comments in the Pinball Dreams code mentioning copying the software, and in Lotus2 there was a sound sample (played in the title tune very softly) which was speech which said something like "You will not copy this game".

Are there any others?

Here are some in-game messages to crackers!

Alien Breed:

"STOP IT =NOW=, OK! You will gain *NOTHING* from breaking this protection, but I guess you're too fucking ignorant, narrow-minded or maybe even too stupid to understand that. Yeah, so you and your 'leaders' and 'spreaders' (that's what they like to call themselves, but they're nothing but LEECHES gaining some kind of fame from the work you do) will have something to spread around on BBS', ok... But what the hell do they, or you, REALLY get for all that, huh? Ok credits... So they can download some shit games or other software, but in a wider perspective? I'll tell you =NOTHING=. It's pointless. If you don't realize that now, I assure you that in a few years you will look back at this time and wonder why you did it. I know that from experience. Go and do something constructive, like studying, socializing, programming or whatever! Cracking is not constructive. To you it might seem like a challenge or something you do to get famous, well OK it is a challenge to crack, and you do get famous if you're good at it. Famous for a while, a short while. But nobody will care about that five years from now. You will benefit much more from getting a job, education or a girlfriend, I'm telling you because I KNOW. I was a cracker once, one of the best. In a time when you could actually send the originals by mail, work for a day or two, and then send the cracked version back, and still have a world-first release. Then the scene consisted by computer freaks who made it for the fun of it. The scene today is perverted and lead by ignorant computer-illiterate idiots, only in for the fame and money. They think they're famous and legendary, but nobody likes or admires them for sure. I HATE IT! Now I've realized the stupidity of my actions, and I wish I could undo them. You'll also do just that in a few years too if you have a conscience, and wish you had done something else. SO DON'T CRACK IT!"

There's the classic Jeff Minter message inside one of his games, forgot which one.... What was the line??? I forgot everything ! Damn. I will look onto this one later.

Blood Money:

"Well hello there hackers. I'll warn you now that this game has a LOT of protection, so it will be a few late nights for you lot. It's a mugs game anyway, you should be writing games and making loads of money like me (you too could afford a 16V Astra GTE), but you are obviously lacking in a few brain cells & will put a weeks work into cracking this for what? SOD ALL, thats what. Well if you do manage to crack it send me a copy: DAVE JONES, DMA DESIGN, MINTLAW PARK, WEST FERRY, DUNDEE DD5 1RD. In return you will get sod all as usual. In the meantime I'll be thinking of you when I'm in Florida, spending some of my dosh."

Cabal

"celui qui crack Cabal est un ANE...!"

Translation - "Whoever cracks Cabal is a FOOL...!"

Castle Kingdoms:

"CASTLE KINGDOMS © MUTATION SOFTWARE 1997 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.WHY ARE YOU READING THIS TEXT THERES NOTHING TO CRACK HERE M8:)"

:laughing

Last of the big spenders eh;) They must of cost all of £10000 when he wrote that:laughing

Now if he said a Cossie then maybe someone would have took notice.

Elite:

"NOVELLA PROTECTION VIOLATION The SLEEPER has been installed! When it wakes, expect major damage to CMOS circuitry.

Development of good software takes time and costs money. Stealing software can only damage the future availability of first class products and artificially increases the cost to genuine purchasers. To discourage theft we have installed 'The SLEEPER'. Expect CMOS failure at sometime in the future if 'cracked copies' are used. You have been warned!"

Dragon's Lair: Escape From Singe's Castle:

This one is pathetic (oh, please, please...)

"Once again, a small note to pirates and crackers: I thank you very much for delaying the release of DL1, but must once again ask you to please wait with Escape. We have tried to provide the Amiga community with the best possible game for your money (unlike many other companies), and hope that once again there will be enough sales into the future to support yet another game we are planning for the Amiga: TERMINATOR! Please consider delaying your release of Escape. As more and more quality companies leave the Amiga for the more profitable IBM, C64 and Nintendo markets, it is up to you, the users, to show which computer is truly Visionary. Randy "Irwin" Linden"

Randy Linden aka the guy behind PSX emu Bleem

F1 Tornado:

"If you can't crack this game then you are lamer than lame.. PIRACY IS THEFT... IF YOU COPY THIS GAME THEN REMEMBER - IF F.A.S.T. CATCH YOU THE MAXIMUM PENALTY IS SIX MONTHS IN PRISON... If you crack this game then there's plenty of space for an intro (from sectors 600+) so do something good!! Do you want to cheat??? Then here's some 'codes' to type in on the title screen .... type in everything between the asterisks, including punctuation... Cheat 1 - *I AM A SIX HEADED ALIEN FROM OUTER SPACE*Cheat 2 - *EARWIGS ARE THE MASTER RACE*Cheat 3 - *QUEX, I LOVE YOU, AND I WILL BUY ALL OF YOUR GAMES - HONEST* there also is another but I'll leave it to you to find out.... Please leave in these codes instead of doing a trainer cos" [Message mysteriously ends! - Cody]

Jurassic Park AGA:

"CRACK THIS GAME AND YOU DIE!!!!!!! I AM NOT KIDDING!! I KNOW WHO YOU ALL ARE!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!"

Little Puff In Dragonland:

"Project 66 - (C) 1990 Codemasters Ltd. - Programmed by Derek Leigh-Gilchrist. VERSION 1.12 - don't crack this! For more info read the text at the start of the protection..."

That one is as lame as the game itself :laughing

Metal Law:

"HIGHSCORES
1ST 300000 KILL ALL
2ND 250000 BLOODY
3RD 200000 MOTHER-
4TH 150000 FUCKING
5TH 100000 CRACKERS!!"

Naughty Ones:

"Sorry guys. No time for a proper protection. Have mercy!.. Melon Dezign did a lot for the scene, so please give us a break. No challenge in breaking this one anyways... PS: We were NEVER paid to make an intro for anyone, but maybe you will reward us by not cracking/spreading this one... OK?? PPS: Just spend my last money buying a mobilephone, so I really need every dime this game can make... Merry Xmas everyone, seeing you around..."

Navy Seals:

"Crackers Nightmare :-(
Assembled on 19/6/1991 at 12:26:19"

Suspicious Cargo:

"Mr. E Says HI! to all the sad crackers (that means you) who can't crack this 100%... Have fun with the chexsums lamers!!!....I'll be looking out for a copy I can finish , so sad bastards, merry Xmas. Till then, WAR......Dave Exile says "The game may run, be does it play till the end???" - you dicks probably can't finish it to find out anyhow.THOSE WHO CAN, WRITE GAMES, THOSE WHO CAN'T JUST CRACK GAMES. I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU SAD PEOPLE. MAYBE ONE DAY YOU WILL GET A LIFE. OH, BUT YOU WOULD NEED A PERSONALITY FOR THAT...AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO COME OUT OF YOUR BEDROOM. TILL THEN, YOU'L HAVE TO GET YOUR KICKS FROM CRACKING GAMES AND READING WANK MAGS......Over and out, Dave The Exile."

Sword Of Sodan:

"hi, strange place to meet?? i guess it's ok for you to peek around in my boot block, but if you are out to crack this program, may the worst curse be on you forever!"

Toobin':

"(c)domark 1989 by teque developments

big f--k offs go to quartex - paralamia accumulamers the band - mag.fields and any other girly cracking / swapping groups. ha ha ha

message to red sector your mega demo is - totally mega cool. we all love vector balls

did you know that slime who crack games have very small dicks and are homosexual message end... bye"

Here's an excerpt from a USENET message dated May 1984 (Google link ):