Histoire des dispositifs de contrôle dans les jeux vidéos

[Benoît Sibaud <bsibaud AT april.org>]

« A History of Copy Protection » (ça ne concerne en fait pas que la
copie, mais bien aussi la simple utilisation des jeux vidéos)
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10800&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=0

Quelques passages :
« Games would sometimes ship on diskettes with holes laid out in precise
locations. » (ces trous dans les disquettes signifiaient donc des
disquettes non standards et souvent non réutilisables, même si ce
n'était pas la problématique de l'époque).

« The first salvo was the use of unreadable disk sectors or other hidden
files that could not be read or accurately duplicated by the software
used to copy CDs at the time. » (même chose déclinée pour le CDROM, et
là ça devient beaucoup plus problématique, empêchant parfois la simple
lecture)

« This has led to controversy when gamers who legitimately purchased
titles like The Sims 2 and BioShock have been unable to play them thanks
to the incompatibility of their hardware, anti-virus software, or other
system components with CD-based copy protection. »

« None off this, however, has engendered quite the outrage brought on by
system-side copy protection solutions like StarForce. Very difficult to
crack but also difficult to remove on uninstall of a game, these
mechanisms have been accused by outlets from the lowest tech blog to
gaming comic Penny Arcade to CNet of executing a malware-level invasion
of a system on which they are installed. » (de l'infiltration sournoise
dans les ordinateurs)

« All this considered, it's impossible to believe that the cat-and-mouse
game of piracy and copy protection will not reach new levels of
intensity, with new technologies deployed on each side, and that some of
them will surely create new hurdles for even those who simply wish to
purchase and play the newest games. »

-- 
Benoît Sibaud