Dead simple. The games has been realized long ago and Rock Star didn't wanted to take much time to release this game to Steam. Recompiling the program would have needed to setup a compiling environment, and check the executable for defects. Instead, they already had the fix right under hand and they new it was working as there was no known issue for this no-cd. Why not use it then?
The DRM-less version of Arcanum on GOG uses Fairlight's crack (publ: Activision).
It's likely that a lot of the games on GOG use cracks. I doubt that GOG are putting them in there, it's just that the publishers find this easier than removing the DRM themselves. In many cases they probably don't have the source for many older games, most of which require DRM removal to work as downloadable titles.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm choking to death on the irony and need medical assistance.
Laziness. When devs do that, they`re legitimizing the work of the crackers, who shouldn`t have to do all that work anyway. Kill the DRM. Cooperation always beats competition.
This is hilarious and shows how much code stealing goes on in this industry! They just didn't even take the time though to rip out the ASCII logo which is just sad. I wonder if this was the advice of their lawyers to leave their code alone to avoid being dealt a lawsuit from MYTH programmers. Having said all this, I wonder now if these development studio's don't appreciate the hard work the (ok I am old school) crackers do for them. Especially the No-CD cracks which were a favorite of mine even when I had bought the game.
Considering that the developer would have lost money due to illegal copying of their copyrighted work and would never recover this money from those prosecuted for enabling such activity, it seems fair to me that they now use the work done by those crackers to help them sell more product, ie. recover their money. That doesn't mean a free for all by the developers to go out and use code "suspected" of being used for illegal activity. It would be a long winded argument but I think you all get my drift. Re to DRM or not DRM I'll leave to others to debate. I have my views and I think it needs to be improved and somewhere between nothing and draconian.
Having no cracking/hacking experience. Would it be possible to have a no-cd crack setup to reactivate the DRM if it was ever discovered to be used by a company trying to sell their software with the crack installed?
I.E. Discover a company is using "your" crack in order to make profit from a their game. You then "reactivate" the DRM through some "hack" in your original crack.
I'd just find it a little humorous if something like this happened. Reverse cracking a game.
Personally I think the companies should not be doing this, all they are doing is imitating they're "enemies" and personally I think it's even more morally wrong than pirating it in the first place, as your now PAYING for a non legit version.
I'm pretty ........ that companies are starting to do this.
So pirating the pirates is immoral ? Reloded, Myth and other scene groups are working hard for thouse cracks, they should at least more publicity out of that !
Haha how a ironic... DRM double-edged sword! The company themselves (namely the coder who did it) is guilty of actions violating the DMCA: I've had to serve clients with DMCA notices; it's HILARIOUS to watch a Dr. that makes $~350K/yr cower in front of me, then suddenly start making up excuses like a teenager, staring up at me and my clipboard w/ the huge mono-block, black "DMCA NOTICE OF OFFENSE" about to humiliate him...