This is about preserving video games in general, not for specific systems or time periods.
1. Document as much of the game as possible. Unfortunately, you can't go too far and reverse-engineer it, as it violates most EULAs.
2. Document ROM hashes by dumping carts. Unfortunately, it is illegal to circumvent copy-protection, which is in many different consoles. It was in the DMCA exemptions of 2018-2021, but not in the current list of exemptions. Obviously, companies hate this option.
3. Document how the hardware works. Unfortunately, this might get in conflict with anti-cirumvention laws because it would help people dump carts illegally and circumvent DRM.
4. Create emulators. Since consoles will break eventually, when people start developing homebrew on it, emulators should be used because consoles will detect games that are not legitimate. And if you break that: you just CIRCUMVENTED copy protection, which breaks the law! It would also help in documenting hardware, but companies hate emulation and they'll probably put the infuriating quote of:
Unfortunately, 2, 3, and 4 will eventually become illegal (or already is illegal) because of contracts and anti-circumvention laws. However, most companies are fairly "lenient" in terms of how users can use their content in videos and images, so it's not likely that they would be willing to sue in the case of number 1. Here are Nintendo's guidelines, this varies by company: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/networkservi ... index.html.
And of course we have 5, dumping and sharing ROMs on the Internet. Except that's illegal. This might be the ONLY way to properly preserve games, however. Simply seeing the game is not good enough for most people. And if somebody did, the games will make sure that the user cannot finish the pirated game. Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copy_prot ... e_payloads.
1. Document as much of the game as possible. Unfortunately, you can't go too far and reverse-engineer it, as it violates most EULAs.
2. Document ROM hashes by dumping carts. Unfortunately, it is illegal to circumvent copy-protection, which is in many different consoles. It was in the DMCA exemptions of 2018-2021, but not in the current list of exemptions. Obviously, companies hate this option.
3. Document how the hardware works. Unfortunately, this might get in conflict with anti-cirumvention laws because it would help people dump carts illegally and circumvent DRM.
4. Create emulators. Since consoles will break eventually, when people start developing homebrew on it, emulators should be used because consoles will detect games that are not legitimate. And if you break that: you just CIRCUMVENTED copy protection, which breaks the law! It would also help in documenting hardware, but companies hate emulation and they'll probably put the infuriating quote of:
As I mentioned viewtopic.php?p=292208#p292197, emulator developers would need to use the software (obviously, because you're EMULATING that software), and it falls under the same case as reverse-engineering if it is banned in the near-future.You may not copy, duplicate, publish, transmit publicly, lease, modify, EMULATE or reverse engineer the Software.
Unfortunately, 2, 3, and 4 will eventually become illegal (or already is illegal) because of contracts and anti-circumvention laws. However, most companies are fairly "lenient" in terms of how users can use their content in videos and images, so it's not likely that they would be willing to sue in the case of number 1. Here are Nintendo's guidelines, this varies by company: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/networkservi ... index.html.
And of course we have 5, dumping and sharing ROMs on the Internet. Except that's illegal. This might be the ONLY way to properly preserve games, however. Simply seeing the game is not good enough for most people. And if somebody did, the games will make sure that the user cannot finish the pirated game. Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copy_prot ... e_payloads.
Statistics: Posted by asm6hackr — Thu Feb 08, 2024 6:52 am — Replies 0 — Views 71