[देव]

Is there a way to grant Open Rails access to encrypted files, primarily encrypted to prevent model piracy? I have encrypted the files, but Open Rails does not have access to them. While importing the Encryption Certificate through Manage Certificates in Windows grants access, it also gives users full access to the files. Is there a method to restrict access solely to the Open Rails software for these encrypted files, without providing users complete access? Any insights on this would be greatly valued.

[eric from trainsim]

Good luck with that. Part of the issues with having an open system versus proprietary is that users will be able to do exactly what you are describing.

[steved]

Encrypted files in a train sim?
Why?

Randy

[Weter]

Quote

to prevent model piracy

[R H Steele]

Whatever can be encrypted - can be hacked. What one lawyer can write into a contract another lawyer can tear it up. It's what the two legged-critter does best -- create and destroy -- happily it seems without learning much about how to elevate its' own consciousness.

[Genma Saotome]

DEV, on 15 February 2024 - 01:55 AM, said:

Is there a way to grant Open Rails access to encrypted files, primarily encrypted to prevent model piracy? I have encrypted the files, but Open Rails does not have access to them. While importing the Encryption Certificate through Manage Certificates in Windows grants access, it also gives users full access to the files. Is there a method to restrict access solely to the Open Rails software for these encrypted files, without providing users complete access? Any insights on this would be greatly valued.

I'll let you in on a little known fact: Copyright law does not protect the 3d mesh of any object intended to represent a real world object to a considerable degree of accuracy*. The reasoning is such mesh is not creative, it is only skilled work. Thomas the Tank Engine is creative; A decent model of a SD-40-2 is not because it is only a copy of a real world object.

OTOH your textures, being art, are usually creative and therefore protected. Just be sure to add some dirt and/or rust and if you can, some shadows to eliminate any doubt about that.

Google Meshworks v. Toyota for the case law.

[steved]

Again. Why?

[Weter]

People are the same, so...

[eric from trainsim]

I get the desire to try and keep some level of control over the results of your time and effort....

Instead of trying to encrypt and limit, just find ways of putting in a digital signature that you can use to point out who the pirates are.

Without giving away too many specifics, some of my works are protected by a vertex that forms a representation of my initials. It's buried in a place most wouldn't look for it, but the sequence is easy to find in a shapefile. Think of it as a watermark, like some people do in their textures in a way that wouldn't be obvious.

Or maybe use a watermark. It only needs to be a couple of pixels that have a value just a little off from its neighbors, yet can be identified when you look at the image closely enough, or view the image in its raw form as a numerical representation of bits and bytes...

Things like that aren't impossible to find and change, but most pirates simply aren't that smart.

When you find your stuff stolen, call them out. Loudly.

[P Escue]

This topic seems to come up every so often.

How to protect our creations

I guess the question is why do you feel the file should be protected? Is it a case of that you want to sell the item or just protect it from being modified by others and taking credit for your work?

If it is a case of selling something, look at how others are doing it, usually with an install program that requires a code to do the installation. Of course, this is mainly to keep honest people honest. If someone wants it and is dishonest, they’re going to get it no matter what you do. Just look at how many movies are out on the internet that violate copyright and I guarantee that the movie industry puts a lot of money into protecting their copyrights.

If it is to protect your work so no one can make off that it is their work, then you have a little different problem. Most simulators use a proprietary file system which you could say is the method of protecting content. Open Rails in a sense is using a proprietary file system that was developed for Microsoft Train Simulator. Since several groups of people including Open Rails had to reverse engineer the file system, it is no longer secure, but this can be done on pretty much any file system. Again, if someone wants it, they will find a way.

Dave, on Meshworks v. Toyota the main reason for the judgement was that Meshworks could not show that there was not enough creativity in the work to have copyright protection. As the United States Supreme Court has stated on creativity on copyright "To be sure, the requisite level of creativity is extremely low; even a slight amount will suffice. The vast majority of works make the grade quite easily, as they possess some creative spark, no matter how crude, humble, or obvious it might be." So, to be copyrighted you need some creativity even a small amount. I believe that a better argument would have been that Meshwork could not have created the mesh without access to Toyota’s cars, thus it would have been a derive work.

It is this creativity that has the Copyright Office rule that if it is made with AI, it cannot be copyrighted. You need a human to do that.

Phil