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Why Diablo can never be hacked for offline play
Introduction
Seen lots of comments on various posts about how easy it would be to hack the game to play offline, rather than correct each of those posts I thought I’d explain why D3 can never be hacked for offline play.
This post is not meant to support or not support blizzards decision about always on.
And before I begin, yes there might be pirate servers but I’ll explain why they are useless and pointless also.
The first big thing to understand about Diablo 3 is that they did not complete the game and then add a layer of always on DRM, it was create from the ground up with a client/server model.
Client/server
We’ve all played an MMO and the “content” we play, quests, loot drops, spawn, triggers etc. is stored and kept on the servers and sent to you the client as and when needed. The data is then purged from the client when it’s no longer required. Content is not stored on the client (you).
You will need a pirate server loaded with the offical server software that contains the content.
Simple always on DRM
Everything the game needs is stored on your computer and the game just needs to keep in contact with a server to verify as you play.
This is easy to crack as you just need to fool the client into thinking it is communicating with a real server.
Pirate servers
Pirate servers exist for almost any MMO, they might even exist for D3 already? Why? what is the point? A pirate server would be buggy (see any WoW pirate server) and would be devoid of any official content (see any WoW pirate server), because as said the content is stored on the official servers, a pirate server would be empty.
And no it’s not easy to create content, pirate servers more or less just let you spawn mobs as an admin and place objects.
During Diablo 3 beta there were hack that lets anyone download the beta (from a torrent site) and run around the “outside” areas, this was not a pirate server this was simply a map hack, there were no mobs, npcs, loot, events, dungeons etc. I suspect many posting that Diablo 3 was cracked in beta was thinking of this.
How does Diablo 3 work?
Your install of Diablo3 only includes the media, the sound and graphics, it does not contain the “content” such as loot tables, mob spawn locations, seeds and algorithms to generate the dungeons, event triggers and other random content etc. All of this is stored on Blizzard servers and as you’re playing the server generates what is needed and sends it to you (the client). Take away the server and you take away the content.
Bottom line
Diablo 3 is a client/sever game, no hack in the world would let you play offine, unless you can get hold of a Diablo 3 server some how.
Comments
Or of course they emulate the server software like so many other groups have done for so many other MMOs, and Diablo 3 is more than 80% client side unlike MMOs that are around 40%.
So Diablo 3 isn't IMPOSSIBLE to hack, it'd just take a whole damn lot of effort to which I believe no one wants to spend on such a pile of crap like Diablo 3.
Not the Diablo it should have been, just saying.
ps: Not supporting emulation, or piracy, just pointing out the proper counter argument to OP's thread.
The Theory of Conservative Conservation of Ignorant Stupidity:
Having a different opinion must mean you're a troll.
Yeah that's what I thought, I always hated private servers, upping the exp gains and just making donation gear that is OP. Didn't know how stable the current diablo 3 private servers are, but I'm pretty sure once blizzard starts shutting them down and people notice there is wipes everywhere for their character people will start giving up.
What is the point of the disinformation campaign going on?
Anyone that is going to do the "pirated" thing is not going to listen to you...no amount of "DRM cant be cracked" BS is going to trick them into not getting the crack and using it. Its already cracked, if someone is the type to use it...they will...no amount of forum posts is going to stop it. and I doubt most of those that dont use cracks will even believe what you posted...lol.
I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson
Yes a server can be emulated but the big point is there will be no CONTENT on that emulated server.
Its only a matter of time. Count on my word.
wait a few months...
*mumbles*
I still would love Diablo graphics with the UO server code :P
I'm afraid people without knowledge in game programming may not understand it.
It's not like cracking a traditional game, or even like WoW pirate servers. Emulating the server software is possible, in theory, just like I could hypothetically draw the Mona Lisa in MS Paint (I just need to place the pixels with the right colors in the right place, right?), but Diablo game algorithms are far more more difficult to replicate than any WoW gameplay mechanics.
The only way we can see a playable Diablo pirate server is if someone *steals* the server software from Blizzard, and that's a criminal action, plain and simple.
Your "no content" point is simply not correct, Log on atleast 5 DAoC private servers I know of and it is running spot on with the live servers (within a single patch) content wise, same quest, same mob spawns and same loot tables. Aion as well, I know of three private servers running as current as two patches behind as far as content goes, same mob spawns, almost all quest, and the same loot tables.
Not sure where you got your incorrect info or if your simply mistating what you mean. But private servers (atleast for DAoC, Aion and UO) are running neck and neck with the live games in terms of content.
Now, I have no idea what structure D3 uses nor do I care, so I am not saying what can be done or not, just pointing out the incorrect info you're using to make your point.
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UO with D3 graphics, I'd play that!
www.90and9.net
www.prophecymma.com
Any traditional MMO has very simple gameplay mechanics.
They are too easy to replicate.
An action game, it's a lot more difficult to replicate. The effort required is the same effort they could spend making their own game, so I don't see anyone going to do it. Pirate game servers are created when their server functionality is relatively simple to create, or when the original software is stolen from the developers.
this may be done by possibly by playing the content to completion by several players until the maximum number of occurences have been achieved while copying the data, granted it would take someone who is tech savy and has to patience to do so, but it most certainly isn't impossible,
With the appropriate amount of data farming, and a few good script kiddies and boom you got yourself a pirate server, and if you don't think people have, will, and are hacking blizzard servers you are sadly mistaken, I don't do it just saying it can be done.
Nothing is impossible, just highly improbable.
-Spock-
There are times when one must ask themselves is it my passion that truly frightens you? Or your own?
Same with WoW private servers and all others. This is nothing but a case of an OP who doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
-And on the 8th day, man created God.-
I'm afraid the OP is the only one here actually understanding how this works
You should read my previous posts :P
Collecting the raw data is the easy part. The real problem is going to be the gameplay mechanics and related algorithms.
Content can be added, as I explained, but somebody would have to add it.
Fair enough OP but why are you so obsessed with this?
D3 is a fine game and the vast majority will be playing legit. There WILL be "unofficial" D3 servers just as there are "unofficial" Aion or WoW servers. Activision and NC-Soft are not about to go bankrupt because of those so your point is?
I seriously doubt that Activisions (Blizzard whatever) netcode/protocol lead would issue a statement matching your thread title: Silly, unneeded and most likely wrong.
We dont need casuals in our games!!! Errm... Well we DO need casuals to fund and populate our games - But the games should be all about "hardcore" because: We dont need casuals in our games!!!
(repeat ad infinitum)
I'm afraid you're misunderstanding, I never commented on the difficulty of making a private server for D3, I only commented on his staement that a private server would lack spawns, npc's and loot and thus any created private server for D3 would then lack those things. In the OP's points he declares the creation of a D3 private server (I never said one could be made, he conceded that point and then used false information to point out its then lack of worth).
The fact is, "IF" someone did create a private server (as listed as an option by the OP) then your post declaring it's impossability becomes irrelevent (the amazing awesome and uber complex code having been figured out) So the topic then goes to his next point, "no content on private servers" which, is in fact, not true.
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www.prophecymma.com
Can never be emulated? Unless D3 has some magical new-fangled client-server coding that I've never heard of before, it definitely can and will be emulated. What exactly does OP think sets D3 apart from games like WoW, Aion, and Tera, all of which have private servers running? I'm curious, because maybe I just missed the article on this new "uncrackable" technology.
this
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Simple game mechanics, from programming point of view. Mobs that spawn and have simple behaviors, or not move at all. Static dungeon layouts. Etc.
A D3 pirate server would look funny because it would be a caricature version of how the game should be working. (Unless the actual software gets stolen).
Something tells me you've never actually played on a good emulated server before.
You keep posting like D3 uses some new programing tech that is worlds different than every other modern mmo / rpg out there, and it isn't. Fact is, DAoC UO and Aion private servers have moving and scripted npc's and mobs. So I can't figure out if you're just not explaining what you mean correctly or if you are just very misinformed.
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www.prophecymma.com
Why would anyone except for fun fully emulate a diablo 3 server except for a bit of fun. Blizzard does it well enough.
I hope if anyone emulates it they create some different gameplay and maybe something more interesting than just diablo :P
Maybe a 3 faction pvp server or something interesting.
When I for fun worked on an emulated UO server, I tried to put things in I found interesting, not copy/paste what was already done.