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2005-04-19 03:08

Duke
Account closed

Registered: Jun 2003
Posts: 20

RECHARGING THE CRACKING SCENE

I wrote the following article for the last edition of Vandalism News, and I am just curious to hear your take on the subject matter. Here goes:

The cracking scene is doing well these days. Groups are active, and crackers are able to keep busy with games supplied to them by sceners who finecomb the history books of games released, games uncracked. They are out there, and why they were not cracked in the first place is a mystery - but questions like these aren't asked, instead we rejoice over the heightened activity in the scene. I spoke with Jucke in this issues Board Report, and he fondly remembered back to the days when the Christmas rush actually meant a ton of games and the most activity the cracking scene could hope and dream for during the year. Now it's the biggest slump of the year. Sceners are busy with real life, and the unreleased games can wait. The competition isn't there for the individual games. Sure, there are a few new games released, but mostly they are done by people with a clear link to the scene, and because of that you will actually see the game developers supplying a cracking group with the game. Unheard of, you say? Nevertheless it's the reality. No rush. It's all been planned out nicely. It's a different game indeed.

This morning an idea came to me. I am not sure if the idea will work in terms of getting any support from the scene, but I do think it would be an idea that could lift the cracking scene to the status it once had - with all the competition for which you could possibly hope. The idea, in a nutshell, is to announce a list of, let's say for argument sake, 10 games at a set time every Friday. The games would be selected at random, and yes, the games would all very likely have been cracked and released in the past. Alright, I hear the screaming already. Yes, I realise the games have already been released, and that as far as making the game available to players would be a mute point. The game, after all, is already out there to be had. Pal and NTSC. No, that isn't the point at all. The idea is to feed the cracking scene the ability to once again compete on a same-level playing-field. Imagine this scenario if you will: 10 games are announced on a web site by an independent body ... someone with no interest in who may get the first-release at the end of it all. Once the list has been announced, the cracking-groups would then have to acquire the games. Sounds easy? Nope. They would have to acquire, and prove, that they have the original when they crack it. Sure, there may be some crackers who luck out by knowing someone sitting on the original. There are people who have collected all originals since the dawn of time. But even so ALL should be able to get hold of the games announced, and that leaves just one factor: time! Yes, time. The same factor that meant anything back in the golden days of the cracking scene. Who can get the game first, crack it, release it, or even better, have it NTSC fixed before the release. That is the idea. The games on this list should, however, not be counted as valuable as a brand new and un-released game, but the difference could be made up in the release charts. One point separates the two different types of releases, let's say. The un-released, new game, is still king. But the game from the list is still good, and would be a way for cracking-groups to earn some prestige points by beating competitors to the punch.

The idea will be controversial. I know that. But even so it is an idea worth debating, at best. It would benefit the scene, and no doubt I would enjoy seeing the competition again out there, and checking out the new versions of old games. Defender of the Crown, put out again? Pirates? Better versions, different intros, groups of 2004 behind them? I think it would be a killer. Also, the idea of, let's say Defender of the Crown, placed on the list, and then we all wait to see who gets to put it out first. Imagine the competition right there. Will it be Nostalgia? Onslaught? Triad? FairLight? Or maybe even the 5-10 new cracking-groups that would pop up to take advantage of the added games to the playground. I get pretty excited over this idea, and you should, too. Because, after all, the alternative is no competition. And what is the value in that?

2005-04-19 07:50

TDJ

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 1879

So basically you want to organize a cracking-compo? ;)

2005-04-19 08:29

Slator

Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 273

well first of all the idea is not too bad but I think it is not doable nowadays. With far too less active real crackers and the lack of time it wont be possible to do 10 games a week ;-D

and btw, guess you will have some troubles in beating the n0stalgia version of defender of the crown ;-D

Another thing is that the remaining "active" crackers are among 3 or 4 groups.
With having heaps of originals you have a big advantage, too. There are a few dozen of people who are original maniacs who are affiliated to some cracker groups.

Individuals would have a big problem or have some lucky day with having the original.

just to mention some things that came up in my mind in a minute

2005-04-19 10:00

The Overkiller
Account closed

Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 342

Basically I agree with Slator. I read the Duke article on VN mag but he probably doesn't know the changing of the cracking scene during the years. For example consider Fairlight a cracking group is senseless, Fairlight code only (cool) demos, no cracks for years. Competition is spoiled (apart for some dudez who love eleet stuff :D ) because like Slator said there are few cracking groups still active. Fun and nostalgy are what we need :)

2005-04-19 11:55

Puterman
Account closed

Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 188

I think the big question is: why would anyone want to participate?

You might as well try to recharge the demo scene by arranging an online demo compo every Friday.

2005-04-19 12:22

Burglar

Registered: Dec 2004
Posts: 1050

Quote: I think the big question is: why would anyone want to participate?

You might as well try to recharge the demo scene by arranging an online demo compo every Friday.

heh indeed, nobody in his right mind would invest a huge amount of time in cracking old games just for the sake of some fake competition...

duke, the cracking scene is dead, live with it ;)

2005-04-19 12:33

The Overkiller
Account closed

Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 342

Quote: heh indeed, nobody in his right mind would invest a huge amount of time in cracking old games just for the sake of some fake competition...

duke, the cracking scene is dead, live with it ;)

Dead is a big word .... When there won't be anymore cracking groups then we'll write R.I.P on a tombstone.

2005-04-19 13:31

Duke
Account closed

Registered: Jun 2003
Posts: 20

At least we are still able to have debates in the scene, and that counts for a hell of a lot in my opinion. I believe that there are ways to spice things up in the cracking scene, and although I agree my idea isn't a very practical one for sure, it still is an idea. Maybe there are others out there? I would like to keep the debate going in VN and I will print your comments in here. I think you all hit the nail on the head why it is an idea doomed to fail - no doubt about it. The cracking scene faces many problems, but I do think that somewhere there might be a way to recharge it, and bring back a bit of the competition that once made it so fun to be part of or observe. The above mentioned idea is just an example, but to say that the cracking scene is dead and burried and gone is to me a little too easy. It isn't dead. There are still games out there to be cracked, new as well as uncracked old ones. Maybe somewhere in there lies the answer to our question!

2005-04-19 14:06

The Overkiller
Account closed

Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 342

A way to recharge it ..... sure !!! Force hundreads of inactive crackers to back in business again or face the reality and hope the cracking scene won't die fastly.

2005-04-19 15:32

Tch
Account closed

Registered: Sep 2004
Posts: 512

I used to crack a lot a long time ago and as I knew it was never going to be a first-release,I took my time with them.
It was always fun to do (besides the packing).
But a Cracking-compo..
Thanx,but I´ll pass.
Don´t think I´d stand a chance anyway. ;)

I did find some originals on my old discs though:

Black Panther
Gamblin Cowboy
Super Seymour
Empius
The Jumping Jack (NOT jumpman junior ;P)

Maybe somebody misses these?

2005-04-19 15:43

Duke
Account closed

Registered: Jun 2003
Posts: 20

I think that the real sport of the cracking scene is in hunting down games that escaped the eyes of crackers when released. They are still out there. One could argue about the point to releasing a game from 89 of even earlier, but if no one cracked and released it before it would still technically count as a first release. That is good enough for me. And like I said, at least there is a bit of sport in it right there for crackers to keep themselves busy.

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