Lost RPY files? Restore them from RPYC!

[papillon]

This does include that to open your game, people would have to buy it first

Not in Jack's case, which is part of the problem.

[Applegate]

I admit to never having an interest in Jack Norton's games (sorry!), so I don't know his particular marketing strategy. His web site however directs me to BMT Micro for the Heileen Visual Novels, so I don't see how one can acquire it legally AND download it at the same time.

Still, I think demonising the users of this particular software as being out to pirate isn't a correct stand-point to take, as the software is clearly brought in with the idea that it lets you recover your .rpy files from the .rpyc file. Whether this was the intent is a debatable subject, where you have to juggle good faith with, well, not so good faith. I do however think that to use this particular software for illegal ends, you need motivation. And anyone who is motivated to do so will find a program to enable it: they already exist, as Jack pointed out, and are easily found using Google.

It'd not make much sense to officially treat it as a tool with malign purpose and application when it clearly can have benign application and purpose.

[backansi]

@Jake
So .NET has it. Hmm.

I do however think that to use this particular software for illegal ends, you need motivation.

But the motivation can be created (or founded) by a certain circumcetance.

[papillon]

so I don't see how one can acquire it legally AND download it at the same time

It is not uncommon in downloadable games to have the entire content of the game inside the distributable demo, but locked up so the player can't get to it until they pay for the game and receive codes to unlock it. I've always preferred using separate demos and full versions myself, but many developers feel otherwise and some have claimed much better conversion rates with unlockable demos because players appreciate that they can continue playing right away instead of having to download and install a new thing.

Now, remember, I've said from the beginning that this is not that huge a deal, such tools will always exist. I still think it's reasonable not to officially endorse them. To run wild with your microwave example, you legally CAN disassemble your microwave if you feel like it, but they certainly don't hand you a kit to do so when you buy your microwave and suggest that you have a go. In fact, they strongly encourage you NOT to poke around inside your microwave, and for fairly good reasons.

By wanting the tools to be kept off this forum, I'm not claiming that everyone wanting to use them wants to use them to pirate, that's obviously not true. I just don't want people encouraged to open things up for no reason, particularly when in many cases the use would be at best rude.

[iichan_lolbot]

And there are no Ren'Py games yet people are dying to have translated which they can't just talk to the creators directly.

You know, there is such a game: http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4718

If your language is not listed above, or none of the teams wish to hire you, you're out of luck.

[gas]

Ren'Py is under CC, but my .rpyc files are NOT.
So, maybe you can ask for PyTom to add this feature in the launcher for non compiled distributions.
But YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RIGHT to touch my .rpyc, if I DON'T EXPLICITLY GRANT YOU THE RIGHTS.
The CC license (and similar) were made for this.
Law. Point. No exceptions. Even for translations.

"Out of luck"? That's mean YOU CAN'T. Not "find another way".
I hate piracy.

[HigurashiKira]

Ren'Py is under CC, but my .rpyc files are NOT.
So, maybe you can ask for PyTom to add this feature in the launcher for non compiled distributions.
But YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RIGHT to touch my .rpyc, if I DON'T EXPLICITLY GRANT YOU THE RIGHTS.
The CC license (and similar) were made for this.
Law. Point. No exceptions. Even for translations.

"Out of luck"? That's mean YOU CAN'T. Not "find another way".
I hate piracy.

.rpyc files are still backups, and for someone who looses the data due to some unforseen error it can be the only thing between them and starting all over (And, depending on the size of the project, this can suck a lot)

Besides, who would want to pirate Ren'Py games? Most are free, and the ones that are commercial generally don't attract much attention from those that will pirate (Dosen't mean it dosen't happen, but almost everyone who comes and looks for those games does so to pay for them) Even if a few are of questionable quality

[papillon]

the ones that are commercial generally don't attract much attention from those that will pirate

Sadly this is absolutely untrue, they are extremely popular requests at a large number of pirate sites.

[gas]

The fact that some ren'py games is given free is A VOLOUNTARY ACT of the maker, and legally doesn't mean anything.
Whatever you do is ALWAYS protected by copyright laws. For example, in many Social Network or sites (like Deviant Art) you POINT OUT that you give the material for free, and that's your own production.
But is not a given fact: you have to state this. The Creative Common License was done for this: to share things and be somehow protected. If I do a script, is protected by law as INTELLECT PRODUCT until I choose to distribute the material the way I (me, myself, the One) want.
There's no legal point into state that "Ren'py is not so famous" or "Who know Ren'Py?". If there's ONE game in the entire Universe under a comercial license, and is even scrap, YOU CAN'T MODIFY IT ANYWAY. No exceptions.

Once I lost my .rpy files. A tool like a decrypter for -rpyc is indeed usefull BUT NOT FOR DISTRIBUTED GAME, as you can't tell if is under a strict License or not. Odds doesn't mean nothing in legal terms. Could be nice to have the option in the Launcher. This IS possible, so, if PyTom do this, any other "external" code is automatically a CRACK (illegal) software. "Other tools do it" mean nothing: other people steal cars, this don't mean you can steal mine!

[iichan_lolbot]

as you can't tell if is under a strict License or not.

There is already a human user who should deal with licences, laws and moral aspects. The one who can tell if is under a strict License or not by reading license file. Why should any user-driven (not automaticly surfing for new games to decompile, which is quite easy to do, but may be illegal) program check such things, if they are already known by a man?

any other "external" code is automatically a CRACK (illegal) software.

Why? It's just a tool. Remember, the same knife can be used to save life or to take life away. I just don't get your point.

[deadmaster]

So... I'm guessing this will never be available?

[iichan_lolbot]

In fact it was avaliable all the time and it is still avaliable right now, PyTom removed the wrong attachment =)
And see... Nothing was awfully destroyed by millions of evil software pirates everyone was so afraid of.

[ZaqazDeath]

Umm, not to be rude by being a newbie in such an important part of ren'py, but why not add protection.
Protection, which would stop that. Py'Tom can partake in this program by making protection for it, but also making it available if wanted. Can't you made a part of code that says "Protection for RPY decompiler" and if it is True, which is probably going to be on the pubically released version, which will also be True by default just in case, then it can't be opened by the RPY Decompiler. If it's false, then you can open it, which probably be for private use, unless allowed by the developer, if it's just a free game and if people want to translate it, etc. Using this method, you can
A) Use what the program was intended for
B) Protect games from crackers/cheaters
C) Let fans change/translate the game.
I'm sorry if I'm being disrespectful, but please I don't want such a program by the maker deleted like that. Please at least reconsider the idea.

Edited (Easier to read version)
Why not make protection for it? Py'Tom and the maker of this program can just add protection and limit the potential/power of the decompiler. Can't Py'Tom just make protection and a flag for it? If it is to be True, then the protection would be in effect, which is True for default. And if it is to be false, which is probably for the developers only or for free games that isn't affiliated with law as much. You can also make a secret code to make so if you lose director's cut or w.e, you can just open it with that too. Like, you press control delete alt 2 space and then it leads you to a 4 digit code and then after that you have to choose your color and then after that you have to enter your favorite food question and then after that make you solve a captcha and then make yourself solve one more question to know its really you and then there. Even the public version has the secret RPY Decompiler function. By making protection and limiting the decompiler's potential you can:
A) Use the program for what it was intended for - RESTORING THE GAME FOR DEVELOPERS
B) Protect Games from Crackers/Cheaters/Leechers/Trolls/etc
C) Let fans change the game the way they please, to either translate or more endings, etc.
Sorry if a simple 13 year old kid is interrupting what could be the future of ren'py, but such a method was on my mind and it was not mentioned. Sorry.

[ruh12]

So... How I compile the .txt files now? Is there something that do it?

[iichan_lolbot]

Just rename them back to .rpy files, lol.