[Trigger] Can someone possibly remove protection from my map?

[VG_Emblem]

Hi, so I made this thread

Can I or can I not play/open this map? Why/why not?

Hello, I was wondering will this work in reforged or not. I haven't had luck, but I'm also not sure I know what I'm doing. Thanks! https://world-editor-tutorials.thehelper.net/maps.php?view=257

www.hiveworkshop.com

And found out the reason my old map doesn't work, allegedly is that it's protected. Long ago a lot of people were very cutthroat about this map, and the original Ultimate Footmen (mine) spawned dozens and dozens of imitators. So it was protected. I lost the original file a very long time ago. I would be grateful if somebody could sort this so it's playable (most important) and possibly even able to be updated.

Thank you.

https://world-editor-tutorials.thehelper.net/maps.php?view=257

 

[Retera]

So the idea of the protected is a dumb idea, actually. Because what happens is that it's not cryptography.

If I buy a bitcoin, that's protected. Only I have the bitcoin and you do not. Because I can verify using the laws of math that I am the only one. In a similar way, some of the Warcraft 3 maps have the "BLIZ" blue logo on them in the original game. [In the Reforged this system is gone since the new people probably lost the original keys, kind of like the situation you're in, but at Blizzard office.]

When you edit a protected map with the official "BLIZ" blue logo, the logo goes away. This is because the map protection uses crypography, like bitcoin, and it actually works. The edited map isn't the original official one, and nothing you can EVER do will bring back the "BLIZ" blue logo.

The map protection from the players is not this, and is not protection, because it does not actually work. It is map data corruption, not protection. So if the original code was:

If unit enters region {Teleport Area}:
 - Teleport unit to center of map

The new trigger would be

If the unit (lalalala) enters region {buh buh you dont know what this name represents}:
- Teleport the unit to {ba ba dummm hardcoded value (0,0)} as a point
`

So then what happens is if you have an advanced user who has been trolling a lot of people, and editing a lot of maps where the game pieces are named lalalala, then for him your map is not protected even in the slightest. But you protected it from yourself due to the limits on your own knowledge and skills.

Other people disagree with me, but this is how I feel about the map protection. I did something similar to you and "protected" one of my maps in 2004. Then in 2005 the computer hard drive died. That was so annoying that since then, I didn't want to deal with it anymore.

I can edit your map and add something specific if my life depends on it, but I probably cannot invest the (extremely long and boring) time to rename variables like lalalala back to Entering Unit just to make you feel better about yourself, since that is a time consuming and boring process.

 

[PurrsandMlems]

fist rule: if the game can read it, so can you too.
you are going to just need a correct interpretor.

 

[MildKidneys]

Iirc it's against site rules to discuss map deprotection, although I might imagine an exception could be made for this unusual edge case.

 

[Retera]

an exception could be made for this unusual edge case.

As far as I know, there is an exception in the Site Rules page:

So I am hopeful that when I share my opinion - that I corrupted one of my maps in 2004, and discourage others from doing the same - that this is no trouble. But of course, if someone tells me to avoid this in the future, I will.

 

[VG_Emblem]

So the idea of the protected is a dumb idea, actually. Because what happens is that it's not cryptography.

If I buy a bitcoin, that's protected. Only I have the bitcoin and you do not. Because I can verify using the laws of math that I am the only one. In a similar way, some of the Warcraft 3 maps have the "BLIZ" blue logo on them in the original game. [In the Reforged this system is gone since the new people probably lost the original keys, kind of like the situation you're in, but at Blizzard office.]

When you edit a protected map with the official "BLIZ" blue logo, the logo goes away. This is because the map protection uses crypography, like bitcoin, and it actually works. The edited map isn't the original official one, and nothing you can EVER do will bring back the "BLIZ" blue logo.

The map protection from the players is not this, and is not protection, because it does not actually work. It is map data corruption, not protection. So if the original code was:

If unit enters region {Teleport Area}:
 - Teleport unit to center of map

The new trigger would be

If the unit (lalalala) enters region {buh buh you dont know what this name represents}:
- Teleport the unit to {ba ba dummm hardcoded value (0,0)} as a point
`

So then what happens is if you have an advanced user who has been trolling a lot of people, and editing a lot of maps where the game pieces are named lalalala, then for him your map is not protected even in the slightest. But you protected it from yourself due to the limits on your own knowledge and skills.

Other people disagree with me, but this is how I feel about the map protection. I did something similar to you and "protected" one of my maps in 2004. Then in 2005 the computer hard drive died. That was so annoying that since then, I didn't want to deal with it anymore.

I can edit your map and add something specific if my life depends on it, but I probably cannot invest the (extremely long and boring) time to rename variables like lalalala back to Entering Unit just to make you feel better about yourself, since that is a time consuming and boring process.

I'm not quite sure where you're going with this. I mean, I kinda get it, but. . . well, this isn't about making me "feel better about myself." I want to open the map to play with a friend, to extract the game design ideas and inspiration for a new game I'll be making. (Not on Reforged/Wc3.) I also am considering the idea of updating this map, since, well, I was a 13 year old when I first made it, so I think I can do a little better now. Although it was still very successful. Go figure.

So I'm not trying to be rude (although, maybe just a teeny bit, as I felt your post was kind of rude), but yeah, where are you going with this? If it's to inform me of what protection is, well, you did a decent job, but not really decent enough to get me anywhere from this point. If it's to tell me I made a mistake in protecting it. . . well, it was nearly 20 years ago, so what is the point of that?

And was it completely unnecessary to "protect" it? I can tell you this, when I was originally working on this map, MANY people were bloodthirsty for a slice of the pie. So I didn't want someone to upload a new map, with a bunch of wack changes, and claim it was from the same creator. Does this sound like paranoia to you? Then just look up how many derivative Ultimate Footmen maps there are. Even after I quit, people kept making copies and their own versions. This is not really a big deal, as long as they weren't trying to pass it off as from the original source. Which, again, lots did and even more would without the corruption. Believe it or not, people even stole my Bnet name and pretended to be me. So. . . . I think it was necessary at the time, even these years later (although, yes, 13-year-old me didn't want ANY other Ultimate Footmen maps, but I think it's kind of flattering now). And I'd just like a solution, not a lecture. Though thank you if you were trying to be sincerely informative.


Like, look at this. Download "Ultimate Footmen" WC3 Map [Melee & Footmen] | newest version | 28 different versions available | Warcraft 3: Reforged - Map database
The last one I actually made was 1.00c (the one linked in the first post). Someone, claiming to be VG_Emblem himself, has updated it a bunch of times, all the way until 2019. And this isn't even a tenth of it, maybe not even fiftieth, but this one actually claimed to be from the original creator, so I'm sharing it. There are even knockoffs before the 1.00c mark.

 

[Retera]

I want to open the map to play with a friend, to extract the game design ideas and inspiration for a new game I'll be making. (Not on Reforged/Wc3.)

It sprouted endless controversy and I am not a lawyer, but my suggestion to you would be that you identify specifically what it is you wish to accomplish. Then do that -- and only that.

If you are not familiar, it might be valuable for you to review the alleged differences in the licenses between Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and its replacement, Warcraft III: Reforged. If you are not familiar with these differences, then it may be the case that navigating a pathway to opening your old map file on the Reforged program, and saving the map again in the new Reforged format (despite the file appearing visually similar to its 2000s counterpart ingame) might make it subject to Blizzard's ownership of, and I quote (from the above article, so admittedly the wording might have changed in the last few years):

all of your rights, title, and interest in and to all Custom Games, including but not limited to any copyrights in the content of any Custom Games.

For me personally this doesn't matter to my threat model, but if you're going to construct a facsimile of a Warcraft III map using a game engine, it might be to your advantage not to touch the map with the newer game version so that you don't touch the map with the new license agreement which stipulates in plain English that Blizzard owns not only the "Warcraft III" concept but also the "Ultimate Footmen" concept that you create on it, to the extent that this is a copyright-able work.

 

[deepstrasz]

Have you yet proved you are indeed the map's author though?

 

[MildKidneys]

if you're going to construct a facsimile of a Warcraft III map using a game engine, it might be to your advantage not to touch the map with the newer game version

Adding to this; If you happen to own Warcraft 3 physically, you can do what I did and simply download the game and patch up to 1.27. The Hive even has a post about downloading the patcher, so it's not hard to find. Said version lacks this license agreement. No Reforged license or launcher!

Just be wary if you do this since it would mean you can't play online, only singleplayer and via LAN (may need to download the game twice if you want to use battlenet).

 

[Ravager16829]

Adding to this; If you happen to own Warcraft 3 physically, you can do what I did and simply download the game and patch up to 1.27. The Hive even has a post about downloading the patcher, so it's not hard to find. Said version lacks this license agreement. No Reforged license or launcher!

Just be wary if you do this since it would mean you can't play online, only singleplayer and via LAN (may need to download the game twice if you want to use battlenet).

A very worth info, but the thread you linked seems to be outdated as of now. Better use this thread instead.

Nevertheless, the procedure is still same. You can only play singleplayer. Online play is still possible, but only through either pirated Battle.net servers or LAN. And of course, some versions (like 1.31) were actually the ones that use the stupid launcher, so don't use that if you are going to play on appropriate version. Just use "Warcraft III.exe" to play.