Pulling source out of a love.exe

[Bannana97]

I've been wondering this since I started using love.

I made a game and created a .love file for it. After, I ran the following command:

Code: Select all

copy /b love.exe+game.love game.exe

This creates game.exe, which has love.exe and my .love file combined. Is it possible to pull the .love file back out? If so, is there any way to prevent the copying of source code?

[SudoCode]

It's in zip format.

[kikito]

Is it possible to pull the .love file back out?

Yes. If you rename it to .zip, it will still open with an uncompressor.

If so, is there any way to prevent the copying of source code?

Not a technical way; your file needs to be decompressible because LÖVE itself needs to be able to read it to execute it.

There is a legal way consisting on distributing your game with a license file that prohibits such conduct.

[Bannana97]

I tried making an .exe just now and was not able to uncompress it with WinZip. It said it was invalid...

[pk]

WinZip is pretty stupid. 7-Zip is smarter and will uncompress the file.

[Bannana97]

There is a legal way consisting on distributing your game with a license file that prohibits such conduct.

And what exactly would that be?

[SudoCode]

There is a legal way consisting on distributing your game with a license file that prohibits such conduct.

And what exactly would that be?

Distributing it with a license that does not allow for modification or redistribution?

[Roland_Yonaba]

There is a legal way consisting on distributing your game with a license file that prohibits such conduct.

And what exactly would that be?

I suggest Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-ND.
On the basis of Josefnpat's post.

[Bannana97]

Let me get this straight.
I am not too familiar with copyright, but if I simply put a link to that CC license in a .TXT file or similar, is my work immediately protected by it?

[pk]

In most parts of the world, you own the copyright to your game as soon as you distribute it, even if you don't distribute it with an explicit license. As far as extracting your code/images/sounds, people have limited rights under fair use. If someone outright steals your work and tries to pass it off as original, the law is on your side.

Still, I hope you aren't planning on suing anytime soon. Piracy is a social issue, not a technological one.

The CC licenses just detail specific the usage rights for people besides you. They grant 3rd parties other rights beyond those granted by basic "Copyright (c) 2012 John Q. Public. All rights reserved" boilerplate.