7 replies to this topic

[snicklin]

I hope that this isn't something that has been asked for before, but it's something that I just thought of.

Would it be possible to have a feature which would (on pressing a button), create an encrypted screenshot? This would be useful for gaming competitions. This screenshot can then only be opened by the emulator. This would prevent anyone editing pictures in Paint/GIMP etc.

Maybe a hash of the loaded ROM could be incorporated into the security, so that people can't dump a normal screenshot, edit it and then have their own custom executable loading the screen, allowing for a secure screenshot?

Potentially (with the co-operation of websites) there could also be a mechanism to upload that screenshot to a central site which can be specified by the user?

Any thoughts anybody?

p.s. I do not play in the gaming competition here, apologies if it has been spoken about there.

Edited by snicklin, Mon Dec 26, 2011 5:09 AM.

[Rybags]

You could just use a save-state file.

But the problem is, emulation is weak in that you can just work out where the score is kept and change it in the monitor.

Many games just use the screen data for the score, so it's a matter of seconds to alter that to whatever you want. The only way to catch someone out is if they get greedy and create some score that's impossible to reach at a given stage of the game.

[AtariGeezer]

One problem I see is that you can do a Screen Grab on a PC running that emulator or visiting that webpage and then save it...

[Mclaneinc]

I can't see a way of binding the ALT key in Altirra, so no chance of an ALT+F10 to save a frame...

It would not have been encrypted anyway...

I suppose you will have to carry on just trusting the morals of the contenders, even if its limited to hardware only anyone with Omnimon would have no problem altering the screen, its 5 secs work...

[bfollett]

Plus with an emulator you can also disable collision detection and/or slow the emulator down to obtain ridiculously high scores in many games, so I don't think trying to encrypt a screen save is going to be of any use... I think you're just going to have to go with the honor system where emulators are concerned.

Bob

[Rybags]

Not to mention slowdown and pause on demand.
Even on a real machine you can easily disable collision detection. The only real proof of a score is a video of the entire game.

[Mclaneinc]

To be honest its most likely best left as it is, as we all have said both emulation and hardware are totally cheat-able one way or another. All you can really do is hope people are honest and just look for sudden patterns of winning, a good knowledge of the game being played also helps as say the highest score is a 4 digit number but someone sends in a 5 digit score then obviously there's a problem.

Even a video of a game isn't without problems (not on Atari's though), with a lot of emulators storing replay data as joystick movement and button recordings its possible say on a Snes emulator to seen to be setting up a game and playing it yet its actually in replay data mode.

Unless an event is organised then you really have no choice but to trust the players and I'm sure us Atari folk on here are good guys and gals with the possible exception of Flashjazzcat, have you seen how close together Jons eyes are...

Hmmm Spookt looks like an action replay man

Seriously, its a fun little event that I've yet to have a go on and you can tell by the camaraderie that its all fair and square, lets not get paranoid folks

Edited by Mclaneinc, Mon Dec 26, 2011 12:33 PM.

[snicklin]

Ahh, fair enough, you've all made some good points here, I can see that this is a non-starter.

However, can anyone think of any other innovative emulator features?

Here's some random ideas off my head (which may be complete rubbish)
...
1) "Open Files" is actually a link to Atarimania (or other sites) and you can "open" the files through the web?
2) Average game ratings automatically dragged off websites...
3) nope, sorry, can't think of any more...