FADE
FADE is a protection scheme developed by Code
Masters to protect their PC games against commercial pirating. The first
game that really used this protection was Operation Flashpoint, it
originally only used the protection in this game in the manner of a CD Key
authentication method for online play. The protection didn't affect single
player game-play. Later, "official patch updates" from Code
Masters included the more advanced aspects of FADE. When
FADE is activated, it does not affect major technical parameters of the
game, it affects the game-play type aspects of the game. This may include
(but is not limited to) the following: reduced accuracy of some weapons,
reduced weapon performance, increased enemy hit endurance and increased
player injuries. The message "Original
discs don't FADE" will appear if the game is detected as being copied. If
someone tries using an illegal version in which an attempt was made to
remove or disable the FADE copy protection, games such as Operation Flash
point might easily exhibit signs of instability. Removing copy protection
includes changing program code in many various areas, which leads to
increased application instability. Many illegal versions are known to
contain such instabilities, causing the game to crash during various
game-play events. Code
Masters have stated that these are the major aspects of the FADE
protection technology and that they are triggered by using counterfeit
versions of the game, which strangely includes No-CD cracks, trainers and
even cheats! Recently there have been some complaints from genuine Operation
Flashpoint customers who own the legitimate CD who are having these exact
problems.....it just shows that in most ways Game Copy Protections aren't
always the best way to protect games from commercial pirates, instead their
hurting themselves where it hurts the most.....the customers. If you want to
learn more about the official release of FADE click here.
Detection Of The Protection Detection of this protection is unknown at this stage, if anyone has a known
method of detecting this protection please let us know here. The only way I
guess that you will find out of the game is using it or not is if you burn the
game and you get the "Original discs don't FADE" message, then you know
what the protection is!
Burning/Backup Solution
There are several different methods you can use to successfully
burn/backup your game, as follows:
Basically, because this form of protection only initializes when a counterfeit
or "copied" game is recognized then the best way to get around this
protection is to make a 1:1 copy that emulates the original. Because FADE isn't
just the only protection used on the game this can be quite difficult, as you
have to get around SafeDisc 2 or SecuRom *New* etc. protections. The best method
to backup the FADE protected games is with Daemon Tools (you can emulate the
games protection) or Alcohol 120% burning software (you can also emulate the game or make a
1:1 copy). BlindWrite
can also successfully burn a game with this protection on it.
CloneCD can also burn
a game with this protection on it successfully with certain CD Writers. *Remember,
if you experience problems with burning the game at high speeds, (2 speed +)
(both the read and write process), then burn the game at lower speeds such
as 2 speed and under (both read and write process). A lot of the time
burning the game at slow speeds will solve problems of the install not
working, or the burner not bypassing the CD's protection.
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