[casual_games] Encrypting text files

[James Terry]

For LUA, you can precompile the .lua files into byte-code with luac,
this will give you some immediate benefits in faster loading and syntax
error detection, in addition to preventing users from changing the
source. For your xml, you could look into using blowfish or rjindael or
another encryption library to unencrypt the xml before parsing. I am not
sure if there are any better ways to handle the XML, but for the LUA
files, you definitely want to be using luac.

James R. Terry
Game Developer
Yatec Games 
(225) 274-1550 Ext. 104
jterry at yatecgames.com <mailto:jterry at yatecgames.com> 
www.yatecgames.com <http://www.yatecgames.com/>  

________________________________

From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org
[mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Ricky Haggett
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 6:08 AM
To: 'IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List'
Subject: [casual_games] Encrypting text files

 

Hey folks,

 

Our engine makes extensive use of xml and lua to mark up GUI, provide
scripting, level data, save game files etc.

 

This is all great, but one issue we have is that these text files can be
opened and edited, to hack the save game file and otherwise muck around
with the internal gubbins of the game.

 

What I'm after is a software layer that sits between the engine and the
file system, encrypting text files on write (for writing save data) and
decrypting on read. There'd also need to be an offline tool which
encrypts text files generated by hand (e.g. those containing scripting).

 

Can anyone recommend something suitable (in c / c++)?

 

Cheers,

 

Ricky Haggett

Development Manager

Morpheme Game Studios

www.morphemegamestudios.com

 

 

 


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Morpheme Game Studios, Morpheme Wireless and Morpheme
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