- VN#58 Opinion Poll -
"CRACKED BROKEN"
Edited by Jonatan "Macx" FG.

The rise of the successful elite and the demise of those unworthy. You are forced into battle. Engage in conflict. The cracking scene of the past was a brutal phenomenon. Young males spent late evenings and long nights in front of the screen: Breaking; Cracking; Importing; Hacking; Fixing; Training; Phreaking; Copying; Calling out; Spreading it to the world. It was a war going on. Aggression to defend and serve your dominion. Have those cards ready because this release is done in an hour. The American board was busy because the enemies were uploading the first release or because it was kept busy by an unscrupulous sysop? In fierce battles the rules of war seldom apply. You are owned and I state my superiority in the scrolltext and in the subs.

In the last Poll (VN#57) the questions were phrased for getting sceners' opinions on the current renaissance for crowdfunded quality games with full price packaging. However, they also opened up for a debate on how the scene should treat these new software houses. Are they part of the contemporary c64 scene, or are they something entirely different. Perhaps something we should compete with by releasing cracked version of their games. And would that undermine the crowdfunding or have the opposite effect.

The life of the c64 seems to move in circles. Smaller circles albeit still a movement that is much more circular than that of a straight line from birth to death. The activities the past decades are self-explanatory proof of this. For this reason it can be of interest to figure out what the thoughts are on the cracking scene today, 20 years after the commercial death of the breadbox. The scene has evolved into something much different, with more of old geezers being good friends than young males with plenty of testosterone. Many sceners today make a living from working within the software industry. Despite this, old instincts still lingers around.
 
Opinion Poll number four this year, after OLDSKOOL MULTIPLATFORMING, HARDWARE EVOLUTIONS and GAMING RENAISSANCE, bears the title of CRACKED BROKEN. As often before does this issue's edition of The Charts come with a few additional top lists accompanied with this chapter. Browse over to it for All-Time Cracker Groups, Current Cracker Groups and Top Individual Crackers.

To participate in future editions, make sure you send an email to macx64*gmail in order to receive future Opinion Poll- and Votesheets. Now we turn our eyes to the questions posed in the VN#58 Opinion Poll:

A) Would we have had todays demoscene without a crackingscene?

B) Can we thank the crackingscene for the lenght of the commercial success of the C64?

C) What are your views on cracking games and copyrighted software in general?

D) Does cracking new C64-games in 2011 hurt or help the crowd-funded gamescene?

E) Is it a way forward to have The List somehow cover new quality versions of old games?

The comments are as usual presented in an order where the most important sceners are randomly mixed with the less important sceners. Enjoy!

radiantx/Panda Design
A) No, not today's demo scene. We would have a demo scene, but it would be different and probably less competitive.

B) We can thank the engineers at CBM for the length of the commercial success of the C64; it was/is simply a great computer at an affordable price. From my perspective the cracking scene probably hurt the C64 commercially more than it helped, but then again who knows how things would've been like without it?

C) Technically I'm all for it, being something of a hacker myself. I think the cracking scene however became much too serious for its own good, with warez groups making actual, substantial amounts of money from various illegal activities since at least the mid 90s. I actively distance myself from that particular scene.

I'm not a part of it, but today's C64 cracking scene looks really charming and seems to be the way it should be IMO - friendly competition, and nobody gets hurt commercially.

D) I'd say neither. People will buy games if it's easy and cheap - whether there are cracks about doesn't really affect sales on such a niche platform.

E) I don't know; I must confess I don't read The List.

Antichrist/G*P
A) I think one of the main reasons why the C64 was so popular back then was the fact that everyone could get "free" (cracked) games. I don't think kids in the past wanted a C64 to watch demos. They wanted to play games. If there hadn't been so many free games, there would not have been millions of C64 fans in the past. And the C64's overwhelming popularity in the past is the reason why it's still popular among many fans today.

B) Absolutely. I think most kids who wanted a C64 rather than a Spectrum or a Schneider or some other computer were thinking about the thousands of free games they would be able to enjoy on the C64. Would TV be so popular if every television show would cost money to watch? No. TV sets are popular because the shows you watch on them are free.

C) I believe when you create something, you should be rewarded financially. So of course the programmers of games should get money for their hard work. But I know from my own experience that you can make more money selling a lot of items cheaply, rather than selling a few items for a lot of money. (Same concept as Apple's iTunes store.) And you can even make money giving your product away for free, through ad sales. (Same concept as a TV station.) Most kids who played hundreds of cracked games would never have BOUGHT hundreds of games, so in my opinion you can't pretend that every free/cracked game was a lost sale for the software company.

D) I think it helps. The more releases there are, the longer the scene will remain active and alive. I believe that people who still program games on the C64 today don't do it for financial gain, but for fun and recognition. Just like the people who still make C64 demos. In essence, today's C64 games are nothing other than demos that you can play. If a cracking group publishes their game, it helps promote the talent of the game developer. If the game developer was seriously interested in making money, he'd be coding a game as an app for the iPhone or Android.

E) In my opinion today's C64 scene is all about keeping the C64 alive. And good new releases of old games (if there has not already been a good crack in the past) is a way keep the scene alive. The more releases, the better for today's scene. And since scene mags like Vandalism News are all about recognizing (and thus "rewarding") the effort of active sceners, I think those sceners should get rewarded for their hard work and dedication if they release a quality crack of an old game. So, yes, I think scene mags should take new quality versions of old games into account.

Taper/TRIAD
A) Probably not. The easy access of pirated games popularized the C64, and it became the platform of choice for both crackers and demo freaks, aswell as those interested in both aspecs. For a lot of people, it began with the games and ended in the scene.

B) Indeed we can, there is no way to deny the impact the cracking groups had on the sales of the C64. For me personally, the possibility to easily obtain games at the nearest schoolyard was crucial when I nagged my parents to buy me a C64. I had no idea what the scene was about at that point in time, but I knew about the pirated games.

In what way the software companies were effected by piracy on the C64 can be discussed, but one thing is totally clear. After all those years of software companies whining about how piracy was about to kill the C64, we can now look back and confirm that they were wrong. Technical progress and the demise of Commodore killed the C64 commercially, not piracy. If anything, piracy made the machine survive longer than most other comparable platforms.

My own personal view is that they benefitted from piracy themselves, but were to stupid to acknowledge it. The userbase grew immensly thanks to pirated games, and a large userbase also ment more customers for the software companies. More or less all the people I knew who used to copy
games also bought original software now and then.

C) I think that people creating commercial software should be able to make a living on the work they do. However, like with the music- and movie industry, too much profit is swallowed by greedy corporations and shareholders, so I can't morally object to people pirating software.

When I was a kid, there was a spoiled brat living close by. He got any new games he wanted, and was pretty keen to point out how wealthy his parents were too. Naturally, for most of us other kids, copying games from eachother was our way to be able to have fun too. We got original games for christmas and our birthdays, inbetween we levelled out the economic inequality by sharing games with eachother. I'm sure this is true among kids of today aswell. In that aspect, crackers are modern-day Robin Hood's, no matter if that is the way they see themselves or not.

And let's not even go into the myth about how piracy equals stealing. That claim is quite hillarious, really.

D) I'm not sure i'm the right person to answer that, but personally I like to buy new C64 software, from the likes of Protovison, Psytronik and others, no matter if the product is allready cracked or not. For me, now when I can afford it, it's the best of two worlds. A nice package with instructions, and then a cracked and trained version from someone to dothe actual gaming on. :)

E) No, for me those two different release-types should not be mixed up in "The List". Let "The List" contain previously unreleased games as it is now, and do another chapter for oldie-cracks. There have been some wonderful oldie-cracks from talanted people, but it's a whole other ballpark and it would be totally confusing to merge them in one. It could be presented in the same chapter, but if so, the chapter should be divided in two distinct sections.

Almighty god/Level 64/Onslaught/API
A) Probably not as bigger as it was and is now. You have a clear proof in other computer scenes with less cracking activity or non cracking activity at all. Some examples are in MSX or Amstrad scene was allways more to a non cracking scene and now its demo scene activity is really concentrate in a few releases... I think that due to the high cracking and swapping activity allow more guys to get stuff for less money that push the decition to buy a Commodore 64 machine for many of then that's part of why c64 demo scene is so big today compare with other 8bits machines, lot of people were in for games and slow tranfering their activities to demo scene.

B) Definetly yes, was not the same to have a Commodore and have access to a lot of games from the illegal street market than had a MSX and had only access to several spanish and some Japanese expensive games. I Remember on the 80`s that meanwhile I could have 200 games other guys in
the neighbourhood with spectrum or MSX only have access to buy a few copies or swapping between then some others the rest was original games. So the pals who come to my house and see how much games you can get because nearlly all was cracked they decided to buy a C64 just in a
few minutes apart from the quality of some releases compared with other platforms, of course...

C) I have build up a game developement group time ago releasing our first Game called Nanako In Classic Japanese Monster Castle we sell it for a non profit, just the production cost, it was cracked by Onslught a day after production, I think that it does not affect the sells of the
games, People that buy a C64 game today is just for collecting fun and support and I see not a problem with it... I see a lot of fun with cracking and cracking competition with other groups... + that I'm not too good playing games so I need extra live to finish :)

hedning / G*P
A) No. I remember when I got my c64 in 1986. I was 8 years old and I was totally fascinated by the crack intros, looking at effects, and tried to figure out everything about this strange people writing funny/disturbing scrollers. After that I started to find and collect demos. I do not think I am alone.

B) Of course we can, and we should.

C) I look at cracked games like previews. If I like the game I will buy it anyway. When I was a kid I could not afford them all. Nowadays I buy everything C64 related.

D) It helps the business. Without the cracks and the spreading of games there would be no retro loving c64 maniacs around to buy games. And we all know eachother, developers, gamers and crackers. The majority of Commodore 64 freaks today are collectors, and will buy the game, and download the crack.

E) Please don't mix them with first releases. Maybe you could have another list for recracked and enhanced releases, but it would be very strange to mix them. Especially these days when old c64 games are found and new games are developed every day!

Trap/Bonzai
A) No.

B) No. Demos always ruled the c64 scene.

C) I think it is ok as long as people consider it a way to try before you buy.

D) Considering the low number of releases I think it hurts the game scene. I don't think that anybody actually still play games on the c64 though??? Software developers should consider their licensing model. Paypal would be ideal. Release the games and urge people to support the development by sending money over paypal.

E) The list should contain all releases ever in my opinion.

ZZAP69/Onslaught
A) I don't think so. The intros of the cracks were essential to impress the game lamers. I
always wanted to be a game programmer until I saw the first crack intro of my life (I think it was by Silents). Then I wanted to be a demo programmer instead.

B) I don't know. Didn't other less successful formats have a respective cracking scene?

C) Somehow cracking is immoral. On the other hand, the software has always been too expensive, making you rather sympathise with the rebel crackers than the greedy software companies.

D) Many of today's game makers are also active in demo- or cracking groups. I think they
are in it for the fame, not for the fortune. A quality version might help, yes.

E) Yes. I prefer a quality crack of an old, good game rather then a quality crack of a new
poor. We don't see Knight and grail, or similar, even once a year.

FTC/HT
A) At the very least, it would have been different. Just to name one thing, the demo scene would be less "isolated" from other cultural practices, precisely because of the criminal aspect of cracking that made it into an underground thing, that didn't just happen to be underground, but that tried to be underground. ...and the demoscene grew up in that environment. I think we
would have seen stronger connections between the demo scene and the game industry, if the cracking scene wouldn't have been there. ...if there would have been a "separate" demo scene at all without the cracking scene.

B) When I was a kid, you either bought a NES or a C64, basically. The reason for buying a NES was that there were no lengthy loading times but that the games kicked in instantly and the reason for buying C64 was that you could copy games easily and, to a lesser extent actually, that it was a "real computer" that you could do some other things with as well. Draw your own conclusions. By the way, I also think that the issue of software piracy, as opposed to downloading mp3s and moveies, is a neglected issue in the public debate on torrent style piracy in these days (thinking of the pirate party in Sweden and Germany now). It is quite easy to see that software piracy,
especially programs that are not games, is a strong factor in educating the youth in using computers for all kinds of purposes, stuff that the whole industry benefits from in the end. For example, I think it is fair to assume that most people who do graphical design probably started out by learning these things in pirated versions of stuff like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. In a way, the question of access to computer tools (programs) it is not that different from public libraries. In both cases it is a kind of resource that leads to skill and knowledge if you have (easy) access to it.

C) This question is too vague. In a way I think the question requires an almost philosophical answer, and that would be a complex one. Not a simple one like "cracking is good" or "cracking is bad" etc. On the other hand, from a more practical point of view, I never paid for a game in my whole life except a game (that my parents paid) when I bought an Amiga 500...

D) I think the question is not put in the right way. I think cracking won't disappear, so a scenario where there is no cracking isn't necessarily an option here in the first place. Furthermore, I think cracking both helps and hurts.

E) A better version is always a better version. That should be encouraged, I think.

Enthusi/Onslaught
A) Certainly not. Though I'm no follower of the intros-became-demos theory. Yet, to many the c64 is still a game machine and even though originals are quite more affordable than they used to be, its still cracks that the people out there play. So much of the c64-attraction can be attributed to cracks I guess. And usually its gamers becoming interested and in involved in demo-scene rather than the other way round. So the demo scene probably never relied on the cracking scene but both mutually benefit from each other in terms of audience and interest in this rockin' platform.

B) Hmm, I don't think so but I can not judge that very well. Its pretty hypothetical to consider what would have been...  Certainly the international cracking scene gave the C64 its enormous
momentum in the early days. In particular late titles miss good cracks often. Furthermore the average c64 user became older and had less spare time on his/her hands. So Id guess many of the later titles were in fact bought as originals. Post 92-ish games didn't spread well I think...
So without cracks, C64 would have died much earlier probably but I doubt that cracks helped much in the final days of the commercial success...

C) Back then cracking was mostly for fun and competition I believe. Nowadays modern main-stream games seem to require crack-versions to even become playable ;-). Furthermore for few out there this is big money business. I don't think cracking in the 80s and cracking on PC today or alike can be compared very well. Nowadays its mostly the challenge to crack/fix/polish a recent game.

D) I have yet to see numbers that suggest drop in sales due to pirated c64 software.... I really doubt it. Usually previews are out aforehand anyway so cracks probably don't _help_ either ;-)

E) There are only few major groups around. And most put quite some effort into new crack-releases, which also became easier with all the cross-deving and emulators around. Polishing up a game notably should be taken into account in my opinion. The aim must be to put out THE version.

Bordeaux/Active/Acrise
A) No. The demo scene has been, and always will be the cracking scene's kid brother! SO what if the brothers grew up, and the kid brother married a hot chick, became famous and ritch.. it's still the younger sibling, so show some respect! ;)

B) Yes, without a doubt. I were the earlier adapters that copied tapes that made the machine popular amongst schools around the globe ;)

C) Copy me, I want to travel! I have been working in the IT sector for 15+ years and even though I earn my bread in this market, my views on copyright have never changed. Copied software should be legal and base software should be free or dirt cheap.. then make a model to charge on support, online usage, etc. you name it.

D) I have not followed the game market for years, but was there a 2011 release with any real protection that was actually cracked? No? then no, no harm done, because the people intenting to buy the game probably actually bought the game anyhow. C64 cracks have per default been improvements for atleast 10 years; smaller size, better loaders, trainers, etc.

E) Yes, and even though I have always respected the NTSC release scene and history, it would be an even better idea to make an all-time list of each game. Something like an ultimate all time gamers guide. I would even consider comming back to active duty and activate others if that was happening ;)

Lemming/Finnish Gold
A) No way, in general the current scene owes everything to the scene of the past; this is multiplatform and goes all the way. Everything has influenced everything.

B) Let's face it: The availability of original titles, excluding the most major titles, wasn't that great worldwide; unless you lived in UK or US. Without the cracking scene, people would've eventually gotten bored with their computers as not enough interesting titles were been available.

C) All the emphasis on illegalizing 'warez' is artificial. Everybody copies. Since the bloody invention of radio and sheet music, copyright holders have been "going out of business". The people who 'consume originals' will do that with or without piracy, and the people who don't will not be changed.

D) I used to run a very low-budget record label which depended on sales of vinyl. We sold a couple of dozen titles and about 20000 records. All publicity and promotion is good; without people 'copying our music illegally', only a small percent of people who bought the records would've
ever heard of that they existed. In a nutshell, same goes for cracking of new C64-games 'coz it's a very "non-mainstream" scene. Personally I wouldn't have bought the brilliant Edge Grinder cartridge, if I hadn't tried Onslaught's crack first.

E) Yeah. Today's modern C64 hardware and ever-growing scene needs quality versions of the games we loved in the past so people can rediscover them.

Jazzcat/Onslaught
A) The demo scene was created by the early cracking scene, the evolution of small words added to game-title pics that then blossomed into basic crack intros with a few sprite only, this evolved to bigger intros, then stand alone demos based on games (rips), then effect-based demos only etc, etc. I am happy this happened, digital evolution but I do feel somewhat saddened that a lot of people seem ignorant to this history or give the impression that they lack respect etc to the fathers of creation.

B) In some ways yes, in some ways no. The cracking scene is/was responsible for all sorts of things, such as being involved in making the games themselves and cooperating directly and indirectly with the game companies to improve the games.

Some scene examples of commercial game involvement include:

Lemmings (Mega Industries)
Rubicon (Fairlight)
Summer Games - PAL-fixed by JEDI 2001 and sold by Epyx all over Europe.

Of course there are many more.

Other stories such as GCS working for Rainbow Arts, Yak Society working for Llamasoft etc were also common.

C) It does not bother me. If the game is good I will buy it anyway (C64). If the game is cracked, I am happy if the game is crappy that I could preview what I was going to buy and glad I did not. It is that simple. If the game is really tough, I am pleased a trained version is out there to
assist some gamers. If the game is bugged, I am pleased people out there bug fix it. If the game is copy-protected I am ecstatic, as crackers love this challenge.

D) It does not hurt them if things are done properly.

Serious collectors and supporters of C64 software will buy the software. I think certain groups need to be mindful of uploading their "warez" to CSDb, create an entry, keep the actual download to those within the 'circle' and support the software industry, as without it you are nothing!

In some ways the release by a cracking group can create more PR for the game, some people may see the game and "wow! I have to own this, it is awesome". Of course the opposite can occur... "fucking piece of shit, no way I am going to buy this".

E) No, I don't think so.

Having some separate "attention" segment to the quality-old cracks is a healthy thing. Some Gamers Guide-style webpage with all versions of all cracks (hi Mason, hi Burglar) would be great too.

MdZ/Ramb
A) No!

B) Indeed yes.

C) Programmers need funding to live - buy your software if u need it or like it.

D) No idea.

E) Yes - but isnt that already done by gb64.com?

HCL/Booze Design
A) Yes definitely. The cracking scene died in 1989 and has ever since drifted in an empty cyberspace with nothing to live for. The demo scene was born from the cracking scene but is today a self containing living organism.

B) No, the cracking scene made it shorter. Companies made games for Amiga and PC instead because c64-games were so easily cracked.

C) Grhhdpjd, eeieik, splurgo.. What did you say?

D) There are no games in 2011, has not been for 20 years.

E) That would perhaps be an interesting aspect, yes.

Wizz'87/Wizax/The Supply Team/2000 AD/Dominators
A) No. The distribution of cracked games (disk swapping) was the channel for demos. They were used to fill out disk space that wouldn't fit a game.

B) Yes definitely.

C) Opposed nowadays, as I make a living from selling commercial software ;-). Besides, what
happened in the 80s should stay in the 80s. Different world today.

D) Is there any new C64 games to crack in 2011? lol

E) No idea.

bepp/TRIAD
A) Without a doubt the swapping networks helped spread demos, building on the demo scene. They provided the infrastructure necessary to reach out. But I think demos as a phenomenon would have evolved anyway... people have always loved to experiment and try out different ways of doing
things.

B) Well that sounds like a contradiction to me. Commercial success implies that you're actually selling something. Cracked games did not reasonably generate any money, so I guess I have to disagree with this one.

C) Guess my opinion is kinda split. On one hand, I buy games that I really think is worth it. While I have no remorse downloading and playing a cracked game. Guess I partly respect the copyright thing =)

D) Cracking scene is pretty harmless nowadays. Think games will be developed anyway - regardless of cracking... I think some may even see it as an honor to have their game cracked ;-)

E) Yes! That's a very good idea. I really like the EasyFlash versions that we've seen recently and improvements, bug fixes to old games.

Qwan/Up Rough
D) When the crowd who funds are fond of cracking, the glass is either half empty or half full.

Here the VN#58 Opinion Poll ends, the fourth in line this year after Oldskool Multiplatforming, Hardware Evolutions and Gaming Renaissance. The author leaves it up to the reader to conclude on any analysis for Cracked Broken, but it is made rather clear that the attitudes and opinions are much disparate on this matter amongst c64 sceners.

To make sure you receive the votesheet with the included poll in time for the next round, send an email to yours truly.