Stop Killing Games FAQ & Guide for Developers

Erasmus Roterodamnsus · July 28

Colorized and formatted SMI. Uploading verbatim will colorize Olive and Matt.

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<SYNC Start=320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">Hey, this is a video<br>I was hoping to help make</font>
<SYNC Start=3120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">that ended up mutating<br>into its own thing.</font>
<SYNC Start=6080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">On the Stop Killing Games campaign,</font>
<SYNC Start=7901><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">I think most supporters<br>just need to hear</font>
<SYNC Start=9680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">that we're trying to stop<br>games from being destroyed,</font>
<SYNC Start=12441><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">it's not impossible to do this,</font>
<SYNC Start=14480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">and it won't ruin the<br>industry by doing so.</font>
<SYNC Start=17360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">Now, I try to dive into the details<br>when people want me to,</font>
<SYNC Start=20400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">but my answers don't<br>always satisfy developers.</font>
<SYNC Start=23600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">I take more of a<br>bird's-eye view approach,</font>
<SYNC Start=26080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">where I think if end-of-life plans<br>for games became a requirement,</font>
<SYNC Start=30000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">I think developers might be amazed<br>at how many solutions would emerge.</font>
<SYNC Start=34480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">But that's not good enough for some.</font>
<SYNC Start=36640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">Some people, developers especially,<br>really want more technical details.</font>
<SYNC Start=41600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">So, what I originally wanted to do<br>was interview a couple developers</font>
<SYNC Start=45120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">who could speak on this topic<br>much better than I ever could.</font>
<SYNC Start=48640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">But what ended up happening<br>was we had some scope creep,</font>
<SYNC Start=51840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">and now we have a<br>full-fledged presentation</font>
<SYNC Start=55040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">from two experienced developers,</font>
<SYNC Start=57360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">Olive Badger,</font>
<SYNC Start=58480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">and Matthew Cassells<br>from Alderon Games.</font>
<SYNC Start=61840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">I think my introductions of them<br>won't even do them justice,</font>
<SYNC Start=65040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">but between the two of them,</font>
<SYNC Start=66560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">I think they have a lot of<br>perspective and practical information</font>
<SYNC Start=70000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">on how games in the future<br>and even some in the present</font>
<SYNC Start=73120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">can start having end-of-life plans.</font>
<SYNC Start=75440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">So this is by and large<br>a presentation they put together,</font>
<SYNC Start=78880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">covering how end-of-life<br>plans could work,</font>
<SYNC Start=81040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">and covering some common<br>questions developers have.</font>
<SYNC Start=84400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">It's going to get technical,</font>
<SYNC Start=86080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">so if you're here for some of<br>my goofier videos, this one isn't for you.</font>
<SYNC Start=90160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">I'm just hosting it to get<br>more information out there.</font>
<SYNC Start=92880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">But if you're a programmer</font>
<SYNC Start=93920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">who's been wanting more details<br>about <i>how</i> we will save games,</font>
<SYNC Start=97440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">then this one's for you.</font>
<SYNC Start=99360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffffff">All right, I'll let<br>them take it away.</font>
<SYNC Start=102560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Hi, I'm Olive Badger,</font>
<SYNC Start=104880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and I have been asked to help<br>with the Stop Killing Games initiative</font>
<SYNC Start=109600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and talk a little bit about<br>some of the common questions</font>
<SYNC Start=113440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that we're seeing from developers.</font>
<SYNC Start=115627><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Little bit of background on me:</font>
<SYNC Start=118400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, upfront, I'm not<br>a game developer.</font>
<SYNC Start=121520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I have five years of IT experience</font>
<SYNC Start=124800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">working in various different<br>parts of the industry</font>
<SYNC Start=127600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">doing data center to internal IT<br>and IT management.</font>
<SYNC Start=132160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">After that, I transitioned<br>over to software development</font>
<SYNC Start=136160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where I've done a decent amount of<br>embedded software development for drones</font>
<SYNC Start=140840><P Class=ENUSCC>&nbsp;
<SYNC Start=140841><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and then moved into<br>fullstack development.</font>
<SYNC Start=144160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I've even done a little bit of DevOps</font>
<SYNC Start=147200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and project management<br>for a small startup.</font>
<SYNC Start=150880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Um, I do have a YouTube<br>channel that just kind of, uh,</font>
<SYNC Start=154960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">popped off with this whole thing.</font>
<SYNC Start=156320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">It's just "OliveBadger".</font>
<SYNC Start=157680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Now, that said, this presentation<br>was put together not just by me,</font>
<SYNC Start=162320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but also Matthew from Alderon Games,<br>who is a game developer.</font>
<SYNC Start=166880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I'll let him introduce himself.</font>
<SYNC Start=168720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Hey everybody, how's it going?</font>
<SYNC Start=170160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">My name is Matthew Cassells.</font>
<SYNC Start=171520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">I'm the founder of Alderon Games.</font>
<SYNC Start=172960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">I've been making and modding<br>games for the last 15 years.</font>
<SYNC Start=176320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">In 2016, I made my own game studio,<br>which is completely independent.</font>
<SYNC Start=179680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">We also made our own<br>platform replacement to Steam.</font>
<SYNC Start=182240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">And in 2019, we launched a dinosaur<br>survival game called <i>Path of Titans</i>.</font>
<SYNC Start=185761><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, I'm going to use<br>this game as an example</font>
<SYNC Start=187600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">on how we're going to<br>do an end-of-life plan</font>
<SYNC Start=189366><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and some issues we'll need to fix<br>when end-of-life-ing the game.</font>
<SYNC Start=192080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">I'll talk more about<br>that towards the end.</font>
<SYNC Start=194160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Thank you, Matt.</font>
<SYNC Start=195120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, let's get into this<br>PowerPoint presentation</font>
<SYNC Start=198000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where we'll talk about<br>the different ways</font>
<SYNC Start=200160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you can stop killing games<br>as a game developer.</font>
<SYNC Start=203920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This will start off talking<br>about the broad concepts,</font>
<SYNC Start=207680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">then get more into<br>specifics as we move on.</font>
<SYNC Start=211200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">First up, what are some possible<br>methods for end-of-life-ing your game?</font>
<SYNC Start=216320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Before we dive into<br>the technical details,</font>
<SYNC Start=218960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">let's establish the<br>three primary approaches</font>
<SYNC Start=222080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for ending the life of<br>your game responsibly.</font>
<SYNC Start=225600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The method you choose will depend heavily<br>on your game's architecture,</font>
<SYNC Start=229680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">technical constraints,<br>and business considerations.</font>
<SYNC Start=233120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, first up, we have option one,</font>
<SYNC Start=236320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is to release private server files<br>or support peer-to-peer sessions.</font>
<SYNC Start=241680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is often considered to be the<br>gold standard for game preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=246480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">When you release<br>private server files,</font>
<SYNC Start=248960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you're essentially giving the<br>community the tools they need</font>
<SYNC Start=252320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to host their own<br>multiplayer servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=256240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The key here is that you can strip<br>out code that's no longer needed.</font>
<SYNC Start=261280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Things like payment processing,<br>analytics, and proprietary algorithms,</font>
<SYNC Start=266720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">all while keeping the core<br>gameplay functionality intact.</font>
<SYNC Start=271120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Make sure your game includes<br>a direct IP connect option,</font>
<SYNC Start=275040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">as this would become crucial</font>
<SYNC Start=276800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when centralized matchmaking<br>is no longer available.</font>
<SYNC Start=280320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, next up at option two<br>would be to release the source code.</font>
<SYNC Start=284720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Uh, this approach provides maximum<br>flexibility for the community,</font>
<SYNC Start=288800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but does require careful consideration<br>of what you're releasing.</font>
<SYNC Start=293120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can release both game and server<br>source code under a limited license</font>
<SYNC Start=298080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where players can only use the code<br>to keep the game functional</font>
<SYNC Start=302480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and not for commercial use purposes.</font>
<SYNC Start=305520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This allows the community to fix bugs</font>
<SYNC Start=308240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and maintain missing<br>features after end of life.</font>
<SYNC Start=311840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">However, other options<br>are generally preferred</font>
<SYNC Start=315760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">because they keep the game functional</font>
<SYNC Start=318000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">without requiring additional<br>work from players.</font>
<SYNC Start=321440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And for option three,</font>
<SYNC Start=323680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you can release feature-complete<br>games with save transfers.</font>
<SYNC Start=328480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach works particularly well</font>
<SYNC Start=330960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for games with significant<br>online components</font>
<SYNC Start=333680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that can be converted<br>to offline experiences.</font>
<SYNC Start=337680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For example,</font>
<SYNC Start=338560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you release a standalone version that's<br>free for owners of the original game.</font>
<SYNC Start=343920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And importantly,</font>
<SYNC Start=345280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you would allow save transfers from the<br>online version to the standalone version.</font>
<SYNC Start=350480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This would ensure that players<br>don't lose their progress</font>
<SYNC Start=353600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when the transition happens.</font>
<SYNC Start=355760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And so, let's take a look at a real-world<br>example of how option one worked.</font>
<SYNC Start=362800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00"><i>Spellbreak</i>, developed by Proletariat,<br>was a multiplayer battle royale game</font>
<SYNC Start=368080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">available on PC, PS4,<br>Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.</font>
<SYNC Start=373360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">When they ended support<br>in January of 2023,</font>
<SYNC Start=377120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">they took the responsible approach<br>of releasing a private server version</font>
<SYNC Start=380960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for PC (Windows) users<br>available for free.</font>
<SYNC Start=384800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is exactly what we mean by<br>"preserving the core gameplay experience."</font>
<SYNC Start=390000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Even though the official<br>servers went dark,</font>
<SYNC Start=392640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">players could continue to enjoy the game<br>that they had purchased,</font>
<SYNC Start=396560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">the private server maintained<br>the essential multiplayer functionality</font>
<SYNC Start=401120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while removing the infrastructure<br>burden from the developers.</font>
<SYNC Start=405520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so here's an<br>example of option two:</font>
<SYNC Start=408560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00"><i>Duelyst</i>, which was published<br>by Warner Bros. Games,</font>
<SYNC Start=411360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and available on PC,<br>iOS, and Android,</font>
<SYNC Start=415280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which ended support on<br>February 27th of 2020.</font>
<SYNC Start=419360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The developers made<br>the remarkable decision</font>
<SYNC Start=422000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to release the source code to<br>GitHub under a CC0 license,</font>
<SYNC Start=426480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is essentially public domain.</font>
<SYNC Start=428640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach gave the community<br>complete freedom to maintain, modify,</font>
<SYNC Start=433120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and improve the game.</font>
<SYNC Start=434640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">While it requires more technical<br>knowledge from the community,</font>
<SYNC Start=438000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">it does ensure the longest<br>possible lifespan for the game</font>
<SYNC Start=441920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">since dedicated fans can<br>fix issues, add features,</font>
<SYNC Start=445600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and port the game to<br>new platforms as needed.</font>
<SYNC Start=449040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And here's another strong<br>example of open-sourcing.</font>
<SYNC Start=452560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">It's called <i>Caller's Bane</i>,<br>formerly known as <i>Scrolls</i>,</font>
<SYNC Start=455920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">developed by Mojang.</font>
<SYNC Start=457440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Available on PC, Mac OS, and Android,<br>it ended support on February 13th, 2018,</font>
<SYNC Start=463920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but was officially resurrected as<br><i>Caller's Bane</i> and made open-source.</font>
<SYNC Start=468640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">What makes this case<br>particularly interesting</font>
<SYNC Start=471520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">is that they released both the game client<br>and server files for download.</font>
<SYNC Start=476400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The free client can join community servers<br>and anybody can host a server.</font>
<SYNC Start=481440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This creates a distributed ecosystem</font>
<SYNC Start=484240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where the game's survival<br>doesn't depend on any single entity.</font>
<SYNC Start=488720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">If one server goes down, for example,<br>others can continue serving the community.</font>
<SYNC Start=493600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Pretty cool, right?</font>
<SYNC Start=494880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Nintendo's <i>Animal<br>Crossing: Pocket Camp</i></font>
<SYNC Start=497440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">provides an excellent<br>example of option three.</font>
<SYNC Start=500800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This mobile game ended support<br>on November 28th, 2024,</font>
<SYNC Start=504800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but Nintendo released <i>Animal Crossing:<br>Pocket Camp Complete</i> as a replacement.</font>
<SYNC Start=510800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is a masterclass in<br>player-friendly transitions.</font>
<SYNC Start=514320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">They replace the free-to-play<br>microtransaction-heavy online version</font>
<SYNC Start=518720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with a paid offline version that<br>removes microtransactions entirely.</font>
<SYNC Start=523200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For a flat $20 purchase,</font>
<SYNC Start=524960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">players get access to all content<br>that was previously behind the paywalls.</font>
<SYNC Start=530400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Most importantly, they allowed<br>users to transfer their save data,</font>
<SYNC Start=533920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">ensuring that years<br>of progress weren't lost.</font>
<SYNC Start=537200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach respects both<br>players' time investment</font>
<SYNC Start=541600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and their financial<br>investment in the game.</font>
<SYNC Start=544480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, now that we've seen<br>some successful examples,</font>
<SYNC Start=547760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">let's step back and<br>look at the broader context</font>
<SYNC Start=550880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">of what we're trying to achieve here.</font>
<SYNC Start=553440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Game preservation isn't just about<br>keeping old games running.</font>
<SYNC Start=557520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">It's about respecting the culture</font>
<SYNC Start=559760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and artistic value of<br>interactive entertainment,</font>
<SYNC Start=563040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">honoring player's investments<br>of time and money,</font>
<SYNC Start=566080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and ensuring that future generations</font>
<SYNC Start=568240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">can experience and learn<br>from the games we create today.</font>
<SYNC Start=571840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Creating an effective<br>end-of-life plan</font>
<SYNC Start=573920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">requires thorough documentation<br>and clear communication.</font>
<SYNC Start=577440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Let me walk you through<br>the essential components here.</font>
<SYNC Start=580160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, first, communicate to players<br>that the game has an end-of-life plan.</font>
<SYNC Start=584320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This should be done early and often.</font>
<SYNC Start=586800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Ideally, players should know<br>from the time of purchase</font>
<SYNC Start=589520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that you've thought<br>about preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=591840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Contact players and let them know<br>how long the end-of-life patch</font>
<SYNC Start=595280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">will be available for download.</font>
<SYNC Start=597120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Give them a realistic timeline.</font>
<SYNC Start=599040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For example, will it be<br>available for 6 months, 2 years?</font>
<SYNC Start=602160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I mean, players need time to prepare.</font>
<SYNC Start=604880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And then list out supported features<br>that would continue working,</font>
<SYNC Start=608400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as singleplayer modes,<br>direct connect options, and LAN play.</font>
<SYNC Start=613200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Be very specific about<br>what will still function.</font>
<SYNC Start=617280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">List out features<br>that would be removed,</font>
<SYNC Start=619840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as matchmaking,<br>leaderboards, or cloud services.</font>
<SYNC Start=623840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Transparency here<br>prevents player frustration.</font>
<SYNC Start=627760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Include documentation on installing,<br>running, or playing the game,</font>
<SYNC Start=631920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">especially if setup becomes more<br>complex once official support ends.</font>
<SYNC Start=637360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Consider that players may be<br>setting this up years later</font>
<SYNC Start=640880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">on completely different hardware.</font>
<SYNC Start=643040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Do your best to document any<br>known bugs or workarounds</font>
<SYNC Start=646320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that the community<br>should be aware of.</font>
<SYNC Start=648560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This saves everyone<br>time and frustration.</font>
<SYNC Start=652000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And if you own the IP,</font>
<SYNC Start=653600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">provide a clear written statement<br>allowing for non-commercial use</font>
<SYNC Start=657520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as community servers or mods.</font>
<SYNC Start=660320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This legal clarity is crucial for<br>community preservation efforts.</font>
<SYNC Start=665040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">If a game can be modded,</font>
<SYNC Start=666800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">consider releasing tools or documentation<br>for modders to extend its life.</font>
<SYNC Start=671280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The modding community is often<br>your best ally in long-term preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=676160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And finally, communicate what<br>hardware or OS might be needed</font>
<SYNC Start=680720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for the end-of-life version.</font>
<SYNC Start=682720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">If your server software runs on<br>a different platform than the client,</font>
<SYNC Start=686720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">make this as clear as possible.</font>
<SYNC Start=689200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, what suggestions would<br>we be able to give for existing games</font>
<SYNC Start=694400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to move over to support their<br>game at end of life? Hm.</font>
<SYNC Start=698480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Now, please keep in mind<br>these are just suggestions</font>
<SYNC Start=701520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and won't be possible for all existing<br>games due to existing constraints.</font>
<SYNC Start=706880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Stop Killing Games is mostly<br>focused on future game designs.</font>
<SYNC Start=711680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, for games that are already released<br>but haven't planned for end of life,</font>
<SYNC Start=716960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">here are the most<br>effective strategies.</font>
<SYNC Start=720000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Release server software or tools that<br>allow players to host their own servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=725520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Again, this is the gold standard<br>for game preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=728960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can provide server binaries</font>
<SYNC Start=730720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that allow dedicated community<br>members to host their own servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=734400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And this requires careful preparation</font>
<SYNC Start=736880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to remove all the<br>proprietary code and secrets</font>
<SYNC Start=739760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while maintaining core functionality.</font>
<SYNC Start=742400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Focus on creating packages<br>that work "out of the box"</font>
<SYNC Start=746080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with minimal technical<br>knowledge required.</font>
<SYNC Start=748720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Open-source key components</font>
<SYNC Start=750240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so the community can maintain<br>the game independently,</font>
<SYNC Start=753280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and consider open-sourcing non-proprietary<br>game logic, networking, code, and tools.</font>
<SYNC Start=759520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This allows the community to maintain<br>and improve the game independently.</font>
<SYNC Start=764320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So start with less sensitive components<br>like UI systems, utility libraries,</font>
<SYNC Start=770000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or game balance configurations.</font>
<SYNC Start=772800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Try to avoid releasing anything<br>containing trade secrets,</font>
<SYNC Start=776880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">licensed third-party code,<br>or proprietary algorithms.</font>
<SYNC Start=780400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Do your best to provide<br>documentation and assets</font>
<SYNC Start=783520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to help fan projects<br>continue the experience.</font>
<SYNC Start=786560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can also create<br>comprehensive guides</font>
<SYNC Start=788560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for server setup, configuration,<br>and troubleshooting.</font>
<SYNC Start=791680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Include game assets that players might<br>need for custom content creation—</font>
<SYNC Start=795840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">textures, models,<br>sound effects, and level editors.</font>
<SYNC Start=798880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This documentation becomes invaluable<br>when your official support ends,</font>
<SYNC Start=802880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and helps ensure knowledge transfer<br>to community maintainers.</font>
<SYNC Start=806720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Create official mod support<br>or expansion tools before shutdown.</font>
<SYNC Start=810960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Implement robust modding tools and APIs<br>before shutdown announcement.</font>
<SYNC Start=815440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This gives the community tools<br>to extend the game's lifespan</font>
<SYNC Start=818560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">through custom content<br>and modifications.</font>
<SYNC Start=821440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Simple scripting APIs, level editors,</font>
<SYNC Start=823760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and asset replacement tools</font>
<SYNC Start=825440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">can dramatically extend<br>a game's community lifespan.</font>
<SYNC Start=829360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Release a singleplayer or offline version<br>that can preserve core gameplay.</font>
<SYNC Start=834320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Create offline versions that<br>preserve core gameplay mechanics</font>
<SYNC Start=837760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">without requiring<br>server connectivity.</font>
<SYNC Start=840000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can strip out<br>multiplayer dependencies</font>
<SYNC Start=842400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and convert online features<br>to local alternatives where possible.</font>
<SYNC Start=846880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Note that this only really applies</font>
<SYNC Start=848720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to games that were already<br>singleplayer to start with.</font>
<SYNC Start=852240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">If your game has multiplayer support,</font>
<SYNC Start=854880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you should do your best to keep<br>this functionality working at end of life.</font>
<SYNC Start=858960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">We're not asking to convert multiplayer<br>into a singleplayer experience.</font>
<SYNC Start=863840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The key to successful game<br>preservation is planning ahead.</font>
<SYNC Start=867440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">When you design preservation<br>into your game from the beginning,</font>
<SYNC Start=870480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rather than trying<br>to retrofit it later,</font>
<SYNC Start=872560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you save significant time,<br>money, and technical complexity.</font>
<SYNC Start=876640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, let's discuss how to build<br>these systems from the ground up.</font>
<SYNC Start=880720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, how do developers<br>reduce costs for an end-of-life plan?</font>
<SYNC Start=886334><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">That's a…<br>That's a great question.</font>
<SYNC Start=888480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, cost reduction starts with<br>smart decisions during development.</font>
<SYNC Start=892960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option one would be to avoid<br>bad licensing agreements.</font>
<SYNC Start=897280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Prefer agreements<br>which don't have restrictions</font>
<SYNC Start=899760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">on giving binary versions<br>of code out to players</font>
<SYNC Start=902480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and don't have time limits.</font>
<SYNC Start=904720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">When you're negotiating<br>middleware licenses,</font>
<SYNC Start=907280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">think about the end-of-life scenario.</font>
<SYNC Start=909760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Some licenses explicitly<br>prohibit redistribution</font>
<SYNC Start=913440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or have clauses that make<br>preservation expensive or impossible.</font>
<SYNC Start=917920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be to use<br>open standards and open-source solutions</font>
<SYNC Start=922000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that don't have these<br>types of restrictions.</font>
<SYNC Start=924000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Instead of using Amazon<br>Aurora Serverless database,</font>
<SYNC Start=927520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you may prefer more<br>open options like MySQL</font>
<SYNC Start=931280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or create a transition plan where MySQL<br>can be used for community servers</font>
<SYNC Start=936640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while Aurora is used at scale<br>during active development.</font>
<SYNC Start=941280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This gives you flexibility to<br>scale during active development</font>
<SYNC Start=944880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while ensuring community servers<br>can run on accessible technology.</font>
<SYNC Start=949520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option three would be to code the game<br>assuming services can fail or be removed.</font>
<SYNC Start=955680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Make sure the game can handle<br>service failures gracefully</font>
<SYNC Start=958800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">instead of crashing or showing<br>cryptic error messages.</font>
<SYNC Start=962240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This defensive programming approach<br>not only helps with preservation</font>
<SYNC Start=966560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but also makes your game more<br>robust during active development.</font>
<SYNC Start=970880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so what is the<br>minimum viable build or setup</font>
<SYNC Start=974160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that should be preserved?</font>
<SYNC Start=975840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The minimum viable build is going<br>to depend on your specific game,</font>
<SYNC Start=980000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but there are some general<br>principles to follow.</font>
<SYNC Start=983520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All core features and functionality<br>should still be present</font>
<SYNC Start=987120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if these features were being used.</font>
<SYNC Start=989440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This includes singleplayer modes,<br>multiplayer functionality,</font>
<SYNC Start=992880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and local play or co-op features.</font>
<SYNC Start=995520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The key word here is "core".</font>
<SYNC Start=998160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">If a feature was central<br>to the game experience,</font>
<SYNC Start=1000960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">it needs to work in<br>the preserved version.</font>
<SYNC Start=1003920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Some extra features and functionality<br>can be removed depending on the game,</font>
<SYNC Start=1008960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">particularly those not needed<br>for that core gameplay.</font>
<SYNC Start=1012960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Examples include leaderboards,<br>online ranking systems,</font>
<SYNC Start=1016480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and other microservices not needed<br>for the core gameplay loop,</font>
<SYNC Start=1020160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">like payments, account moderation,<br>or anti-cheat systems.</font>
<SYNC Start=1023600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">These are nice-to-have features<br>that enhance the experience,</font>
<SYNC Start=1026880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but aren't essential<br>for the game to function.</font>
<SYNC Start=1030000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The goal is to preserve the essence<br>of what made your game enjoyable</font>
<SYNC Start=1034080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while removing the<br>infrastructure burden</font>
<SYNC Start=1036480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that makes long-term<br>support unsustainable.</font>
<SYNC Start=1039080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, what does it take</font>
<SYNC Start=1041840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to replicate your server environment<br>locally for preservation?</font>
<SYNC Start=1046480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">That's a great question.</font>
<SYNC Start=1048080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Replicating your server environment<br>locally involves three main steps.</font>
<SYNC Start=1052647><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Step one would be<br>environment standardization.</font>
<SYNC Start=1056320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This includes containerization strategy,<br>dependency documentation,</font>
<SYNC Start=1060160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">configurement management,<br>and resource requirements.</font>
<SYNC Start=1063120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You need to document exactly<br>what your server needs to run,</font>
<SYNC Start=1066320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">including operating system requirements,<br>memory usage, CPU requirements,</font>
<SYNC Start=1070480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and any special dependencies.</font>
<SYNC Start=1072880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Step two is technical<br>infrastructure replication.</font>
<SYNC Start=1076720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This covers database setup<br>and migration, service coordination,</font>
<SYNC Start=1081280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">network configuration,<br>and monitoring and logging.</font>
<SYNC Start=1084400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The goal is to take your complex<br>distributed production environment</font>
<SYNC Start=1089280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and create a simplified version<br>that can run on community hardware.</font>
<SYNC Start=1094720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Step three would be<br>community support tools.</font>
<SYNC Start=1097600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This includes automated<br>setup scripts,</font>
<SYNC Start=1100080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">development and testing tools,</font>
<SYNC Start=1102320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">backup and recovery procedures,<br>and performance optimization guidance.</font>
<SYNC Start=1106480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Now remember, community members may not<br>have your level of technical expertise,</font>
<SYNC Start=1111440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so the easier you make this process,</font>
<SYNC Start=1113520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">the more likely your game<br>is to survive long term.</font>
<SYNC Start=1117360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so,</font>
<SYNC Start=1118800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">next up we're going to talk about<br>virtual machines and Docker.</font>
<SYNC Start=1122080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So what are virtual<br>machines and Docker,</font>
<SYNC Start=1124400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and how do they help developers<br>end their games easier?</font>
<SYNC Start=1128880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Virtualization and containerization<br>technologies significantly simplify</font>
<SYNC Start=1133680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">game server distribution and<br>management for community hosting.</font>
<SYNC Start=1137840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Virtual machines provide<br>complete isolated environments</font>
<SYNC Start=1141360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that include everything<br>needed to run game servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=1145040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can package the operating system,<br>game server software, database,</font>
<SYNC Start=1149680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and configurations into a single<br>VM image that works identically</font>
<SYNC Start=1154880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">regardless of the host hardware.</font>
<SYNC Start=1157360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This solves the "it works<br>on my machine" problem</font>
<SYNC Start=1160880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">by giving the community an exact replica<br>of your development environment.</font>
<SYNC Start=1166000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Docker containers<br>solve the same problem,</font>
<SYNC Start=1168160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but with less overhead.</font>
<SYNC Start=1170320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Docker containers include<br>all necessary libraries,</font>
<SYNC Start=1173360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">configurations, and dependencies.</font>
<SYNC Start=1175360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">A containerized game<br>server will run identically</font>
<SYNC Start=1178240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">on any system that supports Docker,</font>
<SYNC Start=1180560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">eliminating compatibility issues.</font>
<SYNC Start=1182800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Docker is generally more efficient<br>than full virtual machines</font>
<SYNC Start=1185920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and easy for communities to manage.</font>
<SYNC Start=1189120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so,</font>
<SYNC Start=1190160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">are there reusable patterns<br>like modular designs,</font>
<SYNC Start=1193840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">toggleable off or offline<br>fallbacks that could be integrated</font>
<SYNC Start=1198240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">now or in the future?</font>
<SYNC Start=1200080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, yes, I'm glad you asked.</font>
<SYNC Start=1201840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">There are several<br>architectural patterns</font>
<SYNC Start=1204640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that make end-of-life<br>transitions much smoother.</font>
<SYNC Start=1208387><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For example, server abstraction<br>pattern would create interface layers</font>
<SYNC Start=1212160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for swapping cloud services<br>with local implementations.</font>
<SYNC Start=1215440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This would allow you to use sophisticated<br>cloud services during active development,</font>
<SYNC Start=1220240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but switch to simpler local<br>alternatives for preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=1224000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could use feature<br>toggle architecture</font>
<SYNC Start=1226240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to implement a comprehensive flagging<br>system for all cloud dependencies.</font>
<SYNC Start=1230880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This would let you selectively<br>disable features that can't be preserved</font>
<SYNC Start=1234640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while keeping core<br>functionality intact.</font>
<SYNC Start=1237520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Another option available to you<br>would be dependency injection</font>
<SYNC Start=1240320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">using automatic service swapping<br>based on environment.</font>
<SYNC Start=1243440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So your game can automatically detect</font>
<SYNC Start=1245280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">whether it's running in<br>production or preservation mode</font>
<SYNC Start=1248000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and then adjust accordingly.</font>
<SYNC Start=1250000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can use plugin-based architecture</font>
<SYNC Start=1252640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and design your game<br>with modular components</font>
<SYNC Start=1255520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where complex features<br>can be completely removed</font>
<SYNC Start=1258640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">without breaking core functionality.</font>
<SYNC Start=1260960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">There's also offline-first data flow</font>
<SYNC Start=1263840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to always save locally first<br>and sync to the cloud as an enhancement.</font>
<SYNC Start=1268400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This ensures the game continues to work,<br>even when cloud services are unavailable.</font>
<SYNC Start=1273840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could use<br>progressive enhancement,</font>
<SYNC Start=1275840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is a design<br>feature to work offline,</font>
<SYNC Start=1278560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but enhance when online.</font>
<SYNC Start=1280720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Think of online features as bonuses<br>rather than requirements.</font>
<SYNC Start=1284480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Queues online actions<br>for when connectivity returns.</font>
<SYNC Start=1287440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This allows the game</font>
<SYNC Start=1288720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to continue functioning<br>during network outages</font>
<SYNC Start=1291280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and makes the transition to<br>offline mode pretty seamless.</font>
<SYNC Start=1295360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So what should we do<br>when the game fails?</font>
<SYNC Start=1297040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Should it fail gracefully?</font>
<SYNC Start=1298880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I mean, absolutely, yes.</font>
<SYNC Start=1300400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Your game should never crash<br>and show stuck loading screens</font>
<SYNC Start=1303600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or display cryptic error messages<br>when servers go down.</font>
<SYNC Start=1307360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is just fundamental<br>to good user experience</font>
<SYNC Start=1310240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and essential for<br>game preservation as well.</font>
<SYNC Start=1313200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The game needs its end-of-life build<br>tested to ensure graceful error handling.</font>
<SYNC Start=1318160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, this means implementing<br>proper time-out mechanisms,</font>
<SYNC Start=1320880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">clear error messages<br>that explain what's happening,</font>
<SYNC Start=1323840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and fallback modes that let<br>players continue enjoying the game</font>
<SYNC Start=1327440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even when online services<br>aren't available.</font>
<SYNC Start=1330400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Think of server unavailability<br>not as a failure state,</font>
<SYNC Start=1334400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but as an expected<br>operating condition</font>
<SYNC Start=1336720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that your game should<br>handle professionally.</font>
<SYNC Start=1339520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so let's look<br>at some of the best practices</font>
<SYNC Start=1342320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for removing credentials, API keys,<br>telemetry code, etc., etc.,</font>
<SYNC Start=1347280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">from your end-of-life builds.</font>
<SYNC Start=1349680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Security is crucial when<br>releasing community builds.</font>
<SYNC Start=1353840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And here are three approaches.</font>
<SYNC Start=1356240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option one would be<br>automated detection and removal.</font>
<SYNC Start=1359120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can use tools like GitGuardian,<br>TruffleHog, or SecretScanner</font>
<SYNC Start=1362800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to identify credentials<br>in your codebase.</font>
<SYNC Start=1365680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Add build processes</font>
<SYNC Start=1367040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that automatically remove or<br>replace secrets during compilation.</font>
<SYNC Start=1373200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Create build processes</font>
<SYNC Start=1375040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that automatically generate configuration<br>templates with placeholder values</font>
<SYNC Start=1379360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">instead of real credentials.</font>
<SYNC Start=1380960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">But be aware that some libraries include<br>default API keys or demo credentials</font>
<SYNC Start=1386560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that should be removed and replaced.</font>
<SYNC Start=1389600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be manual review.</font>
<SYNC Start=1391440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Implement code review processes<br>focused on credential identification.</font>
<SYNC Start=1395760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Tools like strings or<br>hexdump can identify text</font>
<SYNC Start=1398720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that shouldn't be present<br>in community builds.</font>
<SYNC Start=1401600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Test community builds<br>in isolated environments</font>
<SYNC Start=1404240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to verify they don't use<br>production credentials.</font>
<SYNC Start=1407200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Review all documentation and comments<br>for references to sensitive information</font>
<SYNC Start=1411920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that should ultimately be removed.</font>
<SYNC Start=1413840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option three would be<br>replacement and abstraction.</font>
<SYNC Start=1417120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So you can convert hard-coded<br>credentials to environment variables.</font>
<SYNC Start=1420640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Abstract credential usage<br>behind configuration interfaces</font>
<SYNC Start=1423920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and replace services<br>that require credentials</font>
<SYNC Start=1426880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with mock implementations.</font>
<SYNC Start=1429040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Assure that your default credentials</font>
<SYNC Start=1430960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">are documented as insecure<br>examples that must be changed.</font>
<SYNC Start=1435040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The goal is to ensure that<br>your community release</font>
<SYNC Start=1437840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">can't accidentally connect<br>to production services</font>
<SYNC Start=1441120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or expose sensitive information.</font>
<SYNC Start=1443760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And so, how can<br>conditional compilation</font>
<SYNC Start=1446800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or environment specific code<br>such as #ifdefs or build flags</font>
<SYNC Start=1451440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">help prepare for shutdown?</font>
<SYNC Start=1453360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, conditional compilation</font>
<SYNC Start=1455440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">is one of your most powerful<br>tools for preservation planning.</font>
<SYNC Start=1459280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, option one would be<br>graceful degradation planning</font>
<SYNC Start=1463600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">using conditional compilation<br>to prepare fallback modes</font>
<SYNC Start=1467440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that can be activated<br>when services shut down.</font>
<SYNC Start=1470320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You might have #ifdef OFFLINE_MODE<br>blocks that enable local leaderboards,</font>
<SYNC Start=1474640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">bot opponents, or singleplayer<br>alternatives to multiplayer functions.</font>
<SYNC Start=1478640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This allows the game to continue<br>functioning even after servers go offline.</font>
<SYNC Start=1483440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be with a<br>DRM and authentication bypass.</font>
<SYNC Start=1487520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">When preparing for preservation,</font>
<SYNC Start=1489600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you can use conditional compilation</font>
<SYNC Start=1492080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to create builds with authentication<br>checks disabled or DRM removed.</font>
<SYNC Start=1497200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Flags like #ifdef PRESERVATION_BUILD<br>can activate code paths</font>
<SYNC Start=1501200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that bypass server<br>dependent authentication</font>
<SYNC Start=1503920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while maintaining the<br>original gameplay experience.</font>
<SYNC Start=1506640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And the beauty of this approach</font>
<SYNC Start=1508080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">is that you can develop and<br>test these preservation modes</font>
<SYNC Start=1511600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">throughout your development cycle,</font>
<SYNC Start=1513520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">ensuring that they work correctly<br>when the time comes to use them.</font>
<SYNC Start=1517520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">How do you document<br>your game's server stack</font>
<SYNC Start=1520400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so players can replicate it later?</font>
<SYNC Start=1523280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">We all hate documentation,<br>but it's a necessary evil,</font>
<SYNC Start=1527120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even in game preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=1529040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Comprehensive documentation is essential<br>for successful community preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=1534400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, what are some things<br>that we'd recommend that you do?</font>
<SYNC Start=1537360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, you can create simple architecture<br>diagrams with clear arrows and labels</font>
<SYNC Start=1541840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that show how different components<br>connect and communicate.</font>
<SYNC Start=1545440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can provide a one-page<br>setup, a flowchart,</font>
<SYNC Start=1548800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">showing the design flow<br>from initial installation</font>
<SYNC Start=1551760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to a running server.</font>
<SYNC Start=1553440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Include folder structure visuals<br>that are easy to display</font>
<SYNC Start=1556640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so community members understand<br>how to organize these files.</font>
<SYNC Start=1560720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Write step-by-step numbered processes</font>
<SYNC Start=1563280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for installation, configuration,<br>and troubleshooting common issues.</font>
<SYNC Start=1567280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Document your API<br>endpoints and their usage</font>
<SYNC Start=1570080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if your game uses internal APIs<br>for communication between components.</font>
<SYNC Start=1574560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can also provide<br>Docker setup instructions</font>
<SYNC Start=1576880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if you're using containerization<br>for distribution.</font>
<SYNC Start=1580080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You're also going to want to list<br>system and hardware specifications,</font>
<SYNC Start=1583520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">including minimum requirements,<br>recommended specifications,</font>
<SYNC Start=1586800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and any special<br>hardware considerations.</font>
<SYNC Start=1589280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Remember the people setting<br>up these servers in the future</font>
<SYNC Start=1592800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">may not be professional developers.</font>
<SYNC Start=1595120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So clarity and completeness</font>
<SYNC Start=1597280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">are much more important than<br>technical sophistication.</font>
<SYNC Start=1600720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so now, let's move into<br>the practical implementation details.</font>
<SYNC Start=1605520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">We've covered the<br>theory and planning.</font>
<SYNC Start=1608000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So now let's talk about how to<br>actually build these systems</font>
<SYNC Start=1611120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and handle the technical challenges<br>that you might encounter.</font>
<SYNC Start=1614607><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Really common question is<br>how would players host servers</font>
<SYNC Start=1617840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when your code and setup<br>is really complicated?</font>
<SYNC Start=1621360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, when your server<br>architecture is complex,</font>
<SYNC Start=1624800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you have two main options<br>for simplifying community hosting.</font>
<SYNC Start=1628560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option one would be virtual machines.</font>
<SYNC Start=1630720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Virtual machines can be set up in software<br>like VirtualBox, Parallels or Hyper-V.</font>
<SYNC Start=1636800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This can remove complexity<br>around server environments</font>
<SYNC Start=1639920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">by providing a complete<br>ready-to-run environment.</font>
<SYNC Start=1643200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be Docker.</font>
<SYNC Start=1645760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">A Dockerfile can be used by Docker</font>
<SYNC Start=1648560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to easily set up services<br>on almost any PC.</font>
<SYNC Start=1652240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Docker containers are generally<br>more efficient than full virtual machines</font>
<SYNC Start=1656320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and easier for communities to manage.</font>
<SYNC Start=1658800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can define your entire server<br>stack in a Docker Compose file</font>
<SYNC Start=1662800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that automatically sets up all the<br>necessary services with a single command.</font>
<SYNC Start=1667760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Both approaches hide the complexity<br>of your server architecture</font>
<SYNC Start=1671360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">behind a simple interface</font>
<SYNC Start=1672800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that community members can use<br>without a deep technical knowledge.</font>
<SYNC Start=1677040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so what happens if your game<br>is tied to a platform ecosystem</font>
<SYNC Start=1681920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">like Steam or PSN or Xbox Live?</font>
<SYNC Start=1685600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, platform integration doesn't<br>have to be a barrier to preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=1691280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For example, you could retain existing<br>Steam, PSN, Xbox Live services,</font>
<SYNC Start=1696720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which, most of these services</font>
<SYNC Start=1698080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">will still require multiplayer<br>games to use their features.</font>
<SYNC Start=1701680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And since those will remain online,<br>you could still use them.</font>
<SYNC Start=1705520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Just remove any dependencies on<br>publisher-owned or required services</font>
<SYNC Start=1709840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that won't be available<br>after end of life.</font>
<SYNC Start=1712720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be direct connect options<br>and providing options in-game</font>
<SYNC Start=1717360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as using a direct connect IP option<br>or LAN server functionality.</font>
<SYNC Start=1721520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This gives players an alternative</font>
<SYNC Start=1723200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when platform-specific matchmaking<br>isn't available or becomes unreliable.</font>
<SYNC Start=1728080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option three, you could handle<br>legacy platform cases.</font>
<SYNC Start=1731360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For example, with Xbox 360 games,</font>
<SYNC Start=1733600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where Xbox Live no longer<br>exists in its original form,</font>
<SYNC Start=1737120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">LAN and system link<br>options work great.</font>
<SYNC Start=1739760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Players can use VPNs to<br>still play over the internet</font>
<SYNC Start=1742640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even though the original Xbox Live<br>infrastructure is no longer available.</font>
<SYNC Start=1746800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The key here is providing<br>multiple connection methods</font>
<SYNC Start=1750400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so that your game isn't<br>dependent on any single service.</font>
<SYNC Start=1754160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, locked time events.</font>
<SYNC Start=1756960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">What if your core gameplay<br>depends on locked time events?</font>
<SYNC Start=1760960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Time locked events<br>present special challenges,</font>
<SYNC Start=1763760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but there are practical solutions.</font>
<SYNC Start=1766080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option one would be using local time.</font>
<SYNC Start=1768320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can use a driver coding pattern</font>
<SYNC Start=1770400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and have a fallback path where<br>events could be simulated locally</font>
<SYNC Start=1775120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or run on a rotation at specific times<br>based on the user's system clock.</font>
<SYNC Start=1779600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This allows events to continue happening<br>even without server coordination.</font>
<SYNC Start=1784320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Next up would be<br>community server setting.</font>
<SYNC Start=1786720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Server settings could be<br>provided for community servers</font>
<SYNC Start=1789680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to define events, their<br>timing, and duration.</font>
<SYNC Start=1792800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This gives community server administrators<br>control over the event schedule</font>
<SYNC Start=1797200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and allows them to adapt<br>it to their playerbase.</font>
<SYNC Start=1801040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The goal is to preserve the gameplay<br>experience that events provide</font>
<SYNC Start=1805760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even if the exact timing and coordination<br>mechanisms need to change a little bit.</font>
<SYNC Start=1810800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, I hear you, I hear you.</font>
<SYNC Start=1812720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Can matchmaking be replaced<br>with LAN or peer-to-peer solutions?</font>
<SYNC Start=1818334><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Yes.</font>
<SYNC Start=1819114><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">But you have two approaches that are going<br>to be dependent on technical constraints.</font>
<SYNC Start=1824960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option one would be to<br>continue to support matchmaking</font>
<SYNC Start=1828400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">by giving out a server binary<br>which lets players host a master server</font>
<SYNC Start=1832960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that holds a list of<br>IPs for matchmaking</font>
<SYNC Start=1835520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or spins up local server processes<br>with something like Docker.</font>
<SYNC Start=1839360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This maintains the familiar<br>matchmaking experience</font>
<SYNC Start=1842160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while removing<br>infrastructure dependency.</font>
<SYNC Start=1845040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be remove<br>matchmaking entirely.</font>
<SYNC Start=1848400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can support direct IP<br>or LAN connects instead.</font>
<SYNC Start=1852320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">While this requires more<br>technical knowledge from players,</font>
<SYNC Start=1855280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">it's simpler to<br>implement and maintain.</font>
<SYNC Start=1858240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Many classic games worked this<br>way successfully for years.</font>
<SYNC Start=1861680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So consider your player's base—</font>
<SYNC Start=1864160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Consider your playerbase's<br>technical sophistication</font>
<SYNC Start=1866800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when choosing between<br>these approaches.</font>
<SYNC Start=1868800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so what if game—</font>
<SYNC Start=1870720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">What if the game server requires<br>authoritative logic for fairness?</font>
<SYNC Start=1876000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">That's a good question.</font>
<SYNC Start=1877360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Authoritative servers are important<br>for competitive integrity,</font>
<SYNC Start=1881200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and guess what?</font>
<SYNC Start=1882480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can maintain<br>this in preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=1885520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option one would be community server<br>with authoritative logic.</font>
<SYNC Start=1889840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So you could release a server binary<br>where community servers can be instanced</font>
<SYNC Start=1893920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and be authoritative for<br>their instance or realm.</font>
<SYNC Start=1897120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could let players<br>direct connect via IP or LAN</font>
<SYNC Start=1900320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and each community server would maintain<br>fair play within its own ecosystem.</font>
<SYNC Start=1905440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The other option would be<br>peer-to-peer authority.</font>
<SYNC Start=1908320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Have a player picked to be the host<br>to access the authoritative server</font>
<SYNC Start=1912160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and can spectate the game while it's<br>playing to avoid host advantage bias.</font>
<SYNC Start=1917040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach works well for<br>smaller-scale multiplayer games</font>
<SYNC Start=1921360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where community servers<br>might be overkill.</font>
<SYNC Start=1923840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The key here is maintaining<br>competitive integrity</font>
<SYNC Start=1926560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">within whatever hosting<br>model you choose,</font>
<SYNC Start=1928880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even if the scale is smaller<br>than your original centralized approach.</font>
<SYNC Start=1932800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, can you automate<br>having an end-of-life build</font>
<SYNC Start=1937120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and have a normal build while<br>developing your game with CI/CD?</font>
<SYNC Start=1941280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, absolutely.</font>
<SYNC Start=1942720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And this is highly recommended.</font>
<SYNC Start=1945200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Build flags are your friend here.</font>
<SYNC Start=1948000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">As mentioned in previous slides,</font>
<SYNC Start=1950320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">build flags such as<br>-SunsetPatch can be used</font>
<SYNC Start=1954480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which strip out sections of code.</font>
<SYNC Start=1957600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This will let you ship a sunset<br>version of your server executable</font>
<SYNC Start=1961600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to QA for local testing<br>and running test plans.</font>
<SYNC Start=1965440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">By integrating this into<br>your CI/CD pipeline,</font>
<SYNC Start=1968560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you can automatically test<br>both your production build</font>
<SYNC Start=1972080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and your preservation build<br>with every code change.</font>
<SYNC Start=1975440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This ensures that when the time comes<br>to release the preservation build,</font>
<SYNC Start=1979040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you know it works correctly,</font>
<SYNC Start=1980640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">because it's been tested<br>throughout the development process.</font>
<SYNC Start=1984160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach also lets your QA team</font>
<SYNC Start=1986640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">test preservation scenarios<br>during development,</font>
<SYNC Start=1989360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">catching issues early when they're<br>easier and much cheaper to fix.</font>
<SYNC Start=1993840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And what tooling can you<br>provide to the community</font>
<SYNC Start=1996960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to set up servers like scripts,<br>Dockerfiles, and config generators?</font>
<SYNC Start=2001440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The more tooling you provide,</font>
<SYNC Start=2003760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">the more likely your game<br>is to survive in the community.</font>
<SYNC Start=2008320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, one option would be to release<br>a self-contained server package</font>
<SYNC Start=2012800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where you could include simplified<br>versions of your services:</font>
<SYNC Start=2016400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">a lightweight database like SQLite,</font>
<SYNC Start=2020160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">simple web server<br>for admin interfaces,</font>
<SYNC Start=2023040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and all game logic in<br>one downloadable package.</font>
<SYNC Start=2026800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Aim for "download, extract,<br>and run" type of simplicity.</font>
<SYNC Start=2031120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Another option would be to<br>provide Kubernetes manifests</font>
<SYNC Start=2034080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or Docker Compose files<br>for easier deployment.</font>
<SYNC Start=2037120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For technically sophisticated<br>community members,</font>
<SYNC Start=2040000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you could provide orchestration files<br>that automate complex deployments.</font>
<SYNC Start=2043680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Docker Compose files can<br>define multi-container setups</font>
<SYNC Start=2047600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that replicate your<br>architecture at a smaller scale.</font>
<SYNC Start=2050720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Another option would be to<br>create installation scripts.</font>
<SYNC Start=2054000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could provide automated<br>installation scripts</font>
<SYNC Start=2056480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that handle service setup,<br>database initialization,</font>
<SYNC Start=2059840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and configuration file generation<br>with dependency installation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2064000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could make these scripts<br>work on common platforms</font>
<SYNC Start=2066560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">like Ubuntu, Windows Server,<br>Mac OS, etc., etc.</font>
<SYNC Start=2071040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could also offer<br>a cloud agnostic version.</font>
<SYNC Start=2074320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could design community versions<br>to work on any hosting platform,</font>
<SYNC Start=2077440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">from Raspberry Pi servers<br>in someone's home,</font>
<SYNC Start=2080160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to small VPS instances<br>on any cloud provider.</font>
<SYNC Start=2083680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to avoid dependencies<br>on specific cloud features though,</font>
<SYNC Start=2087200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which will kind of lead<br>us into this next slide,</font>
<SYNC Start=2091360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is what are the major differences<br>between hosting a game server on Amazon</font>
<SYNC Start=2096320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">compared to locally at home?</font>
<SYNC Start=2098720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, understanding these differences</font>
<SYNC Start=2100640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">helps you design the servers<br>that work in both environments.</font>
<SYNC Start=2104640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, we're going to go<br>ahead and look into that.</font>
<SYNC Start=2107280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">First off is distance<br>and infrastructure.</font>
<SYNC Start=2109760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, cloud servers are<br>hosted in data centers</font>
<SYNC Start=2112400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with uninterruptible<br>power supplies, backups,</font>
<SYNC Start=2115200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and staff on standby to provide remote<br>hands support if something goes wrong.</font>
<SYNC Start=2119840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Home servers deal with<br>residential internet, power outages,</font>
<SYNC Start=2123280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and limited technical support.</font>
<SYNC Start=2125200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Next up would be bandwidth.</font>
<SYNC Start=2126480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Enterprise servers have<br>much more bandwidth,</font>
<SYNC Start=2128960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as 10 gigabit connections,<br>which won't be needed at end of life.</font>
<SYNC Start=2133600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Community servers typically run<br>on residential internet connections</font>
<SYNC Start=2137280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with much lower upload speeds.</font>
<SYNC Start=2139440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You also have 99% uptime and scaling.</font>
<SYNC Start=2142400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Cloud deployments use extra services<br>for failover, load balancing,</font>
<SYNC Start=2146560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and complex scaling to<br>handle millions of users.</font>
<SYNC Start=2149840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Community servers are designed<br>for smaller local communities,</font>
<SYNC Start=2153120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and they really<br>don't need this complexity.</font>
<SYNC Start=2156160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, design your community servers to<br>work well within these constraints</font>
<SYNC Start=2160160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rather than trying to replicate<br>your production environment exactly.</font>
<SYNC Start=2164640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">But let's say your game uses<br>a lot of complicated services,</font>
<SYNC Start=2168800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as AWS, Google Cloud,<br>and other microservices.</font>
<SYNC Start=2172640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">What do you do then?</font>
<SYNC Start=2174080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, these complex<br>service infrastructures</font>
<SYNC Start=2176560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">can be simplified for<br>community hosting.</font>
<SYNC Start=2179360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, first you could remove the<br>microservices that are not needed.</font>
<SYNC Start=2183120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This will help reduce the<br>surface area of work needed</font>
<SYNC Start=2186400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for the game to be functional.</font>
<SYNC Start=2188560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Most microservices are really<br>not needed at end of life.</font>
<SYNC Start=2191840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Things, again, like payment processing,<br>analytics, and account management</font>
<SYNC Start=2195760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">really become unnecessary.</font>
<SYNC Start=2198320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could also use best practices<br>such as infrastructure as code.</font>
<SYNC Start=2203360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Use a descriptive model of what<br>services need to be deployed</font>
<SYNC Start=2207280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so they are easily recreated at<br>end of life by the community.</font>
<SYNC Start=2211440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Tools like Terraform or Kubernetes<br>manifest can help with this.</font>
<SYNC Start=2215840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Again, to bring it back to Docker,<br>you can use that technology like Docker.</font>
<SYNC Start=2220080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Docker can easily spin up a bunch of<br>containers to host services for players.</font>
<SYNC Start=2225200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">It also removes dependencies<br>on the operating system</font>
<SYNC Start=2228320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and environmental complexity.</font>
<SYNC Start=2230560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And finally, you could provide<br>players documentation and files,</font>
<SYNC Start=2234480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">allowing them to set up their<br>own cloud account like AWS</font>
<SYNC Start=2237920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and set up servers that way.</font>
<SYNC Start=2239920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Some community members may prefer to<br>run servers on cloud infrastructure</font>
<SYNC Start=2244080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rather than home hardware.</font>
<SYNC Start=2246240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so here's a<br>practical list of services</font>
<SYNC Start=2250960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you can typically remove<br>for end-of-life builds.</font>
<SYNC Start=2254240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I'm not going to read this whole thing,<br>so go ahead and pause the screen.</font>
<SYNC Start=2258160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I encourage you to take a look through<br>all of these, because this is a lot.</font>
<SYNC Start=2262480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is a lot that can be removed</font>
<SYNC Start=2265360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">out of your current system and<br>your current code and current setup</font>
<SYNC Start=2269440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to make an end-of-life build work.</font>
<SYNC Start=2272160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, what if you use<br>PlayFab or GameSparks?</font>
<SYNC Start=2276400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">How do you end-of-life your game if you<br>are using these types of managed backends?</font>
<SYNC Start=2280880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, managed backends require special<br>consideration for end-of-life planning.</font>
<SYNC Start=2286800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, here are some<br>key strategies to consider.</font>
<SYNC Start=2289920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could use feature<br>mapping and prioritization.</font>
<SYNC Start=2292960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to document every<br>BaaS feature your game uses</font>
<SYNC Start=2297040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and categorize them by importance.</font>
<SYNC Start=2299200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Essential features like player<br>authentication and game saves</font>
<SYNC Start=2302640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">will need a replacement,</font>
<SYNC Start=2303840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while nice-to-have features like detailed<br>analytics can be removed entirely.</font>
<SYNC Start=2308480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You want to create a comprehensive list<br>mapping each BaaS feature</font>
<SYNC Start=2311920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to either a local replacement<br>or a removal plan.</font>
<SYNC Start=2316240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Data export and migration.</font>
<SYNC Start=2317920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, you can export all critical data<br>before service termination.</font>
<SYNC Start=2321920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This includes player profiles,<br>game progress, leaderboards,</font>
<SYNC Start=2325440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">user-generated content,<br>and configuration data.</font>
<SYNC Start=2328800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Most BaaS providers<br>offer data export tools,</font>
<SYNC Start=2331760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but you may need custom scripts</font>
<SYNC Start=2333600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to extract everything in usable<br>formats for community servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=2338240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Could also use<br>progressive decoupling.</font>
<SYNC Start=2340800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Start by reducing BaaS dependencies in<br>updates leading up to the shutdown.</font>
<SYNC Start=2346000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll replace complex BaaS features<br>with simpler local alternatives,</font>
<SYNC Start=2349920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">gradually allowing you to test each<br>change and get community feedback</font>
<SYNC Start=2353840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">before final shutdown.</font>
<SYNC Start=2355840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You want to also try to<br>utilize local API development.</font>
<SYNC Start=2359440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Create local APIs that replicate<br>essential BaaS functions</font>
<SYNC Start=2362960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with simplified implementations.</font>
<SYNC Start=2365280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">A local player data API might use<br>SQLite instead of cloud databases</font>
<SYNC Start=2371120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and local leaderboards might be<br>server-specific rather than global.</font>
<SYNC Start=2375520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so can dependency injection<br>or other modular architecture</font>
<SYNC Start=2380160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">help isolate what needs to be<br>removed or replaced at end of life?</font>
<SYNC Start=2384640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Yes, absolutely.</font>
<SYNC Start=2386480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Good architectural patterns make<br>end-of-life transitions so much smoother.</font>
<SYNC Start=2392640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Service abstraction and swapping,</font>
<SYNC Start=2395120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">as an example,</font>
<SYNC Start=2396240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">would mean dependency injection allows<br>you to abstract external services</font>
<SYNC Start=2400800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">behind interfaces that can be easily<br>swapped during end-of-life preparation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2405680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Authentication services,<br>analytics—analytics platforms,</font>
<SYNC Start=2410480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and cloud storage can be replaced<br>with local implementations</font>
<SYNC Start=2414400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">without changing core game logic.</font>
<SYNC Start=2417040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Configuration-driven component selection,<br>with proper dependency injection,</font>
<SYNC Start=2421600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you can easily select<br>implementations to use</font>
<SYNC Start=2424640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">based on configuration<br>files or build settings.</font>
<SYNC Start=2428000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Production builds might<br>use cloud services</font>
<SYNC Start=2430800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while community builds<br>could use local alternatives.</font>
<SYNC Start=2434000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Testing and isolation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2435440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So dependency injection makes it<br>easier to test community builds</font>
<SYNC Start=2439280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">by allowing you to inject<br>mock implementations</font>
<SYNC Start=2442480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">during development<br>and testing phases.</font>
<SYNC Start=2444640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This helps identify issues<br>before final release.</font>
<SYNC Start=2448080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Cleaner code organization.</font>
<SYNC Start=2450000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well-designed dependency injection<br>leads to cleaner separation of concerns,</font>
<SYNC Start=2453600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">making it easier to identify what<br>components are safe to remove</font>
<SYNC Start=2457120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and what dependencies<br>each feature requires.</font>
<SYNC Start=2460320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, how do you test the final<br>state of your game in a post-server world</font>
<SYNC Start=2465600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to confirm that it<br>behaves as expected?</font>
<SYNC Start=2468960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, testing your end-of-life build<br>is crucial for a smooth transition.</font>
<SYNC Start=2474400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can use feature flags<br>to test community builds</font>
<SYNC Start=2477920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while production services<br>are still available.</font>
<SYNC Start=2480640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can gradually enable<br>community compatible features</font>
<SYNC Start=2484240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and disable problematic ones<br>during transition periods.</font>
<SYNC Start=2487920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This allows you to test preservation mode<br>while your game is still live.</font>
<SYNC Start=2492080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Build defines can be used</font>
<SYNC Start=2493360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to build a special version<br>of your game for end of life</font>
<SYNC Start=2496560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that has authentication checks disabled<br>and cloud dependency removed.</font>
<SYNC Start=2500960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This gives you a clean<br>testing environment</font>
<SYNC Start=2503200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that matches what the<br>community will actually use.</font>
<SYNC Start=2506320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">With test plans, your<br>quality assurance team</font>
<SYNC Start=2508880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">can run through an<br>end-of-life test plan</font>
<SYNC Start=2511280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to make sure your game functions<br>throughout the development process.</font>
<SYNC Start=2515520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Create specific test cases<br>for server failure scenarios,</font>
<SYNC Start=2518880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">offline-mode functionality,<br>and community server connections.</font>
<SYNC Start=2523120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Regular testing ensures that when the time<br>comes to release your preservation build,</font>
<SYNC Start=2528000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you know it works correctly because it's<br>been validated throughout development.</font>
<SYNC Start=2532880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And so, can you create a<br>community server binary</font>
<SYNC Start=2537200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with stripped down version<br>for player hosting at end of life?</font>
<SYNC Start=2542240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, absolutely.</font>
<SYNC Start=2543840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And this is often the most<br>practical approach for preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2548160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Feature reduction and optimization</font>
<SYNC Start=2550720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">strip out features that aren't<br>essential for core gameplay</font>
<SYNC Start=2553840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or that require proprietary services.</font>
<SYNC Start=2556160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to remove analytic systems,<br>complex monetization features,</font>
<SYNC Start=2560000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">advanced anti-cheat integration,</font>
<SYNC Start=2561760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and features that depend on<br>unavailable third-party services.</font>
<SYNC Start=2565520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Dependency building:</font>
<SYNC Start=2566720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to include all necessary<br>libraries, runtime dependencies,</font>
<SYNC Start=2570560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and configuration files to<br>minimize external requirements.</font>
<SYNC Start=2574640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Use static linking where possible</font>
<SYNC Start=2576480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to reduce dependency conflicts<br>and simplify deployment.</font>
<SYNC Start=2580480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Configuration externalization:</font>
<SYNC Start=2582320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to move all customizable<br>settings to external configuration files</font>
<SYNC Start=2587120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rather than hard-coded values.</font>
<SYNC Start=2589280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This would allow administrators<br>to customize servers</font>
<SYNC Start=2591920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">without needing source code<br>access or recompilation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2595520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Resource optimization:</font>
<SYNC Start=2597280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to optimize binaries for<br>typical community hosting scenarios</font>
<SYNC Start=2600960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which often have limited resources.</font>
<SYNC Start=2603680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Use efficient algorithms,<br>reduce memory usage,</font>
<SYNC Start=2606480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and optimize for single server rather<br>than distributed deployment scenarios.</font>
<SYNC Start=2611440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">How do you remove login or DRM from games<br>that prevent you from running offline?</font>
<SYNC Start=2618000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, removing<br>authentication barriers</font>
<SYNC Start=2620560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">is obviously pretty<br>essential for preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2624720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, you'll want to replace authentication<br>with always-success functions.</font>
<SYNC Start=2629280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Modify login systems to automatically<br>succeed without server verification,</font>
<SYNC Start=2634480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">remove DRM license checks,</font>
<SYNC Start=2636560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and strip out periodic<br>license verification</font>
<SYNC Start=2639040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and online validation requirements.</font>
<SYNC Start=2641920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll also want to eliminate<br>periodic online verification</font>
<SYNC Start=2645680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">by removing any systems</font>
<SYNC Start=2647200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that require regular check-ins<br>with authentication servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=2650720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can enable local user management</font>
<SYNC Start=2652960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and store profiles in local files or<br>use a local storage implementation</font>
<SYNC Start=2658720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with simple username-only<br>login systems</font>
<SYNC Start=2661040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that don't require<br>server verification.</font>
<SYNC Start=2663840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll also want to use build flags<br>for clean separation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2667040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Implement conditional compilation</font>
<SYNC Start=2669120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so you can cleanly separate<br>authentication code from core game logic.</font>
<SYNC Start=2673520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll also want to test<br>offline functionality</font>
<SYNC Start=2676240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to ensure the game starts without<br>internet, shows no license errors,</font>
<SYNC Start=2680560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and local saves work properly.</font>
<SYNC Start=2683440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Then you'll want to<br>communicate changes clearly.</font>
<SYNC Start=2686000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Label builds as something like<br>"Community Edition - No account required,"</font>
<SYNC Start=2689920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or "all DRM removed for preservation,"<br>and update license agreements accordingly.</font>
<SYNC Start=2695440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so now let's address one of the<br>most complex aspects of game preservation,</font>
<SYNC Start=2700720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is handling player data<br>and security considerations</font>
<SYNC Start=2703840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when transitioning to<br>community-hosted infrastructure.</font>
<SYNC Start=2707440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">One question we see fairly often</font>
<SYNC Start=2709360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">is how do you handle<br>removing anti-cheat</font>
<SYNC Start=2711840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and other services like<br>BattlEye for end of life?</font>
<SYNC Start=2715120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, anti-cheat services<br>require special consideration,</font>
<SYNC Start=2718560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">because they often have licensing<br>and technical dependencies.</font>
<SYNC Start=2722960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For example, BattlEye.</font>
<SYNC Start=2724560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">BattlEye has options to<br>run the game without it</font>
<SYNC Start=2727920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">by using the game<br>executable directly.</font>
<SYNC Start=2730160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So you can patch out BattlEye<br>code in your game executable</font>
<SYNC Start=2733600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with a define such as<br>#if WITH_BATTLEYE_CLIENT.</font>
<SYNC Start=2738640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can also provide a command line<br>argument players can use</font>
<SYNC Start=2741920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as -nobe to disable it entirely.</font>
<SYNC Start=2746080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">There are some cost considerations.</font>
<SYNC Start=2747920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">BattlEye charges a monthly fee<br>per user playing the game.</font>
<SYNC Start=2751840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Since it's removed in the preservation<br>build, there will be no ongoing cost,</font>
<SYNC Start=2756000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is important for<br>community sustainability.</font>
<SYNC Start=2759120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Community anti-cheat alternatives<br>like community servers</font>
<SYNC Start=2762560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">can take cheating into their own<br>hands by using IP whitelists,</font>
<SYNC Start=2767120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">firewall rules, and<br>community moderation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2769920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">While not as sophisticated<br>as commercial anti-cheat,</font>
<SYNC Start=2772800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">these methods can be very effective<br>for small community servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=2777040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The key is ensuring the game<br>remains playable and enjoyable,</font>
<SYNC Start=2781680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even without enterprise-level<br>anti-cheat protection.</font>
<SYNC Start=2784520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so how do you handle data at<br>end of life, and protect user privacy,</font>
<SYNC Start=2790400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">since, you know, you<br>can't give out players</font>
<SYNC Start=2792480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">copies of databases or<br>private information?</font>
<SYNC Start=2796320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, player data privacy is crucial,</font>
<SYNC Start=2799520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and there are two main approaches<br>that you could use here.</font>
<SYNC Start=2803280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The first option would be to alter<br>the game to pull from local databases.</font>
<SYNC Start=2807440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could convert player<br>and account saved data</font>
<SYNC Start=2809840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to be stored locally on<br>each player's machine.</font>
<SYNC Start=2812960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Set up in-game purchases to<br>always return as "owned,"</font>
<SYNC Start=2816720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">eliminating the need<br>for server verification.</font>
<SYNC Start=2819280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach gives players<br>control over their own data</font>
<SYNC Start=2822160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while protecting everyone's privacy.</font>
<SYNC Start=2824400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The other option you could try</font>
<SYNC Start=2825600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">is to allow users to<br>change database endpoints.</font>
<SYNC Start=2829120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Expose configuration options to allow for<br>a community to manage a shared database.</font>
<SYNC Start=2833840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This maintains the social aspects of<br>shared progression and leaderboards</font>
<SYNC Start=2838160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while keeping the infrastructure<br>community-controlled.</font>
<SYNC Start=2840960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Both approaches<br>respect player privacy</font>
<SYNC Start=2843520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while ensuring the game<br>remains functional.</font>
<SYNC Start=2846000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The choice between them depends<br>on whether your game benefits more</font>
<SYNC Start=2850000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">from individual data ownership<br>or shared community progression.</font>
<SYNC Start=2854560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">That's all great, but how do we<br>patch out authentication servers</font>
<SYNC Start=2857760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or have players still connect, even if<br>the game is designed to be online only?</font>
<SYNC Start=2863040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, converting online-only<br>games to work offline</font>
<SYNC Start=2866080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">does require very careful planning.</font>
<SYNC Start=2868800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">There are a couple of options though.</font>
<SYNC Start=2870480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, option one would be<br>to utilize a local save file.</font>
<SYNC Start=2874160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can use locally-generated<br>unique identifiers and names</font>
<SYNC Start=2878240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which can be used in a LAN context<br>or VPN context for identifying players</font>
<SYNC Start=2883040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while removing the need for accounts.</font>
<SYNC Start=2885200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This works well for games where player<br>identity is primarily about game state</font>
<SYNC Start=2890080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rather than social interaction.</font>
<SYNC Start=2892880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be account database.</font>
<SYNC Start=2896160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Provide an empty schema<br>file for your database</font>
<SYNC Start=2899040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so it can be hosted by the<br>community or on community servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=2902960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could provide a setting in the game<br>which controls which IP it connects to,</font>
<SYNC Start=2906960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as in a config file.</font>
<SYNC Start=2909760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This maintains the social<br>aspects of the game</font>
<SYNC Start=2912240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while making the infrastructure<br>community-controlled.</font>
<SYNC Start=2915200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Ultimately, the goal is to<br>preserve the gameplay experience</font>
<SYNC Start=2918800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while removing dependencies<br>on your proprietary infrastructure.</font>
<SYNC Start=2922880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, what if you're using<br>a programming language for your game</font>
<SYNC Start=2927760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that doesn't compile into a binary<br>like JavaScript or Python?</font>
<SYNC Start=2932720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Interpreted languages do<br>present special challenges,</font>
<SYNC Start=2935760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but they do have several solutions.</font>
<SYNC Start=2938640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The first option would<br>be code obfuscation.</font>
<SYNC Start=2941520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can use obfuscation tools<br>to make source code difficult to read</font>
<SYNC Start=2945040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while maintaining functionality.</font>
<SYNC Start=2947040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Tools like UglifyJS for<br>JavaScript or PyArmor for Python</font>
<SYNC Start=2951840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">can scramble variable names,<br>remove comments,</font>
<SYNC Start=2954560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and restructure code<br>to make it less readable.</font>
<SYNC Start=2957840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Another option would be<br>selective code release.</font>
<SYNC Start=2960640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Release only the minimum necessary<br>code for server functionality.</font>
<SYNC Start=2964400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Keep complex game logic,<br>proprietary algorithms, and business logic</font>
<SYNC Start=2968160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">in separate modules that aren't<br>included in community releases.</font>
<SYNC Start=2972000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You want to focus on releasing networking,<br>basic game state management,</font>
<SYNC Start=2975760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and configuration handling.</font>
<SYNC Start=2977600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option three would be<br>binary compilation options.</font>
<SYNC Start=2981200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Use tools that compile interpreted<br>languages to binary executables</font>
<SYNC Start=2985120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">like PyInstaller for Python, pkg<br>for Node.js, or Electron for JavaScript</font>
<SYNC Start=2990080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to create distributable binaries</font>
<SYNC Start=2992480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that hide source code<br>and maintain functionality.</font>
<SYNC Start=2995840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Last up would be licensing<br>and legal protection.</font>
<SYNC Start=2998240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could release source code</font>
<SYNC Start=2999520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">under restrictive licenses<br>that allow community use,</font>
<SYNC Start=3002560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but prevent commercial exploitation.</font>
<SYNC Start=3004880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Creative Common licenses or custom<br>licenses can provide legal protection</font>
<SYNC Start=3009360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even when source code is visible.</font>
<SYNC Start=3011280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So what are some alternative<br>distribution methods that you could use</font>
<SYNC Start=3016400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if you don't want to give out your<br>source code or your server files?</font>
<SYNC Start=3020800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So if you need to<br>protect your source code,</font>
<SYNC Start=3023200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">there are several<br>different approaches.</font>
<SYNC Start=3025760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option one would be<br>container-based distribution.</font>
<SYNC Start=3029200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">We've talked about Docker a lot,</font>
<SYNC Start=3030720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but you can distribute complete Docker<br>containers that include the source code,</font>
<SYNC Start=3034480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but make extraction more difficult.</font>
<SYNC Start=3036720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">While technically<br>possible to extract,</font>
<SYNC Start=3038960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">it requires additional<br>technical knowledge and effort.</font>
<SYNC Start=3042560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option two would be using<br>modular architecture.</font>
<SYNC Start=3045440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Design your server architecture<br>with clear separation</font>
<SYNC Start=3048240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">between core game logic<br>and infrastructure code.</font>
<SYNC Start=3051200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can open source<br>infrastructure components</font>
<SYNC Start=3053600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while keeping game logic proprietary.</font>
<SYNC Start=3055680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option three would be<br>configuration-driven logic.</font>
<SYNC Start=3058320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So you'll move as much game logic<br>as possible into configuration files</font>
<SYNC Start=3062160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rather than source code.</font>
<SYNC Start=3063600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This allows community customization<br>without exposing implementation details.</font>
<SYNC Start=3069040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could also use option four,<br>which is API-based architecture.</font>
<SYNC Start=3072800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'd create an<br>API-based architecture</font>
<SYNC Start=3075040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where game logic runs in<br>separate protected services</font>
<SYNC Start=3078480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while community-hosted<br>components handle networking</font>
<SYNC Start=3081120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and basic server management.</font>
<SYNC Start=3083040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Option five would be<br>documentation and support.</font>
<SYNC Start=3086160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Provide excellent<br>documentation and support</font>
<SYNC Start=3088400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to encourage proper use of your<br>code rather than modification.</font>
<SYNC Start=3092454><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well-documented, easy-to-use code</font>
<SYNC Start=3095040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">reduces the incentive for communities<br>to modify or reverse engineer it.</font>
<SYNC Start=3099840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so what if I have secrets<br>or private keys in my server binaries</font>
<SYNC Start=3105600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when releasing them?</font>
<SYNC Start=3106507><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Like, how would you handle this?</font>
<SYNC Start=3108320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So you could use<br>compiler flags or build flags.</font>
<SYNC Start=3111007><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This would be your primary tool here.</font>
<SYNC Start=3113267><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can use these tools to remove<br>features or secrets from your code base.</font>
<SYNC Start=3118240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You might provide an argument</font>
<SYNC Start=3120080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">like -SunsetPatch which will<br>define SUNSET_PATCH variable</font>
<SYNC Start=3124080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which you can then use via #ifdefs</font>
<SYNC Start=3126560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to run a section of code or<br>otherwise back to the standard code.</font>
<SYNC Start=3130800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach lets you<br>maintain one codebase</font>
<SYNC Start=3133600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with different build configurations<br>for production and community releases.</font>
<SYNC Start=3137520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The community build can use<br>placeholder credentials,</font>
<SYNC Start=3140560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">disable features<br>that require secrets,</font>
<SYNC Start=3142640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or use entirely different code paths<br>that don't need sensitive information.</font>
<SYNC Start=3147040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The key here is planning this<br>architecture from the beginning</font>
<SYNC Start=3150080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rather than trying to strip secrets</font>
<SYNC Start=3152080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">out of an existing codebase<br>at the end of development.</font>
<SYNC Start=3155480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so what would be the<br>safest way to release server binaries</font>
<SYNC Start=3161280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if you can't share<br>the whole source code?</font>
<SYNC Start=3163520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This will be in a<br>couple different parts.</font>
<SYNC Start=3166001><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, first part would be<br>security preparation.</font>
<SYNC Start=3169120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want comprehensive<br>security auditing.</font>
<SYNC Start=3171680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Use static analysis tools to<br>identify potential vulnerabilities,</font>
<SYNC Start=3175360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">dependency scanners to check<br>for known security issues,</font>
<SYNC Start=3178480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and penetration testing to<br>validate security measures.</font>
<SYNC Start=3182000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Dependency security management:</font>
<SYNC Start=3184240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to use tools like<br>OWASP Dependency Check, Snyk,</font>
<SYNC Start=3188400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or similar security scanning platforms<br>to identify and address security issues.</font>
<SYNC Start=3194560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll also want to use<br>attack service minimization.</font>
<SYNC Start=3197600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to reduce attack surface<br>by removing unnecessary features,</font>
<SYNC Start=3201440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">disabling unused services,</font>
<SYNC Start=3203040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">implementing input<br>validation and sanitization,</font>
<SYNC Start=3206000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and using minimal privilege<br>principles for all operations.</font>
<SYNC Start=3210080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll also want a<br>secure build environment.</font>
<SYNC Start=3212720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Ensure binaries are built in<br>secure, controlled environments</font>
<SYNC Start=3215840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">using verified source code,<br>signed build tools,</font>
<SYNC Start=3218880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and isolated build systems that<br>prevent tampering during compilation.</font>
<SYNC Start=3223600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">What's the safest way to<br>release server binaries</font>
<SYNC Start=3226720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if you can't share the whole source?</font>
<SYNC Start=3229200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Part two.</font>
<SYNC Start=3230080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so you'll want to keep in mind<br>the legal and compliance framework.</font>
<SYNC Start=3235120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You want to conduct comprehensive<br>audits of all included components</font>
<SYNC Start=3238160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to verify license compatibility<br>with community distribution.</font>
<SYNC Start=3241840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Remove any components<br>with restrictive licenses</font>
<SYNC Start=3244400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that prohibit redistribution<br>or require ongoing payments.</font>
<SYNC Start=3248880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to do an<br>intellectual property review</font>
<SYNC Start=3251280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to review binaries for proprietary<br>algorithms, trade secrets,</font>
<SYNC Start=3254800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and confidential information<br>that shouldn't be distributed.</font>
<SYNC Start=3258400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">With liability management,</font>
<SYNC Start=3259920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you'll want to consider the terms</font>
<SYNC Start=3261760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that limit your responsibility<br>for community-hosted servers</font>
<SYNC Start=3265120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while protecting your<br>intellectual property.</font>
<SYNC Start=3267600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to use export<br>control compliance.</font>
<SYNC Start=3269840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Consider export control regulations<br>if redistributing internationally,</font>
<SYNC Start=3274000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">especially for games with encryption<br>or other controlled technologies.</font>
<SYNC Start=3277760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so part three would<br>be distribution and security.</font>
<SYNC Start=3283280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So digital signing<br>and authentication:</font>
<SYNC Start=3285760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Sign all binaries with valid<br>code signing certificates</font>
<SYNC Start=3288960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to ensure authenticity<br>and prevent tampering.</font>
<SYNC Start=3292960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Use secure reputable distribution channels<br>with proper access controls.</font>
<SYNC Start=3297200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Consider multiple distribution<br>methods to ensure availability</font>
<SYNC Start=3300880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while maintaining security.</font>
<SYNC Start=3302640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Version control and tracking:</font>
<SYNC Start=3304240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Maintain clear version control</font>
<SYNC Start=3305760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with detailed changelogs<br>and security advisories.</font>
<SYNC Start=3308640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Implement mechanisms<br>to revoke or update binaries</font>
<SYNC Start=3311440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if security issues are discovered.</font>
<SYNC Start=3313520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And community communication:</font>
<SYNC Start=3315280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Establish clear communication<br>channels for security issues</font>
<SYNC Start=3318480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and provide procedures for<br>reporting and addressing</font>
<SYNC Start=3321520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">security vulnerabilities<br>discovered by community members.</font>
<SYNC Start=3324880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, now let's discuss<br>the practical aspects</font>
<SYNC Start=3327440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">of actually executing<br>your end-of-life plan.</font>
<SYNC Start=3330560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is where all your<br>preparation pays off,</font>
<SYNC Start=3333360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but there are still important<br>considerations for the transition period.</font>
<SYNC Start=3338080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, how do you communicate<br>to your players</font>
<SYNC Start=3340480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that the final build is unsupported<br>or community-maintained?</font>
<SYNC Start=3344640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Well, first off, clear communication is<br>essential for a successful transition.</font>
<SYNC Start=3350720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">In-game messaging:</font>
<SYNC Start=3352000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can add prominent but non-intrusive<br>notifications within the game itself.</font>
<SYNC Start=3356320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">A banner or popup on<br>the main menu stating,</font>
<SYNC Start=3359360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">"This is the final official release -<br>future updates will be community-driven"</font>
<SYNC Start=3364080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">ensures players<br>understand the transition.</font>
<SYNC Start=3366880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Could use version<br>naming and branding.</font>
<SYNC Start=3369200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Use clear version identifiers<br>that signal the transition.</font>
<SYNC Start=3372560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The final official build might<br>be labeled something like</font>
<SYNC Start=3375600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">"Final Edition" or "Legacy Version,"</font>
<SYNC Start=3378000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while community builds<br>could use naming like</font>
<SYNC Start=3380240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">"Community Edition" or<br>"Preservation Build."</font>
<SYNC Start=3383360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Documentation and README files:</font>
<SYNC Start=3385680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Include comprehensive<br>documentation with the final build</font>
<SYNC Start=3388960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">explaining the game's status,</font>
<SYNC Start=3390640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">what features may no longer work,</font>
<SYNC Start=3392240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and where players can<br>find community support.</font>
<SYNC Start=3395040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Community handoff messaging:</font>
<SYNC Start=3396720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Frame the transition positively<br>rather than as an abandonment.</font>
<SYNC Start=3401280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Emphasize how this ensures<br>the game's long-term survival.</font>
<SYNC Start=3405120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Technical disclaimers:</font>
<SYNC Start=3406400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Be upfront about limitations:</font>
<SYNC Start=3408640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">"Online features may<br>stop working at any time,"</font>
<SYNC Start=3411600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or "No official technical<br>support is available,"</font>
<SYNC Start=3414240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or even "Compatibility with future<br>operating systems is not guaranteed."</font>
<SYNC Start=3419280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Resource signposting:</font>
<SYNC Start=3420640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Provide clear directions<br>to community resources—</font>
<SYNC Start=3423520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">forums, Discord servers,<br>fan sites, or GitHub repositories</font>
<SYNC Start=3427120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where players can find help,<br>mods, or continue development.</font>
<SYNC Start=3431280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Make these resources easily<br>discoverable within the game itself.</font>
<SYNC Start=3435440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Farewell content:</font>
<SYNC Start=3436640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Consider adding special content that<br>acknowledges the game's journey—</font>
<SYNC Start=3440400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">perhaps as a credit sequence<br>thanking the community,</font>
<SYNC Start=3443360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or a message from<br>the development team.</font>
<SYNC Start=3446080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This creates a sense of closure while<br>celebrating your game's legacy.</font>
<SYNC Start=3452320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And legal clarity:</font>
<SYNC Start=3454080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Include clear statements about<br>what players can and cannot do</font>
<SYNC Start=3458080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with the final build.</font>
<SYNC Start=3460080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is important.</font>
<SYNC Start=3461600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, can you<br>delist your game from a store</font>
<SYNC Start=3466000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but still let owners redownload it?</font>
<SYNC Start=3468060><P Class=ENUSCC>&nbsp;
<SYNC Start=3469060><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Yes.</font>
<SYNC Start=3469760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Most platforms support this approach.</font>
<SYNC Start=3472400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, with Steam, for example,</font>
<SYNC Start=3474480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Steam will let you still have existing<br>offline files that players can back up</font>
<SYNC Start=3479040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if you opt out of DRM.</font>
<SYNC Start=3481120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Players who already own the game<br>can continue to download and play it,</font>
<SYNC Start=3484960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even if it's no longer<br>available for purchase.</font>
<SYNC Start=3487760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">With consoles,</font>
<SYNC Start=3488800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">most consoles will still let you<br>re-download an existing game you own,</font>
<SYNC Start=3493120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">even if the store<br>page is unavailable,</font>
<SYNC Start=3495120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and the game is not being<br>sold to new customers.</font>
<SYNC Start=3497760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This approach protects<br>existing players</font>
<SYNC Start=3500080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">while preventing new sales that<br>might create support obligations</font>
<SYNC Start=3503760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that you can't fulfill.</font>
<SYNC Start=3505240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, how do you handle games<br>that are part of a larger ecosystem,</font>
<SYNC Start=3510480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">such as shared accounts<br>across multiple games?</font>
<SYNC Start=3514240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Shared ecosystems require<br>some special consideration.</font>
<SYNC Start=3518800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Data export and import tools<br>for one-time migration:</font>
<SYNC Start=3523040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">For example, if you're<br>using a MySQL database,</font>
<SYNC Start=3526480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">you may export the tables and schema,</font>
<SYNC Start=3528800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but not provide any of the<br>user data that's private,</font>
<SYNC Start=3531760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so it can be used on<br>community servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=3534400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Converting shared currencies<br>to local alternatives:</font>
<SYNC Start=3537360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You can take a copy of the data</font>
<SYNC Start=3538960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and convert it to work<br>with one game at shutdown.</font>
<SYNC Start=3542160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Other games still in support can keep<br>using the shared account structure.</font>
<SYNC Start=3546480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">"Legacy bundles" that give everyone<br>previously cross-game content:</font>
<SYNC Start=3550560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This would remove all the need to<br>do ownership checks with a server,</font>
<SYNC Start=3554960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">simplifying the preservation<br>build significantly.</font>
<SYNC Start=3558240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And optional community-run<br>federation models:</font>
<SYNC Start=3561760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Let the community host their own<br>database server with accounts</font>
<SYNC Start=3565280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">so the game is still playable<br>with social features intact.</font>
<SYNC Start=3568640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so, how long should<br>the final end-of-life game patch</font>
<SYNC Start=3573120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">be available to download?</font>
<SYNC Start=3575440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Distribution availability does<br>require long-term planning.</font>
<SYNC Start=3579680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Some practical solutions would be multiple<br>distribution channels from day one,</font>
<SYNC Start=3584800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">official checksums and digital<br>signatures for authenticity,</font>
<SYNC Start=3589280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">clear licensing that<br>allows community mirroring,</font>
<SYNC Start=3592720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and specific platform recommendations,<br>like GitHub, Archive.org, etc.,</font>
<SYNC Start=3598400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with protection for legacy players<br>who haven't updated yet.</font>
<SYNC Start=3602480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to keep in mind<br>a timeline approach.</font>
<SYNC Start=3605600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Six months for official<br>plus community mirrors,</font>
<SYNC Start=3608640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">two years for transition<br>to community-only,</font>
<SYNC Start=3611600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and five plus years for<br>archive services as primary.</font>
<SYNC Start=3615520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The goal is ensuring the<br>preservation build remains available</font>
<SYNC Start=3618960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">after you stop<br>actively supporting it.</font>
<SYNC Start=3621600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Now, how do you provide<br>a fallback experience</font>
<SYNC Start=3623920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">for players who still launch<br>the game post-shutdown?</font>
<SYNC Start=3627680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Graceful connection failure<br>handling can replace error messages</font>
<SYNC Start=3631760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">with helpful guidance about how<br>to connect to community servers</font>
<SYNC Start=3635280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or access offline modes.</font>
<SYNC Start=3637360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You could use an offline<br>mode implementation</font>
<SYNC Start=3639920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and provide alternative<br>gameplay options</font>
<SYNC Start=3642320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that work without any<br>server connectivity.</font>
<SYNC Start=3645440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You have community integration</font>
<SYNC Start=3647040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where you can connect players<br>to community resources</font>
<SYNC Start=3650000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">where they can find active servers,<br>get help, and continue enjoying the game.</font>
<SYNC Start=3654640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The worst experience is a player<br>launching a game they paid for,</font>
<SYNC Start=3657920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and getting a cryptic error message.</font>
<SYNC Start=3660320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Instead, guide them towards ways<br>that they can continue playing.</font>
<SYNC Start=3664240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right, so we are going to talk</font>
<SYNC Start=3665600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">a little bit about tips<br>for existing games,</font>
<SYNC Start=3668720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">'cause we've seen those questions,</font>
<SYNC Start=3670320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">but it is important to note</font>
<SYNC Start=3671920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that the initiative states it would only<br>require new games to be built this way,</font>
<SYNC Start=3676960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and does not apply to older games.</font>
<SYNC Start=3679600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">However, this may be<br>helpful for game developers</font>
<SYNC Start=3682400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">who are taking their<br>existing codebase</font>
<SYNC Start=3684640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and are aiming on shipping it again<br>in a new game in the future.</font>
<SYNC Start=3690160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">When making a new game,</font>
<SYNC Start=3691680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">the right decisions can<br>be made from the start,</font>
<SYNC Start=3694080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is much more cost-effective than<br>trying to retrofit preservation support</font>
<SYNC Start=3698960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">into an existing game.</font>
<SYNC Start=3702160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">But the initiative does not<br>intend to be retroactive.</font>
<SYNC Start=3705920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">With that out of the way,<br>let's move forward.</font>
<SYNC Start=3708640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">How would you decouple<br>online and offline features</font>
<SYNC Start=3712000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">if the game was not built that way?</font>
<SYNC Start=3714880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Retrofitting preservation support<br>is very challenging, but possible.</font>
<SYNC Start=3720720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll want to document<br>existing systems:</font>
<SYNC Start=3723440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Create a detailed inventory<br>of all game features</font>
<SYNC Start=3726400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and categorize them as online-essential<br>if it requires server connectivity,</font>
<SYNC Start=3731520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or online-enhanced (better with<br>servers but can work offline).</font>
<SYNC Start=3735600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Offline-capable works independently.</font>
<SYNC Start=3738400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So identify the absolute<br>core gameplay loop</font>
<SYNC Start=3741360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">that must be preserved<br>in offline mode.</font>
<SYNC Start=3744640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Architectural<br>modification strategies:</font>
<SYNC Start=3747040><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So create abstraction layers between<br>game logic and online services.</font>
<SYNC Start=3751280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">These abstractions can switch<br>between online implementation</font>
<SYNC Start=3754320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">when servers are available,</font>
<SYNC Start=3755840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and offline implementations<br>when they're not,</font>
<SYNC Start=3758400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">without changing core game mode.</font>
<SYNC Start=3760560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">You'll separate online state,</font>
<SYNC Start=3762160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">like global leaderboard,<br>social features, and cloud saves</font>
<SYNC Start=3765520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">from offline state like local progress<br>settings and singleplayer content</font>
<SYNC Start=3769840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">in your data models<br>and storage systems.</font>
<SYNC Start=3772880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is significantly more work</font>
<SYNC Start=3774640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">than building preservation<br>support from the beginning,</font>
<SYNC Start=3777360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">which is why the initiative<br>focuses on new games.</font>
<SYNC Start=3780960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Which brings us to<br>a very important question.</font>
<SYNC Start=3784320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">How do you design your next game<br>to make end of life easier from the start?</font>
<SYNC Start=3789840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Prevention is better than a cure<br>when it comes to preservation.</font>
<SYNC Start=3793920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Avoid unnecessary online DRM.</font>
<SYNC Start=3796640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Don't require online connectivity</font>
<SYNC Start=3798560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">unless it's essential for<br>the core gameplay experience.</font>
<SYNC Start=3801840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">When multiplayer is essential,<br>include things like LAN, direct IP,</font>
<SYNC Start=3806800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or peer-to-peer options as fallbacks.</font>
<SYNC Start=3809600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Always provide multiple ways for<br>players to connect to each other.</font>
<SYNC Start=3813760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Plan for server shutdown ahead<br>of time with an end-of-life plan.</font>
<SYNC Start=3818320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Document your preservation<br>strategy before you need it.</font>
<SYNC Start=3822320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">And separate game logic from online<br>components as much as possible.</font>
<SYNC Start=3827440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Design your architecture so the game<br>can run independently of cloud servers</font>
<SYNC Start=3831600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and make sure you have a build<br>flag for an end-of-life build.</font>
<SYNC Start=3835360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Test your preservation mode throughout<br>development, not just at the end.</font>
<SYNC Start=3839840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Make sure your code and design<br>patterns use a driver pattern.</font>
<SYNC Start=3843520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Build flexibility into your service<br>connections from the beginning.</font>
<SYNC Start=3847600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Having this planned from the start<br>will reduce cost significantly</font>
<SYNC Start=3852400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">compared to retrofitting<br>preservation support.</font>
<SYNC Start=3855120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Now, how much could it cost to convert<br>my game to one that can be preserved?</font>
<SYNC Start=3860720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">That's a question that<br>we've heard a lot.</font>
<SYNC Start=3863760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The cost varies dramatically<br>based on your planning.</font>
<SYNC Start=3867200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Doing it from the start for a game<br>that has well-planned out architecture</font>
<SYNC Start=3871680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">could be a few weeks to patch in<br>direct connect IP options,</font>
<SYNC Start=3875360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">fallout LAN servers, etc.,</font>
<SYNC Start=3877360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and can be implemented<br>as features are developed</font>
<SYNC Start=3879840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to massively cut down<br>on cost and time.</font>
<SYNC Start=3882240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">It's much easier to flip the<br>switch later to patch out DRM,</font>
<SYNC Start=3886320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">release dedicated server build, etc.</font>
<SYNC Start=3888960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I mean, estimated cost could<br>be 5 to 20 (thousand) euro.</font>
<SYNC Start=3893200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Feasibility is considered easy.</font>
<SYNC Start=3895840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">Two to six months may be needed for<br>a game that is not well documented,</font>
<SYNC Start=3899280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">poorly planned with poor decisions<br>made during the development process.</font>
<SYNC Start=3903600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">It could require digging<br>through legacy code,</font>
<SYNC Start=3906000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">rebuilding client/server architecture,<br>legal reviews, documentation, and testing.</font>
<SYNC Start=3910560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">It may need to pay to<br>re-license middleware</font>
<SYNC Start=3913600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">or rewrite parts that<br>can't be reused easily.</font>
<SYNC Start=3916800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The estimated cost on the smaller scale<br>could be 50 to 200 thousand euro.</font>
<SYNC Start=3921440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">The feasibility is really risky.</font>
<SYNC Start=3923920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">This is why again the initiative<br>is only focused on new games.</font>
<SYNC Start=3928080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">One of the big reasons is the<br>cost difference is enormous.</font>
<SYNC Start=3931947><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">All right.</font>
<SYNC Start=3932647><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">So, from my end,<br>that's all I've got for you.</font>
<SYNC Start=3936640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">I'm going to go ahead<br>and pass this over</font>
<SYNC Start=3939840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">to Matt of Alderon Games,</font>
<SYNC Start=3942400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#ffff00">and he's going to talk about a case<br>study for his game, <i>Path of Titans</i>.</font>
<SYNC Start=3948560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Okay, as mentioned earlier,</font>
<SYNC Start=3949920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">I'll be examining <i>Path of Titans</i> to<br>show how an end-of-life plan could work.</font>
<SYNC Start=3954000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You can see here,<br>here's our game here.</font>
<SYNC Start=3956000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, for this slide, we've<br>got a lot of microservices.</font>
<SYNC Start=3959840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, over the years—over the past<br>five or six years making this game,</font>
<SYNC Start=3963920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">we've had to add a lot of services.</font>
<SYNC Start=3966080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Most of these, however,<br>are not needed for end of life.</font>
<SYNC Start=3969200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, we just need the, kind of,<br>the core gameplay functionality to work.</font>
<SYNC Start=3972320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So you can see, like<br>anti-cheat, and stuff like that,</font>
<SYNC Start=3974880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">as per the previous<br>slides are not needed.</font>
<SYNC Start=3976720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">We have our own game launcher,</font>
<SYNC Start=3978240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and this also has a<br>lot of microservices.</font>
<SYNC Start=3980480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">The entire launcher though<br>probably could be removed,</font>
<SYNC Start=3982880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and people could launch the<br>game executable directly,</font>
<SYNC Start=3986000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">but this will likely be supported in the<br>future, 'cause we'll ship more games.</font>
<SYNC Start=3989200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You can see here is a login screen.</font>
<SYNC Start=3991520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So what we could do is we could patch<br>the login screen out potentially,</font>
<SYNC Start=3995200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">or have some kind of work around</font>
<SYNC Start=3996880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">where community servers<br>could host their own database.</font>
<SYNC Start=3999680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You kind of log into that.</font>
<SYNC Start=4000800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So here's our main menu for our game.</font>
<SYNC Start=4003280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You can see we have a lot<br>of options here for example.</font>
<SYNC Start=4005713><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So we have a multiplayer,<br>a singleplayer,</font>
<SYNC Start=4008280><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">community servers, and a store,<br>and stuff like that.</font>
<SYNC Start=4010367><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So here is a slide of kind of<br>the microservices we've removed.</font>
<SYNC Start=4014800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, you'd just be, uh, have<br>singleplayer and community servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=4018160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You can see here we<br>also have the server list.</font>
<SYNC Start=4022560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So you can see down<br>here on the bottom left,</font>
<SYNC Start=4024640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">we added a direct connect option.</font>
<SYNC Start=4028000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, when the server list<br>goes down for example,</font>
<SYNC Start=4030880><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">players will still be able to<br>direct connect to other servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=4034960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">We have some skins in our game that<br>you can buy for a small payment.</font>
<SYNC Start=4038560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">If the player purchases our skins,<br>however difficult to manage,</font>
<SYNC Start=4042320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">the game could be patched to simply<br>allow all purchased content to be usable.</font>
<SYNC Start=4046480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">That way you could preserve<br>players' transactions</font>
<SYNC Start=4048400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and purchase what they pay for,</font>
<SYNC Start=4049840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">but also while making the content<br>available for the community.</font>
<SYNC Start=4053200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So in this case,</font>
<SYNC Start=4053920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">we could patch the game to make all<br>the ownership checks return true.</font>
<SYNC Start=4056960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You can see here is an example<br>showing the in-game character editor</font>
<SYNC Start=4059680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">where the premium skin is<br>unlocked for all players.</font>
<SYNC Start=4061920><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Meanwhile, the other skins<br>are still unavailable in-game.</font>
<SYNC Start=4064480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So here's an example of the<br>game not gracefully handling</font>
<SYNC Start=4068560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">a transaction from the store.</font>
<SYNC Start=4070960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, these are the things that<br>are kind of likely to break</font>
<SYNC Start=4073520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">when you patch out the<br>services for your game.</font>
<SYNC Start=4076080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Um, if the check is<br>too hard to remove,</font>
<SYNC Start=4078480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">we could easily add<br>a error message like this,</font>
<SYNC Start=4081094><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">indicating to the player<br>that it's not working.</font>
<SYNC Start=4082960><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, here's the friends list and<br>kind of how it works in-game.</font>
<SYNC Start=4085680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You can see here after our<br>service has been shut down,</font>
<SYNC Start=4089167><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">um, you can see there's,<br>uh, retry warnings</font>
<SYNC Start=4091760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">where it can't connect<br>to our friends list.</font>
<SYNC Start=4093440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, we want to make sure<br>here that the game times out</font>
<SYNC Start=4095760><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and throws an error<br>message to the player,</font>
<SYNC Start=4097840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">saying it can't connect<br>to the friends list.</font>
<SYNC Start=4100000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Uh, the bug here is the game<br>gets stuck loading forever,</font>
<SYNC Start=4102800><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">so that might be a<br>bad sign to players.</font>
<SYNC Start=4105120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">This is kind of another example where we<br>have kind of this family tree structure,</font>
<SYNC Start=4108560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">where we have some character data.</font>
<SYNC Start=4110160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So this would be something<br>that we could kind of migrate</font>
<SYNC Start=4112400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">to, um, a local database or something<br>that could be run by community servers.</font>
<SYNC Start=4116640><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So here's an example of<br>the servers we would have.</font>
<SYNC Start=4119440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So the servers we host for<br>our official servers currently</font>
<SYNC Start=4122320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">are based on this Supermicro 1U.</font>
<SYNC Start=4125600><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Um, here's an example of six I have<br>in my basement at the moment,</font>
<SYNC Start=4128720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">just for testing purposes.</font>
<SYNC Start=4130240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">This server is a<br>really decent server,</font>
<SYNC Start=4132400><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and you can see that's very similar</font>
<SYNC Start=4134000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">to the kind of hardware you'd<br>have currently on your PC.</font>
<SYNC Start=4138240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">And with this server,</font>
<SYNC Start=4139120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">we can host four to six instances<br>of about 100 to 200 players.</font>
<SYNC Start=4143840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">So, a single one of these boxes</font>
<SYNC Start=4146160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">that only costs around three grand</font>
<SYNC Start=4148720><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">can get you 1,200 players per server.</font>
<SYNC Start=4151200><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">For hosting 1,200 players,</font>
<SYNC Start=4153120><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">this is insanely affordable,</font>
<SYNC Start=4155360><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and more than enough to meet<br>the server requirements.</font>
<SYNC Start=4158080><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Especially because players can<br>host these servers on their own PC.</font>
<SYNC Start=4162000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">But yeah, that's all from me,<br>and thanks for watching,</font>
<SYNC Start=4164240><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and hopefully this video<br>helps you preserve your game</font>
<SYNC Start=4166320><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and keep it working after shutdown.</font>
<SYNC Start=4168000><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">I know there might be a lot of<br>additional questions we didn't get to.</font>
<SYNC Start=4171440><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">You might be able to leave a comment<br>and we'll get back to you on those,</font>
<SYNC Start=4174560><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">but we could potentially do<br>another video in the future.</font>
<SYNC Start=4177680><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">But hopefully for some<br>developers there in the audience</font>
<SYNC Start=4180160><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">that are looking for answers<br>on how to preserve their game,</font>
<SYNC Start=4183520><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">and how to keep things working,<br>"How is it even possible?"</font>
<SYNC Start=4186480><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Hopefully we've tried to<br>answer most of those questions.</font>
<SYNC Start=4189840><P Class=ENUSCC><font color="#00ffff">Thanks everybody. Bye.</font>
<SYNC Start=4191347><P Class=ENUSCC>[Subtitles by <font color="#ffff00">Erasmus Magnus</font>]
<SYNC Start=4192084><P Class=ENUSCC>&nbsp;
</BODY>
</SAMI>

danielsangeo · July 28

Done. Thanks!

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