From: Robert J Woodhead <trebor@foretune.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 93 19:32:38 PDT
To: Matthew@foretune.co.jp
Subject: Wizardry's Encryption
Message-ID: <9310210229.AA14642@dink.foretune.co.jp>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Matthew writes (about how Wizardry was encrypted):

> But, alas, the character files were in plaintext, and
> numerous people figured out how to edit them.

They were that way for two reasons: performance (they were
always being read and written) and reality (it was a known
plaintext situation, since the user could change his character
in any manner of methods, like simply trading gold around
between the characters, and thus map out the database)

Encryption in those days wasn't intended to be strong; it was
intended to be strong enough to hold off the pirates for the
crucial first few months of sales.  Given that we were pushing
the machines to the limit of their performance envelopes, we
couldn't take too much of a hit (time or code-wise) for strong
encryption.

And I think Sir-tech still replaces Apple II discs, but I
am no longer involved in the company, so you'll have to
call and ask them.  ;^)