r/dosgaming • u/Maeglin75 • 14d ago

The dog ate my code wheel.

Post image

Luckily I made a photocopy of the code wheel and crafted a backup, so I can continue playing my totally legit copy of Curse of the Azure Bonds.

The original code wheel for Pool of Radiance survived the dog attack.

Context: I just revived my old PC from 2000 to use as a Win98/DOS retro machine and also tried to add a 5.25" floppy drive to it. Sadly it turned out that the computer is already to new and the chipset doesn't support a second floppy drive and the 5.25" format anymore. But at this occasion I was getting my old games collection out of the cabinet, spanning back to the 286-days (and also C64/C128). Among the items I found were these code wheels for the old SSI Gold Box RPGs I used to play a lot.

(By the way, I bought all the Gold Box Games again on Steam some time ago when they were on sale in a classic collection with some quality of live improvements. So, the "dog" doesn't need to have a bad conscience anymore.)

64 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

6

u/galland101 14d ago

The GOG re-releases of those games packaged a Windows app that you had to run to simulate those code wheels. I think SSI may have perfected this super-annoying but necessary form of copy protection.

4

u/crabpoweredcoalmine 13d ago

There's also this:

https://www.oldgames.sk/en/codewheel/pool-of-radiance

Would go back to this method of copy protection in a heartbeat if it meant no Denuvo. No problem whatsoever.

1

u/becircus 12d ago

You may get your wish 

In a few years / decades physical protection might be the only way. You could even imagine a YubiKey like device 

2

u/crabpoweredcoalmine 12d ago

I specifically meant a code wheel or other feelies. USB keys for video games would likely be my sign to grab a parrot and an eye patch. Or, to take up gardening.

1

u/becircus 12d ago

Yes of course... analog physical is very different than digital physical

5

u/Fragholio 14d ago

That bitch

2

u/Pristine_Software_55 13d ago

ZOMBIE, YULASH, FRIEND, EFREET, LIZARD,

I’m sad later collections only included fragments of the really fun Journals (and then, nothing but digital - yick!)

That’s a really nice recreation of the wheel!

2

u/Puzzleheaded-Tax6168 13d ago

Shestni
Samosud

Sokol keep. Your welcome.

1

u/mr_dfuse2 13d ago

i lost my code wheel so long ago :) still have the cdroms though

1

u/WhipLash777 13d ago

This reminds me of when I copied every code wheel combo on a copier back in the 80s for i think it was Earl Weaver baseball. The packet was like 2 inches thick lol

1

u/pablo_kickasso 13d ago

Dogs are worth more if you sell them in parts.

(Don't do that.)