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Poll

External license validation system: What do you think?

  • It bothers me and I won't be using it. || Cela me dérange et je ne l'utiliserai pas. 70
  • It doesn't bother me, I could use it. || Cela ne me dérange pas, je pourrais l'utiliser. 108
  • 2025-05-22
  • 178 votes
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Content

Hello utopians,

I'm currently looking into ways of discouraging leakers and protecting our mods. One option would be to use an external application to check the validity of the user license. Basically, and without going into too much detail, this application would unlock the ability to play the mod in-game once the license has been validated.

In concrete terms, this means that the mod would be automatically installed in your mod folder by the application, a bit like Trucky Mod Manager (if you've ever used that app).

This solution is very costly, but would offer maximum security: even in the event of a leak, the player downloading the leaked mod would have to identify himself in the app, which would check that the license is valid. Without this check, and in the event of a license inconsistency, the mod would remain unreadable for the game.

I'm not sure what to make of this. Personally, I wouldn't mind, as I already use apps like Trucky and Trucksbook, but I know this system might bother some of you.

The idea here is to gather your opinions and see the general trend on this subject. So, no wrong answers, be honest and don't hesitate to give your opinion!

Thank you in advance for your participation!

Système de validation de licence externe : Qu'en pensez-vous ?

Bonjour chers utopiens,

Je suis actuellement en train de chercher des solutions pour décourager les leakers et protéger nos mods. L'une des options envisagées serait de passer par une application externe qui permettrait de vérifier la validité de la licence utilisateur. En gros et sans rentrer dans les détails, cette application permettrait de débloquer la lecture du mod dans le jeu une fois la licence validée.

Concrètement, cela signifie que le mod serait installé automatiquement dans votre dossier mod par l'application, un peu à la manière des gestionnaires de mods comme Trucky (si vous avez déjà utilisé cette app).

Cette solution est très coûteuse, mais elle offrirait une sécurité maximale : même en cas de leak, le joueur qui télécharger le mod leaké devrait s'identifier dans l'application, qui vérifierait que la licence est valide. Sans cette vérification et en cas d'incohérence de licence, le mod resterait illisible pour le jeu.

Je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser. À titre personnel, cela ne me dérangerait pas, car j’utilise déjà des applications comme Trucky et Trucksbook, mais je sais que ce système pourrait déranger certains d’entre vous.

L'idée ici est de recueillir vos avis et de voir la mouvance générale sur ce sujet. Donc, pas de mauvaise réponse, soyez honnêtes et n’hésitez pas à donner votre avis !

Merci par avance pour votre participation !

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Comments

Busy_And_Broke

You work very hard. Protect what you've done.

Perault

Je comprends ta volonté à vouloir protéger ton travail coûte que coûte surtout que tu en vis, cependant je pense que peu importe les complications que tu mettras en place, ça n'incitera pas les leakers à arrêter, et ça n'incitera encore moins les joueurs à acheter tes addons, pire ça pourrait carrément devenir un challenge de leaker tes mods.

Trucking with Izzy

Depends on the system you pick. ModFy a hard no. ModGuardian yes.

tommyontime

Agreed. If it is Modfy, it is a hard no for me.

Sergio

It's great that you protect your work, but I wouldn't want to be tied to a program that validates my purchase because when that program stops working or is changed, the mod we bought will be useless.

Gerhard Wolf

But I have to say one thing about such a system. If this would increase prices for the mods, it would be an immediate "au revoir" for me, no matter if it's a good idea or not. We live in times where everything is double at least in price. So any non-important cost these days has be weighed up 10x at least, for myself to justify that. I bought your "More American Cities" maps, because they were one-time pay mods and somewhat reasonable for a one-time purchase. A subscription for things like the stuff you put for monthly payment are, and will ever (not just yours, but in general) a absolute no-way for me. Normal life is already full of subscriptions, every month. And I am talking about the important things. And it cannot be, that I pay more for a mod than something else much more important for the family, where I can get much more value for the same price. One time purchases are, if at all, the thing to go, for me at least. And only if the prices are somewhat acceptable. I dont have a problem with such a system for licenses, but if these things cannot be confirmed they dont access anything else on my Computer (and dont they all say that they're harmless these days), not to mention causes prices to increase, this is goodbye for me.

Gerhard Wolf

Thats a good point, something like that is like using a game that the developer ties to some server that is required for this game to activate / run everytime. And since you cant guarantee that all this is around for a long time (and yes, others have said that too, and at some point the service was gone and the purchase was for nothing), in such a case a mod requiring an outside connection to confirm something is legit, can be its downfall for those who put their trust & money into it.

jeux jeux

Bonjours MY GOODNESS, j'espère que cette solution n'est pas comme celle de Kischadown walker ou l'on doit installer un logiciel tier sur son pc qui demande des autorisations pour accéder au fichiers perso de son ordinateur.

MercilessFir

Modfy is a hard no for me as well. ModGuardian is non-invasive and did result in price increases. ModGuarian or something similar can help.

BERNARD OSSEDAT

J utile raison plus la carte utopie s il y avait un tel programme car quand on paye une licence ça ouvre normalement à une utilisation simple et approuvé NON JE NE SUIS PAS D ACCORD AVEC UNE VERIFICATION DE LICENCE ET VOIR AUTRE CHOSE

Xaxa 63

Bonjour,je pense que tu dois absolument protéger ton travail,quitte a payer une licence pour les acquérir. Beaucoup de mods sont payants et il est vrai que certaines personnes ne peuvent pas se payer des mods ,je le comprend, mais tout travail mérite rémunération et protection. J espère que tu trouveras la meilleure solution pour ton travail 🤞🙏

Donnie Jones

Yea I’ll pass on this mod one all this happens not worth it

M.J. Peterson

I support this idea if it's done right and have researched the software solutions others have suggested. Ultimately, in my mind, the most secure way to handle this problem is not to prevent the act of leaking itself, because that's near impossible in this day and age. Instead, it's to make it so any files that do leak are unusable. There's also a difference between intrusive and unintrusive DRMs, and the goal should be to stick with the latter in the name of retaining supporters and customers concerned about their own privacy and security. If I were in your position, I'd probably choose ModGuardian/ModGuard. It's basically the same approach as you have taken by hand, but with that extra layer of encryption - and it stays unintrusive by only running when the game is running. If you use their web store integration, it also looks like they automate the process of individually labeling each mod, which has already been very effective against pinpointing leakers and would help you reclaim some valuable time. The only downside is there is no Linux compatibility, which would affect Steam Deck players. I agree with others on staying away from Modfy - it's INCREDIBLY intrusive (kernel-level with wide access to all sorts of irrelevant personal data) and not user-friendly by any stretch. There have also been dubious reports about the developers' business practices and attitudes toward support. Ultimately, whatever you choose, I hope it does what it needs to do. It's a pain that leakers aren't respecting your time and effort, and no full-time modder should have to face that threat to their livelihood.

George Vickers

Wouldn't be completely comfortable with this in all honesty. More than happy to pay for the work done but I don't use anything like that on my Mac currently (and probably wouldn't be willing to change for something just like this).

Leandre09

Je pense que c'est une bonne idée, à la manière de Snowymoon, impossible à utiliser si la personne n'est pas abonnée. L'installation sera un poil plus compliquée mais y'aura tellement moins de Leak. En tout cas je te souhaite bonne chance Mygodness, et je suis désolé d'apprendre ce qui t'arrive. Bon courage et bonne continuation

Winchester

Moi je dis si il faut il faut car tu a bosser dur après faut pas non plus sa devienne un gouffre financier pour l'un et autre car tout le monde a pas les moyen honnêtement moi je pourrai pas me permettre de payé à chaque fois etc...... car le seul mod payant que j'ai c'est GU mon abonnement à ton patreon et aussi discord donc à toi de voir ,à pense aussi que sa pourrai aussi faire partir d'autre donc à toi de voir la meilleur solution

marc

Pour moi pas de soucis, j'utilise déjà Modify pour ATS... Ce que je n'aime pas c'est les abonnements mensuel. Je n'ai rien contre de payer le mod et les toutes grosses mise à jour. Il faut de toute façon trouver une solution pour ce phénomène, je te comprends tout à fait.

David Tedeschi

I am okay with ModGuard as I already use this with Pizzter Mods. It was easy to setup and have not had any issues with it. I understand the need to protect your work. Do what you have to do.

Ludovic Brunet

Alors moi je vais être très clair les Modify ModGuard ect ect tout ce que les Kishadowalker Modding et autre modder ont voulus utiliser a une époque et qui ont vite fait marche arrière car beaucoup était retissent, et cela ce comprend entièrement je m'y connais en informatique et quand ont vois l'intrusion qu'on c'est logiciels sur nos PC c'est pire que des spyware ou Malware, pour moi qui connais très bien ce genre de logiciel ça sera un NON et sans moi pour la suite. Suffit juste de questionner votre informaticiens ou chat GPT sur ce genre de logiciel vous aurais toutes les réponses a leur sujet ;) et pour information ModGuard na jamais protéger les Mods comme il le prétend des Mods de Pizzter vous en trouver partout sur internet ;)

Tim Angelico

I use Linux and am not able to use Trucky Mod Manager. I know adding support for Linux would be out of your scope, but I really enjoy GU (It's the main map that I play in ETS2). If there is a way you can trace who re-uploaded the mods so you can hold them accountable, I would appreciate taking that route.

Kester Gillis

I purchased your Colorado mod months ago

Kester Gillis

I have California aswell for free

Kester Gillis

Hey I thought you put them at first but realizes it was hackers I downloaded all them but bought one and the Cali is free obviously is really beautiful 😍 you no joke brother protect your crafts my man

Clarky

I'm happy with any decision you make with your mods security.🫡

papy fab

bonsoir MyGdness , je pense personnellement que tu dois tout faire pour protégé ton travail ... fonce et fais au mieux pour toi . courage et sans trop me trompé on te soutiens dans tes futures décisions .bise papy fab

Team Bento Box - Azullibanks

I wouldn't be able to use this mod on my steam deck (which runs Linux) if you go the path of ModGuard

Jon Coble

Mod-guard is not the answer to the problem, as even those mods still get leaked, just not as often. I've said it before, using google drive to host your files available to everyone is the problem. While your links are only posted here and you should need a membership to receive said links, google drive links like that often get hashed into search engines from various malicious countries like Russia, China, etc, where one can use such search engine and simply search for the file name on it and probably be provided the link without ever having purchased a subscription. If you make the google drive private and only share it with paid members individually, this prevents a non paid user from accessing the google drive link and downloading the file. Now this wont stop a paying member from still possibly leaking the file, but here's where you can track it better. Using the private google drive shared per member, google adds a certain traceability hash to each file, not entirely sure how, but google keeps some record of this, and if the file gets shared its much much more easily traceable to the leaker. This is how other patreon and mod sites I purchase from operate, and they dont seem to have as much problem with leaks.

Jon Coble

Same for me on the Steam Deck, since it uses Linux platform. Also wont be able to use it on my windows laptop either unless it's connected to the internet to run mod-guard. And since I do most of my playing when resting in the back of my sleeper cab, I would need WIFI access for the laptop or connect my phone as a hot-spot. Way to much of a hassle for a few map mods, when no other mods I use requires that much of a hassle. So if that is the route he chooses, then I will sadly have to cancel my membership and just continue using the versions I already have.

Phil Davies

I like your mods but dropped out a few months ago due to the cost. I saw them leaked on the site, downloaded them and an hour later I returned to full membership because I liked the mods.

UncleOssie

It's a tough situation, I understand. Personally I would say, do it like Promods does. I'm only talking about Grand Utopia now. New version, pay 2 euros for the new version. I'm not able to pay big euros monthly via Patreon while I can maybe game 3 hours a week at most. I just work 5 to 6 days a week, because I'm a driver in real life.