Itch.io Account Required for builds

TLDR:

• To limit piracy, to download builds from now on, you'll need to link your patreon account to your Itch.io account. Steps at the end of this post (and will be included in future build release posts).

• Zip files will be password protected every month/tier/build (instead of the store page). (Note: There seems to be some confusion here. This is a ONE-TIME use password to unzip the file. Not something you need to enter every time you start the game.)

• I'll be testing this out for May builds. If there are major issues, I can revert these changes. It's not foolproof, but it should help.

Cons:

• You must have a Patreon and Itch account and link these two accounts together.

• If you use the Itch.io desktop client, that might not work? I don't know how it will handle password-protected zip files. You may have to use a browser.

Long explanation:

Another creator I follow had their Patreon content posted publicly, and since I've also faced some theft issues in the past with Patreon game builds, I've decided to add another level of security to at least prevent people who have never been Patreons from getting download access during development simply from seeing Patreon content shared.

Sorry, one asshole always ruins it for everyone. Anyone found doing this will be banned and ineligible for a game key regardless of contribution amounts. Your support is the reason Particles of Reality exists and it's not fair to you or me.

So, here's the new process I'll be trying out.

The itch.io download page for Patreon builds are now configured to require Patreon integration, which requires you to have an Itch.io account linked. (Creating an account is free.)

(Currently there's no builds for beta/particles tiers, those are coming later this month. But you can link your account to the page now. These steps will also be repeated in build release posts.)

Unfortunately, the way this works means it will permanently link the Itch page to your account, and access is not removed when memberships expire. (Wtf Itch.) So to fix this, in addition to requiring a link to your account, the zip files you download will be password protected in the future (instead of the page, as it has been in the past). Just like the past, these passwords will vary every month/per tier.

Obviously, this method isn't foolproof, no method is when it comes to piracy. But it will at least limit this problem with minimal inconvenience to everyone, since someone won't have access to the download pages unless they've been a Patreon member at least once.

The two things combined will at least prevent data scrapers from getting access simply from viewing Patreon-only posts.

If anyone hits any issues with this process, let me know.

Directions

Follow this link for your tier, it's a fairly straightforward process.

• Particle members ($3 usd min pledge requirement) https://arewar.itch.io/particles-of-reality-patreon-previous/patreon-access

• Reality members ($6 usd min pledge requirement) https://arewar.itch.io/particles-of-reality-patreon/patreon-access

• Clairvoyant+ members ($10 usd min pledge requirement) https://arewar.itch.io/particles-of-reality-beta/patreon-access

If you are not logged in / do not have an Itch.io account, you'll see this. Register an account or log in.

(Ignore the amount displayed, this was a test.)

Once you've logged in, navigate to the link provided above for your tier and follow the prompts to connect your Patreon account to your Itch account.

(You can link them all if you want but the passwords will vary per tier & per month. Old builds are not archived.)

Once you've followed this process, you'll have access to the page permanently.

In the future, when you download a build and try to open/unzip it, you'll see a password prompt window. (This is an example from test.)

Like always, the password will be provided in the monthly build release post.

This new process isn't written in stone. I'll be testing it out this month. If there are any major problems I can revert these changes easily.

Questions/Issues? Let me know.