Unreal Engine Abandoned Carnal Instinct [2024-12-22] [Team Carnal Instinct]

[Raistln]

Early last year the developers implemented increasing levels of patreon-related security checks. While the game originally validated nothing and could just be run post-download, now it actually looks for subscriber-specific information dumped into appdata by the launcher upon login, and without that information will leave you with a fancy screen informing you (in broken English) that you are not a subscriber.

This means that, barring a crack to remove the Patreon check, functional downloads of Patreon-specific versions are guaranteed to get the account that leaked them banned. Not many people are willing to make a new throwaway account twice a month (And spend $30 monthly in the process!) just to keep a single game up to date on this forum.

Considering that button says I'm not logged into patreon, I don't have internet on a laptop (that I copied the game to) when I play it, and all I do is hit play, I'd say their check is not working.
There may be some subscriber related data in appdatta, but that's not where the check really is, it's in the registry data. I know this since I tried copying just the game and appdatta and it wouldn't work without me logging in until I checked and copied all the registry data to the laptop.
Maybe my Patreon launcher from the December release is different somehow. Who knows.

 

[TheInternetIsForThis]

Considering that button says I'm not logged into patreon, I don't have internet on a laptop (that I copied the game to) when I play it, and all I do is hit play, I'd say their check is not working.
There may be some subscriber related data in appdatta, but that's not where the check really is, it's in the registry data. I know this since I tried copying just the game and appdatta and it wouldn't work without me logging in until I checked and copied all the registry data to the laptop.
Maybe my Patreon launcher from the December release is different somehow. Who knows.

At what point did I say the check involved the internet? At what point did I imply the check was for a currently valid, up to date subscription? Again, the problem is that uploaders are faced with a choice: They can upload a nonfunctional build, they can find a way to crack the security on Patreon versions, or they can upload the build with compromising information that ensures they get banned from the game's Patreon. Your personal ability to continue to run a copy you paid for is neither relevant to that problem nor unintended by the developers, since the purpose of the check is to prevent people from sharing the game to places like this and ban the ones who do. And it's working exactly as intended for that purpose.

Also, the game's registry stuff is 100% standard garbage. The Windows "an exe was detected here," "a sound setting was changed there," and "this is the program's uninstall information." If it wasn't running without that stuff, it's either an issue with Unreal engine (hard to believe, that kind of stuff should be automatic), or Windows itself trying to protect you. Assuming the laptop is on Windows 11, an exe copied from another computer will be blocked by the OS until you claim ownership of it. (Which, coincidentally, creates some of that standard garbage I mentioned up above).

The actual relevant security checks are performed on information the launcher stores in AppData. This information includes patreon userId, patreon screen name, subscription tier, and more. And just to be clear, this is what happens if the game runs properly but fails to detect that information:



That is the protection I've been referring to the entire time, that needs to be removed if a functional Patreon build is going to be uploaded to this site without making use of throwaway accounts. (Amusingly, I forced that screen to show up right now by deleting the appdata account storage.)

 

[Raistln]

At what point did I say the check involved the internet? At what point did I imply the check was for a currently valid, up to date subscription? Again, the problem is that uploaders are faced with a choice: They can upload a nonfunctional build, they can find a way to crack the security on Patreon versions, or they can upload the build with compromising information that ensures they get banned from the game's Patreon. Your personal ability to continue to run a copy you paid for is neither relevant to that problem nor unintended by the developers, since the purpose of the check is to prevent people from sharing the game to places like this and ban the ones who do. And it's working exactly as intended for that purpose.

Also, the game's registry stuff is 100% standard garbage. The Windows "an exe was detected here," "a sound setting was changed there," and "this is the program's uninstall information." If it wasn't running without that stuff, it's either an issue with Unreal engine (hard to believe, that kind of stuff should be automatic), or Windows itself trying to protect you. Assuming the laptop is on Windows 11, an exe copied from another computer will be blocked by the OS until you claim ownership of it. (Which, coincidentally, creates some of that standard garbage I mentioned up above).

The actual relevant security checks are performed on information the launcher stores in AppData. This information includes patreon userId, patreon screen name, subscription tier, and more. And just to be clear, this is what happens if the game runs properly but fails to detect that information:

View attachment 1641155

That is the protection I've been referring to the entire time, that needs to be removed if a functional Patreon build is going to be uploaded to this site without making use of throwaway accounts. (Amusingly, I forced that screen to show up right now by deleting the appdata account storage.)

You missed the entire point, and yes you said " now it actually looks for subscriber-specific information dumped into appdata by the launcher upon login, and without that information will leave you with a fancy screen informing you (in broken English) that you are not a subscriber. "
If I have no internet on that copied version, then I can't log in, so how would it validate that I'm a subscriber and still let me play it? That screen is because you are not a subrscriber when you downloaded and installed it. Once installed and played, you never have to log back in for it to verify crap until there is a new update.
If I can copy the game to an entirely different machine, and still play it without logging into patreon, then how is that different from me posting that and someone else being able to play it with my copied version.
I was a patreon when I got that version, but had to cancel all my patreon accounts not long after, which means I am no longer a subscriber. With that said, I installed the launcher onto the other machine, I couldn't not hit the download button as I was not a subsciber anymore. I then copied the game files and appdata folder. It still said I had to login and download the game. I copied the registry entries to the other machine and opened the launcher, it no longer said I had to download the game. The login button was still there, but so was the play button. I clicked play, it played.
So if the registry has nothing to do with it, why could I not play it before, but after copying those entries I could on a non linked machine with no internet so it couldn't try to verfy crap before launching?

So how is this awesome protection working and why would anyone need a crack if someone posted a version that was a patreon at the time of install on their machine and they made of zip of the game folder, appdata, and registry entries (that you don't think matter).

 

[TheInternetIsForThis]

You missed the entire point, and yes you said " now it actually looks for subscriber-specific information dumped into appdata by the launcher upon login, and without that information will leave you with a fancy screen informing you (in broken English) that you are not a subscriber. "

No, my friend. You missed the entire point. You replied to a post that was talking about why the Patreon builds haven't been shared here with wildly off the mark commentary about being able to continue playing a copy you paid for. Which is an intended feature. And notably, the statement you quoted said nothing about the Patreon information being up to date or verified online by the game. Absolutely nothing. If you read it as such, that's your problem.

Again, all I've been saying is that the game, upon running, will check appdata for information that the launcher stores when you login to Patreon. If it fails to find that information, it locks the players out on the title screen. I even showed you a screenshot of that lockout in the post you just responded to.

If I have no internet on that copied version, then I can't log in, so how would it validate that I'm a subscriber and still let me play it? That screen is because you are not a subrscriber when you downloaded and installed it. Once installed and played, you never have to log back in for it to verify crap until there is a new update.
If I can copy the game to an entirely different machine, and still play it without logging into patreon, then how is that different from me posting that and someone else being able to play it with my copied version.

Because you copied over the information stored in appdata, that it checks for when the game launches? The game does not check the internet at any point, nor does it ensure the Patreon information is up to date. It just ensures the information is there. The difference being that if you were to post it with that information, your account would be blocked by the developers and you would never be able to subscribe to a new version again on that account. If someone were to abuse that lack of verification with a throwaway account they intend to get banned, then it would be trivial for the developers to add an ID blacklist for accounts known to have been leaked. Assuming they haven't done so already.

I was a patreon when I got that version, but had to cancel all my patreon accounts not long after, which means I am no longer a subscriber. With that said, I installed the launcher onto the other machine, I couldn't not hit the download button as I was not a subsciber anymore. I then copied the game files and appdata folder. It still said I had to login and download the game. I copied the registry entries to the other machine and opened the launcher, it no longer said I had to download the game. The login button was still there, but so was the play button. I clicked play, it played.

So if the registry has nothing to do with it, why could I not play it before, but after copying those entries I could on a non linked machine with no internet so it couldn't try to verfy crap before launching?

Some versions of the launcher store the install location (as well as a few other things) for reference when updating the game and using the play button. Neither the launcher nor any of that information is actually needed for the game, and the game runs just fine without it if you try running the game's executable ("Carnal_Instinct.exe" in the game's install folder) rather than the launcher ("Carnal Instinct Launcher.exe", which is installed in appdata and left as a shortcut on your desktop).

So how is this awesome protection working and why would anyone need a crack if someone posted a version that was a patreon at the time of install on their machine and they made of zip of the game folder, appdata, and registry entries (that you don't think matter).

It's working fantastically well? We haven't had a functional Patreon version of the game uploaded to this website for quite a while. Which is exactly what the developers intended with that security. I'd know - I asked them.

 

[Raistln]

No, my friend. You missed the entire point. You replied to a post that was talking about why the Patreon builds haven't been shared here with wildly off the mark commentary about being able to continue playing a copy you paid for. Which is an intended feature. And notably, the statement you quoted said nothing about the Patreon information being up to date or verified online by the game. Absolutely nothing. If you read it as such, that's your problem.

Again, all I've been saying is that the game, upon running, will check appdata for information that the launcher stores when you login to Patreon. If it fails to find that information, it locks the players out on the title screen. I even showed you a screenshot of that lockout in the post you just responded to.

Because you copied over the information stored in appdata, that it checks for when the game launches? The game does not check the internet at any point, nor does it ensure the Patreon information is up to date. It just ensures the information is there. The difference being that if you were to post it with that information, your account would be blocked by the developers and you would never be able to subscribe to a new version again on that account. If someone were to abuse that lack of verification with a throwaway account they intend to get banned, then it would be trivial for the developers to add an ID blacklist for accounts known to have been leaked. Assuming they haven't done so already.

Some versions of the launcher store the install location (as well as a few other things) for reference when updating the game and using the play button. Neither the launcher nor any of that information is actually needed for the game, and the game runs just fine without it if you try running the game's executable ("Carnal_Instinct.exe" in the game's install folder) rather than the launcher ("Carnal Instinct Launcher.exe", which is installed in appdata and left as a shortcut on your desktop).

It's working fantastically well? We haven't had a functional Patreon version of the game uploaded to this website for quite a while. Which is exactly what the developers intended with that security. I'd know - I asked them.

The games protection isn't working, since I can copy it to a totally different machine and play it, so the image you posted means nothing and it's not working "fantastically well".
The only protection that is working is this forum preventing people from posting a copy of a working patreon release and the most likely ban of the person that posted it. That is the reason there is not a patreon version here, and I do get that, but it was said that it can't be done and a crack was needed, which it can be and there is no crack needed. That was what I replied to and was talking about and you are the one that didn't understand.
Therefore, there really is no real protection in the game keeping it from being copied or posted somewhere.

 

[AxisOfRotation]

The games protection isn't working, since I can copy it to a totally different machine and play it, so the image you posted means nothing and it's not working "fantastically well".
The only protection that is working is this forum preventing people from posting a copy of a working patreon release and the most likely ban of the person that posted it. That is the reason there is not a patreon version here, and I do get that, but it was said that it can't be done and a crack was needed, which it can be and there is no crack needed. That was what I replied to and was talking about and you are the one that didn't understand.
Therefore, there really is no real protection in the game keeping it from being copied or posted somewhere.

I believe that what TheInternetIsForThis is saying is - it doesn't matter that you can run it, because when you downloaded that patreon build when you were a subscriber, you had to log in to your patreon account at the time, which created a file in your appdata that validated your copy of the game as being legit. Therefore, all subsequent attempts to access that version of the game would be successful regardless of computer and internet connection, because the launcher is searching for a local file to check for validation, rather than needing to re-check with the carnal instinct patreon page - quite an efficient method of user verification.

I believe this would actually allow for said version of the game to be 'cracked' on here if someone provided the requisite appdata and registry files - however said person would immediately get their patreon access revoked, making it only effective for that one specific version of the game, since the devs check this forum often to make sure their hard work isn't being distributed for free and each patron likely has unique identifiers in the verification file that the devs can use to identify the source of the leak.

Edit to clarify - there's nothing stopping the game from being cracked and uploaded here, the problem is once someone does that, their patreon account is banned from supporting carnal instinct, so they'd have to make a new account and re-pledge to the campaign when the next version drops. This is obviously not something most people want to bother with, so we end up not getting the patron builds. Besides, it's not like any major content is missing from the steam builds, it's only like two dick skins.

 

[Raistln]

I believe that what TheInternetIsForThis is saying is - it doesn't matter that you can run it, because when you downloaded that patreon build when you were a subscriber, you had to log in to your patreon account at the time, which created a file in your appdata that validated your copy of the game as being legit. Therefore, all subsequent attempts to access that version of the game would be successful regardless of computer and internet connection, because the launcher is searching for a local file to check for validation, rather than needing to re-check with the carnal instinct patreon page - quite an efficient method of user verification.

I believe this would actually allow for said version of the game to be 'cracked' on here if someone provided the requisite appdata and registry files - however said person would immediately get their patreon access revoked, making it only effective for that one specific version of the game, since the devs check this forum often to make sure their hard work isn't being distributed for free and each patron likely has unique identifiers in the verification file that the devs can use to identify the source of the leak.

Edit to clarify - there's nothing stopping the game from being cracked and uploaded here, the problem is once someone does that, their patreon account is banned from supporting carnal instinct, so they'd have to make a new account and re-pledge to the campaign when the next version drops. This is obviously not something most people want to bother with, so we end up not getting the patron builds. Besides, it's not like any major content is missing from the steam builds, it's only like two dick skins.

That's exactly what I've been saying. It was never about whether or not that person would get banned, it was about the fact that the game didn't need to be cracked at all, just shared from someone who was a patreon at the time (which is how most of the files on this forum got here).
Either way, you just showed you understand what he didn't and it's turning into a flame instead of an intelligent discussion, so I'll stop replying to this.

 

[AxisOfRotation]

That's exactly what I've been saying. It was never about whether or not that person would get banned, it was about the fact that the game didn't need to be cracked at all, just shared from someone who was a patreon at the time (which is how most of the files on this forum got here).
Either way, you just showed you understand what he didn't and it's turning into a flame instead of an intelligent discussion, so I'll stop replying to this.

Technically, that is a crack, and it does still need to be cracked, as without those key verification files, any upload of the game itself here would be unplayable, but I see your point. Pirating this game is significantly more difficult than a lot of the other games on here because of the verification system, which means anyone sharing patron builds is putting their access to the game at risk. Obviously this isn't really worth the effort since all that content is released in a far easier to pirate version every three months, so talk of cracking the patreon versions with user verification files has almost completely died out among the veterans of the thread.

Theinternetisforthis was actually completely correct in his original answer to you, but both of you misunderstood the points the other was trying to convey, which is why the conversation spiraled to this degree. Neither of you is wrong, you're just answering the question from two different perspectives - for you, cracking new patron builds is simple due to having access to the required patreon validation files thanks to your original subscription. Theinternetisforthis is looking at it from the perspective of making the patreon builds available to all - which either requires the sacrifice of a patreon account every time a new build is released, or the development of a universal crack that bypasses the validation entirely.

Regardless, I agree with you that this isn't a productive discussion, so let's move on to more important topics



who's the hottest waifu in the game and why is it the void spirit

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[TheVegnar]

Well technically we don't need to crack the Patreon version. All we need is a little mod that enables the patreon only content. I do believe that is in the grey area.

 

[ViviX12]

Well technically we don't need to crack the Patreon version. All we need is a little mod that enables the patreon only content. I do believe that is in the grey area.

that content not necessarily being even worth the effort of doing that

 

[TheVegnar]

that content not necessarily being even worth the effort of doing that

Oh it matters. I am pretty sure he would get more Income/Pay etc, if he would give all the content out instead of paywalling. A bunch of people give out the stuff by 4 or 5 versions behind, and do very well by it. The Little Things are what really matters.

 

[TheInternetIsForThis]

The games protection isn't working, since I can copy it to a totally different machine and play it, so the image you posted means nothing and it's not working "fantastically well".
The only protection that is working is this forum preventing people from posting a copy of a working patreon release and the most likely ban of the person that posted it. That is the reason there is not a patreon version here, and I do get that, but it was said that it can't be done and a crack was needed, which it can be and there is no crack needed. That was what I replied to and was talking about and you are the one that didn't understand.
Therefore, there really is no real protection in the game keeping it from being copied or posted somewhere.

You haven't even seen the game's protection. You've mistaken a basic feature of the launcher (hiding the play button when it doesn't know where the game is installed) for a security feature and refused to acknowledge that just maybe, you're barking up the wrong tree.

The developers want you to be able to keep playing the copy of the game you paid for. Your ability to play it sans subscription, even on an entirely different computer, is 100% intended on their part. You bought it, you keep it. That isn't even remotely close to what the security for this game is about, your difficulties with the game's launcher notwithstanding.

I don't know how many different ways I need to say the security feature is designed to convince people the game isn't worth sharing publicly for you to get what I mean. Every single step of this game's security implementation has been focused on punishing the source of a leak rather than the players who download the game. Originally it was just a copy of the patreon ID that gets added to the game's folder. When people figured out where that was stored and started sharing the game again, they updated it so the game wouldn't run without the player's patreon info. The game doesn't make sure the information is still valid, just that it exists. Because, again. This isn't intended to prevent people from playing the game. It's intended to force people who share the game to include personally identifiable information so developers can plug the leak.

The entire point of the theoretical crack everyone here has been talking about is to bypass a single choice the developers have given us: share a copy that won't run due to a lack of personally identifiable credentials, share a copy that will run because it has the credentials (and get that account permanently banned from future updates), or find a way to remove the protections that require personally identifiable credentials to run the game.

The crack isn't for being able to play the game. That's easy. It's for being able to share the game without losing the ability to update in the future. If you're so insistent the game doesn't need to be cracked, please. Be our guest. Take option two of the choice, share everything needed to make the game run. Get your canceled Patreon account permanently banned from their Patreon. Your account info from appdata will probably work just fine for the current version of the game too, because the game doesn't verify current status.

Edit: I just figured out an apt comparison for this conversation. It's like if someone said those alarms at the front door of a store that go off when you try to walk out with a tagged product prevent theft, and you came in and said no, they can still walk out of the store just fine. And despite people pointing out that if you do they'll have you on camera and there will be repercussions for doing so, you continued to insist that no, they didn't work at all because you walked out of the store with the product after buying it. Basically, you refuse to acknowledge that a deterrent exists and functions as intended, since it only prevents an action by increasing the potential cost of doing so. (In this example, the "crack" would be breaking the alarm and CCTV system in a way that doesn't get noticed.)

Oh it matters. I am pretty sure he would get more Income/Pay etc, if he would give all the content out instead of paywalling. A bunch of people give out the stuff by 4 or 5 versions behind, and do very well by it. The Little Things are what really matters.

The content withheld from Steam versions at the moment is literally two cocks. That's it. Every other piece of content that Patreon has and Steam doesn't is just because Patreon updates faster. All of that will wind up in Steam during the next update.

Technically, that is a crack, and it does still need to be cracked, as without those key verification files, any upload of the game itself here would be unplayable, but I see your point. Pirating this game is significantly more difficult than a lot of the other games on here because of the verification system, which means anyone sharing patron builds is putting their access to the game at risk. Obviously this isn't really worth the effort since all that content is released in a far easier to pirate version every three months, so talk of cracking the patreon versions with user verification files has almost completely died out among the veterans of the thread.

I mean, the funny part about this whole thing is that from what I can gather, Raistln successfully copied everything needed to run the game and then wasn't actually able to play because they insisted on running it through the launcher rather than just, you know. Running the game. Then wound up doing extra work just to tell an old version of the launcher where the game is installed.

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

The content withheld from Steam versions at the moment is literally two cocks. That's it. Every other piece of content that Patreon has and Steam doesn't is just because Patreon updates faster. All of that will wind up in Steam during the next update.

At the moment. How much is it gonna be at release? Have they realized that differentiating between two paid versions like that is a shit move and stopped doing it or will they withhold a cool design you actually care about in the future? It's that kind of uncertainty why this is annoying on principle, no matter how small it currently is.

 

[TheInternetIsForThis]

At the moment. How much is it gonna be at release? Have they realized that differentiating between two paid versions like that is a shit move and stopped doing it or will they withhold a cool design you actually care about in the future? It's that kind of uncertainty why this is annoying on principle, no matter how small it currently is.

They haven't said anything about it long-term. As for those two cocks, they were designed with direct input from high-tier subscribers, as a reward for subscribing. Is it a good idea to keep those locked to Patreon, forever? No, I don't think so. But they also haven't asked for subscriber input on much of anything for quite a while. I suspect the roadmap rearrangement taught them the dangers of doing so.

 

[ViviX12]

At the moment. How much is it gonna be at release? Have they realized that differentiating between two paid versions like that is a shit move and stopped doing it or will they withhold a cool design you actually care about in the future? It's that kind of uncertainty why this is annoying on principle, no matter how small it currently is.

previous patreon locked cosmetics have been added to the steam version
so going by the past, if anything it can be expected that even the current ones might be released with new patreon exclusives being added

 

[TheInternetIsForThis]

previous patreon locked cosmetics have been added to the steam version
so going by the past, if anything it can be expected that even the current ones might be released with new patreon exclusives being added

Two of them, that I can think of. The first was the ebony skin variant, which I'm not even sure was intentionally removed from the Steam version. The second was a horsecock variant that got made generally available when the ultimatus cock was released.

 

[TheVegnar]

When will we get the bigger breasts? I do not see it on the list of Roadmaps?

 

[TheInternetIsForThis]

When will we get the bigger breasts? I do not see it on the list of Roadmaps?

Body customization is no longer on the roadmap because it's been implemented. There are a pair of screenshots in the OP that show maximum and minimum sliders on a female character in the new system.

 

[Tannin00]

I don't remember where it was but I remember that more or less for the versions between December and the previous one I had seen an image where it indicated more or less the plausible dates for the release of content and in one of them it indicated that the impregnation of the player would be released between February and April, does it still follow that pattern or change?

It is that when I see the roadmap I see that this content is in red, which indicates that it is far from being ready.

And by the way, given that I disconnected from the subject, is there still someone working on the cracks for the patreon version or are we now tied to waiting for the steam versions?

Thanks for your time.

 

[TheInternetIsForThis]

I don't remember where it was but I remember that more or less for the versions between December and the previous one I had seen an image where it indicated more or less the plausible dates for the release of content and in one of them it indicated that the impregnation of the player would be released between February and April, does it still follow that pattern or change?

It is that when I see the roadmap I see that this content is in red, which indicates that it is far from being ready.

And by the way, given that I disconnected from the subject, is there still someone working on the cracks for the patreon version or are we now tied to waiting for the steam versions?

Thanks for your time.

It was probably a screenshot of the roadmap the developers have on google sheets, or one of their older image-based roadmaps. The developers have since opted to redo their roadmap to organize things by implementation progress rather than try to schedule what comes out when, because they were pushing new mechanics and implementations out half-baked and buggy just to meet their own self-imposed deadlines. Pregnancy has yet to exist in any version of the game (barring a one-off line of dialogue that wasn't supposed to be available yet). That said, NPC pregnancy is marked as nearing completion on the current roadmap, meaning that theoretically we should see it sooner rather than later. Last I checked player impregnation wasn't even red, so that one's a step forward.

As for progress in terms of safely distributing Patreon builds without getting people banned from the Patreon, I assume anyone working on it is keeping it to themselves to avoid the developers figuring out how to dodge the crack preemptively. Sort of like how one day someone just showed up with an alternate build of the launcher that skipped Patreon validation and just let you download the game directly from the servers. (That version of the launcher no longer works, by the way.)