What differences between test/dev or demo kits?

According to a 360 developer, game companies can't sign their games to run on retail consoles. Microsoft do it after you deliver the master.

The only way you can sign something is to get the SDK and a debug 360.

 

No shit they can't.. They aren't given the retail key.. What part of, I'm not talking about the XEX signing here can't you guys understand...

Here let me break it down for you even more, because apparently the multiple paragraph posts before didn't digest for some people.

A development team develops a game.. Using Microsoft's SDK that integrates itself in Visual Studio. When a project is compiled in Visual Studio with this SDK, the executable is compiled, then the MZ/PE Data is shoved into the XEX, which is signed with RSA (and AES[possibly]) dev keys.

Now. Within their code.. They use their own RSA keys.. They use these keys to say... Create a custom hash algorithm, hash some of their content, and decrypt(with the public key the game will ship with) their content's signature stored somewhere outside of the hash bounds, which is then verified. If the hash checks up, and is verified/ok, then the game continues to play. This is not Microsoft's keypair.. Anyone can go make a keypair.. If you own a copy of Visual Studio you can go make a keypair. Point is.. This game company's tools for their content would have the private key to write the encrypted signature in the content, while their game has the public key to decrypt the content's signature and verify.

Now.. when the game ships retail, Microsoft takes the finished executable, and resigns it with their retail private key, which no one gets. The console contains the public key used only for decrypting the signature and verifying, just like the game does. And like I said, the game company's public key is only included with the game, just like Microsoft only included their public key with the console..

This way.. Others don't have the private key needed to sign the content/XEX with, so the users of the game/console can only verify signatures, so Microsoft and the Developers remain the only ones who can sign the XEX and the content.. Hence no one else gets to mod on Retail.

See, say you want to hack this content.. You can't crack RSA, so you plan to remove the code that does the RSA check in the XEX, problem being, if you do that, you break the XEX signature, and its just a long loop back up till stuff that can't be editted. Therefore, people like Halo kiddies get devkits to mod Halo 3, because people like me and Anthony removed checks on the content from the XEX, and we have the XEX keys for devkits, so we can sign our executables, just like anyone with XEXTool and etc. So it makes it possible on a devkit, but not a retail..

Point being, the game company and Microsoft have seperate keys, but the game company gets to protect their content..


Are we clear now or am I needed to write another page?..

 

This guy, You may need to write a book Xenon.

 

God I'd hope not..

Can a moderator please lock this topic, as the OP was already addressed, and now it's just people posting about something totally off topic, disregarding the previous posts, causing me to repeat myself >_<.

 

Thanks for the info Xenon7
Devkits are for game studios
Demokits are for places like trade shows like E3 and any other uses people may have for them

:rambo:Maybe Homebrew and What Not:rambo:

 

bob, Microsoft gives demo kits to other places to
for instance a large plasma tv company may obtain a few so Microsoft can show of there games HD quality on that companies tv.

Basicly there more for showing things off like Demo's at E3
Or like when they have MLG poeple test out new maps for say halo or gears they may be using the standard demo kits.

The name explains for the most part what it is, demo kit shows of Demo's (for the most part)

Though im pretty sure M$ doesn't give them to regular gamestops, At least not the one i go to (i actually checked)

Edit: grammar

 

Microsoft does not give out units that run debug code to TV companies.

They are used at e3/events.

 

Tell that to the person i bought mine from

 

I'd gladly do that. As I've never heard of it, and it sounds horribly illogical, considering they could easily hook up a retail console to display high definition graphical aspects of a television.

Demo kit's intended uses are so that the user still has a devkit per say, but it doesn't attract attention of the outsiders. Or atleast it is like that for many public relations companies that use them, and same with many other people who interact with public (i.e: conferences, etc.)

Also your example of MLG people, they aren't given kits, the Microsoft team, or the squad that deploys the kits that is there, is given them to look like normal kits as I stated, so they don't attract attention. MLG players would not be given a demo kit, maybe just one to play games on.. But they don't give them out for sole testing, you must be joking me.. What do you think the game companies testers are for?

I'd also like to point out, you honestly had the lack of common sense enough to think a gamestop would have a demo kit.. No they wouldn't, because they don't need them. Demo kits aren't to show off Demo builds, but to demonstrate in general, without attracting public attention.

Most people you'll find with demo kits are those who are dealing with public.

Only people outside a professional job like stated, would be reviewer kits, which can just go out to game reviewers, under certain terms and conditions.

 

well all im saying is what he told me, he said he got it from his company that sells tv's maybe hes bullshiting idk

and about mlg, that's what i meant when i said they may use them, i never said that they owned them i never said anything about solo testing? did u just completely make up that i said that?
i said,

""they may be using the standard demo kits.""
That basically means exactly what you said it doesn't state anything about them owning them or solo testing, u dont have to bich me out on somthing i didnt even say wtf

 

Bitch you out? I'm not bitching at all, we're having a discussion.. What is wrong with you? Are you taking drugs?

Also did I say you said that? No.. I just stated for those unaware what happens in the MLG situation because you were much to vague, and made it possible to misconceive.

Also apparently your friend is bullshitting, yes..

 

Paranoia

yes...

makes sense

probably