CRACKERS will be an exciting and exploratory experience in the spirit of the Borders Trilogy. In it, we will look at the illegal side of computer creativity and how cracking and hacking computer games evolved as a unique contemporary phenomenon in the 80s. ​
 

The Atari ST and The Creative People

Volume I, 1984 – 1990, BREAKIN’ THE BORDERS (sold out, PDF available) 
Volume II, 1991 – 1993, BEYOND THE BORDERS (on sale)
Volume III, 1994 – 1997, RETURN OF THE BORDERS (on sale)
Dark Addition, 1984 – 1991, CRACKERS  Episode I (this campaign) 

This additional book is the untold story of the best Atari ST crackers, their exceptional methods and deals, their way of life, desires, successes and setbacks. ​
 

Please note: The cover artwork will be designed at the end of the production. Only in this way can we find an essential representation. Book title and design shown are for illustration purposes only. Please be patient until delivery in 2021 ... ;)

We promise:

• High Quality book printing
• English Hardback Edition
• ~400 colour pages 
• Offset printing, 120 raster 
• High pigment inks 
• 230 x 170 mm landscape format 
• 135 gr/m² semi-matt illustration paper 
• Surface sealing (varnished pages)
• Made in Germany

Quality goals

US$ 20,000 ::::: 1st Goal // reached!
Paperback Edition
Adhesive binding 

US$ 22,000 :::: 2nd Goal // reached!
Hardback Edition
Thread sewn binding

US$ 24,000 ::::: 3rd Goal // reached!
Hardback Edition
Thread sewn binding
Book title printed in high gloss​

Summary

In the beginning there was a troll .... 
 

The digital people of the last century were completely on their own when they began to understand the inner workings of system. Networking became a great longing of the dawning computer age.

Illegal activities on 16-bit computers began after two hackers left the Apple II to face new electronic fields.
 

The idea of the digital troll only came to full bloom in the 2000s. This book tells the story of a group of hitherto unknown computer experts who sacrificed their youth to the gamers’ entertainment. They were called Crackers.

Many excellent programmers whose only home for a long time was the boot sector, learned their craft by breaking a copy protection. It was no easy task. They worked hard at night and found their sources far away from the consumer. Eventually they found success as their raster bars, scroll texts, pixel art and chip music, spreaded through the disk slots of hundreds of thousands of young people who just wanted to play.

Cracktros became popular. The times were a paradise for pirates, for the few lucky ones, as only the people with the most influential contacts were high up enough in the scene and to be able to play the trickiest game called “software piracy”. The 80s felt just right for that and everybody hoped for his secret little slice of illegal pie. 
 

The cracker’s hour, it had to come ...

Read about 42-Crew, The Medway Boys, Cynix, Hackers Of The Arena, B.O.S.S, Fallen Angels, The Marvellous V8, Black Monolith Team, Pompey Pirates, CSS, Fuzion, ICS, MCA, Hotline,
Flame of Finland, D-Bug, Vectronix, TEX, Delight, Adrenaline U.K., Admirables, Bad Boys, BBS, Sewer Software, S.T.C.S. ... and many more.
 

Learn about the structure, the changes, development and history of the greatest cracking associations on the Atari ST computers: Automation, The Blade Runners, Elite, Empire, Federation of Free Traders, The Replicants, The Corporation.

Their experience stands for the 16-bit era of hacking and cracking in general. This book will summarize the dark side of disk life as a unique contemporary spiritual phenomenon. It is our goal to tell the truth behind the entanglements of the games industry in the 80s and 90s. The plot will reveal how it was possible to crack and spread diskette games so efficiently in Europe and worldwide.

In a narrative journey through time, Microzeit will let the top crackers have their say and report from their teenage bedrooms.
 

The Atari ST scene will be the heart of the story, but we also take the journey back to the 8-bit era on the C64 and deliver sidekicks to Apple II, Atari XL, Amstrad CPC and Sinclair Spectrum. Also Amiga insiders joined in.

You will find yourself side by side with the famous swappers and experience what computer life was like at that time. What possibilities and machinations did one have to deal with and how did  they spin the strings to their shady sources. We tell the story from an underground perspective and let it collide with the media, the law and game producers.

Interviews

We ask the people. The following underground experts are planned for participation, whether as informer or full interview partner:
 

• The Lord aka. Tsunoo Rhilty // Troll & Co., 42-Crew, STCS, The Bladerunners 
• Actarus // STCS, The Bladerunners
• Ratboy // STCS, The Bladerunners
• Banzai // STCS, The Bladerunners
• Zippy // The Medway Boys
• Floyd // 42-Crew
• Pet // B.O.S.S.
• HC-Crack // The Bladerunners
• Arthur Dent // Copy Service Stuttgart
• The Law // Automation, D-Bug
• Was (Not Was) // LSD, Automation, D-Bug
• E.G.B. // Cynix, Automation
• Brume // Elite
• The Alien // Pompey Pirates
• Robocamp // VMAX
• Metallinos // Tristar and Red Sector Inc.
• Lethal // Hotline
• Sledge // Hotline, Elite, Elitendo
• Lowlife // Hotline, Elite, Elitendo
• Angel // HMD, Elite
• R.AL // Hackers Of The Arena
• Excalibur // A-Team, The Replicants
• Rank Xerox // A-Team, The Replicants
• Illegal // The Replicants
• Orion // The Replicants
• Maxi // The Replicants
• DOM // HOFA, The Replicants
• Snake // HOFA, The Replicants
• Fury // The Replicants
• Ellfire // The Replicants
• Yoda // The Marvelleous V8
• Mr. Fly // Italian Cracking Service
• Gaston // BMT
• Ford Perfect // BMT
• Angel Face // The Fallen Angels
• Cameo // Fuzion
• Skinhead // Vex, International Cracking Service
• Troed // SICS, International Cracking Service
• The Threat // International Cracking Service
• Bandit // Climatics
• SLiPPY // Vectronix 
• AN Cool // TCB
• Daryl // TEX
• Axe // Delight, Superior
• Jabba // Delight, Superior
• Stranger // HMD, Rebels (Amiga, ST)  
• Spy // Quartex (Amiga)
• TFT // Skid Row (Amiga)
• Fairlight (C64, Amiga) // Group interview
• Triad (C64) // inquired

We would also like to let industry experts have their say. Opinions of the producers and some famous software houses of that time are captured:

• Electronic Arts
• FTL Games
• Ocean Software
• U.S. Gold
• Gremlin Software
• Hewson
• Loriciel SA
• Lankhor
• Silmarils
• Ubisoft
• Infogrames
• Rainbow Arts
• Starbyte
• Software 2000
• Thalion
• Eclipse Software
• Martin Backschat (FastCopy Pro)
• Rob Northern (Copylock)

Please understand that we need to protect the identities of most participants and therefore do not publish their real names here. It is only their permission that some of them are published in the book.

If we have missed you somehow, but you would like to see your opinion in the book, pls. get in touch with the author. E-mail: mbreddin[at]gmail.com 

Overview

In the following section we introduce the main topics. They will accompany the narrative. The book will be narrated in the tradition of The Atari ST and The Creative People and is driven by protagonists of the cracking scene.

When Cracking became popular ... 

A blazing C64 nostalgia tour written by David Almer.

The passionate editor of the Swedish magazines Axess and Aorta has published numerous articles in Datormagazin Retro. He also knows everything about Genesis Project: The largest cross-platform collaboration among the most productive C64 cracking groups was founded in the late 80s and is still active. As a true insider, Almer tells you the story that made cracking so popular.

The colourful flashback to formative groups and cracktros of Fairlight, Eagle Soft Incorp., Radwar, Dynamic Duo, Hotline, Mr. Z, Strike Force, Triad, Yeti, 1001, ABC, Ikari and others ...

“Danger of Software Piracy”

The times were chaotic and the law was not prepared for what was coming.

State authority and law operated side by side to attempt to eliminate the piracy networks. One example of such took place in Germany when a judge declared a personal war on the whole cracking scene. The likes of famous personalities such as Günter Freiherr von Gravenreuth turned up at “copy parties” and side by side he sat next to crackers on TV shows. Eventually documentary films began to appear questioning the sense of computer games altogether.

We undertake a dramatic flight through the contemporary press and media. The book will reheat the “danger of piracy”. 

The Dark Net of the 80s

Up to 100 people came together in the various subgroups of what they referrred to as The Blade Runners. Half as much in The Replicants. With various groups forming on the dark net of the 80s, the race for the fastest crack began.

In Germany, France and the United Kingdom in particular, conspiratorial information chains were working secretly from the public to rapidly acquire the hottest software.

How did such big underground networks come into being? Who were the suppliers? The dealers? Which roles made a cracking group functional? We keep an eye on the creation, development and organization of the greatest Atari ST-Cracking conspiracies.

Copy Parties

It was an exciting time.

Everyone wanted to get their hands on the new digital goods! But up to 80 DM (US$ 40, £ 27) per computer game was just too much for the most young people. As a result “copy parties,” in which people gathered to copy and distribute games, started to be held at secret locations and “warez” attracted every player in the late 80s. It was at these scenes that some of the most notorious people met and it was there that they drew the attention of law enforcement.

THE CRACKERS jumps into contemporary events and lets the reader experience what it was like at such meetings.

Spirit of Swapping

A notorious underground report by Stranger of Hemoroids/Rebels. 

The former French swapper and pack disk editor stood with both feet firmly planted in the ST and Amiga scene for many years. He took a key position. It was then that an individual called Stranger popped up everywhere and became a central figure of the early European file-sharing scene.

As part of numerous trading groups Stranger gives a deep insight into the business and communication of the 90s diskette dealers.

Snail Mails & Scribbles

Without the Internet, communication between the groups was often only possible by weeks of postal correspondence. Game lists and recommendations, code snippets and drawings. With the authors’ permissions we will publish some of the most interesting swapper letters for the first time in a book.

The digital counterpart was the scroll text. Here the letters were running across the screens, often revealing important scene contacts and praising the crack...

Intros, Cracktros, Compact Disks

Like magic.

On the Atari ST, various cracks were highly compressed and one floppy disk turned into a compact disk. As disk space remained, it was used for an introduction and a way to get in contact with other swappers and traders. This was vital as many groups tried to expand their networks or simply wanted to praise a particularly difficult crack. There were feuds and there was cooperation, but some of the coders preferred to build spectacular graphics and music demonstrations while discovering their enthusiasm for Demo Making.  

We show the finest cracktros and look back to the time when the demo scene suddenly became a child of the cracker scene.

The Way of a Cracker

The story of hacking and cracking is full of little side stories.

We’ve been talking to the insiders. Zippy of The Medway Boys was one of them. We follow him back to when he discovered the British floppy world in the 80s. Very few people at that time understood the mathematics of a crack like he did and fewer can tell you about the inner workings of the dark scene.

Come along for a journey down to the cracker’s ground.

BBS Times

Written by Troed, a former SysOp of the International Cracking Service. 

When night fell, “bulletin boards” became a mysterious meeting point for hackers. They developed into the first interactive network of the computer scene. But with modem speeds of less than 10,000 baud, downloading the latest software was a test of patience. FidoNet, Blue Boxing, Calling Cards – high phone bills had to be avoided and the darkest hours used to minimize costs.

In the U.S. Little Lulu’s was the transshipment point for European cracks. But how were the boards operated and who were the SysOps behind such strange aliases? ​

The Secret of Dungeon Master

Many have cracked it. But who has really mastered it?

One of the smartest protections was that of the game, Dungeon Master. For over a year the formative Dungeon Crawler resisted attacks from the underground and became the No. 1 bestseller on the Atari ST. It was a quick buy that remained unbeaten with a floppy disk encryption method imitated by many. Cracking this copy protection was one of the toughest challenges a hacker could face.

Finally, read the secret story behind the extraordinary copy protection of Dungeon Master.

Masters of Decryption

Crackers were forced to think outside the box.

They invested all their time to get around the multi-layered encryption technologies. These unknown computer freaks were surrounded by an almost mystical aura. However, their expertise was only passed on to like-minded people. They used homemade ROM cartridges and advanced decrypting methods no one else understood those days. Eventually, some of them were even hired by software companies to develop better encryptions.

Even though every second counted, code was mostly analyzed and modified by hand night after night and line after line. For those who were best at it, cracking developed into an art. 

Greatest Cryptography (Hall of Fame)

War Heli, Parasol Stars and Maupiti Island were some of the most sophisticated protections, including trace encryption, checksums, page zero code and self-modifying code. Interpreted high level language protections were extremely hard to understand for any cracker and made it nearly impossible to find a “key” in time. Games like Future Wars, Operation Stealth, Loom and Monkey Island were fortified by their publishers like castles under siege.

We ask the best hackers and compile their hardest decryption challenges in a hall of fame.

Trainers & Cheaters

Many fell in love with games, but not all of them had the patience to beat the challenges they presented. This motivated hackers who were up for a new trial. During a crack, the computer game had to be analyzed in such detail that even bugs in the code were ironed out. As an encore, they levered out game systematics, created infinite lives and weapons, and provided trainers and cheat features for the gamer.

It was the right food for starving teenagers who longed for every level of a game.

Replicants and Replicates 

Fast, free, executable.

When it came to general cracker attitude, The Replicants were on the front lines. The French Atari formation had one of the most sophisticated illegal networks of its time. It worked like a well-oiled machine. If a cracker wanted to be known, he had to be the first to the goal-post. The group quickly grew into an international organization with worldwide connections, boards and supplier channels.

Learn how The Replicants became world famous for “speed”. The whole crew in an interview.

Spy vs. Spy 

Who were the informants, who were the spies? How could they trust each other? Some cracks ended up in the teenagers’ floppy drives even before the game was released. How was that possible?

Take a trip to the forgotten diskette countries of the last century and learn about the loopholes of the early computer industry.

Producers against Piracy

16-bit developers knew their opponents very well (picture: Marc Rosocha/Eclipse).

They placed explicit messages on their disks, in a sector that only a cracker would enter. Many scene people rushed into the profession and with the advent of the games industry they opened their own studio when they suddenly had to face an almost impossible task: to sell their idea to an unknown market with renowned crackers. 

We want to give old feuds new space and let opinions collide. The producers and the scene: a love-hate relationship of unimagined dimensions.

Rob Northern’s Copylock

Rob Northern turned the disk into a vault.  

The industry standard disk protection on the Atari ST was ported to the Amiga. It was very clever, but was it clever enough? We not only analyse the way it works, but also ask the experts for the possibility of an unbreakable protection. What kind of thinking was necessary to develop a functional encryption? What kind for decryption? Was the ST designed in such a way that, if an encryption was used to its fullest, even a fanatic cracker would not have had any chance?

We search for the limits of thinking and ask the crackers for their finest hours.

The Underground Wars

The illegal race for intelligence, speed and distribution began.

Which crack lands first at the player and which features can be included? Will it work on the different computer models of the ST and Amiga series? There were two sides: those who wanted to do business and those who saw it as a free service to the digital people.

When the underground wars broke out, everything had to change and many groups were caught in their blazing flames.

The Art of Compact Disk

The cracking machine could no longer be stopped and the competition for attention grew tougher. The so-called Compact Disks needed a more eye-catching presentation – sometimes even a political statement. The production pressure was high and very small number of graphic artists had to deal with a lot of demanding pixel work in a short time. Two of them in particular stand out: Wizpop and Syd B. They almost did all the work for the likes of Automation, Medway Boys or Pompey Pirates.

Experience their best pixel artworks for the first time in a book.

Digital Copies

Not only were the games cracked, the groups did not stop at the seemingly invincible protection of a paper manual. The illegal upload of physical data – it started in the 90s. We talk to the only group on the ST that specialized in transferring physical manuals to floppy disk. Their Doc Disks were on everyone’s radar and appeared non-stop.

How did these geeks manage to digitize the partly 100-page game manuals on such a large scale using simple technical means?

Cracking Business

Besides the free distribution, which was part of the ethos of many crackers, there were also a number of underground dealers who made profit from the cracks. The mass sale of these games has enriched some unpopular personalities. They became first class diskette dealers and inflicted enourmous damage on the industry.

Track down the shady underground trading of the hottest floppy goods.

Cracking Tools

Ripping, debugging, packing, unpacking, DMA loading, automated cracking, copying, sector-to-file technologies: crackers had their own techniques to get to the encryption. Initially, in the underground scene, special software and hardware was developed that the market never saw, sometimes even with a soldering iron. The book will show examples of these proprietary solutions. But all this changed as The Medway Boys and Adrenaline released ripping tools that anyone could use. 

Suddenly the world of cracking became open to everyone.

ASCII Art

A cross scene feature by Senser (SNS), French Ascii artist. 

Developed mainly through restrictions on low data transmission in the bulletin boards more and more Ascii images evolved. Logos and graphics made with the character set only. Senser talks about the difference of the Atari and Amiga character sets, the restrictions and the signature character of the hardly considered graphic art. His works have been published widely and on numerous systems since 1994: ST, Amiga, Falcon, Windows and MS-DOS.

The book shows the most outstanding ASCII works with explanations in a special section.

The Great Interpol Raids

Mountains of 3.5 inch floppy disks were hidden deep in cellars.

Copy stations, copy parties and copy sessions spread “warez” first all over Europe, and then across the world. As these copies were spreading like a virus, the law struck. Wherever you turned, you could be betrayed. Paranoia took hold. The hunt for “software pirates” had begun and The Criminal Police Organisation searched for the private homes of well-known dealers in international operational raids.

Read about the consequences of illegal diskette trading in the age of home computers.

Has Piracy killed 16-bit Games?

ST/Amiga Format, ST Action, ACE, ST Magazine, Génération 4, Happy Computer, Power Play, ASM – above all, the game-concentrated magazines sought ways to address the scene and encouraged young buyers to maintain the games market and their jobs. 

What impact has piracy had on the programming market and computer sales? Undertake a press analysis with us – we ask the industry experts for facts and figures.

When Demo infected Cracktro ...

The development of 16-bit programming was mutually beneficial.

The demo scene was known for extremely efficient machine code, which also challenged the cracktro scene and vis-à-vis. Intros became demos and demos became full-blown menus with joystick control. THE CRACKERS delivers an interesting insight into the artistic aspects of screen programming.

We look at the iconic side of cracktros and search for decisive works with formative aesthetics and technology and ask what has developed and changed over time.

The Crackers Goodies

Now let us have a look at the goodies which you are going to get with the different backing options. The following pictures are made for illustration purposes and show the different packages which are tied to the perks. Let’s get into it.
 

Browse the borders.

First time you are able to experience Volume 1 as digital version. The whole layout for your PC or Tablet in half the printing resolution!

Open up every fluid treasure with this great mobile cracker!

Feel the power and decrypt the bottles of your choice. Get an aluminium cap lifter with metal key ring. Design will be chosen through survey after the campaign. 

Do you always like to have your hot tea or coffee right next to your computer?

This is the right coaster for you! And those cracking hours! Two coasters are coming with the set. Not yet designed.

The new 6-pack with postcard motifs of classic iconic Atari ST cracktros.

For the collector and the writer or just for a cracking thought: these cards are simply something special. Motifs will be carefully chosen.

What could that be? A trouser button?

It might be delicious and it could be something you like. But will it be useful? Just wait and let the Cracker’s delight surprise you!

Almost sold out! Yet it still comes with the speed of light!

The now reduced Anthology pack consists of three A3 demo posters, one Thalion postcard (chosen from 4 motifs), the Laptop sticker and the double-sided Chrome Edition bookmarks.

Upgrade your pledges with the Power Pack and/or the Digital PDF/Album.

The following perks are upgradeable: Book, Signed Book, Book Duet, Book Trio, Return Bundle, Return Pack 1. Simply use the new add-on function in the check out to get all the cracker’s goodies without additional shipping costs!

Return to Eclipse Software

Three additional packs for you to choose from. Very limited amount. Original sealed games from the legendary 16-bit and Jaguar developer of the 90s. Atari STE/Amiga Dual Format. Functional floppy disks with high collector’s value. We can’t promise that all disks will work, but in our experience, they do!
 

Monster Business. Released in 1991.

Developed by Fabian Hammer (Oxygen/The Lost Boys) with graphics by Michael Grohe (Ex-Thalion). An advanced version of the famous arcade game Dig Dug with great sprites and smooth 50 Hz scrolling on the ST/E. Marvelous chip music by Synth Dream.

Lethal Xcess. Released in 1991.

Developed by members of X-Troll. Technically the best shooter ever made on the ST which also uses all of the STE power: bigger playfield, upper and lower borders removed, more sprites and cleaner sample sound. Up to 200 sprites on the STE at a resolution of 320x256 px.

Sync-scrolling routines on the ST and Jochen Hippel's energetic digi-drum music: shoot’em up lovers will be driven to madness.

Stone Age. Released in 1992.

Developed by Michael Rausch (Ford Perfect/BMT) with sound tracker music by Sven Bauer (Jora/BMT). Special Fan Box Edition with 3,5" PC version. One of the most compatible ST games supports Atari ST/STE/TT and is even running in monochrome mode! It also uses the STE sound capabilities and works on the Amiga.

You find lots of additional stickers in the box, e.g. different disk labels for C64, IBM PC and Atari ST/Amiga.
 

Worldwide Shipment

You find the costs and estimated shipping times here. To reduce the shipping times and to offer a safer way of transportation, European countries will preferably be shipped by UPS with tracking. All prices include taxes. 

Single Books

Europe >>> UPS parcel
12 Euros   (4–8 days)

Germany >>> UPS parcel 
6 Euros   (2–4 days)

World >>> Priority Book shipment 
US$ 13   (8–17 days)

Two Books / Bundles

Europe >>> UPS parcel 
13 Euros   (4–8 days) 

Germany >>> UPS parcel 
7 Euros   (2–4 days) 

World >>> Priority Book shipment 
US$ 23   (8–17 days)

Three Books / Bundles

Europe >>> UPS parcel 
16 Euros   (4–8 days) 

Germany >>> UPS parcel 
7 Euros   (2–4 days) 

World >>> Priority Book shipment
US$ 35   (8–17 days)

Great graphic icons used on this page: 

• Bookbinding by Iris Vidal from the Noun Project
• Leather binding by Olena Panasovska from the Noun Project
• Mug by Iulia Ardeleanu from the Noun Project
• Cookie by Yeong Rong Kim from the Noun Project
• Plus by scott desmond from the Noun Project
• Shipment by Eucalyp from the Noun Project

Book design

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