In case you didn't know, orphan keys are defined here:
https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/hK2kQ/orphan-keys-drop-thread

I don't like to feed the ninjas, but I also can't be bothered to manually "ninja-proof" the keys.
So, I am building a simple tool to solve my own problem.

The general idea is, I will make a simple website to input game title, possibly some description, and a game key.
It then generates a unique random URL to be shared in the forums.

When accessing the URL, the game key will be locked behind a CAPTCHA.
It will show how many times the keys is viewed.
And also, people can help to report the key as invalid/used.

I used to use a site call "keygiveaway.com" that can achieve what I need, but the site no longer exists.

Before I start work, I would like to ask, is there any similar site that can fulfill my need?
If so then I don't need to waste the effort to reinvent the wheel.

Some other "nice to have" features:

  • Require a Steam login to view game key
  • Generate dynamic image to be embedded rather than visiting the site to retrieve keys.
  • Password protected key drops

I also appreciate feedback or improvement ideas.

Eventually, when it is done, I will make it open source.

5 years ago

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That sounds like a good idea, I think some sort of key redemption cooldown for each account (since you are required to log in anyways) would be nice, something like a limited number of keys per hour

5 years ago
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I am thinking of letting the key owner decides whether to allow public users or Steam-only users to view.
This way the tool can also be used for Non-Steam keys.

Public users will always be forced to solve a CAPTCHA.

5 years ago
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That's a cool idea!

5 years ago
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also the system would check to see if you own the game or not, that way you will not reveal a key that you already own just to use on a bot account, maybe a level restrictive one as well, level 10 and above in steam, or level 3 and above in steamgifts, also a posibility.

5 years ago
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Well, that will make the thing too complicated IMO...

5 years ago
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I haven't tried to interface with Steam's API, but it would be a good option and I doubt it's so difficult since so many amateur sites do it.

5 years ago
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The orphans get locked up at night, I don't share the key.

5 years ago
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lol

5 years ago
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Good idea but I want to note that not all keys are Steam keys

5 years ago
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awesome.
to answer your question, i don't think anything similar exists.

i really liked the thing Chrono.gg did, can't remember its name, tho... the one where you "offer" one key and "grab" one in exchange.
i'd like to have a "pool" where can send my keys and only SG members can grab one or two (maybe daily?)

i'm super-ignorant when it comes to code but really, really like your idea.
so, you have to create a website to host the tool? wouldn't that generate a lot of traffic?
(love the idea of dynamic image and a password protected drop)

I will make it open source

huge and <3

5 years ago
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Gamecode seems to maintain exchange like the thing you mention about Chrono, I've never used it though.

Welcome to the Steam Key exchange!
Grab one of your valid Steam Keys and add it below to the storage and you will be given a new Steam Key in return for FREE!
Since this is a community service there might be keys supplied that won’t work, this exchange works all around the good will of our visitors 🙂
You can come back everyday and grab a new Steam Key for free and without any hassle of completing tasks!

5 years ago
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Le Nope, at least fo' me... c'est le nope (got 2 popups in 2 secs going to kinguin.not/?r=16120)

thanks anyway :D

5 years ago
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It's become an exchange of bad will and hate at this point

5 years ago
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I do own a reseller hosting account, so the server cost will be sponsored by me.
Of course I will start with only for personal use, and later only grant limited access to public users.

If my server cannot handle the traffic, then only I will consider switching to cloud servers. But that is a concern for the future, not now.
I don't think the traffic will be THAT huge that fast, unless somebody sabotage me by DDoS-ing.

5 years ago
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I don't think the traffic will be THAT huge that fast

...wanna try? :D

more seriously, i think that could be an actual problem... as soon as you'll "share" it.
still, something for the future, as you've said.

really hope you'll keep on working it, tho

5 years ago
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5 years ago*
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Seems like a Steam key tool for game devs.
My intention is to drop orphan keys, not to track key activations.

Thanks for sharing though.

5 years ago
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I've seen this one before, I think OrlyGift used it at some point..

5 years ago
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from their Legal yadda yadda page:

Orlyapps - Janzen & Strauß GbR
Weidenstraße 8
26219 Bösel

5 years ago
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I see. You're quite the detective 🕵️ :)

5 years ago
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What happened to keygiveaway.com?

5 years ago
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No idea... They just, died.

5 years ago
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I thought that codes can be coded into QR tag :D Still, it means "manual work".

5 years ago
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I was thinking about implementing something to solve the ninjas problem and stumble at this thread.
Was this project abandoned?

1 year ago
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there is the anti ninja thread if you don't want ninjas

1 year ago
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the anti-ninja methods helps, but would be even better if we had a tool like OP proposed
I'll look into implementing it on my time off on January :D

1 year ago
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I had a go at something similar a few years ago, on my old personal site

basically you pasted in the key in whatever format
and the script would select 2 random characters from it and replace all instances of those characters with characters such as &$#!, and then display the altered key either with the clue # = j, %=4 or a worded clue such as % = the square root of 16.

But then unfortunately I started to overthink it and it got unwieldy and then trying to work out how to make it trustworthy as in people don't know me so why would they trust that i am not stealing the keys they put in.

And then got sick and forgot about it and wiped server as was moving host, keep thinking I'll give it another go but never quite get to it

1 year ago
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1 year ago
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Yes lol, kinda. Long long long time ago, SG didn't allow creating GAs for "free games".
So I was ninja proofing my extra Steam keys from past bundles, and find it very tedious.

Now that it has been changed, I lost the motivation to continue this project.
Also, I redo-ed many times due to technology change (from MVC server-side render, to jQuery Ajax, to SPA React), and now it rests in my development-hell.

You're welcomed to start one!

1 year ago*
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