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StarForce in focus again


Slaughter

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Yup... Stardock is a company that's actualy doing the right thing. Rewarding the people who buy the game with free upgrades, extra content, etc.

 

I guess it just shows how starforce opperate when their admins post links torrents to games that don't use their "copy protection" system. I hope the other publishers who do use starforce get a chance to see this so they can see just who they are dealing with. But then again... they probably just won't care.

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Has anybody checked out the editing history and discussion pages for the Wikipedia entry for Starforce?

 

The really bizarre thing about this situation is that the Starforce forum admin who posted the link later posted the following extract from their forum rules in the discussion thread:

 

Discussion of illegal activities such as software and music piracy and other intellectual property violations are not allowed. This includes any kinds of discussions about cracking/emulation of StarForce protection in general and/or about the ways to crack/emulate any particular game protected with StarForce.

 

His actions therefore represent a significant breach of the rules that he sets for other people at the StarForce forums. I would like to think that it was just a significant error of judgement, but being naturally cynical, I find it more likely that this was a vindictive attempt to undermine a company that refused to do business with StarForce. Either way, the reputation of StarForce has been further damaged.

 

I think it would be in the best interests of Cenega to ditch StarForce when UFO: Afterlight is released, and go for a less militant form of copy protection. I think that the boycott against all StarForce protected products will outweigh the benefits StarForce offers over alternative methods of copy protection.

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A number of people both here and at the official ALTAR forums publicly annunced that they were boycotting UFO: Aftershock because it uses StarForce. I'm not sure what copy protection UFO: Aftermath uses though.

 

Ironically, Cenega made the decision to use StarForce, but as Cenega don't have a forum, it was the guys at ALTAR who ended up getting the stick for a decision they had nothing to do with...

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Unfortunatly a lot of developers do get the blame, when a lot of the time it should be the publishers. Developers usualy want their game to be the best it can be whereas the publishers, more often than not, just want to see a good return on their investment. Unfortunatly a lot of the time the two are mutualy exclusive, or so it seems.
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I agree completely, Kernel. The only copy protection scheme that as been implemented by developers are serial keys, for multiplaying and such. It's the developers who slap on the rest of it, sometimes even so haphazardly that they have to remove it from future patches because in a rare show of long-term planning they want attract future players to the "classic" games.

 

And this guy.. This, this-- Rrrgh. Scroll down to comment #117. His utter, irreproachable ignorance is mind-boggling... I mean, UTTERLY mind-boggling! :D

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Hmm... on releated StarForce news... Aspyr have decided not to use StarForce on the North American version of SpellForce 2 after the large number of complaints about it being included with the demo version.

 

https://www.gamershell.com/news/28751.html

 

Aspyr will be distributing the North American version of SpellForce 2 and JoWood will be distributing the European version.

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Because the executable in a demo is very similar to the one in the full game. It would be inviting a quick crack not to do so.

 

Slaughter is correct. I've also known some demo's that use the same executable as the full game, the only difference was that the data file's were different. Because the demo doesn't look for the CD it would be easy to download a copy of the full game, download the demo and use the demo exe with the full game data files.

 

Hence the use of the copy protection with the demo exe. The exe would check the data files to see if they were the demo ones, if they were then it would run the program as normal, otherwise it would check the CD. Of course the copy protection is a little bit more than a simple "if... then... else..." statement but I'm sure you get the general idea. :D

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Well, that I can understand. Still, it's not a very bright move to distribute the game exe as a demo, CP or not. It's safer to cripple the exe alongside the datafiles, plus it'll save space what with the copy protection module gone together with the lion's share of game features. Besides, isn't that what everyone's been doing all this while?
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I've put this in the Altar Aftershock and also in The Fall forums but in case some of you don't follow those here is what I've written -

 

I was feeling very bored today and did something wouldn't normally do. I bought a sealed copy of a computer games magazine. Specifically Issue 160 of PC Gamer.

 

Within this mag I discovered a very interesting 2 page artical titled Star Struck. I strongly recommend any nay sayers of StarForce to read it and take it to heart. The lawyers are being released.

 

If those who post on this board who have repeatedly stated this security software has knobbled their pc then PC Gamer would like to hear from you at pcgamer@futurenet.co.uk You should also try (if you haven't already) support@star-force.com

 

The article provides a link https://www.onlinesecurity-on.com/protect.phtml?c=55 for removal of Star Force.

 

If after if this tool is used a check of the PC system needs tobe made to confimr all is gone then go to Device Manager/View/Show Hidden Devices and hunt down amongst the S' of the devices listed.

 

Oh yes. And after careful analysis of the complaints and their sources it is the considered opinion of at least one publisher and Star Force that those making all the noise are either hackers or pirates. Don't get at me. Read the article and see for yourself.

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Mikal, I'll see you that article and raise you this. (mirror)

 

I seriously doubt if I'll complain to StarForce about this, since they see us complainers as criminals first and customers second.

 

I'm pretty sure I don't have to say anything regarding Dr Derek Smart. *keeps his comments about "Smart" to himself* :D

 

EDIT: Seriously, StarForce's worst enemies are the Internet and their own damage control people.

Edited by Matri
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Oh yes. And after careful analysis of the complaints and their sources it is the considered opinion of at least one publisher and Star Force that those making all the noise are either hackers or pirates. Don't get at me. Read the article and see for yourself.

 

That's been StarForce's line for a long time now, it's just their way of saying "If it all goes wrong then it's not our fault". While I've never had a problem with StarForce myself I do know someone who has and they wouldn't have a clue as to how to hack a game nor where to get a pirate copy.

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The producer of Heroes of Might & Magic V, Faubrice Cambornet, is quoted as saying that across Ubisoft's range of tech support of recent releases fewer than 500 calls worldwide were Starforce related (0.3%) Some of the stats cited are quite interesting. I'd like to visit an industry site which also has this sort of information.

 

Speaking of EULAs. In order to read them the user must first break the seal on the packaging and hey, many game shops won't take the game back if the packaging has been opened in the UK. This can be argued the EULA is not legally binding because you have to start the install to read it and inth eUK any contract terms must be readsily available prior to purchase.

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It's an interesting link but hard to find much information for all the ranting and raving. Then all again most topics I've come across about StarForce have little substance but lots of tantrums. With all the hysteria I do wonder just how solid the foundation for all the fuss really is.

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Here's the original article linked in the post.

https://live.gadgetlife.org/news/2006/3/21/...-its-not-pretty

 

Kernel, thanks for the link.

 

I followed it through to the full article on CDFreak I think perhaps more computer magazines (not just game ones) should be encouraged to join the debate. Clearly there is a problem and it sounds bad enough to me although I do not yet think I have suffered any problems.

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