S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. It's got the Starforce on it!

[Azazel]

What a fucking stupid idea. I was looking forward to this, too.

Any idea if the Steam version would have the AIDS on it as well?

[Yegolev]

Does anything on Steam have non-Steam DRM?  Serious question.

[NiX]

I think the games retain their DRM unless they opt for the steam based verification. I remember there being a huge stink about a demo on Steam having StarForce or SecuROM in it and that's because Steam was just downloading the install for you and running it as a 3rd party app.

[Azazel]

Does anything on Steam have non-Steam DRM?  Serious question.

Bioshock still has the limited-install provisio. So my concern is that anything can happen.

[NowhereMan]

Fuck, I really enjoyed Stalker and I really don't want AIDS on my computer. God damn dilemmas.

[schild]

This is fucking clownshoes.

[FatuousTwat]

Buy it, download the cracked version off bittorrent and install that copy. Or just skip the whole buy part and say it was because of the DRM.

[schild]

Buy it, download the cracked version off bittorrent and install that copy.

[Azazel]

if I download a game at this stage of my life, it's becaue of FUCK YOU DRM and regardless of whether I play it or not, I won't be buying it.

So anyway, I guess we need to keep an eye on this once it's released.

[Yegolev]

I'm definitely not into torrenting things just because I don't want to pay for them, but I refuse to infect my PC because of some fucking douchebag executives.  My only concern right now is whether Spore is even worth the hassle of torrenting and burning an ISO.  I'm assuming S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is worth that hassle.

[FatuousTwat]

Don't bother burning! Get DAEMON tools!

http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/announcements.php

[FatuousTwat]

Buy it, download the cracked version off bittorrent and install that copy.

I wish I could put the emphasis on the second sentence.

[Azazel]

There are ways of adding emphasis in written text on a forum .

ahem.

Yegolev hit it right on the head. All we can hope for is that the Steam version is unfucked, I guess.

[Stormwaltz]

I've got Clear Sky through Steam. I'll check my system when I get home.

I've played it 20 minutes. Talked to a bunch of NPCs that vomited backstory at me, then got sent to a combat area where I was killed in less than five minutes by wandering invisible objects. Then I played Company of Heroes for the rest of the night.

[Azazel]

So... requiring a patch you reckon?

[Yegolev]

Don't bother burning! Get DAEMON tools!

http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/announcements.php

Tempting, but there are plusses to burning the ISO.  I'll put off this project until I get tired of playing games that aren't full of ass.

[Stormwaltz]

So... requiring a patch you reckon?

I'm afraid it's just bad design. That's how they implemented the zone "anomalies" - post-process warp effects that are hard to see. You're supposed to be aided by a proximity beep and the ability to toss bolts (as in, little metal screws) to see if the way is clear. Each time you hit an anomaly you lose 20-25% of your health. The start of gameplay has you trying to pass through an area of anomalies. And they move. I was finally killed while standing still, trying to get my bearings.

I ran Starforce's own removal tool, which claimed that no drivers were installed. To be sure, I searched the registry for known Starforce entries. No hits.

The Steam version appears to be clean.

[Hawkbit]

The real question is:  Did they fix that nausea-inducing headbob from the first one?  Because that was shite.