Starforce

[sinij]

He's real. It's typical of their attitude. In their mind the guy that makes 300000 pirated copies of software in China = you making a backup of your game or just wanting to play without the CD in the drive. You're both filthy pirates.

I call BS. Considering that they are russian PIRATING is a norm rather than exception there.

[HaemishM]

Thus they probably have a greatly distorted view of how bad piracy is.

[cosapi]

Please also note that some games may not have had StarForce in them during their inital release, but that subsequent re-issues may have.

I'm going to boycott all products by companies that use StarForce, not just specific games.

I think this is a good way to go. We (meaning someone who isn't me) should compile a list of publishers and games that we can update. We can even sticky it for added fun.

List of games using StarForce.

http://www.glop.org/starforce/

(thanks wikipedia)

[Signe]

Thanks!  Oh... and Yikes!

[WayAbvPar]

Please also note that some games may not have had StarForce in them during their inital release, but that subsequent re-issues may have.

I'm going to boycott all products by companies that use StarForce, not just specific games.

I think this is a good way to go. We (meaning someone who isn't me) should compile a list of publishers and games that we can update. We can even sticky it for added fun.

List of games using StarForce.

http://www.glop.org/starforce/

(thanks wikipedia)

Thanks for the link, and welcome.

Note to all lurkers- THIS is a good example of a first post. On topic, useful, and not spammy. Good show.

[schild]

Yea, that's the list I was looking at. It's a little off but a good starting point. Many of those games don't have starforce in america (but they do in europe) and vice versa. Also, some are just incorrect. There needs to be a very expansive list made one day.

[Megrim]

They Starforced Pac Man. Honestly, wtf...

[HaemishM]

Pac Man was asking for it.

[Furiously]

Was it removed on Freedom Force or do I have to send my PC to the cleaners?

[Samwise]

Bloody hell, Scrapland has Starforce.  Good thing I haven't installed it yet.

Luckily, Google found me a workaround.

[squirrel]

Oddly enough most of the games on there that i would want to play are also available on consoles. Generally i prefer PC's unless it's racing or sport games but I'll be renting those titles for the xbox before i pick up bargain bin versions for the PC now.

[Samwise]

Next time I'm at Best Buy I'm going to buy all the games I can find that have Starforce.  Then the next week I'm going to bring them back in a giant unopened pile to the returns desk and say "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize that this software would install malicious drivers onto my system, so I'm returning it.  Do you have a non-Starforce version?  No?  Well, I'd like my money back then so I can go hit the arcade."  Nothing pisses businesses off like having to give refunds.

[Stormwaltz]

I don't mind passive systems like Securom. I'm not interested in making backup copies or whatever - I just want to play the game without having to install intrusive software. Starforce is why I didn't buy X3, UFO: Aftershock, and Space Rangers 2. That's a good $150 US I'm spending elsewhere. It's not going to other games, because there's else quite like those available - it's going to anime and small-label music instead.

Good job, fellows. Way to protect your investment. Please allow your RIAA-paranoia to continue alienating customers.

[ahoythematey]

Is that any kind of assurance that Bioware games will remain herpes-free?  I think I'd die a little inside if I couldn't pick up your future PC titles, assuming you make anymore...

[Tebonas]

An Icewind Dale expansion? Now thats low. I'll have to watch out for this more. I though only obscure software houses with shitty titles do this. It really hurts when I can't buy some roleplaying games anymore.

[Azazel]

Next time I'm at Best Buy I'm going to buy all the games I can find that have Starforce.  Then the next week I'm going to bring them back in a giant unopened pile to the returns desk and say "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize that this software would install malicious drivers onto my system, so I'm returning it.  Do you have a non-Starforce version?  No?  Well, I'd like my money back then so I can go hit the arcade."  Nothing pisses businesses off like having to give refunds.

As fun as that may be, all it's going to do is annoy the guys at your local Best Buy (who may then reexamine their local return policy, since you're obviously abusing it), it's hardly going to make a difference to the publishers who are the cocksockets putting SF onto their games.

And damn I was glad that Heroes of the Pacific doesn't have it. Being a Codemasters release and all, I didn't even have it occur to me..

[Rasix]

An Icewind Dale expansion? Now thats low.

Time to smash my Heart of Winter disk. I don't want that shit even mingling with the rest of my games.  Might give them ideas.  I'll have to check my Silent Storm disk for herpes too.

Reading the list makes me sad, there's a few games there I wanted to play some day.

[Samwise]

As fun as that may be, all it's going to do is annoy the guys at your local Best Buy (who may then reexamine their local return policy, since you're obviously abusing it), it's hardly going to make a difference to the publishers who are the cocksockets putting SF onto their games.

Generally annoyances like that get pushed up the chain.  They can't change their return policy without alienating a broad range of customers - far easier to reexamine whether it's really worth stocking Starforce-bearing titles (which probably make up a relatively small percentage of their sales compared to the potential sales loss from making their return policy less friendly).  If publishers start hearing that retail outlets are reluctant to carry Starforce titles due to their high return rate, publishers start getting reluctant to put Starforce on their games.

At least, that's the idea.  It might sound crazy, but so does democracy.

[Stormwaltz]

Is that any kind of assurance that Bioware games will remain herpes-free?

I have no say in such things. I'd rail against it, but only those who do have a say could give you an assurance.

[Murgos]

You know, there are only two games I am looking forward to right now on the PC.  Hellgate:London and TES:Oblivion.  If either of those games have Starforce on them I am going to be in a serious dilemma.

[Yegolev]

Hellgate:London

Can't have Starforce if it never gets to retail.

[Rasix]

Hellgate:London

Can't have Starforce if it never gets to retail.

Demos have Starforce on them nowadays.  Well, that's if it ever has a demo.

[Azazel]

Generally annoyances like that get pushed up the chain.  At least, that's the idea.  It might sound crazy, but so does democracy.

Sure, if hundreds or thousands of people all over the place do it. You doing it by yourself makes you like that guy who got banned from a supermarket here for buying individual mushrooms - they were under the minimum weight/charge amount,. so by "purchasing" his big bag of loose mushrooms "one at a time" he got them all for free. The second time he tried it he was politely asked to leave.

[Samwise]

Sure, if hundreds or thousands of people all over the place do it.

Like I said, same is true of democracy.  I can only hope others will follow my selfless example.

[Azazel]

Out of interest, whats the extent of your campaign outside of the above post?

[Samwise]

Out of interest, whats the extent of your campaign outside of the above post?

I just ate some lasagna.  Got to keep my strength up.

[Azazel]

Don't go too heavy on the cheese there.

And let me know if your local best buy soon has Homer Simpson-esque photos of you with "do not sell to this man" written on them. ;)

[Samwise]

Sadly, I think if that were to happen, it might be the proudest accomplishment of my life.

[Strazos]

Heart of Winter having StarForce is kind of bullshit.

I played the original release, and it didn't have it - must be the re-released collector's sets.

[Phred]

After reading this thread I found the solution to a problem that's been plaguing me for almost a year. I upgraded my motherboard a year ago and moved my existing hard drives over to it. I started having a problem with the primary IDE channel  getting set down to a lower speed setting from ultra dma 100 mode due to too many errors detected. I checked using the guide on that page and sure enough, I had starforce drivers installed. So I removed them and since then my primary ide channel has stayed at dma mode 5 ever since. Grrr.

[angry.bob]

Having had not one, but two DVD burners work immediately before installing a game with Starforce and then not work immediately after installing them, I've come to the decision that any game released by a company that uses Starforce on anything available to the public I'm just going to pirate and give out copies at work for free. Even if I have no interest in the game personally. I might even burn a bunch of copies and stick them under people's wiper blades in mall parking lots. Starforce has has cost me a good $500 in top of the line drives and troubleshooting. If a company wants to wreck my hardware and waste my time as well as money assuming I'm a pirate for actually buying their product, a pirate is what they get.

And developers reading this, copy protection doesn't work. It never has, and it never, ever, ever will - EVER. Even with the good groups like Razor gone, the stuff is cracked and on USENET in under two days. So just fucking stop it already. And I don't care that it's not ultimately your decision. Explain it to the people who's decision it is.

[Samwise]

I might even burn a bunch of copies and stick them under people's wiper blades in mall parking lots.

Le brilliant.

[Modern Angel]

Wait, what happened to Razor? Not that I care much for what happens to the l33t kids but... ah... you know.

[Torinak]

At least one StarForce employee/board admin was nice enough to demonstrate what happens when you don't use StarForce:  people can download pirated versions of your software, using the torrent link they were so helpful as to provide.  The GalCiv2 message boards have the story:

http://forums.galciv2.com/index.aspx?ForumID=161&AID=106741

and image at http://www.galciv2.com/temp/starfo2.jpg

-Torinak

[schild]

I fucking hate those red bastards.