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@Ghaleor

Ok, back to the topic. What do you think about starforce?



I think that after reading this I need to quickly make a backup of my BD disc.

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I've been reading quite a few forums, and things are pretty bad. Without exception, everyone is talking about avoiding these games. Loads have already been returned to shops. Now I know why BD dropped £10 in game. People must be returning it in droves!

It looks to me like to like starforce is damaging sales, and future sales. But the companies that use this, only have themselves to blame. They're losing their legitimate buyers, fans, and casual gamers in the process. People who are unsure about what starforce does are frightened of installing games with it, because they lack the knowledge to rectify their system.

This will effect sales more than piracy ever did. There's even talk about Half-Life 2 and DOOM 3 beening avoided if they use it. And these are the most eagarly awaited games of this year.


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Just so I get this straight, to see if I'm still following:

Starforce is not a program that copies the game on a CD, but it is a program that makes a backup file so you do not have to use the CD.

Games have a copy-protection, that de-install Starforce.
With the copy protection, if you want to install the game on another computer, you have to get another copy.

So what's the problem of Starforce? If it only makes a backup file on your computer, I don't see what harm is done to the company.

Last edited by Ghaleor; 20/06/04 03:01 PM.

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Just so I get this straight, to see if I'm still following:

Starforce is not a program that copies the game on a CD, but it is a program that makes a backup file so you do not have to use the CD.


Starforce is a disc protection to stop you copying the game.

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Games have a copy-protection, that de-install Starforce.
With the copy protection, if you want to install the game on another computer, you have to get another copy.


Starforce will not be uninstalled when you uninstall the game. You need a special tool to remove it. Typically, you will need to buy a copy of the game for each machine you install it on. 4 machines = 4 copies of the game need to be purchased. This is only the case however, if your disc is slightly scratched. If you need an activation key to bypass the check, your key will become invalid if you change any hardware on your machine, or make significant changes to the windows environment.

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So what's the problem of Starforce? If it only makes a backup file on your computer, I don't see what harm is done to the company.


The protection is causing widespread panic amongst the non-technical and outrage among the rest. Many games have been return to the shops because of this, and the fact that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beyond.gif" alt="" /> has dropped £10 in week over here, isn't really good for the retailers either.

The protection can cause some severe problems for some, and minor problems for others. This can be anything from random reboots, data loss, driver conflicts, hardware failure, and a myriad of other things that are being uncovered.



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I've been reading quite a few forums, and things are pretty bad. Without exception, everyone is talking about avoiding these games. Loads have already been returned to shops. Now I know why BD dropped £10 in game. People must be returning it in droves!

It looks to me like to like starforce is damaging sales, and future sales. But the companies that use this, only have themselves to blame. They're losing their legitimate buyers, fans, and casual gamers in the process. People who are unsure about what starforce does are frightened of installing games with it, because they lack the knowledge to rectify their system.

This will effect sales more than piracy ever did. There's even talk about Half-Life 2 and DOOM 3 beening avoided if they use it. And these are the most eagarly awaited games of this year.


As Marian stated in another thread, Larian has nothing to do with Starforce: it was the publisher's decision.

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Yes that's right, but it's Larian who'll be made to suffer for it.


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Yes that's right, but it's Larian who'll be made to suffer for it.

True, sadly. They definitly don't deserve this.

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Ok, know I'm beginning to understand the problem a bit.
I personally do not have any problem with this thing.

This protection thing, does it only harm those with some sort of CDcopy-program, or can it happen to anybody, like me?

Because I do not have any problems...

For now.

I do not need to install my game on another computer, nobody would care here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />.
But for the ones that have two computers, and has to get two copies...

Yes... I would be quite mad too, I suppose.


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What you have to remember here is that most people love Larian, it doesn't matter what protection they use, or what inconvenience it causes, this lot will still worship them.

Don't try to help them out with advice; they don't want to be helped.
------

Um? Of course they don't want advice? Yeah, that forum thingy called suggestion? You know its only because they sai "Hey, what the hell, lets through a few of those in, it looks good" and they just post there cuz they don't actually mind.

Worship? No, worshiping would mean going to the great Church of Divine and bowing down the picture of the divine lady and giving our money and kissing its feet. Does anyone here do that? Um. No. Sorry.


Hee. I'm getting ready for a flame war, it sounds fun doesn't it? We're all getting tense, if someone just made one bad comment it could happen. Its so nice isn't it?


Im 10.

Last edited by LewsTherinKinslayer13; 20/06/04 08:35 PM.


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Hee. I'm getting ready for a flame war, it sounds fun doesn't it? We're all getting tense, if someone just made one bad comment it could happen. Its so nice isn't it?

It won't come to a flame war so I won't advise you to start one yourself.


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Im 10.

What? I think you said last year you were 13. Are you aging backwards? How old were you in 1997?

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I was joking <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> this time.

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It won't come to a flame war so I won't advise you to start one yourself.
Good. And I won't. I'll be like Nobby, just wait till its over, then take their boots.

1997? I donna, 50?



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Im 10.


Why am I not suprised. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />


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Actually Im not, so, wala! be suprised!



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well, for all who read this thread;

if u like the game but don't like the protection, DON'T buy it.
if u like the game but afraid of the problems mentioned here, DON'T buy it.
if u like the game but not willing to buy it, DON'T pirate it.

if u have bought the game, & don't like the protection, by all means get a refund.
if u have bought the game & don't like it, by all means get a refund.

if u have bought the game & have previous two problems, & wishing to let people know about it, by all means please do. publishers & developers & gamers will value your opinions.

telling it once is stating opinion. stating it twice is clarifying it. thrice is pushing it. fourth comes to shove. fifth says u're sick. 6th turns fetish.

thanks for letting us know about how bad starforce protection is. as i have said in my other post in other thread regarding the same issue, don't just buy things impulsely & because u're weak against temptations. use your logic, experience, principles & moral standing. if u buy it despite knowing the problems, u're asking for it. problems, that is.

not directed at particular persons. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> glad all of u keep things civil. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />



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To be sure, read the reviews here.

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ghaleor -

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But for the ones that have two computers, and has to get two copies...

Yes... I would be quite mad too, I suppose.


just to let you know, i have the game (single copy) installed on both my desktop and my laptop. i've experienced no problems what-so-ever with 'multiple' machine setups.

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No, he meant if you scratch the CD and the CD check no longer works, then you get a key from the starforce people and that key will only work on 1 machine. If your CD is fine then you can install and play the game on as many machines as you want.

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ahhh. my bad.
i thought it wasn't understood about the key and that the game itself could only be loaded (and played) from a single machine.

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Copy protection is a scam. It doesn't actually prevent copying, not in the long run. It may well keep 'casual' users from copying stuff, but anyone seriously determined (or at least determined enough to do a few web searches, which aren't exactly rocket science)? No. If you really and truly believe this Starforce thing won't be broken, assuming it hasn't been already? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha.

It serves no purpose except to make the publishers think they're protecting their investment (without actually providing any real protection). And, of course, to inconvenience the end users. Heaven help you if you've got an incompatible optical drive (or, if half of what's been reported about Starforce is true, a scratched CD or a computer room that's not the right temperature).

It should go away forever. It won't, of course, because publishers need to be seen to be Doing Something about piracy.

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just to let you know, i have the game (single copy) installed on both my desktop and my laptop. i've experienced no problems what-so-ever with 'multiple' machine setups.


If you read my post closer, you will notice that I say "if the game becomes scractched, and you use a CD-Key".


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