Starforce: Sniper Elite
 

Some days ago I saw this game on a PS2 and I really liked it, so I was going to preorder it for my pc...all of sudden, browsing the review I read that it was protected with Starforce.

I made some resarch on internet, and I found a crack by Reloaded for it, here's the main readme stuff:

Starforce 3.5
Install the game
Copy the cracked executable from the /crack dir on the DVD to your installation directory (probably this crack was meant to ship with the warez version, since I doubt that there will be a crack dir on my dvd...)
Play the game

So, before I burn my money on it, I ask to you:

1) Has this game really been cracked? How could it be so easy...as far as I know Starforce required lots of workarounds to get bypassed....could I it really be so simple?

2) When I will install it, it will obviously install the Starforce crap too, right?
After applying the nocd, can I remove the malicious drivers? If yes, where's the driver's removal tool, could you link me??

3) I use burning apps (Nero) and Daemon tools often, expecially the latter, since Im a collector and I want my disks to survive me....will installing this game screw these softwares?

Im basing the "buy or not buy" decision on your feedback, thanks in advance.

Install the game from your original and don't let it run the game at the finish. Run the Starforce driver remover right away in case it DOES install the Starforce drivers (you should notice that anyway). Now apply the crack and play. This way you won't get infected and your burner softwares won't get handicapped either.

1) Yes, crack works (older, more simple sf-version)
2) No. Drivers will not be installed, if you copy over crack before starting the game first time. In that case you won't be asked by starforce at all.
3) No probs with installed other software like DT or others.

@Joe Foster: Are you sure, that while installing the game Starforce drivers will be automatically also be installed and not by clicking yes when starting the game and rebooting?
If you are, I never noticed this. What a shame for me.

The Starforce drivers are installed (or activated) right at the beginning of the execution of the software. (The installer could also be protected by Starforce but only a lighter version of it: it would be weird to have to reboot and get infected only to be able to start the installation!)

Still, if the installer does install the Starforce drivers, the remover will remove them (don't reboot before removing them!) and then they won't get any chance to activate!

I'm not a protection expert, though, and try to keep away from Starforce-protected titles, so I haven't tested many games for when they infect your PC with that copy protection.

Thanks for the support...

so there could be 2 cases...

One: The game installs normally and dont ask to reboot...so I just run the removal tool, crack the game ans play...

Two: The Installer install the malicious drivers automatically, asking for reboot...in that cae, before rebooting, I run the removal tool, then reboot, crack and play...

Am I right??

Yes, I would suggest that you run the Starforce driver remover anyway, when the installation has successfully finished, no matter whether you see the reboot confirmation window or not. (Though, I don't think it would install the drivers silently, without any notice; especially, that it needs your PC to be rebooted anyway!)

Thanks for the help...

This is my first encounter with Starforce...and wont be the last due to "Heroes of Might & Magic V"...I wonder what kind of starforce protection will they use...

Since it will be released by UBI it will probably be the most severe version.

Nothing that cave unplugging cant solve, right?
Im still a n00b...this is my first sf game, but I heard that no sf game is unplayable without cd...am I right?

I always have to pick my games carefully due to my low budget...and I really cant afford to lose one of my games due to cd/dvd continuous usage...thats why I NEVER use my originals, but only backups,images or cracked versions...Im quite proud of my little collection, and I intend to make it last until I die.