Starforce Petition!

[orion731]

I realize that this post is getting huge but I thought I'd add my two cents. Before reading this post I knew very little of starforce and the evilness behind it. I was just aware that it was a form of copy protection but I do realize now it is much more than that. I bought the game Breed and installed it without even realizing it was on the dreaded starforce protected list. What are we supposed to memorize this list when choosing a pc game to buy? After installing I have noticed very weird quirks about my system first being that the starforce somehow messed with my file associations when I tried to doubleclick the DVD drive my Audio cd was inserted in. It said there was no file association attached to it. I specifically remember that when I used to doubleclick the drive with an audio CD inserted it opened in Winamp, my music player of choice. So I quickly downloaded the Starforce clean program from this post and *hopefully* removed this starforce driver from my system. My question that I hope someone can answer is "How do you know for sure if starforce has truley been completely uninstalled from your system." Reformatting is NOT an option. Thanks.

[BarryB]

The problem, I think, with most EULA agreements is they don't actually state you are agreeing to the copy protection used or that the program uses copy protection. You are only agreeing to the terms and conditions for the program code to run the game.

Since most commercial copy protections are licenced from 3rd party developers, when installing a copy protected game there is no EULA between you and the maker of the copy protection, so if it is installed without any consent and the program does not run because the copy protection does not like deamon tools or whatever the copy protection maker arbitarily dictates you can't have on your system, how can you agree to the EULA for program code you can't run because the undisclosed copy protection won't let the program code run?

Anyone legally minded have an opinion?

[Zwo]

no matter what kind of tec goods i buy there is always a technology and or law that want me 2 regulate the uze of. i just want 2 buy music for example and get rootkits and non-redbook bullshit! i wont pay with buggy or incompatible money. so i have 2 fight 4 a reasonabl balance between the interests of the right owners somewhere and mine.
and if there is any that want make me believe i am ganster like just because of a backup or private copy - get lost!!

[Alien Firefox]

starforce should be banned

though barryb mate

im looking at my splinter cell 3 chaos theory dvd box

which has starforce v3 elite

and nowhere on it does it mention starforce.

so your comment is right mate i think that after all the other shit they write on the box they could atleast add a line that states the protection the game uses.

or a icon on the front stating it

powered by starforce
powered by safedisc.
powered by securom

it wouldnt take up any more ink or anything and would be more convenient.

[wolfsrain]

I agree. It should be an icon there. Also I see lately an increase of programs that are just installed on your hard drive.No questions asked. DirectX, Net Framework, gamespy arcade, Xfire. Just to name a few. Maybe I don't want all that. Maybe I do have the latest DirectX or the latest Net Framework. Maybe I am an antisocial person who doesn't like programs like Xfire or Gamespy Arcade.

What happened with asking what I want to install? A readme which would state that the game actually needs at least version x of the program z should suffice.
Supreme Commander installed a lot of c.ap without asking.What the hell is wrong with those people.Maybe I don't want to play the game online.

Maybe I just want to play the SP campaign and go back to some MMORPG i play, game that I bought being fully aware that I will play it only online.Maybe I don't like the Gamespy Arcade or any other of those services.

I'd like back the custom install, just because it gives me at least the illusion of choice.I always used the custom install, but lately that option just disappeared and that makes me angry. After all I pay for my games, I should have the right to decide what I want on my PC or not

[BarryB]

The nearest I've seen in any manual to admitting copy protection is this satement in the Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones manual:

"NOTICE: This game contains technology intended to prevent copying that may conflict with some CD-RW, DVD-RW and virtual drives."

but never mentions Starforce by name!!

[holiace]

Starforce COULd have been good if it wasn't f*cking up everyones hardware and windows, so I say: Yes, I am boycotting the Starforce protection system!!

[Alien Firefox]

aparently this issue was solved with starforce v4

i havent seen it and i doubt any program that has starforce v4 will run on my system anyways

so its just starforce v4

and you can do a manual install by selecting the custom install option during installation.

i think safedisc and securom v7 are the best protections

especially securom v7 its a damn good protection dosnt cause any ssystem slow down

doesnt add drivers to the system and is just all round good

i have alot of repect for the folks who created securom and i have even more respect for the crackers who crack it.


im afraid without crackers the gaming industry could be naming there price for games as it is now they cant because then it would encourage more crackers.

[Joe Forster/STA]

Well, as far as I know, SecuROM 7 does add drivers to the system, it's just that they aren't running all the time, unlike with Starforce 3...

[TippeX]

nah, the securom 7 drivers was dropped ages ago, unused afaik, same with the 'user service'...
safedisc also uses drivers, but again, not running all the time which i think is fine, permanent drivers running when there is no need for them to run (especially 'suspicious' ones like the starforce ones) however i dont like, especially when they can interfere with rmps etc.. (and there are also reports of the starforce drivers doing 'funny' things if they think the user is 'messing about' ie: trying to copy a disk etc...)...

starforce drivers are run all the time (even loaded very early in the windows boot stage) because they reroute int 3 and int 1 for their own use (as well as stopping softice from working etc).. int 3 mainly used in their 'virtual file system' crap...

[Alien Firefox]

yer its a fucker of a protection

and drivers for securom was dropped back in securom v5 i think

and safedisc drivers have to prove me any no harm

i didnt even know they existed.


i reckon if we all sued the software companies that use starforce we'd win and they'd go broke LOL

you cant blame the starforce developers because there just supplying a demand and therefore its up to the software companies whether they use it all not.

soft**** fucks should be sued.

[Rayder]

Thanks to StarForce and the lack of any warning on the box that it has that virus...er....I mean so-called "protection" included with the program, I don't bother buying ANY PC games anymore. I can't be bothered with checking lists or whatever just to see if a game has SF in it or not.

[Alien Firefox]

simplest way to to check for a crack first

if you install a starforce game you just apply the crack

if u do it without restarting ot executing the games the drivers wont install

which is ofcourse good.

[TippeX]

depends if the crack is a real crack, or a workaround within the starforce code (in which case starforce is still present..)