Starforce Petition!

[Linux-Gamer]

SF games dont works on my Cedega , too

The fu**** PC reboot Grrrrrr

Starforce to Hell


MfG

[Iku]

[coffin filler]

Originally Posted by Iku

?? ??

[Muji-FightR]

Originally Posted by coffin filler

?? ??

I suppose he wanted to add himself to the long list w/out saying anything ?
He could have also said "Hello, me too" while meaning exactly the same..

[robo989]

hello, me too...

[Rayder]

Alrighty, I've read every single post in this thread. (WHEW!) Add me to the boycott list, I'm convinced that this protection should be completely outlawed.

I have 3 games in front of me right now that are SF protected that I still have the boxes to: Dead To Rights (DTR), Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition (MATDE) and Peter Jackson's King Kong Signature Edition (PJKK). I know I should have the Trackmania Sunrise box right here handy too, but I can't seem to find it at the moment. I know I have a few more, but these are the ones I still have the boxes to investigate.

Anyway, looking at the packaging, only one of them mentions anything about having any copy protection on it at all....PJKK. It says (and I quote),

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

This was in a (approximately) 1/4" by 1" little box on the back of the packaging. Carefully notice that it DID NOT say the protection was Starforce. Hey! At least in warned you though....nevermind that you you had to hunt it down on the box to see it. Also notice that it said it may conflict, not destroy, your drives.

The other 2 games say NOTHING about the fact that it can damage (or conflict with) your PC in the least.

(minor digression)
A couple of months ago, my Plextor CD-R drive (2410a if my memory serves) started getting VERY slow to recognize disks and would fail to write basic data CD's consistently (sometimes it would, sometimes it wouldn't). I just figured that the drive's time had come and replaced it. Now I wonder. I can't test it to see if it works fine in a non-SF infested system since I tossed the drive and replaced it with a LiteOn DVD-R drive.

Anyway, to my point. I think ALL Starforce infested games should have the warning that PJKK did, but TELL you that it is, in fact, SF that is the protection, not only that the protection used MAY cause issues. That way we'll know not to waste money on those games. While I've not had any absolute proof that SF has really caused any damage to my system, why blatantly invite problems?

I have a couple ideas for the people here to make our purchase decisions easier. One may be sort of shady and/or illegal, but that one idea would certainly help get the message across to more people outside of the internet.

First (and this is the easy one) make a sticky post in the PC Games section that lists ALL known SF infested games. Keep it updated as new games with the SF infestation come out. While this thread has that info in spades, many may never see it, but a sticky post is hard to miss. This way, when a game comes out and you aren't sure of it's protection scheme, you have one simple post to check to see if it's one with the SF infestation.

Next, (and this is the shady one that would have to be done voluntarily because it COULD get you in trouble) is to get a roll of super sticky labels (you know, the kind of sticky that license plate stickers have, can't remove those suckers very easily at all without destroying whatever they're stuck to ) that have something like this printed on them, "Warning: This game uses Starforce protection which MAY damage your PC or limit its ability to function properly", (or something like that) and stick these labels on SF infested games in stores so EVERYONE that picks up the box will see the warning (instead of having to search the whole box that may not even have such a warning) and hopefully will spread the word (or at least cause them to investigate) about the dangers of StarForce.....not to mention instantly alerting those of us that ARE aware to not even touch that game.

Sound like good ideas to you?

Well, I'm going to uninstall MATDE (only SF game currently installed) and run the SF cleaner program now. Later all.

My goodness! This ended up to be quite a long post. Sorry 'bout that. Just goes to show what a sensitive issue this is to us honest puchasers of games I guess.

[Grumpy]

@Rayder
I believe the only reason King Kong has the warning on it is because now they realize there is potentially a problem and they are just covering their asses!
With the warning, they now add to the box, nobody can argue in court that they were not told of a protection being used. But as you say they still dont mention it is actually starforce!
With so many complaints and petitions, circulating on the internet now, I believe it is only a matter of time before something drastic happens. Whether or not this will actually stop publishers from using Starforce remains to be seen?

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

Now that warning gives people a strong reason to return their starforce games for a refund! All they have to do is say it conflicts with their drives and wont work! After all we should not be expected to buy new hardware just to run a game! This argument could actually go 2 ways though as some people buy new graphics cards just to play a newer game!
The shops would not be able to disagree as it states it on the box! The shops would have no choice but to refund your money!
If the shops have to keep refunding money then maybe they might stop stocking starforce games? So that is another way, if everyone purchases a game then returns it 2 days later for a refund!
As for you sticker idea, I like it!! I can just see myself doing that!
I havent purchased a starforce game for a very long time, and I feel the only game that I may really miss is Race Driver 3 (Toca). But even that wont persuade me to go through the hassles of installing a starforce protected game!!
I wont even download game demo's anymore until I find out for sure which protection is being used on it!!
Anyway keep boycotting and stay PC safe.

[Stinger87]

Hey guys, I was going to buy a game that had recieved some good reviews, but I decided to rent it first... good thing to, as it has StarForce 3 and it's not on your list.

It's Ricky Ponting International Cricket 2005, known in other countries as Brian Lara Cricket 2005, so yeah, another one to watch out for.

Damn StarForce! I'm right behind you guys.

Yikes! I guess you've seen the latest news regarding Starforce and Stardock..?

Stardock, maker of GalCiv2 was critizied by Starforce for not using their cp. The thread has since been locked, but this has caused quite a stirr.

Linkies:
http://forums.galciv2.com/index.aspx...aid=106741&c=1
http://www.star-force.com/forum/inde...topic=670&st=0
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=1209

This one even made gamespot's PC news: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6145864.html

[Grumpy]

@midfingr
The interview, on Gamespot, with Galactic Civilations II lead designer and Stardock head Brad Wardell is very interesting. He brings up a few things that have been mentioned many times before but which have been argued about time and time again! The main point being:

Most people who pirate a software product would never have purchased it.

Now I have heard a lot of you talk about this!

Another interesting point is:

EBGames has released their top-selling PC games from last week. Galactic Civilizations II was number one. So if piracy is such a menace, it's not apparently affecting us to the degree that some say it should.

Ive always maintained that if a game is good enough people will purchase it!

I think they are on the right path with the updates idea. But the problem is, will developers/publishers start releasing unfinished games (with files purposely missing) so that you need to patch it before you play?
This in my opinion would not be a bad thing! It would sort of be like what we had to do with Halflife 2. That being we had to download files before we could play. Difference with Halflife 2 being we had to still use the CD to play until they succumbed and released the patch to allow the use of NoCD.

[Grumpy]

@HBAndrew

will be downloaded and played

May I suggest you have a read of the forum rules before you bother to post such dribble again!!

[Rayder]

UGH!!! I just got burned by buying a game that had the StarForce virus/rootkit (whatever) in it. L.A. Rush. Luckily, I checked GCW before opening it....

It's a good thing I didn't open it. If I would have opened it, I would have been stuck with it. Back to the store it goes. And when I take it back, I'll be sure to let them know that it was because of the potentially damaging protection that it contains as my reason for bringing it back.

Loss of sales +1 thanks to StarForce....and NOT piracy!

The StarForce-infested list of games NEEDS TO BE A STICKY POST so we can reference it quickly, without having to hunt down this petition thread. Could that please be added?

[Grumpy]

The StarForce-infested list of games NEEDS TO BE A STICKY POST.... Could that please be added?

I may just do that soon?

[OG61065]

I Promise the bearer not to purchase any "Software" containing StarForce Copywrite Protection and any of its nasty, underhanded, vile drivers. I personally think there may be a case against them using the "Human Rights" Convention, that states we are all entitled to privacy and choice and as far as I can see SF are breaching this by installing this software even though we have agreed to the EULA it denies the individual the choice of playing the game without the drivers being installed and therefore invades ones privacy.
Needs a lawyer to look at it!!
Leon of London.
OG61065

[Rayder]

CDFreaks has an interesting article about StarForce and it's destroying disk drives.

http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13212