Should Civilization IV be "Starforce" Protected?
- Thread starter icet
- Start date
Blackbird_SR-71
Spying from 85,000 ft
what do you mean by starforce protection system?
ybbor
Will not change his avata
icet said:
okay, i'm asking you.
Definitely no, despite being fanatical about Civ and eagerly awaiting Civ4 I wouldn't buy it if Starforce was the copy protection system used.
StarForce installs a hidden device driver on your computer, one that many people have found interferes with cd and usb drives and which isn't even removed if you uninstall the game unless you search out and use a special removal tool. Far too many people have reported problems with StarForce and as someone who is meticulous about what goes on their computer I wouldn't touch a game that has it.
But of course there has been no suggestion by Firaxis that they are looking at using StarForce, I'm going to presume they are sensible and nice and will look at other more computer friendly copy protection systems.
StarForce installs a hidden device driver on your computer, one that many people have found interferes with cd and usb drives and which isn't even removed if you uninstall the game unless you search out and use a special removal tool. Far too many people have reported problems with StarForce and as someone who is meticulous about what goes on their computer I wouldn't touch a game that has it.
But of course there has been no suggestion by Firaxis that they are looking at using StarForce, I'm going to presume they are sensible and nice and will look at other more computer friendly copy protection systems.
TheDS
Regular Riot
Where's the F-CK NO choice?
brinko
witness of the past
do they have a logo on the box stated it is star focre protected?
i think i ran into this installing battlefield veitnam....it found out i had an illegal copy of winzip, brought up a window tallying all the days i was over expired, which was like 350, and then wouldnt let me play the game....
this is sick technology....
i think i ran into this installing battlefield veitnam....it found out i had an illegal copy of winzip, brought up a window tallying all the days i was over expired, which was like 350, and then wouldnt let me play the game....
this is sick technology....
TheDS
Regular Riot
brinko said:
That's too funny!
sealman
Hater of Babylonians
They should be allowed to protect their product fom pirates anyway they wish.
However, thanks for the information on Starforce. I must keep an eye out for games with it, it sounds like it is overstepping its authority.
However, thanks for the information on Starforce. I must keep an eye out for games with it, it sounds like it is overstepping its authority.
Loppan Torkel
Deity
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2004
- Messages
- 4,756
No, there's no need for it, the civplayers are such an honest bunch anyway...
tR1cKy
taking over the world
Civ3 is one of the few games i bought original. Albeit i have no problems to find it in p2p networks, i forked out the money happily: i honestly believe they deserve them.
However, if Civ4 comes out with that piece of crapware i won't buy it, nor even take a legitimate copy for free.
Starforce is no better than spyware/malware etc. bundled with some piece of crap like kazaa & so on: it borks your pc's functionality and stays resident even if you uninstall the software. It is also utterly useless: how much time will it take, for an experienced cracker, to find out the right ASM instructions and blank them out?
Battlefield Vietnam's publishers have definitely pissed out of the loo. Thanks for the advice. I will NEVER buy that game.
However, if Civ4 comes out with that piece of crapware i won't buy it, nor even take a legitimate copy for free.
Starforce is no better than spyware/malware etc. bundled with some piece of crap like kazaa & so on: it borks your pc's functionality and stays resident even if you uninstall the software. It is also utterly useless: how much time will it take, for an experienced cracker, to find out the right ASM instructions and blank them out?
Battlefield Vietnam's publishers have definitely pissed out of the loo. Thanks for the advice. I will NEVER buy that game.
sir_schwick
Archbishop of Towels
I think if anything, giving consumers good, relatively functional games at reasonable prices does more to stop pirateing than other factors. Just look at the music industry. For nearly five years the only way to get music over the internet was p2p networks. No legitimate option existed for people despite a large demand. Now that many reasonable pay p2p networks exist, many of the former piraters are willing to pay for good quality music.
Pirates will always exist, making sure that most customers do not feel it is much better to pirate is the key. Of course it is more complicated than this, but this is my humble opinion.
Pirates will always exist, making sure that most customers do not feel it is much better to pirate is the key. Of course it is more complicated than this, but this is my humble opinion.
Trade-peror
UET Economist
I agree with sir_schwick. There is no way to completely eliminate the losses to pirates, so this over-powerful crackdown will almost certainly alienate more honest customers than prevent determined pirates.
sir_schwick said:
Of course, in some countries consumers pay a levy on all recording media (MP3 players, blank CDs, etc.) to pay for any music they might potentially download onto it... and are then called pirates by the same industries that are raking in the levies. Very annoying.
I miss the good old days of Civ II when I only had to put in one of my CDs if I wanted to see what my advisors had to say. *sigh*
Hunter
Civ Addict
"Copy Protection" is a joke that makes software exec's feel all warm and safe in their very own emperors new clothing. In reality "the more they tighten their grip the more pirates will slip though their fingers". 
Yes they need something since just like locking your door keeps dumb criminals out of your house, so to dose Light copy protection keep copies to a minimal. As for the Starforce annoyance, well if its on the disk I will still buy it once someone hacks it so I dont have to put up with it. And someone will since there is no security built by a person that another person can't get around.
To Software exec's:
Keep your spyware off my computer! I mean honestly its like peeing in another persons pool... STAY OUT OF MY POOL!
Yes they need something since just like locking your door keeps dumb criminals out of your house, so to dose Light copy protection keep copies to a minimal. As for the Starforce annoyance, well if its on the disk I will still buy it once someone hacks it so I dont have to put up with it. And someone will since there is no security built by a person that another person can't get around.To Software exec's:
Keep your spyware off my computer! I mean honestly its like peeing in another persons pool... STAY OUT OF MY POOL!
brinko
witness of the past
one word followed by many others...
Rebate...!!! 5$ or 10$ back? or maybe 10$ off the expansion pack coupon...
or a nice technology poster or one displaying all units.
civ 2 for playstation 1, they had a nice poster of the technologic advances
anyways i had ruined my original civ3, so i went out and bought it again, but this time it came with play the world and conquests. its a little bit different when u actually enjoy the game and want to see it grow, opposed to buying some new rap cd, which had 20 songs but only 1 or 2 of them are any good.
Rebate...!!! 5$ or 10$ back? or maybe 10$ off the expansion pack coupon...
or a nice technology poster or one displaying all units.
civ 2 for playstation 1, they had a nice poster of the technologic advances
anyways i had ruined my original civ3, so i went out and bought it again, but this time it came with play the world and conquests. its a little bit different when u actually enjoy the game and want to see it grow, opposed to buying some new rap cd, which had 20 songs but only 1 or 2 of them are any good.
Similar threads
