[Legolas813]

Totally agree with you Jeysie.

I'm all for boycotting that site.

[Jeysie]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

Sure, they are jerks. It doesn't change the fact that StarForce sucks, though. I don't care about supporting the Boycott StarForce website, I just care about, you know, boycotting StarForce.

True, but if you want your boycott to actually have any real impact, you need some focus point to rally people around to gain mass... and unfortunately it seems that the most well-known rally point for Boycotting StarForce has some attitude issues.

Peace & Luv, Liz

[Jeysie]

Here's something more concrete to worry about... the glop.org site owner has recently decided to put Dreamfall on the boycott list... with the version unqualified, of course.

Peace & Luv, Liz

[insane_cobra]

So what else is new? You know their policy and MicroApplication's version of Dreamfall is confirmed as being protected by StarForce. It's wrong, but it was to be expected. Maybe we should start a "Boycott StarForce AND Boycott StarForce website" campaign.

[Legolas813]

Originally Posted by Jeysie

Here's something more concrete to worry about... the glop.org site owner has recently decided to put Dreamfall on the boycott list... with the version unqualified, of course.

Peace & Luv, Liz

God I hate those people. I wish people would just stop linking there.

[AFGNCAAP]

The glop people have been upfront about not caring about regional differences from the beginning. I don't see how it's more unfair to Dreamfall, than it was to every other game on the list.

[Legolas813]

It's not more unfair to Dreamfall. I've disliked the list even before they added Dreamfall.

[Martin Gantefoehr]

Originally Posted by Jeysie

Check out this forum thread on the incompleteness of the game list.

Thanks for the link. I am in awe at the utter and complete idiocy of these people.

I've changed my mind about the incompleteness of the list. There's only ONE thing that's REALLY missing -- and that is the introductory line "Use dental floss!!!".

[insane_cobra]

So can we actually do something about it? Those chaps obviously won't change their minds unless pressured to do so. I'd gladly enter the project of building a new, fair website for boycotting StarForce, but I have no technical skill, no money and, most importantly, no time for such an endeavor. Maybe we could at least write a letter warning people of such behaviour and send it out to some gaming related websites, like Joystiq, Kotaku, Slashdot... If the matter would get some exposure (and support), perhaps the folks at glop.org would change their policy? Or someone else would take it upor themselves to build a new Boycott StarForce website?

[insane_cobra]

Seems like StarForce protected games might have problems running on Windows Vista.

Originally Posted by ExtremeTech

The latest stealth action thriller from Ubisoft doesn't work in Vista, but it's probably not any fault of the application itself – it's the StarForce copy protection. StarForce installs a low-level (ring 0) driver to access your optical drive, and this driver has not been Vista certified. So Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory asks you to reboot after installing, which you do, and then upon reboot Vista informs you that it won't load the driver due to "compatibility problems." The 32-bit version of Vista will allow unsigned kernel-level drivers if installed from an account with admin privileges -- as ours was. We were unable to find any sort of workaround or Vista-ready driver on the StarForce site.

[Huz]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

Seems like StarForce protected games might have problems running on Windows Vista.

Doesn't the 64-bit edition of Windows XP have the same 'problem' (benefit )?

[insane_cobra]

I have no idea, it might. Though it's hardly the Windows' fault, StarForce is not exactly a well-behaved application.

[Huz]

No, indeed. The only reason things like Sony BMG's infamous "rootkit" (and possibly Starforce) are able to exist is that Windows is riddled with low-risk security holes that Microsoft is unable to close, because so many 'legitimate' (but badly behaved) applications rely on them. With Vista they're making a clean break, and the same is true to an extent with 64-bit XP. I believe the Sony BMG rootkit doesn't work there, for instance.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Huz

The only reason things like Sony BMG's infamous "rootkit" (and possibly Starforce) are able to exist is that Windows is riddled with low-risk security holes that Microsoft is unable to close, because so many 'legitimate' (but badly behaved) applications rely on them.

So true. But knowing our old pals at Microsoft, there'll be new holes to exploit.

[SoccerDude28]

Does that mean I can't play starforce protected games on windows vista? Seriously, I am starting to get fed up of PC gaming.

[jampony]

Does anyone know if there is a way to tell if a game installs Starforce with itself? I'm interesting in getting Ankh from adventure shop, but I've read reviews on Amazon warning people about the evils of Starforce. If Starforce is used to prevent software from being pirated, doesn't downloading it from a site like Adventure Shop negate the need for it, since activation of the game is handled automatically online?

[Melanie68]

All the online protection service (that Adventure Shop uses) is keep track of downloads and what PC they're on (that's obviously a very simplified explanation). It doesn't install any drivers that would do CD checks (since there aren't any CDs to check with downloaded games).

[jampony]

Thanks for the info, Melanie!