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[Amo]

Hi there!

I've read in this thread http://forum.dead-code.org/index.php?topic=1692.0 that starforce is supported by WME since version 1.4
How is the current status? Which version is supported? Has anybody worked with it and how will it be if the game ships on more than one disk? In our case it will be 2 DVD's (very large WME project imho).

Thanks for upcoming answers.

Cheers

Amo

[Mnemonic]

All I know is that SF needs the game executable to export at least two functions. SF then uses these exports to attach its copy protection stuff. WME runtime does export two functions. I don't have any additional information regarding StarForce.

[Amo]

Erm... OK.
That actually means... It works?!? 

[Mnemonic]

I don't know. I'm not affiliated with StarForce makers in any way.

[sychron]

Starforce ist the most controverse copy protection mechanism out there ... It digs quite deep into the users system, is not easy to remove after the game is uninstalled and it does not always allow the game to installed as users, for the system joints somtimes need admin rights. To avoid needing admin rights for playing, some system settings allow user access to the starforce core, what means: user access to ring 0 provileges. This is a punch-through-concealment for system security ... ;-(

If you really need to use copy protection, then you should think twice before using starforce. It seems to be cracked quite often, so the ony people you're annoying with it are the paying customers, for starforce can be stripped from the cracked games before repackaging.

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starforce and have a look into history/discussion, for starforce is known to change the english wikipedia page quite often. Other languages are "more stable".

[Amo]

Thanks Sychron. The german version was not very different from the english version and gave both a very negative view to starforce. I am still looking around. At least there is no "death proof" copy protection out there but we want to secure our product as good as possible.

[odnorf]

@Amo

The most well known cp systems are starforce & securom, both causing serious problems to many users. I hope you don't see my comment as negative but I've seen no report ever from an independent group that suggests that any cp help developers/publishers sell more copies. As it seems it's only a myth that cp helps when in fact the only people that have to deal with the cp and the problems its' causing are the customers, like me, who buy the games. With that in mind it's not strange that the lack of cp is considered a big bonus in most game reviews.

[jlinam]

Just adding that, far from helping sales, using starforce may actually hurt sales since some people adamantly refuse to purchase a game that uses starforce.

Don't have any numbers to back this up, but I can attest personally that since a bad experience with the SF protection on black mirror, I no longer buy games that use it.

[Amo]

Damn it. All that CP stuff seems like chosing between pest and cholera.

@Odnorf: I have nearly the same opinion, but I am neither the boss nor the one who decides what to do, just collecting infos.


Thanks anyway. Mnemonic, you can close the thread.

[CMK2901]

Valve's Steam content delivery system, although it had some big problems initially, seems to have become a very stable tool to both electronically distribute a game (thereby reducing packaging/shipping costs) and to avoid piracy.  I've actually found it rather convenient; when I moved to Los Angeles and got a new computer, rather than bringing my CDs along, I could just download the games registered to my account through Steam.  I'm sure it's not the easiest thing in the world to get your game on Steam, but some sort of smaller arcade games they offer makes me think it's possible.  And, of course, Valve would take some of your sales.

I mean, I don't know much about how Valve operates Steam at all, but it seems like a good anti-piracy tool that actually tends to be a convenience rather than a hindrance.  The only problem I've ever had is the inability to move games to another account.

Or you can piss off players with Starforce, which says to me more than anything that the publisher/developer thinks I'm a criminal. 

[jlinam]

The downside of steam (unless things have changed) is that you have to have an internet connection to play your game. Not usually a problem, but it sucks if you want to play on your laptop during a long flight.

There have been games that have not used any CP and have still been commercially successful. The Darkfall games come to mind, and I'm sure there are others.

[odnorf]

The downside of steam (unless things have changed) is that you have to have an internet connection to play your game. Not usually a problem, but it sucks if you want to play on your laptop during a long flight.

You need an on-line connection to download/activate/decrypt the games but after that you don't need an internet connection. Steam has an offline mode you can use to play the games without active internet connection.