<!--quoteo(post=1588531:date=Dec 14 2006, 09:42 PM:name=Sid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sid @ Dec 14 2006, 09:42 PM) [snapback]1588531[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> What I don't get is that Trackmania Nations is FREE. Thus, it does not require COPY PROTECTION! They use the game as a medium to transport the virus.
Errr... I mean StarForce. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--quoteo(post=1588428:date=Dec 14 2006, 05:39 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Dec 14 2006, 05:39 PM) [snapback]1588428[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> The freeware game had Starforce so they couldn't use the unprotected version to crack the retail game.[...]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1588428:date=Dec 14 2006, 11:39 AM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Dec 14 2006, 11:39 AM) [snapback]1588428[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> The freeware game had Starforce so they couldn't use the unprotected version to crack the retail game. If you don't know what you're talking about, you have no right to be indignant. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> It's not that difficult to modify the source for the freeware version to make it so that you can't use the freeware version to crack the retail version.
Copy protection in general is pretty stupid. It doesn't deter anyone except the one guy who says "what's a Google?", and he wouldn't even be able to download the thing in the first place.
<!--quoteo(post=1588535:date=Dec 14 2006, 12:51 PM:name=CForrester)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CForrester @ Dec 14 2006, 12:51 PM) [snapback]1588535[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> It's not that difficult to modify the source for the freeware version to make it so that you can't use the freeware version to crack the retail version.
Copy protection in general is pretty stupid. It doesn't deter anyone except the one guy who says "what's a Google?", and he wouldn't even be able to download the thing in the first place. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it's not that difficult, perhaps you would volunteer to do it for free? I'm sure the Trackmania folks are spending enough money so that people can play their free game that dedicating programmers' time specifically to modifying the game just so they don't have to include copy protection would be the kind of waste of money that drives investors away. I mean you're already getting the game for free, it's kind of silly to get mad and ask them to put even MORE work into it just because you aren't on board with copy protection that may or may not break your computer. If you don't want to take the risk, then go ahead. I myself am not afraid of what is clearly a very uncommon problem.
<!--quoteo(post=1588543:date=Dec 14 2006, 04:00 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Dec 14 2006, 04:00 PM) [snapback]1588543[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> If it's not that difficult, perhaps you would volunteer to do it for free? I'm sure the Trackmania folks are spending enough money so that people can play their free game that dedicating programmers' time specifically to modifying the game just so they don't have to include copy protection would be the kind of waste of money that drives investors away. I mean you're already getting the game for free, it's kind of silly to get mad and ask them to put even MORE work into it just because you aren't on board with copy protection that may or may not break your computer. If you don't want to take the risk, then go ahead. I myself am not afraid of what is clearly a very uncommon problem. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I would do it for free if I knew C++. As it stands, it probably costs them more to license/pay royalties (if there are any) on StarForce protection than it would to make a few changes in the freeware EXE.
It doesn't matter if they're giving away a game for free or not. They're still bundling it with a trashy piece of software that hurts more than it helps, and is a major security risk. There's no excuse for that.
Every Starforce game can actually be cracked with little effort. It involves physically modifying your computer with no tools, however I won't reveal what/how for obvious reasons. . Sadly I learned this by buying UFO:Aftershock, and not by way of something dramatic like krax0ring it myself.
<!--quoteo(post=1588525:date=Dec 14 2006, 01:24 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Dec 14 2006, 01:24 PM) [snapback]1588525[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> It seems to me that, when games like Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and other popular Ubisoft titles that sell thousands and thousands of copies include Starforce, and when a small percentage of people end up having problems, that I have little cause to be worried. Does this mean I like Starforce? No, and I never buy any games that have it (no qualms about downloading free ones like Trackmania: Nations though). I'm just not worried about it screwing up my PC any more than I'm worried about being one of the few people in a thosuand to get skin cancer from being in the sun. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Notice how no one complains about any other game protection out there? They don't break PC's like Starforce does. Hmmmm
(I should add "#1 starforce fan" to TychoCelchuuu's custom title) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1588595:date=Dec 14 2006, 11:44 PM:name=Comprox)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Comprox @ Dec 14 2006, 11:44 PM) [snapback]1588595[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> Notice how no one complains about any other game protection out there? They don't break PC's like Starforce does. Hmmmm
(I should add "#1 starforce fan" to TychoCelchuuu's custom title) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You know what would be great, if you get a miniature explosive you must digest in order to use the software. That's my solution.
<!--quoteo(post=1588605:date=Dec 14 2006, 04:12 PM:name=emperor_awesome)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(emperor_awesome @ Dec 14 2006, 04:12 PM) [snapback]1588605[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> And polio only kills .01% of the people it infects, what's your point? <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My point is that you have a problem with statistics that verges on Verizon's problem with fractions.
<!--quoteo(post=1588662:date=Dec 15 2006, 01:04 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Dec 15 2006, 01:04 PM) [snapback]1588662[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> My point is that you have a problem with statistics that verges on Verizon's problem with fractions. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't actually know the rate of death that polio has, I made it up.
Actually, you made a tenfold error: The disease is ten times MORE fatal than you made it out to be:
Out of the infected, 90% show either no symptoms or exhibit only mild, flu-like symptoms. They are still a vector for the disease, however.
Out of the remaining ten percent, 9% develop non-paralytic polio, and 1% develop paralytic (spinal or bulbar) polio, of which:<ul><li>50% recover fully</li><li>40% are left with only partial recovery or permanent paralysis and </li><li>10% die</li></ul> That's a fatality rate of 10% of 1%, or 0.1% of the infected, or one in every thousand.
The information is off <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliomyelitis" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>. However, since anything written on wikipedia is automatically false, Polio probably cures cancer in reality.
<!--quoteo(post=1589085:date=Dec 15 2006, 07:52 PM:name=Sid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sid @ Dec 15 2006, 07:52 PM) [snapback]1589085[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> StarForce stops lazy pirates. If you... they really -wanted- to, you can stop StarForce. There IS ways around it. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> That's pretty much the theory behind all security, make things as difficult as possible but not IMpossible. There ALWAYS is a way though.
Comments
What I don't get is that Trackmania Nations is FREE. Thus, it does not require COPY PROTECTION! They use the game as a medium to transport the virus.
Errr... I mean StarForce.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1588428:date=Dec 14 2006, 05:39 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Dec 14 2006, 05:39 PM) [snapback]1588428[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
The freeware game had Starforce so they couldn't use the unprotected version to crack the retail game.[...]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The freeware game had Starforce so they couldn't use the unprotected version to crack the retail game. If you don't know what you're talking about, you have no right to be indignant.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's not that difficult to modify the source for the freeware version to make it so that you can't use the freeware version to crack the retail version.
Copy protection in general is pretty stupid. It doesn't deter anyone except the one guy who says "what's a Google?", and he wouldn't even be able to download the thing in the first place.
It's not that difficult to modify the source for the freeware version to make it so that you can't use the freeware version to crack the retail version.
Copy protection in general is pretty stupid. It doesn't deter anyone except the one guy who says "what's a Google?", and he wouldn't even be able to download the thing in the first place.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it's not that difficult, perhaps you would volunteer to do it for free? I'm sure the Trackmania folks are spending enough money so that people can play their free game that dedicating programmers' time specifically to modifying the game just so they don't have to include copy protection would be the kind of waste of money that drives investors away. I mean you're already getting the game for free, it's kind of silly to get mad and ask them to put even MORE work into it just because you aren't on board with copy protection that may or may not break your computer. If you don't want to take the risk, then go ahead. I myself am not afraid of what is clearly a very uncommon problem.
If it's not that difficult, perhaps you would volunteer to do it for free? I'm sure the Trackmania folks are spending enough money so that people can play their free game that dedicating programmers' time specifically to modifying the game just so they don't have to include copy protection would be the kind of waste of money that drives investors away. I mean you're already getting the game for free, it's kind of silly to get mad and ask them to put even MORE work into it just because you aren't on board with copy protection that may or may not break your computer. If you don't want to take the risk, then go ahead. I myself am not afraid of what is clearly a very uncommon problem.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I would do it for free if I knew C++. As it stands, it probably costs them more to license/pay royalties (if there are any) on StarForce protection than it would to make a few changes in the freeware EXE.
It doesn't matter if they're giving away a game for free or not. They're still bundling it with a trashy piece of software that hurts more than it helps, and is a major security risk. There's no excuse for that.
It seems to me that, when games like Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and other popular Ubisoft titles that sell thousands and thousands of copies include Starforce, and when a small percentage of people end up having problems, that I have little cause to be worried. Does this mean I like Starforce? No, and I never buy any games that have it (no qualms about downloading free ones like Trackmania: Nations though). I'm just not worried about it screwing up my PC any more than I'm worried about being one of the few people in a thosuand to get skin cancer from being in the sun.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Notice how no one complains about any other game protection out there? They don't break PC's like Starforce does. Hmmmm
(I should add "#1 starforce fan" to TychoCelchuuu's custom title) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Notice how no one complains about any other game protection out there? They don't break PC's like Starforce does. Hmmmm
(I should add "#1 starforce fan" to TychoCelchuuu's custom title) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You know what would be great, if you get a miniature explosive you must digest in order to use the software. That's my solution.
And polio only kills .01% of the people it infects, what's your point?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My point is that you have a problem with statistics that verges on Verizon's problem with fractions.
My point is that you have a problem with statistics that verges on Verizon's problem with fractions.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't actually know the rate of death that polio has, I made it up.
Out of the infected, 90% show either no symptoms or exhibit only mild, flu-like symptoms. They are still a vector for the disease, however.
Out of the remaining ten percent, 9% develop non-paralytic polio, and 1% develop paralytic (spinal or bulbar) polio, of which:<ul><li>50% recover fully</li><li>40% are left with only partial recovery or permanent paralysis and </li><li>10% die</li></ul>
That's a fatality rate of 10% of 1%, or 0.1% of the infected, or one in every thousand.
The information is off <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliomyelitis" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>. However, since anything written on wikipedia is automatically false, Polio probably cures cancer in reality.
StarForce stops lazy pirates. If you... they really -wanted- to, you can stop StarForce. There IS ways around it.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's pretty much the theory behind all security, make things as difficult as possible but not IMpossible. There ALWAYS is a way though.