Trackmania Nations and Starforce

[mumakil]

First of all, please note that this thread does not concern Daemon-Tools, but it concerns the controversial Starforce protection.

I have installed the 'free of charge' game Trackmania Nations from Nadeo, which is a game specially developed for the 2006 Electronic Sports World Cup, reason why its free of charge and even runs in low-end systems. For the ones who doesn't know it, check this site out: www.trackmanianations.com

Well, the game is great, as the other TM titles, but after I finished installation, the dreary starforce window opened up and requested a system reboot.

My question is: WHY THE HELL??!!

The game is 'free of charge', is only downloadable, and therefore, does not require a CD or DVD media.

Why did it install Starforce in the first place?
Is Nadeo compelled to put it as a matter of contract or is there any sinister purpose behind it?

NOTE: Just for the record, the Starforce check window does not appear when you run the game, just upon installation.

Look forward to hearing from you.

[Reef]

If you don't have any Starforce drivers on your PC, then the game will not install them (I never had to reboot after installation of TM Nations).
But if you do have Starforce drivers on your system from other games, they will be updated and therefore you will need to reboot.

I guess the exe file from the game is still protected by Starforce to prevent reverse engineering, only without any CD checks.

[mumakil]

Thanks for the reply, Reef!

Well, I indeed have POP3 installed in my pc, so I think it must have updated the Starforce version, as you said. However, as I play with the original CD, I did not find any difference in running POP3 after installing TMNations.

I have serched the web and people are still confused, some say that NADEO protected their free game in order to avoid people to eventually use TMNations' .exe to crack TMSunrise... Others say its' because of the online points system, but, anyway, NADEO has not yet officially explained the reason why Starforce comes bundled with the medialess free game.

It's sad because lots of people are boycotting this great game because of Starforce...

[NetSoerfer]

It's sad because lots of people are boycotting this great game because of Starforce...

Which once again demonstrates how many people panic because of something they've read somewhere without understanding it.

How many people blindly deactivate or refuse to activate Windows Update because they read somewhere it sends personal data to Microsoft? Blaster/LoveSan, MyDoom, Sasser, anyone?

I haven't tested it myself, I'm deducing all of the following from what's been said in this thread. But even if what I'm about to say is wrong in this case, it still shows how irrationally these discussions are led and how poorly people educate themselves before crying havoc just because everyone else does.


Apparently, the TM:N .exe is encrypted by StarForce. But that does not mean TM:N installs the StarForce drivers. If they're already on the system, they get updated, if not, nothing happens.

"Let's all boycott TM:N because it installs StarForce on our systems!" That's bull. If StarForce is updated along with the installation of TM:N, your system has already been 'compromised' (if you want to look at it that way) by StarForce before, so it's nonsense to claim "I boycott StarForce". If there is no StarForce on your system, there won't be any StarForce installed.


I don't like StarForce. Believe me. But what I dislike even more is all this unmotivated flaming against someone or something, without knowing anything about it except some half-truths, just because everybody else is doing it.

[Reef]

Yep that's right. I have the game installed and I don't have any Starforce drivers on my system. That's also the reason why there was no need to reboot after installation, as no Starforce drivers were found that needed updating.

Great game, even creating your own tracks with the editor is fun

[mumakil]

I don't like StarForce. Believe me. But what I dislike even more is all this unmotivated flaming against someone or something, without knowing anything about it except some half-truths, just because everybody else is doing it.

I totally agree with you, as I don't like starforce either, but I have played many games with it and it has never harmed my system in any way as people are claiming around the web.

I might have been a little enthusiastic in my initial post, but in the light of the above posts I am simply wondering why does starforce has to be upgraded through this free game, and up to now no one has given a proper explanation... There must be a reason, what is it?

[Reef]

The Starforce drivers are the same for all Starforce protected games, so when a game contains a newer Starforce version it will automatically update the drivers.

[mumakil]

The Starforce drivers are the same for all Starforce protected games, so when a game contains a newer Starforce version it will automatically update the drivers.

So I think I get it now:
TM Nations doesn't need starforce at all to run, but it updates the drivers when the system already has it, so it contains an installable starforce version bundled in it... Ummmm... I believe that TMNations is, besides a good game, a free starforce update! So, there are second intentions behind the free game... lol

[Reef]

Starforce is always free for customers. It only costs money for the game publishers.
I guess every Starforce protected game contains the drivers, but they are only installed if needed (if the game needs CD/DVD check or if you already have Starforce drivers on your system that need updating).
Be happy that Starforce only installs the drivers if they are needed.

[vander]

Starforce is always free for customers. It only costs money for the game publishers.
I guess every Starforce protected game contains the drivers, but they are only installed if needed (if the game needs CD/DVD check or if you already have Starforce drivers on your system that need updating).
Be happy that Starforce only installs the drivers if they are needed.

SF costs space and cpu power on my computer. I read everywhere about SF related compatibility problems with other software. IMO thats more serious than paying some bucks more for a computer game.
Last time I installed the X3 DEMO and it puts SF on my Computer everytime I start the demo :-( , IMO it's complete senseless to protect a demo.

[Kinlaadare]

Not so senseless... they wanna protect their executable from modifications by crackers which could use it to crack the full game...

[vander]

You think installing some low level cd protection drivers will protect any exe file from hacking? For clarifying, here is'nt any cd needed for playing the demo. Adding some protection to the demo.exe itself it's ok, but infecting everybodys computer with their nasty drivers is crime! Additionall I've to say here is no warning in the description of the demo :-(

[Kinlaadare]

Don't make me say what i did not think.

I was just playing the deil's advocate, knowing that what they is not so right... They wanna protect their datas with any mean they have... Even in an harming way.

[vander]

Don't make me say what i did not think.

Sry, if I misunderstood you. English is'nt my native language

[Kinlaadare]

Sry, if I misunderstood you. English is'nt my native language

Neither it's mine As a lot of people here