I’m about to re-install Silent Hunter III, Splinter Cell:CT, and Space Rangers 2.
But in my previous installation attempt with SH3, starforce still got installed. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but I need more descriptive help on how to install them, and then “when” to apply the no-CD crack.
Another obstacle I’m running into is my utter lack-of-knowledge of this no-CD stuff. The last time I used no-CD stuff, wasn’t even no-CD… it was “no-floppy” techniqeues for the Commordore 64.
So in regard to avoiding Starforce but having an updated game - for the installation do you have to use a different no-CD crack than the one you use for the patched version of the game?
I was also considering the purchase of Beyong Good and Evil through Gamespot downloads. Do any of these download/purchase options contain Starforce or other intrusive copy protection (note: I don’t consider STEAM as bad)?
If you install a game that comes out of the box with Starforce, you’re going to get Starforce installed on that system. There are no if’s, then’s, or but’s regarding this.
There is only one way to get a Starforce game onto a computer system without also installing Starforce. You install the game on a throw-away computer, and then manually copy the game folder to your real computer.
It is not usually possible to update an installed game to which you have applied a noCD patch. Update the game before applying the noCD patch. Keep the original unpatched game files around just in case you need to update again. Otherwise, you have to reinstall the entire game when the next update comes around.
Since SHIII uses an older version of Starforce, you can a)install SHIII, b)install the patch, c)install the no-cd patch, then d)uninstall Starforce from your system. It’s worth the dance.
This doesn’t work with the other, newer SF stuff, like X3.
Arghhh, I’m confused. Whwy wouldn’t it work with all the Starforce titles that have a no-CD crack? What if I install every starforce game I have in a row… replace with cracked exe’s, then do the starforce removal thing before launching any of the starforce protected games. Would that work then?
RickH - thanks. I have no idea what Gamespot’s purcahse service uses, so I guess I’ll have to stay away from it.
Alas. I’d be all over X3 if a similar crack were available. One can only hope that someday the publishers will take the stick out of their butts and remove the Starforce protection via a patch (if such a thing is possible with Starforce). They did that with X2 at some point.
jpinard, I don’t know why that wouldn’t work, as long as the cracks are just plain-old fixed .exe files for the games.
What scharmers is saying is that for games protected with a more recent vers. of SF that hasn’t been cracked and for which there are no simple fixed .exe’s out there, you can’t uninstall Starforce and still play those games.
Ohhh. So if I try to play a game with a cracked exe and it’s not updated enough, will starforce auto-reinstall itself? This is kind of depressing having games I want to play - but doing a big long stupid dance to not muck up my computer <again>
