So a couple of weeks ago, I found some demo for a game called Chaos League that looked vaguely interesting, so I thought I'd download it to check it out (mainly because I wanted to see if it had a dedicated server mode). I downloaded it, and started installing it despite its French installer, and was really surprised to see that it had installed some copy protection bulls*** a) without asking and b) that required me to reboot my computer before I could play the game.

Needless to say I immediately uninstalled it and got it off my system, hopefully with the stupid copy protection software as well.

Today, I was again surprised to read about another demo that has copy protection - this time the demo of D-Day, a cool-looking World War 2 strategy game, which I was interested in not only because I don't mind the occaisional WW2 game, but also because it included a bunch of archived footage from D-Day that has allegedly not been seen before. This piqued my interest.

So I read about the demo this morning on Blues, and checked out the comments to try and get a feel for what people were saying. The first thing I saw was complaints about copy protection, so I was again surprised.

I mean, why the hell would you put copy protection on a demo, the whole point of which is to distribute as freely and widely as possible, because IT IS ADVERTISING (this again leads me to the conclusion that a significant proportion of game development/publishing companies are sadly completely clueless when it comes to this market). Not only does copy protection completely defeat the purpose of a demo, it runs the risk of annoying loudmouthed users like me (and some of the other guys in that Blues thread) that will then go off and tell everyone they know not to download the demo simply because it has copy protection (note: make up your own mind, noone else seems to listen to me anyway when it comes to what games they should/shouldn't buy!).

So, in conclusion, please make sure that you're aware that this is something that has happened at least twice in the last month, and without you being aware of it and making waves about it in forums and even better, by emailing publishers and developers telling them what you think, it might be a trend that we end up seeing more and more of.

On a similar note i'm still disappointed that developers keep going with fileplanet for exclusive demos or betas :(

Hrm, thats pretty s***ty. Don't see the point in that, but i guess it's easier to create a replica version that's cut down than remove the software all together from the finished product.

Damn :( i really like WWII stuff and that looks kinda cool.

I wouldn't mind giving it a go but bleh the copy protection is lame :/

/edit.. its actually Monte Christo :p are kind of keen on the copy protection.. spose they're just testing the features before they drop it into the final product... Trackmania has a similar system hence why i'm not fussed running the demo.. It works, all be it the startup is slow as f*** as it churns away on my cdrom...

Pretty much anyone under the digital jesters publishing banner has a similar style of copy protection... they're hardcore but they do make good products, don't let some cd rom and no virtual drive allowances deter you... good games come from that particular house (sifnt play pro rugby manager trog... means i can finally do my dream job, manage the irish team to victory over THE WORLD :p)

last edited by Boxhead at 11:59:55 10/Jul/04

what does the copy protection actually do?

I dislike the StarForce 3 copy protection that Digital Jesters use. It prevents me from backing up my Trackmania CD, and the irony is, a cracked version was floating around long before I was able to purchased the game.

Every now and then it takes ages to validate my disc, sits there locking up my system and doing nothing.

I swear to god intelligence doesn't seem to have much of a place in this world anymore... I mean copy protection on demos... oh dear. Tells you a lot about their priorities though - putting a sizeable amount of their development funds into implementing ridiculous bulls*** like this when it could, and in fact should, be spent on the product itself.

What next, I won't be able to view an advertisment unless I pay 20 cents??

Oh and re fileplant exclusive releases.... they piss me off no end. But hey if the people who release said files only to fileplant want to shoot themselves in the foot then go right ahead.

I heard that the new Beastie Boys Cd also installs some kind of copy protection on your pc without asking permission

what does the copy protection actually do?

I wanna know that too!

Most demos I've used are just a big .exe file and then it installs the game onto the PC. How does copy protection work for this?? What's to stop you from just copying the original download file multiple times??

Or am I missing something?

im assuming once you have installed it, it edits the .exe file to say that it has been installed.

i also go forward in assuming that they are testing the copy protection to see how hacker/cracker proof it is.

what does the copy protection actually do?

Makes it harder for legitimate users to use/backup their product and does nothing to stop pirated versions from spreading.

Might be handy if you get pwned by Starforce: http://www.codemasters.co.uk/downloads/displayfiles.php?showdetails=13989

Most demos I've used are just a big .exe file and then it installs the game onto the PC. How does copy protection work for this?? What's to stop you from just copying the original download file multiple times??

maby thats the point, once its installed it might stop you from being able to burn it or redistrubute it, so that places like file planet can make more money.

just a though i could be wrong

The only thing i can think of is that they don't want to make a non-starforce executable of the game available as it may make cracking easier? (i realise dem exe and full exe will be different anyway)

But its still a pretty dodgy thing to do installing drivers that can stuff your computer about, don't notify you they are being installed and don't go away when you uninstall the software.

rebooting aint a problem, but copy protection is

oh well, i guess it gives nordic youths something to do (ie crack it)

I'd assume they're testing the copy protection as part of the demo. If people complain they can't play the demo because of the protection then they can iron out the bug before the full version ships. After all not being able to play a demo is a pain, but how bad would it be if you couldn't play the purchased version?

Frankly though, I don't like copy protection in any way shape or form. And if it involves installing extra drivers and rebooting my PC they can get f**ked. I'll not buy the game. It's the same with audio CDs, if it's got copy protection and requires it's own custom player, I ain't buying it.

That would suck (demo games with copy protection). As trog said it's stupid because it really an advertising for the games... all this copyrighted fear is going a little too far now a days.

As for audio, personally I find it's an _annoyance_ though there are ways around that. I'd still buy the CDs even with copy protection because I'm a firm beliver that the artist really should get some money for it.

If I somehow can't ripped the said CDs some reason I would consider download it from the P2P. This way my conscience it clear (to some extend)

I have no bojections to copyright protection (anyone who reads QGL will know that) but that f***ing invasive starforce 3 s*** I got when I brought V8SC2 sucks dogs balls, it doesn't even tell you what it is doing, you have no choice and there is no mention what so ever that you are about to install 3-4 new f***ing drivers on your system.

The game rocks, but this starforce thing gives me the total s***s so I'm currently trying to get it to work under linux, starforce no like linux.

On a related note, I bought Breed the other day (very cheap) and when I put the CD in I noticed the volume name is Starforce. Am I right to assume that Breed uses Starforce for copy protection then?

The Xpand Rally multiplayer demo also has this protection, and I just spent a scary half-hour trying to fix my PC after this Starforce stuff completely screwed it. Fortunately it works again now, but man, I would have been PISSED if it hadn't.

Breed is s*** take it back