I'm very sorry to be a pain about this, but does anyone who has the game know if the disk version includes Starforce copy protection? Having had bad luck with certain protections in the past, I want to make sure I know what I would be getting into.

Hi venus -- I have the downloaded version, so I can't help. It's possible that the disk versions haven't reached anybody yet.

Becky, which download version do you have? Do you know if it has Starforce? I know the Gamersgate version does because it says so on the website.

Thanks, hope someone will have some information on the disk version soon.

venus, I'm expecting a disc version to turn up in the next couple of days - I will let you know whether it has Starforce or not as soon as I can if no-one can help earlier!

Venus -- I don't see anything about Starforce in the program files on the hard drive. Would it be obvious? I have the Adventure Shop version.

Thanks, chrissie!

Becky, I'm not sure. The only reason I know the Gamersgate version has Starforce is because it says so on their website. I think there is a way to test for it, but I'm not sure how to do so. That's all right, the disk version is the one I really want anyway. I was just entertaining the idea of getting a download copy if one did not have Starforce and the other did.

Recent disc-based versions of StarForce are nowhere near as bad as the horrible StarForce 3 that makes games unplayable on Vista and Win7 without a NoCD. These days it's Sony's SecuROM that seems to be the worst disc-based copy "protection," not current versions of StarForce. Also the version of StarForce used on downloadable games is no worse than any other online-activation-based copy "protection." There's no reason to avoid a game because of current versions of StarForce unless you simply want a DRM-free game or unless you know your computer won't work with current versions of StarForce (as opposed to the old version 3, which no new game would be using).

THanks Jenny! And coming from you and the issues you had with the earlier Starforce, that's great news.

Ana

I have the disc version - bought from Amazon UK. When I installed it it asked me to input the serial number that was in the inside of the box, and when I did so it said I had 4 activations left.
When I play the game it does not matter if the disc is in the drive or not and it does not spin up during gameplay.

I did not see any mention of the word starforce during activation nor on the disc or case.

Hope this helps.

Thanks vic!

I'm not too happy about the limit on activations! This is not good news for people who like to sell their games on.

The disc version has online activation? I know some darkside games have that but I thought adventuregames had escaped that fate so far.

Did you know that before you bought it? Is there some warning on the box about that?
I never buy downloads because of that. So now I must be on me toes when buying a disc as well?

Thanks for letting us know. It sounds like there's no point buying the disc version unless your Internet connection is too slow or unstable to download the game. If the activation server ever goes down, or if the company decides to stop supporting activation of the game in a few years, you'll be unable to activate and play the game -- same problem as with the download version that requires online activation. There's also the problem of using up an activation if the game doesn't work on one computer and you have to install on another one. And it makes the game questionable for getting in a trade unless you know for sure how many activations are left. Very annoying, since this is an expensive game.

I'd been planning to buy it if Interact got it in stock, but not anymore. I'll wait a few years and see if GOG or DotEMU gets it.

If I'd known about the activation restrictions I would have downloaded the game rather than buy the disc version!

Having now received the disc version there is absolutely nothing in the blurb either on Amazon UK before you buy, or on the box when you receive it to tell you about these restrictions!

Thanks for the info, Vic! Good to know, even though it's not what I wanted to hear.

Jenny, I'm with you. That is ridiculous, why would such restrictions be applied to the disk version? I will also wait and see if GOG picks it up.

I may also order it from The Adventure Company if I'm feeling impatient and if the price comes down. At least with TAC, you can ask for more activations if you need them. Annoying but not as bad as not being able to play the game at all if all activations have been used.

So disappointing, as this was one of the games I was most looking forward to this year.