I remember doing a full install once, the amount of times it asks you to swap back to a CD previously already used in the installation, just to install more game data from said CD to the HD from is ridiculous.....
Must have been something to do with your local region's product, as the standard English/US version didn't do anything of the sort. Odd though. I guess other languages were rushed...
Starforce is no more or no less effective at preventing piracy, than any of the other obscure, draconian methods publishers have used over the last 2 decades.
Except for Worms 4. =] (I don't consider unplugging my optical drives a practical solution - using software that tells the OS to pretend that the drives are no longer there is another story, but that doesn't work on this particular game either)
Why on earth would you want such a game to be protected from copying?!?
It isn't. Read my post above.
At first I thought a virus had sneaked it's way in.
You did ;] I agree with you totally - StarForce is NEVER mentioned in any game installers, covers or EULAs BY NAME. The only time you know you've got it is when it is too late. It doesn't even provide a Remove option in Add/Remove Programs. I fully don't understand why it isn't considered malware by antiad/spyware programs.
Maybe the free starforced game demos upgrade the existing drivers negating older versions of the cracks?
Nope. If a game is cracked properly, all references to Starforce are removed/bypassed, there is no way a new Starforce version can recognise that, unless it specifically keeps a list of filenames, filesizes, md3s and a directory scanner.
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if it does.