Does ArmA have StarForce ?

[Sa8Gecko]

link:
pc.hrej.cz/clanky/recenze/armed-assault/
I can't understand a word of Czech, but StarForce is mentioned several times. I have other games with StarForce and frankly I didn't encounter an major problem, but I'm a little pissed off because:
- I'll have to keep ArmA disk in my dvd drive
- StarForce will not be compatible with Vi$ta.
I just hope I misunderstood or it's only the choice of the czech distributor and 505's one will not have it.

[h-]

Depends on the publisher, the Czech version may have StarForce judging from someone saying how much trouble some may have even to install the game..

I have never had any problems with StarForce either..
I can fully understand why it is used, and I can also fully understand why people hate it..

I should be getting the german version in early December..
If all goes well, that is..

- StarForce will not be compatible with Vi$ta.

There's no reason to buy Vista, ever..

At least not until it has at least two service packs, propably around 2008-2009..
Reading about it just makes me sick, even more useless automated 'watch-your-pic-and-videos' crap crammed into a better looking visuals, two of which you do not need in a operating system ..
Even XP is so full of useless resource hoging crap it is almost unberabale and as Vista will have like double that..

Anyway, StarForce propably will be coded for Vista, you just download some updated dll or something like that..
There are also problems with sound APIs but they are fixable via driver updates, or so I've read somewhere..

[Sa8Gecko]

the Czech version may have StarForce

confirmed, it has.

I should be getting the german version in early December..

So you'll post a full review here and I'll decide if jumping on the bandwagon early or wait for the 505's release.

There's no reason to buy Vista, ever

Well, if you just can content yourself with DX9, you're right. But since I'm planning to switch to a 8800GTS this spring (or something better if available at that time, same price range or less) to fully enjoy Crysis... I just hope Vi$ta will let me keep my XP installation.

[h-]

This far I have not seen anything that would interest me in DX10..

+ Eye candy, yay..

- You need new graphics card, easily 500 spent (depending what you get of course)..
- You need Vista, about 300-400..

So, depending on what else you buy, 700-1500 spent just to get a new DirectX...

When there is some vital software I use that requires Vista I'll get it..

[Sa8Gecko]

Let's speak about this when we'll see more DX10 games. I'll guess you'll change your opinion by then. It's just a guess, but then why M$ hasn't in program a DX10 solution for XP ? And btw, did you read some of the reviews of the new 8800s ? Those cards are real beasts and can do much more than just pretty graphics. Unfortunately the software will take some time to catch up, but maybe Crysis can use some of those features: I'm guessing about the tree leaves that moves when you pass them by or dynamic destruction, real fluid dynamics and possibly smoke and fog that move with the wind, and much more. You'll be blown away and just want to have one.

[h-]

I'll guess you'll change your opinion by then.

DX10 will not write good games

It's again the same, all boils down to eye candy and everything else is just a side show..
I wouldn't eat dung even if it came in a diamond plated box and had gold flakes springled on top... ;D


Basicly after OFP there has been no good games released..
Thief 3 was quite good, and so was Hitman: Blood Money but that's about it...
For example CoD2 looked impressive but was insanely boring and short, first CoD and it's expansion pack were much more interesting..

Then there's GRAW.. Man that game sucks..

[Sa8Gecko]

Let's put it this way: back in the old days PC games were a niche. Then the almost unknown (by the time) ID software published 'Doom': everyone wanted to play it, but they need a PC (equipped with a 80386 or better), as it was the only platform for which the game was released. The PCs sell rates soared. Now, assume that Crysis will be even a fraction of the hit Doom was and that to play Crysis 'the way it's meant to be played' you need DX10 and so Vi$ta: well, maybe you will resist just to stay coherent with what you said above, but I guess the majority of people will not. And there 's not just only Crysis: Alan Wake and the new M$ flight simulator. So at the end you do what you want: but don't tell me that there's no reason to update to Vi$ta until 2009.

[h-]

Actually it was an analytics company (forgot the name, some american firm I guess) who said that companies should not switch into Vista until 2008, or when the first service pack has been released (2008 being their estimate for sp1)..

I switched to XP like a 1,5 years ago (from w2k) because some software I was trying to learn to use only worked on it..
Otherwise I probably would still use w2k..

I'm just saying that I would not buy a new gcard and a hugely overpriced operating system to play one game...
I have no interest in Crysis, and certainly not for M$£€$ Flight Sim..
And judging from the games that have been developed over the past 2-3 years there's nothing worth waiting for (other than BIS 'Game 2') since everything seems to be the same; sliding around with a camera which has two shiny and detailed hands attached to it and the shiny and detailed hands hold a very shiny and detailed weapons (which you can actually carry by yourself more than a small army..).. There has not been anything innovative story wise in the game world for years...
Wonder when they actually come up with something else than WW2 or aliens...
It's the same with movies, it seems that the more you can put CGI in the movie the better, acting and the story is not relevant...

Alan Wake does interest me, mainly because it's a 'homeland product'.. I liked both Max Paynes..
But would it make me to update my PC again (not so long when I updated last), I doubt it..

The quite recent update was only because I had suffered with the low-end crap for so long, all the games I had purchased over the past 2 just barely ran on it (I don't mean eye candy), if they ran at all..
EDIT:[/i]Plus I needed the extra calc power to get some software to do things faster..


Anyways, my guess would be that Morphicon and 505 both use either StarForce of SecuRom..
I would prefer SecuRom if either one of those will be used because in my experience it causes much less trouble (if any) than StarForce..
I now remember one problem StarForce caused, it always 'locked' my DVD drive so that I had to reboot to be able to use it.. The tray opened but it never read the disc entered..

[Sa8Gecko]

Morphicon should use SecuRom. At least this is what I read. As for 505 I keep my finger crossed. Otherwise I'll order it in Germany.

[h-]

When someone asked whether other release versions of ArmA would use StarForce Placebo had this to say:

Morphicon have I believe said they won't use it, and I've already expressed to 505 how unpopular it would be and they seem interested in not alienating their audience

I hope he's right..

[Sa8Gecko]

When someone asked whether other release versions of ArmA would use StarForce Placebo had this to say:

Quote:
Morphicon have I believe said they won't use it, and I've already expressed to 505 how unpopular it would be and they seem interested in not alienating their audience

Let's hope so, even because many people experiencing game crashes point to Starforce as the cause. The czech release was some sort of false start mostly because of this: I think publishers should understand that the Starforce protection system is pure crap and that they will loose more money (as in no purchases being done) than to piracy.

slightly off topic:
[start bragging] With my overclocked core2 6600, 2gb Ram and 7950GT I should have no problem playing ArmA at highest settings, even if not at max viewdistance [end bragging], but seeing from some people's screenshots I guess people with less than a 4000+ or equivalent, 7800 or equivalent and less than 1 gb ram will have problems running ArmA at highest settings (the ones at which it's worth playing) keeping a good framerate too.

[h-]

[start bragging] With my overclocked core2 6600, 2gb Ram and 7950GT I should have no problem playing ArmA at highest settings, even if not at max viewdistance [end bragging]

Really

From some guy at BI Forums:

my impressions:
i'm using a c2d 6400@3.4ghz, 2gb ram, geforce 7900gs@600/800 machine, and the game runs slow and unbalanced at 1280, post proc low, aa and aniso disabled, obj txt normal, any other very high. i have an average around 35fps normaly, but it can drop to 15fps in a second, specialy when aiming.

'm not new in overclocking after some top100 3dmark results with cascade cooling a few years ago, so be sure that my system works just fine.. 3.4ghz is on air, but for benchmarking at 3.8ghz on air. 6300 points in 3dm06 with a voltmoded 7900gs, and all the other games i play running flawless shows me that problem is elsewhere.
the fps. i was talking about normal situations / view distance at 1200 / like walking in village together with my troop, some foes etc, in this case i have about 35 fps. it can go up to 70 if look at the ground, but when i'm in a forest it can go down to 15fps. as i see the video memory can play a big role, because with cards with 512mb the fps fluctuation is much smaller. buy the game and check for yourself. in a preview i've red somewhere that a x2 4400+ with 1gb ram and 6800gt could only reach a stable 25fps at 800*600 and low settings.

Sounds bit worrying..

I sure hope that there's something wrong with that guys system because judging from that the BIS recommended (not minimal) specs would run the game about 5 FPS..

Although I don't need viewdistance farther than 700-1000 meters, aerial vehicles are only support or means of transport to me

[Sa8Gecko]

Really

Then you're really in the you know what, h- !
It seems it's HDR ruining the framerate, and from some comments it isn't even so good. I hope BIS will patch this and put an option to disable HDR.

[h-]

Then you're really in the you know what, h-

Indeed..


Anyway, he says there that he has everything on high, so if he has terrain detail (if that exists in ArmA) on high there is not PC on earth that could run it (not to mention the terrain looks absolutely horrible, at least in OFP)..
Haven't read that thread today so dunno what he has said about terrain detail though..

[Sa8Gecko]

Well, I've always played OFP with very low terrain detail, as to me viewdistance is everything. Let's see, and since you'll get ArmA before me, you'll be my guinea pig.