Steam Community :: Thomas Anderson :: Review for IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad

Thomas Anderson » Reviews » IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad

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1,258 people found this review helpful
58 people found this review funny

Not Recommended

0.0 hrs last two weeks / 2.3 hrs on record

Posted: Feb 23, 2018 @ 9:38pm
Updated: May 21, 2019 @ 9:01am

(Review text hidden)

UPDATED 5/21/19 since this review got more attention **added text marked with asterisks:
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First off, I don't want to write this, but I feel like I need to. I've had the game uninstalled for a while. Let me start by saying, this is a great game. It's really fun, amazing graphics, excellent flight simulation that you can customize to perfection. The VR aspect is frankly, unmatched at the moment.

But I'm never installing this game again. Had I caught this sooner, I would have immediately asked for a refund. But with the recent news about Flight Sims Labs installing a trojan that steals passwords from pirated versions of their game, I can't let this slide.

IL-2 STURMOVIK: BATTLE OF STALINGRAD SAVES YOUR ACCOUNT PASSWORD IN AN UNENCRYPTED TEXT FILE.

As a Systems Analyst, this is a huge security no-no. I won't spell out where or how to get to it, but rest assured, it's there (Unless they've updated in the last month to fix this.)

To me, that's just lazy programming and damn unforgivable. I hate that because this is a great game, but I'm the type of person that takes my account security personally. My passwords are my most secure possessions. My blood boiled when I saw it literally spelled out in the text file.

This game gets a huge "DO NOT PLAY" review from me and I wish Steam had a way for me to report the developer for their ineptitude regarding password security.

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Update: 
TL;DR
a)This review goes up pointing out a huge flaw in an otherwise good game
b)Devs begin deleting topics on their forum asking about this issue
c)Devs mark this review in an attempt to get it deleted and supress the information
d)Deceptive developers are deceptive. Don't give them your money.
e)I was going to edit this review if they fixed the problem and make it a positive recommendation, but because of the way they've treated this incident, I'll be leaving my review as is forever.

To Jason directly. This is a response to the developer's response below:
"There has never been a documented incident with how we store your credentials for playing IL-2 or any of our games."

Am I reading that right? Are you telling me your excuse for not having already addressed this is because 'It has never happened before'? 'Oh gee, sorry your account got compromised. That's never happened before!'

**'Oh no! The bank guard is leaving the back door unlocked. Should we fix it? No! No one has ever come in that way before.'

**You understand how utterly stupid your response sounds, right?

"Also, no credit card data is stored..."

**I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CREDIT CARD DATA. Did you even read it?? I'm talking about your customers online accounts, some of whom probably signed up with the SAME EMAIL ADDRESSES and PASSWORDS that access those CREDIT CARDS you're trying oh so hard to protect. Why not use the same enthusiasm to protect their online accounts that you do their credit card information? Hell, you don't have to go that far. Just parse the password. Could you have at least put it somewhere besides the cfg file in plain text?

**You don't think script kids would find those passwords and maybe give them a shot on some other things more important than IL-2?

"However, we have plans to change...rendering posts...unnecessary. "

**So wait. You hadn't announced any kind of fix before my review. In fact, you delete pretty much any critical comments about your trash heap of code on your own forums. Yet, I'm supposed to telepathically know that you're going to 'change' and therefore I shouldn't have written my review? What that actual hell, Jason. Sorry, let me get with Professor X and I'll do better on my telepathy in the future and write reviews not for the current state of the game but for all future versions before any kinds of fix are announced and when all criticism of it is censored. Would that keep my review from being unnecessary?

**ARE YOU FOR REAL, JASON?

Is there any reason you're suddenly having a change of heart or you just want to skip over the fact that this is becoming a public issue for your product because of the very review you've responded to? How about some details on how you plan to fix it? You're just going to gloss over the fact that now that I'm pointing it out on a forum you can't control and now that you see how many people are upset at what you've been doing, you're suddenly deciding to make a change out of the kindness of your heart and/or your incredible business savvy? No. 230 x $60 in a month adds up. But instead of being grateful that someone pointed it out before it made your business liable, you're gonna act like this is just a side issue (upgrade from non-issue, right?) to be fixed and you decided it on your own. Wait.. what's that? I'm not the first person to bring it up? You've deleted the previous complaints about this issue from your board? Let me ask you this - if I had never pointed it out and made the public aware and your revenue never took a hit, would a change ever have happened?

And my review is unnecessary? Why? Because it's critical of your product? I'm a little vague here. Help me understand. Is it unnecessary because it's pointing out a problem YOU HAVEN'T fixed yet, or because the problem you've left unattended for 10 years is coming back to haunt you? Is the fix going to be in the patch notes? Is there an official announcement somewhere? Oh I see. I'm supposed to predict the future and not have written a review for a fix that wasn't announced and was actively suppressed by the developer. Am I on the right track here, Jason?

"And for those trying to somehow connect...libelous."

In the same way you glossed over the fact that you guys are suddenly going to make the correction, I'm going to gloss over your weak attempt at saying I'm committing lible by writing a review on steam. (You're serious?) Why not just have a real discussion. I seriously would have changed my review if you guys had just fixed the problem and moved on.

Look Jason. You have a solid game here. You just have a glaring flaw that puts your customers at risk. The risk is low, but - just listen to me for a moment - this is what I do for a living. You're putting your business at the mercy of hundreds (thousands?) of users and betting that they are going to do a good job of keeping their account safe. Sure - it's a low chance. But what are you risking over that? What will the public opion be when it's discovered that you didn't encrypt anyone's online passwords? Do you think a good lawyer won't be able to find your company even a little bit liable for not taking simple steps to protect your customers? How much of a 'little bit liable' - in dollars - can your company withstand? You're right. Something like that will NEVER happen. You could very well be right. Are you confident enough to put 777 Studios on the line for that?

And as for the way you and your company a have treated this whole incident - deleting topics from your forums, dismissing users who report it as a non-issue and then flagging a critical review because you disagree with it... Well, I found your mission page where you talk about the goals of your company and you have that picture of your dad, Sgt. Glen Williams right there on the page and the line at the bottom reads:

"We promise to give it our best and with your support we can complete our mission. Join us. "

Do you feel like you've handled this whole situation with that goal right there in mind? Because I'm sorry to say, I will NOT be joining you or your company ever in the future. You guys have broken trust here with the way you've handled yourself to the point where it would probably be a good idea to take that picture down. I mean, I understand if you want to leave a tag line for your business, but if you're going to associate a family member with that tag line to honor them, then you better damn sure never fail that motto lest you fail them as well and associate their image with the practices of your company: Practices that are childish and pathetic

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Developer response:

1CGS - Jason [developer] Posted: Mar 20, 2018 @ 5:43pm

There has never been a documented incident with how we store your credentials for playing IL-2 or any of our games. Also, no credit card data is stored within our game nor on our website and we use secure 3rd party processors for transactions and follow PCI compliant procedures for credit card processing. However, we have plans to change how this information is stored in the near future rendering posts like these unnecessary.

And for those trying to somehow connect us to a company called FSLabs, we have NOTHING to do with that company or any of their practices. To suggest such a relationship is libelous.

290 Comments

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erikmendes.2005 Oct 12, 2022 @ 3:21pm

this is why i read reviews, thank you.

zappyscarab Oct 12, 2022 @ 2:20am

I'm 99% sure this is what your looking for https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/12826-game-updates/#comment-606652

bakenbeans32 Oct 6, 2022 @ 8:39pm

@Corrado.conti well said, thats exactly how I see it as well.

bakenbeans32 Oct 6, 2022 @ 8:35pm

Wow, Jason. I was considering buying the game, definetly wont now, since you consider all constructive criticism, as "libel". That's F*cking pathetic dude. These people are trying to help you. And you literally spit in their face by saying everythign they said is "libelous"
"To suggest such a relationship is libelous" your words exactly. Do you plan on seeking legal action for these "libelous suggestions" and statements? No? well then, i think you damn well know, that nothing said here, was libelous. Your pathetic case certainly wouldnt hold up in a court of law. Especially since when you made the game and put it on steam, you accepted that there may be criticisms, in the form of REVIEWS. This is some of the most pathetic and straight up scandalous shit, ive ever seen from a dev.

I honestly cant get over your suggestion that "suggesting such a relationship is libelous"

VolatileVix Oct 3, 2022 @ 5:34pm

I was going to buy this, but after reading this... I wont.

Custard Oct 3, 2022 @ 11:12am

I won't buy a game that does this. Even if it's on sale.

CristalFlavor Oct 2, 2022 @ 9:29am

This is serious but... It's so over reacted at the same time! Come on, man...

corrado.conti Sep 30, 2022 @ 12:21am

Making a mistake is OK. We all do. The difference is how to handle the fallout. You guys made a great game but let me give you a piece of advice: when a customer makes a well founded critique of your work, it is best to address the issue and move on. Getting into a tit for tat does nothing to the customer but it sure as hell damages your reputation.
I see this a lot with writers on Amazon.(Before they eliminated responses). Bad idea.
If I had read the original post exposing the issue (which is a serious one because I know first hand how many people use Password123! on their accounts) and I saw you respond with grace, humility and a prompt fix, I would have chalked it up to people too busy making a great game that made a mistake.
Deleting posts and bad mouthing customers (not Karens) is a shame. It's beneath a serious businessman.
That's what I find unforgivable.

Thomas Anderson Sep 15, 2022 @ 4:51pm

Ahhh I see. Ok I was under the impression this was a good-faith discussion. I see it is not. So I see that you said a lot justifying Jason's accusation of libel (though implication only) without addressing anything I said about customer service, which is a trade skill learned on a business 101 level.

As for whether or not people buy the game, I'm totally fine if they do. I said in the review you're replying to that its a good game. (Did you bother to read it?) The point I'm making is Jason's attitude, which you do not address, is costing his company money.

Question: How much is the DLC worth? Multiply that by the number of likes on this review.

lonewolf Sep 15, 2022 @ 4:05pm

No worries man. I wrote that he did NOT say your review is libelous as you keep claiming. He said "for those trying to somehow connect us to a company called FSLabs" which would NOT include you and this review unless you did that somewhere on a different post.

You eagerly indulge in hyperbole throughout your post and have admitted this is a personal grudge against Jason for his bad response. Takes most of the sting out of your argument is all I'm saying. People keep buying up the game and the new DLCs so I guess it's no big deal in the end.

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