Polaris Sector Invalid Serial Key

[Hassie54]

I am trying to play the game, Polaris Sector, and after it loads the launcher, I click play, and then I get an error saying my serial key is invalid. Is there a file I am supposed to input the serial key onto? It never gives me the option to input it after pushing play, and I don't see anywhere to input it on the launcher. I have the steam version of the game. Please help me.

Hassie

[zakblood]

Just contact support[at]slitherine.co.uk with your order details (order reference number or/and email address used when placed the order) and they will help you with your issue

[Hassie54]

Jesus you guys make it so damn hard to get any help with this issue.

[VPaulus]

Run Steam as administrator:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_art ... -ifhz-2170

Or try the solution presented on this thread:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/418250/di ... 871394537/

[Hassie54]

Running Steam as administrator has no effect. Setting both autorun.exe and Polarissector.exe to run as administrator in the compatibility tab also did not change anything. As soon as the screen flashes black, I get an invalid serial key, right after pushing Play from the game launcher. Running the game directly from PolarisSector.exe bypasses the game launcher window, but I still get the same error.

[VPaulus]

Verify the integrity of the game cache:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_art ... -QEUH-3335

[Hassie54]

I have done all of the basic fixes that steam recommends, and everything I could find when doing a search for similar problems that occurred for any game. I have reinstalled the game 3 times, I have verified the cache a few times, I tried installing the game on a different hard drive, running the game with admin, running steam on admin. I have tried starting the game with steam in offline mode, and I have tried manually starting the game from both of the executable files in the main folder. The only thing that seemed to change when I did that, was it took a few more seconds for the error message to come up, telling me my serial key is invalid.

I don't know if it matters, or if this game uses the same game engine as any other game developed or published by your company, but I have many other games made by slitherine and company. I haven't ever had an issue, other than some graphic card causing crashes several years ago.

[VPaulus]

The game has his own engine.
Have you checked if any of your Internet security programs isn't interfering with the game? Try temporarily disable them and run the game.

[Hassie54]

I tried disabling my third party anti-virus and firewalls, as well as the Windows versions, no change.

[VPaulus]

Are you running on Windows 10?

[Hassie54]

No, I am on Windows 7

[VPaulus]

Please try to disable all background programs in case these are interfering with the normal running of the game.
You can do this by running msconfig and disabling all non-windows start-up programs and services.
Then once you have disabled all non-Microsoft services, please run the game and see if the issue persists.
If it does not, please then reopen msconfig and reenable those services, one by one, until you find the program causing the problem.

A tutorial on how to do this can be found below:
https://us.battle.net/support/en/articl ... plications

[Hassie54]

Please try to disable all background programs in case these are interfering with the normal running of the game.
You can do this by running msconfig and disabling all non-windows start-up programs and services.
Then once you have disabled all non-Microsoft services, please run the game and see if the issue persists.
If it does not, please then reopen msconfig and reenable those services, one by one, until you find the program causing the problem.

A tutorial on how to do this can be found below:
https://us.battle.net/support/en/articl ... plications

I did this yesterday when I was going through all the general fixes I found from google searches of this problem with other games.

Is there a difference between the Steam version and the version that can be bought online here? Does buying the version here, just give you a steam key, or can you download the game from your servers?

[VPaulus]

Is there a difference between the Steam version and the version that can be bought online here? Does buying the version here, just give you a steam key, or can you download the game from your servers?

If you buy the game on our store you can download a non-Steam version of the game and also redeem a Steam key.

[Hassie54]

Is there a difference between the Steam version and the version that can be bought online here? Does buying the version here, just give you a steam key, or can you download the game from your servers?

If you buy the game on our store you can download a non-Steam version of the game and also redeem a Steam key.

Well I wish I would have known that before buying it on Steam.

[VPaulus]

Are you sure that Steam is online when you are running the game?

[Hassie54]

Are you sure that Steam is online when you are running the game?

Uhhhh yes, I couldn't be more sure than I am. I have gotten the error on no less than 30 different occasions, and you have to specifically tell Steam to start up in offline mode, which requires restarting Steam entirely, so it isn't something that I could accidentally do, unless my internet died for some reason, but as I have been able to consistently respond on the forum here, and able to play other games multiplayer, that use Steam for matchmaking and the like, I do not think being offline is the problem for the cd key error.

[Hassie54]

Is there a spot I can manually input the cd-key? Like where is the key stored, to check to make sure the key is valid? And is an internet required to play the game? It was never listed from what I recall, so if I was in offline mode, the game should be able to check that the cd-key is of a proper format, and matches up against all possible options right? So the cd-key must be saved somewhere on my computer, so that it can be checked every time I get the error. So can I just manually input my cd-key in that location to bypass this issue? I assume that it is in the registry somewhere, but would need a more specific location, and to know what format the key is in, as I doubt it is as plain as alpha-numeric. Probably binary or hex I would venture to guess.

My serial number can't be invalid though, as I registered it here on the website, so unless your server is mistaken somehow, then my key should be fine. Is there some way I can download the version from here, to bypass Steam?

[VPaulus]

Is there a spot I can manually input the cd-key?

I'm not sure if there's. Only the developer might respond.

My serial number can't be invalid though, as I registered it here on the website, so unless your server is mistaken somehow, then my key should be fine.
The issue is not with the server. The issue is inside your system, most probably related with privileges and/or security settings.

Is there some way I can download the version from here, to bypass Steam?

I'm sorry but that's not possible.
You can try ask for a refund on Steam.

I have one last suggestion:
Uninstall the game and create a new Windows account with administrator rights. Reboot Windows and login to the new Windows account. Install the game and run it.

[Hassie54]

Is there a spot I can manually input the cd-key?

I'm not sure if there's. Only the developer might respond.

My serial number can't be invalid though, as I registered it here on the website, so unless your server is mistaken somehow, then my key should be fine.
The issue is not with the server. The issue is inside your system, most probably related with privileges and/or security settings.

Is there some way I can download the version from here, to bypass Steam?

I'm sorry but that's not possible.
You can try ask for a refund on Steam.

What do you mean that is not possible? I don't think you understand the term "Not Possible." If the game can be downloaded by those people that purchased on the website, and assuming the server that houses the files can accept commands, it is entirely possible to download a non-steam version. Now as I see it, I paid for a game published by Slitherine, I registered that game with Slitherine, on their website, affirming that my cd-key is in fact valid, but the game I received is not working as specified.

Is it possible for me to obtain a copy of the game I paid for from the publisher of said game? Yes it is possible. It is Slitherine's stance that a loyal customer, who has purchased more than a dozen games they made, should not be allowed to download the game direct from Slitherine, because "It is not possible," but I should instead, ask for a refund from Steam, then buy the game from you directly, and HOPE that I don't have the same issue, but Slitherine has a no refund policy, so I would be screwed.

As to your suggestion, I do not have User Account Control enabled. My computer is used by me only, and I understand that you believe that the problem is inside my system, because of all the people who have bought the game, I seem to be the only person with this problem. Of course I could say the same thing in reverse, I have over 500 games on my Steam account and this is the first time a Steam game has told me I have an invalid serial key, when I can look at the damn cd-key, and it is not invalid xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx . But I cannot enter the cd-key anywhere, apparently the game takes the cd-key from some location, but that location, I assume somewhere in the registry, either has an incorrect key because of a decryption error, or some other inane reason.

(Edited by Shards: Removed CD key from public view)