Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: darkdaej on July 10, 2010, 08:21:24 am
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I heard there was a torrential rainstorm near where you live.
Yeah, the wind wailed like a banshee.
Actually...
If you once had the game because you purchased it(and still have proof of purchase), you are actually authorised to download it off torrents.
Personnal Experience regarding Crysis:
I purchased Crysis when it was released, via EA's online downloader (I hate discs). After 9 months, when I decided to reinstall it, the download button had been grayed out. So I opened a trouble ticket with EA, which told me this was "normal" as I hadn't purchased their extended download service to have access to download for 2 years. I obviously complained back, mentionned that Steam, Impulse and any other downloader software did not prevent me from downloading the software I purchased and did not charge me for it, and that because of their stupid marketing strategy, that I would have no choice but to download the game via Torrents, but I would use the license key provided in my own EA account to install the game.
EA actually re-granted me download rights after that(and never removed them for any game hence...), but never did I recieve anything regarding use of torrents.
If you read a game's EULA, the actual thing which matters to the makers is the License. What you buy is not the game, but a License to install and play the game according to whatever parameters the contract operates under.
Now FS2 does not work with a CD-KEY, so obviously if you trade it off torrents anyone can simply install it, get FSO and make everything work and that obviously violates the EULA, but in the case of games with keys, my personnal experience with Crysis shows that as long as you use your own key and do not share it, the fact of sharing the game files off torrents is not illegal.
But now the question is... does homeworld 2 ask for a cd key?
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I heard there was a torrential rainstorm near where you live.
Yeah, the wind wailed like a banshee.
Actually...
If you once had the game because you purchased it(and still have proof of purchase), you are actually authorised to download it off torrents.
Actually, trying to nitpick your way around the forum rules is not a healthy pastime.
If you are american, I would advise you to take a close look at the DMCA.
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I heard there was a torrential rainstorm near where you live.
Yeah, the wind wailed like a banshee.
Actually...
If you once had the game because you purchased it(and still have proof of purchase), you are actually authorised to download it off torrents.
Actually, trying to nitpick your way around the forum rules is not a healthy pastime.
If you are american, I would advise you to take a close look at the DMCA.
I thought this thread was about homeworld 2, not fs2 :)
And no, I'm not an american, which is why I claimed this.
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Still, unless you can show documentation that what you said there was valid globally, it's better left either unsaid, or you need to add qualifiers. Like, for example, saying in which jurisdiction that was a valid statement.
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well...
I assumed... so I guessed I made an ass/u/me..
Basically, since it was EA (US) which was contacted and they never made a proper counter to my crysis experience (and that the EULA SPECIFICALLY mentions what one has bought is the licence, not the download rights or the game files themselves), I simply applied this experience globally.
Note that I did mention that each individual EULA will have its own specifics. Also, any game without a cd-key does not apply (I was careful to mention FS2 does not have a cd key and therefore is "exempt")
But honestly...if I still have the game's box, but I trashed the discs because they became unusable because of massive over-usage (hey, come on, sue me, I played FS2 10 hours a day when I was a teen), I don't see why I would have to pay...AGAIN for the right to play the game I have bought 11 years ago at full price.
Had I done backups of the discs, no one would be b****ing about it.
But anyway I will drop this subject as it is off-topic and also, flirting with moderators armed with banhammers isn't my favourite sport.
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uhhh... HW2 has a cd-key... just throwing that out there.
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anyhow the cd key isn't important as it has no legal ramification on its own its just a dated security feature. The important thing is the terms/licence under which the software is supplied to the user and there are games which state in the agreement that attempts to circumvent anti piracy technology (not just the cd key), copies modified in this way are unauthorised in the terms of the licence in these cases.
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Welcome to the new era of game publisher marketing strategy. You don't own the games any longer, you are merely RENTING them for an extended period of time. Stupid. I applaud independent game studios that refuse to work with corporate giants like EA and Activision who have terrible marketing schemes and customer support. I feel sorry for the next generation of gamers....it is only going to get worse.