Civ4 copy protection: Starforce or not?

[ml_4da3]

Not universal illegality, not illegal in all countries.

[GeoModder]

My guess is that the legislation in the country of origin counts.

[TheDarkside]

Hypothetical question:

Would it be illegal to download and use a pirated copy of a game if you already own a legitimate copy? That way if a company did use something silly like Starforce you buy them game but don't actually play using the retail copy, but a pirated copy that cut the crap out of there?

[Kataphraktoi]

yep. and all the stiffs would get veeeery serious-looking if you did that,and they knew

people in business like that dont have much sense around topics like that,where it really isnt illegal.you did buy the game after all

[Solver]

It would for certain be illegal, although I honestly don't see how this would be objectionable.

[H Tower]

such an arangement would most likely violate the EULA, sorry

[ml_4da3]

It depends on how the laws are formed in the country. In some countries it is legal do download something you already have bought a copy of, for example, mp3:s with the same content as the cds you own. You would only be creating a copy of the same song to which you have a license to copy under fair use.

In many countries, for example, EU countries after the EUCD is implemented, it is illegal to make a copy of an illegal copy. No matter if you have already bought a legitimate copy or not. This law stink, imoho.

[alva]

such an arangement would most likely violate the EULA, sorry

It's not because they write something in the EULA it makes it legal or binding, national law still (bound to change at some point though) takes precedence.

[snoopy369]

The EULA is entirely valid excepting points in which national law specifically precludes it - just like every other contract. Unless your country precludes EULAs entirely, or that form of contract.

I've never head of a nation saying that copy protection may NOT be protected by EULA. That's pretty absurd in the scheme of things

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by ml_4da3
It depends on how the laws are formed in the country. In some countries it is legal do download something you already have bought a copy of, for example, mp3:s with the same content as the cds you own. You would only be creating a copy of the same song to which you have a license to copy under fair use.

Spefically addressing this: Keeping the content in the same form, creating a backup copy, is one thing. Firaxis has no claim against you if you disccopy the CD (correctly ) and keep it as a backup. However, the EULA specifically prohibits MODIFYING the content, in any way. I've never heard of a nation forbidding this aspect of an EULA.

[H Tower]

Originally posted by snoopy369
The EULA is entirely valid excepting points in which national law specifically precludes it - just like every other contract. Unless your country precludes EULAs entirely, or that form of contract.

I've never head of a nation saying that copy protection may NOT be protected by EULA. That's pretty absurd in the scheme of things

that would be pretty messed up

[MeaCulpa]

Screw EULA. In order to bindingly accept any terms, you have to know them when you buy. Which you don't; you only learn about them when you have opened the package and are installing. Besides, here, stores don't take back any opened boxes as long as the cdrom is not broken; it would surely be a nice fight if you wanted to return a game because you don't accept EULA. Maybe I give it a try in the future.

And about Starforce: I don't like messing around with my system, esp. not behind my back. It is a full time job to keep a wintel with internet clean and running these days, I don't need any sneaky wanna-be copyprotection to play with system files. And I surely don't want to be told which programs I am "allowed" to have installed on MY comp. Apart from the fact that it is pure luck if a specific cdrom is working with your drive; sometimes it just keeps b*tching although the original disk is inserted.
Has any copyprotection ever prevented a single copy if someone really wants it ? I don't think so. They have all been beaten, even SF.

[sabrewolf]

question: do anti-spyware programs such as adaware, etc see the starforce spyware? and if so, can it be uninstalled without messing up the game?

[Kataphraktoi]

some anti-spyware etc i was running detected civ3's gamespy and nuked it

i wouldnt install it on a computer that you want to remain clean,in any case. who knows what all crap it does

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by sabrewolf
question: do anti-spyware programs such as adaware, etc see the starforce spyware? and if so, can it be uninstalled without messing up the game?

I don't think so ... but i'm not sure i suppose, but usually that messes up the game (if the game requires it to be there) unless there's some sort of workaround ...