Is this right?

[LotC]

IMHO, this is completely wrong. It is in the EULA that you do not purchase the software, only a license to use the software. This means that the data on the CD is owned by Infogrames. Since you already purchased your license, you are entitled to continue using your license. The actual CD and associated data is worthless; you have paid your money to be able to install the game and use it so Infogrames should send you a replacement.

I don't know if you can copy the contents over to your HD and install from there, but if you can you should do it and look on the Net for the cracked .exe.

[Switch]

From the CivIII EULA
LIMITED LICENSE: You are entitled to download or install, and operate this Software solely for your own personal use, but may not sell or transfer reproductions of the Software or Documentation to other parties in any way. You may download or install, and operate one copy of the Software on a single terminal connected to a single computer. You may not network the Software or otherwise use it on more than one computer or computer terminal at the same time.

It never once says that you are liscenced to use the CD, but simply to install and run the actual "Software." Could that mean that if Firaxis refuses you the CD, that you could charge them for inhibiting your use of the liscence? I don't know, I'm not a lawyer and I don't read much into the law. But, you never know.

[LotC]

Originally posted by SwitchMoO


It never once says that you are liscenced to use the CD, but simply to install and run the actual "Software." Could that mean that if Firaxis refuses you the CD, that you could charge them for inhibiting your use of the liscence? I don't know, I'm not a lawyer and I don't read much into the law. But, you never know.

That is essentially a license to use the software. Edit: notice the "LIMITED LICENSE" heading.

Get this though, the EULA entitles you to download a warez version if you bought it. AFAICT, since they state that you can download the software to run it, that is within the licence agreement. However, applying a cracked .exe is modifying it so that would not be allowed, as well as causing the warez version to be distributed to anyone else (of course). The people that produced the warez version obviously violate the EULA but an end user that bought the CD wouldn't be.

OTHER RESTRICTIONS: You may not cause or permit the disclosure, copying, renting, licensing, sublicensing, leasing, dissemination or other distribution of the Software or the Documentation by any means or in any form, without the prior written consent of Infogrames Interactive. You may not modify, enhance, supplement, create derivative work from, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or otherwise reduce the Software to human readable form.

On a slightly offtopic note, I find it funny that links to cracked .exes are strictly forbidden on this site yet third party utilities like CivCopy, not to mention the hacked editor, clearly violate the EULA and are actually downloadable from here.

[Venge]

The fan support for Civ3 puts the official support for the game to shame. After posting my dilema, offers for sending copies and original versions of Civ3 came my way.
I would just like to say thanks to everyone, and I wish you people could have a say in how Infrogrames and the like should run their public relations. If they responded even 1/4 as supportive as you guys then they would have a PR to be proud of.
*Edit*Having re read this post I realize I should make a clarification. The support staff at Infrogrames were great and tried their best to help out, it was the policy makers at Infromgrames which apparently tied their hands so they could not give the support I thought they would.

[Theseus]

I don;t know about the rest of you, but I just sent an email to Firaxis asking them to send Venge a new disk:

"There's a player named Venge at Apolyton who has an awful tale of woe regarding a scratched disk... please help, as Venge has been Civ-less for over 6 weeks.

Thanks."

I had to hunt around a little, but I think this is the best way to communicate with them:

http://www.firaxis.com/contact_gamefeedback.cfm

[Nubclear]

Re: Is this right?

Originally posted by Venge
After several e-mails going back and forth between myself and Infogrames helpline, it has been determined that there is a scratch or some other problem with my Civ3 cd.
I inquired about replacement cd and was told to
"Go buy the game again"
I am truly disappointed. I have never had any need to replace a cd of any game before, but I always assumed they game companies had some sort of replacemt policy in place for situations like this.
Apparently not ...
And I will be damned if I am going to go out and buy another copy of civ3.
Btw, some of the help info I got from them was to uninstall and then re install the game, and as I thought, the cd was not readable. So I no longer can just go out and buy the expansion pack and use that cd for the .exe.
Anyway, is this the norm for this kind of situation?
If so, I can see why people illegally burn their cds and use cracks.

Haha, Infogrames support horror stories. I hate their support. I dont even call them now. They suck sooo bad....some of them dont even give effort and sometimes their so outrageous...they tell me what my computer is, if im an admin or not, even my intelligence......Anyway, yeah that sucks. But I'm sure people will begin helping out.

I mean, it looks like they already have. So, have fun!

[Inverse Icarus]

all i know is the BLIZZARD had no problem givign me new Diablo II CDs when i sent mine back with a complaint...

[Coracle]

My God.

Even I never thought Infogrames was THIS arrogant and contemptuous of the consumer. But I guess they proved that by getting Firaxis to release a beta game last November at least eight months before it was even close to being ready. Give the man a disc if he sends the other back. Sheeez.

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Coracle
My God.

Even I never thought Infogrames was THIS arrogant and contemptuous of the consumer. But I guess they proved that by getting Firaxis to release a beta game last November at least eight months before it was even close to being ready. Give the man a disc if he sends the other back. Sheeez.

I hate to do this but...I agree. I mean, the only time I experienced this bad of support was with Sierra (Whom said "If ya lost the code, your gonna have to buy the game again."....basically the same thing here.)

But oh well. We have the great and mighty Apolyton. Who needs Infogrames support?

[Zylka]

Absolutely ridiculous