Copy protection

[tgwpage]

Hi all from Belfast.

My 11-year old sons are nearly as keen to try Civ4 as I am.

We have a couple of wireless-networked PCs in the house.

Can we legally play multi-player with just one disk, or do I have to buy a copy per player

Thanks
Tim Page

[LordShiva]

Games often allow a little leeway for multiplayer. Hopefully, Civ4 will do the same.

[snoopy369]

I think you need one disc per player, yes. You can play "Hotseat" with one disc - that's one computer, you just swap who's playing each turn - but to network 2 computers, you need 2 discs.

[Sava]

I don't know yet...

I think the game will require the disk in the drive to start... but once you start the game, I think you can remove the disk. So you would start the game on one machine, then remove the disk, then start it on another machine. Or if there are multiple disks, sometimes you can use the other disks to start the game on the other machine.

I doubt that the game will not allow you to use the same CD-key (if there is a cd-key protection) if you try to play a LAN game with the same copy on two machines.

Even Microsoft games like Age of Empires 3 will let you pay LAN games with the same CD-key.


If you are unable to get the game working with one copy, try a no-cd crack on one of the machines (*note, this is for someone who is legally purchasing the game )

Though don't ask on Poly where to get one. Such talk is forbidden.

[snoopy369]

I'm pretty confident that Civ4 would not legally allow you to run it on two computers, even for MP. Thus, the answer to his question - is it legal to do so - is NO.

[Robert]

No sane person in the world would ask two persons in the same household to buy the game if it comes with network game options.

If you play it with the disk in one drive it's not even illegal either. It's only illegal if you sell copies of the game for money or if you help others to get the game illegally. I have 3 computers, of course I can install the game on every computer.

Of course that won't have much use unless I want to play against myself

[Sava]

Originally posted by snoopy369
I'm pretty confident that Civ4 would not legally allow you to run it on two computers, even for MP. Thus, the answer to his question - is it legal to do so - is NO.

well you are just guessing... you have no proof... YOU CRIMINAL



CyberShy

[Dravin]

It may or may not be illegal, but it is against most game's EULA (or at least the ones I've looked at, they aren't exactly exciting reading), so I suppose it would depend on wither you feel beholden to the EULA.

[Solver]

I suppose it would be possible. AoE2 allowed LAN games with one disc for up to, IIRC, 4 computers.

[alva]

Originally posted by snoopy369
I'm pretty confident that Civ4 would not legally allow you to run it on two computers, even for MP. Thus, the answer to his question - is it legal to do so - is NO.

Well, technically maybe not, in the real world, in mt opinion it is.
They should be glad and appreciative he already bought one legal copy.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by CyberShy
No sane person in the world would ask two persons in the same household to buy the game if it comes with network game options.

If you play it with the disk in one drive it's not even illegal either. It's only illegal if you sell copies of the game for money or if you help others to get the game illegally. I have 3 computers, of course I can install the game on every computer.

Of course that won't have much use unless I want to play against myself

That rather depends.

Some games with MP allow 'spawning' MP copies w/o discs.

However, if the game requires the disc in each computer, then you must OWN each copy - installing on multiple PCs is fine as long as you don't play it at the same time on two.

It's like buying a book ... you can give the book to whomever you want to read, but you can't photocopy it and then let others read it.

[bmcaffee]

In the law there is a doctrine known as "fair use." This doctrine means that once you purchase some form of intellecutal property you are allowed to use that IP for your own benefit, as long as you are not profiting from it. For example, in the early days of video tapes, there was major discussion and litigation regarding the copying of video tapes. The courts ruled that someone who has purchased a video tape could legally make a back-up copy for himself, but not to distribute to the whole town (DVDs are different because legislation called the Millenial Copyright Act specifically changed this for DVDs). So, fair use normally would allow you to make as many copies and use Civ 4 on all of your machines. The only question that remains is, what significance, if any, is the EULA. Some hold that the EULA is like a contract, so if the EULA specifically holds that you cannot make a copy of the game, you are out of luck. Others, including this attorney, believe that the EULA is no contract at all, or if so, the the fair use doctrine trumps the EULA agreements because you have purchased the right to do what you wish with that piece of intellectual property. My two cents.

[Aro]

Great post, bmcaffee.
I'm not a lawyer, far from that, but I agree...

[snoopy369]

Fair use does not allow you to use the same CD on multiple machines simultaneously. Regardless of EULA legality. Fair use is intended to ease usage of copyrighted materials in ways that do not harm the copyright holder, and benefit society - mostly refers to quotes in newspapers and things like that. In reference to computer software, it refers to:
1) making a BACKUP copy in the event of a computer crash/cd damage
2) installing it on multiple computers, but only using it on one of them at a time (ie on a laptop and a desktop, using desktop at home and laptop away).

Fair Use does NOT ever allow the purchase of one item to allow the use of multiple items. That's copyright violation. The video ruling you refer to indeed allows backup copies - but you can't watch one copy in your room and give another copy to your kids and let them watch it in another room (i doubt anyone would object to that, but it's technically illegal).

It's no different from Windows. You can't buy 1 copy of Windows and install it on all of your computers (legally). You must have a copy for each computer (legally).

[alva]

Seeing as you can play hotseat (involving several people), I don't why you couldn't install it on two machines and connect it.

Yes, I know it's not the same thing, to me, to the spirit of it all, it is.

Besides, seeing as many stores don't take a game back one the box hs been opened, and there's no other way to read the EULA...
(not that I've ever read one...brrr)