RedSand Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Since I got my new computer a couple months ago, I'm accountering a new, unexpected problem, that actually doesn't involve Vista as before, when installing and running older games. All of my games are kept in cd binders and I've thrown away all the old jewel cases without remembering alot of them had cd keys required to install/run them. Now that my old computer is gone and I want to run some old games on my new one, I'm without the keys to install them. Is there anything I can do aside from buying a new copy just to a sticker with a 20 digit code on it to play a game I already owned to begin with? I was thinking along of lines of something like sending the company a file from the cd that would prove that I own the discs and then they send me a copy of the key. Anything so I don't have to pay for a game I already own. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majin GeoDooD Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 I was thinking along of lines of something like sending the company a file from the cd that would prove that I own the discs and then they send me a copy of the key. Anything so I don't have to pay for a game I already own. Thanks for the help. Yea cuz the company will really believe that the file is from a legit copy when it can easily be from a pirated copy. Your best bet would be to check some crack/keygen sites.. its up to you to find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nec5 Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Pretty much. Just another way anti-piracy screws the little guy. I've done the same thing in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Pretty much. Just another way anti-piracy screws the little guy. I've done the same thing in the past. It has nothing to do with screwing over the little guy. It does however, have everything to do with having the presence of mind to not throw away something as important as a game's CD key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nec5 Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 It has nothing to do with screwing over the little guy. It does however, have everything to do with having the presence of mind to not throw away something as important as a game's CD key.The CD key actually faded after five years on one of my games. Not my fault. Totally unexpected. Having to keep track of some secret code should not be the responsibility of Joe Citizen. In this case, the guy threw them away. He still owns the game.You're ignoring the principle that he payed for the game, so he should have access to it. Period. Therefore, you're wrong, and the little guy gets screwed as always. The lengths you people go through to defend this crap is incredible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwaltzvald Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Idk I've always made it a habit to copy whatever cd keys I get for a game onto a notebook/notepad file... I like the idea of having a second set of keys in case I lose the originals... Just my $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremespleen Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Just be careful what you visit and what you download when you're goin' after keygens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 The CD key actually faded after five years on one of my games. Not my fault. Totally unexpected. Having to keep track of some secret code should not be the responsibility of Joe Citizen. In this case, the guy threw them away. He still owns the game.You're ignoring the principle that he payed for the game, so he should have access to it. Period. Therefore, you're wrong, and the little guy gets screwed as always. The lengths you people go through to defend this crap is incredible... You people? Who are you, Ross Perot? How is it not the responsibility of the game owner? You bought the thing, so keep track of it. Write it down, save it on a file... hell, save the installed game if it's not too big. Making sure that code isn't lost is the responsibility of the buyer, and it always has been. You're not asked to memorize the thing for a test, only keep it in a safe place for future use. Surely that's not a great hardship, is it? And frankly, you seem to be ignoring the fact that Redsand threw away his codes. He didn't lose them, and they didn't fade. He threw them out. That's his own fault, and he screwed himself over... period (no offense intended Redsand). It sucks, but it's the truth. The game company flat out tells buyers to save the codes and not to lose them. If the buyers are careless or ignore this warning, then they're SOL unless they seek out a key generator (which is easy enough to find). So I fail to see how Redsand's not being able to install his games is the fault of the game company. I honestly don't see where you're coming up with "screwed by the company" in this, Nec5. He bought the game, he got a key, he threw the key away. Seems pretty cut and dry regarding who's at fault. RedSand- Here's something to try. Contact the game company, and explain to them in detail what happened. Tell them that you're more than willing to provide scanned proof that you own the game CDs (include a specific note in the scan to show it's not just grabbed off of the Web). With a bit of luck, they may give you a new legit key. It has worked for people in the past, but mostly with older titles. Otherwise, you're left with finding a key generator, or using a key from someone else you know that also owns the game (just don't register it). And if you do go for a key generator, as supremespleen said, be careful. Not every file and site is what it's supposed to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phill Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 The CD key actually faded after five years on one of my games. Not my fault. Totally unexpected. Having to keep track of some secret code should not be the responsibility of Joe Citizen. In this case, the guy threw them away. He still owns the game.You're ignoring the principle that he payed for the game, so he should have access to it. Period. Therefore, you're wrong, and the little guy gets screwed as always. The lengths you people go through to defend this crap is incredible... Fun fact, you do not own the game, you own a license to use the game. He payed for the license, not the game, he should have access to the game only if he has the license and if he loses part of the license (the CD-key) then he screwed himself, he was not screwed by the evil man. Like every other time you buy a license, it is your responsibility to maintain that license, you get to keep track of every part of that license and it is your fault if you lose all or part of that license. If you are too lazy or too stupid to pull a CD sleeve out of a case or pull a pencil out to write something down, then you should just go find yourself a nice corner and stand there for a while. What you should be bitching about is when you purchase something and it does not work because of restrictions put onto whatever you purchased. Your new DVD doesn't work in your HTPC because you use Component and not HDMI or the music you downloaded from ITunes doesn't work because you don't use an ipod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nec5 Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 I honestly don't see where you're coming up with "screwed by the company" in this, Nec5. He bought the game, he got a key, he threw the key away. Seems pretty cut and dry regarding who's at fault.Because there shouldn't have been a CD key to begin with. That's being "screwed by the company" because they all use/used this form of protection. The irony is that the true pirates will just break it anyway. The little guy always gets screwed, but you're too elitist to see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Because there shouldn't have been a CD key to begin with. That's being "screwed by the company" because they all use/used this form of protection. The irony is that the true pirates will just break it anyway. The little guy always gets screwed, but you're too elitist to see that. Who the bloody hell pissed in your Cheerios this morning, Nec5? Where is this "you're too elitist" coming from? I don't sympathize with Redsand, because his own actions caused this problem. Like I said, it sucks, but it's the truth. If the codes got accidentally lost somehow, I'd have compassion for him. If they'd rubbed off and become unreadable over the years, I'd feel for him. But those aren't the cases. He chucked them out with the garbage on purpose, so what's to sympathize with? As a result, he's got a few choices... buy another copy, grab a key generator, ask for a friend's CD key, or try E-mailing the company. I may have been blunt with Redsand, but I also I suggested the same courses of action others did... plus a couple different ideas. I'm pretty sure that's not elitism in action. So is it because I don't sympathize with Redsand that I'm elitist, or is it because I save my CD keys, and wonder why he didn't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phill Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Because there shouldn't have been a CD key to begin with. That's being "screwed by the company" because they all use/used this form of protection. The irony is that the true pirates will just break it anyway. The little guy always gets screwed, but you're too elitist to see that. The true irony is that by creating serial gens and game fixes, the pirates have caused the need for such protection. At any rate, the little guy doesn't get screwed unless he is stupid, buy a game, get a serial, play the game, Always works. When you introduce little guy stupid into that chain of events is when little guy screws himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollgagh Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 by creating serial gens and game fixes, the pirates have caused the need for such protection would not the protection have needed to exist before it was cracked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 would not the protection have needed to exist before it was cracked? It's a strange circle that started with the old floppy discs... - Game is made - People find out a way you can copy the games by popping off, or taping over, part of the floppy disc - Games start getting handed out to friends for free - Game makers find out, and start putting in various protection checks (usually asking for a word from a page in the instruction manual, or lining up symbols on a paper wheel) - Gamers create hacks that disable this check, or crack the game to learn all the checks and simply provide the answers to them all - Game makers set up their games so the original CD has to be in the tray - Gamers come up with ways to make exact copies of discs, as well as No-CD cracks for those with who borrow a friend's disc solely for installation - Game makers come up with CD keys - Gamers create programs that generate fake keys - Game makers start using various CD protections like Star Force and such - **See No-CD hacks** - Game makers start setting up software that can only be installed once on its own, and require authorization to be reinstalled - ??? There are lots of little things (like CD image files and virtual drives), but that's the gist of it to the best of my knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shikigami Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 pm me ill give you a site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanthos Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Because there shouldn't have been a CD key to begin with. That's being "screwed by the company" because they all use/used this form of protection. The irony is that the true pirates will just break it anyway. The little guy always gets screwed, but you're too elitist to see that. The handful of true pirates are the people who actually break the encryption and write the keygen software. There aren't that many of them; it's not like there's a need for 10 different Halo 3 keygen programs. Software piracy is rampant because of your so-called "little guys" who don't do the hacking but take advantage of it. No competent software company would go out of their way to defend against 100 people pirating their software. It's when everyone feels entitled to a copy of Windows and a copy of Office for free just because they bought a computer. The little guys suffer because of piracy, but the little guys also caused the problem. Or do you believe that software companies produce software at very low costs, or aren't entitled to charge a price of their choosing for their product? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moseph Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 - Game makers find out, and start putting in various protection checks (usually asking for a word from a page in the instruction manual, or lining up symbols on a paper wheel) What I hate is when I buy a used game that doesn't have the manual and then discover that, oops, I need the manual to run it properly. Google-fu can usually resolve this, but license transfers would be so much simpler if original licensees kept track of their stuff. It would also be nice if companies would print on the CDs "Manual needed for copy protection" so I'd at least know ahead of time and could consider not buying it. I guess that's what I get for shopping at thrift stores and pawn shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phill Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 ...words... thank god for The Coop, I really didn't want to type something like that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nec5 Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Who the bloody hell pissed in your Cheerios this morning, Nec5? Where is this "you're too elitist" coming from?So is it because I don't sympathize with Redsand that I'm elitist, or is it because I save my CD keys, and wonder why he didn't? The second is solid advice, but it should not be necessary. To require this out of "joe" consumer is bullshit. Thank God we don't need CD keys for books or eating cereal. The burden should be on the producer, not the consumer. When you side with the producer, as you have done, that's elitism. Why not sympathize with the guy and tell him it sucks? He paid to play the game, and because of copyright protection that may or may not have even been aimed at him, he's getting punished. You say it's his fault and too bad. Elitism. Side with the consumer for a change. Now before I start to sound too much like Karl Marx, I'll bail out of this thread. You've never struck me as a jerk or anything Coop, but that "blame the buyer for x" attitude struck a nerve. By the way, you still don't strike me as a jerk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 The producer goes out of their way to make a product for profit, and some people take advantage of the fact that games can be pirated and copies can be made, thus reducing what should be going to the producer. Defending the producers right to take counter-measures to these actions isn't elitism. Yes a key code may seem like a burden to the consumer, but without it the company would miss out on sales, and then when the money doesn't come in, they stop making games. Isn't that a bigger burden to the consumer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coop Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 The second is solid advice, but it should not be necessary. To require this out of "joe" consumer is bullshit. Thank God we don't need CD keys for books or eating cereal. The burden should be on the producer, not the consumer. When you side with the producer, as you have done, that's elitism. Why not sympathize with the guy and tell him it sucks? He paid to play the game, and because of copyright protection that may or may not have even been aimed at him, he's getting punished. You say it's his fault and too bad. Elitism. Side with the consumer for a change. Now before I start to sound too much like Karl Marx, I'll bail out of this thread. You've never struck me as a jerk or anything Coop, but that "blame the buyer for x" attitude struck a nerve. By the way, you still don't strike me as a jerk. I appreciate the ending sentiment, Nec5. You don't strike me as one either But I have to ask... is it wrong to think a person's going to take care of what they paid for, be it a game, a car, a house, a pet, or whatever? I don't believe it is. We all naturally try not to damage what we spend our money on, or to not lose important parts of it. If you buy an old Transformer, I doubt you want to lose Thundercracker's wings, or Optimus Prime's trailer, right? Well, the very same thing applies here. Most of us try not to scratch up our game CDs, or smash our cartridges and systems. I'm sure we all try not to loose the instructions, break the controllers we use, or misplace the funky peripherals too. Well, like Thundercracker's wing, these CD keys are an important part of what was bought... in this case, they enable you to install the game. But like the other stuff I mentioned above, if we're careless with them and damage/lose them, then we're the ones to blame when it doesn't work anymore. It was our responsibility to take care of it, and we didn't do that. Trust me when I say, been there, done that, and learned from it. Hopefully Redsand has learned similarly from this. Keep in mind, I'm talking about carelessness, not wearing something out over time from usage. No matter how much care you put into handling something, it will wear out eventually. But that's an entirely different scenario, and not what this is about. Anyway, we obviously see this very differently, Nec5. I don't believe I've sided with anyone on this matter, nor do I feel I'm being elitist as I've come to understand the term. As far as I can tell, I'm merely pointing out what I feel to be (and not be) the cause of Redsand's problem. Redsand- Sorry for derailing your thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd Posted October 13, 2007 Share Posted October 13, 2007 Personally, I think the key should be printed on the disc or something (obviously, it'd be hard to copy it down halfway through installation if the disc is already in the drive), so that you can't really lose it without also losing the game disc. Throwing away your cd key is about as stupid as throwing away the disc itself, or throwing away the key to your car or to your home. Seriously. The only difference is that both the game and the cd key can be found online and downloaded. Your car key most likely can't be (well... as far as I know...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synth Posted October 20, 2007 Share Posted October 20, 2007 Ok, so you buy a car. It comes with a set of keys, yes? So if you throw awaym lose or damage your keys, is it up to the dealership you bought the keys from to give you new keys for free or a new car for that matter? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airwalker Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Ok, so you buy a car. It comes with a set of keys, yes? So if you throw awaym lose or damage your keys, is it up to the dealership you bought the keys from to give you new keys for free or a new car for that matter?No. You're right, no. But you don't have to throw away a car and buy a brand new one if you lost your keys. You can swap out the ignition switch far cheaper than simply buying a new car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollgagh Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 guys stop beating the similes to death Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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