I was watching this movie the other night where the main star, a handsome and funny 34-year old male, lost one of his computer game CDs. He couldn’t find it anywhere in his house; undoubtably one of his three minions helped it disappear. He still has the box and dust jacket – including the CD serial number. He is just missing the actual disc.
The disc is “Hordes of the Underdark”, the second expansion pack for Neverwinter nights. He still has the original Neverwinter nights disc as well as the first expansion pack disc. Unfortunately without the disc he can no longer install the expansion pack on his new laptop nor play it on his old computer.
Any ideas how our hero could have overcome his plight? Legal ways only please, particularly those that do not include repaying full price for a second one.
I would contact the publisher of the game to see if they will send you a replacement CD. A lot of companies would do it if they still made the game as long as you have proof of purchace (like the CD Key). Another option is if you have your original CD Key, if you know someone that has the game, make a copy of the CD. I don’t know if this is within the rules of the EULA with the game, but it is allowed with many other software programs (including Windows).
He should learn a lesson from this and have burned an image of this disc in case of such a disaster. I can image any CD and make a copy of it wiith the software on my box. Perfectly legal, so long as I don’t give copies to others.
I’m a regular over at the Bio boards and I’ll tell you now Atari would not have shipped a new disk to the character in the movie.
The only legal option open to our doomed hero is to go out and buy himself a new copy of the expansion. We can only hope the writers have learned a lesson and will work into the sequel a scene where he makes a backup copy of the game CD for just such an eventuality.
I’ve never seen the movie myself, but I know that I wouldn’t have any moral qualms about persuing less uhm, scrupulous means to solve the problem, specially considering that I DID pay for the product already. But like I said, I’ve never seen this movie.
Given that he legally purchased the game, and he still had his original activation key, would it be illegal to make a copy from a friend’s disk? I’m guessing not, but I’m no lawyer. But I do know for some games - MMORPGS, mostly - the activation key is the thing. As long as you have that, they don’t care what disks you install the game from.
With most software, your not buying that cd and box. Your actually just buying a license to use 1 copy of that software(unless its a multiuser license) and if the company didnt feel like sending you a replacement I would actually suggest aquiring a copy via other means since you bought a license to use said software.
True, but Hollywood loves its heros to have a flaw…
Seriously though, thanks to everyone for their help. Unfortunately I don’t know anyone else that plays this game. Maybe I can pick up a used one on eBay. It is just a drag to pay for a license twice.
Unfortunately, this particular game also requires the most recent expansion disc in the drive to play. So our hero is stuck regardless. I have no idea whether or not a burned copy would function properly (I suspect not) so the exhortations to make backups would be of no use, unless he decided to skirt legality and find something to get around that problem.
This is legally incorrect. Let’s assume our doomed hero has the box and dust jacket – including the CD serial number. He also has a receipt clearly specifying he bought that specific software. And even the governor of his state would testify he was with him when he legally bought this. Our hero could obtain a duplicate copy from anyone, and use it, as he owns a valid license.
That may be legally incorrect, but it is the more realistic option. Unless our hero has a friend with a copy he is willing to lend him (or copy for him), he’s out of options. The store where he purchased the game will NOT give him another copy. Many game publishing copies will either offer no replacement or charge a large fee and take several weeks to send duplicate disks.
