.com.unity Forums - Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

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- Dominions 2: The Ascension Wars (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55)

- - Nice try (email & asking for cd-key) (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=17181)

J Stanley

January 5th, 2004 07:04 AM

Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

I just got this email...
I'll get right on it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Quote:

Hiya, I was wondering if I could ask a favor.
I got this game a while back, and despite its lack of any sort of graphical
candy, I've been having some fun with it.
My problem is this, I have friends that come over, and we like to play games
over my lan together, the thing is - this game turns out to be a cd-key
nazi.
Normally I wouldn't have too much problem just running down to the store,
and splitting the cost with a friend, or even finding alternate methods of
getting it to run.

Course we can't run down to the store with this game. Besides that I have a
feeling we will likely only play a few games, and get it out of our system,
and go about normal gaming business http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
We would do hotseat, but that pretty much would double the length of an
already fairly long game.

If you could do me a favor and just throw me your cd-key it would save us a
bit of trouble, and cut our game length in half. Thanks in advance

Whismerhill

January 5th, 2004 08:07 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

LOL http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

he probably wanted to advertise you with his message http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

anyway, I hope none there will give their precious cd-key ! even to your best friend !
you really never know how stupid, they are sometimes and that's with that way that you find YOUR cd-key published Online !

Special message for that guy :
-Learn & Study: there's many manuals & helpful writings on the net, if you really want it, you'll find what you're searching for

AND ! of course if you use the game more than a few times go buy a second copy for your friend!

J Stanley

January 5th, 2004 08:23 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

True about the advertising. Thats why I left out his name/email. I thought it was funny. I was thinking maybe it was someone starting a MP game, but no. Just more spam.

Gandalf Parker

January 5th, 2004 04:22 PM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Quote:

an email received by J Stanley:

Send a copy to the Moderators or Richard (with full headers please). We have had a couple of people post here trying basically the same line but the Posts were quickly moved off the public board. It would be nice to know if someone is trying this after being told NO by those in charge.

Quote:

Hiya, I was wondering if I could ask a favor. I got this game a while back, and despite its lack of any sort of graphical
candy, I've been having some fun with it.

Sounds familiar so far. Werent we all surprised by this?

Quote:

My problem is this, I have friends that come over, and we like to play games over my lan together, the thing is - this game turns out to be a cd-key nazi.

Wow Nazi mentioned in the first post of a thread. Godwin's Law says this is dead already.
http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_Law

Quote:

Besides that I have a
feeling we will likely only play a few games, and get it out of our system,
and go about normal gaming business

heehee. Anyone want to make bets on this? If you can get past the learning curve I can pretty much gaurantee this game will outlive at least your next 6 purchases IMHO

Quote:

We would do hotseat, but that pretty much would double the length of an
already fairly long game.

Oh well. That makes a difference doesnt it? He would use the method provided but doesnt want to.

Quote:

If you could do me a favor and just throw me your cd-key it would save us a bit of trouble, and cut our game length in half.

And of course he, and none of his friends, and none of the friends of his friends, would zip it up and load it to some warez site. Your CD key would never end up excluded by the CD check so that all dominions servers refuse to let you play . http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Quote:

Thanks in advance

Such a polite little pirate. Of course most of them are. Its the second letter that shows their true colors.

To the original email sender. Im sorry, but we LIKE this game. If that statement confuses you then you dont understand what the CD-key is for.

[ January 05, 2004, 14:23: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Lord Hammer

January 5th, 2004 11:00 PM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

@Gandalf...
It's stuff like this that keeps me from allowing private Messages http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif . The Atari forums:Temple of Elemental Evil for example:been there lately? Lord Hammer out, a.k.a. Ben Dover! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Dekent

January 6th, 2004 01:01 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Dom2 is a regular find around the warez Groups...

Course it's awful that people are pirating it but....

Hey, that means the general public thinks the game is WORTH pirating, sales on a dominions 3 might be high enough to *gasp* acculy have local stores carry it ;p

Lord Hammer

January 6th, 2004 01:34 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dekent:
Hey, that means the general public thinks the game is WORTH pirating

No, it means they don't have lives and are ignorant to the point that it takes talent to make great games such as Dominions 2 and that the people that make such games need money to finance their endeavor, not to mention support themselves and their families! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Gandalf Parker

January 6th, 2004 02:23 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Quote:

Originally posted by Dekent:
Dom2 is a regular find around the warez Groups...

Please download it if you find it and let the devs know what the Cd-key is in it.

Dekent

January 6th, 2004 06:44 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

I don't think theres anything they COULD do even with the cd keys, companies like blizzard know of 100s of warez cd keys and can't anything other then diable then from working on bnet.

I didn't mean to irritate anyone, I just find it interesting that you NEVER see niche games like dom2 around those places. It just shows that dom2 is that good =)

Cyrien

January 6th, 2004 05:41 PM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

I did a little search and found 5 CD-key generating programs. 2 of them had a working CD-key half the time 2 never worked and 1 worked. (It seems one of the warez Groups released too fast and their first two key generators don't work. HAHA!) Found a bunch of nfo's with cd-keys as well. Bout half of those didn't work as well.

This all just goes back to the old defense v offense question and generally speaking the people attacking have the advantage. Defense is only a time delay. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Maybe he sends the email because all the stuff he found Online didn't work. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Gandalf Parker

January 6th, 2004 06:18 PM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Quote:

Originally posted by Cyrien:
This all just goes back to the old defense v offense question and generally speaking the people attacking have the advantage. Defense is only a time delay.

Defense against what? Pirates? Protection schemes are 90% concerned with casual copiers and 10% consideration on maybe putting some snags in the way of pirates. Still the situation can be improved if those of us who like the game put a few efforts into improving the situation rather than just looking the other way.

Send those CD generators to the devs please

Cyrien

January 7th, 2004 06:51 PM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

They already contacted me and I replied telling them how I found the key generators. Hopefully there will be 5 unworking ones next patch through.

SurvivalistMerc

January 7th, 2004 08:15 PM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

I share your hopes, Cyrien.

Maybe fewer folks would use unethical measures to get a second CD key if you could buy a second CD key Online from illwinter for $40.00 or so for use in network games. I'm thinking IW wouldn't need to charge the full price since they don't have to send a CD or documentation. And if it were instantaneous or nearly so after credit card approval, folks wouldn't have the motivation to steal due to not wanting to wait for something in the mail.

Just a thought.

Gandalf Parker

January 7th, 2004 08:31 PM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Quote:

Originally posted by SurvivalistMerc:
Maybe fewer folks would use unethical measures to get a second CD key if you could buy a second CD key Online from illwinter for $40.00 or so for use in network games. I'm thinking IW wouldn't need to charge the full price since they don't have to send a CD or documentation. And if it were instantaneous or nearly so after credit card approval, folks wouldn't have the motivation to steal due to not wanting to wait for something in the mail.

I totally agree with everything you said, but one small point of clarification. This falls into Shrapnels territory rather than Illwinter.

Azselendor

January 10th, 2004 01:20 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Depending on the location, Shrapnel and/or Illwinter can work with local, state, or federal authorities to get those turds and make sure they pay through thier noses.

PvK	January 10th, 2004 01:33 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

The weenies asking for keys are indeed weenies. On a more contructive note, though: It seems to me like there should be some technical solution possible to allow LAN play using only one copy of the game, without eroding sales, which would be nice.

PvK

Gandalf Parker

January 10th, 2004 02:51 AM

Re: Nice try (email & asking for cd-key)

Quote:

Originally posted by PvK:
The weenies asking for keys are indeed weenies. On a more contructive note, though: It seems to me like there should be some technical solution possible to allow LAN play using only one copy of the game, without eroding sales, which would be nice.

Its computers. Anything is possible. Impossible is just a technicians term. It means "I could but its probably more time and trouble than its worth"

The game allows hot-seat play.
It also allows tcp/ip or pbem play between different computers that have different CD keys.

The problem with LAN play is that you are talking about allowing play between different computers using the same CD-key because they are on a LAN without allowing it between different computers not on a LAN.

That means it has to recognize that LAN arrangment in some way which isnt easy to fake-out. Maybe IP's using internal network structure such as 192.168.0.1 but proxys and such often work around such things. Maybe tracerouting each connection but many lans wont allow that.

Anyway, the response Im making is that of course its possible but it wouldnt be a simple nothing to do. I get the impression its on Illwinters "to do" list but not on the easy patch list. Im all for the $15 buy-a-key-Online idea but thats in Shrapnel's ballpark.

[ January 10, 2004, 00:53: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

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