How many copies of Civ 5 do I need?

[Alki]

Would it not be technically possible, if not legal, to go into offline mode in both PC and Laptop and play v a lan network with one copy?

Not that I would reccomend such a dubious course of actin you understand.

 

[Svip]

If you are going to play LAN, you have to be in online mode on Steam. Steam assumes that if you go in offline mode, it is because you have no connection, and thus shuts it off for your games as well. You may think of this as a problem, but offline mode is also in case you suspect your games of being in trouble with the internet to disallow it access to the internet.

And even if this was not the case, each copy of Civ5 has a serial number tied to it, and thus a LAN connection would detect the same games being purchased. But the latter option would be on Firaxis and/or 2K Games' behalf to decide.

In addition to that, I must stress, games were never a 'per household' purchase, they were a 'per person' purchase. But due to lack of 'copy protection', this has in many years been almost synonymous. But with the introduction of Steam and such, we are back to these basics.

Oh and, since this game is released via Steam, I doubt it will have the same LAN options as we are used to, the games will probably have to be established via Steam (though it might allow it over a LAN connection).

 

[Ahriman]

If the same family living in the same house needs 2 copies, there is something wrong with greedy companies

They don't need two copies if they're not playing it simultaneously on separate machines. It can be installed on 2 machines with a single license as long as both aren't running it simultaneously.

And if you do want to play it simultaneously on separate machines, why should you have to pay less than any other two people just because you live in the same household?

This is how most software licenses work - and how almost every consumer good works if you stop and think about it.

 

[PieceOfMind]

There's a big difference between legally disallowing it (but not policing it) and forcibly disallowing it. You won't find many people honestly sympathising with publishers on that issue. "Those 10 year old pirates playing their parents games are costing us a lot of lost revenue! This blatant theft needs to be stopped."

I do appreciate it's not a simple issue though, considering we're talking about having more than one instance of the game running.

 

[Drakarska]

If the same family living in the same house needs 2 copies, there is something wrong with greedy companies.

lol, Ya think? 4 boys, 1 wife ( who gets cranky at having 4 boys), and myself. That's a lot of money to invest into purchasing a game.

 

[Rebel44]

lol, Ya think? 4 boys, 1 wife ( who gets cranky at having 4 boys), and myself. That's a lot of money to invest into purchasing a game.

Wait for Steam weekend (or Holiday sales) when Civ5 will be 50% (or more) cheaper and buy all licences you need.

2K might alse create 4pack offer via Steam - just like Left4Dead and other games have.

 

[Iceciro]

lol, Ya think? 4 boys, 1 wife ( who gets cranky at having 4 boys), and myself. That's a lot of money to invest into purchasing a game.

You only need an individual copy if you're all going to be on it at the same time.

Sorry, but if I wanted to buy a box of legos for one of my kids, it wouldn't automatically entitle me to get three more boxes just because I have a lot of kids and it would be therefore more expensive.

 

[tom2050]

If the same family living in the same house needs 2 copies, there is something wrong with greedy companies

That is EXACTLY how 2K views it. "Why the hell should your brother play for Free?" To everyone, Don't let any false truths deceive you.

The other way to view this, is one USER has purchased the game. Not the whole family. So why should your brother play for free?

2K has said it themselves, and they probably wish that it didn't slip out.

If your spouse buys a book, do you go out and buy another copy if you want to read it, or do you read it when she's not or when she's done?

If you purchase a DVD, do you buy one copy for each of your friends and family who are going to watch the movie with you? Do you ever lend or borrow movies?

Why should my brother play for free? Because it's FAIR USE of a product I have purchased.

It's just another nice way Steam ******

Moderator Action: if you can't say anything civil don;t say anything at all

 

[the343danny]

It's just another nice way Steam bends you over and lets you take it up the '(Noun goes Here)'.

That analogy you quoted is quite bad. A game with Steam is even better than a book. Its no different from games with a cd-key registration. Your family members can play it. Just let them on your computer/account. If you hate Steam so much then you probably wont be using it to talk with your friends, so you not having Steam wont be a problem while your brother (or whomever) plays. Besides, Steam has an offline mode. Log on to Steam and go offline, and go on to another computer and log on. Now one person can play single player and the other can play whatever he wants. Theoretically you can have as many people as you want on your account; you just cant have two or more people with Steam in online mode. It is better than a book; with a book you cant have two people reading it at the exact same time, while with Steam (and with most other non Steam games for that matter), you can use it at the exact same time somebody else is using it.

 

[tom2050]

That analogy you quoted is quite bad. A game with Steam is even better than a book. Its no different from games with a cd-key registration. Your family members can play it. Just let them on your computer/account. If you hate Steam so much then you probably wont be using it to talk with your friends, so you not having Steam wont be a problem while your brother (or whomever) plays. Besides, Steam has an offline mode. Log on to Steam and go offline, and go on to another computer and log on. Now one person can play single player and the other can play whatever he wants. Theoretically you can have as many people as you want on your account; you just cant have two or more people with Steam in online mode. It is better than a book; with a book you cant have two people reading it at the exact same time, while with Steam (and with most other non Steam games for that matter), you can use it at the exact same time somebody else is using it.

If people want to play at the same time on different computers in the house, they need a bunch of different copies though, right?

What 2K said is what they meant. Bro shouldn't play for free just because he's your brother and lives in the same house.

It's just a douche-baggy way to treat a family of 4, by making them spend $250 to play a game together at the same time for a night of family entertainment.

 

[Gamemaster77]

That analogy you quoted is quite bad. A game with Steam is even better than a book. Its no different from games with a cd-key registration. Your family members can play it. Just let them on your computer/account. If you hate Steam so much then you probably wont be using it to talk with your friends, so you not having Steam wont be a problem while your brother (or whomever) plays. Besides, Steam has an offline mode. Log on to Steam and go offline, and go on to another computer and log on. Now one person can play single player and the other can play whatever he wants. Theoretically you can have as many people as you want on your account; you just cant have two or more people with Steam in online mode. It is better than a book; with a book you cant have two people reading it at the exact same time, while with Steam (and with most other non Steam games for that matter), you can use it at the exact same time somebody else is using it.

Do you have Steam games? From what I heard you could only use it one at a time.

 

[surv]

I play MP with my son. Him on my laptop, me on my desktop. I do own 2 copies of Civ 4 right now.

Will I need to own 2 copies of Civ 5 or will the licensing allow me to legally install the same copy on both computers?

YES. You will need two copies.

What do you think this is? Monopoly?

 

[_random_]

Of course, there's always Hotseat.

 

[tom2050]

Isn't Hotseat like a thing of the Caveman Days? Steam is supposed to represent the FUTURE! (At least Steam lovers say so).

So why would Steam make you do some ancient Hotseat non-sense, and penalize you for doing MP games the more modern way. In this regard, Steam is behind the times, and stuck in the past.

 

[surv]

Must be some kind of retro futuristic experiment. It's much too advanced for present time comprehension.

 

[Drakarska]

You only need an individual copy if you're all going to be on it at the same time.

Sorry, but if I wanted to buy a box of legos for one of my kids, it wouldn't automatically entitle me to get three more boxes just because I have a lot of kids and it would be therefore more expensive.

Really. You want to link to where that officially states that quote? Because all the research i've done definitely suggests that if I and my family want to play at the same time, we'll all need accounts.

Also, looks like you totally misunderstood my sarcasm. I don't expect entitlement, but I do expect value for my money. Oh, just FYI, I'm actually intelligent enough to purchase individual Lego boxes for my kids just to avoid potential problems. Just thought you should know since you seem to have an issue with someone with lots of kids. Thanks for your concern though, much appreciated.

 

[the343danny]

Do you have Steam games? From what I heard you could only use it one at a time.

Yes I use Steam all the time.

If people want to play at the same time on different computers in the house, they need a bunch of different copies though, right?

What 2K said is what they meant. Bro shouldn't play for free just because he's your brother and lives in the same house.

It's just a douche-baggy way to treat a family of 4, by making them spend $250 to play a game together at the same time for a night of family entertainment.

Yeah, I agree that its a bit unfair if its not allowed to shared between family, but the reality is that they cant enforce it, right?

Just log on to Steam on your account on your computer, go into offline mode, then because Steam wont know that you are logged on to your account because it is in offline mode, you can log on to your account again on another computer without being disconnected on your own computer. You dont need Steam to be online to start a game so you can have multiple people playing at the same time. You cant both play multiplayer but its much better than only one at a time. I heard that from people that have atleast claimed to have done it and it seems perfectly plausible to me.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Yes I use Steam all the time.



Yeah, I agree that its a bit unfair if its not allowed to shared between family, but the reality is that they cant enforce it, right?

Just log on to Steam on your account on your computer, go into offline mode, then because Steam wont know that you are logged on to your account because it is in offline mode, you can log on to your account again on another computer without being disconnected on your own computer. You dont need Steam to be online to start a game so you can have multiple people playing at the same time. You cant both play multiplayer but its much better than only one at a time. I heard that from people that have atleast claimed to have done it and it seems perfectly plausible to me.

Interesting. I wonder if the ability to do that requires there to be no internet connection at all, since it has been revealed that steam does make a little bit of contact with the internet even before launching offline mode. Perhaps the 2nd computer to launch the game needs to ensure it is disconnected?

 

[Aeon221]

They don't need two copies if they're not playing it simultaneously on separate machines. It can be installed on 2 machines with a single license as long as both aren't running it simultaneously.

And if you do want to play it simultaneously on separate machines, why should you have to pay less than any other two people just because you live in the same household?

This is how most software licenses work - and how almost every consumer good works if you stop and think about it.

Fairly certain I can play a board game without having two copies, but hold on I'll check.


***

Yep, I can have up to 8 people playing Monopoly simultaneously. Do you think I'm breaking the license?

 

[Ahriman]

lol, Ya think? 4 boys, 1 wife ( who gets cranky at having 4 boys), and myself. That's a lot of money to invest into purchasing a game.

Yes, kids are expensive. They don't entitle you to multiple copy discounts.
Maybe they should take turns, rather than all needing to play at once?
[And you have 5-6 computers capable of running new release PC games? Isn't *that* what's expensive?]

You're allowed to install on as many systems as you like, as long as you aren't simultaneously playing on more than one.

Fairly certain I can play a board game without having two copies, but hold on I'll check.

On the same board? Sure.
And if there is a hotseat mode, you can have multiple people playing a computer game on the same license.

If you buy a board game, you're only going to be running one copy of it at once.

Board games are just like Steam; they hardcode technology that only allows you to have a single version running.