Is copying games for your own personal use legal

[zjl56]

I am askin a question about games like civ3. Is it legal to copy games like civ3 onto other disks for you own personal use? Because I don't really want to do something illegal.

 

[Mise]

Copying a game to keep as a backup (or to keep the original disk as a backup) in case the other copy breaks/gets lost/etc is legal. You can copy a game as many times as you like as long as no-one else uses it. When you buy a game (or any piece of software) you are paying the publisher permission to use the game, rather than paying for the actual CD.

EDIT: Actually, I think it's one copy per computer or something. I'm not entirely sure about games licensing laws, but really, fair usage comes into play here, and no-one would blame you if you own 2 computers and wanted to play civ on both.

 

[zjl56]

I am saying this because my brother has copied an old civ3 disk many times. But is is legal to use one copy of the game on two computers that you own?

 

[Mise]

Are the computers in the same house? If so, then it's probably legal.

 

[zjl56]

Ya in the same house. The license agreement puzzles me because it says it can only be on one station at a time. I don't know whether it is pretaining to one household or one computer.

 

[Mise]

Yeah, it should be fine if it's in the same house. If it were in a different house, it would probably be considered piracy (kinda like giving it to a friend), but since it's in your house, I don't think anyone would seriously consider taking this up in court. Strictly speaking, though, it is illegal to have it on two different computers at the same time, but like I said, there's generally something in the license which says "fair usage" or something. (Strictly speaking, we're not allowed to post pictures or reproduce copywrited passages from other websites without express written permission, so the law is quite flexible here.)

 

[zjl56]

Currently my family owns two copies of civ3 and we have copied them alot. But I would also would like to make annother quetion. Is it legal for game companies to put copyright protection on there games?

 

[LLXerxes]

I thinkit's only illegal if you sellthem off...

 

[Mise]

Currently my family owns two copies of civ3 and we have copied them alot. But I would also would like to make annother quetion. Is it legal for game companies to put copyright protection on there games?

I think so. You have a right to copy a CD and use any tools at your disposal to do so. Putting copy protection on the CD doesn't stop you from doing this (neccessarily), since there are tools out there to get around it (like the ones on a site we'd prefer not to be mentioned here. I'm not really sure, but you bring up an excellent point.

 

[zjl56]

Because basicly when you buy a game you should be able to do anything thing you want with it as long as your not giving it to anyone else or getting money from it.

 

[Siegmund]

The rule of thumb I have seen in the past is that if it is something you *could* do with a single purchased disk, you can do it with your copies -- that is, you can install it on more than one computer for your own convenience, put using one copy to install on two computers and then use those same two computers at the same time (multiplayer vs. friend or family for instance) is something that in principle requires owning two copies of a program.

I personally have Civ3 on home and work computers and on a laptop, but am the only one in my family who plays, so dont feel I am running foul of any laws.

 

[WillJ]

The rule of thumb I have seen in the past is that if it is something you *could* do with a single purchased disk, you can do it with your copies

Yep, I'm 99% sure you are right.

 

[Persia_Immortal]

As long as you do make a profit outta it, i tink it's perfectly legal in my opinion.

 

[zulu9812]

I think, however, that your end-user license agreement requires you to install the game on only one machine at a time. But sod that, copy it anyway!

 

[Shadylookin]

technically your allowed to posses one copy as a backup disk(or use the copy and have the original as the backup) Your only allowed to have it on one machine at a time. You are also not allowed to sell the copied disk or give it away. Of course they always use copy protection crap on the CD's so the point seems to be moot nowadays unless you really want that copy(I think one should sue them over this seeing as how it is a total breech of contract) Some people like to use no-cd cracks, which I'm sure is legal because you have to have the game installed for it to work that way they just click on it without having to use the CD.

 

[zjl56]

I think I should be able to use games on property that is owned by my family. But I worry about not being able to copy games. I use conquests alot but I don't want it to break and having to get it again. It has copyright protection.

 

[ainwood]

Ya in the same house. The license agreement puzzles me because it says it can only be on one station at a time. I don't know whether it is pretaining to one household or one computer.

There's your answer. The license agreement says you can only install it on one computer at a time.

Currently my family owns two copies of civ3 and we have copied them alot. But I would also would like to make annother quetion. Is it legal for game companies to put copyright protection on there games?

For what purpose have you copied them a lot?

 

[Immortal]

Ainwood and Zulu are correct, according to the end-user license agreement, only one computer may posess the copy of the aforementioned software at one time. One may posess a backup copy of the disk in case it is lost, but one may not distribute it in any way.

 

[Steph]

I'm not sure about one installation at a time, but at least one usage at a time, except for multi player game.
Exemple : Age of Kings. You need the CD to play single player, but you need only one player with the CD to play multiplayer.

So : It's installed on my computer and on my wife's. We never play single player at the same time, but play from time to time multiplayer.

Having to reinstall the game every time you play would be very boring.

 

[Mise]

Steph is correct. You're allowed to have it installed on as many computers as you want, but you're not allowed to play it at the same time on any two (or more) computers. So you can install it on your brother's computer, but you can't both play it at the same time.

Not sure about multiplayer though...