No cd protection in Civ4 - they are USELESS

[deo]

@deo: cd copy protection and cd check at start are 2 separate things, you are mixing apples with oranges. However:
Jerry: Hi mike
Mike: Hi
Jerry: Hey mike is that Civ3
Mike: Yea
Jerry: I saw in the internet that it has a cd copy protection, and requires the original cd to be inserted for playing. Are you able to copy it? I don't wanna spend $40
Mike: No problem, i'll just copy and paste all the contents except for the "laserlok" directory and burn a perfectly working installation cd in less than 5 minutes.
Jerry: and for the original cd required to play?
Mike: No problem, i'll just add to the cd the no-cd patch that i downloaded in 2 minutes yesterday

Yes yes, with civ 3 that works but what about other games or Civ4. If Civ4 will have a cd key i don't think that pirates would be able to play multiplayer and thats the point what i wan't to say, like you said and i totaly agree, cd copy protection is crap, but without it, well you know.
And if taketwo want's to sell as more civ4 as they can than put a CD key and the pirates won't be able to play multiplayer over the internet, so they (or some of them) would buy the original Civ4.

 

[tR1cKy]

You missed the whole point and I already agreed that the key for the car is there for the buyer and the cd protection is there for the buyer. However, they are both included for the same primary reason.

And that is to stop theft.

Sealman, it seems that when i use a methaphore you are unable to catch it.

Anyway, you are stating seriously that the cd protection is there for the buyer, as the keylock of a car... perhaps you may want to think twice about such a statement... last time i checked, cd protections were put in the (supposed) interest of the company selling the game... has something changed in the meantime?

 

[sealman]

Sealman, it seems that when i use a methaphore you are unable to catch it.

Anyway, you are stating seriously that the cd protection is there for the buyer, as the keylock of a car... perhaps you may want to think twice about such a statement... last time i checked, cd protections were put in the (supposed) interest of the company selling the game... has something changed in the meantime?

That was a typo (my March 2nd post). CD protection is there for the developer, as I stated in my March 1st post. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[tR1cKy]

Yes yes, with civ 3 that works but what about other games or Civ4. If Civ4 will have a cd key i don't think that pirates would be able to play multiplayer and thats the point what i wan't to say, like you said and i totaly agree, cd copy protection is crap, but without it, well you know.
And if taketwo want's to sell as more civ4 as they can than put a CD key and the pirates won't be able to play multiplayer over the internet, so they (or some of them) would buy the original Civ4.

Good point only in the appearance.

First, a big slice of gamers couldn't care less about multiplayer. Obviously, those people wouldn't be impacted by that.

Second, in order to stop pirates from using multiplayer, it is sufficient a legitimate activation key to be inserted when the game is installed. Cd protection is useless for this purpose. Go to the GalCiv website and try to download an update using a warez key... and you'll understand what i mean.

And about "other games" i can state here with absolute certainity that, as today, every cd protection technology used by games has already been cracked.

 

[deo]

And about "other games" i can state here with absolute certainity that, as today, every cd protection technology used by games has already been cracked.

No no, i mean the cd keys. For example battlefield 1942, try to play it multiplayer in the internet (for what it was most designed) with cracks.
Sure Civ is mainly a single player game but still, making it with cd key would make sense.

 

[tR1cKy]

No no, i mean the cd keys. For example battlefield 1942, try to play it multiplayer in the internet (for what it was most designed) with cracks.
Sure Civ is mainly a single player game but still, making it with cd key would make sense.

Oops... reading again the post... you're right. My fault.

 

[schwanenfeldii]

I don't think Sealman's analogy is as bad as you guys are making it out to be. You are saying that CD protection is useless because it can be easily defeated. Well, locks on cars can also be easily defeated, but they clearly aren't useless.

A better analogy would be why do I lock my sliding glass door? Anyone who wants to get in can just break the glass. The point of locking my door, is not to keep out criminals, but to make it obvious that walking into my house is a criminal act.

Just like in the sliding door case, CD protection creates evidence that a law has been broken. If you broke my window, the police can charge you with breaking and entering. If the police see a no-CD patched version of civilization, you could be fined for software piracy.

There is also a psychological factor that you all are missing. The average person is quite willing to copy a music CD and give it to a friend, because no where in the process do they feel like they are breaking the law. However, downloading a no-CD patch off of a warez site feels illegal. Therefore, a lot of people (myself included) don't feel comfortable with it.

I'm not saying that CD protection is a great thing. I am just disputing the claim that it has no value. And I don't think publishers will be willing to remove it unless something is put in its place. In my opinion, if you register online during the installation process, the CD protection should be disabled.

 

[rhialto]

Whereas some people do not feel using a no-CD patch is illegal because they think that kind of copy protection infringes on their rights as an end user. "I paid good money for this game. I'm not gonna jump through hoops every time I wanna play."

fwiw, I think using a no-CD patch is fine with a legally obtained copy of the game. As long as you have a proof of purchase, how you play with it is your own business.

 

[civzombie]

"However, downloading a no-CD patch off of a warez site feels illegal. Therefore, a lot of people (myself included) don't feel comfortable with it."


Feelings are not a good way to find out whether some thing is illegal. For example, even though you feel like using a no-CD patch is illegal, it probably isn't. It certainly is not a violation of copyright laws. It *could* be a violation of the digital milinium copyright act, but I doubt it is, and I further doubt that law enforecement would try to prosecute it is an illegal act.

Also, no-CD patches can be downloaded from sites that are not breaking laws such as gamecopyworld.com. You dont have to go to a warez site to download a No-cd patch.

On the other hand, copying music for a friend probably is illegal under the copyright act, despite the fact that you think it feels *less* illegal than using a no-cd patch.

 

[Colonel]

Any form of cd copyright protection is useless need I remind everyone that literally every game EVERY game that is even a semi good game has been copyed hacked pirated and any other thing, even the serial numbers are useless as people have entire sites with endless lists of serials which even some work online. Between all that CD Protection is useless. So why not make it easier for the users to play.

The only downside is that it would make it a bit easier for Pirates or Hackers, but they would do it anyways.

 

[Lockesdonkey]

I honestly dont care either way; I don't play enough games that it matters how much I pay. If there's a free version of a game I really want, I might get it, but I honestly dont care.

Best,
TheDonkeyHasALifeAndItsCalledDebate