Question on ethics

[Maui]

Anyone who spends $50 or buys a video card for this game should very well feel entitled to enjoy the game with a friend.

Quite frankly, no you don't. You're buying a license to use Valve's software. When you click 'Agree' on the EULA, that means you're legally signing a contract saying you'll play by Valve's rules. One of those rules is the limited use clause others have made painfully clear. If Valve catches two of the same key attempting to go online at the same time, they would be well within their legal rights to cancel both accounts, and legally require you to remove the software from both computers.

While I appreciate your conditions (several of my friends are gamers, and we like to get together as often as possible to exchange a few bullets) it's ultimately up to Valve, and as others have pointed out they have no way of telling if it's just you and your buddies or you and someone in Hong Kong. (Well, okay, they could trace the IP or something if they really wanted to know, but that's not the point) I just can't see this changing.

 

[CrazyHarij]

Why don't you just have your girlfriend sit on your lap? THen you can both play it together.

What girlfriend?

Oh..







;(

 

[oldagerocker]

If I buy a DVD, we can all watch it together. We don't have to each buy a copy of the DVD.

But to watch the DVD, At The Same Time (You and Your gf playing on LAN)... On Two Different DVD Players (two different PC's).. would Require Two DVD's (CD-Keys/Copies of Game/Steam account)... !!! ffs man...
:rolling:

Edit : And CrazyHarij.. we feel your pain ! :x

 

[Gunner]

Yes email Valve, but don't surprised when they'll answer: NO.

Sub Lon is taking stupidity to greater heights today.

 

[ZombieBudgie]

Hm, those are some QUESTIONABLE ETHICS

Ah hah! Ahahahahahah! Yes.


But seriously, um, I would contact ATi about this one. Usually if you're just up front and honest with big companies like that, they'll help you out.

One time I got pissed at my sister and picked up the nearest thing (half life CD) and threw it at her. Unfortunately, it broke. She laughed at me and I wrote a letter to Sierra explaining what I did. They replaced it for me.

Wow, you threw your HL CD at her? That must've caused some SURFACE TENSION...
...sorry.

 

[Ahnteis]

**ALL** software is the same way. You buy **one** license, you can use it on **one** computer at a time.

That's why Microsoft and other companies are cracking down and doing things like making you register your copy online and linking it to your hardware.

2 people playing = 2 licenses. This is NOT rocket science.

 

[Orange]

I liked the surface tension pun.
Right up my alley ;D

 

[nerdcorerocks]

i really dont' know why this is coming as such a shock to you. i know it sucks, i'd like to play with one key at my house with my bro/girlfriend too. but honestly, no new games let you do this. even halflife 1 doesn't let you do this, so why would you get pissed/suprised that hl2 won't let you?

 

[dugly]

Since you can run steam Offline (if you exit it properly...) you could play single player HL2 on as many computers as you want theoretically...and thinking about it even if you are online you could probably still play as many single player instances as you wanted, or LAN with as many computers as you wanted using the same account.

If you aren't connecting to a server through the internet you don't need to verify you're steamid. Since you dont need to verify, there is no reason to contact the steam network at all. That means they have no way to stop you from doing that, bar showing up at your house.

I'm not saying it's legal/illegal moral/immoral because I don't know and don't particularily care...I'm just saying what I think (not know) you can do with one copy. If I'm right, great. If I'm wrong, too bad for me (more so you..).

 

[Navy Man]

if you buy one copy are you saying everyone else in the world should be able to use your one key too?

well thats what i got out of it

 

[Shuzer]

if you buy one copy are you saying everyone else in the world should be able to use your one key too?

well thats what i got out of it

Just his girlfriend.
And his 500 babies.


oooooooppppppppphhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!11111111111

 

[Malambis]

But since I bought HL2 (I got the coupon, but that's just as good as buying it, so don't even start.)

No, you didn't buy HL2. You bought an ATI card that comes with a coupon as part of a promotional event. He's getting a free copy of HL2, and he still wont get a second copy? :rolling:

I must echo the thoughts of Para, "Sub Lon is taking stupidity to greater heights today."

 

[el Chi]

You can't do this with most online games.
You can play on each computer at seperate times with the same account/cdkey, but not all at the same time.

Perhaps the discussion has now evolved past the first page (all I've read) but I sort of agree with Sub_Lon. If you were there with one or two other people - all playing on legit computers with legit, albeit the exact same, copies of HL2 - playing on the same map together against other people from the inertnet that'd be great fun.
Now if your 3 PCs are on a LAN and, thus all linked to the same internet connection, would they have the same IP address? Perhaps the system could be that it's one CD-key per internet connection?
Bare in mind I have not used Steam yet and I want to put it off as long as possible so I'm not entirely sure how it works. Hence my idle wonderings are, no doubt, the product of a person who is sleepy and idiotic.

 

[MrD]

The narrowmindedness of some people in this thread is breathtaking! The inability to understand, or even try to understand other people's points of view, ach whatever.

Once apon a time, a long long time ago, there was a game called Starcraft. They understood this family thing exactly. They made a setting called "spawn" that let you play together with one copy. At about the same time, a long long time ago, i went to stay with my cousin for a couple of weeks. We played starcraft a bit. And fifa. And Duke 3d. Tonnes of fun.

This is just not possible with newer games.

Nowadays it's all greed greed greed. Simple, unsurpassed corporate greed. Now they try to pluck every single last penny from everyone who ever lived. Long gone are the days of actually giving people what they want. Or a little bit extra. I mean think about it, they don't actually need to sell every last copy to make a profit! How about just letting a few slip through the net, on purpose. And chilling a bit on the over-protective security measures.

Either that or give me £100.

Because that's what i would have needed, a long long time ago, to play those games with my cousin. £100 for a few hours a week's entertainment. For a 15 y/o.

Jeez.

 

[poseyjmac]

Nowadays it's all greed greed greed. Simple, unsurpassed corporate greed. Now they try to pluck every single last penny from everyone who ever lived. Long gone are the days of actually giving people what they want. Or a little bit extra. I mean think about it, they don't actually need to sell every last copy to make a profit! How about just letting a few slip through the net, on purpose. And chilling a bit on the over-protective security measures.

Either that or give me £100.

Because that's what i would have needed, a long long time ago, to play those games with my cousin. £100 for a few hours a week's entertainment. For a 15 y/o.

Jeez.

do not forget that software piracy is out of control and is the reason they resort to these practices and appear greedy, but really they are just trying to get some profit figure close to what they deserve.

it used to be good like with starcraft and spawning copies, but times change, as piracy has increased. so things must change to compensate. you can thank piracy for that.

 

[oldagerocker]

connection, would they have the same IP address?

Not with a router. :rolling: And i think Steam works on IP address aswell as Steam ID.

 

[MrD]

do not forget that software piracy is out of control and is the reason they resort to these practices and appear greedy, but really they are just trying to get some profit figure close to what they deserve.

it used to be good like with starcraft and spawning copies, but times change, as piracy has increased. so things must change to compensate. you can thank piracy for that.

Yeah, you could be right.

But perhaps they've only got themselves to blame. I mean, of all the ways to entice people to buy your product, adding more restrictions seems unquestionably stupid. If people aren't buying it, then you have to make it better, not worse?! Now to me, that doesn't seem like a hard concept to understand.

 

[Maui]

Wow, you threw your HL CD at her? That must've caused some SURFACE TENSION...
...sorry.

Sounds like WE'VE GOT HOSTILES somewhere around there...
...sorry again.

 

[Wesisapie]

Maui, that post was awful... time to take it to residue processing... =\

 

[Maui]

I'm sorry, those were some UNFORSEEN CONSEQUENCES of the last puns...

...I'm not even sure I got that one right, it's right after the accident in Black Mesa.

EDIT: And I can't check because I'm in the OFFICE COMPLEX...

I'll stop if everyone else does too :cheers:

 

[ZombieBudgie]

/\ Yep, unforseen consequences is right.
Anyway, these posts need to be filed in the OFFICE COMPLEX...
...wow, that sucked.

 

[Wesisapie]

that's good, because this thread is nearly at CRUSH DEPTH... oh god... dont start with blue shift and opforce......

 

[oldagerocker]

Stop it with the name jokes... im getting SURFACE TENSION....
Edit: Damn it was taken :stare:

 

[Sub_Lon]

The narrowmindedness of some people in this thread is breathtaking! The inability to understand, or even try to understand other people's points of view, ach whatever.

Once apon a time, a long long time ago, there was a game called Starcraft. They understood this family thing exactly. They made a setting called "spawn" that let you play together with one copy. At about the same time, a long long time ago, i went to stay with my cousin for a couple of weeks. We played starcraft a bit. And fifa. And Duke 3d. Tonnes of fun.

This is just not possible with newer games.

Nowadays it's all greed greed greed. Simple, unsurpassed corporate greed. Now they try to pluck every single last penny from everyone who ever lived. Long gone are the days of actually giving people what they want. Or a little bit extra. I mean think about it, they don't actually need to sell every last copy to make a profit! How about just letting a few slip through the net, on purpose. And chilling a bit on the over-protective security measures.

Either that or give me £100.

Because that's what i would have needed, a long long time ago, to play those games with my cousin. £100 for a few hours a week's entertainment. For a 15 y/o.

Jeez.

Exactly my point. There are measures they can take to allow this while preventing piracy. I believe it has (partly) boiled down to greed; despite the millions they make off this game, they'll be damned if a family can buy just one copy of it.

Sure, protect your software from pirates, but don't inconvienience your paying customers.

and CB Para: good to see you took my advice and changed your avatar.

 

[Ateoto]

I'm questioning Valve's (Steam's) security vs. my right to play a game I bought. If my girlfriend and I want to play HalfLife2 together, we should not have to buy 2 copies of the game, that's just silly.

I know thats so stupid!!!! I just bought a new car, and the jerks only gave me one! SO I was all like...

"wtf m4tes?! My GF and I want to drive it at the same time. THIS ISNT FAIR"

Then I cried a lot. ANd called them all smartasses for trying to explain it to me.

 

[poseyjmac]

Yeah, you could be right.

But perhaps they've only got themselves to blame. I mean, of all the ways to entice people to buy your product, adding more restrictions seems unquestionably stupid. If people aren't buying it, then you have to make it better, not worse?! Now to me, that doesn't seem like a hard concept to understand.

heres an easy concept. if they lose out on profits, they will compensate. again, thank piracy.

 

[poseyjmac]

Exactly my point. There are measures they can take to allow this while preventing piracy. I believe it has (partly) boiled down to greed; despite the millions they make off this game, they'll be damned if a family can buy just one copy of it.

Sure, protect your software from pirates, but don't inconvienience your paying customers.

and CB Para: good to see you took my advice and changed your avatar.

do you think its their intent to piss of normal customers?

and what is your solution for 'measures they can take'?

 

[Shuzer]

The narrowmindedness of some people in this thread is breathtaking! The inability to understand, or even try to understand other people's points of view, ach whatever.

Once apon a time, a long long time ago, there was a game called Starcraft. They understood this family thing exactly. They made a setting called "spawn" that let you play together with one copy. At about the same time, a long long time ago, i went to stay with my cousin for a couple of weeks. We played starcraft a bit. And fifa. And Duke 3d. Tonnes of fun.

This is just not possible with newer games.

Nowadays it's all greed greed greed. Simple, unsurpassed corporate greed. Now they try to pluck every single last penny from everyone who ever lived. Long gone are the days of actually giving people what they want. Or a little bit extra. I mean think about it, they don't actually need to sell every last copy to make a profit! How about just letting a few slip through the net, on purpose. And chilling a bit on the over-protective security measures.

Either that or give me £100.

Because that's what i would have needed, a long long time ago, to play those games with my cousin. £100 for a few hours a week's entertainment. For a 15 y/o.

Jeez.

I agree that SC had a great system. Spawns worked very well, I'd not mind if they did that with HL2

 

[Gunner]

Omgz0r companies are out to make money!! Call the press!

MrD where have you been for the last two centuries?

Exactly my point. There are measures they can take to allow this while preventing piracy. I believe it has (partly) boiled down to greed; despite the millions they make off this game, they'll be damned if a family can buy just one copy of it.

Sure, protect your software from pirates, but don't inconvienience your paying customers.

and CB Para: good to see you took my advice and changed your avatar.

Hmm the PC isn't a console, if you want to have a MP game with your friends without buying multiple copies get an Xbox. And I change my avatar regularly I don't need your "advice".

And how did that email go with Valve? get a reply yet? lol

 

[Sub_Lon]

Omgz0r companies are out to make money!! Call the press!

MrD where have you been for the last two centuries?



Hmm the PC isn't a console, if you want to have a MP game with your friends without buying multiple copies get an Xbox. And I change my avatar regularly I don't need your "advice".

And how did that email go with Valve? get a reply yet? lol

pwned!

 

[MrD]

Omgz0r companies are out to make money!! Call the press!

No need to take the piss mate.


Perhaps there is more to life than money?
:cheers:

 

[ZombieBudgie]

Perhaps there is more to life than money?
:cheers:

No, there isn't.

 

[Sub_Lon]

It seems like a lot of people are happy to get ripped off, some are even indignant about it. I think it is a rip off that a family would have to buy a copy for each kid that wants to play the game.

VALVe could run this scenario: The purchaser of Half Life 2 gets the CD Key, he is the Owner of the CD Key. The Owner should be allotted 1 or 2 extra slots that he can share with WHOMEVER. It can be regulated by the Owner by having him validate a person logging on with his key. If there somehow are numerous people using his key with his permission, then it reflects directly back to the Owner.

If they have the ability to track every registered key holder, they can track guests of the key holders.

Its pretty simple. Mindless forum robots.

 

[Shuzer]

Sub, let's make an analogy here!

Say you buy a train ticket. Now, this ticket cost you $40 to get form one city to another, say, 50 miles apart. It's ridiculous that you have to pay for a SECOND ticket for a family member, you already paid for the ticket! There should be 2 or 3 extra seats for your family on the train. It's only fair.

Honestly, you can play HL2 SP on all the computers you want. You can probably even play on a LAN with the same CDKey. You're ONLY restricted to one key online at one time. I don't really see the big issue. It's been that way for years and years.

 

[Sub_Lon]

Sub, let's make an analogy here!

Say you buy a train ticket. Now, this ticket cost you $40 to get form one city to another, say, 50 miles apart. It's ridiculous that you have to pay for a SECOND ticket for a family member, you already paid for the ticket! There should be 2 or 3 extra seats for your family on the train. It's only fair.

Honestly, you can play HL2 SP on all the computers you want. You can probably even play on a LAN with the same CDKey. You're ONLY restricted to one key online at one time. I don't really see the big issue. It's been that way for years and years.

So I'll be able to host a lan party with one cd key? Is this confirmed? That would be nice if it's true.

 

[Shuzer]

So I'll be able to host a lan party with one cd key? Is this confirmed? That would be nice if it's true.

I don't see how they could prevent it. Steam running in offline mode on multiple systems should work just fine. Then you all run LAN..

If not, I'm sure there will be masses of people complaining that it can't be done. In the end, it'll be atleast cracked to do so. (Stupid warez, can't stop it.. ;()

 

[Snaek]

I think that Valve may be releasing a MP only box right? I think I heard that somewhere.

 

[Shuzer]

I think that Valve may be releasing a MP only box right? I think I heard that somewhere.

Nope.

SP
SP + MP
Collector's edition
Steam subscription

 

[poseyjmac]

It seems like a lot of people are happy to get ripped off, some are even indignant about it. I think it is a rip off that a family would have to buy a copy for each kid that wants to play the game.

so i take it you dont go to movie theatres?

 

[Gunner]

It seems like a lot of people are happy to get ripped off, some are even indignant about it. I think it is a rip off that a family would have to buy a copy for each kid that wants to play the game.

No it's not a ripoff, it's the way it has been for years and here you come out of the blue and want everything to change just so you get what you want. And your solution with "extra slots" bound to one key is just ridiculous, it would cut sales in half in the "best case" scenario, because almost everyone would buy their cdkeys on ebay for just 5-10 bucks. It's so god-damn childish it makes me want to weep.