Confused about game licensing policy

Slopicana Field · 04-28-2002, 05:32 PM

I've just read several threads here pertaining to the .400 studio's game licensing policy and I'm a little concerned.

From what I've gleaned from other threads, each customer receives three licenses with each purchase of ootp4. In addition, if I understand the company's policy correctly, each "clean" install of the game, say following a hard drive reformat, will either require or produce a new license key for use. Do I understand that correctly?

Since I reformat my hdd twice a year as part of the routine maintenance of my system, what do I when I inevitably run out of licenses? Will I actually be placed in the embarrassing position to have to ask/beg these people to provide me with a new license, or is there some way to simply reuse my old licenses?

The only reason I feel compelled to ask these questions is that I've had my share of bad experiences with several software companies in the past concerning ephemeral licenses. With the passage of time, say two years, software companies that tend to use this method of licensing often refuse to grant new licenses for what they consider to be old products, preferring instead to "encourage" users to purchase software upgrades.

If that's the case, then my final question is simply this: Did I just pay $30 to rent this game for awhile from .400 Studios?

Steve Kuffrey · 04-28-2002, 05:35 PM

You can easily "unlicense" the game when it is "reformatting" time then install and license it again with no license lost.

Plus, if you do happen to lose one or more of them ViaTech is very helpful and normally will return the lost license if proper ID is submitted to them.

Slopicana Field · 04-28-2002, 05:49 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey:
You can easily "unlicense" the game when it is "reformatting" time then install and license it again with no license lost.

Plus, if you do happen to lose one or more of them ViaTech is very helpful and normally will return the lost license if proper ID is submitted to them.<hr /></blockquote>Steve,

Thanks for your immediate and helpful reply.

I have found the e-license control feature located in the Control Panel. However, it doesn't seem to divulge the number of licenses already in use.

The reason that I'm concerned about that is that I've already had to uninstalled and reinstall the game once. Unfortunately, I did not know about the "unlicensing" option when I did this. Since reinstalling the game, the game does not provide me any licensing information when I load the game. Both the User ID and license number fields are blank. Have I already unwittingly used one of my licenses?

The game works fine despite this, but I'd like to avoid any further confusion in the future concerning this.

Again, thanks for replying, and any additional help you can offer will be appreciated.

Steve Kuffrey · 04-28-2002, 05:52 PM

If you will right-click on that logo it should give you some info. Also, if you failed to unlicense before then yes one has been used....but if you contact Via-Tech chances are that they can restore it upon proper ID.

Slopicana Field · 04-28-2002, 05:54 PM

oops!! Scratch that last post.

I've discovered how to determine the # of licenses simply by right-clicking of the ootp4 icon in the e-license folder. I'm still on 1/3, so I'm apparently still using the original license.

So if I simply "unlicense" the game before I reformat, I can continue to use the first of my three licenses?

Slopicana Field · 04-28-2002, 05:55 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey:
If you will right-click on that logo it should give you some info. Also, if you failed to unlicense before then yes one has been used....but if you contact Via-Tech chances are that they can restore it upon proper ID.<hr /></blockquote>hehe...looks like you beat me to the punch.

Musashi · 04-29-2002, 02:59 PM

I dont have an Elicense folder...

Also how do the license's work? I have a friend who cant afford to get the game and would like to play vs me in a league with just us 2. Can he use one of the license's? I know some multiplayer games allow 2 users some even give 2 cds for this purpose.

Steve Kuffrey · 04-29-2002, 03:07 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Musashi:
I dont have an Elicense folder...

Also how do the license's work? I have a friend who cant afford to get the game and would like to play vs me in a league with just us 2. Can he use one of the license's? I know some multiplayer games allow 2 users some even give 2 cds for this purpose.<hr /></blockquote>The location of this folder varies w/ the OS but if you are using OOTP then you have it somewhere.

Sharing licenses is essentially stealing money from the Via-Tech company and from the game developers and is against the law. Lots of ways to get 29.90 it's not alot of cash.

Musashi · 04-29-2002, 03:16 PM

I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.

Steve Kuffrey · 04-29-2002, 03:25 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Musashi:
I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.<hr /></blockquote>No we don't be seriously it is not alot of dough, lend him the money, tell him to get a job, sell some of his old games on ebay...

Slopicana Field · 04-29-2002, 09:13 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Musashi:
I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.<hr /></blockquote>No we don't be seriously it is not alot of dough, lend him the money, tell him to get a job, sell some of his old games on ebay...<hr /></blockquote>LOL...you stopped just shy of telling this guy to send his indigent friend to his local blood bank in an effort to raise money that way. Then again, my local blood bank only gives me a stale oatmeal cookie when I donate blood, and never ca$h.

Maybe he can sell the cookie to some crazy rich guy with a sweet tooth for $30.

BaseballMan · 04-29-2002, 10:00 PM

or you could get stb 2003 for 19.99.
As for via tech sometimes it might take a while to get through but ive never had to beg as long as i had my reit they were always helpful.
But seeing STB 2003 at Media Play and me having the impulse to buy something but not wanting to waste money well its like the cookie jar i just
couldnt resist the temptation.

Musashi · 04-30-2002, 10:49 AM

Are you allowed to have a copy of your game at home and one on your work computer? (thought I read you could somewhere)

And I wont get into my friends money trouble. Or the fact That I feel like I am a theif by just asking about the Elicense. Just figured I would ask when I saw the post. Didnt realize I would get berated. But then again text always comes out harsher than the poster wishes. Or sometimes as Harsh.

SoxWin · 04-30-2002, 11:09 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr /> Are you allowed to have a copy of your game at home and one on your work computer? <hr /></blockquote>Yep, you can have the game installed on 3 of your own machines at the same time if you like. For example home, office, laptop.

<blockquote>quote:<hr /> Didnt realize I would get berated. But then again text always comes out harsher than the poster wishes. Or sometimes as Harsh. <hr /></blockquote>I honestly don't think Steve was berating you, just stating the cold hard facts. You're right though, when typing a post, it's not always easy to get the nuances of a regular conversation into the typed word.

Cheers

Rich

Malleus Dei · 04-30-2002, 11:11 AM

Steve was a LOT nicer than I would have been.

Steve Kuffrey · 04-30-2002, 11:20 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by RoboNewbie:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Musashi:
I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.<hr /></blockquote>No we don't be seriously it is not alot of dough, lend him the money, tell him to get a job, sell some of his old games on ebay...<hr /></blockquote>LOL...you stopped just shy of telling this guy to send his indigent friend to his local blood bank in an effort to raise money that way. Then again, my local blood bank only gives me a stale oatmeal cookie when I donate blood, and never ca$h.

Maybe he can sell the cookie to some crazy rich guy with a sweet tooth for $30.<hr /></blockquote>Well, as was said it is hard to get the spirit of the message in type....but I was not trying to "berate" anyone. I was just trying to say that I don't think I know anyone(personally) who couldn't somehow come up with $30 if they needed or wanted to. In fact I was just trying to offer some creative suggestions and ideas that I had used or given to my own kids when they want something.

jdurg · 05-01-2002, 03:48 PM

I hear that sperm banks give good money for donations. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

04-28-2002, 05:32 PM	#1
Slopicana Field Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 21	Confused about game licensing policy I've just read several threads here pertaining to the .400 studio's game licensing policy and I'm a little concerned. From what I've gleaned from other threads, each customer receives three licenses with each purchase of ootp4. In addition, if I understand the company's policy correctly, each "clean" install of the game, say following a hard drive reformat, will either require or produce a new license key for use. Do I understand that correctly? Since I reformat my hdd twice a year as part of the routine maintenance of my system, what do I when I inevitably run out of licenses? Will I actually be placed in the embarrassing position to have to ask/beg these people to provide me with a new license, or is there some way to simply reuse my old licenses? The only reason I feel compelled to ask these questions is that I've had my share of bad experiences with several software companies in the past concerning ephemeral licenses. With the passage of time, say two years, software companies that tend to use this method of licensing often refuse to grant new licenses for what they consider to be old products, preferring instead to "encourage" users to purchase software upgrades. If that's the case, then my final question is simply this: Did I just pay $30 to rent this game for awhile from .400 Studios?

04-28-2002, 05:35 PM	#2
Steve Kuffrey Administrator Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: S.E. TN - Georgia born and raised Posts: 17,036	You can easily "unlicense" the game when it is "reformatting" time then install and license it again with no license lost. Plus, if you do happen to lose one or more of them ViaTech is very helpful and normally will return the lost license if proper ID is submitted to them. __________________ Steve Kuffrey DABS Atlanta Braves - 2008 Eastern Division Champ *DBLC Atlanta Braves - 2011, 2014 East Division Champ, 2012, 2013 NL Wildcard Baseball Maelstrom-Montreal Expos-2013 Tourney winner, 2014 WC Team Sparky's League - Tampa Bay D'Rays Epicenter Baseball League - Astros 2014 The CBL Rewind - Phillies '95

04-28-2002, 05:49 PM	#3
Slopicana Field Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 21	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey: <strong>You can easily "unlicense" the game when it is "reformatting" time then install and license it again with no license lost. Plus, if you do happen to lose one or more of them ViaTech is very helpful and normally will return the lost license if proper ID is submitted to them.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Steve, Thanks for your immediate and helpful reply. I have found the e-license control feature located in the Control Panel. However, it doesn't seem to divulge the number of licenses already in use. The reason that I'm concerned about that is that I've already had to uninstalled and reinstall the game once. Unfortunately, I did not know about the "unlicensing" option when I did this. Since reinstalling the game, the game does not provide me any licensing information when I load the game. Both the User ID and license number fields are blank. Have I already unwittingly used one of my licenses? The game works fine despite this, but I'd like to avoid any further confusion in the future concerning this. Again, thanks for replying, and any additional help you can offer will be appreciated.

04-28-2002, 05:52 PM	#4
Steve Kuffrey Administrator Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: S.E. TN - Georgia born and raised Posts: 17,036	If you will right-click on that logo it should give you some info. Also, if you failed to unlicense before then yes one has been used....but if you contact Via-Tech chances are that they can restore it upon proper ID. __________________ Steve Kuffrey DABS Atlanta Braves - 2008 Eastern Division Champ *DBLC Atlanta Braves - 2011, 2014 East Division Champ, 2012, 2013 NL Wildcard Baseball Maelstrom-Montreal Expos-2013 Tourney winner, 2014 WC Team Sparky's League - Tampa Bay D'Rays Epicenter Baseball League - Astros 2014 The CBL Rewind - Phillies '95

04-28-2002, 05:55 PM	#6
Slopicana Field Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 21	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey: <strong>If you will right-click on that logo it should give you some info. Also, if you failed to unlicense before then yes one has been used....but if you contact Via-Tech chances are that they can restore it upon proper ID.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">hehe...looks like you beat me to the punch.

04-28-2002, 05:54 PM	#5
Slopicana Field Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 21	oops!! Scratch that last post. I've discovered how to determine the # of licenses simply by right-clicking of the ootp4 icon in the e-license folder. I'm still on 1/3, so I'm apparently still using the original license. So if I simply "unlicense" the game before I reformat, I can continue to use the first of my three licenses?

04-29-2002, 02:59 PM	#7
Musashi Minors (Single A) Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NC Posts: 72	I dont have an Elicense folder... Also how do the license's work? I have a friend who cant afford to get the game and would like to play vs me in a league with just us 2. Can he use one of the license's? I know some multiplayer games allow 2 users some even give 2 cds for this purpose.

04-29-2002, 03:07 PM	#8
Steve Kuffrey Administrator Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: S.E. TN - Georgia born and raised Posts: 17,036	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Musashi: <strong>I dont have an Elicense folder... Also how do the license's work? I have a friend who cant afford to get the game and would like to play vs me in a league with just us 2. Can he use one of the license's? I know some multiplayer games allow 2 users some even give 2 cds for this purpose.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The location of this folder varies w/ the OS but if you are using OOTP then you have it somewhere. Sharing licenses is essentially stealing money from the Via-Tech company and from the game developers and is against the law. Lots of ways to get 29.90 it's not alot of cash. __________________ Steve Kuffrey DABS Atlanta Braves - 2008 Eastern Division Champ *DBLC Atlanta Braves - 2011, 2014 East Division Champ, 2012, 2013 NL Wildcard Baseball Maelstrom-Montreal Expos-2013 Tourney winner, 2014 WC Team Sparky's League - Tampa Bay D'Rays Epicenter Baseball League - Astros 2014 The CBL Rewind - Phillies '95

04-29-2002, 03:16 PM	#9
Musashi Minors (Single A) Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NC Posts: 72	I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.

04-29-2002, 03:25 PM	#10
Steve Kuffrey Administrator Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: S.E. TN - Georgia born and raised Posts: 17,036	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Musashi: <strong>I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No we don't be seriously it is not alot of dough, lend him the money, tell him to get a job, sell some of his old games on ebay... __________________ Steve Kuffrey DABS Atlanta Braves - 2008 Eastern Division Champ *DBLC Atlanta Braves - 2011, 2014 East Division Champ, 2012, 2013 NL Wildcard Baseball Maelstrom-Montreal Expos-2013 Tourney winner, 2014 WC Team Sparky's League - Tampa Bay D'Rays Epicenter Baseball League - Astros 2014 The CBL Rewind - Phillies '95

04-29-2002, 09:13 PM	#11
Slopicana Field Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 21	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey: <strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Musashi: <strong>I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No we don't be seriously it is not alot of dough, lend him the money, tell him to get a job, sell some of his old games on ebay...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">LOL...you stopped just shy of telling this guy to send his indigent friend to his local blood bank in an effort to raise money that way. Then again, my local blood bank only gives me a stale oatmeal cookie when I donate blood, and never ca$h. Maybe he can sell the cookie to some crazy rich guy with a sweet tooth for $30.

04-29-2002, 10:00 PM	#12
BaseballMan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 6,661	or you could get stb 2003 for 19.99. As for via tech sometimes it might take a while to get through but ive never had to beg as long as i had my reit they were always helpful. But seeing STB 2003 at Media Play and me having the impulse to buy something but not wanting to waste money well its like the cookie jar i just couldnt resist the temptation.

04-30-2002, 10:49 AM	#13
Musashi Minors (Single A) Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NC Posts: 72	Are you allowed to have a copy of your game at home and one on your work computer? (thought I read you could somewhere) And I wont get into my friends money trouble. Or the fact That I feel like I am a theif by just asking about the Elicense. Just figured I would ask when I saw the post. Didnt realize I would get berated. But then again text always comes out harsher than the poster wishes. Or sometimes as Harsh.

04-30-2002, 11:09 AM	#14
SoxWin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Blissful ignorance Posts: 3,315	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> Are you allowed to have a copy of your game at home and one on your work computer? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yep, you can have the game installed on 3 of your own machines at the same time if you like. For example home, office, laptop. </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> Didnt realize I would get berated. But then again text always comes out harsher than the poster wishes. Or sometimes as Harsh. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I honestly don't think Steve was berating you, just stating the cold hard facts. You're right though, when typing a post, it's not always easy to get the nuances of a regular conversation into the typed word. Cheers Rich __________________ It's called partying. When you do a lot of it, you're bound to be places where the police show up. I smoke a lot of pot and drink a lot of beer. I also graduated Suma Cum Laude. ****ing sue me. - Luis Rivera

04-30-2002, 11:20 AM	#16
Steve Kuffrey Administrator Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: S.E. TN - Georgia born and raised Posts: 17,036	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by RoboNewbie: <strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Steve Kuffrey: <strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Musashi: <strong>I figured as much. But I figured I would ask for his sake. As I said some multi player games allow sharing of a license. Just wanted to know if this was one of them or not.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No we don't be seriously it is not alot of dough, lend him the money, tell him to get a job, sell some of his old games on ebay...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">LOL...you stopped just shy of telling this guy to send his indigent friend to his local blood bank in an effort to raise money that way. Then again, my local blood bank only gives me a stale oatmeal cookie when I donate blood, and never ca$h. Maybe he can sell the cookie to some crazy rich guy with a sweet tooth for $30.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Well, as was said it is hard to get the spirit of the message in type....but I was not trying to "berate" anyone. I was just trying to say that I don't think I know anyone(personally) who couldn't somehow come up with $30 if they needed or wanted to. In fact I was just trying to offer some creative suggestions and ideas that I had used or given to my own kids when they want something. __________________ Steve Kuffrey DABS Atlanta Braves - 2008 Eastern Division Champ *DBLC Atlanta Braves - 2011, 2014 East Division Champ, 2012, 2013 NL Wildcard Baseball Maelstrom-Montreal Expos-2013 Tourney winner, 2014 WC Team Sparky's League - Tampa Bay D'Rays Epicenter Baseball League - Astros 2014 The CBL Rewind - Phillies '95

05-01-2002, 03:48 PM	#17
jdurg Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Oakdale, CT Posts: 20	I hear that sperm banks give good money for donations. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />