• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

I lost my Mass Effect CD :(

Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Wasjust about to install this game and noticed that I only have 1 of the 2 CDs. And I seem to be missing the registration code card. I've cleaned up my room and turned everything upside down looking for it but all I found was the manual. Too bad I was looking forward to playing it, I bought it about a year ago and never installed it.

blog.anandtech.com
 
manimal said:
This is why I email myself the cd keys of any game thats not on steam. If its on steam it doesnt matter.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's a good idea actually. Those cards can get lost easily. Especially when you want to play some old fav again 4 year latter.
 
thedosbox said:
Well, if he has the CD version, he'll need more than one disc 😉
Click to expand...

Huh actually I have the DVD version. But it says Disc 1 on the cover so I assumed it was more than one DVD. At any rate it doesn't really matter as I also lost the CD Key.
 
Wait for the next $10 sale on Steam, Impulse, D2D ...

Steam has KoTOR 1 for $10, you could always (re)play that.

If you have KoTOR 2 the restoration mod has some interesting new content, I'm playing again with it now.
 
The original Mass Effect is one of those very rare exceptions where I wouldn't mind buying it a second time if I lost the retail disc(s). As others suggest, maybe you can just wait until it gets sold at a reduced price, but this time buy it digitally so that you won't have to worry about physical discs anymore, or even keys for that matter, just get it on Steam.
 
I'm sure somebody will jump on me for suggesting this, but personally I don't have a problem with it - so here goes.

You bought the game, and still even have the disk (or one of a pair of discs), but lost your cd-key. I say go find a crack, and enjoy your game. You paid for it, and may even be able to install it (or part of it) using the physical media you paid for. So what if you use a crack because you lost the little card with your cd key on it?
 
Visaoni said:
I'm sure somebody will jump on me for suggesting this, but personally I don't have a problem with it - so here goes.

You bought the game, and still even have the disk (or one of a pair of discs), but lost your cd-key. I say go find a crack, and enjoy your game. You paid for it, and may even be able to install it (or part of it) using the physical media you paid for. So what if you use a crack because you lost the little card with your cd key on it?
Click to expand...

That might be fine for personal morals, but the law is clear and doesn't care if you bought it yourself... but I'm not opening that can of worms in this thread.
 
Visaoni said:
I'm sure somebody will jump on me for suggesting this, but personally I don't have a problem with it - so here goes.

You bought the game, and still even have the disk (or one of a pair of discs), but lost your cd-key. I say go find a crack, and enjoy your game. You paid for it, and may even be able to install it (or part of it) using the physical media you paid for. So what if you use a crack because you lost the little card with your cd key on it?
Click to expand...

This is what I'd do.
 
gorcorps said:
That might be fine for personal morals, but the law is clear and doesn't care if you bought it yourself... but I'm not opening that can of worms in this thread.
Click to expand...

Too late. Can you explain how using a cracked executable is against the law if you've installed the game from your legally purchased copy? Is there a precedent on this?
 
manimal said:
This is why I email myself the cd keys of any game thats not on steam. If its on steam it doesnt matter.
Click to expand...

I cant see how it's a good idea. If someone hacks your email you are screwed. I put my keys in txt files in encrypted folders, then copy to CDs and put them away. I keep an extra cd or a folder on the HD for redundancy.
 
CoinOperatedBoy said:
Too late. Can you explain how using a cracked executable is against the law if you've installed the game from your legally purchased copy? Is there a precedent on this?
Click to expand...

If you circumvent copy protection schemes, you have violated the DMCA. While it may not be illegal to make back-ups of dvds or cds, the govt (i.e. industry lobbyists) made circumventing a DRM scheme illegal.

The closest case law on point would probably be the 321 Studios case (they made a DVD ripper program) and they lost bigtime in court not because it's illegal to copy media you own, but because their software circumvented dvd DRM, explicitly banned by the DMCA.

So using a crack to circumvent a game's DRM would very likely be found analogous. I doubt there's much case law on this as content providers are unlikely to sue their clientele who have actually purchased the product in question simply because they violated the DMCA for personal use. It wouldn't be cost effective and it would be REALLY BAD PR.
 
Excellent. Thank you, Jonks. However, take a look at Wikipedia's entry on Anti-circumvention, specifically the section on US law and "Fair Use and Circmunvention." Some courts held that if circumvention does not actually lead to copyright infringement, there is no violation.

There are sections of the DMCA that define its applicability in terms of fair use and reverse engineering, and there is an argument to be made about how using a cracked executable simply allows the user to run the software he legally purchased.

Granted, there are other cases like the one you cited that come down on the other side of the fence. I'd say it's still very much undecided.
 
Huh? Who cares if it's illegal or some DMCA nonsense. All these laws are bullshit. You bought it, you have the case and 1 DVD. Oh no... Pirate the rest of it. All of the pansies replying here about this or that complication are just trolling you.

Play your game 🙂
 
lsv said:
Huh? Who cares if it's illegal or some DMCA nonsense. All these laws are bullshit. You bought it, you have the case and 1 DVD. Oh no... Pirate the rest of it. All of the pansies replying here about this or that complication are just trolling you.

Play your game 🙂
Click to expand...

Your opinion notwithstanding, some people are interested in legality. The OP can naturally do what he likes, and he needs neither your permission nor ours, so I'm not sure what you think you're adding to the thread. This is more of a troll than anything anyone else has brought up.
 
CoinOperatedBoy said:
Your opinion notwithstanding, some people are interested in legality. The OP can naturally do what he likes, and he needs neither your permission nor ours, so I'm not sure what you think you're adding to the thread. This is more of a troll than anything anyone else has brought up.
Click to expand...

I'm not trolling, I'm just a dick. :awe:
 
CoinOperatedBoy said:
Excellent. Thank you, Jonks. However, take a look at Wikipedia's entry on Anti-circumvention, specifically the section on US law and "Fair Use and Circmunvention." Some courts held that if circumvention does not actually lead to copyright infringement, there is no violation.

There are sections of the DMCA that define its applicability in terms of fair use and reverse engineering, and there is an argument to be made about how using a cracked executable simply allows the user to run the software he legally purchased.

Granted, there are other cases like the one you cited that come down on the other side of the fence. I'd say it's still very much undecided.
Click to expand...

There are specific exceptions carved out in the statute itself, but if it's not there then you'd at best be asserting a fair use defense, and a defense is only asserted after you've been sued for violating the law. Since the situation we are talking about is not likely to ever be litigated, the current legal status is that you would be violating the DMCA by circumventing the drm, and you'd then have to make a case for your fair use defense. My best short answer is that using cracks for personal use on media you purchased violates the DMCA, but may be found to be a fair use if it ever were to go to trial. But there there's the fact that "a violation of the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA is not itself copyright infringement and therefore it is unclear whether fair use can be raised as a defense in circumvention cases." Tricksy, no?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top