WARNING!!! UT2K3 may be missing CD Keys and require firmware flash!!!! (Updated: Finally got it to go!)

[DefRef]

Well, color me PISSED OFF!!!!:|:|:| After driving thru the rain and rush hour traffic to THREE stores (2 CC, 1 BB), I finally got a copy of UT2K3. Sweet! Friday night fragging!!!

Once I open the box, I'm annoyed by the chintzy packaging - I'm all for the smaller boxes, but inside were 3 CDs in PAPER SLEEVES and a CD-sized instruction booklet. NO JEWEL CASE! Cheap f***ers!!!!:|:|:|

Oh, well...pop the install disc in and up comes the CD Key entry field, saying enter it off the jewel case. Uh, what jewel case?!? There's nothing in the booklet, so WTF?!?!?!? I checked th UT forums and found ONE post by someone about this saying that we're expected to MAIL THE BOOKLET BACK for a replacement!!! Double WTF?!?!?!?!?

The 4th item under this section of the Support Site shows that they know about this problem and detail their half-assed "solution" for it.

IF YOU BUY THIS GAME, OPEN IT IN THE STORE AND VERIFY THAT THE CD KEY IS PRINTED ON THE BACK OF THE BOOKLET!!! Print out the section that I linked to, in case they try to hassle you when you make the return, something I'm gonna do when the rain lets up.

Absolutely INEXCUSABLE quality control there from our pals at Atari. They should've stayed bankrupt!

 

[Sniper82]

Thanks for the heads up. I think I will avoid buying it for a while till all this gets cleared up. Besides I don't think the game(or any for that matter) is worth $49.99. If I can find it for $39.99 I will jump on it. If I was you though I would call them up and demand for a CD key. You might luck out and they might give you one.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: DefRef
Well, color me PISSED OFF!!!!:|:|:| After driving thru the rain and rush hour traffic to THREE stores (2 CC, 1 BB), I finally got a copy of UT2K3. Sweet! Friday night fragging!!!

Once I open the box, I'm annoyed by the chintzy packaging - I'm all for the smaller boxes, but inside were 3 CDs in PAPER SLEEVES and a CD-sized instruction booklet. NO JEWEL CASE! Cheap f***ers!!!!:|:|:|

Oh, well...pop the install disc in and up comes the CD Key entry field, saying enter it off the jewel case. Uh, what jewel case?!? There's nothing in the booklet, so WTF?!?!?!? I checked th UT forums and found ONE post by someone about this saying that we're expected to MAIL THE BOOKLET BACK for a replacement!!! Double WTF?!?!?!?!?

The 4th item under this section of the Support Site shows that they know about this problem and detail their half-assed "solution" for it.

IF YOU BUY THIS GAME, OPEN IT IN THE STORE AND VERIFY THAT THE CD KEY IS PRINTED ON THE BACK OF THE BOOKLET!!! Print out the section that I linked to, in case they try to hassle you when you make the return, something I'm gonna do when the rain lets up.

Absolutely INEXCUSABLE quality control there from our pals at Atari. They should've stayed bankrupt!

Did you look on the *back* of the booklet?

 

[DefRef]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Did you look on the *back* of the booklet?

WTF is that supposed to mean?!? If it was a matter of me being an idiot, then why is it on their support site? Jeez...

I just got back from Beast Buy and had no problem exchanging once I showed them the printout. They opened another copy and verified that the number was on the book and I was on my way.

Now, the problem is it keeps crashing during install!:| I get CRC errors (dirty CD? no!) from both my DVD and CD-RW drives. SH*T!!!!

 

[Jhill]

I heard of another person with this same problem.

 

[T2T III]

WTF is that supposed to mean?!? If it was a matter of me being an idiot, then why is it on their support site? Jeez...

Jeez, what's with the attitude? sandorski was just offering a suggestion - not asking to get reamed by you.

 

[DefRef]

His "suggestion" was that I have the IQ of a sock! Like I was sitting here with my thumb up my arse going, "Dum de dum...Whoops, I don't see the key. Yope yope yope...I better go back to the store...yope yope yope...Hmmm...this web site says that some booklets are orange and that some don't have numbers....duuuuuuuh...I better ask someone to tell me to check the back of the book....dohdee dohdee yope...duh..."

The booklet was defective and now the CDs won't install. Reminiscent of the original Unreal I bought 4-1/2 years ago. Unreal = suck media quality.:|

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: DefRef
His "suggestion" was that I have the IQ of a sock! Like I was sitting here with my thumb up my arse going, "Dum de dum...Whoops, I don't see the key. Yope yope yope...I better go back to the store...yope yope yope...Hmmm...this web site says that some booklets are orange and that some don't have numbers....duuuuuuuh...I better ask someone to tell me to check the back of the book....dohdee dohdee yope...duh..."

The booklet was defective and now the CDs won't install. Reminiscent of the original Unreal I bought 4-1/2 years ago. Unreal = suck media quality.:|

Sorry dude. Someone else recently posted a very similar thread. Lo and behold he didn't check the back of the booklet. I'd be pissed too, so I'll let it slide.

 

[vetteguy]

If you hate Unreal so much because of their "crappy" media and because they're "cheap f***ers" why were you so anxious to go out and buy it? Sorry, it just seems funny how you went all over to get it and then go off about everything it comes with (or doesn't come with).

As a side note, I missed my CD key the first time I looked, it's easy to miss if you're used to it being on a case, so I don't think any of the comments were meant to offend.

 

[DefRef]

Uh...when you buy a SEALED BOX, how was I supposed to know that they'd cheaped out on a jewel case?!? I wasn't gung ho to get reamed over - I just wanted to buy a stupid game and have a little fun tonight! (As for the original Unreal, the 2nd copy worked fine. UT ran flawlessly from the jump.)

I don't get the snotty attitudes here. I relate my misfortune in hopes of preventing others from from going thru the same and all I get is "Are you too dumb to look for the number" and "Why did you buy it if you knew it was gonna suck?"

Copy-protection is punishing the LEGITIMATE BUYERS, not the thieves. If the CD Key is the core of security, WTF is the unreadable disc for?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: ^Sniper^
Thanks for the heads up. I think I will avoid buying it for a while till all this gets cleared up. Besides I don't think the game(or any for that matter) is worth $49.99. If I can find it for $39.99 I will jump on it. If I was you though I would call them up and demand for a CD key. You might luck out and they might give you one.

Start jumping.

 

[HendrixFan]

I thought it was great when games started using smaller boxes (and music CDs too), and I hope other companies follow the lead and start packing games without jewel cases, though Tyvec sleeves would be better than paper. Most of my CDs are kept in albums. I find jewel cases to be too prone to break and too bulky.

The game is 3 CDs!! Its about time they start putting games on DVDs instead of CDs.

 

[hamburglar]

that sucks. calm down

 

[clicknext]

Hmm, that sucks. You seem to be very mad.

 

[WarSong]

wow dude, that sux. I'd b pissed. now i'm grateful mine came with one. u should chill out when people are trying to help tho...

 

[DefRef]

You better not be talking to me. I'm warning others, people come in and talk smack and I'M being ungrateful?!?!? Ungrateful for what?? Sneering, ungrateful twerps who just insult people? PASS!

Instead of having a leisurely evening, I WASTED over five hours, trying everything short of formatting my system (TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE COURSE OF ACTION TO GET SOFTWARE TO WORK!) in a futile attempt to get ONE PENNY of my $50 worth!!!

 

[oniq]

I was going to say something useful, but I'm too scared you'll yell at me. Good luck.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: DefRef
You better not be talking to me. I'm warning others, people come in and talk smack and I'M being ungrateful?!?!? Ungrateful for what?? Sneering, ungrateful twerps who just insult people? PASS!

Instead of having a leisurely evening, I WASTED over five hours, trying everything short of formatting my system (TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE COURSE OF ACTION TO GET SOFTWARE TO WORK!) in a futile attempt to get ONE PENNY of my $50 worth!!!

So what do you want us to do? I'm all out of cookies.

Evidently the game's copy protection interferes with some DVD- & CD-ROMs ability to read (& install) it. Complain to the MFG . . . and thanks for the warning.

 

[Codewiz]

Well normally I wouldn't suggest this but since so many people are having trouble with the media, why don't you download a pirated version online. YOU HAVE the right to play the game so IMO you are doing nothing illegal. You have a cd key and media so just download the game and say "FvCK YOU" to Epic. Their stupid copy protection doesn't prevent illegal copies it just hurts normal customers like you and myself. I am glad I still have a regular cd-rom in my server so I can install the damn game.

 

Ive had this problem with my dvd and cdrw drives not working before as well. I got out a VERY old cdrom from a P2 machine and albiet slow, it worked...
Im sry to hear about this BS, i had the same thing happen when i bought my windows XP retail. It came without cdkey......:disgust:
Good luck to you and thanks for the warning. I can completely understand why your so pissed....:|

 

[vetteguy]

Originally posted by: DefRef
You better not be talking to me. I'm warning others, people come in and talk smack and I'M being ungrateful?!?!? Ungrateful for what?? Sneering, ungrateful twerps who just insult people? PASS!

Instead of having a leisurely evening, I WASTED over five hours, trying everything short of formatting my system (TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE COURSE OF ACTION TO GET SOFTWARE TO WORK!) in a futile attempt to get ONE PENNY of my $50 worth!!!

Yikes. Return the software. Go buy a game that doesn't "suck". Enjoy life...you'll live longer.

 

[DefRef]

I'm heading out shortly to return it (again) and why do you keep barfing up this "don't buy a game that sucks" comment? It's not the GAME that sucks, it's the MANUFACTURING that wanting. Hell, how can I say the game sucks when I can't even install it?

Now, you OTOH....

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: DefRef
I'm heading out shortly to return it (again) and why do you keep barfing up this "don't buy a game that sucks" comment? It's not the GAME that sucks, it's the MANUFACTURING that wanting. Hell, how can I say the game sucks when I can't even install it?

Now, you OTOH....

The game DOES suck when you can't install it.

And I'd be on the mfg's support website and complaining to every forum that'll listen.

(Oh, that's what you ARE doing).



Please update us.

 

[flashbacck]

thanks for the warning defref. And yes I completely agree that this is pretty sh!tty quality control. hopefully it's just a few copies that are missing the keys.

 

[DefRef]

The other two replacements have had keys, but NONE of them will install.:|

I don't know what the problem is, but this is unacceptable garbage due to SecuRom or whatever they're using to punish the legal buyers, since nothing stops the w4r3z m0Nk33z from copying.

Looks like I don't get to play UT2K3. You better believe I'm not going to waste my time trying Unreal 2.

Damn them all to hell!!!