But I ordered a DVD version (I hope) off of ebay so hopefully the problem is solved. |
You should cancel your bid immediately. Most any auctions claiming to be an "Import Version" (the only other auctions I see up right now are the UK Limited Edition, legitimate but still pre-owned), whose documentation is excluded due to being "in a foregin language" are pretty much guaranteed to be pirate copies. Moreover, even if it includes a serial (unlikely), it will have been already reigistered. And Stardock does not support the transfer of already registered serials (it is specifically prohibited in the EULA), so you'll be without support or patches as well.
If your disc is defective, your best and cheapest course of action is to simply return it for an exchange at your place of purchase as Cari recommended (as long as the store doesn't try to push off a used copy on you when you exchange, this has happened to some people). Buying a dirt-cheap copy online will most likely land you with a poor, illegitimate copy with no viable serial key.
You can identify pirated copies being sold on ebay by this text in the description. Many of the pirate auctions use the same description page, or similar descriptions and disclaimers:
* Please read:
This is import edition PC video game, it plays in English, but there is
some foreign writing on the game case. Manual is not in English and
therefore not included. This is used game, may not work on Internet.
100% Original, factory made game, not pirated.