I got this game in a trade, and now I can't get updates!?

Well in my oppinion this game does not "blows".. it "ROXS"

Do you have the jewelcase? If so, the CD Key is on it. You can DOWNLOAD updates directly from this webpage. If you dont have the jewelcase...why? Without that you may be out of luck.

I have no idea what you are talking about. Are you saying you don't have a serial number? You should have it if you were traded the full game.

Yup.. if you have the jewelcase, you have the serial #. A Gone Golder held back the goods?!

I would ask for the ENTIRE game.. and then you can play and update. Perhaps he sort of traded.. but KEPT the game, and plans to keep playing and updating? hmmm..


fleabitfox

The person you traded with may have forgot to send you the serial number. If this was the case you can ask for it maybe?
Or he kept it for himself so he could keep on playing and having the updates since you don't need the cd to play.

And quoting you: "Last time I ever consider a game through this company." If you are talking about Stardock you are very wrong: first you didn't buy the game from this company otherwise you would have a serial number ; and second, you you had the serial number, you would be just as satisfied with the game, the company, the developpers attitude and the support as everyone else here (or almost, there was even some people here complaining about too much updates).


I can honestly tell you that this is the best company I have ever bought a game from. I've never seen this kind of support and commitment.

~SDC~

Well, fleatbow and I were looking in the same direction...
So it seems it's definitly a possibility.

~SDC~

Of course I meant fleabitfox.
SORRY about that. After the work, my fingers kind have a mind of their own. Sorry again

~SDC~

Perhaps he has a serial number, but it's stopping him from registering the same serial number under a new account on Stardock Central? I don't know how paranoid SDC is; if it's /that/ twitchy, then there probably needs to be a way to cancel/transfer a registration.

Good point Twirlip.
I didn't fought about the double registration thing, I just remembered that you can have it on several computers -- but with the same serial/registration account. That must be it.

lokiju,
Frogboy (developer/programer) is often here and in the chat forum. Maybe you can ask him direcly. I'm certain you'll get a straight/direct answer.

Good luck

~SDC~

But even with a double registration issue, any experienced trader of comp games knows to ask on that point. Stardock is by no means in the wrong here...

Hi. Thanks for helping everyone. To clarify, I have the serial #, but since the last guy used it under his email, I can't use it with my email, although I am the new owner of the game. I can understand anti-piracy, but I should be able to trade games with others (all legal, no copies I assure you as I detest piracy, and often debate this with "corrupt" friends/aquaintences) and use the serial code to update at Stardock, and not be the original buyer of the game. What if I bought the game off ebay, but the seller had registered the game previously? I couldn't update the game? That would be unkind.

Unfortunately what's to keep the serial numbers from becoming useless in such a case? I bet, though, if you mailed Stardock they'd look at disabling the association of that serial with the previous guy, thereby allowing you (and you only) to use it...

You would think so, but after a pay-for-charge phone call to StratFirst, and many emails to Stardock, they have basically said, "screw off", since you didn't directly pay us for a new copy. Doesn't seem right to me.

Devil's advocate moment:
There is no implied support when you purchase software of any variety off of a private individual. With very, very few exceptions it is impossible to transfer a software license without going through the holding company (and they usually make sure to make it more trouble than it's worth). Stardock and Strategy First received nothing from you, nor will they ever receive anything from you. Still, they are more than happy to allow you to download the standalone updates (which for the moment are as up to date as the SDC ones), and that's not only not good enough for you, it's such "bad" support that you're here whining and moaning about what a crappy company they are.

All they are not willing to do is to officially support you in trying to gain "privileged" access to their servers for the optional above and beyond the normal support of Stardock Central. Given the time and trouble of them manually tracking, verifying, and transferring this sort of information I don't find this at all surprising.

If you want to be sure you gain full support for a piece of software you buy a new copy with a full license; you buy software second hand when saving some money is more important to you. You made your choice, you suffer some minor consequences.

Email the guy you bought the game from and ask him to email Stardock explaining the situation and to delete his account. Stardock's response is perfectly understandable: How are they to know you didn't steal that CD key or get it off a pirate web site?

If they guy you bought the game from won't do it, you're SOL. That's what you get for buying used games from random strangers on the 'net.

Look on the bright side. Even if you cant register for updates, you still have one of the best games to come out in recent memory. Out of the box its great. The updates and bonus packs add nifty enhancements, but there was nothing wrong with the game to begin with. If you never had another update, its still better than 98% of the games that are already out there.
On the darker side, a valuable lesson is learned. When buying/trading second hand software, you take your chances. That goes for strangers off the net or used games from EBX. Save a few bucks maybe, but in the end its not always the best route to take.

Another devil's advocate moment from my part. There's a rising trend among software shops to lock CD-Key's/Serials to a user. Take the MMORPG's for instance. Without exception *all of them* lock the CD key to a user account. Now lets say the user cancels, gives the CD away to say User B, who then tries to sign up for the game. Guess what? User B cannot use the game with that CD.

And lets face it.... while I'm not crazy about the practice, just about every software company, every movie studio, every DVD maker, ever copyright holder, etc is ALWAYS going to treat every single user like they're a pirate....that's why most computer games have some sort of copy protection mechanism on them. That's why RIAA is suing the daylights out of filetraders, and copy protecting some music CD's. That's why MPAA has some beef against DeCSS. Its because there are far too many a--wipes out there pirating crap. Just be glad Stardock isn't anywhere near as Draconian about this as Microsoft is with XP, .Net Studio, or Intuit with their Turbox Tax product.

Geesh... as wampyre (hey we miss Bobo) and many others have expresses rather accurately...you are sticking your neck out buying software 2nd hand.

SeanB

OK, points taken, BUT, I am now in possession of the game. Whether or not I bought it from Stardock, the game was paid for, and should be supported...and since the other guy is not using the game obviously, someone should be getting the benefits of the game. As it stands now, they got paid for this game I am holding, but are not supporting it, since no one can use it besides the guy who doesn't have it.

I mean updating from Stardock, as the game itself is obviously playable. In any case, I simply got the guys email, and full name (he is an aquaintance, as are most of the people at GoneGold, but great people as Asharak here can tell you), and am able to DL the updates with the serial number.

Hmmm, this registration issue DOES get me thinking. What if I change my server (which would include a change of email adress)? Does that mean I would then not be able to download future updates? Because my serial number is locked to a particular email adress? :notsure:

I have to admit....Coffeedragon has a good point there.... point well taken.

SeanB

Coffeedragon: That's what the Stardock "Edit account information" menu item is for.

That *is* a good question. For example.. I am with AT&T Broadband. They are selling (again), and my @attibi.com email WILL change. I think it is good for a period.. then *poof*.

There should be an option (I would hope) that someone who does have the game can email you from their current valid email addy, and ask to have it changed to something else. That at least makes sense. Then, if someone trades the game, they just kindly give the email addy for the person they traded it to, and all is good.

fleabitfox

lokiju:

You bought a used copy of the game, and are upset that Stardock won't let you download the pre-release beta's, and instead will only let you download the patches.

Your response is "screw them," you're never going to buy another (used) Stardock/Strategy First game again, and instead you're going to buy (used) games from other companies that.... won't let you download the pre-release betas and will only let you download the patches.

This makes sense how?

Daetrinn, you are missing my point. Whether or not *I* bought the game doesn't matter. Someone did, and that person isn't using the privilege of updates, instead choosing to trade the game to me, and thus all honors of updates. The game was purchased, and therefore deserves the Stardock updates, regardless of who it is, it should be useable. The person who bought the game, in trading it to me, gave me the title to the land so to speak.