Requires discs to run GRRRRRR

[Xanthippe]

(Would have put in Iron Lore thread or Stardock thread but couldn't decide which)

 

I am disgusted with games that require using the CD or DVD to run, because sooner or later, the media becomes scratched and then the game will no longer run - which means I have to purchase a whole new game box to replace the scratched game that I already own.

The worst offender for this system is The Sims franchise - the installs for the different expansions are stupid.  It must be installed in a particular order, which isn't laid out specifically in any directions that come with the game, but must be hunted down on the web. 

Currently, we are unable to install the Sims 2 Nightlife, which we recently bought, because of scratches on the disc.

I'd be happier with a rental program - paying by the month instead of a flat upfront fee for something that's going to break. 

Why won't game companies use some sort of licensing system instead of this archaic disc nonsense?

[rk47]

it's a new CD and you can't install from it? Wow that must be fucked up.

[MrHat]

I approve of this no-disc concept.

[Ratman_tf]

Are you talking about the original Sims with the install order problem? Because I've installed Sims 2 out of order with no issues.

There's also a Sims Complete collection which has all the original Sims media. One install process.

Agree about needing CDs though. It's annoying to have to swap the buggers out for every game.

[HaemishM]

I play a lot of the PC games I buy at work during lunch as well as at home. Having to schlep the fucking CD/DVD to work and back every day is a goddamn pain, and some games won't work right multiplayer if you use a no-CD crack. I fucking hate copy protection like this, especially when it's piggybacked on a CD-Key that's 20 characters long AND requires an online login/password to play.

Enough already.

Meanwhile, the Steam-authenticated Valve games play at work and home with no problems.

[Xanthippe]

it's a new CD and you can't install from it? Wow that must be fucked up.

It's been installed before but had to be uninstalled in order to install some new Sims 2.  Now it doesn't work.

[Xanthippe]

Are you talking about the original Sims with the install order problem? Because I've installed Sims 2 out of order with no issues.

Yes, the Sims2.  It doesn't want to install certain ones.  I don't know why.  We have Nightlife, Bon Voyage, Teen Style Stuff, Happy Holidays Stuff, Pets (maybe more?).  Not all of these seem to want to run together.

[Morfiend]

I agree that disk swapping isnt the greatest, but sheesh, what do you people do with your CDs to get that to that level of unreadability?

I have games on CD that are 15 years old and the disks are fine. How about after using them, return them to their cases, and not stacking them in a giant pile?

Honestly, I have only had one game in my entire life that I couldnt install a year later or so do to disk damage, and that was Warcraft 3, which I dropped, and then right as it hit the floor, my girlfriend rolled over it with her office chair.

I would say losing a CD is much more of a problem than scratched or damaged disks.

[Numtini]

I'm very cautious with what I do with CDs. However, the ones that are required to play games are the ones that get the worst of it because they aren't packed away safely in their cases and boxes or in a folder. Intead, they sit in the drive after I've gone after the latest shiny and get taken out when I need the drive for something else and left on the desk. So for me at least there's a direct linkage between a CD getting scratched and it being required for a game.

[rk47]

I approve of this no-disc concept.

Just make it that you CAN download a no-disc patch after entering a valid cd key to an authentication server. Would that be too much to ask?

[Ratman_tf]

Yes, the Sims2.  It doesn't want to install certain ones.  I don't know why.  We have Nightlife, Bon Voyage, Teen Style Stuff, Happy Holidays Stuff, Pets (maybe more?).  Not all of these seem to want to run together.

I had to install a crack to get a legit copy of H&M Fashion Stuff to run on my (now retired) Windows 98 box. That was a copy protection issue.

I'm the Sims 2 guru here at work.  So I'm wondering what your install problem is. Have you tried that CD fixer upper stuff? (That takes the scratches out...)

[Xanthippe]

I agree that disk swapping isnt the greatest, but sheesh, what do you people do with your CDs to get that to that level of unreadability?

I have games on CD that are 15 years old and the disks are fine. How about after using them, return them to their cases, and not stacking them in a giant pile?

Honestly, I have only had one game in my entire life that I couldnt install a year later or so do to disk damage, and that was Warcraft 3, which I dropped, and then right as it hit the floor, my girlfriend rolled over it with her office chair.

I would say losing a CD is much more of a problem than scratched or damaged disks.

My cds get put back in their cases. 

Look, I grew up listening to vinyl records.  I know how to take care of media.

The problem is that they get scratched from use.

[HaemishM]

I approve of this no-disc concept.

Just make it that you CAN download a no-disc patch after entering a valid cd key to an authentication server. Would that be too much to ask?

You dirty filthy pirate.  will be coming to search your hard drive for illicit materials.

[Ragnoros]

On a semi on topic note. In the latest patch for Warcraft 3 you no longer need the CD in the drive to play.

Blizzard might be on the right track... Or it's just a 6 year old game and they ceased to be giving the shit.

Edit: I believe this is the case for Diablo 1/2 and Starcraft also.

[Samwise]

Steam is civilization.  That's about all I have to say on the subject.

[Selby]

I have games on CD that are 15 years old and the disks are fine. How about after using them, return them to their cases, and not stacking them in a giant pile?

Yup.  Have a game from 1993 on CD over here and it plays just fine.  I can't say I've honestly ever lost a CD due to poor handling practices on my part.  Loan a game to a friend and the douchebag then proceeds to scratch it to shit: yeah (with the standard retort of "you gave it to me that way").

But allowing the game to be run from the HDD would be stellar.  Right now Diablo 1 STILL requires the damn CD and you can still die due to a lag-spin on the drive at the most inconvenient of times.

My biggest pet peeve is when the company uses some kind of copy protection on the CD that after some time makes it unreadable for some odd reason.  I can get the data off of the CD, but it won't play the game because the copy protection scheme doesn't recognize it as a valid disc anymore.  Stupid 3DO games.

[Morfiend]

The problem is that they get scratched from use.

Stop using them for coasters then.

 

[bhodi]

I use a geek solution - I create an ISO of it and put it on my server. If I can't run it normally, I go to youknowwhereworld.com to fix that little wrinkle.

[Jain Zar]

I have CD games from 92 that still work.  The only scratched disk I have is on the 360.  And that's due to my friend's 360 being like most 360s.  (Made of jizm and half chewed bubble gum.)

That being said, FUCK HAVING TO HAVE THE DISK IN THE DRIVE.

If I have 300+ gigs of HD space I should be able to play off the HD.

[MrHat]

I approve of this no-disc concept.

Just make it that you CAN download a no-disc patch after entering a valid cd key to an authentication server. Would that be too much to ask?

This is the case with certain games over STEAM.

[naum]

I use a geek solution - I create an ISO of it and put it on my server. If I can't run it normally, I go to youknowwhereworld.com to fix that little wrinkle.

What I typically do too, but recently, games on DVDs I have not been able to do as such… …the disk images I create won't work (still prompts for disc in drive…)…

…and increasingly, my game playing has evolved to the point where if I need the disc in, game don't get played…

…I'm getting too lazy to even take the time to rip library checked out CDs and DVDs…

[bhodi]

Daemon tools and GCW are your friend.

[KallDrexx]

it's a new CD and you can't install from it? Wow that must be fucked up.

This happened to me with the Witcher.  I open the dvd, put it in, half way through the installation gives me a crc error to one of the files.  I was pissed, especially since the company I ordered it from took 2 weeks (due to lack of stock) to send it to me.  Luckily I ordered 3 (2 others for friends) so I borrowed a friend's but now that I left the country and have no friends here with it I"m screwed >:(

Luckily I have till May till I will play it.

[Azazel]

I approve of this no-disc concept.

Just make it that you CAN download a no-disc patch after entering a valid cd key to an authentication server. Would that be too much to ask?

This is the case with certain games over STEAM.

Nod, but I prefer to need a disc than to need Steam to authenticate my games online.

[Yegolev]

I'll take the cue for the obligatory mention of Stardock in response to the Steam comment.

[Strazos]

I'm just happy Sins does not require a disc to run. 

[Signe]

Nod, but I prefer to need a disc than to need Steam to authenticate my games online.

You said Nod! 

[Fabricated]

Wow I thought everyone just went to gamecopyworld or megagames or whatever and got nocd cracks for everything.

[Azazel]

I used to, but I also prefer not to for anything I'll be playing online.

For offline games, I do that with about half of the games - usually the ones I'll play quite a bit of.

[Furiously]

I had been getting a lot of crappy DVD's from Netflix that wouldn't play. So I looked around for ways to fix them... I found a solution and it worked wonders.

Pledge. (plus it leaves your disks smelling like lemons.)

[Ratman_tf]

Wow I thought everyone just went to gamecopyworld or megagames or whatever and got nocd cracks for everything.

Cracks can mess up patching. Kinda sucks to be stuck with a bug in a game because you can't apply the latest patch.

[WayAbvPar]

I had been getting a lot of crappy DVD's from Netflix that wouldn't play. So I looked around for ways to fix them... I found a solution and it worked wonders.

Pledge. (plus it leaves your disks smelling like lemons.)

I told you!

[HaemishM]

Wow I thought everyone just went to gamecopyworld or megagames or whatever and got nocd cracks for everything.

I did that with Battlefield 2 and every server started kicking me off after about 2 minutes (Punkbuster!). So I just stopped bothering. I really really shouldn't fucking have to.

[Azazel]

Wow I thought everyone just went to gamecopyworld or megagames or whatever and got nocd cracks for everything.

Cracks can mess up patching. Kinda sucks to be stuck with a bug in a game because you can't apply the latest patch.

Always keep a copy of the original uncracked .EXE in a folder next to the GCW one so you can patch properly. Simple.

[Salamok]

Being currently in a position where I need to buy Starcraft for the 3rd time I am in total agreement with the no disc required to play philosophy.

If you have internet access, you know your account info from when you registered the game, and the game developer is able to verify that only one instance of that registration key is running then there should be no need what so ever to require the CD.

P.S. - Although I like the concept, I think Steam can be annoying at times.