Lan Gaming

SpoogeSpooge Thunderbolt missile in your cheerios Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 67Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Ethics and Laws</div> Let me start by saying that none of this has anything to do with anything that I'm doing. I picked up this bit from another forum and you guys are much smarter than them. ahem.

I have no direct experience with LAN gaming. My understanding is that a group gets together in someone's basement (or whatever) and connect each other's machines (one way or another) and game on. Let's assume that they all want to play one particular game but only 1 person has purchased it. In this small setting, is it ethical and/or legal to install this game on everyone's machine in order to play?

Now let's say you're going to start a LAN/Gaming center for profit all business like. You have more machines, a solid way to connect them, and only 1 copy of the game. Is it ethical and/or legal to install 1 purchased copy of a game on all the machines?

Is there a way, similar to Microsoft Office products, to purchase multiple keys from game publishers/distributers/whatever to install from 1 disc?
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Comments

  • TheWizardTheWizard Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10553Members, Constellation
    edited July 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Now let's say you're going to start a LAN/Gaming center for profit all business like. You have more machines, a solid way to connect them, and only 1 copy of the game. Is it ethical and/or legal to install 1 purchased copy of a game on all the machines?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Depends on the game.

    With 99% of the games out there it is not legal or ethical (ethics is often broader than legality).

    Your best bet is to carefully read the license for each of the games you wish to install. Some games permit multiple local installations but most do not. To really clear all doubt you should contact the publisher of the specific game and ask them about licensing restrictions an the possibility of purchasing (or borrowing) multiple licenses for multiple machines.

    [EDIT] Many publishers are now offering 'lan' licenses. These licenses apply specifically to the LAN environment and often have a maximum install cap. Again, check the license agreement.
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    edited July 2004
    If you're running a lan center with only 1 copy of the game, operating system, or other software, it is definately illegal and unethical, because you're making a profit off of not paying for something. Furthermore, to be completely legal, simply buying 20 copies from EB is not enough, as special liscense agreements are required for a game to be on a publically used "charge by the ____" computer.

    [edit]Wizard beat me to it w/ the lan liscense thing[/edit]

    Just because the majority of LAN cafe's don't go the extra mile to ensure they aren't breaking the law doesn't mean its right...


    As for LAN parties... well... no its not legal or ethical, but people do what they have to do to have a good time, and everyone knows this (especially the developers). And hopefully the nubs will go out and buy the game because they love it so much, but yeah it happens. I've yet to be to a LAN party where that doesn't happen, and I've been to quite a few. :P
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  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    edited July 2004
    I like to call Liscences "Little exploit packages" developped by companies to milk us.


    Is it legal? Nope but I find it perfectly ethical. IF A STARVING MAN WANTED TO PLAY FAR CRY IT IS OK FOR HIM TO JUAREZ IT.
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  • DefianceDefiance Join Date: 2003-12-01 Member: 23847Members
    LAN Centers, most of them anyway, have multiple copies of the games they want to install for the various gaming machines. Most companies do not offer software licences that allow you to install multiple copies of the same software on multiple local machines. Some do, some don't. Simple as that. The LAN center I used to goto before I got cable had multiple copies of Half-Life Platnium pack and the other games they offered there... one for each machine actually. Then it go bought out by a bigger LAN center =(

    Now as for "localized" or "basement" LANs, who gives a ****. If you're that conserned about the RIAA and what not breaking down your door and arresting you, uninstall the game from your HDD after you're done with it and leave the LAN.

    Oh, and @ DOOM, I've been to so many LANs where people aren't prepared to play it's mind blowing. You'd think they'd come with everything already pre-installed so things could get underway quite quickly... but no, hours of set-up time and what not. Not fun. It's all worth it when everyone has their **** together though... good times.
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  • HibameHibame Join Date: 2003-11-16 Member: 22974Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    The only lan center which I usto go to had 2 copys of HL and I was like WTH when we tryed to play online with each other there (then I saw the cd case pile and only 2 for hl). But they moved away and now I just go to a friends for some nice gamming ^^
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