Having some trouble even STARTING to play...

[Valatros]

ok so...i got World of Warcraft installed on my computer using a friends discs to save money on the cd's, so i could just make my account and pay my monthly fee..but it wants some 'authentication code' to make an account on the WoW official site. Was wondering if im signing up in the wrong place somehow, or if there's some way to get an authentication code, like buy just the code, without having to get the discs? seems awful silly to buy the discs of a game i already have installed.....
-Thanks in advance,
Valatros

P.S. If this is the wrong forum to post this in...my bad. didn't see any like 'support' or 'help' so i just went with the most broad one i found. thanks again d=)

[DarthMuffin]

ok so...i got World of Warcraft installed on my computer using a friends discs to save money on the cd's, so i could just make my account and pay my monthly fee..but it wants some 'authentication code' to make an account on the WoW official site. Was wondering if im signing up in the wrong place somehow, or if there's some way to get an authentication code, like buy just the code, without having to get the discs? seems awful silly to buy the discs of a game i already have installed.....
-Thanks in advance,
Valatros

P.S. If this is the wrong forum to post this in...my bad. didn't see any like 'support' or 'help' so i just went with the most broad one i found. thanks again d=)

You need to buy the game. It comes with the CD key needed to create an account. Since you can download the game, I guess you might be able to buy a key somewhere on blizzard's website. But the price would be the same anyway.

[Bigairbrucey]

dude its only $40-50...buy the game

[JaedxRapture]

So, to save $40, you broke the law? You are sharing the game, and that's not allowed.
Buy a game client of your own.

[Volvaga]

I saw it on sale for 20 bucks at EB... Now, you can get the game without buying the cd's by having your friend give you a free trial code and then upgrading your account online.

[Torik]

So, to save $40, you broke the law? You are sharing the game, and that's not allowed.
Buy a game client of your own.

Actually just having the game installed on his computer is not breaking any rules. As long as he is not sharing his friend's account he is perfectly fine.

[JaedxRapture]

Actually just having the game installed on his computer is not breaking any rules. As long as he is not sharing his friend's account he is perfectly fine.
The game may only be installed on computers that the original client owner owns or supervises or has in their possesion on a regular basis. Read through to EULA and stuff..

The End-User License Agreement is considered a legal contract. He has broken it by installing the game.
He and his friend can have game rights revoked by Blizzard, but they wouldn't bother..

[Valas Azuviir]

The game may only be installed on computers that the original client owner owns or supervises or has in their possesion on a regular basis. Read through to EULA and stuff..

The End-User License Agreement is considered a legal contract. He has broken it by installing the game.
He and his friend can have game rights revoked by Blizzard, but they wouldn't bother..

Having said that, Blizzard themselves do allow for the lending of cd's between friends/family/SO's etc, in case both parties already have accounts, and one of the two has mislaid their own cd's, so the game can be reinstalled due to some type of error or Windows mishap.

Plus, it was one way for folks to help distribute the free 10-day gametrial code that folks get in their original gamebox. Lend cd's to friend, so friend can install game, give code, they get hooked and go out and buy a version for themselves.

His question isn't that dissimilar to those recruited by said trial, just that they already have accounts and Valastros does not. The former can upgrade their accounts to full versions, he will simply have to buy the game in the shops or through a system like Direct2Drive or something like that.

[snowieken]

I am going to take the liberty to add my two cents as well, and at the same time hijack the thread a bit.

I don't know if I'm the only one noticing this, but lately it seems to happen more and more that a new member with a harmless question - because yes, that question was harmless - is talked down to for no reason whatsoever. I don't know, it might be just me, but I witness this trend more and more each day I log on to the forums. Frankly, to me it's no surprise anymore that the grand majority of new posters are actually gold sellers. If I went to a forum for the first time and I get treated this way, I would leave to never ever come back again.

Yes, he cannot play the game without buying it, but he did not know that, so he asked a harmless question. That question was answered in the second post already - thank you for showing how it is supposed to be done, DarthMuffin :thumbsup: - and still some of you couldn't resist chipping in to add your smartbehind comments.

Fact remains that you are perfectly allowed to install the game on someone else's computer with your CD's, provided that you don't share your account info as well. Look it up before you bash people into the ground, please, and let's keep this place friendly and welcoming to new members.

[JaedxRapture]

I didn't mean to be unfriendly at all, I was just stating that it would be better for him to buy the game..

And to the threadstarter: I sent you a PM with info on how to get an account running. Get back to me and I'll help you with it if you still need the help..

[TheJarulf]

Fact remains that you are perfectly allowed to install the game on someone else's computer with your CD's, provided that you don't share your account info as well. Look it up before you bash people into the ground, please, and let's keep this place friendly and welcoming to new members.

This is not nessecarilly true (although technically complicated). Tha base "rule" according to copyright law in many countries is that software can't be copied for private/personal use (as oposed to most other types of works that can). Some countries do allow for personal copies of software too though. That means one is not, by the law, able to make multiple installes, especialy not on friends computers. One can argue that if the friend makes the copy, it can be ok (which I believe was the case here), to which I would probably need to dig more into to have my own opinion on. The final possibility would be to get a permission from the copyright holder to create copies of the game other than those needed for your own use of it, which I believe Blizzard does not grant in such a way that would be needed here.

All this said, I agree with your comment in general, the original poster posed a quite innocent and relevant question and got a good answer quickly.

[djiss]

So, to save $40, you broke the law? You are sharing the game, and that's not allowed.
Buy a game client of your own.
For normal game, you are "almost" right. But not for WOW for 2 logical reason:
a) whatever the way you get the client (buy, rent, borrow...) you still need an account key to connect to the server. The client by himself is useless. That why many game company go for the online version of a game, that force people to buy an account, so they still make money even if you make thousand copy of their client.
b) Blizzard allow you to give 10-days trial account to a friend. How the hell he'll try the game if he's forced to buy a regular account? In fact, you are ALLOWED to distribute the client, since it help blizzard to get even more new addicted customer to pay the fee.

What you buy for your 39.99$ is only a account key and a free month to play.. (not so free, since you bought it). You should be able to d/l it but not everyone have the connect to d/l 3go + over the net. A box and CD are easier to distribute your game.
What blizz don't like is when you share your account with people outside your home.

Secondly, some software allow you to install multiple copy, BUT only ONE copy must run at time. In that case, only 1 computer can run the account at time, since if you try to connect a second comp with same account, you get disconnected. Blizz already protect them here.

[ruinz]

Blizzard employees on the boards have quite specifically said that it's ok to lend the CDs out to install the game for a friend or the like, so it's hardly reasonable for anyone to suggest otherwise.

[xDarkDrifterx]

Maybe the recruit a friend option on the main site will allow you to get a code . . . if not I saw the game on sale at walmart for 19.99 (where i got it) and also best buy has a single DVD of the game - two weeks for $1.99 test disk . . . bet they have a code on them. :thumbsup:

[unbdm]

The 10 day free trial that was in my copies said to loan your discs to your friend. I just assumed they would require you to pay a fee, or buy the program though.

I've seen $40 at most places, but $30 at Target. The post suggesting $20 at EB sounds like the best price. What the heck, if you're spending $15 a month anyway, the cost of the program isn't that significant anyway.

Best regards,
Barry

[JaedxRapture]

The 10 day free trial that was in my copies said to loan your discs to your friend. I just assumed they would require you to pay a fee, or buy the program though.

I've seen $40 at most places, but $30 at Target. The post suggesting $20 at EB sounds like the best price. What the heck, if you're spending $15 a month anyway, the cost of the program isn't that significant anyway.

Best regards,
Barry
I know people who can barely make the $15 a month.

[xDarkDrifterx]

I know people who can barely make the $15 a month.

:shocked: . . . :ponder:

[TheJarulf]

Not sure why you replied to my post but have a quote from someone else and seems to only adress that persons post.


In fact, you are ALLOWED to distribute the client, since it help blizzard to get even more new addicted customer to pay the fee.


If you go strictly by the law, in most countries you would need a specific license or agreement from the copyright holder for that. The EULA does not give such a thing (and it even claims to superceed any prior written or oral agreement on the subject (like postings on their forums).

One can argue that for the trial version that comes with the game that it is actually two copies you get with the game, one full and one trial and you can thus give away the trial one. But going by the book and strictly folloowing the laws and EULA (like this site seems to do and many posters here who strictly enforce the EULA), one can't give away or share the client or copies of it with others to install for example. AT least I can't find anything permitting it. Of course, informally and unofficially it is most surely OK by BLizzard and most people, but that is not the same thing.

[silkfire]

When you buy the game, the price you pay is for the creation of the game. The monthly fee is for server mainenance + new content updates, a very little cost of the game package is for the CDs, and the cost for the authentication in that game package is basically none.

[TheJarulf]

When you buy the game, the price you pay is for the creation of the game. The monthly fee is for server mainenance + new content updates, a very little cost of the game package is for the CDs, and the cost for the authentication in that game package is basically none.

Making up such an artifical claim for were money goes and what covers what doesn't work out since there is no such division for what different money can be used for. One can argue that Blizzard has mostly priced their initial purchase cost to cover the development and the monthly price to cover ongoing costs but then, that would mean they would have stoped charging for the game in the store since they have by far allready (most likely) exceeded the development cost in revenues from store sales.

If you look at another game, such as Guild Wars, your argumentation would be that they have no ongoing development cost (except for the add-ons) since they have no monthly charge. That is of course incorrect, instead the initial purchase price also covers ongoing expenses for them. At the other end, most console makers appearantly sells the console at a cost and have the "ongoing price" (that is game purchases) cover the development AND production cost (the selling price doesn't even cover the production cost in some cases).

So there is no such sharp division as you make it appear and any argumentation based on it will not be of much validity. Not sure what your stament actually applies to though, since I don't see any direct link to anyones post in this thread and you made no quote to anyone.

[Baboon]

Haha hilarious. thanks for posting :)

Now someone who doesn't own a pc please.

[silkfire]

What I meant is, when people say "buy the game so you can get an authentication key", it's not the key that costs $40 - they have an algorithm that creates keys day and night, all it takes is decent progrmmer... and when ppl say that Blizzard are stupid that one needs to buy a package with CDs when thegame actually can be downloaded, it's not for the CDs you pay either! you pay and your money is placed into the Blizzard pot - used to finance the initial development of the game, server maintenance, content updates but also - investments for future games, Blizzard has stated that they have three game titles currently in production, whether it's World of Diablo/Diblo III or something completely else, I cannot say.....