can RCT3 run with no disk?

can it? *** Edited 1/4/2005 7:27:44 PM UTC by Deja Vu 4 Life***

Almost certainly, but I guess the copy protection prevents it?

Speaking as someone who makes a significant portion of their income from software, I will not buy something that demands I insert the original CD every time I play. As a frequent laptop user, such a game needlessly halves my battery life. I've not bought a non-console game recently since they all seem to do that now.

It might run it w/out a disk. From what I've read, though, half the time it doesn't even run w/it... :)

I'm sure there are cracks/mods available that make it physically possible. The point of inserting a disk isn't to access the CD for data - it's to make sure you physically have the disk, and you're not copying. Technically, you could still give copies to all of your

Yes, it is a bit annoying, but I understand the reasoning behind it.

True, but theres no need for that also since they apply a copyright protection to the disk, so it cannot be burned or recreated, now you can make a copy but its a fake, the fake doesn't work, and won't let you play. So if there were a copyright, there would be no need to use the CD at all. If you want to I s'pose you could search the web for a CD-Crack cheat. Quite a bit of games have them. It is possible somehow.;)

Not entirely true.

You can make a copy of the disk (not on-the-fly, you have to buffer to a hard disk). Even though the game will recognize it as a copy, you can STILL use the copy to install (you just need the original to play).

This isn't just a theory - I've personally done this for RCT2, The Sims, and The Sims: Unleashed. (Note: I wasn't illegally copying the games - I legally purchased them and wanted to make copies so I wouldn't have to take the originals with me to school.. they stay safe at home, and I still play the game. No such luck.)

So, if they didn't require the CD to play, there'd be nothing stoping you from copying the game - it installs fine, and even the copy-install will play if you have the original store-bought CD.

Yes, but you also consider the code, it can easily be changed with someone that knows how, Now i found a site to completely mess with it all. If you downloaded the new code, and files for it to work, it is possible. Now most don't bother mind you, but it is possible. I know its possible because i can hack a 1GB game with only text files. MOst of the time people just won't bother copying it anyways.

From everything I read about it, I am starting to wonder if RCT3 will even run WITH a disk.

After doing a little research, I found the method of copy protection used. Before I get flamed, I do own the original game, as well as RCT1 and 2 and all 4 expansion packs as well as No Limits!

If you have a laptop, and you want to not have to have the disc in the drive, Alcohol 120 is what you would be looking for. It will make an image of the disk, and store it on your hard drive (700 MB or so). I use Alcohol 120 to store an image of whatever games I am currently playing. Currently, that happens to be Star Wars Battlefront and RCT3. That being said, I must now put in my disclaimer. Do not make illegal copies. If a game sells well, the manufacturer will keep making expansion packs, and new releases. Yes, it is true, I have copied a disk or two in my 25 years of computing (1979 I had an Atari 400), but I have bought more software in my life than anyone I know.

1ej

GamesXcopy will also make a usable copy. I refuse to spend ANOTHER $40 for a semi functional game so my wife and I can play at the same time, and I refuse to keep inserting and removing this expensive piece of plastic for fear of scratching and ruining it. BTW, once the game is running, you CAN remove the disc until you try to exit the game.

That's illegal.

If you want to install it on 2 separate computers, you can, but you can not run both copies simultaneously unless you buy another license.

Without going into details, technically speaking, you never buy software. You buy a license to use the software. When you buy it at the store. the company just provides you with a copy of the software so you can load it on a computer.

If you refuse to spend ANOTHER $40, that's your choice. But that means you can't play at the same time with your wife.

This is a loose analogy, but think of it this way.. if you make a living as a carpenter, and there's a job so large you need another carpenter to help you, and your normal payrate is $40/hour. How would you feel if the person you were working for said "I refuse to pay ANOTHER $40/hour just so they can work at the same time." That's certainly their choice, but that means the job is going to take twice as long, because only one of you will be working on it at any given time.

Edit: grammar *** Edited 1/8/2005 5:14:05 AM UTC by dannerman***

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I refuse to keep inserting and removing this expensive piece of plastic for fear of scratching and ruining it.

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It is my understanding that backup copies for personal use only are breaking no laws. I'd imagine an extra copy installed on a second computer breaks the agreement or liscense when you install the game, and in my eyes, if it's good enough to play, it's good enough to buy - but whatever...

The quote I put above is something I hear a lot of people who copy games (even just for themselves) repeat often.

I've been using CD's since 1990 and never in my life have I had one get damaged beyond use under normal circumstances. I have 15 year old discs that are visibly marked and still play just fine. Hell, I give them to the kids to use (ages 7 and 3) and their little sticky finger abuse has yet to kill one. Same applies to DVD.

Burned discs seems much less 'hearty' in my experience. I used to copy discs for the kids to use, but they kept going bad. Since I started just handing over the original commercially produced media, I haven't gotten a single "Dad, this isn't working"

Not a slam or anything even close, just a personal observation.

And besides, you're not paying for a piece of plastic - you're paying for what's on it. Would you have paid $40 for a blank CD? Would you have paid $40 to download the info on that disc?

Again, just saying. :)

*** Edited 1/8/2005 5:16:38 AM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

Gonch - unless I misread his post, he was implying that he used the copy so his wife can play at the same time.

From my understanding and experience with dealing with installing software/licenses while working for an IT department for 2 years during college internships, unless specified in the EULA (End-User License Agreement), you're allowed to install software on as many computers as you want provided (and here's the catch) you can ensure that it is only being used one instance per license owned. For this reason, most home-user software specifies 2 or 3 computers (home, work, laptop) because they assume you will be at only one location at a time. Further, when dealing with office-based software, it is typical to set up a "license server" which will keep track of how many instances of a program are running. To run it, the program goes to the license server, and if one is available, it "checks it out" kinda like a library. When you're done - it puts it back. If no license is available, it lets you know and exits the program. This way, we were able to (legally) install all the software on roughly 700 PCs, even though we found out through studies that there are generally only approx 150 copies in use at any given time (we ended up purchasing 200 licenses)

In terms of a game (yes, it's still computer software) you generally get one license per "box". The $40 you pay is for the license to play the game, NOT for the piece of plastic with the game on it. That's just so you don't have to download hundreds of megabytes of data from the internet. Not to mention a form of copy protection.

Upon further reflection, I would think that those actions mentioned about would be in violation of the DMCA (Digital-Millenium-Copyright-Act). Although it is broad, it states that it is illegal to use any methods to circumvent any kind of copy-protection scheme.

So, not only is it copyright infringement and a form of stealing (debatable), it's also a violation of the DMCA.

Dude, you're not a lawyer.

Lawful backup of media you own, regardless of the format is legal. There hasn't been a case yet that I'm aware of where this was challenged.

Is it a violation of copyright law to buy software and run it on more than one machine simultaneously if the license agreement doesn't say you can? Yeah it is. But honestly, in the many years Steph and I have had our own computers, I can't remember ever playing the same thing at the same time.

Now I am going to plays devils advocate....

As mentioned, I own RCT1 and RCT2 with the 2 expansion packs for each. Each was purchased THE DAY they were released, with the exception of the Time Travler expansion pack, that I was lucky enough to get at Target a week early when they broke date on that. :) Anyone remember that story? :)

Anyhow, I went to the library, and they had the Gold edition (original game plus expansion packs). The nice thing about this, is it is easier to install when Windows crashes, as you install one disk instead of three. I did not buy a copy of the gold edition, but it is RCT and the two expansion packs. Nothing more, nothing less. Since I have a legal liscense to play this entire contents, am I legally entitled to copy this disk? My opinion is yes. I am not getting anything (besides saving a few minutes on an install) that I did not already have. Hasbro/Infogrames/Atari knows that nobody in there right mind who already owns the entire collection is going to shell out the money to but it again. Now let me cross the fence for a second...

If you own "Thriller" by Michael Jackson on Album (record for you youngsters) or cassette, does that give you a legal right to copy the CD as you already paid, and the artist received his royalties? My guess on this one is no, but it is open for debate.

One last note, off topic. I just read in the paper DVD sales are up a whopping 30% over last year. Do you think the Star Wars Trillogy had anything to do with that? (Joking). All kidding asside, they made that same announcement a few years ago, and then a few weeks afterwards said that the industry lost umpeen million dollars because of piracy!

1EJ *** Edited 1/8/2005 6:06:11 AM UTC by 1EyedJack***

As Jeff pointed out, I'm no lawyer :)

However, from my understanding it WOULD be lawful for you to copy this disk because you still have a license to use the software from the original copies you purchased.

Unless the disk is marked 'do not copy'. You paid for the license, not necessarily the software.

And to respond, yes, backup of media you own is legal (fair use and all that), but not if you're going to use both the original and the copy at the same time. I'll admit it's unlikely, but in his post, angnjc implies that he made the copy so that they could play at the same time. Would you disagree with me that this action would be illegal?

When I installed that patch (the official update) it worked without a disk. Probably not supposed to happen, but I like it. :)

I don't see what the big deal is if you copy for your use only, chances are that 2 people use it at teh same time are rare, especially since its home use, and not being passed around like piracy. Although I'm not a laywer ;), Even so, I don't see the big deal....