More of a request....LAN, please.

[UH60L]

What I have seen and read so far of the game, it looks pretty cool. I'm hearing steam, which to me usually means no LAN support.

Can anyone confirm LAN, yes or no? I mean real LAN, not intra-net.

Offline multiplayer.

If it currently isn't in, I am begging, pleading, offering a cash donation..., please give us LAN support.

Without making a complete double post of what I just said in another thread, think about people who want to play the game while deployed with the military to places where there just isn't personal internet access.

Thank you.

 

[Major_Day]

Offline multiplayer? does that mean for example you could install the game on 50pc's on a lan, charge ppl. to play the game on this lan, yet only have actually bought one copy of the game?
This is why the game uses Steam,every player has to login to play, and thats why their will be no lan support.

 

[Forssen]

You can start steam in offline mode.

 

[Unterscharfuhrer]

You can play the old one in LAN, but it requires steam on every pc that wants to join the game! I guess they don

 

[Zetsumei]

building a lan based on one copy of the game is actually illegal for about any game if you read the eula.
Although it would be nice to have access to lan stuff when steam is in the offline mode, although another potential issue with lan in offline mode, is that it gives way for hamachi users to play the game online while not buying it.

 

[Forssen]

although another potential issue with lan in offline mode, is that it gives way for hamachi users to play the game online while not buying it.

I assume you can't use multiple copies of the same account connecting trough LAN either, so there isn't that much of a problem.

Please don't cripple the game, there will probably be a pirate version out anyway. Don't give that more value than the legitimate copy in terms of offline support.

 

[Snuffeldjuret]

It sucked when we had a SC2 lan and the internet connection from time to time reminded us that we missed the LAN function.

I don't think TWI loses much money from people playing RO2 on LAN that would not buy it anyway ^^.

But with 3-6 guest passes it could be possible to have a RO2 LAN with only a handful bought copies.

What I mean is, I need help to get people into RO2. TWI please be resonable and help me get my friends into this game!

Otherwise it could be just one copy sold from this group of people. As long as "we both" know that our goal is the same (all my friends buying RO2), I am sure it should be easy to at least have a discussion on how the best approach to get them to buy it would be.

 

[baff]

You can start steam in offline mode.

You can but not all Steam titles support the use of LAN mutliplayer in offline mode.

for example, Left for Dead does, but RO doesn't.

 

[baff]

You can play the old one in LAN, but it requires steam on every pc that wants to join the game! I guess they don

 

[UH60L]

Offline multiplayer? does that mean for example you could install the game on 50pc's on a lan, charge ppl. to play the game on this lan, yet only have actually bought one copy of the game?
This is why the game uses Steam,every player has to login to play, and thats why their will be no lan support.

No, it doesn't mean any of that.

Offline multiplayer means 20 soldiers stuck in Iraq can all isntall their own purchased version of the game on their own personal computer (usually a laptop) and play on a LAN (Local Area Network) without the need of an internet connection.

Or 10 people can get togeather at one guys house with their own computer and their own purchased copy of the game, and play a game over a LAN.

I've never pirated a game in my life, and don't intend to in the future. I jsut want to be able to play with friends without the need for an internet connection.

Steam offline mode doesn't always work (in fact, from what I have read, it's very rare for a game to allow steam offline mode to work on a LAN).

 

[baff]

I assume you can't use multiple copies of the same account connecting trough LAN either, so there isn't that much of a problem.

Some games you can, some games you can't.
It rather depends on whether or not the developer chooses to support it.

I do feel that the success of games that do support it, Left for Dead being a great example, does rather undermine the argument that Hamachi users and pirates will destroy sales through piracy.

LAN compatability is top of the list in features I personally look for in a multiplayer game.



And by that I mean the ability to run an offline multiplayer game with a single copy only.
Otherwise it greatly amplifies the cost for me and hence the value I place on the purchase. For me it's not the availablilty of internet that is the issue, it's the cost of buying multiple copies.

With my example of Left for Dead, the deciding factor in my purchase was LAN compatability.
I had wrongly assumed that all Steam games prevented this. The same day I found out you could, is the day I bought it.

Co-optimus is my favourite games review site and a pretty good place to go to find out which games support co-op and whether they are LAN friendly or not.

http://www.co-optimus.com/index.php

 

[UH60L]

building a lan based on one copy of the game is actually illegal for about any game if you read the eula.
Although it would be nice to have access to lan stuff when steam is in the offline mode, although another potential issue with lan in offline mode, is that it gives way for hamachi users to play the game online while not buying it.

I have no intention of doing that. Never mentionaed anything of the sort. It's sad that you feel the need to make these kind statements.

Before you continue, I'm 40 years old, married for 22 years, 2 kids 15 and 17, 22 years in the military, been playing computer games since flight simulator was on the commodore 64, and no, I don't live, nor have I ever lived, in my mom's basement. (noone could, it's not a finished basement, and tends to flood when it rains a lot)

 

[baff]

building a lan based on one copy of the game is actually illegal for about any game if you read the eula.

That would rather depend on two things.
Number 1, what is written in the EULA. (This is the choice of the person writing it).
Number 2, the legal validity of the EULA agreement. As it stands, a EULA agreement has no basis in law.

So even if a developer choose to write in his EULA that the software may only be installed on one PC per copy sold... laws are made by parliaments and not software publishers.

I would like to add to this however that despite that the legal validity of the EULA agreement is not enshrined by any law nor has any legal precedent ever been set for it, that there have been a few district court rulings that have come down in favour of it's validity over the years.
This however should be held in the perspective of course, that there have been many more rulings in which they have not.


But for my money it comes down to this... while clearly I don't live in any fear of attempted prosecution for EULA breach...
do people want me to play the game the way I enjoy or not?
I CBA to arse about trying to get software to do things the developers actively conspire to prevent.

Instead I look for developers who aim to create a product that functions in the manner I seek. That understands what I am looking for and values my purchase.

 

[UH60L]

Some games you can, some games you can't.
It rather depends on whether or not the developer chooses to support it.

I do feel that the success of games that do support it, Left for Dead being a great example, does rather undermine the argument that Hamachi users and pirates will destroy sales through piracy.

LAN compatability is top of the list in features I personally look for in a multiplayer game.



And by that I mean the ability to run an offline multipler game with a single copy only.
Otherwise it greatly amplifies the cost for me and hence the value I place on the purchase. For me it's not the availablilty of internet that is the issue, it's the cost of buying multiple copies.

I completely understand what your saying. Just for clarification though, I don't want anyone thinking that that's what I want. I just want LAN support, where everyone owns their own copy of the game. I am not interestied in hamachi or tungle or any of that.

I just want to be able to play with friends, family, and co-workers without a requirement for an internet connection. Especially when I am deployed to who knows where in iraq or Afghanistan or Bosnia or wherever, and there is no internet access (or very limited access that won't support gaming). COD4 was great on our last deployment. We could play it togeather no matter where we were stuck at. All we needed was electricity and our 24 port switch.

Ditching LAN is like gun control, it won't stop pirates, it only hurts those of us who do the right thing, and want to play offline.

 

[Bobdog]

That would rather depend on two things.
Number 1, what is written in the EULA. (This is the choice of the person writing it).
Number 2, the legal validity of the EULA agreement. As it stands, a EULA agreement has no basis in law.

So even if a developer choose to write in his EULA that the software may only be installed on one PC per copy sold... laws are made by parliaments and not software publishers.

I would like to add to this however that despite that the legal validity of the EULA agreement is not enshrined by any law nor has any legal precedent ever been set for it, that there have been a few district court rulings that have come down in favour of it's validity over the years.
This however should be held in the perspective of course, that there have been many more rulings in which they have not.


But for my money it comes down to this... while clearly I don't live in any fear of attempted prosecution for EULA breach...
do people want me to play the game the way I enjoy or not?
I CBA to arse about trying to get software to do things the developers actively conspire to prevent.

Instead I look for developers who aim to create a product that functions in the manner I seek. That understands what I am looking for and values my purchase.

EULAs do have a basis in law, as they are contracts, and as such are governed by contract law. There is some question as to whether or not EULAs are enforceable since they may be contracts of adhesion. But nevertheless, they are otherwise normal and enforceable just like any other contract.

 

[baff]

EULAs do have a basis in law, as they are contracts, and as such are governed by contract law. There is some question as to whether or not EULAs are enforceable since they may be contracts of adhesion. But nevertheless, they are otherwise normal and enforceable just like any other contract.

Yes, they are governed by contract law.
Unfortunately they do not meet the legal requirements to be considered binding contracts under that law.

Specifically they do not meet the requirements for acceptance.

So until contract law changes.... they are not legally binding.


Typically in a normal contract, the terms are agreed and accepted by both parties and then money changes hands.



Some EULA's have been enforced in district/magistrates/lower courts, many more have been found to be unenforceable by them. (It's something like a 4:1 ratio against by my count).
No cases have ever been referred to high court. No legal precedent in any country ever set, finding for either.

EULA = publishers wet dream/ gamers bugbear.

No one is taking you to court over

 

[Bobdog]

Well that's sort of up for debate in the courts right now

 

[baff]

Well that's sort of up for debate in the courts right now

Any idea which court please?
Or the names of which parties is prosecuting or defending would do as well.
I like to stay abreast of it.

 

[SheepDip]

You will not be able, as baff wishes - to run a LAN with one copy of the game. Just like any other multiplayer game run through steam.

It is yet to be confirmed whether or not any LAN play will feature. It should be possible...

Let's try not to get too sidetracked

 

[Major_Day]

No, it doesn't mean any of that.

Offline multiplayer means 20 soldiers stuck in Iraq can all isntall their own purchased version of the game on their own personal computer (usually a laptop) and play on a LAN (Local Area Network) without the need of an internet connection.

Or 10 people can get togeather at one guys house with their own computer and their own purchased copy of the game, and play a game over a LAN.

I've never pirated a game in my life, and don't intend to in the future. I jsut want to be able to play with friends without the need for an internet connection.

Steam offline mode doesn't always work (in fact, from what I have read, it's very rare for a game to allow steam offline mode to work on a LAN).

Please don't take things personally,my reply was simply to show the reasons why multiplayer lan play is unlikely to be a allowed.