Hi, I have bought Crysis and have enjoyed it immensely so much that my brother also installed it on his computer. Since Crysis requires the CD to play he got a no-cd patch so he could play and I could play with the CD. Is this legal?
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Legality of no-cd patch?
- Thread starter ViM
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aaron.lee2006
macrumors 65816
Gelfin
macrumors 68020
I note everyone so far in this thread is in a different country, which makes the definitive answers to this question somewhat amusing.
As far as I know (and this is not legal advice) these patches are not legal in the United States. The CD check is a copy protection technology, and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act makes it an arguably criminal act to subvert it, for either the author or the consumer of the patch.
I also seem to recall that Australia passed a similar law to the US DMCA a few years ago, but I couldn't even begin to advise you on what differences, if any, might exist.
The best advice I can give you is, first, consult a local attorney with experience in this area, but second, if you're sufficiently worried about the legality of something that you'd need to consult an attorney, you're probably better off just not doing it.
As a final disclaimer, I am in no way saying such laws aren't stupid, just so you know, but stupidity of the law is not an affirmative defense.
xXriderXx7
macrumors 6502a
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I thought about this also. I purchased GHIII and was getting tired of having to insert the disc everytime I wanted to play.
My guess is that it is illegal, but for the ease of the user, doable.
I thought about this also. I purchased GHIII and was getting tired of having to insert the disc everytime I wanted to play.
My guess is that it is illegal, but for the ease of the user, doable.
MrMacMan
macrumors 604
Legal?
Probably not.
But since the RIAA is not saying that personal copies of CDs you made from CD you bought are now, actually not allowed... Legality is too hazy.
For example, I have BroodWars as a disc image, its not a no cd crack, but I can mount it and the game thinks the read cd is in the drive, is this breaking the law?
Most companies would say that would be breaking their license.
I know -- ridiculous.
Probably not.
But since the RIAA is not saying that personal copies of CDs you made from CD you bought are now, actually not allowed... Legality is too hazy.
For example, I have BroodWars as a disc image, its not a no cd crack, but I can mount it and the game thinks the read cd is in the drive, is this breaking the law?
Most companies would say that would be breaking their license.
I know -- ridiculous.
marclapierre13
macrumors 6502a
It is illegal, because you are breaking the copyright law. And it is especially illegal if you yourself have not purchased the game.
But it is much easier to do if you own the game, to have a simple No CD patch or crack, so you dont have to carry DVD games around all the time. Also, it is easier on your computer and battery life because it is not using the DVD drive.
But it is much easier to do if you own the game, to have a simple No CD patch or crack, so you dont have to carry DVD games around all the time. Also, it is easier on your computer and battery life because it is not using the DVD drive.
mcmadhatter
macrumors 6502
i noticed that gas powered games and a few other pulishers have started stripping the need to have the cd/dvd in the drive when you play games after the first time you run it. trackmania and Supreme Commander have been officially patched to not need it, though after a long period of not playing it , the game will periodically ask you to put the cd back in just to check you haven't sold it. This to me seems like a reasonable compromise between the needs of the players and the publishers. it just annoys me that the addon to the game won't work if it detects cd drive emulation software installed on your system. (thank goodness for yasu)
Littleodie914
macrumors 68000
Well it kind of depends on your definition of legal. A lot of people take legal to mean exactly what the law in your country allows you to do.
My personal stance is that if I've already purchased the game, and I don't feel like getting the CD out every time just to play the game, then I'm going to install a No-CD patch and not feel bad about it.
If you loan the game out to all your friends and they all use No-CD patches so ten of you can play at once using the same copy, then yes, you're certainly breaking the law.
My personal stance is that if I've already purchased the game, and I don't feel like getting the CD out every time just to play the game, then I'm going to install a No-CD patch and not feel bad about it.
If you loan the game out to all your friends and they all use No-CD patches so ten of you can play at once using the same copy, then yes, you're certainly breaking the law.
Carrot007
macrumors regular
I think this issue here is not really the no-disk patch but rather that your brother is using the game without buying it while you are using it.
How he got his copy is irrelevant, the fact that he is using it without a legitamately bought copy is, and certainly would make it it a copyright violation.
A no-disk patch is a grey area at best but can only be srgued for if you the person who bought it uses it while your copy of the game is away in your drawer.
Requiring disks to use a program is annoying but companies do it because of the activities of people like your brother. (even though it obviously does not work).
If you gave your copy of the game to your brother then he would be fine using the no-disk patch (well as much as can be) but obviously you could not play it then.
Even so, i doubt that you are likely to be interrupted by SWAT crashing through your windows in the middle of your game either.
gnasher729
Suspended
Making a second copy of the game to play it on two computers owned by different persons is illegal (copyright infringement) whatever country you are in. That is completely independent of whether the no-cd patch is legal or not.
Whether a no-CD patch is legal (for the legitimate user of the software in order not to have the CD in their drive, for example for a MacBook Air user) depends on the law of your country, and may be depending on the exact circumstances.