Time Commanders / Rome:Total War on a school Network

[flyinghaggis]

Our history department and strategy gaming club want to run Rome:Total War over the network in a couple of rooms so they can run it in a similar vein to the Time Commanders programme that used to be on BBC2 a couple of years ago.

I've checked the licencing and the version that we have states it's not for use on a network but we can purchase a networkable version?

The problem is that it used to be owned by activision but now appears to have been bought over by Sega. I've tried contacting the creators of the software (creative assembly) but haven't managed to get a response.

Has anyone else used this software in school and/or managed to purchase a networked version?

[ChrisC]

Comercial games generally allways come with a 1per machine license, so basically you're going to have to buy a copy for every machine you run it on unfortunately.

 

 

Chris

[flyinghaggis]

We'd be happy to buy a copy for each PC but the problem is that it states in the licensing terms that it isn't legal to use it on a public/commercial network and that it's only intended for private/ personal use at home. This is why I wanted to check with the company themselves regarding what's required.

My interpretation is that we'd be in breach of their T&Cs if we installed and ran it on a PC in school using the (off a store shelf) verson we currently have?

[Oops_my_bad]

Who's going to know?

[Friez]

Generally, contacting the developer of the game won't get you much info, it's the Publishers who publish the game that hold all of those sorts of cards.

 

Generally speaking unless stated otherwise in the EULA that comes with the game (and typically on the disc itself) the game is a per-client arrangement. Therefore, if they want it on the network they will have to buy multiple copies of said game.

 

As for public playing of games, I would approach an Internet Cafe and see what their take is on it. Many Internet Cafes generally allow for playing of games, it'dd be interesting to see if they suffer the same issues. But I would take up all your argument with the publisher of the game, since they're more likely to respond since game publishers are mainly marketing and legal bods.

 

Personally I don't see them having a problem with you using it for Educational purposes. After all, you're not making a commercial gain from their game, so that just leaves you with the public/private thing. That said, You saw it on Commercial TV right? So what are *they* doing to broadcast this game across the nation?

Edited May 30, 2008 by Friez