Multiple machines & license query

[Bloke]

Hello

I think we'll want to carry on playing after upgrading to a new machine later on, so can you use the same Multiwinia key on a new machine, or is it tied to original one? Is there a difference with a boxed copy? What if the new machine is different, like Vista instead of XP?

Actually we're planning on buying 2 copies, because we really enjoyed playing each other at home in the demo version. Of course I understand two copies are needed for simultaneous play, but generally it would seem quite liberal to allow it to run on any machine with a valid key given (i.e. with no tie to a particular machine). Where is the line drawn?

Thanks in advance: It's probably one of those obvious taken for granted things to all you experienced mutiplayer gamers (but not to old f**t like me who's new to all this). I tried to find an answer in the forums etc. but couldn't find anything, and it seems you have to buy the game before you know.

Cheers again

Really liked the demo by the way: a big, big hit in our house, as was Darwinia!

[Xocrates]

You can upgrade at will. The game doesn't bind itself with the computer. The key is verified when play online and the only thing it prevents is that two+ persons with the same key play at the same time.
There shouldn't be any difference with the boxed copy.

By the way, I can't verify this, but I believe you can play in LAN with full game capabilities with the demo as long as the someone with the full game is hosting.

[bert_the_turtle]

Basically confirming what ninja Xocrates said:

I think we'll want to carry on playing after upgrading to a new machine later on, so can you use the same Multiwinia key on a new machine, or is it tied to original one? Is there a difference with a boxed copy? What if the new machine is different, like Vista instead of XP?

Transferring the key from one machine to the other is definitely not a problem.

Actually we're planning on buying 2 copies, because we really enjoyed playing each other at home in the demo version. Of course I understand two copies are needed for simultaneous play, but generally it would seem quite liberal to allow it to run on any machine with a valid key given (i.e. with no tie to a particular machine). Where is the line drawn?

The technical line is drawn here: two players with the same key definitely cannot play in the same game. Two players with the same key cannot both host games at the same time. What sometimes works is two people playing with the same key in different games; legally, however, that is not allowed by the license, and keys used in such a way may get revoked. So for the full experience, you'd really need two keys.

You can get by with one key for two if you make sure you two don't play at all with it at the same time. Yes, you can still play each other on the LAN on all maps; the demo version is able to join any LAN-hosted full game. You just can't join games on the internet together.

[Bloke]

Thanks both for the help - informative & exactly answers the query. I think we'll be getting two copies.