Humble Bundle problem?

[FrenchTart]

It's not really about that. It's along the lines of, I now have multiple copies of a game, but I can't do anything with these other copies that I legally own and are my property.

Also, how is wanting to be able to use your purchases the way you want to, wanting things for nothing?

Money has still changed hands in exchange for products, the cost and situation changes nothing.

Can you tell me what the actual issue is with wanting to be able make use of the 2 copies of a game that I legally own?

For the most part, yeah I'll buy multiple bundles, and it's not a problem, but if there's the odd game there that I already have, and the person I'd like to give it to has no interest in anything but that game, then it doesn't make sense to buy the lot again when I already have multiple copies of said game.

It's got nothing to do with being cheap, and everything to do with being able to use the stuff I own. I wouldn't have a Steam account with a ridiculous amount of games otherwise.

To be honest I do see your point about this. Personally it's not going to stop me buying the bundles in future but I do think it's reasonable to be annoyed about your current purchases (as presumably you weren't aware of the change before you bought the current bundle).

 

[gareth170]

one final thing

@spoffle when entering a bundle key in steam you don't always get the game you already have for a gift. and i think some bundles u buy on steam u can't always gift the game u have

 

[james.miller]

i think all the bundles are like that now; I cant even buy the quake pack for myself, for example.

 

[spoffle]

To be honest I do see your point about this. Personally it's not going to stop me buying the bundles in future but I do think it's reasonable to be annoyed about your current purchases (as presumably you weren't aware of the change before you bought the current bundle).

Oh, I am by no means going to boycott them, and I haven't gotten around to buying the latest bundle. I do find it annoying, but not enough to not buy the bundles any more, as they are good value regardless. It's just more of a principle thing than anything, in that I should be allowed to use things I purchase in any way I like.

As well as this move being at odds with their no DRM standpoint. It makes no sense for them to laud over their lack of DRM, or DRM free options if they are then going to impose controls on how you can redeem your purchases. It seems like DRM on DRM to me.

one final thing

@spoffle when entering a bundle key in steam you don't always get the game you already have for a gift. and i think some bundles u buy on steam u can't always gift the game u have

I am aware of this, and it's not something happens that often it's usually done for when it's a developer bundle like the last Deep Silver one. These are the bundles I usually will get multiple copies of.

 

[FrenchTart]

Oh, I am by no means going to boycott them, and I haven't gotten around to buying the latest bundle. I do find it annoying, but not enough to not buy the bundles any more, as they are good value regardless. It's just more of a principle thing than anything, in that I should be allowed to use things I purchase in any way I like.

As well as this move being at odds with their no DRM standpoint. It makes no sense for them to laud over their lack of DRM, or DRM free options if they are then going to impose controls on how you can redeem your purchases. It seems like DRM on DRM to me.

Yeah..all fair points really. As I said above, personally I'm not too bothered about all this but I can't really refute anything you're saying either.

 

[spoffle]

Yeah..all fair points really. As I said above, personally I'm not too bothered about all this but I can't really refute anything you're saying either.

I probably look like I'm more bothered than I am.

I'm not even bothered about this situation all that much, it's the bigger issue of companies trying to control our ownership that gets my bother on.

 

[FrenchTart]

I probably look like I'm more bothered than I am.

I'm not even bothered about this situation all that much, it's the bigger issue of companies trying to control our ownership that gets my bother on.

Well, it's hard to make a point in written form without sounding quite bothered I guess

I don't particularly like companies placing annoying rules/DRM on our purchases either (they often seem to want to make "purchases" into "rental agreements with terrible clauses"). I didn't really agree with everyone giving away tons of the humble bundle games - in some ways it's nice but in other ways it's against the spirit of a bundle which had the primary aims of supporting developers and charities directly - and as such I sort of agree with them tightening up the usage of the games but yeah..I also don't like paying for a product and then finding out that because I already own a copy of part of that product that it's suddenly okay for the retailer to not bother giving me another copy of it.

 

[davido_labido]

I probably look like I'm more bothered than I am.

I'm not even bothered about this situation all that much, it's the bigger issue of companies trying to control our ownership that gets my bother on.

"All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Software and any and all copies thereof, are owned by Valve US and/or its or its affiliates' licensors. All rights are reserved, except as expressly stated herein. The Software is protected by copyright laws, international copyright treaties and conventions and other laws. The Software contains certain licensed materials and Valve's and its affiliates' licensors may protect their rights in the event of any violation of this Agreement." - steams SSA

You don't legally own the games, I think that's where your going wrong bud. You own a license/right to play, which can be taken from you without notice.

Regardless of that, HB want to maximise how much money makes it to charity, people were abusing the rules previously (including me) so they cracked down on it.

In honesty, you could probably argue that they aren't even selling the games, you are making a charitable donation, the games are just as a thank you, a sale usually dictates a final price which must be paid, this doesn't. This doesn't matter though really as like I said, you don't own said games.

If steam wanted (or anyone else that owns the actual game) they could dictate to you that you can only play the game, on a Tuesday, when the moon is full, after sending your first born child to pick elderberries, so really, we have it good

 

[spoffle]

"All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Software and any and all copies thereof, are owned by Valve US and/or its or its affiliates' licensors. All rights are reserved, except as expressly stated herein. The Software is protected by copyright laws, international copyright treaties and conventions and other laws. The Software contains certain licensed materials and Valve's and its affiliates' licensors may protect their rights in the event of any violation of this Agreement." - steams SSA

You don't legally own the games, I think that's where your going wrong bud. You own a license/right to play, which can be taken from you without notice.

Regardless of that, HB want to maximise how much money makes it to charity, people were abusing the rules previously (including me) so they cracked down on it.

In honesty, you could probably argue that they aren't even selling the games, you are making a charitable donation, the games are just as a thank you, a sale usually dictates a final price which must be paid, this doesn't. This doesn't matter though really as like I said, you don't own said games.

If steam wanted (or anyone else that owns the actual game) they could dictate to you that you can only play the game, on a Tuesday, when the moon is full, after sending your first born child to pick elderberries, so really, we have it good

EU law says otherwise, and law > company policy ALL the time.

EU law says you do own the copies, the license to play thing is what the companies want you to have but as above, the law says otherwise.

It might be the case for US customers, but not us.

 

[davido_labido]

Indeed the eu are going through the motions at the moment, but they are still showing as we own the license, steam state that we 'subscribe' to the games, so we don't own anything still. It's been the same for ages (with physical copies too)

They are trying to Change it though, as you correctly stated and again as you correctly said it would supersede what Valve's eula says.

The problem then is that valve state that you must use the software they provide to play steam games, which if they wanted to, they could just refuse people who wanted to kick up a fuss, rendering library's of games useless.

They will have us by our short and curlys whatever happens.

Regardless were getting further and further away from the point.

Humble bundle want to maximise how much charities get, this is a way to reinforce previous rules that weren't being followed, perfectly fine in my eyes and I abused it just as much as others I'm sure.

 

[spoffle]

Regardless of what the Steam terms say, EU law takes precedent. So in effect, it doesn't matter what it says in Steam's EULA if they contravene any laws.

Steam can claim whatever they want in the EULA and other license agreements, it's meaningless. They would simply not get away with locking people's whole accounts either, they'd be slapped and critted for 10,000 by EU courts if they tried it.

 

[davido_labido]

Regardless of what the Steam terms say, EU law takes precedent. So in effect, it doesn't matter what it says in Steam's EULA if they contravene any laws.

Steam can claim whatever they want in the EULA and other license agreements, it's meaningless. They would simply not get away with locking people's whole accounts either, they'd be slapped and critted for 10,000 by EU courts if they tried it.

I'd like to see that happen trust me the laws are that sketchy regarding licenses to games, I can't see anyone other than the companies winning.

 

[spoffle]

I'd like to see that happen trust me the laws are that sketchy regarding licenses to games, I can't see anyone other than the companies winning.

Only because it's unchallenged, but that doesn't mean that it's still a subscription because the terms say so. I can't imagine Valve would abuse their power in this situation, considering how quickly bans are turned around when upper management get involved, it seems to be lower level troglodytes to get trigger happy that cause the issues.

I do however look forward to a test case if there ever needs to be one, I don't imagine Valve would win if it went through the German courts as I've been reading it's supposed to at some point.

 

[montymint]

I'm not really that bothered by this move. I see what they are trying to do (stop resellers abusing the low prices for product and getting as many donations in for charity).

At the end of the day I buy the bundles for maybe one or two games. I never care about what happens with duplicated keys(I usually give them away on here).

The people who are complain boil down to 2 things imo:

1. They want to sell keys for profit

or

2. Too cheap to pay for the cheap games and wanted freebies from their friends, because seriously.. it's like a couple of quid a shot for the cheapest bundles.

 

[sven256]

It's not really about that. It's along the lines of, I now have multiple copies of a game, but I can't do anything with these other copies that I legally own and are my property.

Also, how is wanting to be able to use your purchases the way you want to, wanting things for nothing?

Money has still changed hands in exchange for products, the cost and situation changes nothing.

Can you tell me what the actual issue is with wanting to be able make use of the 2 copies of a game that I legally own?

For the most part, yeah I'll buy multiple bundles, and it's not a problem, but if there's the odd game there that I already have, and the person I'd like to give it to has no interest in anything but that game, then it doesn't make sense to buy the lot again when I already have multiple copies of said game.

It's got nothing to do with being cheap, and everything to do with being able to use the stuff I own. I wouldn't have a Steam account with a ridiculous amount of games otherwise.

That's simple to solve then, don't buy the bundle then and buy the individual games direct from steam. That way you will not be left with games you can not do anything with.

Oh wait it would cost more doing it that way.... so why moan you are still getting a excellent deal, but now you can not swap and change games for free with friends or random people online.

 

[spoffle]

I'm not really that bothered by this move. I see what they are trying to do (stop resellers abusing the low prices for product and getting as many donations in for charity).

At the end of the day I buy the bundles for maybe one or two games. I never care about what happens with duplicated keys(I usually give them away on here).

The people who are complain boil down to 2 things imo:

1. They want to sell keys for profit

or

2. Too cheap to pay for the cheap games and wanted freebies from their friends, because seriously.. it's like a couple of quid a shot for the cheapest bundles.

Except that they don't, I've already shown that I fit in to neither category.

Opinions don't really work that way.

That's simple to solve then, don't buy the bundle then and buy the individual games direct from steam. That way you will not be left with games you can not do anything with.

Oh wait it would cost more doing it that way.... so why moan you are still getting a excellent deal, but now you can not swap and change games for free with friends or random people online.

So I can't comment on something without it being moaning? I can't disagree either without it being moaning? I've bought multiple copies of most of the humble bundles, that's beside the point.

 

[montymint]

Except that they don't, I destination ady shown that I fit in to neither category.

Opinions don't really work that way.



So I can't comment on something without it being moaning? I can't disagree either without it being moaning? I've bought multiple copies of most of the humble bundles, that's beside the point.

Yes they do. That's why we have them. I get the distinct impressions that form my opinion from the comment I read. Especially after the 2 way you've just had and was deleted

 

[spoffle]

Yes they do. That's why we have them. I get the distinct impressions that form my opinion from the comment I read. Especially after the 2 way you've just had and was deleted

You're talking about informed opinions. You can't just say any old rubbish and try to use "but my opinion" as a back up.

As I've said multiple times, I have no interest in selling the surplus, I just like to give them away to friends.

I buy a crap load of games, hence my Steam account having over 400 games in it, I am neither of your 2 scenarios.

 

[gareth170]

I just like to give them away to friends.

but HB don't allow that and/or don't want people to do that.

simple has that. hence why they changed the way. and tbh it's up to HB if they want to keep it this way.. if HB keeps the new system then fine / if HB change back to the old system then fine.

 

[spoffle]

but HB don't allow that and/or don't want people to do that.

simple has that. hence why they changed the way. and tbh it's up to HB if they want to keep it this way..

Except they have said they are reconsidering it. So it's not that simple.