Used games?

[CommandoSolo]

So I saw an ad for War in the West that a person was selling used. Am I going to have issues installing it and using it with the serial number that comes with the game? Yes, it's a legit version, I just want to make sure before buying it.

[MrsWargamer]

I do believe the correct answer is the serial will indeed install it, but inasmuch as the serial might be registered to another, it will not be able to allow you to use any members based updates. If it was not registered (not impossible), then you'd be able to register it and enjoy it being registered as yours.

I am not an official, but the question has been asked in the past.

[RobS61]

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

I do believe the correct answer is the serial will indeed install it, but inasmuch as the serial might be registered to another, it will not be able to allow you to use any members based updates. If it was not registered (not impossible), then you'd be able to register it and enjoy it being registered as yours.

I am not an official, but the question has been asked in the past.

What is a "members based update"?

A while back, I was considering buying War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition from someone on Ebay. The game was advertised as never having been installed or played, although it did have the sellers name on the disc and was presumably registered to him. I was wondering whether I would be able to update the game with the latest patches.
A person should still be able to go to the download pages, download the latest patch for a game and install it, eh?

[Alan Sharif]

You can download/install patches without being a member I believe.

[z1812]

[font="Arial"]

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

I do believe the correct answer is the serial will indeed install it, but inasmuch as the serial might be registered to another, it will not be able to allow you to use any members based updates. If it was not registered (not impossible), then you'd be able to register it and enjoy it being registered as yours.

I am not an official, but the question has been asked in the past.

Thanks for this information. [/font]

[MrsWargamer]

Not all patches are Members only. Some though are.

This is a copy paste of the details as listed on site actually.

Welcome to the Matrix Games Members Club!
The games listed below have updates available. The Members Club is always being updated so please check back here on a regular basis. For registration-enabled games, {0}registering will allow you to access official updates for these titles and Beta updates before they are available to the General public.

IMPORTANT: If your game is listed below with a Register link, you must register the serial number that came with your game to access Registered Downloads for your game. Don't know your Serial Number? It's the number you used to install the game and it is in the e-mail confirmation you received from our online store when you purchased the game.Once you register here, you can always retrieve your Serial Number from the Members Club in the future as well. Click Here to see your recent orders or search for previous orders.

If you have any issues with our Members Club, please contact us via our Support Center and Open a Helpdesk Ticket.

You can also find our public FTP Latest Downloads available here.

[Blond_Knight]

But anything that uses the multiplayer++ system ties the account name with the serial. IF the former owner ever registered for a multiplayer account.

[CommandoSolo]

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

Not all patches are Members only. Some though are.

This is a copy paste of the details as listed on site actually.

Welcome to the Matrix Games Members Club!
The games listed below have updates available. The Members Club is always being updated so please check back here on a regular basis. For registration-enabled games, {0}registering will allow you to access official updates for these titles and Beta updates before they are available to the General public.

IMPORTANT: If your game is listed below with a Register link, you must register the serial number that came with your game to access Registered Downloads for your game. Don't know your Serial Number? It's the number you used to install the game and it is in the e-mail confirmation you received from our online store when you purchased the game.Once you register here, you can always retrieve your Serial Number from the Members Club in the future as well. Click Here to see your recent orders or search for previous orders.

If you have any issues with our Members Club, please contact us via our Support Center and Open a Helpdesk Ticket.

You can also find our public FTP Latest Downloads available here.

So what happens if you don't get the game from Matrix games? I just got tigers from Amazon. I registered the game and got the downloads. I didn't receive an email from Matrix games though. Just making sure in the future. At least this one I bought new on the last sale.

[Lobster]

As always, buy at your own risk.

[VPaulus]

The games purchased from our Amazon hub, can be registered in Slitherine/Matrix accounts.
We don't support 2nd hand copies, so if the copy is already registered in the previous owner's account it will remain there.
So when buying 2nd hand copies, you are buying at your own risk.

[Greybriar]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

The games purchased from our Amazon hub, can be registered in Slitherine/Matrix accounts.
We don't support 2nd hand copies, so if the copy is already registered in the previous owner's account it will remain there.
So when buying 2nd hand copies, you are buying at your own risk.

What about games purchased on Steam or GOG? When will we be able to register those on our Matrix/Slitherine accounts?

I quit buying (new) Matrix/Slitherine games from other legitimate online distributors because I could not register them with Matrix/Slitherine.

[RobS61]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

The games purchased from our Amazon hub, can be registered in Slitherine/Matrix accounts.
We don't support 2nd hand copies, so if the copy is already registered in the previous owner's account it will remain there.
So when buying 2nd hand copies, you are buying at your own risk.

We've established that anyone can download patches, even people who don't even own any Matrix games.
So, what benefits do I not get if I buy a second-hand copy off someone? I really don't care about "beta" patches and that sort of thing.

[VPaulus]

ORIGINAL: Greybriar

What about games purchased on Steam or GOG? When will we be able to register those on our Matrix/Slitherine accounts?

I'm sorry but for the moment you can't. Steam doesn't allow 3rd party keys anymore, so there's no way for you to get a key and then register the game in a Slitherine/Matrix account.

ORIGINAL: RobS61

We've established that anyone can download patches, even people who don't even own any Matrix games.
So, what benefits do I not get if I buy a second-hand copy off someone? I really don't care about "beta" patches and that sort of thing.

Off the top my head, multiplayer will be an issue...

[MyAnime]

can't get this

[CommandoSolo]

ORIGINAL: Greybriar

What about games purchased on Steam or GOG? When will we be able to register those on our Matrix/Slitherine accounts?

I'm sorry but for the moment you can't. Steam doesn't allow 3rd party keys anymore, so there's no way for you to get a key and then register the game in a Slitherine/Matrix account.



So then we should always purchase them on the Matrix store and then register them to get the steam key? Correct?

[jack54]

I like the fact that you can down load a replacement/backup. This has saved me on more than 1 occasion when backup disks I made failed to load. I don't know if if you can do this without registering...

[VPaulus]

ORIGINAL: CommandoSolo

So then we should always purchase them on the Matrix store and then register them to get the steam key? Correct?

If you want both versions, stand alone and Steam, yes you have to purchase them from the Slitherine/Matrix stores.

[Greybriar]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

ORIGINAL: Greybriar

What about games purchased on Steam or GOG? When will we be able to register those on our Matrix/Slitherine accounts?

I'm sorry but for the moment you can't. Steam doesn't allow 3rd party keys anymore, so there's no way for you to get a key and then register the game in a Slitherine/Matrix account....

That's what I thought. Thank you for your response, VPaulus.

[Agathosdaimon]

i had that issue with 2nd hand matrix games a while ago - I bought Command Europe at War from Noble Knight games/ or NWS - i forget which, and it was already registered so when i wanted to play multiplayer i had to buy it again digitally.
However that being said, i did also buy Harpoon Ultimate Edition second hand and it was not registered, so yeah its luck of the draw, that comes with buying something 2nd hand - all that said, at least though, it never restricts one outright to playing the game (unlike if you buy a steam game on ebay that claims to be new and it turns out to be already registered - an expensive waste of money getting F1 2013 was for me once)