Victoria II Steam Key in spite of having DRM-free?

[Immortal88]

Wrong game forum obviously, but hear me out here please. I can't open a thread in the Victoria II forum because I need to register my Victoria II key first but I'm not sure if I should (in case I decide to gift it to someone or resell it).

So I recently bought Victoria II and A House Divided from Gamersgate. I got Crusader kings II and Europa Universalis IV on Steam and love them, so I wanted to get into Victoria II as well and being a derp I just bought Victoria II, unquestioningly assuming I would obviously buy a steam key, but unluckily I didn't read the fine print. Turns out I bought a DRM-free copy of Victoria II and the expansion, without any steam keys attached.

I really want the steam keys though, I got a steam library of about 200 games now and I practically have not a single non-steam game on my hard-drive because steam is so darn convenient. Now I have a few questions of how to deal with this:

- Is there any way at all to get steam keys in addition to the DRM-Free keys I have? You know as in: if I register my Vic II key here on the forum I'll get the steam keys as well or something along those lines.

- If that is impossible, is it at least legal for me to resell the DRM-free keys for the same/a lower price I bought them for? (So I can grab a steam copy with that money).

- I'd be really quite unhappy if I was stuck with the DRM-free. I change or borrow laptops and computers rather often while traveling and going places, so I have to redownload games rather often. The only way that I'm currently aware of how I can download my current DRM-free copy is by logging into my gamersgate library and downloading it from there - hell knows if that website is around in two years let alone if I can remember my password in a year or two. If I have the DRM-free keys and register them on this forum, do I have the option of downloading the game from another source apart from gamersgate as well (like a paradox download service or some such).

How can I otherwise ensure I'll always be able to redownload my DRM-free copy wherever, whenever and on whatever machine?


Thanks for your time & answers.

 

[nephilim2k]

What you do with the key is entirely up to you...you WONT get a steam key if you register on here however and you only get the option to download wherever you bought it from. I learnt that the hard way with EU3.

 

[AndrewT]

It is not the case that you need to register VicII to post in the main VicII forum. Only its sub-fora.

But yours is a general PDS query so I'll move you there.


To address your question: there's no reason why Steam would give you a free Steam key when you bought the game from somewhere else ... ! I suggest you return the game you bought to GG, if you can, and buy VicII in the next Steam sale.

BTW all PDS games are DRM-free, whether bought from GG, Steam or anywhere else.

 

[the cool guy]

It is not the case that you need to register VicII to post in the main VicII forum. Only its sub-fora.

But yours is a general PDS query so I'll move you there.


To address your question: there's no reason why Steam would give you a free Steam key when you bought the game from somewhere else ... ! I suggest you return the game you bought to GG, if you can, and buy VicII in the next Steam sale.

BTW all PDS games are DRM-free, whether bought from GG, Steam or anywhere else.

Actually i can't start new threads in the Vicky 2 subforum. But i can post replies.

 

[Augustus93]

Actually i can't start new threads in the Vicky 2 subforum. But i can post replies.

Well maybe you need to register your copy of the game...

 

[Augustus93]

Wrong game forum obviously, but hear me out here please. I can't open a thread in the Victoria II forum because I need to register my Victoria II key first but I'm not sure if I should (in case I decide to gift it to someone or resell it).

So I recently bought Victoria II and A House Divided from Gamersgate. I got Crusader kings II and Europa Universalis IV on Steam and love them, so I wanted to get into Victoria II as well and being a derp I just bought Victoria II, unquestioningly assuming I would obviously buy a steam key, but unluckily I didn't read the fine print. Turns out I bought a DRM-free copy of Victoria II and the expansion, without any steam keys attached.

I really want the steam keys though, I got a steam library of about 200 games now and I practically have not a single non-steam game on my hard-drive because steam is so darn convenient. Now I have a few questions of how to deal with this:

- Is there any way at all to get steam keys in addition to the DRM-Free keys I have? You know as in: if I register my Vic II key here on the forum I'll get the steam keys as well or something along those lines.

- If that is impossible, is it at least legal for me to resell the DRM-free keys for the same/a lower price I bought them for? (So I can grab a steam copy with that money).

- I'd be really quite unhappy if I was stuck with the DRM-free. I change or borrow laptops and computers rather often while traveling and going places, so I have to redownload games rather often. The only way that I'm currently aware of how I can download my current DRM-free copy is by logging into my gamersgate library and downloading it from there - hell knows if that website is around in two years let alone if I can remember my password in a year or two. If I have the DRM-free keys and register them on this forum, do I have the option of downloading the game from another source apart from gamersgate as well (like a paradox download service or some such).

How can I otherwise ensure I'll always be able to redownload my DRM-free copy wherever, whenever and on whatever machine?


Thanks for your time & answers.

If you have clicked on the show CD key button then you will not be able to gift it away. So if you have seen the key then there is no way you will be able to gift it away or sell it. It is attached to your account. You will not get any steam keys.

 

[Holy.Death]

How can I otherwise ensure I'll always be able to redownload my DRM-free copy wherever, whenever and on whatever machine?

I thought I was buying DRM free game (especially to be able to install it on my laptop which can run V2, but has pretty weak internet connection), so I accepted the hefty price and it turned out not to be the case. It was disappointing, because I have all the files and yet I can't run installer unless I do so through GG. I keep temporary download files, but they still require "activation" by "downloading" through GG site. It spares me the need to download all of them on my other machine, but doesn't solve your issue I am afraid. I have to say that for being DRM free GG is pretty DRM heavy (in terms of security of files). It can't stand against GOG and I doubt I will use GG much because of this.

Well maybe you need to register your copy of the game...

Read what he quoted, because I don't think he's having an issue at all.

 

[Pellaken]

Steam is a online retailer - a download service - not DRM.

 

[Augustus93]

Steam is a online retailer - a download service - not DRM.

But it has DRM. Not the really heavy (annoying) kind but still.

 

[Pellaken]

But it has DRM. Not the really heavy (annoying) kind but still.

has =/= is

 

[Holy.Death]

has =/= is

Both Steam and GG are authentication services. If I have to use Steam or GamersGate to validate my right to my copy then it can be considered a DRM software, even if it ain't using third party DRM (having DRM from UPlay on top of Steam beats the purpose of Steam). GoG is DRM free (you can download files anywhere and there is no validation after that).

 

[Pellaken]

AFAIK you can just take the game out from one location and put it in another.

 

[Holy.Death]

I tried that with V2 - ironically - and I still had to install it through GG to get something to take out to another location. I would have to keep the already installed copy somewhere, not just the installation parts, to make it work. In contrast I can use pendrive or DVD to store my games from GoG and I don't have to worry about "step 1 - have an already authenticated game somewhere". It's not that big deal after all, but I still think this is misleading people when they claim not to have DRM features while having a requirement of downloading games through GG site (which authenticates your installer in turn). Had I known that I would not have bought from GG at all. I expected GoG-kind of no-DRM-claim so I can relate to the OP who wants all his games in one box. Well, I learned my lesson.

 

[Augustus93]

I tried that with V2 - ironically - and I still had to install it through GG to get something to take out to another location. I would have to keep the already installed copy somewhere, not just the installation parts, to make it work. In contrast I can use pendrive or DVD to store my games from GoG and I don't have to worry about "step 1 - have an already authenticated game somewhere". It's not that big deal after all, but I still think this is misleading people when they claim not to have DRM features while having a requirement of downloading games through GG site (which authenticates your installer in turn). Had I known that I would not have bought from GG at all. I expected GoG-kind of no-DRM-claim so I can relate to the OP who wants all his games in one box. Well, I learned my lesson.

Yeah I also learned it the hard way. It is beyond me why some people were defending GG and attacking steam when GG is not better at all in fact it is much worse.

 

[Pellaken]

and I still had to install it through GG to get something to take out to another location.

This does not sound possible. I've moved games with steam before. Unless GG is radically different there should be no problem.

 

[Holy.Death]

I know not about moving Steam games as I never had the need to do so. I didn't even mention Steam. I was solely describing my experiences with GG.

 

[Pellaken]

Wouldn't Steam keys require Steam? Or am I missing something?

 

[Warial]

Wouldn't Steam keys require Steam? Or am I missing something?

GG offers non-Steam version of all(?) Paradox games produced before EUIV.

 

[Augustus93]

GG offers non-Steam version of all(?) Paradox games produced before EUIV.

Except for CK2.

 

[Lys91]

I thought I was buying DRM free game (especially to be able to install it on my laptop which can run V2, but has pretty weak internet connection), so I accepted the hefty price and it turned out not to be the case. It was disappointing, because I have all the files and yet I can't run installer unless I do so through GG. I keep temporary download files, but they still require "activation" by "downloading" through GG site. It spares me the need to download all of them on my other machine, but doesn't solve your issue I am afraid. I have to say that for being DRM free GG is pretty DRM heavy (in terms of security of files). It can't stand against GOG and I doubt I will use GG much because of this.


Read what he quoted, because I don't think he's having an issue at all.

Since Paradox moved to steam I stopped to use GG and re-bought Victoria II there, but where there not an option on GG downloader to "keep install files" after install (like a pop-up asking you if you want to keep the files or delete them). I remember launching those without having to download the game again. I think you can even copy past your install of PI games, unless they changed this with more recent games.