local spawn copies

[Puck11b]

The underlying premise to my suggestion is that I want my friends to give you their filthy filthy lucre. To do this, as my friends tend to be tightwads, I need to SHOW them how wonderful it is. Now there are numerous illegal means to do this, I would prefer to do so legally. To this end I suggest a second installation option, the LAN copy.

The LAN copy :

-cannot host a game, nor can it play single player
-must join a game that is hosted by the CD key used to create the LAN copy
-cannot play over the internet, only via LAN
-does not store character data (no saving characters from day to day).

Advantages to the customer are fairly obvious, I can get my friends together for our monthly LAN party, pass around my DVD and start playing.

Advantages to you include possible increased sales, supplying a way of trying the game that is more convenient than pirating it.

If you want to be real sneaky about it, include an 'upgrade' button on the title screen of a LAN copy. Hit the button, enter billing information, get a real CD key. Now the LAN copy is a full copy, you get the $ for it directly, and low expense for that customer.

Obviously this is not something that can go into TQ:IT, it's a little late for that. It is something to keep in mind for the future.