Can a friend play on my copy of the game?

[Izeyash]

As the title says, im wondering if a friend can play on my copy of the game.

It would be kind of a shame if the game client is bound to the account using it, but the internet doesn't bring answers, so I might get help here.

Thanks in advance.

[Asphe]

Anyone can. The DRM lock is based on your SE Service account, i.e. the game requires you to log in with your SE ID credentials/OTP. So you could launch games on your PC, then log in to FF14 with your ID. Your friend can later do the same.

In fact, multiple can play. For example, I have the game files in a shared network location. So multiple players can log in to Steam (or not), and run FFXIV... if latency and other things weren't an issue, I suppose the entire world could :)

Once the game launcher starts, the only connection it has with Steam is the Overlay UI. That's why someone can buy the game on Steam... than trade the CD-key to someone else. Neither Steam nor SE is losing a sale since you just get the game in the library while that someone else has to register that CD-key to their own SE account.

[Izeyash]

Alright, thanks for the quick information.

[DBG]

Originally posted by Asphe:

Anyone can. The DRM lock is based on your SE Service account, i.e. the game requires you to log in with your SE ID credentials/OTP. So you could launch games on your PC, then log in to FF14 with your ID. Your friend can later do the same.

In fact, multiple can play. For example, I have the game files in a shared network location. So multiple players can log in to Steam (or not), and run FFXIV... if latency and other things weren't an issue, I suppose the entire world could :)

Once the game launcher starts, the only connection it has with Steam is the Overlay UI. That's why someone can buy the game on Steam... than trade the CD-key to someone else. Neither Steam nor SE is losing a sale since you just get the game in the library while that someone else has to register that CD-key to their own SE account.

Hmm, I just bought the game from GameStop (digitally) and added the code to my existing SQ account, it would be cool to have Steam playtime tracking/recognize it as a native game but I don't suppose there is a way for someone who bought the game outside of Steam to register it with the system, is there? I know you can add any application to Steam, but there are a few bonuses to have Steam auto-recognize the game, even if it isn't SteamWorks-based.

[Freyar]

The only way to get Steam to recognize the game as a Steam game is to buy the client on Steam itself. You can use an existing account on it, but you cannot use the key you purchase as you can't apply it to an account with an existing PC key.

[DBG]

Originally posted by Freyar:

The only way to get Steam to recognize the game as a Steam game is to buy the client on Steam itself. You can use an existing account on it, but you cannot use the key you purchase as you can't apply it to an account with an existing PC key.

Yeah, makes sense. Oh well, I will still add it as a Non-Steam title, thx for the reply =).

[Izeyash]

At least the thread helped more than me, I'm glad to read that. :)

[Asphe]

Originally posted by DBG:

Yeah, makes sense. Oh well, I will still add it as a Non-Steam title, thx for the reply =).

You can't post review #99,999 on a MMO that's been out a year, or post videos/guides (at least not directly) nor screenshots of yet another bevy of nekkid catgurls in a bath (seriously, you CAN do this), to the main discussion page/etc.

On the other paw, your boss won't fight out you were beating Titan Ex when you were suppose to be sick.

Naah... you don't want Steam tracking how much of your life you spent/wasted in FFXIV.

[Pangolin Legends: Arceus]

What if you buy on steam to use an existing account and give your new key to someone else and then they go out and cause loads of trouble though? They will know that that code is associated with your steam account.

[DBG]

Originally posted by graspee 2m to GFWL Apocalypse:

What if you buy on steam to use an existing account and give your new key to someone else and then they go out and cause loads of trouble though? They will know that that code is associated with your steam account.

"They" being Valve or Square Enix? Since it's not a Steamworks title I think Steam/Valve just acts as a middle-man for the key needed to enter on your SQ account. I'm pretty sure that the person who makes the trouble is the only one that will be punished, not the person they bought (even for $0.00) it from (it would be like punishing Amazon for selling a CD key to someone who then violated the EULA).

Edit: The one exception would be if you are found to be the source of buying keys for people that use bots/illegal powerlevel/sell gil/etc. However you would have to do this multiple times and then they would have to find out that you were the "backer" (I've only seen a handful of these rings broken up, mostly based in Japan/China/HK/SEA, and there are ways to get keys much cheaper than through Steam so again, I wouldn't worry about it).

@Asphe - lol I play across PS4/Vita and PC (depends on location/travel), however you are right, I think in a few months time I might become slightly depressed if I were to view "hours played" =p.

[Asphe]

Originally posted by DBG:

Originally posted by graspee 2m to GFWL Apocalypse:

What if you buy on steam to use an existing account and give your new key to someone else and then they go out and cause loads of trouble though? They will know that that code is associated with your steam account.

"They" being Valve or Square Enix? Since it's not a Steamworks title I think Steam/Valve just acts as a middle-man for the key needed to enter on your SQ account. I'm pretty sure that the person who makes the trouble is the only one that will be punished, not the person they bought (even for $0.00) it from (it would be like punishing Amazon for selling a CD key to someone who then violated the EULA).

Edit: The one exception would be if you are found to be the source of buying keys for people that use bots/illegal powerlevel/sell gil/etc. However you would have to do this multiple times and then they would have to find out that you were the "backer" (I've only seen a handful of these rings broken up, mostly based in Japan/China/HK/SEA, and there are ways to get keys much cheaper than through Steam so again, I wouldn't worry about it).

@Asphe - lol I play across PS4/Vita and PC (depends on location/travel), however you are right, I think in a few months time I might become slightly depressed if I were to view "hours played" =p.

Regarding the 'I bought the key, gave it to a known terrorist'. This is fine. Fine as in that EVEN if they know that the key was bought by you (they do, for tracking purposes), who actually 'owns' the key is the bloke who registers FF14 to their SE account using the CD-key. This also means that if someone somehow got your key and used it... well that's another can of lawyer dung.

One of the rings you're referring too was stealing keys out of retail boxes ^-^.

After all, if SE is going to clamp down on people selling SE CD-keys for money, where does that leave Valve?

[DBG]

Originally posted by Asphe:

One of the rings you're referring too was stealing keys out of retail boxes ^-^.

Wow, +1 for being gutsy (plus a bit stupid). I was recently invited to join a group of questionable people when I replied to one of those frequent "Buy 1,000,000 gil for $5 - 7 USD" with some Chinese slang; logged off when I received 10 invites within 3 - 4 seconds x.x

[Izeyash]

Just put them on the Blacklist and report them to the staff, Square Enix support actually does this

[DBG]

Originally posted by Izeyash:

Just put them on the Blacklist and report them to the staff, Square Enix support actually does this

Oh yeah totally, normally in any one popular location there are 3+ users spamming and I blacklist them right away (I wish there was an easy RMT report command but I think I will start using the in-game support... hopefully at the very least it will cut into their profit margins).

What I was freaked out about is that they were inviting me to work for them; heh one person told me I could earn up to 75 HKD per instance/hour (not sure how this is calculated/if it it is true). I know graphically stripped down versions of the client exist and I run fullscreen in 1980x1200@60fps with settings maxed out when I play on PC and have a nice chunk of memory, so who knows how many clients I could get going.

Running one instance on a NA server (for some reason I was told that you could make more money on JP servers, which I thought would be the opposite) would be like having a minimum wage job + cover electricity costs of running my PC in this case, however I just play the game to have fun (I do understand the temptation, esp. if you are having trouble finding work or what have you), plus it's nice to sit back and jam on the PS4, which is almost as beautiful (Remote Play via Vita is playable to a point, certain buttons get mapped to virtual ones, which makes things harder).

Looking forward to the 2.3 patch + beyond, FFXV and the surprising announcement of Typo-0 getting an official English release (I really liked the "Crisis" PSP games but this one stood out; I can't wait to share the experience in HD as well). Oh I also recently learned that Shanda had licensed FFXIV in China and are going through beta testing now. They aren't a huge corporation like Tencent but they have done well with other Japanese/Korean titles. I doubt this will stop Chinese users from buying/selling gil or powerleveling services though. Still not sure why servers aren't placed somewhere in EU, then again I have some IRL best friends that live and game in the UK, Germany and others, so it works out for me =p/

[Goonch]

Originally posted by Asphe:

Anyone can. The DRM lock is based on your SE Service account, i.e. the game requires you to log in with your SE ID credentials/OTP. So you could launch games on your PC, then log in to FF14 with your ID. Your friend can later do the same.

In fact, multiple can play. For example, I have the game files in a shared network location. So multiple players can log in to Steam (or not), and run FFXIV... if latency and other things weren't an issue, I suppose the entire world could :)

Once the game launcher starts, the only connection it has with Steam is the Overlay UI. That's why someone can buy the game on Steam... than trade the CD-key to someone else. Neither Steam nor SE is losing a sale since you just get the game in the library while that someone else has to register that CD-key to their own SE account.

Dead thread, I'm sure, but google brought me this, so - to clarify, if I get a subscription for one account, I could have different people playing with the same account on different characters?

Friend and I are longtime FF fans, been debating a subscription for awhile. Been hoping if we get one account, he could use the PS4 and I the PC with the same account.

Also, I know that there's different platform prices - does the service fee remain the same?

[Izeyash]

I think this is worth bringing up a dead thread.

From what I learned now is the following, after spending more than 2000 hours in the game:

The copy of the game is NOT locked to the account. Subscription is one thing, platform the other. My friend had the PS3 version and asked me to set the game up for him here, so I did.

SE is very userfriendly regarding this.

Hope I could help.