Quick Question about the LAN feature

Hey guys!

First off, love this game. It's my first real RTS and I couldn't be happier.

That being said, I was even happier when I saw the LAN option. My question is how this will work. Will everyone I want to lan with need a copy of PA, or will I be able to host the LAN off one copy downloaded several times?

Thanks, and I appreciate any answers!

Have an awesome day!

Confirmed to be DRM free after launch.

AWESOME! Thank you so much

As long as I know last answer from devs was that they you to buy copy of game for each player, but it's won't be enforced.
I'll try to find that dev post.

Possible they'll give more more detailed legal answer in future because in old days some games allow multiple players per one copy, but there always was some "fair use" limit.

Having a multiplayer lan party where only one player owns the game is no different to having a multiplayer split screen game on a console.


I really miss those games which were split screen on same computer. Divvying up the keyboard appropriately

Axis and Allies FTW!
didn't even have to split the screen.

I think for online multiplayer each player will need there own game however for LAN/singleplayer you will not, since you are not accessing Uber's servers.

Completely agree here. While I don't know anyone who plans on buying the game (yet), I'd love to be able to play the games I buy locally with friends. I'm glad that will be the case with PA.
Heck, I might even be able to convince some to buy the game to play online and on their own.

I guess on Linux it's should be fairly easy to implement on system level and just let two users share one monitor in split screen.
Though I guess there might be software for Windows which doing same thing.

Exactly.

I'm wondering. .. is it possible to make parent and child games? So the parent game allows you to create the server or run online, while the children don't require an Uber account to play and can only join LAN servers?

Game will be DRM-free after release. It's mean for LAN game won't have ability to check some license key or any other proof that you bought it. So technically you'll able to run it from any number of computers or join/host games as you'd like.

Obviously game license agreement will have fair use limitations, but it's not something normal players should care about.

For online multiplayer you'll oneed UberNet account like now and it's obviously will only work for one game instance in same time.

I see.

In practice, even games with DRM get cracked and then the cracked version doesn't have online features.

I was thinking of an easy multiplayer for LAN players. A demo version. Rather than actually having to pirate the game.

Only if online tied to some external service that can't be emulated.

I'm not talking about pirating game, I just mean that for DRM-free game it's more like legal issue because game itself won't able to check if you paid for license or not. If you ever bought games on GOG you'll understand what I talking about.

So special features that allow to let you give friend to "try" game over LAN not required because technically you'll always able to host game on any computer and join from any other,. Still game license might allow or disallow multi-users usage.