Help: Over a year later, I still can't post in the EU3 Mods forum

[sirbruce]

I haven't played EU3 in over a year, came back to post about a bug I found in Magna Mundi, and I still can't post in the Mods forum.

The issue is I have EU3:IN and EU3:NA keys registered but not an EU3 key. I simply cannot find my old EU3 key. There's no reason why having the other keys shouldn't be sufficient for me to post in the mod forum. I've owned EU1 and EU2 and was a beta tester and contributer long ago but despite all that somehow that's just not enough evidence for Paradox that yes, virginia, I actually bought EU3 and I'm not trying to rip you off and even if I was, restricting me from posting in the mods forum isn't going to make any difference. I brought this up last time I was here and it seems like there's been no change to how the forum sees my account.

If a mod sees this who can help me please either post in this thread or send me a PM. Thank you.

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

I haven't played EU3 in over a year, came back to post about a bug I found in Magna Mundi, and I still can't post in the Mods forum.

The issue is I have EU3:IN and EU3:NA keys registered but not an EU3 key. I simply cannot find my old EU3 key. There's no reason why having the other keys shouldn't be sufficient for me to post in the mod forum. I've owned EU1 and EU2 and was a beta tester and contributer long ago but despite all that somehow that's just not enough evidence for Paradox that yes, virginia, I actually bought EU3 and I'm not trying to rip you off and even if I was, restricting me from posting in the mods forum isn't going to make any difference. I brought this up last time I was here and it seems like there's been no change to how the forum sees my account.

If a mod sees this who can help me please either post in this thread or send me a PM. Thank you.

Sent an email to Paradox, support@paradoxplaza.com where you explain your problem.

You will have to provide proof of having bought EUIII.

 

[sirbruce]

I offered a picture of the CD last time but that wasn't sufficient. I'm not going to email support again if it's just going to waste my time. I'm not looking for a boilerplate answer to my problem.

I'm asking you to engage your faculties of reason, as a moderator or developer or whatnot, to decide whether or not people who at least you know have bought and registered EU3:NA and EU3:IN should be allowed to post in the Mods forum. Surely that is evidence enough to grant access by itself? Not to mention the fact I've been a member since 2001 and a previous participant in EU betas and such? Have I not sufficiently demonstrated enough customer loyalty as well as dollars on this particular point? Does this really seem like a fair burden on what is by all other measures a loyal customer?

 

[unddu]

Buckle up and shelve out 5 bucks for a new key.


... Seriously...

 

[unmerged(23661)]

Buckle up and shelve out 5 bucks for a new key.


... Seriously...

So we should be strong armed into buying another game? I have both my cd keys but they are split between two names. It was my mistake but should I really buy the game again? I have sent four emails since sunday to support with no reply. I don't mind waiting I guess but I will not buy another game. I would rather save up for Victoria 2

 

[Malurous]

But no-one strong armed anyone to lose or split their cd keys. If you guys lost your discs (or in the case of Complete, the code for free backup also), would you be here insisting "I want to download the game for free, I'm not going to purchase another copy just because I lost the disc"? Especially since the game costs very little these days.

Also, Paradox isn't exactly inflexible - I got one of my registrations without a cd key by sending a scan of the store receipt.

I see where both of you are coming from, but unless you can sort out your respective situations, unddu's suggestion is entirely reasonable.

 

[6354201]

So we should be strong armed into buying another game? I have both my cd keys but they are split between two names. It was my mistake but should I really buy the game again? I have sent four emails since sunday to support with no reply. I don't mind waiting I guess but I will not buy another game. I would rather save up for Victoria 2

It's not Paradox's responsibility to ensure that you properly register you CD keys to the correct spot.

So yes, it's your fault, so unless Paradox wants to be especially kind (and trusting) you'll just have to buy the game again.

 

[unmerged(23661)]

It's not Paradox's responsibility to ensure that you properly register you CD keys to the correct spot.

So yes, it's your fault, so unless Paradox wants to be especially kind (and trusting) you'll just have to buy the game again.

Trusting? I have demonstrated two valid cd keys and gave them my gamersgate passworf. I can play the game and update it but just want to be able to access new betas and be part of the forum on the game I love. What kind of sinister plot do you guys think I am trying to pull?

 

[6354201]

Trusting? I have demonstrated two valid cd keys and gave them my gamersgate passworf. I can play the game and update it but just want to be able to access new betas and be part of the forum on the game I love. What kind of sinister plot do you guys think I am trying to pull?

I don't think you're trying to get away with anything, I just don't think its Paradox's responsibility to fix the mistake you made or automatically trust you. Giving them your gamersgate passwords and displaying valid cd keys doesn't say much either, anyone can tell anyone their cd key or password.

I'm sure if they saw proof of purchase they would help you, or if they wanted to be nice about it and trusting perhaps they'll just let it slide.

 

[Malurous]

Well, trusting in the sense that someone could obviously abuse the kind of situation where you could register the same cd key on multiple accounts. I'm not suggesting you're trying to pull anything, but it's something that could be done.

 

[unmerged(23661)]

I don't think you're trying to get away with anything, I just don't think its Paradox's responsibility to fix the mistake you made or automatically trust you. Giving them your gamersgate passwords and displaying valid cd keys doesn't say much either, anyone can tell anyone their cd key or password.

I'm sure if they saw proof of purchase they would help you, or if they wanted to be nice about it and trusting perhaps they'll just let it slide.

My gamersgate account information I sent has a billing history with my credit card charges. That should be enough. They could buy some more of their games for me if they want. It has my credit card information stored. I just realized that was dumb but I just wanted to show I was legit.

 

[sirbruce]

Dageneral28 it's nice to see someone else in the same boat as I am.

I think people are missing the point. It's not about losing an EU3 key; it's about the fact that an EU3:IN and/or an EU3:NA key isn't sufficient. The only possible reason for continual denial even with those CD keys is the idea that someone pirated EU3 and then legitimately bought IN and NA, but somehow that missing $5 or $50 or whatever is enough to deny them access. Heck, I paid more for IN + NA than I did for the original EU3, so it makes no sense that Paradox would give preferential access to someone who bought EU3 and pirated the expansions than the other way around.

But seriously, I did buy it. The CD says PDX1707US on it. Keep in mind that I posted freely about EU1 and EU2 mods without having to enter a CD key; Paradox moved to a new system that I had no notice in advance I would have to satisfy or else I would have registered it the day I got EU3.

 

[Malurous]

I think people are missing the point. It's not about losing an EU3 key; it's about the fact that an EU3:IN and/or an EU3:NA key isn't sufficient.

Yeah, I had this in mind when I said that I see where you come from... It is kind of strange that no matter what you're looking to do, it's only the base game registration that matters.

The reason I originally said anything in this thread was that Paradox was really fair when I lacked a cd key, so I didn't find it truthful when Dageneral28 suggested they're "strong arming" people.

Here's hoping this somehow gets sorted out for you. If not, then the next time you need to buy a present for anyone who plays computer games, get him/her EU 3, steal the cd key before giving it and make sure the receiver never tries to register

 

[safferli]

But seriously, I did buy it. The CD says PDX1707US on it. Keep in mind that I posted freely about EU1 and EU2 mods without having to enter a CD key; Paradox moved to a new system that I had no notice in advance I would have to satisfy or else I would have registered it the day I got EU3.

Actually it was communicated from day one of the sales of EU3. I think even before that. If was clearly communicated that you should register your copy of EU3, and the benefits you got in return. You decided to ignore that, so it's entirely your fault. You're being very unfair to Paradox here.

I feel for you, and your points are entirely valid. But, it is paradox policy that you need to register a basic game -- not an expansion -- to have access to the various subforums. A policy I understand: you need the basic game to actually play any of the expansions. If you cannot provide proof that you bought the game (no, a photo of the CD is not enough, you can photo any CD os a friend, a loaned one from a library, etc), then I have yet to hear that Paradox won't give you a registering key. If you can't provide that, then, honestly, EU3 is so cheap these days -- just buy a basic game copy just for the registration key alone. Think of that money as an "tutoring fee" to not lose registration keys any more

 

[sirbruce]

Update: I have now found my EU3 manual (yay!) after searching again. It was in my EU1 box. So I now have my CD key.

I am wholly unconvinced by the arguments here regarding registering the base game and I've already explained how that only hurts customers. It does nothing to combat piracy, since in my case they know I bought IN and NA which is more than the cost of EU3 alone. All they did was waste a lot of my time for something that is trivial for them to fix. Paradox support continues to receive a "F" from me until they change their policy.

Actually it was communicated from day one of the sales of EU3. I think even before that. If was clearly communicated that you should register your copy of EU3, and the benefits you got in return. You decided to ignore that, so it's entirely your fault. You're being very unfair to Paradox here.

It was not. It's quite possible it was mentioned on the forums here but at the time I was no longer using the forums regularly since I had stopped playing EU2. So it's more like I went and bought EU3 without expecting to know about a policy posted here, played EU3 for a few months, went back to the boards specifically to post about a mod, and that's when I discovered the registration barrier. By then the manual had long been misplaced. So I think I'm being entirely fair to Paradox here since there's no notice on the front of the manual or the splash screen or anywhere else saying that if you don't register EU3 you won't be able to post in the mods forum.

 

[safferli]

Update: I have now found my EU3 manual (yay!) after searching again. It was in my EU1 box. So I now have my CD key.

See. As easy as that.

I am wholly unconvinced by the arguments here regarding registering the base game and I've already explained how that only hurts customers. It does nothing to combat piracy, since in my case they know I bought IN and NA which is more than the cost of EU3 alone. All they did was waste a lot of my time for something that is trivial for them to fix. Paradox support continues to receive a "F" from me until they change their policy.

As Paradox was "wholly unconvinced" of your arguments, you both have something in common.

It was not. It's quite possible it was mentioned on the forums here but at the time I was no longer using the forums regularly since I had stopped playing EU2. So it's more like I went and bought EU3 without expecting to know about a policy posted here, played EU3 for a few months, went back to the boards specifically to post about a mod, and that's when I discovered the registration barrier. By then the manual had long been misplaced. So I think I'm being entirely fair to Paradox here since there's no notice on the front of the manual or the splash screen or anywhere else saying that if you don't register EU3 you won't be able to post in the mods forum.

Seems that nobody reads stickies on forums.

 

[sirbruce]

See. As easy as that.

Yes, which is way too hard, considering this problem has been ongoing for over a year and affected many other people besides myself.

As Paradox was "wholly unconvinced" of your arguments, you both have something in common.

Yes, they're wrong and I'm right. We have that in common.

Seems that nobody reads stickies on forums.

I don't see what that has to do with anything. We're talking about whether or not someone who buys a game should expect to have to have the CD key in order to post in a game's mod forum if they can post in a game's other forums. And furthermore, if it's reasonable for Parafox to not accept EU3:IN and NA keys as sufficient for access to those forums.

 

[Dragnar]

The game never forces you to put the basic EU3-CD into the drive.
It never uses the basic EU3 .exe.
Therefore, you can easily share the basic EU3 with all your friends (or pirate it from the internet), buy the latest expansion and play without owning the base game.
Paradox lets that happen, because they don't want to bother you with annoying DRM, they just ask you to register your base EU3 in the forums as proof of purchause.
The least annoying possible pirate protection.
If you still think that you're somehow "right" to be allowed into the forums and are somehow entitled to gain the privilege of posting in the forums without following their rules, because you're that much of a special snowflake, no one here can help you.
You're not right, in fact you missed the entire point of the registration need in the first place.

 

[enkhuush]

the game never forces you to put the basic eu3-cd into the drive.
It never uses the basic eu3 .exe.
Therefore, you can easily share the basic eu3 with all your friends (or pirate it from the internet), buy the latest expansion and play without owning the base game.
Paradox lets that happen, because they don't want to bother you with annoying drm, they just ask you to register your base eu3 in the forums as proof of purchause.
The least annoying possible pirate protection.
If you still think that you're somehow "right" to be allowed into the forums and are somehow entitled to gain the privilege of posting in the forums without following their rules, because you're that much of a special snowflake, no one here can help you.
You're not right, in fact you missed the entire point of the registration need in the first place.

+1.

 

[unmerged(23661)]

I am glad you found your key and can finally get in. I have had both my keys all along and still today have no responses from tech support. I have had posts deleted by mods. One guy tried to "help" me out and sent me a trick file that started out all countries with huge inflation. I will never give up though. If I could fix this myself would. I guess I will forever be labeled a "bad" seed here because I was in such a hurry to play the game I screwed up the cd key enter process. Stone me if you want but I paid for both the games and have proved it. To be ignored drives me insane. I will write all the support addresses I have again today and be as nice as I possibly can. That is all I can do... besides waiting for the official patch I guess.