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Sid Meier's Civilization seriesFiraxis EULA(9 posts)solved(9 posts)solved
(9 posts)solved
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Posted February 19, 2019
I'm considering downloading Civ IV: The Complete Edition, however after reading the Firaxis EULA I'm apprehensive, it sounds invasive. Does it apply to this version of the game, or the download from GOG?
This question / problem has been solved by Darvinimage
Posted February 19, 2019
EULA's are non-applicable/nonbinding in most countries and jurisdictions.

Some are enforceable, but most aren't.
Posted February 19, 2019
What did you find that was so invasive? I know they have recently changed the EULA for Civ VI to allow aggressive data collection, but that's for the latest installment in the franchise (which hasn't been released DRM-free yet).
Posted February 19, 2019
EULAs are apparently copypasted between releases with no edits quite a lot.
Posted February 20, 2019
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ConsulCaesar: What did you find that was so invasive? I know they have recently changed the EULA for Civ VI to allow aggressive data collection, but that's for the latest installment in the franchise (which hasn't been released DRM-free yet).
"...to allow aggressive data collection..."

This part. The EULA applies (as far as I know) to all versions of Civ.
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Plokite_Wolf: EULAs are apparently copypasted between releases with no edits quite a lot.
Yeah that's what it looks like. I went to Steam when they had the game on sale for $5.00 but they have a link to the EULA on the game's page, and it's the same as for Civ VI, so I passed. Their data collection statement made me mad, but sad as well since I really love this game and have been playing since Civ II, but now I just fear installing it. Firaxis doesn't need my data.
Post edited February 20, 2019 by uberaxe
Posted February 20, 2019
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ConsulCaesar: What did you find that was so invasive? I know they have recently changed the EULA for Civ VI to allow aggressive data collection, but that's for the latest installment in the franchise (which hasn't been released DRM-free yet).
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uberaxe: "...to allow aggressive data collection..."

This part. The EULA applies (as far as I know) to all versions of Civ.
This is probably due to my lack of technological knowledge, but there is something I don't understand: shouldn't they update the game in order to both change the EULA and start data collection? Especially with DRM-free installers. Civ IV hasn't been updated in a long time.
Post edited February 20, 2019 by ConsulCaesar
Posted February 20, 2019
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uberaxe: Yeah that's what it looks like. I went to Steam when they had the game on sale for $5.00 but they have a link to the EULA on the game's page, and it's the same as for Civ VI, so I passed. Their data collection statement made me mad, but sad as well since I really love this game and have been playing since Civ II, but now I just fear installing it. Firaxis doesn't need my data.
The game's DRM-free on GOG. It can be run offline. Is too old for them to care about any data (no microtransaction histories, no computer configurations for engine optimizing and multiplayer blacklisting, no nothing), so I think it's just paranoia.
Posted February 20, 2019
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ConsulCaesar: This is probably due to my lack of technological knowledge, but there is something I don't understand: shouldn't they update the game in order to both change the EULA and start data collection? Especially with DRM-free installers. Civ IV hasn't been updated in a long time.
Updating old games is very time-consuming and expensive, which is why when it does happen you have to pay a premium price for a "remastered" edition.

Even if they have the original source code, they don't have the original project and environment configurations used by the original development team. The machines they used for development are long gone, the software they used in development is obsolete and no longer supported, and even the slightest variation in configurations can create a cascading effect across the compilation process that can introduce a mountain of bugs. Simply changing the order in which different files are processed by the compiler can have massive effects. This would require an intensive round of product testing and debugging just to get to the game to the point at which you can start to make your intended modifications. If you're going to go to all this effort, you may as well do a full remaster at that point. For some simple data tracking, it's really not worth it.

The installers themselves don't change the game, they just install the files in the proper directory on your computer. The original game is unchanged, or at very most some configuration file might have a few lines changed. The actual game code is unmodified, because no one wants to touch it. If you have Galaxy running in the background they can detect when you launch the game and how long you play it, and I'm sure they're gathering metrics on that, but actual data hooks inside the game itself aren't worth the time and effort to introduce.

As for changing the EULA, the specifics don't really matter that much. Every EULA ever can be summarized as: we cover our asses from all liabilities and reserve all rights. The exact way it's phrased isn't exactly important since, as already mentioned, much of the contract is probably unenforceable anyways. They just want to make sure that on the off-chance they end up in court they have as much legal ammo as possible, and if the EULA is doing that it's not worth having a lawyer spend time to change it.
Post edited February 20, 2019 by Darvin
Posted February 21, 2019
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uberaxe: Yeah that's what it looks like. I went to Steam when they had the game on sale for $5.00 but they have a link to the EULA on the game's page, and it's the same as for Civ VI, so I passed. Their data collection statement made me mad, but sad as well since I really love this game and have been playing since Civ II, but now I just fear installing it. Firaxis doesn't need my data.
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Plokite_Wolf: The game's DRM-free on GOG. It can be run offline. Is too old for them to care about any data (no microtransaction histories, no computer configurations for engine optimizing and multiplayer blacklisting, no nothing), so I think it's just paranoia.
"... I think it's just paranoia."

It sure is lol! But you're right, they would have to update and add content to the game to get it to data-mine, I didn't think of that.
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ConsulCaesar: This is probably due to my lack of technological knowledge, but there is something I don't understand: shouldn't they update the game in order to both change the EULA and start data collection? Especially with DRM-free installers. Civ IV hasn't been updated in a long time.
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Darvin: Updating old games is very time-consuming and expensive, which is why when it does happen you have to pay a premium price for a "remastered" edition.

Even if they have the original source code, they don't have the original project and environment configurations used by the original development team. The machines they used for development are long gone, the software they used in development is obsolete and no longer supported, and even the slightest variation in configurations can create a cascading effect across the compilation process that can introduce a mountain of bugs. Simply changing the order in which different files are processed by the compiler can have massive effects. This would require an intensive round of product testing and debugging just to get to the game to the point at which you can start to make your intended modifications. If you're going to go to all this effort, you may as well do a full remaster at that point. For some simple data tracking, it's really not worth it.

The installers themselves don't change the game, they just install the files in the proper directory on your computer. The original game is unchanged, or at very most some configuration file might have a few lines changed. The actual game code is unmodified, because no one wants to touch it. If you have Galaxy running in the background they can detect when you launch the game and how long you play it, and I'm sure they're gathering metrics on that, but actual data hooks inside the game itself aren't worth the time and effort to introduce.

As for changing the EULA, the specifics don't really matter that much. Every EULA ever can be summarized as: we cover our asses from all liabilities and reserve all rights. The exact way it's phrased isn't exactly important since, as already mentioned, much of the contract is probably unenforceable anyways. They just want to make sure that on the off-chance they end up in court they have as much legal ammo as possible, and if the EULA is doing that it's not worth having a lawyer spend time to change it.
Agreed, I went ahead and got it. Thanks for the replies!
Post edited February 21, 2019 by uberaxe
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Sid Meier's Civilization seriesFiraxis EULA(9 posts)solved(9 posts)solved
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