TDF Game Backup Vault [Updated Weekly]

[Flash]

So, this is what i infer; [MENTION=22610]hsr[/MENTION] - correct me, if am wrong.

1. Member1 buys Game1 and download via Steam.
2. Member2 buys Game2 and download via Steam.
3. Member1 backup Game1 and Member2 backup Game2.

Now the Member1 has game + backup of Game1 and so as Member2 has for Game2.

4. Member1 now buys Game2.
5. Instead of downloading the Game2, Member1 contact Member2 for Game2 backup, and he sends it to Member1.
6. Member1 restores the backup of Game2 obtained from Member1, and plays it.
7. The point is both members have Game2 now, and it is legal to play for both.

 

[Anorion]

it's not about legality of the backups - no question about that, it is about legality of distributing these electronic files in such a public manner. usually there is a clause that states that user is not allowed to make more than one backup, and distribute this backup.

eg

You agree to only use the Game Software, or any part of it, in a manner that is consistent with this License and you SHALL NOT:

...

(d) make copies of the Game Software or any part thereof, except that you may make one (1) copy of the Game Software for backup or archival purposes, or make copies of the materials accompanying the Game Software for non-commercial backup and reference only;

(e) sell, rent, lease, license, distribute, upload to any Internet server or web site, or otherwise transfer any portion of this Game Software or any copies without the express prior written consent of Square Enix.

Would encourage all forum members to at least co-ordinate privately till we get complete confirmation on legal status of doing this.

 

[pratyush997]

Can I distribute copies of any files in the Steam cache?
Can I distribute copies of any files in the Steam cache?
No.
Re-distribution of files from your Steam cache is illegal and a violation of the Steam Subscriber Agreement
As with other illegal activity, any Steam Subscribers participating in the distribution of files from their Steam cache or any other Valve content not permitted for re-distribution may have their accounts terminated.
In accordance with the Steam Subscriber Agreement, Valve provides a limited license to re-distribute copies of the Steam Installer.
For more information, please read the Steam Subscriber Agreement.
The Steam Installer can be found at:
*www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=getsteamnow.

Can I distribute copies of any files in the Steam cache?

 

[arijitsinha]

^Steam cache and Steam backup is different thing.

You cannot access the backups without buying the game.. they are in archived format.

Anyway, I have contacted steam support on this, lets see. And I dont see any harm as long as it involves any kind of business, like profits/lease.

 

[Flash]

*forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1333474

 

[sam_738844]

So, this is what i infer; [MENTION=22610]hsr[/MENTION] - correct me, if am wrong.

1. Member1 buys Game1 and download via Steam.
2. Member2 buys Game2 and download via Steam.
3. Member1 backup Game1 and Member2 backup Game2.

Now the Member1 has game + backup of Game1 and so as Member2 has for Game2.

4. Member1 now buys Game2.
5. Instead of downloading the Game2, Member1 contact Member2 for Game2 backup, and he sends it to Member1.
6. Member1 restores the backup of Game2 obtained from Member1, and plays it.
7. The point is both members have Game2 now, and it is legal to play for both.

Is this possible that i can restore a back up of game which i bough but the files i am restoring from a copy which is not mine? Even if its possible then how to enable it as my own copy ? Well i understand the cocept of Steam but what about origin and battle.net

 

[flyingcow]

Guy A buys Maxpayne 3 on steam, sees the file size, is 30gb, has a 512kbps connection, *faints*...
He searches this thread and sees that Guy B has the game on steam ...
Guy A says please give me the game(backup) in a CD and post it to my city
They agree and Guy B sends the CD for some money or free, if he i generous enough..

Guy A receives the CD and installs the game via the backup on the CD instead of downloading it...says "ah, i can DL porn now with my saved FUP!!"

Troll Guy C is dumb...he doesnt own max payne on steam..he thinks that, 'if i ask Guy B to give me max payne in a CD, i can install it and play without buying muhahahah' ...poor guy buys the backup cd from guy B, receives it in post
but to his surprise he cant play the game, because it requires you to buy the game on steam...he decides he will crack it with his warez...downloads lots of cracking softwares..fails miserable..ends up infecting his computer with a virus that wipes all is porn on his HDD....*cries*

 

[sam_738844]

^^ which also means if guy A has Game A which he likes very much, but it comes with a heavy price and also is a big download, guy B wants to play the game, but don't really want to pay the hefty amount and ends up being guy C who wants the game anyway but still wont pay. Now the question comes gamer D who wants the game that bad, will

1. Waste B/W and download it from torrents, that saves from the "buying" part.
2. Actually Buys the game with a lot of money, saves the FUP for downloading it.

People who wish to buy Diablo3 ( an example) and spend 200+ hours with it can very well spend on a decent internet connection and download it anyway. For me the, it comes down to plain and simple waste of effort as i very well know there are very little people here who would actually own it in bliizzard by paying that much.

Makes a whole lot of sense for steam games though which are f2p or are cheap. The backup system is a very good idea for those, for games like BF4, Cod, watch_dogs or any game which comes with more than 30$, i think guys who will pay 30 USD to buy a game, can well afford to download it too with a fair internet connection.

[MENTION=158674]flyingcow[/MENTION] what did i tell you about taking my money and changing the avatar ??, only Sauran can tolerate it.

 

[Nerevarine]

Guy A buys Maxpayne 3 on steam, sees the file size, is 30gb, has a 512kbps connection, *faints*...
He searches this thread and sees that Guy B has the game on steam ...
Guy A says please give me the game(backup) in a CD and post it to my city
They agree and Guy B sends the CD for some money or free, if he i generous enough..

Guy A receives the CD and installs the game via the backup on the CD instead of downloading it...says "ah, i can DL porn now with my saved FUP!!"

Troll Guy C is dumb...he doesnt own max payne on steam..he thinks that, 'if i ask Guy B to give me max payne in a CD, i can install it and play without buying muhahahah' ...poor guy buys the backup cd from guy B, receives it in post
but to his surprise he cant play the game, because it requires you to buy the game on steam...he decides he will crack it with his warez...downloads lots of cracking softwares..fails miserable..ends up infecting his computer with a virus that wipes all is porn on his HDD....*cries*

 

[flyingcow]

^^ which also means if guy A has Game A which he likes very much, but it comes with a heavy price and also is a big download, guy B wants to play the game, but don't really want to pay the hefty amount and ends up being guy C who wants the game anyway but still wont pay. Now the question comes gamer D who wants the game that bad, will

1. Waste B/W and download it from torrents, that saves from the "buying" part.
2. Actually Buys the game with a lot of money, saves the FUP for downloading it.

People who wish to buy Diablo3 ( an example) and spend 200+ hours with it can very well spend on a decent internet connection and download it anyway. For me the, it comes down to plain and simple waste of effort as i very well know there are very little people here who would actually own it in bliizzard by paying that much.

Makes a whole lot of sense for steam games though which are f2p or are cheap. The backup system is a very good idea for those, for games like BF4, Cod, watch_dogs or any game which comes with more than 30$, i think guys who will pay 30 USD to buy a game, can well afford to download it too with a fair internet connection.

[MENTION=158674]flyingcow[/MENTION] what did i tell you about taking my money and changing the avatar ??, only Sauran can tolerate it.

people who buy 1lakh+ rigs still have low speeds..guys who buy games for 60$ will still have low speeds(maybe)..i dont blame them, because the internet rates are really shitty...therefore theis thread makes perfect sense,whether it be FUP or premium games
also think about the guys who buy in steam sales...
and yeah i didnt recieve ur payment

 

[Nerevarine]

It will be really hard for people to ship items regularly, I wish there was a better way than packing stuff and shipping ..

 

[Cyberghost]

More items added list as follows :

Hitman Absolution	GTA San Andreas
STEAM	STEAM
11.7 GB	3.85 GB

 

[hsr]

what [MENTION=56202]Anorion[/MENTION] said about legality. This is totally up to you and your other guy. Make this a private "exchange" and not "resale" or "redistribution". If both parties own the game I don't think there is any legal standpoint.

This is not a central vault or a central anything. In technical terms, this is more like a tracker which keeps updating who has what. What you do with the information is up to you and not us. Once again, this is a voluntary service and anyone and everyone can not participate in it.

A person who buys a $30+ game is well able to download a game (this is for the people who can't). A person on a non-FUP high speed Internet in India is considered of rarity: Legendary.

 

[anirbandd]

i dont know where legality comes in here..

i buy a game on steam. but instead of actually downloading it from steam servers, get it from someone else's backup..

how is it illegal??

 

[Piyush]

i dont know where legality comes in here..

i buy a game on steam. but instead of actually downloading it from steam servers, get it from someone else's backup..

how is it illegal??

Its not illegal. Its perfectly fine as long as you are using the backup copy of the game instead of "copy-paste" version.

 

[anirbandd]

Its not illegal. Its perfectly fine as long as you are using the backup copy of the game instead of "copy-paste" version.

we were talking about the backup copy all along, IIRC..

 

[Piyush]

we were talking about the backup copy all along, IIRC..

So..? My answer is not what you need?

 

[Flash]

[h=3]Is it legal to distribute backed up game data to . . . .[/h]
This pretty much covers about what we're arguing, i guess.

 

[Anorion]

^ how to read that last comment. basically, sharing backups is not allowed right?

i buy a game on steam. but instead of actually downloading it from steam servers, get it from someone else's backup..
how is it illegal??

sharing of the digital files is illegal. the backup is meant for single user, the guy who sent it is violating the steam subscriber agreement and can get his account banned

You may not use the Software for any purpose other than the permitted access to Steam and your Subscriptions, and to make personal, non-commercial use of your Subscriptions, except as otherwise permitted by this Agreement or applicable Subscription Terms. Except as otherwise permitted under this Agreement (including any Subscription Terms or Rules of Use), or under applicable law notwithstanding these restrictions, you may not, in whole or in part, copy, photocopy, reproduce, publish, distribute, translate, reverse engineer, derive source code from, modify, disassemble, decompile, create derivative works based on, or remove any proprietary notices or labels from the Software or any software accessed via Steam without the prior consent, in writing, of Valve.

this is not about legality per se or what is right and wrong, we might do something bannable on steam inadvertently if we don't understand fully what we are doing.

 

[sam_738844]

^ how to read that last comment. basically, sharing backups is not allowed right?



sharing of the digital files is illegal. the backup is meant for single user, the guy who sent it is violating the steam subscriber agreement and can get his account banned



this is not about legality per se or what is right and wrong, we might do something bannable on steam inadvertently if we don't understand fully what we are doing.

Oh! That's too bad, I read the section the last thing i need is a banned account in Blizzard then, i was looking forward to restore a RoS backup from a Hong kong FTP.