Just bought this game at the store and now I cant run it.

Did you buy a boxed version of the game?

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I take it you bought the game from a street retailer or something similar?

The problem is the game isn't actually released until Tuesday, which means that impulse has locked the serial codes. I'm afraid its more than likely that your copy won't work until the game's official launch, or for the August 23rd beta and pre-order early play time. Sorry about that.

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The game is not offically live/released until the 24th. Some retailors have broken the street release date in some cases.

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Just to make it clear: It's the fault of the retailer that sold you the copy since the official release date is the 24th of August. Your retailer broke the date.

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Hum, but if he got a retail version, he should be able to install directly from the dvd, isn't it ? Of course it would be only the base gold version, without the day-0 patch, but he should be able to play.

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I realize people are trying to be helpful, but isn't it better to let Stardock answer this one instead of just conjecture and possibly upsetting or confusing the poor chap further?

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Quoting Jack Trowell,

reply 5

Hum, but if he got a retail version, he should be able to install directly from the dvd, isn't it ? Of course it would be only the base gold version, without the day-0 patch, but he should be able to play.

The game is supposed to be DRM free and play right out of the box regardless so if its a retail copy... this shouldn't happen.

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Ah I see. Yes I did buy the box from a retailer. So they were not supposed to sell it yet? Well I am in an odd position now, because obviously I just spent 55 dollars and expected to play this when I got home. Although I do lay the initial blame with the store, I dont see why they would lock me out from playing a game on my computer. I mean if I wasnt connected to the internet when I installed it then I would be able to play now, correct? I am bummed out now....

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There is no DRM but you Have to activate it the First time it runs. Its there way of protecting from retailers breaking their street date. Sorry guys.

And impulse is NOT required to run it nor is anything else it just has to connect one time to activate is all. Afterwards internet is never required.

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hmm actually yeah, you should still be able to play it. did you install impulse before you installed the game, or perhaps during installation?

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Quoting Lord_Asmodeous,

reply 6

I realize people are trying to be helpful, but isn't it better to let Stardock answer this one instead of just conjecture and possibly upsetting or confusing the poor chap further?

It isn't conjecture to tell him that the initial blame is on the retailer. Apart from that, I agree.

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Quoting Stmorpheus,

reply 10

hmm actually yeah, you should still be able to play it. did you install impulse before you installed the game, or perhaps during installation?

It installs it automatically. But I feel sort of screwed here. I know stardock is good company but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth having this game in my DVD drive and being blocked from playing it.

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Quoting searchforwisdom,

reply 12

Quoting Stmorpheus,
reply 10
hmm actually yeah, you should still be able to play it. did you install impulse before you installed the game, or perhaps during installation?

It installs it automatically. But I feel sort of screwed here. I know stardock is good company but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth having this game in my DVD drive and being blocked from playing it.

Well...I'm not sure where that is comming from if you bought a game that was sold before its street date...ie not available yet, you really dont havea leg to stand on.

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I mean this turned a perfect afternoon into a big let down. The wife is napping... the baby is napping... I'm off of work... I am holding the game in my hand....................... and I am powerless.......

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Wintersong

Join Date 07/2006

+235

Quoting Sethfc,

reply 9

There is no DRM but you Have to activate it the First time it runs. Its there way of protecting from retailers breaking their street date. Sorry guys.

And impulse is NOT required to run it nor is anything else it just has to connect one time to activate is all. Afterwards internet is never required.

Wasn't activation just when you try to get patches?

Maybe it's just some kind of date check to prevent Game Stop and similars. But as already said, wait for Stardock to explain it.

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well, its one or two days before release. go enjoy something else and come back when it is officially released. end of story.

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Quoting Sethfc,

reply 9

There is no DRM but you Have to activate it the First time it runs. Its there way of protecting from retailers breaking their street date. Sorry guys.

And impulse is NOT required to run it nor is anything else it just has to connect one time to activate is all. Afterwards internet is never required.

Uh I'm pretty sure there's no activation on Stardock games, If i went to Mars with an unopened copy of Elemental and a laptop it should work out of the box to my knowledge and what I've read on forums

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Quoting Rune_74,

reply 13

Quoting searchforwisdom, reply 12

Quoting Stmorpheus,
reply 10
hmm actually yeah, you should still be able to play it. did you install impulse before you installed the game, or perhaps during installation?

It installs it automatically. But I feel sort of screwed here. I know stardock is good company but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth having this game in my DVD drive and being blocked from playing it.

Well...I'm not sure where that is comming from if you bought a game that was sold before its street date...ie not available yet, you really dont havea leg to stand on.

So now every time I go to buy a game I should first go home and do some research to make sure the game is supposed to be out??? That is ridiculous. I walk around Best Buy, see something interesting, come home to enjoy it and then I find myself caught in some corporate chest bumping. I know I am in a forum where people have been watching this game for a while and I just got here, but you have to see it from my perspective as someone who just saw this at the store.

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Lets stop fighting each other and fight the person who made this topic and steal hiscopy of elemental

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According to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ozlo3q1hfg

He should be able to play.

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Quoting Rune_74,

reply 13

Quoting searchforwisdom,
reply 12

Quoting Stmorpheus,
reply 10
hmm actually yeah, you should still be able to play it. did you install impulse before you installed the game, or perhaps during installation?

It installs it automatically. But I feel sort of screwed here. I know stardock is good company but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth having this game in my DVD drive and being blocked from playing it.

Well...I'm not sure where that is comming from if you bought a game that was sold before its street date...ie not available yet, you really dont havea leg to stand on.

He bought a product from a store and expects it to work. How would the average consumer know it was before the release date? His disappointment is quite reasonable.

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Try uninstall then install again with it blocked by your firewall or disconnect from the net...I think it has no online activation, you just need be connected to get updates.

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I'll make a 'pics or it didn't happen' call here. This thread seems overly suspicious.

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Quoting searchforwisdom,

reply 14

I mean this turned a perfect afternoon into a big let down. The wife is napping... the baby is napping... I'm off of work... I am holding the game in my hand....................... and I am powerless.......

You're not powerless. You could try uninstalling it and Impulse, disconnecting your internet, and reinstalling. It could work. I don't see why it's not working in the first place though, unless you tried to update the game. If you tried to update the game, then as I understand it, there was an update which removed beta4 from people's computers when that was done, and that's probably what caused the problem.

EDIT: also, seconding MagicWeasel's request. Pictures of what's happening to you could help us in any case.

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Tridus

Join Date 03/2008

+110

Quoting Sethfc,

reply 9

There is no DRM but you Have to activate it the First time it runs. Its there way of protecting from retailers breaking their street date. Sorry guys.

There's no DRM except for the DRM?

searchforwisdom - My advice is to uninstall it, wipe out everything in c:\programdata\Stardock (hidden folder), yank out your network cable so you're off the Internet, and try again. The retail version is *supposed* to work without needing to go online. (If it doesn't, then there are some differing ideas on what "no DRM" means.)

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