Can't find serial number (retail version).

My sticker was right above the DVD, affixed to the bottom of the DVD case.

-HM

I can see a little raised area there, but no sticker. Methinks I should return it for another one?

I would think so. It should be a big white sticker, that is impossible to miss. Are you sure it isnt stuck to the back of the manual for some reason?

Drop [email protected], they'll set you up.  Tell em Brad sent ya.

Contact [email protected] before you do anything else. If there are any boxes out without serials, we need to know where.

Edit: Or sales. Important thing is we get the details

Sending an email to sales - appreciate the guidance!

Wow... The support team has already lost my faith...

What I sent:

Hello-

I recently purchased a (retail) copy of "Sins of a Solar Empire". When I tried to update the game after installation, I was asked for a serial number. The page asking for the serial number said that it could be found on a sticker inside the DVD case, however, I am unable to locate such a sticker or (consequently) the serial number. Is there any chance of being provided with one?

Thanks!

What I got back:

Hi,

Sins of a Solar Empire does not require any activation. If you have downloaded this game through either Stardock Central (recommended so that all updates will become available to you right away) or through CD you should not be required to activate the product at all. Only until new content updates are made available will the game require activation.

If you are using Stardock Central please click on the game section and then click on the game title on the right side. You can then use the Run button at the bottom of the screen to launch the application.

Please let me know if you have further troubles.

Cheers

Let's see, last I knew, "retail version" pretty much implied that it was on a CD. I haven't yet heard of someone going to buy a retail download. Strike one.

Didn't I say that I was asked for the serial number while trying to update? And doesn't it go without saying that I would want to update no matter what? Strike two.

And I'm pretty sure I never mentioned anything about having trouble running the game. All I'm looking for is a serial number. Strike three.

I'll send Jimbo Jeenyus here a reply, see if I can't bring things down to his level. In the mean time, anybody competent have some advice?

Use the WORDS :
"BOXED RETAIL VERSION"

cg49me,

I understand your frustration. I'd be upset if my box didn't come with a key. But try to give Stardock a small break - they are, after all, in the middle of the first week of release. They have many people to speak to. Be happy you got a response. Chances are Valve or EA wouldn't have done so very fast, if at all.

Explain the specifics. Say how you bought a boxed, retail copy, tell them what store, and explain how there was no sticker affixed to the DVD case. Explain that other people who bought the boxed copy did have the sticker. If you are explicit, and treat them with respect, they will do the same. But I guarantee if you continue to throw around words like "bring things down to their level," "incompetence," and refer to help they give that doesn't work as "strikes," that you will have a hard time of it. After all, it wasn't them who screwed up the sticker placement; it was their manufacturer/assembler.

Good luck,

-HM

Are you on the support team?

Yes, I'm being a jerk. However, I would rather have gotten a wrong answer than one that seemed not to take into account anything I said. I wouldn't be upset if I had seen at least a small amount of effort put into the response I was given.

I would like to join my fellows Frogboy (Stardock's CEO) and kryo (Stardock forum overseer and official dogsbody) in expressing our distress for your troubles. Let me be the first - or third - to say that such conduct from our lowly support staff is unacceptable, especially when it comes just days after a major release.

You will be glad to hear that I intend to personally remedy this situation upon my arrival at Stardock HQ - which, as a developer, will be shortly before lunch.

It may take some time to make my way down to the abandoned salt mines beneath the buildings where we house our support staff; but you can be sure that, upon arrival, I will not be lax with the whip and cat o' nine tails. There will be no need to explain the issue - they will understand their failings.

I hope this resolves your support request. If not, I would be glad to give you a guided tour of the salt mines . . . we are always looking for new recruits.

Just to stir the pot a bit more. This is the first report that the publisher of the retail copies may have allowed boxes to go out missing the serial numbers.
Our Sales staff is more than capable to get this resolved for you.

I purchased my copy from Gamestop; who curiously now has the policy of breaking the seal and removing the cd before placing the game on their shelves. They replaced the cd before the sale, but I seriously mistrust any workers who would be allowed to do this.

It could have simply not got "stuck on" properly. My sticker was only down on one side. So I can see how it's possible for it to not get stuck at all.

And for the record, I can't stand it when a Gamestop opens a "new" box.

-HM

Same here...

Maybe that's what happened. Yay for shooting my mouth off...

I sent a reply back to the guy who gave me the first "answer", and he said to take it back for another copy - that they couldn't provide me with a serial number.

A little more gas for the update, that's not so bad. I did get a chance to play through one of the "small" games already - took me about three hours. Really cool stuff!

Good luck in getting Gamestop to believe that you're not a criminal trying to get two serial numbers. Man, I have heard of people not getting their serials/CD Keys, but I am glad it's never happened to me. It's really no fun to deal with.

-HM

Yeah, that is a SUPER SHADY business model that Gamestop uses, I personally know someone who was fired from a Gamestop for basically taking serials when they open the box and then torrenting the image later to have a legit free game. He quite literally got caught with his hands in the cookie jar when his boss walked in on him removing the sticker and putting it in his wallet....this kind of stuff does happen.

you forgot to say brad sent you...

Let me ask a stupid question... It seems that in order to update this game, one must have it installed on a computer that is connected to the internet? What about those of us who have it installed on one that isn't?

For right now, you can save the bonus pack to disk and then copy it over.

In the general case, we are not going to be providing separate install executable for updates. You need to install Stardock Central (and probably the game itself) on a computer that does have access, download the update, archive the game, and copy the archive to the computer without access, then restore it on the target computer with Stardock Central.

If it's the first time you've done this, you'll also need to activate the product. When connected, this is done seamlessly. When not, it involves sending an email with a signature blob to Stardock, receiving a signature file in return, then putting that file in the correct location on the target.

This is why we highly recommend an Internet connection for updates.

Wouldn't an executable update be easier? So, I need to download and install a separate program... "stardock central", the game and have some kind of working knowledge of archiving and restoring files with this "program" and do it on both computers? I think I will be playing the "out of the box version" for some time to come... (sigh)

It might be easier for you, but not for us. The easier it is for us, the more updates we can put out (as GalCiv II has shown). Most people updating the software do have an Internet connection to their PC, so we designed the system for them.

I should point out that while a modem would be inadvisable for a full install, it would probably do for an update - they are not that large. This is part of the point of using Stardock Central; it only needs to transfer files which are not already up-to-date, rather than having to include all changes from the release build plus further setup files.

Bummer - I hadn't thought about that. *fingers crossed*

I bought a copy from Fry's Electronics in Las Vegas Nevada and it has no sticker at all I havn't sent any e-mails to stardock yet though.

I am no longer anywhere near Nevada as my vacation is over so I guess I Gambled and Lost on that one.

Please do contact [email protected] about that. Make sure to refer back to this thread.