Oh dear, I've had the same thing happen to me two days ago. This doesnt sound hopeful!

Really... lol. I bought a steam game from retail and had the same thing happen. Your best option is to buy from direct download and not from the store IMO.

He's the first I've heard complain that he hasn't gotten anything from support. Maybe their replies ended up in his spam folder?

And at least you can play the game in the meantime. Try doing that with a Steam game.

So my best option is to buy the game again and it's my fault.

Very inspiring, well done.

No, actually, it's the store's fault for selling you a used game that's been registered before. But yeah, your best bet is to return it and buy it from Impulse.

Maybe the problem is more widespread than you have had experience of.  I am posting this in the forums to attract the attention of an admin as the service I have had so far from the so-called 'support' has been nothing less than dismissive.

I bought the game on the 14th February, 2011, installed it and then neither the website or Impulse would accept my serial number to update the game.  Here is the history of my support email:

<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> The provided serial number appears to be registered under another user
> already. Was the game purchased/registered under a different email address?
> Was the game purchased used?
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Anthony Towler

[no, I bought it new and sealed, etc.]

Reply:

> Can you please provide a scan or digital image of the following items:
>
> -the game box
> -the game disc
> -the inside of the game disc case
> -the back of the game manual
> -a receipt for the game
> Please review the images before you send them to be sure they are clear and legible, especially the serial number.

> Images that are not clear will not be accepted.
>Thank you,
>
> Anthony Towler
> Technical Advisor
> Stardock Corporation

[replied, on 24th February, 2011 with pictures of case, disc, serial number and receipt as attachments]

[received 1st March, 2011]

> This message is regarding your Ticket ID #DHN-169727. We are changing the
> status of this ticket to 'Closed' as we have not received a response from
> you in 48 hours. Should you wish to reopen the case, simply reply to this
> message and the ticket will be reopened.

[replied again, re-sending pictures of case, disc, serial number, receipt, etc.]

[received today, 4th March, 2011]

> This message is regarding your Ticket ID #DHN-169727. We are changing the
> status of this ticket to 'Closed' as we have not received a response from
> you in 48 hours. Should you wish to reopen the case, simply reply to this
> message and the ticket will be reopened.
>
>    Subject: Cannot register Sins of A Solar Empire on Impulse (ref 204)
>    Department: Activation / Account
>    Priority: Support
>    Status: On Hold

Same message again.  No-one had even bothered reading it.

I am not an idiot.  I know what a bloody spam filter is and the fact I can play the single-player game is immaterial.

Stardock, sort this out as this is unacceptable.

I bought this sealed and brand new three weeks ago from a major Supermarket. 
If it has been registered before then either someone has used a keygen (I have already asked Stardock to email the address registered to my serial number asking them to provide scans of the case, etc. as I have done but they haven't replied) or Stardock have duplicated the serial number.

You bought this game 3 weeks ago & only now are making note to Stardock of the CD Key   I mean realy, this should of been done on day 1/2 of buying the game. Anyway i would of taken the game back to the store & asked for a new copy under tha "Sale of Goods Act" which ive done for another game in the past. As regardless what the problem is, its not your problem to fix.

A good strategy on your part, but you should probably have but this in the technical forum, the actual Stardock people check that more.

I had the same issue, bought Sins of the Solar Empire and the registration was already being used.  Problem?  I BOUGHT THE GAME USED ON EBAY THINKING IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.  Simple solution was I just emailed Stardock, same night i found out about the problem, and sent them the information they asked.  Three days time I was ready to go but I sure didnt blame Stardock, I BOUGHT IT USED!  I was truly happy they helped me out when they didnt have to.  I just get so sick of people complaining about about Stardock....i just downloaded another game tonight and in 3 yrs i have never had a problem except for me doing something stupid on my end.  STARDOCK THANK YOU!!!

And as for retail, its like they always say Buyer Beware!

<stepping down off of my soapbox>

I've asked support to look back into this. Please note however that it is not uncommon for European game retailers to re-shrinkwrap returned or traded-in games.

So... If someone trades in a game including the original CD-key aren't they giving up the rights to that game? Including the CD-key itself?

Will DD services in the future start allowing people to sell their used game keys? Maybe through some sort of reseller service.

Just things I've been curious about.

I'm not sure how to use Quote blocks but having had a look at the "Impulse won't recognize my Sins of A Solar Empire serial number" post from the generic Stardock games forum

Gargabee says, March 22 2010;

"There was a magazine that was distributing Sins serials without proper permission and all of those serials were revoked."

From this, and judging from the number of people complaining, there seems to have been a serious error by Stardock sometime or are we supposed to believe that everyone who has the issue has been sold a supposed new copy of the game which has already been owned?

Surely if all the serials printed in the magazine were revoked did Stardock then recall all of those copies of the game to which the serials apply....

I emailed Stardock on the day I bought it and found the problem.  They typically take two to three days to reply, so four or five emails becomes stretched out to three weeks.  My posting in this forum was the result of my patience running out (having received a 'closed ticket' reply twice after sending them the evidence they asked for).

UK Retailers will not accept returns on games, DVDs, Cds, etc. once the shrink-wrap has been opened, so I don't believe that Tesco are to blame.  However, I may Google about for retailers re-sealing returns, just in case.

I still maintain that this is down to either someone using a keygen or a duplicated serial number.

My grievance is still that I have twice sent Stardock images of the information they asked for and each time I have done so I have received a reply stating that the ticket is now closed as they have not had a reply from me; I have sent emails with images attached.

Concerned that maybe their email filters will not accept attachments (the photos of the evidence they asked for totalled four with a combined size of over ten megabytes), I also sent Stardock an email asking whether they require them as attachments or embedded in HTML format.  Sadly, this email also resulted in a 'closed your ticket as we have no heard from you after 48 hours' response.

This is my frustration.

Well you've got kryo poking sticks at support now, so maybe all this will come out good in the end 

I still say your first port of call should of been the Tesco's, I dont know where you heard that about the shrink wrap but its wrong. Unless we are both getting the wrong idea about the Sales of Goods Act.   If the product is "faulty" you can return it. When you buy goods you enter into a contract with the seller of those goods. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 goods must be:

• 'as described',
• 'of satisfactory quality', and
• 'fit for purpose' – this means both their everyday purpose, and also any specific purpose that you agreed with the seller (for example, if you specifically asked for a printer that would be compatible with your computer).

Goods sold must also match any sample you were shown in-store, or any description in a brochure.

Your CD key being wrong/stolen etc etc etc dose not matter, you are unable to play which is for all purpose a game that needs patchs to work right which you cant get due to the problem of the key & you are also unable to use a function for which is one of the games main selling points online/lan multiplayer.

Any retailer that trys to fob you off with shrink wrap guff is lieing and/or just being awkward. The only areas where this Act is abit hard to work out even for the courts if it gets that far are second hand goods/online goods/goods bought abroad.

But again this is all depends on the amount of time from point of sale 

Empage292: I've replied to your support ticket.  The images you sent never came through, that's why you were receiving the messages.  We should be able to get this taken care of.

Empage292: If you're still around, could you update as to how far you got with this ?

Thanks

Shirley,

As I'm having the exact same issue, how is it that support wants us to send the images? My "ticket" was closed because you say I had no sent the images. That's a total lie as I have sent them. Your support system is terrible.