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UT 2004 Problem

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Yeah, had the same problem and my bud told me about the pre-load all models option, he'd gotten the game yesterday and already had/resolved the issue.

I checked gamestop.com for my zipcode, and 4 of the 5 local locations, showed 4+ copies remaining (this was before the malls/stores opened). So I headed over to the mall around opening time, walked in and asked if they had any of the DVD SE boxes left... "we got 1 left", me, "I'll take it!".

So yeah, that's my story, no pre-orders required.
 
Posidon42 said:
lousy Best Buy cancelled my order due to "unexpected high demand". All I can say is I had better get the special edition or I will be ****ed!! :mad: Now I have to try to go there during my lunch break tomorrow.

sirjinx1974 where did you get the $10 rebate from?
Click to expand...

The $10 rebate is in the SE packaging for anyone that owns 2k3
 
I'm having a strange problem. The game will never connect to a 2nd server. No matter what I do, and the first server I connect to take FOREVER. I wonder if it's time to get more RAM? I really like having the detail maxed out, it plays fine, around 30 FPS.
 
Have not had a problem so far. The rebate is in the box and you can only get the rebate if you send in the original cover from the UT2003 manual. I love it and I hope to play this game for a long time. I have truly enjoyed the UT games and I have bought every singel version that has came out. I have always enjoyed playing it. I think Atari is coming back to the game.
 
If I get to Best Buy tomorrow and they don't have any, not only will I be ****ed (cause I'll be there waiting for them to open), I'll report their asses for false advertising. If they don't have the product they said would be there tomorrow (Thursday), that's not legal. In NY at least, they have to have a minimum number of an item. They can't have just one, I believe they have to have at least 4 of an advertised item, otherwise it's bait and switch effectively. They just used the ad to get you in the store. I won't hesistate for a second to do it, but I'll be there before 10AM to make sure I don't have to.
 
I spoke too soon.

The Master Server is now telling me (at 30 minute intervals) that my CD key is invalid/in use. Since it's statistically impossible for a keygen to spit out my key, I can only assume someone spilled coffee on the server.

Anyone else having this problem?
 
ThePerfectCore said:
I spoke too soon.

The Master Server is now telling me (at 30 minute intervals) that my CD key is invalid/in use. Since it's statistically impossible for a keygen to spit out my key, I can only assume someone spilled coffee on the server.

Anyone else having this problem?
Click to expand...

A ton of people are having these problems. Check out the Atari message boards, you'll see what I mean.

http://www.ataricommunity.com/forum...?s=&forumid=214



But yeah, a lot of people are having the same problem. And a lot of people bought the game and they lacked serial keys period. And how do you now a keygen can't spit out your serial key?
 
it seems a lot of people on that atari forum are having success with the game if you get the 'no cd' crack. Read around the atari forum and you will find the link. It seems this is a problem with UT looking for CD emulation software even installed on your computer. Sounds fishy to me, but at least EA/Itari seem to be aware of the problem. Hopefully this will get me online and playing this afternoon!
 
i didnt get the special edition, just went to Eb in the mall yesterday n picked up the normal version. loaded up great, started great, runs great. i only wish i had a better vid card :p


anyone with the cd version having the "wont stat good" problem, or is it just the dvd version? :rolleyes:
 
A ton of people are having these problems. Check out the Atari message boards, you'll see what I mean.
Click to expand...

I see one thread, I have already replied to it. If it happens again I'll just call Atari tech support. Useless, but, oh well.

No it isn't. It's unlikely, but definitely not impossible.
Click to expand...

You guys know how CD keys for UT2k3/4 work, right? No? Okay, here we go.

There are 20 characters in that key. Given only those 20 different characters, there are 20! (20 factorial) combinations, or 2.43290200818e18 different possible CD keys.

With 6 billion people on the earth clicking away at a CD key generator, each one would have to produce 405483668 keys for that giant number to be reached. At one key being generated per second, it would take 12 years for one person to generate their 405483668 keys, and then try them to see if any of them work.

Once you take into account the fact that the UT Master Server only accepts a small (miniscule, actually) number of these keys as valid, you can see that it is pretty much impossible for a key generator to spit out my key.

What I didn't take into account here was the fact that there are 26 letters in the alphabet, but only 20 of them were used in my example. Want to do some more math? Okay...

6.32554522126e19 possible keys
Out of 6 billion people, each one would have to come up with 10542575369 keys.
At one key per second, this would take 334.3 years.

Assuming I screwed up my math in the last part (I probably did, I'm an idiot) there is still only a 1 in 2.43290200818e18 chance that a keygen would spit out my key. Assuming it only worked on those 20 characters. Assuming a bug in the keygen's code didn't prevent it from displaying certain combinations.

If someone really does manage to generate my key, then that means I just blew the biggest luck roll in my life.
 
Or someone figured out the equation the software uses to validate keys. Thus making a keygen that uses this equation only to produce keys that can be utilized.

I dont' believe the game will just accept any string of keys. The answer (cd key) has to be able to fit the formula. You know what I mean?
 
Yeah, definitely. Otherwise you could just punch in 20 characters. It's some big equation, and I have no idea how they come up with them, or how they are decyphered so easily. It'd be interesting to find out, for educational purposes, though.

*googles for a while*
 
Sad.

Ok, twice today it just crashed. And not like "This game has generated errors blahhhh." More like, ok, the screen is going to go bright blue, we're going to play random game sounds highly distorted, and wait for you to manually turn off the computer, have fun!!!!


*Cries*

Twice today, never before, both times online.

9700Pro and AMD.
 
I just bought the game today, and haven't tried it yet... but it would not surprise me if it is in fact the copy protection. AFAIK UT2004 does use SecuRom, and the newer versions are really getting annoying. DXiw, for example, also uses the new SecuRom and tons of people have had problems with the disc check not authenticating an original disc. And it is true, you may be out of luck if you have any emulation software installed, even if it's not active when trying to play your game. Sadly paying customers are being treated as software pirates... and the software companies are offering no apologies.
 
Or someone figured out the equation the software uses to validate keys. Thus making a keygen that uses this equation only to produce keys that can be utilized.

I dont' believe the game will just accept any string of keys. The answer (cd key) has to be able to fit the formula. You know what I mean?
Click to expand...

I know, you missed the part where I said the key must be validated by the Master Server. :p

They've obviously come up with the equation that the game itself will accept, but the keys the Master Server accepts are chosen from that bigass pool of potential keys. :p
 
Boy that's funny, when I got my copy home I was able to guess a working cd key right off the top of my head. I was too lazy to read it from the DVD case.

As far as my earlier post about loading times, thanks to whoever suggested turning off "load all skins", seems to have cut the time in half.
 
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