DRM

• What is DRM?

  DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. It is a collection of technologies that can be used to limit the usage of digital content in order to protect against piracy of copyrighted works. Such technologies control use of digital media by preventing access, copying or installations. In computer games, DRM technologies sometimes limit the number of systems the game can be installed on. They can also require authentication with an online server. For further information, read the Wikipedia article.

• Some of your games are marked as “DRM-Free”? Why is that?

  We feel that DRM and serial numbers are pesky things and usually frustrate legitimate buyers. 

  When you buy a game from us, it is yours and nobody will ask you to prove it again and again. You can re-download and install the game zillions of times.

  Currently the following games and products can be purchased free of DRM and serial numbers: The Clockwork Man, The Clockwork Man 2: The Hidden World, The Game Guide to The Clockwork Man 2, Academy of Magic: Word Spells.

  With the release of The Clockwork Man 2 we decided to remove DRM protection from all of our titles. Removing DRM is not an easy process and does require quite a lot of work on our part. We are currently phasing out DRM from our back catalogue, so some of your purchases might still have DRM protection. Games that still require some kind of activation are: Bounty, Fashion Boutique.

• I have bought a game from the Total Eclipse site before it was changed to DRM-Free. Can I get the DRM-Free version?

  If you are one of our customers and you have bought a game from us before July 2010 you are fully entitled to its DRM-Free version as well as any new computer platforms (PC, Mac, Linux) supported. For example:

  • You bought The Clockwork Man for PC before July 2010 from the Total Eclipse website: You are entitled to both DRM-Free Mac and PC versions of The Clockwork Man.
  • You bought The Clockwork Man: The Hidden World for PC after July 2010 but from another site/portal. You are not entitled to the DRM-Free version of the game. This offer is strictly limited to the customers who have bought the game from our site.

  To get any DRM-Free versions of game(s) you have bought, just sign in on the Total Eclipse site and check the My Games area, using your previously registered email.

• I am playing a version of the game that still has DRM protection enabled. Can I upgrade to the newest, DRM-Free version?

  In short: Yes, if you are one of our customers. To get any DRM-Free versions of the game(s) you have bought, just Sign in on the Total Eclipse site and check the My Games area, using your previously registered email.

  If you have not bought the game from us you will need to visit the site/portal where you completed your purchase to get any upgrades to the game.

• Can I give the DRM-Free game that I have bought to friends?

  No. Honestly, this amounts to software piracy. You are free to install and play the game(s) you have bought on machines that you own and belong to your household.  You can give your friends the link to the game’s demo. And let them know how buying direct from the developer actually helps us make better games.

• I have a PC and a Mac. Can I install the DRM-Free game in both? (OR, I have two PCs, can I install in both?)

  You are free to install your purchased games on machines that belong to your household. Whatever and no matter how many, there are.

• Do your games require an active Internet connection/game manager/launcher?

  Our games do not require an Internet connection, manager, or custom launcher to be played. Some extra features, like the score leaderboards for Academy of Magic: Word Spells, will reqire an Internet connection in order to be updated.

• Can I install my DRM-enabled game on multiple machines?

  No. Bear in mind that activation will be possible for only one machine (i.e. one PC or one Mac machine). If you wish to install on a second machine, you need to uninstall the game from the first one and contact us to provide you with a new serial number, based on the hardware fingerprint of the second machine.

• My DRM-enabled game asks for a hardware fingerprint, what is that?

  The Hardware Fingerprint is a unique 9-character code that corresponds to your computer only. It looks something like A32H-F5F2 and it is very easy to locate. In order to find the Hardware Fingerprint of your system:

  1. Run the game.
  2. Click on Enter Serial.
  3. Copy the Hardware Fingerprint you see on the left side of the window and use it either:
  • in the Order form when purchasing the game
  • in an e-mail to us requesting a new serial number if the one you got in your order e-mail didn't work as expected.

• My DRM-enabled game asks for a serial, where can I find it?

  You should have received an e-mail containing your serial number upon completing your purchase. If you have not received it, please contact us. Alternatively, Sign in and visit the My Games area. Under your purchased game, you will see its serial number.