Game Plays After CD is Ejected

[MoonsAreBlue]

I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in Miscellaneous help, because this isn't really a problem, just something odd that I've noticed. Since it borders more on the technical side though, I'm going to try here.

I play Sims 3 on a laptop, and most of the time I play on the couch or in bed--basically the computer is always in my lap. And every now and then, I'll accidentally hit the eject button and the sims CD comes out. It's happened numerous times while I was playing the game, but game play never messed up. I just put the CD back in once I noticed it was out (sometimes after a few minutes of active playing) and the game continued just fine.

The reason I'm posting this is because I'm wondering if this means the disk is really only needed to launch the game? I just find it odd that the game keeps playing with no problem when this happens. Granted, I've only let it go 3 or 4 minutes and I haven't switched between live/buy/build/edit town mode while the CD was ejected (I was afraid something might go terribly wrong if I didn't reinsert it immediately), but has this happened to anyone else?

[gerrr00]

You are correct in your assumption that you only need the CD when you launch the game.  That is when it does the authentication of the game you have.  Before I learned about Origin (formerly EADM) I would play on my computer, then my daughter would take the disc to play on our desktop computer.  Now I use the digital downloads for all my computers and I don't have to share the disc anymore.

[Sportsfan]

If you minimize the game does it need the disk to become full screen again?

[MoonsAreBlue]

You are correct in your assumption that you only need the CD when you launch the game.  That is when it does the authentication of the game you have.  Before I learned about Origin (formerly EADM) I would play on my computer, then my daughter would take the disc to play on our desktop computer.  Now I use the digital downloads for all my computers and I don't have to share the disc anymore.

Thanks, gerrr. I didn't really want to experiment with it just in case it messed up my game, so I thought I'd ask if anyone else figured it out, lol. I would do the Origin download, but I've had a terrible experience with an EADM download, so I find it easier to buy the disks. Reinstalls are quicker with disks too because you don't have to redownload all of the games. I've had lots of computer problems in the past year and have had to do 5 reinstalls, so I'm thankful that I had the disks for it.

If you minimize the game does it need the disk to become full screen again?

I haven't tried it, but if gerrr is right, then there probably isn't a problem with minimizing.

[simfulicious]

Gerrr is definitely right, I remember reading that on EA's help boards when the game first launched.  You only need the disk to launch the game, not play it.

[imaGleek]

Really? Because one time I left my computer on the table when the sims was running and my mom took the disc out and it got all glitchy, but that was almost two years ago.

[Saltypaws]

The other day, I took my game out and forgot to put it back in when I went to start the game and I got the message, "no disc in drive".  So, I know it won't play without a disc on mine.

[Sportsfan]

The other day, I took my game out and forgot to put it back in when I went to start the game and I got the message, "no disc in drive".  So, I know it won't play without a disc on mine.

Did you already have the game playing when you took the disc out?

[Saltypaws]

The game wasn't playing because the disc was not in the drive.  So, to better understand, your game kept playing after the CD was taken out while you were playing?  But the game will not play if you just start the launcher and click play, without the CD?  I think, some time back, I accidently opened my disc drive while my game was playing and thought, ah oh and closed the door again and nothing happened.  So I guess what we are trying to find the answer to, is..while you are playing the game and you remove the disc, the game continues to play?  Hmm, I don't know if I want to even try it. My CD stays in my drive most of the time anyway.  I guess there is a reason for most games to not play without the CD, because then someone could buy it and just pass it around for other people to play, not a good idea to begin with, but there are still games that you install them and then just click on their icon on the desktop and they will play without the CD.  All of the Phatom games still do that.

I hope this post made sense, lol.

[simfulicious]

You only need the disc to get the game to start.  Once it is going, you can take the disc out and keep on playing.