[LtWorf]

Games explicitly allowed you to play in like 3-4 using the same CD code.

Now you need all the friends to buy the same (usually expensive) game.

[boomboomsubban]

I don't know if they explicitly allowed it, it seems more likely the CD code was only checked locally so there wasn't much the game could do to stop code sharing.

[dusted]

For instance, the Diablo CD, it could be installed either as "full" or "multiplayer", if you had the multiplayer install, you could only join games, but not start a single or multiplayer yourself. It was very cool.

[msmenardi]

This isn't true. Yes, it's only checked locally, but you can store the key-code used and if you connect to another player with the same keycode it can prevent you from playing together. This is something many companies did to their games. But many others didn't, and they were treasured for LAN parties.

[LtWorf]

No it was even specified in the manual that above X players you needed 2 players with the game in the CD reader at the same time.

[xivzgrev]

Yah I remember some folks had all these pirated game installers, so you’d arrive at the LAN, access a shared folder and install whatever game everyone was playing. Then at some point we’d switch and repeat.

[dehrmann]

I remember Starcraft had installation mode that was basically meant for LAN parties so you didn't even needed to share the code.