Status of Cakewalk's Software on Steam
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1432 posts since 27 Apr, 2012
Does anybody know if Cakewalk software purchased on Steam still depends on Cakewalk servers for activation? Or is activation handled entirely by Steam? I bought Z3ta+2 in this year's Steam summer sale but I'm hesitant to continue using it if I could lose the ability to activate it in the near future.
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- KVRAF
- 35436 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
Good question. I have Magix' Vegas Movie Studio Steam Edition, and it says "Registered to STEAM USER", so, it's very likely that the same applies to Cakewalk's software (after all, Steam has its own DRM etc.). Needs confirmation though.
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- KVRist
- 267 posts since 2 Nov, 2015
All Cakewalk software on Steam depends on Cakewalk's servers for activation as far as I know.
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- KVRist
- 325 posts since 24 Sep, 2012
Cakewalk will be continuing activations on their own servers. That won't be going down any time soon. They are working on an offline activation process for people who are concerned and they are aware of the Steam users as well.
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- KVRAF
- 2367 posts since 17 Apr, 2004
They require the servers. How long those will stay up is anyone's guess. Given Gibson is close to bankruptcy, I wouldn't be massively optimistic about the long term future. I'm hoping someone somewhere provides us with a long term solution. I posted a question on steam, but no reply as of early this morning.
That said, there's nothing stopping you using it on your current machine right now. Just be aware that you might not be able to migrate to another computer later down the line. So bounce to audio to be safe when the song is done.
That said, there's nothing stopping you using it on your current machine right now. Just be aware that you might not be able to migrate to another computer later down the line. So bounce to audio to be safe when the song is done.
Voted KVR's resident drunk Robert Smith impersonator (thanks Frantz!)
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2myYesRBRgQB3LkZzEYdt5 | https://soundcloud.com/steevm/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2myYesRBRgQB3LkZzEYdt5 | https://soundcloud.com/steevm/
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1432 posts since 27 Apr, 2012
I know they said they'd keep the servers up, but given the state of the company I'm preparing for the worst. Did they actually say they're working on offline versions of their stuff? I hadn't heard that, but it would definitely be nice to have.Mystic wrote:Cakewalk will be continuing activations on their own servers. That won't be going down any time soon. They are working on an offline activation process for people who are concerned and they are aware of the Steam users as well.
Yeah, I guess using it while I can and freezing is the way to go. I quite like the synth, so I'll be sad if/when it stops working.sjm wrote:That said, there's nothing stopping you using it on your current machine right now. Just be aware that you might not be able to migrate to another computer later down the line. So bounce to audio to be safe when the song is done.
- KVRAF
- 18561 posts since 16 Sep, 2001 from Las Vegas,USA
Wait, you had to have Steam and the Cakewalk "Command Center" installed to run Z3TA+2 ??
No wonder they went out of business.
When did Steam come into the picture ? My Sonar X3 and Z3ta+2 were Pre-Steam I guess.
No wonder they went out of business.
When did Steam come into the picture ? My Sonar X3 and Z3ta+2 were Pre-Steam I guess.
None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- KVRAF
- 9577 posts since 16 Dec, 2002
Wow, quick google reveals a few of the old school big names have serious debt and little profit.
We may see quite a few others besides Gibson go under in the next few years
We may see quite a few others besides Gibson go under in the next few years
Amazon: why not use an alternative
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1432 posts since 27 Apr, 2012
Nope, no Command Center required, which is why I thought maybe the authorization didn't involve their servers. I don't know exactly when they started selling stuff on there, but z3ta+2 was only $30 during most of the big Steam sales. The only downside is that, for some reason, the Steam versions of their software were Windows only (despite both Steam and their synths running on OS X).Teksonik wrote:Wait, you had to have Steam and the Cakewalk "Command Center" installed to run Z3TA+2 ??
No wonder they went out of business.
When did Steam come into the picture ? My Sonar X3 and Z3ta+2 were Pre-Steam I guess.
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- KVRAF
- 35436 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
I'm confused now. Above, people stated that you need to activate the Steam Cakewalk software via Cakewalk's server. Didn't the Cakewalk Command Center do exactly that?Greenstorm33 wrote:Nope, no Command Center required. Steam was just an alternative way of buying and authorizing their software. I don't know exactly when they started selling stuff on Steam, but z3ta+2 was only $30 during most of the big Steam sales. The only downside is that, for some reason, the Steam versions of their software were Windows only (despite both Steam and their software running on OS X).Teksonik wrote:Wait, you had to have Steam and the Cakewalk "Command Center" installed to run Z3TA+2 ??
No wonder they went out of business.
When did Steam come into the picture ? My Sonar X3 and Z3ta+2 were Pre-Steam I guess.
- KVRAF
- 18561 posts since 16 Sep, 2001 from Las Vegas,USA
So if you bought Z3ta+2 from Steam then no Command Center is required but Steam needs to be installed ? If you bought it direct from CW then the Command Center is needed but no Steam ?Greenstorm33 wrote: Nope, no Command Center required, which is why I thought maybe the authorization didn't involve their servers. I don't know exactly when they started selling stuff on there, but z3ta+2 was only $30 during most of the big Steam sales. The only downside is that, for some reason, the Steam versions of their software were Windows only (despite both Steam and their synths running on OS X).
Does anyone else get the feeling that business decisions at CW were made using a Magic 8 Ball ?
None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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- KVRAF
- 35436 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
If you bought it on Steam, you definitely need to run Steam to use it. The question is, does it need further activation, or is the Steam DRM the only "protection". The way it is described above, obviously, the Cakewalk stuff needs to be run from Steam + it needs activation. I wonder in which form though, as i thought the activation of their software is done through the Cakewalk Command Center.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1432 posts since 27 Apr, 2012
Maybe Steam interacts with a server controlled by Cakewalk to do the authorization? I just double-checked and I definitely do not have Command Center installed.chk071 wrote:I'm confused now. Above, people stated that you need to activate the Steam Cakewalk software via Cakewalk's server. Didn't the Cakewalk Command Center do exactly that?Greenstorm33 wrote:Nope, no Command Center required. Steam was just an alternative way of buying and authorizing their software. I don't know exactly when they started selling stuff on Steam, but z3ta+2 was only $30 during most of the big Steam sales. The only downside is that, for some reason, the Steam versions of their software were Windows only (despite both Steam and their software running on OS X).Teksonik wrote:Wait, you had to have Steam and the Cakewalk "Command Center" installed to run Z3TA+2 ??
No wonder they went out of business.
When did Steam come into the picture ? My Sonar X3 and Z3ta+2 were Pre-Steam I guess.
Probably lol. I already used Steam so it wasn't a big deal for me. Now that I think about it I actually prefer it to having yet another authorization program on my computerTeksonik wrote:So if you bought Z3ta+2 from Steam then no Command Center is required but Steam needs to be installed ? If you bought it direct from CW then the Command Center is needed but no Steam ?Greenstorm33 wrote: Nope, no Command Center required, which is why I thought maybe the authorization didn't involve their servers. I don't know exactly when they started selling stuff on there, but z3ta+2 was only $30 during most of the big Steam sales. The only downside is that, for some reason, the Steam versions of their software were Windows only (despite both Steam and their synths running on OS X).
Does anyone else get the feeling that business decisions at CW were made using a Magic 8 Ball ?
- KVRAF
- 18561 posts since 16 Sep, 2001 from Las Vegas,USA
I use Steam for games on another computer but I would not install it on my studio computer. I would prefer the Command Center or it's predecessor (can't remember the name right now) which is what I still have.Greenstorm33 wrote: I already used Steam so it wasn't a big deal for me. Now that I think about it I actually prefer it to having yet another authorization program on my computer
Or to be precise I'd prefer none of the above.
Which is why I now use Reaper and FL Studio. No extra "License Manager" or Command Center or Steam or....
None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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- KVRist
- 325 posts since 24 Sep, 2012
Yes, they have addressed this multiple times on their forums.Greenstorm33 wrote:I know they said they'd keep the servers up, but given the state of the company I'm preparing for the worst. Did they actually say they're working on offline versions of their stuff? I hadn't heard that, but it would definitely be nice to have.