Too close for comfort? the revival?

[Nova250]

Damn, I guess I must be getting old or something.

Back when I was younger and had limited income, I was taught it was wrong to pirate a game I couldn't afford even though its seller wasn't really losing any money seeing how I wouldn't have bought it anyway.

Times are changing too quickly for me, I'm afraid. I can barely keep up.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

Jeez, enough... Everybody has a different number of years in their head for how long to wait until it's OK to copy a game or music. Even copyright law itself does. That's why you can go record yourself playing Beethoven and sell it. Copyright law wants us to wait so long to copy it that it would turn to dust before we did. If it wasn't for MAME lots of games already would have. There are no more copies left of some of the games in MAME. A copyright law written by some random asshole a long time ago wants like 70 years on computer programs before it runs out. Some people here have said they think it should be 10 or 5 before something is dumped. MAME won't add games less than 3. Nobody cares what your number is but if you think it should be 70 then most games would just die, there is no denying that.

When a pharmaceutical company makes a drug, the patent runs out in like 7 years and then it gets bootlegged. Well it's just another formula they came up with from R&D and lots of brain work, yet someone else came up with 7 years for their industry instead of the absurd 70. Do you agree more with that one because some ass wrote 7 on a piece of paper instead of 70?

[BeruBeru]

Actually the 7 years starts the moment the company discovered the active molecule.
From that moment they have 7 years to do a huge research, human testing, control groups etc...
And after they release it (probably after 3-4 years) they need to get back their investment plus some revenue (and trust me, they make huge amounts of money because new types of medicine are expensive as fuck), but after those 7 years anyone can make a generic drug from that active molecule and sell it for cheap and nobody would tell you a thing/

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

[Elixir]

Ahahaha... hahahha
keep ranting and ignoring all the perfectly valid arguments that are already there man. You're fucking hilarious.

I'm having trouble trying to understand how "being Jewish was unjustifiable", something that's full of loopholes and no longer applicable, is a valid counter-argument against "piracy is illegal".

and as for you? oh wow. while this also reeks of Reducito ad Hitlerum just from the germany comment, your point was never valid in the first place since germany's game problems stem from the fact that they still have a no nazi anything policy in place, a stringent anti-violent video games policy in place and the fact that dumbfucks associated a school shooting with games. so your piracy argument there is a fallacy in itself since if there's such a crackdown on what would be considered "popular game content" due to falsely based paranoia, what else would be allowed to be sold?.

So people in Germany pirate games because their ratings board hasn't regulated proper control?

All right, let's wrap up. From what I've gathered.. you think import tax is punishment for importing. You think being scorned once is justification enough to warrant other people's works pirated. You think it's perfectly acceptable to pirate a foreign artist's works because you're not their target demographic. You seem to think you're entitled to pirate games before you buy them. You deny live streams, video and text reviews among other things, to secure yourself and to avoid buyer's regret.

Yeah, no. All of this is wrong, for all reasons I've already mentioned.

You're not entitled to any of this. All of this is pretty time consuming, much more than simply just importing or purchasing a game that can be bought by your own self-judgment. If you've really been playing games for most of your life, it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

No, "all of this" is just; you don't want to pay for things.

When you're given the opportunity to purchase foreign material, it should be considered a privilege - an opportunity. Even before purchase, the foreign sellers are doing you a favour in allowing the goods to be shipped internationally. The fact that companies are making games region-free for foreigners, and responding to fan letters (sometimes even in English), should be treated as respect. Even if it's expensive, I know how much of a pain it is to purchase and ship something to someone else.

I don't know about you, but I actually enjoy buying games, receiving them, unwrapping them, playing them (or in today's generation, installing before playing), playing through, giving my own thoughts, etc. You know, the whole process, which is definitely worth paying for. If it's that much of an issue for you, perhaps quit the hobby. You're only doing a disservice to yourself by stressing over where your money is going.

"Money isn't everything" is a poor person's excuse to enjoy life. They're too lazy to get off their ass and earn their money, they'd rather just sit there and vegetate for the rest of their lives while thinking they're "in" by cheating the system. And that's perfectly fine, but what money you do have is of no different worth to that of someone else's. You're actually doing a disservice to yourself by stressing over where your money should and shouldn't be allocated. I'm perfectly cool with poor people but you have absolutely no moral high ground to take.

[legztec]

Pirating is illegal and always will be but only because someone else is making up rules we mindlessly agree with.
And yes these rules are there for a reason but still more money tends to end up with distribution and management then the very artists who make the game. The same goes for music,movies and software btw.
Imo games could also be way better/cheaper if the whole world was more honest and less greedy!

The people who make the most money are the ones who make up the rules or bend and break them.
The honest hard working man still pays for more because dishonest don't.
I pay for games I like or think are worth it but pirate if I think it fits its purpose.

[mjclark]

The people who make the most money are the ones who make up the rules or bend and break them.
The honest hard working man still pays for more because dishonest don't.
I pay for games I like or think are worth it but pirate if I think it fits its purpose.

"Steal a little and they throw you in jail,
Steal a lot and they make you a king"

[Matskat]

This USED to be a nice neighborhood.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08bj9y9nK8o

[mrsmiley381]

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

[Evrain]

Actually the 7 years starts the moment the company discovered the active molecule.
From that moment they have 7 years to do a huge research, human testing, control groups etc...
And after they release it (probably after 3-4 years) they need to get back their investment plus some revenue (and trust me, they make huge amounts of money because new types of medicine are expensive as fuck), but after those 7 years anyone can make a generic drug from that active molecule and sell it for cheap and nobody would tell you a thing/

It varies from country to country perhaps? Here in Italy a patent lasts for 20 years plus a one-time renewal of two years, then any other company can bootleg the molecule, but the RRP can not exceed 20% of the original drug.

[Drum]

That entitlement complex. What gives you the right to trial something that others have paid for?

You are such a baby lol.
Whats next, free sex is bad because others pay for prostitutes? WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT... I PAYED FOR THESE SLUTS.

'Rape is ok if you can't afford prostitutes' - shmups.system11

[Drachenherz]

That entitlement complex. What gives you the right to trial something that others have paid for?

You are such a baby lol.
Whats next, free sex is bad because others pay for prostitutes? WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT... I PAYED FOR THESE SLUTS.

'Rape is ok if you can't afford prostitutes' - shmups.system11

OMG, somebody put this in his signature asap!

[Kaiser]

OMG, somebody put this in his signature asap!

AND done, enjoy the nasty signature

[BPzeBanshee]

OMG, somebody put this in his signature asap!

AND done, enjoy the nasty signature

[Bananamatic]

more like "pirating eroges is okay if you can't afford a pillowcase waifu"

[spadgy]

I don't know about you, but I actually enjoy buying games, receiving them, unwrapping them, playing them (or in today's generation, installing before playing), playing through, giving my own thoughts, etc. You know, the whole process, which is definitely worth paying for. If it's that much of an issue for you, perhaps quit the hobby. You're only doing a disservice to yourself by stressing over where your money is going.

This especially. I agree with lots of Elixir's argument (although I hope you aren't suggesting all poor people are poor because they're lazy. I don't think that's what you meant.). For me, part of the pleasure of experiencing a game is finding a copy, waiting for it to turn up, and going through the whole ritual Elixir describes. It's worth the money.

I see piracy as something pretty close to stealing. If somebody wants to pirate stuff, then I'm not going to berate them for it, but I don't do it myself in almost every case (the only exception I make is when an STGT game is MAME only and I don't have access to the PCB, that I make a very guilt riddled ROM download that I despise myself for and delete at the end of the week).

I've never pirated a console game, a TV show, a movie or anything. I think I downloaded an album from the internet in about 1998, and felt so disgusted with myself I've never done it again (unless its a legal free download of course - a free netlabel for example).

One of the perks of not pirating stuff is that cash limitations make you elect the creme of the crop. I love my record collection for being a real diary of my musical tastes and pahases. Friends of mine who pirate music have harddrives full of more crap they don't care for than music they love.

And if you can't afford it, it's a shame, but tough luck. I can't afford a decent car. I wouldn't steal one.

EDIT: Spelling, and down-sensationalising my last point.

[captpain]

(the only exception I make is when an STGT game is MAME only and I don't have access to the PCB, that I make a very guilt riddled ROM download that I despise myself for and delete at the end of the week)

Seriously? You need to get out more. There couldn't be a more inconsequential thing than emulating Daioh for a week. Literally nobody on Earth but you cares about it by now, considering it was made in 1993 and as far as I can tell none of the involved organizations continue to exist. [edit: Athena? Still, it's a PCB from 18 years ago]

Unless you like to feel guilty, you're just being a weirdo

[dunpeal2064]

(the only exception I make is when an STGT game is MAME only and I don't have access to the PCB, that I make a very guilt riddled ROM download that I despise myself for and delete at the end of the week)

Seriously? You need to get out more. There couldn't be a more inconsequential thing than emulating Daioh for a week. Literally nobody on Earth but you cares about it by now, considering it was made in 1993 and as far as I can tell none of the involved organizations continue to exist. [edit: Athena? Still, it's a PCB from 18 years ago]

Unless you like to feel guilty, you're just being a weirdo

Damn, I'm a weirdo. I downloaded MAME just so that I could participate this week, and I still felt bad for doing so.

Not so much because someone is losing money, but because I feel like I am not giving the game a fair change without paying for it.

Like spadgy, part of the experience for me is hunting down the game, finally getting it in the mail, opening it, and playing it. When I skip straight to playing it, there was no investment in it, so I just don't find myself caring for it as much.

Its sad, because even awesome games like Batrider just do not appeal to me when I am MAME'ing them. I know that I will enjoy Garegga much much more when it finally arrives.

I think using a computer takes away some of the experience too. Of course, I am a strange fucker, and I wouldn't expect people to see things on the same level as me Some people could just say I am wasting my money.... and they wouldn't necessarily be wrong

[captpain]

(the only exception I make is when an STGT game is MAME only and I don't have access to the PCB, that I make a very guilt riddled ROM download that I despise myself for and delete at the end of the week)

Seriously? You need to get out more. There couldn't be a more inconsequential thing than emulating Daioh for a week. Literally nobody on Earth but you cares about it by now, considering it was made in 1993 and as far as I can tell none of the involved organizations continue to exist. [edit: Athena? Still, it's a PCB from 18 years ago]

Unless you like to feel guilty, you're just being a weirdo

Damn, I'm a weirdo. I downloaded MAME just so that I could participate this week, and I still felt bad for doing so.

Not so much because someone is losing money, but because I feel like I am not giving the game a fair change without paying for it.

Like spadgy, part of the experience for me is hunting down the game, finally getting it in the mail, opening it, and playing it. When I skip straight to playing it, there was no investment in it, so I just don't find myself caring for it as much.

Its sad, because even awesome games like Batrider just do not appeal to me when I am MAME'ing them. I know that I will enjoy Garegga much much more when it finally arrives.

I think using a computer takes away some of the experience too. Of course, I am a strange fucker, and I wouldn't expect people to see things on the same level as me Some people could just say I am wasting my money.... and they wouldn't necessarily be wrong

i'm not knocking the extra-game experience... that stuff is awesome. i'm saying if you feel guilty for downloading some super obscure old game and playing it for a week in a shmup competition then the whole thing has gotten a little bit too serious. too close for comfort, if you will.

[Bananamatic]

can't deny that opening the real thing feels 100x better than the download hitting 100%

some things are hard to not pirate(music is everywhere on youtube)
some things are sold under such dumb conditions that they deserve to be pirated(some 5 years old DS games still cost 50$ here, external food ban on cinemas etc.)

[bcass]

can't deny that opening the real thing feels 100x better than the download hitting 100%

It depends on how materialistically obsessed/brain washed you are. Personally I have no problems enjoying a game for the actual purpose it was made for - playing the damn thing. Irrespective of how I get to play it.

[Bananamatic]

I guess that's because I get to buy maybe 4 games a year and usually budget priced/older ones at that

that feeling probably wears off once I start working and buying several games at once will no longer be a special event

[Ghegs]

can't deny that opening the real thing feels 100x better than the download hitting 100%

It depends on how materialistically obsessed/brain washed you are. Personally I have no problems enjoying a game for the actual purpose it was made for - playing the damn thing. Irrespective of how I get to play it.

It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with materialism. I don't generally download roms or such, largely for the same reasons spadgy and dunpeal2064 mentioned. I just can't get into playing a game seriously on an emulator. But I don't have any problems playing downloaded games I've legally purchased (indies, XBLA, Steam, even Irem Arcade Hits). Just the way I roll.

And whether it's an inconsequential thing that nobody will know about but you, is, well, inconsequential. I see no reason to do these things differently just because nobody's watching.

[captpain]

And whether it's an inconsequential thing that nobody will know about but you, is, well, inconsequential. I see no reason to do these things differently just because nobody's watching.

in a lot of cases, nobody's watching because nobody really cares.

also, i don't think wanting to play on real hardware is silly, and nobody should. it's fun.

[Ghegs]

And whether it's an inconsequential thing that nobody will know about but you, is, well, inconsequential. I see no reason to do these things differently just because nobody's watching.

in a lot of cases, nobody's watching because nobody really cares.

But see, that's just the thing. I care. And that's enough of a reason for me.

[captpain]

And whether it's an inconsequential thing that nobody will know about but you, is, well, inconsequential. I see no reason to do these things differently just because nobody's watching.

in a lot of cases, nobody's watching because nobody really cares.

But see, that's just the thing. I care. And that's enough of a reason for me.

that's not really a reason. i mean, caring is cool, but sometimes it isn't necessary or purposeful.

[dunpeal2064]

man, now I'm brainwashed and materiallistically obsessed because I am not a thief?

Its called having a job and a hobby.

[Skykid]

(the only exception I make is when an STGT game is MAME only and I don't have access to the PCB, that I make a very guilt riddled ROM download that I despise myself for and delete at the end of the week)

Seriously? You need to get out more. There couldn't be a more inconsequential thing than emulating Daioh for a week. Literally nobody on Earth but you cares about it by now, considering it was made in 1993 and as far as I can tell none of the involved organizations continue to exist. [edit: Athena? Still, it's a PCB from 18 years ago]

Unless you like to feel guilty, you're just being a weirdo

Can no-one take Spadgy seriously please?

This is a guy who not only flogs himself with barbed wire and cries in the shower after downloading a Mame rom, but when he spends full whack on a PCB he plays it for about two hours before taking it to the local arcade to get it installed so he can spend the next few months paying for credits in an attempt for a clear/high score.

Now that's some fucked up pathological shit right there.

[Bananamatic]

it's better than drawing scanlines on your LCD with a sharpie to make it "authentic"