Multi-platform Software

[Hurlshort]

I thought this should have its own thread, and Deraldin rose an interesting argument:

 

I was thinking about this issue on the road today and was wondering if you could give me your thoughts on the matter. Format shifting is something that has become an issue lately in the music and video spheres where people want the ability to purchase their content once and be able to play it on whatever device they have at hand whether it be a stereo, dvd player, portable mp3 player, computer or what have you. Other than the obvious (downloading a new copy, need for a modded console) what is the difference between format shifting like this and downloading a copy of a game that you own so that you can play it on a different platform (Own on 360, want to play on PS3)?

 

The big issue I see is that developers have to go through different steps for each platform, so it makes sense that consumers pay for different copies for different platforms. Unlike movies and music, where you make it, then you put it into the correct media format, which is a relatively cheap part of the process. If you release on the 360, PS3, and PC, you are actually developing three separate titles. Sure, there is overlap, particularly with the 360 and PC, but it still requires a lot of resources throughout the life of the project.

 

As for RPGMasterBoo's piracy argument, no one has claimed that companies are tanking solely because of piracy. That isn't the point, the point is if you enjoy something then you should support it. Again, they are games, if you don't have the money, then you aren't going to die without it. We can argue about the bottom line impact of piracy all day, but it doesn't change the fact that you are taking something that a group of people poured years of their life into without their permission.

[Hell Kitty]

You want something and you can get it for free, but it's illegal. There's no chance you'll get caught and punished for it, so you do it. It's as simple as that, any further explanation is just an attempt to justify ones behavior. Everyone is going to have different ideas of what is "okay" (it's okay if already I own it on a different platform, it's okay if my disc is broken, it's okay if I'm just testing it, it's okay if I wasn't going to buy it anyway, etc) but you most certainly don't have the right to take what you want without paying for it. That's not the deal on offer.

[Humodour]

It's OK if the publisher made it free 2 years after they released it.

 

You guys should try Savage 1 and 2 (by the guys making Heroes of Newerth). They're free now, so why not? Plus, they scored well. :D

[Purkake]

It's OK if the publisher made it free 2 years after they released it.

 

You guys should try Savage 1 and 2 (by the guys making Heroes of Newerth). They're free now, so why not? Plus, they scored well. :D

 

Savage XR is awesome and the community is pretty nice as well.

 

I totally mixed Savage up with Sacrifice and just recently remembered that Savage was another cool game.