Piracy

[Volourn]

Nowhere did I say it was at the same level. But, nice way to try to avoid the topic.

[Malcador]

Given your youth, it's pretty hard for you to be certain about that, isn't it.

 

But don't let things like actual experience get in the way of your certainty.

 

Well yes, I've a pretty good idea on what kind of stuff I'd regret, heh. And it's based on experience, imagine that eh ? Additionally, I can also draw on my friends for evidence of that, none of them have ever mentioned regretting pirating - not even the game developers. But really, pointless as you believe what you want to, and the "don't do it because you'll regret it" on the conscience level is pretty weak (rather look at the legal system making you do so, heh).

 

Not sure what you mean by my 'youth' (although that is relative when you think about it, you might be 60!), given how I've not sated your apparent desire to know how old I am.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Malcador

[Hurlshort]

Not sure what you mean by my 'youth' (although that is relative when you think about it, you might be 60!), given how I've not sated your apparent desire to know how old I am.

 

It's not really a desire, it is simply odd that you wouldn't state your age, and the only obvious explanation is that it would ruin your argument.

[Malcador]

It's not really a desire, it is simply odd that you wouldn't state your age, and the only obvious explanation is that it would ruin your argument.

 

 

It would be odd to share it, as none of you particularly need to or care to know that, heh, I'd have thought that would have been obvious. But I guess you share easily. Convenient deduction on your part though. . Then again, depends on what we're taking regret as. Simply saying "Yeah that was bad to do, oh well" isn't what I'm thinking.

 

 

Heh, it's like Harlequin.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Malcador

[Thorton_AP]

If Malcador doesn't wish to invest in the industry that provides him with entertainment, that's his prerogative.

 

Sounds like it's become a Tragedy of the commons where people like himself rationalize it as being so tiny of an impact that whether or not he pirates doesn't impact anything. The issue is when many people all make the same rationalization.

[Malcador]

Well I don't invest in the industry, I just buy some games (although investing in the big publishers is a good idea they keep saying). Not quite the head of a Scene group yet. As for rationalizing past piracy, eh, I wouldn't say that I looked at it that way then or now.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Malcador

[Orogun01]

Why is this important? Are you trying to argue that it is a victimless crime? That isn't going to get you very far, you have a person creating content, and they are a victim when their work is pirated, regardless of profit/loss statements.

It's important because we it's a "crimeless" crime; it is theft but it's never treated as such. There isn't an attempt to cut down on it by legal authorities because of the worldly expanse of the internet and the fact that they are actually shorthanded if they were to arrest every person who downloaded a song illegally.

 

I don't know much about the economic models of game developing, but seeing as every chant against piracy it's sung by the corporations I'm partial to think that it's just them being greedy. Since piracy it's not as widespread as they make it.

[Volourn]

Except 'pirates' (thieves) have been caught, and prosecuted. And, legal authorities are dealing with the issue. It *is* a crime to pirate or purchase pirated copies in any modernized civlized nation. As will it should be since it's pure theft. Now matter the lame excuses defending it.

[Orogun01]

Except 'pirates' (thieves) have been caught, and prosecuted. And, legal authorities are dealing with the issue. It *is* a crime to pirate or purchase pirated copies in any modernized civlized nation. As will it should be since it's pure theft. Now matter the lame excuses defending it.

Volo, most people download pirated products because they don't want to pay for it. How is that purchasing?

[Hurlshort]

He said purchase a pirated copy. He is referring to the black market.

[Orogun01]

He said purchase a pirated copy. He is referring to the black market.

Black market for games suck. There is better profit on electric appliances, I know I used to work on it.

[Malcador]

The packaging has really improved though.

[Meshugger]

Except 'pirates' (thieves) have been caught, and prosecuted. And, legal authorities are dealing with the issue. It *is* a crime to pirate or purchase pirated copies in any modernized civlized nation. As will it should be since it's pure theft. Now matter the lame excuses defending it.

 

Exactly. However they are punished way more than shoplifter, which they are. Which is partly why piracy has grown from something that poor students do into a subculture of its own.

[Malcador]

Hasn't it always been a subculture though? Way back to the Amiga days ?

[Meshugger]

Hasn't it always been a subculture though? Way back to the Amiga days ?

 

I would say that then it was more about cracking the game itself than pirating it. The crackers even had their own custom intros with a custom soundtrack as well, you sure do not see that anymore.

[Malcador]

I would say that then it was more about cracking the game itself than pirating it. The crackers even had their own custom intros with a custom soundtrack as well, you sure do not see that anymore.

 

They still do, you can find a whole bunch of them on Youtube oddly, of all places. Scene itself is still about cracking the games, as they compete with each other etc. and have their rules and what not. But I guess "leechers" have definitely undergone what you've described (which was my mistake of your meaning, I think).

[Meshugger]

I would say that then it was more about cracking the game itself than pirating it. The crackers even had their own custom intros with a custom soundtrack as well, you sure do not see that anymore.

 

They still do, you can find a whole bunch of them on Youtube oddly, of all places. Scene itself is still about cracking the games, as they compete with each other etc. and have their rules and what not. But I guess "leechers" have definitely undergone what you've described (which was my mistake of your meaning, I think).

 

I wasn't aware of that. I thought that most of the quit because they were sick of the leechers, my bad.

[Malcador]

I'm pretty sure individuals do, but they keep the brand up, at least for the really old famous groups.

[Hurlshort]

Except 'pirates' (thieves) have been caught, and prosecuted. And, legal authorities are dealing with the issue. It *is* a crime to pirate or purchase pirated copies in any modernized civlized nation. As will it should be since it's pure theft. Now matter the lame excuses defending it.

 

Exactly. However they are punished way more than shoplifter, which they are. Which is partly why piracy has grown from something that poor students do into a subculture of its own.

 

I guess because it is a more complicated situation than shoplifting. There is also a bit of a throw the book at them mentality because so few are getting caught. I suppose the idea is to make an example out of them in the hopes that others will stop. It seems to be fairly ineffective at this point.

 

But I don't buy the whole subculture idea. People like free stuff, that is why they pirate. Acting like it is some sort of noble fight against the man is ridiculous. These are video games, pretending that EA or Ubisoft is some sort of evil tyrant is humorous. They are just doing business.

[Pidesco]

Games have been heavily pirated since the Spectrum and C64 days. At least. If something is available for free, a huge amount of people will get it for free. It's probably some sort of law of economics.

[Mamoulian War]

Except 'pirates' (thieves) have been caught, and prosecuted. And, legal authorities are dealing with the issue. It *is* a crime to pirate or purchase pirated copies in any modernized civlized nation. As will it should be since it's pure theft. Now matter the lame excuses defending it.

 

Exactly. However they are punished way more than shoplifter, which they are. Which is partly why piracy has grown from something that poor students do into a subculture of its own.

 

I guess because it is a more complicated situation than shoplifting. There is also a bit of a throw the book at them mentality because so few are getting caught. I suppose the idea is to make an example out of them in the hopes that others will stop. It seems to be fairly ineffective at this point.

 

But I don't buy the whole subculture idea. People like free stuff, that is why they pirate. Acting like it is some sort of noble fight against the man is ridiculous. These are video games, pretending that EA or Ubisoft is some sort of evil tyrant is humorous. They are just doing business.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are a lot of guys who are downloading pirating EA games, only because they destroyed Origin, Bullfrog and Westwood... It's their way how to show their dislike of their business practices... And most of them feel like Robin Hood...

 

We all know that it will most likely not hurt EA's bottomline, but in their view, it's a just cause...

[Malcador]

And a lot because reverse engineering binaries and poring through assembly can be fun

[Hurlshort]

Except 'pirates' (thieves) have been caught, and prosecuted. And, legal authorities are dealing with the issue. It *is* a crime to pirate or purchase pirated copies in any modernized civlized nation. As will it should be since it's pure theft. Now matter the lame excuses defending it.

 

Exactly. However they are punished way more than shoplifter, which they are. Which is partly why piracy has grown from something that poor students do into a subculture of its own.

 

I guess because it is a more complicated situation than shoplifting. There is also a bit of a throw the book at them mentality because so few are getting caught. I suppose the idea is to make an example out of them in the hopes that others will stop. It seems to be fairly ineffective at this point.

 

But I don't buy the whole subculture idea. People like free stuff, that is why they pirate. Acting like it is some sort of noble fight against the man is ridiculous. These are video games, pretending that EA or Ubisoft is some sort of evil tyrant is humorous. They are just doing business.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are a lot of guys who are downloading pirating EA games, only because they destroyed Origin, Bullfrog and Westwood... It's their way how to show their dislike of their business practices... And most of them feel like Robin Hood...

 

We all know that it will most likely not hurt EA's bottomline, but in their view, it's a just cause...

 

Pu-leeeze. That is called delusional. "I'm pirating these games because it is the right thing to do! I'm playing video games for hours every day for justice!"

[Purkake]

Wow, man, bubble burst!

[Hell Kitty]

I don't know much about the economic models of game developing, but seeing as every chant against piracy it's sung by the corporations I'm partial to think that it's just them being greedy.

 

This is something I see often, accusing businesses of greed, but is it really greedy to want to stop those who take your product for nothing? When does something move from a legitimate attempt at defending their business to just being greedy? If a company has 100 million dollars, and they come after me to get the 1 million I stole from them, are they just being greedy because, like, they've still got another 99 million?

 

Pu-leeeze. That is called delusional. "I'm pirating these games because it is the right thing to do! I'm playing video games for hours every day for justice!"

 

You mustn't be familiar with the original Robin Hood legend, where he stole from the rich and sat around playing games all day. The "give to the poor" thing was just some junk Hollywood added to the story.

Edited November 30, 2010 by Hell Kitty