Alternative to Piracy

[Darkenwrath]

Ok in Response to the ridiculous amount of responses to this thread

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.190733-Piracy-lost-money

I've decided to try and stop the flame wars, instead of arguing over the morality of piracy, is it at all possible to create an alternative to it?

If you don't like the prices that the games developers put on their games, what alternatives do you suggest?

Is there a way to make piracy viable? Instead of simply downloading the game could they sponsor the original Developer in some way?

Is it possible to even create an alternative to piracy? Steam seems to be one of the main choices instead of just downloading the game illegally pay for the download.

If we can't find an answer could someone at least suggest an alternative to the DRM?

Once again this is NOT piracy is right or wrong! This is a "OK piracy happens, if you really don't like it or you do do it, is there a way to create a system that makes piracy obsolete?"

Hey maybe a payment plan, or if your gamestation you could just demand peoples souls instead....

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

If there is a cheaper way to get things, people will always do it.

If someone pirates, that is up to them. They should however, keep it to themselves.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

Do what Rocksteady did with Batman Arkham Asylum and put glitches within the code that alter gameplay if you pirate it.

 

[Warped Pixel]

Actually buy the game?

 

[Fritzvalt]

The only real and viable alternative to piracy and DRM is making a physical product that the consumer WANTS to purchase. Maybe something packaged with the product or maybe just making a better product. DRM is a lazy solution that causes more problems than it fixes, but that's a whole different topic.

 

[Darkenwrath]

The only real and viable alternative to piracy and DRM is making a physical product that the consumer WANTS to purchase. Maybe something packaged with the product or maybe just making a better product.

This is stuff we need to see, no stupid "buy the game!" crap we tried that it was like FLAME ON! in that topic.

 

[Pimppeter2]

........

Do you know what piracy is? Or why people pirate?

 

[Motiv_]

There are several alternatives to piracy, developers don't use them for whatever reason.

-An Ad Sponsored version of the game that's basically the full game for free, but you have to sit through ads inbetween levels, and little watermarks on your screen, ect ect. Advertisers pay the company for their losses.

-A fucking demo. Is it really that hard to release a fucking demo?

-Time trial versions. You get to play for an hour/2 hours/ect ect, and once the time is up the game locks up. If you liked what you saw you can follow a link to buy it, at which time the game unlocks, and since it's already on your computer, no lengthy installations or DRM bullshit to go through.

 

[Laxman9292]

On an unrelated note, who else was disappointed that a thread like that one even existed?

 

[sheic99]

There are several alternatives to demos, developers don't use them for whatever reason.

-An Ad Sponsored version of the game that's basically the full game for free, but you have to sit through ads inbetween levels, and little watermarks on your screen, ect ect. Advertisers pay the company for their losses.

Gametap used this one quite a bit in the past. It wasn't to much of a grievance, it's a shame they removed so many games from their free section.

 

[DividedUnity]

Alternative to piracy? Makes brand new games not cost fifty bloody pounds

 

[Radeonx]

If people could pirate games, why would they go out of their way to find an alternative to pirating? What is the incentive?

 

[Enigmers]

Include video games in cereal boxes. That's all I can think of.

 

[Johnmw]

Many games are sponsored by companies (In-game billboards advertising real world products). I'm not encouraging this course of action but; if there was more advertising in games then it would provide a source of revenue for the developers that piracy would not hurt, in fact it would help. The more people playing the game the more sponsors would have to pay to advertise in it. Again I don't really want that but it would help devs make money off of piracy.

 

[Darkenwrath]

Alternative to piracy? Makes brand new games not cost fifty bloody pounds

...How?

 

[w@rew0lf]

Friend-Rotation circles. Have you and a group of friends agree on a list of different games that you all want to try out. Have a game or two assigned to each member to buy. Let each member enjoy their games and pass them along to other friends in your circle who want to play them when your finished. Over time buy more games and create a growing shared library. With members splitting the cost. Rinse, repeat, copypasta.

Rules
-Be trustworthy
-Be fair
-Voice your concerns or opinions
-Etc.

It really works people as long as you're doing this with people you can trust.

 

[aPod]

It's ironic in a way. The people who love games are the very ones creating the need for developers to find even more terrible DRM schemes.

Want an alternative to piracy... well there's only one that comes to mind and that is to make a purchase.

You could say make a demo... but demo lack all the features and depth and we all know that this is unacceptable to pirates because they need to play the ever living crap out of a game before they'd say they'd be willing to buy it. Though at that time they're already bored with that warez and move onto the next so it does not warrant a purchase. If you actually do buy the games you like after pirating you're one in a million.

In game advertisement? Jesus this sounds so awful i don't even know where to begin, please don't forget pirates are anarchist! Down with corporations! Down with the man! You seeing an issue with that now?

Christ, cost isnt even the issue, people will pirate their favorite song that cost a dollar to buy legally. Why is this? Because why pay for something when i can download it for free?

Fritzvalt:
The only real and viable alternative to piracy and DRM is making a physical product that the consumer WANTS to purchase. Maybe something packaged with the product or maybe just making a better product.

The reason pirates pirate a game is because they want it! If they didn't they wouldnt bother with it... they just dont want to PAY for it, and thats the issue.

Look i think it's good you guys are trying to brainstorm some alternative to piracy but unless you come up with some method where every game is free for consumers and generates profits for the developer you wont end piracy.

 

[DividedUnity]

Alternative to piracy? Makes brand new games not cost fifty bloody pounds

...How?

Shelling out a few hundred pounds for a console then paying quite a sizeable fraction of what you paid for the console for every game you buy after that. If people want to buy a game but they cant afford 50 pounds which is alot of money so dont even say its not they can either

A) Wait a few weeks and divert money from other places to buy the game
B) Go on a torrent website that very night and download the game for free

You can say what you want about piracy being wrong but people are quick to throw away moral choices when it means an empty wallet.

If you made the games say 25 or 30 pounds then it would be far easier for a person to buy and people would be less likely to pirate something as they cant justify doing so(to themselves) which at the minute they can because of the high price

 

[groundedcrow]

Get federal authority; go to a game store; claim they have violated Federal Marketing Code 257, Section A, Paragraph 12; and walk out with all thier merchandise. Since there's no way for them to actually check federal laws they won't be able to stop you.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

I think Digital distribution platforms should do rentals. It might be a bit difficult to figure out(I doubt it) but it would be really nice. Currently there is no way to try a PC game without paying for it. You either buy it or you don't play it...or you pirate it.