SaneAmongInsane said:
Valkrex said:
Piracy = stealing. That's all there is to it. Don't care what a law says, if you take a product (or a copy of a product as the case may be with digital products) you are stealing and depriving the creator their hard earned profits. I really don't get why people defend piracy. They are essentially defending theft, and are being smug self-righteous assholes at the same time.
Piracy DOES NOT help ANY industry. Just like breaking into a store and taking everything for free doesn't help. It actively harms the content creators.
It doesn't help any industry because the industries refuse to change with the times.
They need a new business model.
Please, elaborate.
While I agree that Joe-blow shouldn't get sued a quarter billion dollars for sharing a few music files, considering that musicians get a paltry sum of money for their work at best, but the way you come off to me is that "If an industry changed with the times, adopted a new business model or methodology, piracy could benefit them."
There's no way you meant that. I'm probably retarded for interpreting that as such.
zehydra said:
Piracy is not theft.
Want creativity in an entertainment industry? Get rid of publishers. There you go.
You haven't a fucking clue how this works, do you? Not one single clue? Let's look at the Indie games scene, shall we?
Lets look at Decker. The guy who made Decker feels that his game should earn him some cash, so he implements a login system and made it a fuller game. Pops a "for sale" sign on his website.
Have you ever heard of Decker? Do you even know what's it about? No? Did you know anything about FTL before it found it's way on steam? Even if you heard of it, what would your impressions be? "Oh, just some space rts? Where you shoot another ship? No planet exploration? whatever."
One of these examples poured a considerable amount of money into their creation, actually became a studio. Both of these examples poured blood, and absolutely stunning amounts of time into their work. And without a publisher, neither would have gotten a single cent for their work unless they took off like Minecraft. Minecraft is an exceptional exception. Penny Arcade gave them free advertising, so it was no wonder the word of mouth spread.
Publishers are needed. While I'll agree with you that they shouldn't be gutless pigs about what they do, FTL would never have gotten more than a paltry sum for their work, and the studio would have died if they didn't have a publisher. I estimate that 70% of the games that are released today would never have seen the light of day without a publisher to advertise their work, and provide the help required to produce millions of discs, manuals, and cases for the game. Without a publisher, Consoles wouldn't exist. Are you a STALKER fan? Never would have heard of it without a publisher.
And on the first thing, you know that thing you do, when you install software? when you go through that, there's an agreement. Yeah, that's a legally binding contract. Let's take a look at one, shall we? For example, let's say we "procured" a copy of Mirror's edge. [http://eacom.s3.amazonaws.com/EULA+Standard+Aug+08+43170_1.pdf] When you install Mirror's edge, you agree to a legally binding contract.
So, you download it from a torrent site...
"You may make a one time permanent transfer to all your rights to install and use the Software to another individual or legal entity: Looks like the original owner of the game already broke the EULA, which affects you. If you're using Torrents, you've busted Paragraph 1-C,
"You are prohibited from making a copy of the Software available on a network where it could be used by multiple users." Whatever, let's keep going, you're concerned about Copy protection, so you get your firewall everything it needs to permanently block the game from the internet. You've broken paragraphs 3 and 4. While I may not agree with paragraphs 3 and 4, this does not mean you have a legal right to prohibit EA from gathering the information (vaguely) that EA acquires through it's software. Remember, this is a legally binding contract! For realsies!
Finally, the Software has DRM. What a pain in the arse! You go grab Reloaded's crack, and oop! Broke it again!
"Our Software uses access control and copy protection technology. An internet connection is required to authenticate the Software and verify your license. EA reserves the right to validate your license through subsequent online authentication." Every pirate that says "I'm not stealing, I'm avoiding the DRM, and not paying! Because I'm an entitled fuck!" gets hit on this one. By installing that crack, you're breaking the licence agreement, and you've got unauthorized software installed on your computer. Which is illegal. Doesn't matter where you're at, your committing an action that could land you in court, where you can lose very, very quickly.
"By installing or using the Software, you consent to be bound by this License. If you do not agree to the terms of this License, then do not install or use the Software. Section 3 below describes the data EA may use to provide services and support to you in connection with the Software. If you do not agree to this use of data, do not install or use the Software. IF YOU INSTALL the Software, the terms and conditions of this License are fully accepted by you."
You've broken the license agreement, time and time again. If there was a bouncer between you, and leaping over tall buildings, the bouncer would probably slug you in the face. But there's no such thing, so you're just another thief that feels "entitled" to play a game, and not pay the artists, which poured piss, blood, and sweat into their work.
Piracy is theft. You're using a service you're not permitted to even use in the first place, for free. Before you say "Mirror's edge is $60. For what, 20 hours of entertainment?" consider that Go-Kart's is $100 for 3 hours. A ski-trip is $50 for 5 hours. A night drinking with me is upwards of $100. You're getting a good deal, and you piss on it and have the gall to say that "I'm not a thief." How is robbing not only the publisher, but the people who built the game and fucking with the industry not stealing? Explain this to me? I want to make a game, but I'd like to be fucking paid for my work. That programming diploma on the wall wasn't free, you know. I don't particularly enjoy answering calls in a call center because someone felt that my work is valued at exactly $0.
One last thing, a lot of groups like reloaded explicitly state, "We provided this to you because we want to prove we cracked the software.
If you like the game, support the developers and buy it!" Would you?