Jimquisition: Piracy Episode One - Copyright

[Jimothy Sterling]

Piracy Episode One - Copyright

Piracy is one of those issues that will absolutely never die, like the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle of the truth of the Zelda Timeline. Jim Sterling has always had a set view on piracy -- it's not the worst crime in the world, but it's selfish theft nonetheless. However, in the wake of corporate attempts to buy our legal system, he has reexamined the piracy issue and come away with a rather altered stance.

This is the first episode in a miniature series looking at the problem of videogame piracy.

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[Marmooset]

You weren't wrong the first time. They are. What happens in another area does not change the nature of an individual's actions.
Your example, if taken to extremes, would give a partial justification for Swinging Ape to engage in piracy - not the sideline sitting parasites who actually do so. Another bad guy in the room does not preclude you from being one, too.

 

[Killertje]

Some interesting points. I guess buying old games whose developers are long gone is bad for the industry, since it gives publishers a reason not to sell the IP.

 

[Stemer]

Hang on if anyone said this on the forums they would get banned faster than you could say "hypocrisy".

I completely agree with Jim though, and that was a great episode.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Dear Jim:

Spoiler: A picture is worth a thousand words (click to see)

As a reformed pirate, I agree. And as someone who is just beginning work on a game with some friends, this is a VERY important warning to me and my fellow teammates. We will need to keep our modsbanned creative right to the project.

I find it appalling how some companies can just take your creative idea, and then neither do anything with them, nor let YOU do anything with them. It's total shit, and totally unacceptable.

I will spread this video far and wide. Stay classy, Jim. *salute*

 

[Hitchmeister]

On the other hand, these big publishers didn't seize the rights away from creators at gunpoint. They walked up and waved a bag of cash in front of them. It seemed like a good deal at the time, and I have a hard time feeling sympathy for anyone who sold their soul, or IP, to EA.*

Then on the third hand, you get stuff like a band posting videos they created themselves of their own music on Youtube and getting takedown orders from their record company because they don't have the rights to promote themselves in any way that might interfere with the company's profits. Yeah, screw that.




*I know EA wasn't actually involved in the example in the video, but I wanted to draw a selling your soul to the devil analogy, and EA just fit so well.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Well said boyo.

Also, new glasses? I ask this, because I don't usually feel your gaze drilling into my soul.

 

[Ilikemilkshake]

This episode gave me a mind boner.
Completely agree with everything you said.. also gutted about Metal Arms i used to love playing that back on the gamecube, at least now i know why there hasnt been another.

 

[Scrustle]

Interesting to see how what Jim says has changed since this whole SOPA thing. I'm not calling him a hypocrite or anything, because he's not. It's just interesting to see how his ideas are changing in light of changing events.

 

[Bobic]

You mean I missed out on two more Metal Arms games? Those Bastards!

Actually, that does make a lot of sense, I always thought there were a few plotpoints and things that were just forgotten about by the end of the game. Still, it's a pity.

Oh, and to be on topic, although you have a point, I still don't think someone being a dick justifies being a dick to them, unless your dickishness helps fight their dickishness. Then again, I've always looked at morals on a personal level, rather than a big picture thing. If you take something, that doesn't belong to you, that you didn't earn, and wasn't gifted to you by someone with the right to gift it, then you are a thief and a twonk.

 

[MonkeyPunch]

What's f'ed up is that in the last few months I have garnered the same rage as Jim towards publishers etc. It makes me f'ing furious recently.

And the point which I find the most poignant is that actually Publishers really are becoming totally obsolete and all this recent bullshit they've instigated really does look like nothing else than a feeble attempt at making sure they are somehow still relevant. Which they aren't. They just put billions in to making sure they can't be taken out of the loop offering totally irrelevant and immaterial services.

Anyways, best stop there before that vein on my forehead pops.

btw. I still think pirates (in video game terms) are people who don't want games as we know them to continue and thrive, but they piss me off less than the corporate scum. Especially when most of the games revenue nowaydays goes to some fat slob behind a desk without the faintest clue about games, yet calls all the shots like he does.

In fact I truly believe that the corporate side of gaming is killing the games industry far quicker than any pirates are.

 

[enzilewulf]

Well said. This actually just changed my views on Sony and Universal Media. Fuck them. Seriously the Internet is a world all its own, one any one can contribute to, but not one that any one may regulate. Censoring it is a crime all its own.

 

[Jimothy Sterling]

Fun fact. The artists and developers own 100% of their IP. They then decide to sell the rights away for money and more resources. Duh.

That's what happens when the rights-buyers have rigged the game in their favor before the artists create their art. Duh.

 

[newdarkcloud]

Publishers don't sell or give back the IP to avoid competition. If they sold back the IP, then the developer could theoretically just go to another publisher for the sequel or self-publish.

I'm not saying it's good (or moral, because it does stifle creativity and I do agree with Jim), but I can rationalize the reasoning behind the action.

On the other hand, I do consider pirating games from these old, unused IPs victimless crimes.

 

[Ariyura]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this why they can't get the IP back for Firefly? Because Fox now owns it?

 

[cynicalsaint1]

While copyright law is a festering pile of bullshit, I still have to say that I feel that piracy is bad for the industry in general. I mean you talk like game sales aren't where the actual developers of the games are getting their money from - or determine what games get made, etc.

You can hate on the big publishers all you want but by pirating you hurt the publisher and the developer, essentially punishing the devs for the publisher's sins.

 

[Kojiro ftt]

They only spent $190k? That's peanuts. Sounds like they didn't really think it would work. If they were truly behind it, I would expect numbers in the millions.

 

[Duol]

They sold their art to people who were better placed to make money out of it... So? I hate all this "suffering artist" crap. If you don't need publishers then do it yourself, just don't cry when Modern Warfare 83 sells 83 million times as many copies as you do.

Stealing a loaf of bread from a rich person is the same as stealing it from a hobo. Not that I think piracy should be directly equated with theft. People knowingly commit crimes which disadvantage other people and their ability to make money. I don't care if it's Kotik or hobo 73.