I'm sure if there legal or not, but I have no problem using them for older games like N64 and GBA. The only way your gonna be able to get older games like that is by buying them used anyway, and since the developers get no portion of that money, the only people your screwing by using emulators is gamestop and other used game companies.
Your view on emulators.
- Thread starter JWRosser
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I like Emulators.
I'm currently building a small pc that will run a bare version of Windows XP purely for emulators.
I admit its a grey area. I can go to a shop, get a Genesis with Sonic on it for under 40 euro's no problem. But the graphics are crap on modern tv's. With Emulators they get beefed up a bit.
Also some games are almost impossible to come by.
So for the really old stuff, Yeh i'm in.
I'm currently building a small pc that will run a bare version of Windows XP purely for emulators.
I admit its a grey area. I can go to a shop, get a Genesis with Sonic on it for under 40 euro's no problem. But the graphics are crap on modern tv's. With Emulators they get beefed up a bit.
Also some games are almost impossible to come by.
So for the really old stuff, Yeh i'm in.
They're not illegal, so long as you get the core files from your own version of the console instead of downloading them.
I personally use one on my laptop because it's far more portable to just take the laptop + Disc than carrying around and setting up a console + television.
I personally use one on my laptop because it's far more portable to just take the laptop + Disc than carrying around and setting up a console + television.
I agree with emulators as long as they respect a personal rule I made up for these things:
"If you can't find it in any store anymore or if you're in a country with no access to it, or if you can't affort the console, do it."
Until now, no emulators necessary, I buy what I need to run the game.
"If you can't find it in any store anymore or if you're in a country with no access to it, or if you can't affort the console, do it."
Until now, no emulators necessary, I buy what I need to run the game.
Emulators are not illegal, however many of the ROMs are. Many companies don't bother with pursuing people who use abandonware ROMs because they don't turn a profit from that particular game. On the other hand, many use emulators ad ROMs to play brand new games and new consoles without having to pay for it, often making them a simple method of handheld console piracy.
Hey man, emulators save me boredom time at work. It also gives me something else to do when Angry Birds' horrible physics engine frustrates me, haha.
I have nothing against emulators, and so long as you actually own the game that you are emulating (at least here stateside, and that means for the system you're emulating on top of having the actual game) it's perfectly legal. I've a friend that has an emulator for PS1 games that he actually uses his PS1 games in, he pops them in the tray and uses a PS3 controller to play them.
Now if you're using an emulator to play games you don't own, I can't condone that.
Now if you're using an emulator to play games you don't own, I can't condone that.
Emulators aren't illegal at all. Developers use them all the time to test their code, that's actually what they were originally designed for. Especially for stuff like mobile phone apps, where it's a matter of changing a few options to test all the various models and firmware versions (rather than buying a sack of phones).CM156 said:
The only illegal part is downloading games off the internet.
It's the same with hacking/homebrewing a console. It's not technically illegal (though it may be against the EULA) to do, it's just frowned upon because it could enable illegal activity. But really it's no different from tuning up a car: if you own it, taking it apart is your prerogative.
I admit to using a GBA emulator, because I simply can't find the games anywhere for sale. Believe me, I'd much rather play on my handheld. Now for recent consoles, there's really no excuse, IMO.
Also, I'm not really sure how the law views emulators around here.
Also, I'm not really sure how the law views emulators around here.
That's my view too.tomme69 said:
I've downloaded SEGA Genesis games, but only ones that I owned years ago, as I wanted to play them again.
Currently I'm trying to work a PSX emulator (the thought of this thread made me want to get one) to play some of the old Final Fantasies - all of which I own, but have no console to play on.
I don't know if emulators are legal or not. According to people in this thread, they are.
As for my person views on them, I see no problem with them for the most part. Most people use them to play games that are pretty old. You can't go out and buy them or the console they run on new anymore. So from a profit standpoint, the company which makes the software and/or hardware has already made money off it, so they aren't losing anything by someone choosing an emulator or ROM over a used product.
Using an emulator for a recent game or system though does come awfully close to piracy though. In that case I do have to admit that it would be morally right for a person to actually go and buy the stuff themselves.
As for my person views on them, I see no problem with them for the most part. Most people use them to play games that are pretty old. You can't go out and buy them or the console they run on new anymore. So from a profit standpoint, the company which makes the software and/or hardware has already made money off it, so they aren't losing anything by someone choosing an emulator or ROM over a used product.
Using an emulator for a recent game or system though does come awfully close to piracy though. In that case I do have to admit that it would be morally right for a person to actually go and buy the stuff themselves.
I wont go too deep into this subject cause Ive said it all before, but this is one particular caveat that is being overlooked.Manchubot said:
While Sega is not making profit off of genesis catridges.. they are still making profit off of genesis software. Just look at how many Genesis games you can pick up off of steam like Ecco the dolphin, Streets of rage, Sonic (insert detailer here), etc.
You can make a claim for abandonware, however that claim falls flat when you try to claim a game is abandonware in this era of relaunching old IPs. So unless its a company that the dev/publisher is not producing for profit any longer, you really cant claim its abandonware. So my point is... Sega, Squaresoft, etc all have means of which to resell those old games on different platforms, so you cant call it abandonware because the software is still being sold for profit and by using a rom/ISO of that software, at least in the companies eyes, your denying them of a sale, be it on the virtual console, XBL marketplace, steam, PSN, or new console incarnations.
EDIT: and to clarify... on the legallity of Emulators. Its all about Location and precedent.
In the US.. the precedent to point to us Bleem vs Sony. Just look up the history of Bleem
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleem
It also clarifies how the emulator software is legal, but the game software without original licensed discs is copy infringement when you actually read up on the case notes. So Emulators, perfectly legal, but useless unless you have the original media to go along with it.
I use them to emulate the Pokemon games that I bought and lost. Currently playing through Ruby on one, think I'm going to Crystal next...
I don't mind emulators as long as it's just for outdated games you can't buy any longer, like Mario Kart for the N64 or Starfox 64 for the same system
I use an emulator to play games I own but don't have the hardware to run them on anymore.
I don't support people using them to play games they don't own a copy of.
I don't support people using them to play games they don't own a copy of.