Cracked Software - Feeling guilty?

Can someone please find me the quote about one of the representatives on Segs saying Sega didn't care about Dreamcast games being burned. I swear i read this couple of years back.
Ever since i read the article i have been downloading Dreamcast games and burning them.
I also download alot of NES, SNES, and GBA Roms. Thats about it.

i run fluxbox so no need to steal software

 

I think that many people misunderstand on purpose the meaning of the copyrights as well as its legal policies, and forgive themselves with some excuse that will not cover their cybercrimes. For instance, a few months ago I started playing Lunar: Silver Star Harmony for the PSP and I liked it a lot. Instead of buying that version of the game, I went ebay and got both Lunar 1 and 2 for the original PSX, however I kept playing the remake on my handheld.
Was my action wrong? Yes. Did I feel less guilty? Yes, I mean, its the same title basically and I even spent a few more bucks for getting the 2nd instalment of the series so why would I be bothered by some BS copyright issues?

 

The last time I downloaded a ROM with the intention of playing it seriously on an emulator would've been at least six years ago, probably a fair bit longer. It's not even an issue of morals, more one of preference - the real hardware's just much nicer. You can keep your "enhanced" graphics and cheats, I can understand the appeal but I honestly don't want them.

Right now Sega are in the process of re-releasing many Dreamcast games on XBLA. So you tell me, do Sega care if people get these games for free instead?

 

I would hazard a guess that most people working at SEGA now only know the Dreamcast as a name pertaining to the games they are now releasing. If I burn a DC disk, they won't care.

If I pirate current-gen SEGA re-releases, I am sure they would care. Neither my PS3 nor XB360 is hacked to run pirate games anyway, so it's not a problem. I hardly game these days anyway. I just have bouts of nostalgia.

 

I feel a little bit guilty, but mostly I feel the financial relief.

 

I must admit, the copy of Windows 7 Pro that's sat on my shelf is the first time I've ever owned a legitimate copy of Windows, other than ones that came pre-installed. In fact, all the software on my Macs is completely kosher. :thumbsup:

As for the Wii, all the kid's games are on a HDD connected to it; the original discs are at their Mum's. Whilst this is most certainly illegal, I don't feel guilty about it. They can only play one console at once and I'm not messing around with discs being here, there and everywhere. There's no point me attempting to justify it, because it is naughty, but it does makes my life much easier.

 

There is a huge issue with this.
1. They are not the same game. A lot of changes went into the PSP remake including all new art.
2. The studio who localised and published the PS1 versions is no longer in buisness
3. By not buying the PSP version, you're cheating the company who published and localized that version which cheats them out of money they deserve.

Sure the PS1 versions are more expensive or worth more money but that still completely ignores XSeed and all the work they did on bringing the PSP version to USA.

As well, just my personal opinion, but XSeed deserves every damn penny owed to them. The're the only company pretty much risking their entire studio to bring Falcom games to the USA. Games that many other publishers passed on due to the cost. And they're ****ing amazing games too.
:dammit:

 

I know Subbie, that was just the excuse I made myself not to get the original. It still is wrong... and I admit it.

But besides that, is it illegal to download a bootleg game that is no longer supported by its creators? Private torrent trackers such as UG maintain "safety" rules for the content that should and should not be uploaded there, aka - the release dates. It's served as a database to preserve its original content... is this all wrong?

I say, retro-gaming = second hand buy as we're not contributing anything to the game publisher in any way.

Am I wrong?

 

Just typed out a nice response and Firefox ate it. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware

Basically, yes, you're wrong.

 

It's really grey area. Publishers would argue it's still illegal and by law it kind of is but unless said software is available for sale, how can you purchase something which can not be purchased? So it kind of depends on what it is and how it's avalible.

Is it ok to run out and pirate Nes games? No because nintendo does make them available for sale via the wii (and eventually 3ds & future systems). But if you where off trying to find some old PC game from the 80's/90's. It's not like you're going to find an easy avenue to purchase them and dl from an abadonwares site would lie in a grey area. Still kind of illegal but nobody is going to hunt you down for it.

-edit-
To clarify further. On old PC games again it's a case of if it's avalible by other legal means. Like pirating Doom/Wolfenstine is not ok since ID makes it available in many fashions. Yet if you went after Zork 1 (which I think is freeware now), nobody is going to be out to get you.

 

I know one person with a legit copy of Photoshop.

 

I don't think preservation of this kind of media is wrong at all.

It may be illegal NOW, but think about future generations... it will be legal for your grandchildren/ great-grandchildren to play, study and enjoy! Who's with meh?

 

Preserving media means doing it through legal means, if you want to do it right. As a temporary, unorganized movement, sure piracy makes some things available, but its certainly not a permanent solution.

 

You make a good point subbie! I've seen many abandonware sites clearly say if you have the rights to a piece of software and you don't want it available on said site, to notify them and it will be taken down immediately.

I think for the interm that is the best solution. I know most Atari 2600 games are availabe via roms even on AtariAge.com, again they have posted that if you have the rights to a game and don't want it posted to notify them and they will take it down.

I think for the preservation of the media that is going to have to be the way to do it for the mean time. Its not necessarily legal, but its a solution.

If it weren't for collectors and websites like this one, I think we would have lost many of the more obscure systems already, even including the Virtual Boy . . .

-Disjaukifa

 

Spotify has pretty much rendered illegally downloaded music obsolete... As for games, I don't play much but if I get the chance to buy something rare/old and it's a decent price I don't hesitate.

 

For you, maybe. The amount of music shared online illegally is still unimaginable.

 

Oh yes, I was speaking from my point of view, as the OP also was speaking from his personal viewpoint.

 

Cracked software.. do I feel guilty ? Bloody Fuck No ! And why is that ? well I just bought three old games two days, and all of them I used to have in cracked versions first, so I must add my two cents in this boiling pot of capitalists versus socialists. Actually if the game is extremely good, then I feel in the long run, that the games are worth buying, and that is what I did. And I got the complete HOM&M 3, 4 and 5 plus the complete Icewind Dale saga for 200 kroner, which I think was smashing great. Cause I love at least three of those games Also I helped a guy ripping his old and original DOS games (here we are talking about diskettes, where some of them were 5.25 and others were 3.5 inches) and some of them had those notorious sector copy protections, so I helped him out. By supplying him some old cracking programs , and they helped him immensely . So it is a double edged sword, and I have probably said this before. But the best programmers are the crackers, and reverse engineers. Also I have something 50+ ORIGINAL PS2 games, and no copies. So I am not a pirate, also I either buy my games on an extreme discount, or used in the case of PS2 games.