When is pirating ok? (discussion)

[Rydian]

What I tend to do is, if I hit a post I want to reply to... wait. Keep reading other posts. Once I know the ones I want to reply to, I type up the replies, then copy-paste them into a single post and post.

Assuming nobody else posts while I'm doing that... which happens at times.

 

[porkiewpyne]

To expand on what Rydian said, I usually just quote the post I want to reply to and leave it there while reading the other posts. The best thing is that the 'new' GBATemp saves what is in your reply so you can view another page without losing the quote etc. Then after I have quoted all I wanted to quote, I move on to reply. Simple really.

 

[the_randomizer]

Steam is like a big store for digital pc games. Also used as an easy way to display the games you own, and you can run them all from one place. It's quite convenient.

Thing is, some pc games are only available on steam (even if they have a box in a store, it has a code that you must activate through steam to use it) so if Steam/Valve ever shut down the service, those games are useless even though we bought them.

Not that I can see them ever going down, Steam is excellent.

If steam ever goes down, there are ways to ensure you can play your games, but, uh, those methods aren't exactly legal to discuss here.

 

[gifi4]

Yes, the game had to have been purchased in the first place, but a second-hand game in no way gives more money to the developers in question, especially if said game is no longer being manufactured. There are a finite amount of used games in circulation.

Look at it like this: Guy A walks into to a shop and buys a game. He gets bored of it in several weeks/months (Basically an undefined period of time).
Guy B notices that Guy A is trying to sell the copy and takes it off his hands.
The developer gets payment for 1 copy of the game. Although two people have played it/consumed it. It was only 1 copy. Therefore, the developer doesn't deserve a second payment.

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don't tell me you newer double posted... but if you haven't than you don't understand me.​

Anyway, sorry ​

Ofcourse many of us have double posted. We then get corrected and asked politely to not double post next time, and we respectfully follow the request.​

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[Metoroid0]

Steam is like a big store for digital pc games. Also used as an easy way to display the games you own, and you can run them all from one place. It's quite convenient.

Thing is, some pc games are only available on steam (even if they have a box in a store, it has a code that you must activate through steam to use it) so if Steam/Valve ever shut down the service, those games are useless even though we bought them.

Not that I can see them ever going down, Steam is excellent.

Wait, but how can you run a 10GB game from internet directly or other games you bought? or do you like download them like eShop on 3DS​

and than play them? but than, what's the point of steam? is it that you can download your steam games wherever you are?​

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PS. Bye guys, i have to go. and sorry if i said something wrong
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Signature: IF YOU VIOLATE ANY OF THESE RULES AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU CREATED AN ACCOUNT JUST FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS GAME, YOU WILL BE SHUNNED BY THIS COMMUNITY, BRANDED AS A "POKéTARD," AND BANNED FROM EVER POSTING HERE AGAIN.

Why so rough telling the rules is enough imo

 

[Rydian]

Protip: If you're getting in trouble by posting too much, then posting more is not the solution.

 

[Metoroid0]

Protip: If you're getting in trouble by posting too much, then posting more is not the solution.

I know... i must go out of the house, i'm not feeling well.. bye for real...

And TKS Rydian

 

[Yepi69]

Because games cost too much in my country, really there's stores who are still selling Mario Kart DS games for 50$ (thats right, 50 fucking $).

I bought an EZ-Flash IV to play gba roms mostly because every cartridge I find on my country goes from 30$ to 40$, no box or any other shit, just the plain cartridge in which IDEK if its fake or not.

I think the only reason people pirate games its because they either:

a) Cost too much
b) Cuz their money needs to go on other things besides games
c) They have money and they are cheap fucks to buy a game

 

[porkiewpyne]

Why so rough telling the rules is enough imo

That one is a special one which we use during a certain special event. There's a very good reason why we said what we said. I don't mind people being new and all. Just put in effort instead of sitting and asking to be spoonfed and being self-entitled etc.

 

[emigre]

Is it wrong I opened this thread expecting it to be a 35 page long thread discussing if extreme poverty is a valid reason for piracy, influenced by relatively recent cases with Somalian pirates?

 

[porkiewpyne]

Is it wrong I opened this thread expecting it to be a 35 page long thread discussing if extreme poverty is a valid reason for piracy, influenced by relatively recent cases with Somalian pirates?

Pretty sure that was the discussion until the last 20 posts. Well except the "influenced by Somalian pirates" part

 

[pokefloote]

Wait, but how can you run a 10GB game from internet directly or other games you bought? or do you like download them like eShop on 3DS​

and than play them? but than, what's the point of steam? is it that you can download your steam games wherever you are?​

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It's exactly that, like the eShop. It's just easier than going to the store to find some obscure game, and less expensive for distributing the games (they dont need to make millions of discs, boxes, manuals, etc)

 

[TripleSMoon]

Why do I get the feeling that this thread is going to get an EXTREMELY healthy dose of features on Shit GBAtemp Says?

 

[FAST6191]

Is it wrong I opened this thread expecting it to be a 35 page long thread discussing if extreme poverty is a valid reason for piracy, influenced by relatively recent cases with Somalian pirates?

It demonstrates you are suffering from a break from reality and a fundamental inability to consider the thought patterns of others you are engaging with. Normally I would see about having you sectioned but as you appear to be heading down the path of politics, finance and related fields it is probably an asset to you should you be able to think like that.

 

[Prophet]

The only time pirating (tantamount to theft) can conceivably be morally permissible, is in cases in which the theft is committed in order to preserve something of greater moral value; in turn doing more good than harm. Under this conception one could conclude that stealing a loaf of bread (an immoral act under normal circumstances) would be permissible if an individual was starving (life being of a greater intrinsic moral value than respecting property rights) and this act of theft would not do the bread maker/owner a greater disservice than the good it would provide the starving individual.

Could this ever be the case when stealing video games? I can't imagine any practical case in which it would be.
A case could be made for pirating books however; if one is in grave need of the information contained.

 

[FAST6191]

The only time pirating (tantamount to theft) can conceivably be morally permissible, is in cases in which the theft is committed in order to preserve something of greater moral value; in turn doing more good than harm. Under this conception one could conclude that stealing a loaf of bread (an immoral act under normal circumstances) would be permissible if an individual was starving (life being of a greater intrinsic moral value than respecting property rights) and this act of theft would not do the bread maker/owner a greater disservice than the good it would provide the starving individual.

Could this ever be the case when stealing video games? I can't imagine any practical case in which it would be.
A case could be made for pirating books however; if one is in grave need of the information contained.

Normally I would have taken the bait and gone in for picking things apart but I have things to do at present. However before I depart I shall merely say games have been used to teach life and death skills in medicine, engineering, resource management and the list goes on in times past.

 

[Rydian]

pirating (tantamount to theft)

http://gbatemp.net/threads/piracy-common-myths.344858/

 

[Prophet]

Normally I would have taken the bait and gone in for picking things apart but I have things to do at present. However before I depart I shall merely say games have been used to teach life and death skills in medicine, engineering, resource management and the list goes on in times past.

I'm glad you didn't waste your time on such a weak critique. Essentially you're just arguing semantics. I'm talking about video games as they are commonly considered -- objects designed for our enjoyment/entertainment. Now if you want to slip training programs and educational software under the umbrella of “video games,” I can make that concession without compromising the integrity of my argument in any way. Do you see how that works?

Now if you’ll excuse me, I too have some super extraordinarily important grown-up I’m-a-big-deal serious business to attend to. Good day sir!

http://gbatemp.net/threads/piracy-common-myths.344858/

That’s a much better point. Nonetheless, the definition of theft you are linking strikes me as a tad narrow. For instance if I were to steal a loaf of bread from you on Tuesday and then replace it with one I baked on Wednesday, without you ever noticing -- would I have stolen from you? Hard to say. I’ve certainly infringed upon your property rights and taken something I clearly had no normal right to. Or what if a baker had a magic oven that produced bread indefinitely; if the oven belongs to him, do I have the right to help myself to the surplus bread? Still seems like I would be infringing upon his property rights. Now you may want to just dismiss the concept of “property rights” in general and I would be sympathetic to that cause (I lean heavily towards socialist). However be clear, that would come with the consequence of it being equally permissible for me to “pirate” a game or burglarize your home. Once you get rid of the idea that a person can have privileged rights upon property, the gloves are off.

Copyright is just an extension of property rights (this is mine and I set the terms of if and how you are allowed to use it) and I can’t see any way around the impermissibility of agreeing to abide by copyrights (upon purchasing copyright protected goods) and then disregarding the copyright after you have procured the object. It can be done without consequence in most cases, but let’s not pretend it isn't wrong. No one is born with some inherent right to entertainment mediums.

 

[Rydian]

That’s a much better point. Nonetheless, the definition of theft you are linking strikes me as a tad narrow. For instance if I were to steal a loaf of bread from you on Tuesday and then replace it with one I baked on Wednesday, without you ever noticing -- would I have stolen from you?

Yes. The two are separate acts. The first is theft, the second is a gift. Gifting does not mean that the act of theft never happened. The two loaves of bread are two separate objects.

If I never noticed, you still stole, but I wouldn't press charges ('cause I wouldn't even know).

If you're trying to equate this to downloading files online... the original files being read for the download are never modified or removed.

Or what if a baker had a magic oven that produced bread indefinitely; if the oven belongs to him, do I have the right to help myself to the surplus bread?

By the law no. By morals, depends on the situation and who you ask.

 

[FAST6191]

Commonly defined...."enjoyment/entertainment"... there is a very serious issue defining what exactly makes a game and is the subject of intense debate. To that end attempting to casually dismiss things gets to be tricky and "enjoyment/entertainment" is both rather narrow and open to a wide range of interpretations to say nothing of the potential minefield of "what is a "grave" need?".

I suppose in some cases it has gained the moniker serious games but the line is very blurred and things like http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ionship-manager-becomes-football-reality.html have happened. I agree it is a sport and does not matter but on the flip side the sums of money involved are frequently considerably more than my lazy arse will earn this year.

Similarly though it may not be to the taste of everybody there are those that enjoy simulation type games and that surely means some of the stock market (or other investment markets) games straddle just for fun and useful in real life.

I am probably supposed to say America's Army at this stage but I do not know enough about that game to back arguments at a proper level here.

Pushing it a bit some of the racing games and other driving games are rather potent simulations of real world places these days. A track day fatality/serious injury is not an unknown thing and a wrecked car is.

http://fold.it/portal/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Human-based_computation_games ? Now most of those are actually free but I will still have it in there.