do you think downloading/copying games is wrong ?

[bipper]

Back up, as long as that is what it stays, legal.

Nope making a backup of a game or DVD is illegal.

[ultima88]

the thing is tho, i was after FF9, they do not make this game any more, so as a result it would have to bought second hand, i give the money to the person who owns the game, not the company who made it, so weather i download it or buy it the company dosn't get any money any way.

oh and did you know that technically its illegal to even lend people games ?

[bipper]

Yeah the rules and regulations on multimedia are retarded. I really wish something would be done to give us Americans the freedom to share. I hate companies basically saying if you wantto every see anything of our game, you will buy it!!

Its rediculous.

Bipper

[Vyk]

I'm of the mind that if my money isn't going to get to the company that made it anyway, then it really doesn't matter how I obtain a certain game. Buying off eBay or getting something used in EB isn't going to make money for the developers or publishers. Neither is pirating. If Nintendo starts a revolution with its Revolution as far as old games go, I'd be perfectly willing to pay for age-old games, as long as the prices aren't rediculous. As it stands (for old games anyway) whether its illegal or not, it really doesn't matter what you do. The original company won't be making any money off of you from it either way.

[Master Quan]

Back up, as long as that is what it stays, legal.

Nope making a backup of a game or DVD is illegal.

Not where I come from.

[cookieface]

I only downloaded old games that can't be bought new anymore. Or that can be found, allegedly, but only like on ebay, and sold by crooks who copied them anyways (sometimes even the booklets), so the creator isn't getting squat anyways. New games, to tell the truth, it's rare when I actually plan and look forward to playing a new game, since they mostly all suck now. But when I do, I would rather buy it. And eventhough it's illegal to copy your own disks, I do it anyways, to spare the original from damage. When and if the blue ray disks are really scratch proof, I guess that won't be an issue. But considering new games coming out will continue to suck, I guess it won't matter. I can already imagine the kind of video games people are going to be playing 10 years from now. Basically just big chatrooms with some side quests, like world of warcraft. Yawn.

How's that for going off topic

[Skyblade]

Yes in new games it is included in teh End user license agreement. You know, the agreement you agree to before buying the game so have no idea what you are agreeing to, yet it holds up find in a federal court of law!?

As you can see yes, they say that you cannot manipulate the intelectual properties through any non standard use. This includes backing up - DVD's use this too.

I hate it, but thats the way it is.

Bipper

Copying isn't manipulating, since the original data is left perfectly intact. Manupilating it would involve changing it. Since I'm not tyring to profit by it, if that was the line they are using to prevent people from making backups, I could beat it in court so easily... But lets face it, people don't get brought into court for making backups.

Personally, I don't think that it is valid. Downloading games rather than purchasing them is theft. You are stealing the money that the game costs from the makers. People argue that "they wouldn't buy the games anyway". Really? Prove it. If you couldn't steal a couple hundred games, you wouldn't even buy one? I doubt it. Even if you wouldn't, the argument still isn't valid. I can't afford a 96' Plasma TV. That justifies me to go out and steal one? Yeah, right.

However, I do download games myself. Under one of two circumstances. The first is that the game is no longer available under normal circumstances. This means that the game's creators won't be getting more money from any further sales. It's still stealing, but I don't really care. They aren't getting anything out of it, so I might as well put it to good use. By trying out their previous games, I am also increasing the chances of trying out their future games (if I like one game, I'm far more likely to buy sequels). I'm also very careful to make sure that I'm not caught.

The second circumstance is the exact opposite. I sometimes download games which have beta versions pirated early (though it's far more frequent with movies). But if I do so, I make sure to purchase a complete, legal copy after the full release is made. That way I am not denying them any money, I am simply keeping myself sane by indulging my obsessive fandom before the game/movie is actually released.

[Cloud No.9]

reproduction of any part of a game is illegal for any reason. it comes up in the green text on ps1 games as far as i can remember.

[Skyblade]

reproduction of any part of a game is illegal for any reason. it comes up in the green text on ps1 games as far as i can remember.

Ah, see, now that I couldn't weasel my way out of. That's why I make sure that I don't get caught. I still haven't heard of someone being brought to court for making a backup though...

[Cloud No.9]

but do you want to be the first?

[Skyblade]

but do you want to be the first?

Sure, why not? I'd love to be the one who starts a tirade against game companies for preventing us from making backups for our own use because the companies are so anal that they won't let people copy them at all, even when they put their work on something as fragile as a CD. It wouldn't be good for any company which attempted it (especially since they'd have to break the law in order to prove it).

Of course first, they'd have to catch me.

[cookieface]

They won't catch you since I doubt they're trying. As long as you don't make a lot of copies and try to sell them, no one will care.

And you know besides all this, I know people who consistently pirate games, movies and whatever. Yet they still buy quite a few of them. Legit copies that is. People want to buy the good stuff anyways.

Besides, I would find it ironic to call something like a GTA game as "intellectual (property)". I say pirate crap, who cares!

[Skyblade]

They won't catch you since I doubt they're trying. As long as you don't make a lot of copies and try to sell them, no one will care.

And you know besides all this, I know people who consistently pirate games, movies and whatever. Yet they still buy quite a few of them. Legit copies that is. People want to buy the good stuff anyways.

Besides, I would find it ironic to call something like a GTA game as "intellectual (property)". I say pirate crap, who cares!

I remember hearing that the more people pirate something, the more likely it would be that companies would stop making those things altogether. If that were true, I'd even help out with downloading crap...

[Vyk]

Yay, no more GTA-style games..