[ILoveYou]

What's your opinion about downloading illegall copies of adventure games online? I'm quite mixed up with this cuz altho it's illegal and certainly will not help the game developers to create new ones it might be the only way of getting some game, especially old classics which aren't available anywhere.

Anyways, what's your view on this? And please keep it clean

[Captain Blondebeard]

Get an extinguisher cause its about to get really hot in here.

[SakSquash]

Ahem...well, it's illegal, and morally wrong to do it...and i've never done it. So if any cops show up asking about me, make sure you tell them that.

But seriously, in my mind, it's the same thing about freeware games. If an adventure game is older than sin, and you're not planning on re-releasing it, for god sakes let the people have it! Stop being so greedy and remember why you got into making games; because you love games.

[squarejawhero]

Ethically it's wrong. But, in certain cases, in some countries it might be the only way to obtain certain games as a "last resort".

[SakSquash]

Yeah..um...people should just stop being cheap and pay the $50 for a game!

[Shodan]

Originally Posted by squarejawhero

Ethically it's wrong. But, in certain cases, in some countries it might be the only way to obtain certain games as a "last resort".

This is true. And in some Asian countries, where imported games are rare and wind up costing enough money to eat out at fancy restaurants for an entire week, it sometimes makes more sense to buy pirated versions of games at that little pirated store down the street for the equivalent of US$1.25 each.

I personally have no problem downloading old adventure games that companies like Sierra and Lucas Arts can't be bothered to re-release. If they're only going to cry when they're being illegally distributed on the net, then I'm guessing they care less for the game itself than the fans do.

[FullyRenderedThinking]

I figure that if I'm in a position where this unfolds....

I can either pirate game or not pirate game.
if game is not pirated, game will not be bought by me

.... then it is ok for me to pirate the game.
essentially, I won't be robbing the developers of any money if I wasn't in a position where i'd be buying the game in a world where pirating didnt even exist in the first place.
it's still just not courteous though, and I am an asshole for using my superior intellectual abilities for thinking outside of ethical constraints....
just kidding. My IQ is the equivalent of MC hammers credit score.
kidding again... .or am i.... yes, i AM a tricky devil... :: waves around a single playing card in a mysterious fashion and introduces a well dressed midget who talks backwards::

[Aj_]

I'm not going to get into a long debate (again, hopefully), because people have been conditioned, or something.

So I ask you these questions:
Why is it immoral?
Why is it illegal?

[SakSquash]

Originally Posted by Aj_

I'm not going to get into a long debate (again, hopefully), because people have been conditioned, or something.

So I ask you these questions:
Why is it immoral?
Why is it illegal?

It's immoral because it's stealing.
It's illegal because it's stealing.

[Lucien21]

Originally Posted by temporaryscars

It's immoral because it's stealing.
It's illegal because it's stealing.

Ah jeez now you'll get him started.

There are a few threads on JA+ on this subject and Aj's like the energiser bunny

[Lucien21]

Computer games are a luxury item not an necessity.

If you can't find a copy or can't afford to buy one on Ebay or anywhere else then tough shit.

It's not however an excuse to pilfer a copy.

After all I can't afford a Aston Martin DB9, but I doubt the rossers would look kindly on the "Sorry but I couldn't afford one so I thought I'd take this one" excuse.

The other lame excuse that is usually used to justify it is:

"Well I wasn't going to buy it anyway so it's not like the developer is losing any money"

Bollocks
If it's not something worth paying money for then why sould you want to play it.

It's only really acceptable if it is made freeware by whoever owns the rights.

I do wish however that these people were more willing to allow old games to be available for posperity.

[Aj_]

It's immoral because it's stealing.
It's illegal because it's stealing.

It is not stealing. Stealing is a different offence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealing

In certain jurisdictions theft has been legally defined in various ways thus making it a statutory offence. For example, in England and Wales, the Theft Act 1968 defines it as: "...the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other (the owner or person in lawful possession) of it."

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=stealing

To take (the property of another) without right or permission.

I have learnt I can't have any kind of intelligent debate unless you understand this.

[smashing]

I agree with tempsie that it's illegal because it's stealing, but legality is ultimately not something universal, and legislation changes from country to country. To me at least, pirating is illegal since it's equivalent to using intellectual property, with paying for it, i.e. stealing.

Immoral? Well, I don't know. Is it moral for publishers to set prices often at the displeasure of the developers? Is it moral for book writers to see their books being priced at US$200, just because the publishers feel that lots of institution would want to get copies of it, and feel that it's an opportunity to earn money?

[smashing]

Originally Posted by Aj_

It is not stealing. Stealing is a different offence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealing

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=stealing


I have learnt I can't have any kind of intelligent debate unless you understand this.

Geesh! Another wiki definition? Now I'm scared...

[Aj_]

You have to make a distinction between taking and copying, and from property and "intellectual property", there are many differences, find out for yourself.

[TheDerman]

Hmmm, to get involved or to not get involved - I just don't know.

Nah, I'll leave it this time.

[Lucien21]

Originally Posted by Aj_

You have to make a distinction between taking and copying, and from property and "intellectual property", there are many differences, find out for yourself.

Legal pedantic bullshit aside.

You are still taking and using something which you didn't pay for and received no permission from the legal owners to use.

Legally and Morally you are still committing an offense no matter what definition you wish to put on it.

Piracy=Theft

[Aj_]

1. No taking involved.
2. Stealing has nothing to do with payment.
3. No one owns the right to use, read what copyright is.

Pedantic enough for you?

Or are you going to spout out uninformed bullshit some more?

[Wreck]

I buy every game I have in box for my collection. Some of mine are unopened though because I collect so if I want a copy of Goldrush just to play it, or Loom, or some game that is impossible to find anywhere (and I already own it but I choose to keep the box closed), I will definately try to find a download location for a 300kbs sized game so I can enjoy it.

I own them all anyway though. Not sure what difference it makes. Heck, for most games, the only way to get them is to find them on Ebay. Camalot, Longbow, Laura Bows, Loom, etc You won't find any of the 80's early 90's games in stores period.

Any for people that post pubicly on here and bash downloading a game, I think you need to search your entire PC for any video, music file, or game, or piece of software, that you never actually purchased from the original designer or producer. None of us are completely innocent of having something on our PC we didn't pay for originally.

[Lucien21]

Originally Posted by Aj_

Or are you going to spout out uninformed bullshit some more?

You know what. I was going to argue back, but from all the uninformed bullshit you have posted here and elsewhere it's not worth the effort.

Keep splitting those hairs and clinging on to your flimsy justifications for piracy.