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DArtagnan
Guest
I find that circumstances tend to be unique in almost every single instance of what's legally considered piracy - and as such, I find trying to pigeonhole the entire concept excessively shortsighted.
The only way around this is to stop bitching on forums (or at least not just bitch here) and write letters, emails, etc. to Atari, so they KNOW that people are interested in premium modules, but that the DRM is keeping them away.
I find that circumstances tend to be unique in almost every single instance of what's legally considered piracy - and as such, I find trying to pigeonhole the entire concept excessively shortsighted.
I think there's a lot of grey areas. Buying the game legally then downloading a cracked & drm free version - legally piracy, but morally fine. Buying the game legally then if the drm ever restricts, downloading a cracked & drm free version - again fine.
Any situation that involves playing the game without Ossian being paid for it though is, unequivocally, acting like a complete arsehole and any amount of huffing and puffing and pretending it's the publishers fault for making people act like arseholes is just complete, self serving bullshit denial.
Any situation that involves playing the game without Ossian being paid for it though is, unequivocally, acting like a complete arsehole and any amount of huffing and puffing and pretending it's the publishers fault for making people act like arseholes is just complete, self serving bullshit denial.
You don't sound like a very "grey area" aware person when you speak with words so emotionally laden.
Anyway, it's not my responsibility as a consumer to ensure that whoever has done the work, gets paid. That's out of my hand completely.
Often enough, the money (the REAL money) ends up with people who did little or no work - and that's hardly my fault.
What we can agree on, is that good work deserves compensation. I would gladly pay twice or thrice the standard price for any game worthy of being called good.
But there are so many factors involved in each incident - that I find it impossible to make a broad statement regarding the "ethical" nature of piracy.
You guys talked me into it, I'm buying. You're right -- it would be stupid and wrong to punish Ossian for Atari's idiocy. But I would like to mail Atari's CEO a big steaming turd to express how I feel about these shenanigans.
You lot crack on with that if you want, personally i couldn't give a crap about this kind of drm and don't understand why people are getting their knickers in such a twist about it.
And I especially don't understand why they'd pick this game of all games to take a stand on.
It's a small, independent studio,
Often enough, the money (the REAL money) ends up with people who did little or no work - and that's hardly my fault.
Atari's future will be interesting. They've sold their physical distribution branch to, I think, Namco Bandai.
I think I illustrated quite well how I might run out of 'licenses' very quickly with my current set up.
For me, it's because it is the first time I have encountered it.
They're more a victim than anyone
That's irrelevent. Whether or not it is going to the people that developed it doesn't matter. If you haven't paid for it, you shouldn't be playing it. The ONLY situation I can see otherwise is if a legel copy simply is not attainable.
Why? Surely it's possible to recognise that some things fall into confusing grey areas, while other things just aren't ambiguous at all.
It's not your responsiblity to ensure that the money that you've been honest enough to pay is split fairly between the potential recipients but it is IMO your responsibility to be honest enough to pay for things that you use. That's the implied contract - producers try to make things worth consuming and consumers pay for what they consume.
Indeed, which is what makes this whole furore so odd - if it's so good that one wants to play it so many times that the drm might potentially bite then $9.95 is cheap even if one pays it several times.
I disagree. I would make the following broad statement - "It is unethical to play (beyond an initial trial) any game one has not paid for if there is a relatively easy way to pay for it"
The underlying ethical principle is very, very simple. Try to pay for what you play, even if around that you do a bit of pirating for your own convenience.
Then buy it & pirate it later if the drm is causing an issue. Or buy it twice, I get the impression from your financial knowledge that $9.95 isn't going to be a major issue for you.
You say that they're more a victim than anyone as if it's some abstract thing happening to them that you're playing no part in, it's not. You could buy the game and take a stand with one of Atari's AAA releases that it'd actually care about. You could buy it and send them a letter registering your distaste (even telling them you've refused to buy it).
That might not be relevant to you - but it's a pretty vital factor to me.
If my money ends up in the right hands, then all is good.
If not, then I would have no ethical boundary preventing me from not paying.
In effect, I pay for games without really knowing if I should.
That might not be relevant to you - but it's a pretty vital factor to me.
If my money ends up in the right hands, then all is good.
If not, then I would have no ethical boundary preventing me from not paying.