Game Piracy.

[Retardobot]

As you would of noticed, alot of you don't have any issues with outing yourselves on these forums with relation to downloading games.

So, after being inspired to start this truly epic thread by <<insert ICONZ member here>> careless attitude towards game piracy, i thought i would find out how many of you share his view.

I for one don't download games. Using the age old "I hate buying a game because i don't wanna be stuck with it if it's shit" is now not an excuse. With certain game shops offering a 7day return policy even with PC games, and 100's of MB's of videos and game reviews out there to provide you with more than enough info to make an informed decision, it really doesn't give you any excuse to download a game just because you are afraid you may not like it.

And if you use the other excuse of "i can't afford $99" for a game then you should of thought about that before you spent that money on your GAMING computer. If you can't afford it, then you shouldn't have it.

So, how many of you rip off game developers?

[Hads]

No option for used to but don't anymore due to can't be bothered finding a downloadable version.  Also depends on what you are referring to piracy, at the typical lan I attend if someone doesn't own a game you want to play you install it on their computer with a legit copy and crack it, so you can play together.  That is still pirating, but not the sort you are talking about, the way I see it, that person at the lan wouldn't buy the game anyhow and if we didn't pirate it we would play a different game.

I know from going to lans and borrowing a copy of a game, has got me to like it and actually purchase it later down the track, not for the game developers mind you, but for my own ease of use and ability to play online.

[Retardobot]

Well, lets set a ground rule for this poll.

Say you are on your PC, and you want a game to play, so you go download it instead of trucking off to your local to buy a copy, leaving out all enviromental factors like attending a LAN.

Would you download, or buy it?

[Arnifix]

I support the people who make good quality games. If it's really sweet I'll happily shell out for it.

As to the idea of "why pirate when you could buy and then return if you don't like" well, that's a bit silly. Why would I want to make two trips out of my way to a store, incur travel and bank fees, all to try a game I could have tried without even having a shower. If it's rubbish, I'll delete it. If it's not, I'll buy it.

Then again, with the copy protection on some software nowadays, piracy is more likely to leave me with an actual working product than actually buying it. Being treated like a criminal tends to encourage criminal acts.

[Hads]

Typically I won't download, as it causes a lot more problems than it is worth, plus the amount of cap used is rather silly.  I either do without or go off and buy it.  However with console games I go and hire it out from my local video store.

Only downloaded about 2 games in my lifetime and tbh the amount of time and cap taken to download it wasn't worth the game.

[Retardobot]

As to the idea of "why pirate when you could buy and then return if you don't like" well, that's a bit silly. Why would I want to make two trips out of my way to a store, incur travel and bank fees, all to try a game I could have tried without even having a shower.

And downloading a game requires power consumption $$, cap consumption $$, you have a shower; more power consumption $$.

[Arnifix]

And downloading a game requires power consumption $$, cap consumption $$, you have a shower; more power consumption $$.

None of those are actual costs. I would not have to pay extra money to the power company or the interwebs men, as I am already paying for their services.

By my reckoning, a trip into town would cost me at least $5 plus an hour or so of time. Downloading a 5 gig file would cost less than $5.

[skippy]

The games that I play properly/competitively I always buy, the ones that I play for fun are usually pirated.

[Kaizer]

The games that I play properly/competitively I always buy, the ones that I play for fun are usually pirated.

...

[Plasma]

I use to pirate games but now i CBF.
I love it how alot more games can be bought and downloaded online.

[Alroys]

I only used to pirate games when i couldnt be bothered or couldnt  go out and buy them.Now i just get from steam or direct 2 drive.

[skippy]

...

Can you not comprehend?

[nzjeebs]

The only reason i would download a game would be if i couldn't buy it anywhere. For example, Fallout.

[brucewillis2]

Then again, with the copy protection on some software nowadays, piracy is more likely to leave me with an actual working product than actually buying it. Being treated like a criminal tends to encourage criminal acts.

spot on, I remember playing halflife 2 (downloaded) and my flatmate bought it and was playing via steam. I had mine up and running in secs while he had half an hour waits and it would cause him constant problems.

I buy every game for the ps3. probably another reason why developers are working harder on consoles than PC's

For all online games I pay. should of downloaded frontlines before buying that game though. I spend the money then they give me a half finished game. This is one reason why downloading a game helps make that decision to buy or not. demos aren't always a good indication

[DEATH0WL]

Haven't paid for a game in awhile...

>.>

<.<

>.>

I'm a poor teenager!!!!!! What am I supposed to do!??!?!

That said, I don't play many games. Plus I've only ever completed one game I've downloaded.

[detonator7]

i have downloaded a couple of games before, but only ones that are kind of old (smaller size) and only for the single player and when i have a sudden erdge to play them lol, usually lasts for like a week. i buy games that have been recently relased and multiplayer ones

[smegmacheese]

I think someone brought it up before about digital protection as well.  I prefer games that don't come with security measures that are  installed alongside.

 I am happy to pay for games, but if I am going to have to jump through too many hoops to install it.  Or are forced to install things I don't want on my computer, then I have been known to DL a neutered version of it.

Living in NZ piracy is generally less convenient too, so I have tended to hire and buy things more legitimately.  The other thing I don't understand is why in NZ we pay such a premium for things like software, movies, books...So, I guess I feel a little bit resentful about that; which in turn makes me want to DL things.  I guess this is part of being a very small, isolated economy.

14$ for a movie at Hoyts?...7$ for a dvd overnight?...c'mon.

We seem to pay a massive levy for all forms of foreign entertainment in comparison to many other countries.

Speaking of Fallout (3) some of those screenies are amazing.  The head getting deconstructed is....Funny reading through some of the dev comments there as well.

[Arnifix]

The only reason i would download a game would be if i couldn't buy it anywhere. For example, Fallout.

You can't buy Fallout?  Why not?

[Kaizer]

Can you not comprehend?

I was trying to have the same reply as you without typing as many words.
I thought that's what i meant with the "..." but obviously some people didn't comprehend, forcing me to type this, and forcing me to have to type out more words and in fact voiding the point of even putting the "..." in the first place, thanks Skippy!

[nzjeebs]

You can't buy Fallout?  Why not?

Couldn't find it anywhere.

EDIT: I obviously didnt look hard enough, none of my local EBs or Gamesman had it, i see GPStore does though :/

[Retardobot]

I was trying to have the same reply as you without typing as many words.
I thought that's what i meant with the "..." but obviously some people didn't comprehend, forcing me to type this, and forcing me to have to type out more words and in fact voiding the point of even putting the "..." in the first place, thanks Skippy!

"..." is commonly referred to as "Ellipsis". Meaning a pause in speech or unfinished thought, hence Skippy's reply.

[Kaizer]

"..." is commonly referred to as "Ellipsis". Meaning a pause in speech or unfinished thought, hence Skippy's reply.

Ok, so I added one dot too much.

[Zarathrustra]

Downloading games is no different to downloading music, TV, Movies, and other software.  Personally I think it's wrong, and it is a form of theft.

But,

As with all other digital media, there's no real consequence for stealing it.  It's like going to the supermarket to buy apples, when your neighbor has an apple tree overhanging your fence.  A tree you've been taking apples off for years, with no reprimand.

I personally fell like an idiot buying something, when it's easier and consequence free (in the short term) to not pay for it.  Current game prices are worked out so the companies will make x amount of dollars anyway.  They know the market, and that the 'market' and the people playing the game, are two completely different things.

Popular online multi-player games are where they have control, people can't pirate those (usually), so the industry still has a pretty firm footing.  They aren't going broke due to piracy.  What they will be doing, is taking a lot of their attention away from purely single player games, which is sad.

[`Dirty Heathen]

Most of the games I play are multiplayer and I buy them I have also paid for a lot of games that are shit that are still sitting in my shelf.

And same as Bruce I get more games for my PS3 now then PC all of which I pay for.

I have downloaded games and still do mostly when I go to lans because everyone wants to play.
But yer TBH I have downloaded maybe 5 games in 4 years of PC gaming and some games I have downloaded played them and then gone and brought them to play online.

If I think a game will be good I just buy it thats why I have fail shit like ETQW and Fuels of war sitting on my shelf collecting dust but at the end of the day I think games are pretty cheap really for the hours of entertainment you can get from them.

I think companies making good games should be getting money out of it and I will always pay for the games the way I look at it if you don't buy good games then the companies putting out the top quality games will close and all you will be left with is all the shit.

[Xt1ncT]

Game piracy is as bad as music piracy IMO. If you want it, pay for it - it's not like they cost the earth.

Someone posted that they wouldn't buy a game that had anti-priacy in it - that make me laugh. It's because of attitudes like that that make the developers have to put anti-piracy in them in the first place.