I know several people here pirate games (UU, MZ, iskatu, nude, rockz (IIRC)). How do you justify this theft to yourselves? Extra Credits has a video on this issue ( http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2653-Piracy ) which I felt sums up what I think quite well; can you in some way defend yourselves from the points made?

Simplest justification: No practical way to stop them.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jun 23 2011, 8:33 am by Tuxedo-Templar.

There's barely any games that you can pirate and still play online (without a separate server). The only game that I've ever pirated and am able to play online is Terraria. Nothing else works, obviously. I only pirate games for their storyline. I downloaded WC3 before because I wanted to play the campaign. I couldn't play on battle.net. I downloaded Halo: CE because 1) I wanted to know the completely storyline of Halo, and 2) I couldn't find it anywhere in stores. Again, can't play online.

Saying OLOL CANT STOP ME is not a JUSTIFICATION.


Demon, why didn't you buy wc3 for the campaign? Why didn't you buy terraria, or if you have now, why didn't you buy it originally?
And I daresay you could have found a copy of halo online quite easily, for purchase.

That's a good video.

I don't have money. If companies really wanted to protect the single-player parts of the games, they'd make us play those parts online as well, like starcraft 2.

http://projectzomboid.com/blog/index.php/2011/06/sorry-weve-had-to-take-the-game-down/

I pirated this game and I don't justify it because I just don't give a fuck. Deal with it.

Some companies don't release a demo or even minimum requirements for running the game, and it's a real gamble if you're not sure if the game will run on your computer. If the game doesn't run, then you've essentially wasted up to $60. In this case, I see it perfectly reasonable to pirate a game to test it. Some people have no idea what a game is going to be like, and they wouldn't want to spend a bunch of money for something they will try out for ten minutes only to find out they hate it. There is, of course, reviews/videos/etc. where this could be deducted, but pirating and trying it out first-hand would be the best way to determine this.

It's easier to justify pirating when it is such a common occurrence. Can you say you legitimately own* all of the music, movies, games and software that you've ever obtained for yourself? If so, I applaud you. If not, that's normal. The fact that piracy is the norm allows us to justify doing it. The "moral" way of pirating is that if you like the product, you will support the creator in some way, such as buying a legitimate copy of the product. While this pay-if-you-like-it system is obviously abused, I don't see it as that horrible.

The only real point the link you provided has against consumers is, "If you like it, you should buy it." I have no argument against this.

*Technically, according to EULAs, you don't actually "own" it, but rather own a license to use it.

That doesn't really seem like a justification. I wouldn't shoplift even if there was no way to stop me from doing it.

If you can't afford it, you don't get to play it. If you can't afford orange juice, you settle for tap water.

And pirates have already (almost effortlessly) cracked playing the single-player aspect of many games, including SC2.

Realistically? The reason I pirate games is because the developers are giving putting shit on the shelves at outrageous prices, and suckers are falling for it.

I bought Dungeons (the new supposed, spiritual sequel to Dungeon Keeper II) for £10 because it was half price on steam. It was the most terrible game I have ever played. I usually look at reviews but I remember seeing an advert for it and thought 'how bad could it be?' extremely terribad. Same with the Witcher 2, has the potential to be a fucking awesome game, I would happily pay £40 for it if I could be safe in the knowledge that it is everything it should be. Yet, I heard mixed reviews about it and therefore downloaded it myself. If the game was amazing, I would still have bought a legit copy (for free DLC, easier patching, general conscious etc).

If the industry as a whole wants to elimiate piracy, all games would be available online from some sort of mega-hub-Steamlike service. And you can play demos or trials of ALL games for x amount of time. Purchasing the game will involve a bidding service whereby the players (who have already purchased it and/or have been playing the demo/as well as a series of expert testers/panelists) will dynamically create the price of the game. For example, Terraria would sell for £5 to 10, whereas Dungeons (the failure), would sell for <£8. The Witcher 2 might only fetch £20 to £30 and this might increase as later patches get taken into consideration.

It is the most heartwrenching and shitty feeling ever, paying full whack for a game when it is released, having high hopes and anticipations... and the game simply doesn't deliver. Luckily I tend to make quite educated movements when purchasing games straight up, but it is simply safer to not get ripped off - to pirate the games you want to 'try-out' first.

Sure bulletstorm, another example... I loved it, and completed it. And pirated it. It's currently selling for £20 at most british shops, I wouldn't say my fun and love for the game was worth £20. I know for a fact in a few months the game price will drop to at least £10. Might I buy it then? Maybe not, it wasn't THAT great... but still, hopefully this rambling rant conveys my thoughts on why piracy is a good thing. If a sequel were to come out, I would definitely invest money then, since I played their first game for free, and provided they don't fuck up on the sequel, they can consider my money, in their pockets.

Yaaaar.

You know what would be great? If games were price accordingly instead of every game on the shelf being "new game" price. I mean I'd still pirate and all but still. It might help.

Precisely. The marketing side of thing abuses you by releasing a new game and having a 'new game' price. Regardless of the games actual quality.

It is if you're an anarchist.

I guess we're assuming we're not anarchists here, then?

I'm not going to buy a game I'm only going to play for a day or two, and then never again.

I believe your justification would then be, "Because I am an anarchist."

Because the basis on which you attack piracy is fundamentally flawed. Dealing solely with the entire problem of intellectual property.

If you don't have money, you don't play games that cost money. If you can't afford caviar, you don't go out and steal it because 'I don't have money.' Games are a luxury, not a necessity. And there are plenty of free games out there.
sucks to be a sucker.

In other words you pirated instead of playing a demo. If there is no demo and you can't get enough of an idea from reviews and videos, email the devs and say you won't buy the game till there's a demo version available. Otherwise, just simply don't play the game.

again, demos, videos, reviews, friends who have a copy and let you have a go, etc.
"I stole a bugatti veyron because the fun and love I have for it is only worth $1000.'

Then don't play it at all.

@Sac IP laws and such still currently protect the game devs. If they didn't and piracy became legal, the games industry would all change to even more stringent DRM systems, and most likely ad based revenues, which would stink.

Well, sorry Mr. Anti-pirate. Good luck on your crusade

Edit: On a less lulzy note - email the game devs? Tell them I demand a demo? Are you for srs?

I don't pirate everything and absolutely anything just because I can. I pay for games I like, and developers I support: UbiSoft, Blizzard (inb4 UU troll spam), Bethesda and Sierra. I've never pirated a single one of their games, because I respect them and all of their products have been phenomenal.

Not sure what you expected. As long as its not a case of, as Roy said, checking the game out and paying if you don't uninstall it (basically using Piracy as a demo), there's no real justification for piracy. Everything Cardinal wrote about the evil gaming companies justifying piracy is invalid; he's just a pirate who doesn't care about the developers, and is trying to justify his piracy with some stupid "its all their fault" crap. Though I can understand some of his arguments, finishing "Bulletstorm" and not paying for it is unjustifiable piracy.

Personally, I don't pirate games, and never did; I only play a few, largely Blizzard games, and skip pretty much all of the gaming trends, so it might be easier for me. However, I do pirate music, and though I'm toning it down (by using Zune Pass, a paid service that integrates with everything I use to play music), I have no justification, and any justification I may provide, like "Oh, I don't buy music because those publishing corporations pay the artists a cent out of every dollar" would also be bullshit. I didn't pay because it was expensive.

Lol. Taking the high and mighty road are we?

I didn't write any bullshit about 'evil gaming companies'. Average new computer games are priced at between £20 and £40, and their initial price-tag is absolutely no indication to the quality and time you will get out of buying the game. There is absolutely no quality control for game releases these days, and this is why I pirate games. Who's going to be the best judge at whether or not I'll enjoy playing something? I think I would be the best judge. Just because a few people review a game and label it 'good' or 'bad' - does not mean that I myself will share their same views.

And, to say I don't care about developers? Do you even know me? Shit - why would I want to be a game developer if I was this raging pirate who didn't give a toss? Get real, please.

I revised my post; my initial assessment was a bit harsh. Specifically, while I may agree that the lack of a demo and the use of piracy as a demo is justifiable, what you did with bulletstorm - finishing the game without paying for it - is simply unjustifiable. If you played it for ten minutes and decided that it wasn't for you, fine, don't buy it; if you finish the game, without paying for it, there is no justification. You don't care about that game's developers, who priced their product according to the development cost and potential profit.

I wouldn't call my road "High and Mighty". I'd call it "I'm guilty, but so is that noob trying to justify what he's doing."