A question of piracy.

I am posting this here not because I want to know what to do.I am posting it here because if thought it was a interesting scenario and I am wondering what others think about it.Here's the story

Last night my wife bought me Hitman 4 for playstation.She was at a store, saw it, was cheap so she picked it up for me.I come in to work today and find out I am getting sent to L.A for 2 weeks.Not a big deal, I travel a lot but I was looking forward to playing Hitman 4.Well, since when I travel I spend most of my time sitting in a hotel with my laptop, I got a idea.I could download a copy of hitman for PC from Pirate Bay or some other such place and just crack it.

Now, at this point I should probably say that I do NOT pirate games.It is my opinion that if we as gamers want good quality games then we need to support those that make those make the games.That being said, I feel this situation is a bit different.I BOUGHT hitman.Cash was payed for it.It however was purchased on a different form of media then the one I want to play it on.My theory on buying games/music/etc is that you should only have to pay for it once.

Example- I own a song on cassette.My opinion is that I own the rights play that song for my own enjoyment now.If I want to download that song from the internet and put it on my laptop I don't consider that pirating because I have already payed for it once.Because I now want it on a different form of media I don't think I should have to pay for that again.

Now, this brings me back around to hitman.I already bought it.I wan't to play it on PC instead of playing it on PS.I see no issue with downloading the game and cracking it so that I can play it on another form of media.What I am wondering is do YOU feel that is pirating?

I am posting this here not because I want to know what to do.I am posting it here because if thought it was a interesting scenario and I am wondering what others think about it.Here's the story

Last night my wife bought me Hitman 4 for playstation.She was at a store, saw it, was cheap so she picked it up for me.I come in to work today and find out I am getting sent to L.A for 2 weeks.Not a big deal, I travel a lot but I was looking forward to playing Hitman 4.Well, since when I travel I spend most of my time sitting in a hotel with my laptop, I got a idea.I could download a copy of hitman for PC from Pirate Bay or some other such place and just crack it.

Now, at this point I should probably say that I do NOT pirate games.It is my opinion that if we as gamers want good quality games then we need to support those that make those make the games.That being said, I feel this situation is a bit different.I BOUGHT hitman.Cash was payed for it.It however was purchased on a different form of media then the one I want to play it on.My theory on buying games/music/etc is that you should only have to pay for it once.

Example- I own a song on cassette.My opinion is that I own the rights play that song for my own enjoyment now.If I want to download that song from the internet and put it on my laptop I don't consider that pirating because I have already payed for it once.Because I now want it on a different form of media I don't think I should have to pay for that again.

Now, this brings me back around to hitman.I already bought it.I wan't to play it on PC instead of playing it on PS.I see no issue with downloading the game and cracking it so that I can play it on another form of media.What I am wondering is do YOU feel that is pirating?

It's not the right thing to do, honestly.

Worst of all, not addressing your belief in general but rather this particular scenario, you are contributing to the piracy woes on the PC while at the same time ringing up another console sale. The industry's response/retaliation to this is not beneficial for PC gamers.

I guess the way I look at it is that I am basically buying a liscence to use 1 copy of the software. For example. I get a copy of windows XP with my dell computer I just bought. I paid for the liscence for that software. If I then buy a new computer is it right for me to be able to use that same copy of windows XP on that one? The hardware has changed. Using the arguement that the two posters above me you basically have to buy a new liscence everytime the hardware changes. I don't agree with that. As with my previous example about the song on the casette. I bought Aerosmith -Rag Doll on Casette. A few years later CD players come out and I want to listen to it on CD players. I have to then buy it again on CD because I want to listen to it on different hardware? Again, I think thats greedy. Rollotamasi79

Its still pirating no matter how much you spin it.

My opinion is that I own the rights play that song for my own enjoyment now. Rollotamasi79

Remember kids, don't copy that floppy!

Remember kids, don't copy that floppy!

GPAddict

So we should copy the CD/DVD/BD/HDD or a Zip/flash drive? j/k :D

On Topic: Yes it is piracy as the others stated and it makes the PC gamers look bad, because there are tons of console gamers that pirate even more (way more) than the regular PC gamers, because they don't care for PC games. ( I know A LOT of cases like this with console gamers and PC piracy)

We need a cdrom that doesnt play pirated cds just like consolessandeep410

[QUOTE="sandeep410"]We need a cdrom that doesnt play pirated cds just like consolesDanielDust

Then y ps3 and 360 cant be moded

[QUOTE="DanielDust"][QUOTE="sandeep410"]We need a cdrom that doesnt play pirated cds just like consolessandeep410

Then y ps3 and 360 cant be moded

360? that's a new one.

And PS3 was cracked through Linux but for now it's hard to copy BD discs because of the size and the method of overriding the protection through Linux isn't an easy task for most console users.

[QUOTE="sandeep410"]

[QUOTE="DanielDust"][QUOTE="sandeep410"]We need a cdrom that doesnt play pirated cds just like consolesDanielDust

Then y ps3 and 360 cant be moded

360? that's a new one.

And PS3 was cracked through Linux but for now it's hard to copy BD discs because of the size and the method of overriding the protection through Linux isn't an easy task for most console users.

How much does it cost anyway to mod ur console.Is ps3 disc different than ur normal disc

Don't know the exact price but I saw that the chips cost from 15 to 80$ (360) + another 25$ or so the installation fees. And yeah the PS3 discs are very different, the normal PS 3 games are on a 25gb disc, Blu Ray discs, but the games usually have 14 or 18 gb and there is MGS 4 that is on a 50 gb (dual layer) BD, and it has exactly 50gb. Anyway, MGS and most of the PS 3 games are not the reason for my PS 3 :), BD movies and DBZ are :).DanielDust

So since modding is a costly affair ppl might just refrain from moding a cdrom besdies cdrom being compact it might be difficult to mod u never know anyway. About mgs4 if game is 50 gb does that means game is insanely long? Does ps3 has backward compatability due to BD disk

[QUOTE="DanielDust"]Don't know the exact price but I saw that the chips cost from 15 to 80$ (360) + another 25$ or so the installation fees. And yeah the PS3 discs are very different, the normal PS 3 games are on a 25gb disc, Blu Ray discs, but the games usually have 14 or 18 gb and there is MGS 4 that is on a 50 gb (dual layer) BD, and it has exactly 50gb. Anyway, MGS and most of the PS 3 games are not the reason for my PS 3 :), BD movies and DBZ are :).sandeep410

So since modding is a costly affair ppl might just refrain from moding a cdrom besdies cdrom being compact it might be difficult to mod u never know anyway. About mgs4 if game is 50 gb does that means game is insanely long? Does ps3 has backward compatability due to BD disk

No the game is pretty short but it IS FULL of high definition, "movies" not cut-scenes. They even complained that they barely managed to fit it on a 50gb BD and the next step was the 4 layer 100gb and that would cost too much and they made it on a dual layer disc. Most of the game is composed by those high def cut-scenes and loseless audio.

Yeah it does with some games. Some models of PS 3 can run some PS 2 and PS games and some models can only emulate, through dedicated software implemented in the chips, older PS 1 or 2 games and it's not as good as running it normally :(, but it's pretty much the same. So, in short, it has backwards compatibility, but not 100%, not even 75%.

It seems like everybody here is saying "The law is the law, and there's nothing that can be done about it" :(ADG_

Being a musician I make half my money from album sales. I am not saying "the law is the law". I'm saying that I feed my family by writing and playing music, and I would hope that if you like what I do you would support it. I have bought albums that I love many times because I lose it or a friend takes it or whatever. Just because I buy something once it does not entitle me to have it for the rest of my life. I understand your point about progression and laws keeping up with the times and all, but please don't steal from the artists who have made things that make life more enjoyable.

[QUOTE="ADG_"] It seems like everybody here is saying "The law is the law, and there's nothing that can be done about it" :(eggdog1234

Being a musician I make half my money from album sales. I am not saying "the law is the law". I'm saying that I feed my family by writing and playing music, and I would hope that if you like what I do you would support it. I have bought albums that I love many times because I lose it or a friend takes it or whatever. Just because I buy something once it does not entitle me to have it for the rest of my life. I understand your point about progression and laws keeping up with the times and all, but please don't steal from the artists who have made things that make life more enjoyable.

How about Creative Commons?

You can still have succes and make money. Like Tone did in January.

the digital age is like none other, the laws of supply and demand don't really follow here. The supply is taken out of the equation. "If you could bake a loaf of bread and then at no cost or hassle to anyone redistribute it around the world, would it be ethical for you to charge for it?" -forgotrob1101

Buy the Triple Hit Pack.

That way you can pretend you are buying Silent Assassin and Contracts, and getting Blood Money for free. :D

It is pirating, you might have a point if you pirated the Ps version and not the PC version.Lonelynight

I agree, the last thing the PC needs are pirates, even if it is really a moral thing.

[QUOTE="Lonelynight"]It is pirating, you might have a point if you pirated the Ps version and not the PC version.gamerguy845

I agree, the last thing the PC needs are pirates, even if it is really a moral thing.

You are absolutely right. It is a moral thing. You either view piracy as immoral, or you don't. I don't really see a lot of grey area here. Basically, if you go by the companies standards, any form of downloading is basically wrong, even if you own a copy and your cd broke - they would argue you buy another version.

In the end, people just need to make a choice and keep it private, I don't see why people bring there moral issues to a anti piracy forum like GS - try a warez forum and you will get a totally different perspective.

To OP.

If you feel guilty doing it, then don't do it. If not, then go ahead. It is all up to you, nobody will stop you and nobody will judge you. Do whatever you feel is fair.

In the eyes of the law, you will be considered in the wrong. But not only is the law outdated, it can not touch you.

I suppose if you're very keen on online play. See if all software used content delivery systems like Steam, the PC industry wouldn't be losing out. And I don't really care for that "but not everyone has internet access" excuse. If you don't have some form of internet access, then you have more things to worry about than getting a copy of Bioshock.Larrymon2000

[QUOTE="Larrymon2000"]I suppose if you're very keen on online play. See if all software used content delivery systems like Steam, the PC industry wouldn't be losing out. And I don't really care for that "but not everyone has internet access" excuse. If you don't have some form of internet access, then you have more things to worry about than getting a copy of Bioshock.fethehl

lol yea they are cracked just as much as any other game

[QUOTE="Larrymon2000"]I suppose if you're very keen on online play. See if all software used content delivery systems like Steam, the PC industry wouldn't be losing out. And I don't really care for that "but not everyone has internet access" excuse. If you don't have some form of internet access, then you have more things to worry about than getting a copy of Bioshock.fethehl

Cracking a steam game is usually harder than your average game.

[QUOTE="fethehl"][QUOTE="Larrymon2000"]I suppose if you're very keen on online play. See if all software used content delivery systems like Steam, the PC industry wouldn't be losing out. And I don't really care for that "but not everyone has internet access" excuse. If you don't have some form of internet access, then you have more things to worry about than getting a copy of Bioshock.Lonelynight

Cracking a steam game is usually harder than your average game.

Wrong.

It's just as easy and sometimes even easier.

There are cracked releases of steam you download just like the normal steam. Create an account just like on normal steam, then you login and you own every game.

There are also non-steam releases for steam games, download and double click exe. How is that harder :P

ElectricNZ

Well you proved me wrong, but I would advice you to delete your post.

For example. I get a copy of windows XP with my dell computer I just bought. I paid for the liscence for that software. If I then buy a new computer is it right for me to be able to use that same copy of windows XP on that one? The hardware has changed. Using the arguement that the two posters above me you basically have to buy a new liscence everytime the hardware changes. I don't agree with that.Rollotamasi79

This is trickier. If you get XP with the DELL PC, it is an OEM version. OEM versions are tied to EXACTLY the computer you bought. (You may add memory, HDD etc, but the motherboard must not change).

If you bought the Retail version of XP instead with the DELL, you would be free to install it on another PC, as long as you delete it from the DELL. Need I say: Retail versions costs a lot fore than OEM versions.

As for the gaming question: I agree with the others. An more interesting question would, for the sake of argument, be: If you bought the PC version and vent on vacation with you laptop and forgot the PC game at home. Would it be morally OK to use a hacked version on the vacation? (It would still be illegal, BTW)

[QUOTE="ADG_"] It seems like everybody here is saying "The law is the law, and there's nothing that can be done about it" :(eggdog1234

Being a musician I make half my money from album sales. I am not saying "the law is the law". I'm saying that I feed my family by writing and playing music, and I would hope that if you like what I do you would support it. I have bought albums that I love many times because I lose it or a friend takes it or whatever. Just because I buy something once it does not entitle me to have it for the rest of my life. I understand your point about progression and laws keeping up with the times and all, but please don't steal from the artists who have made things that make life more enjoyable.

[QUOTE="ADG_"] It seems like everybody here is saying "The law is the law, and there's nothing that can be done about it" :(eggdog1234

Being a musician I make half my money from album sales. I am not saying "the law is the law". I'm saying that I feed my family by writing and playing music, and I would hope that if you like what I do you would support it. I have bought albums that I love many times because I lose it or a friend takes it or whatever. Just because I buy something once it does not entitle me to have it for the rest of my life. I understand your point about progression and laws keeping up with the times and all, but please don't steal from the artists who have made things that make life more enjoyable.

legally TC ure breaking the law. when u bought the PS game, the licence says that this game mut be played on its designated platform. by not doing so, ure breaking that agreement and there can be penalties for it.

ethically though its a very grey area. now if u use pirate bay then u are assisting other in pirating the game and that alone can get u in trouble.

but lets put a different spin on this.

i go down to the shop. i buy, lets say, Halo3 for the 360. i pop it in my PC and i start playing. have i done anything wrong?

ignore the technical side...lets just say that my PC can play 360 games for arguments sake.