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Piracy is it theft? A deeper look

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1 2 3 4 Next All
StarcraftXTZM
Profile Joined May 2011
30 Posts
June 23 2011 11:58 GMT
#1
Pirating/Piracy in internet language?
First things first what is Pirating/Piracy in internet language?
Well it refers to the act of sharing copyrightted material meant for profit, But we will take the use of the word "Material" Lightly.

Now usualy this is Games/Music/Video examples The Witcher 2/Glee second season soundtracks(Spot on)/ Thor in camcorder.

Piracy is considered Theft/Stealing in the eyes of the law! which we will also take Lightly in this case.

What could led men to commit such an atrocious act you may ask? to share/Partake the fruits of someone elses labour without even paying him as much as a mouse fart!

For some it started sharing Disks back in 1992 for others in 2002 one thing is for sure tho if you havent been playing games for 10+ years this discussion is not for you.

What if your 20-30 something studiying and you wanna play all the latest games that comes out more frequently then your wallet can afford? do you leave the hot plate of warm DeliCious Crysis 2 gameplay or do you make Four Clicks and get it for "Free"

Thoose Sinners that fail to resist this tempetion immediately flog themself fiften times with catclaws attached(Yiikess) and swear to never do this deed again it was just this once. Just like you said when you were a kid and mastrubated for the first time.


This is were to problems starts you have just "Stolen" a game from a gaming company dimishing their profits! or? But what if you would never buy it because you couldent afford it to begin with? Well you just took their Copyrighted material, But wait material ? did you physically take something from them i guess not that makes it all okay! but wait what if you could afford but were saving your money for that Starcraft 2 game where you would play the multiplayer!


Potential customers exit and enter

So what did the Gaming companies lose from your horrid conspicious defilment of their copyrighted "Material" They Lose and gain potential consumers the few that would buy the game if it wasent for "Free" and gain the few that wouldent even buy it but in their moment of Righteousness decided to purchace the game (For Multiplayer or support it varies)

The Piracy mentality more commen then we think?
to understand the process behind making money of a game we must understand that we are feeble minded creatures that buy the hype one way or another with few things to anchor us down to reality one of theese things are sources of game reviews such as Gamespot PCgamer IGN. And The absolute ultimate game Review is to play the game for yourself.

The state of the gaming industry
Making a game is easier then ever making a "AAA" More expensive then ever
gaming is growing and it dont show any sign of stopping. So you will find dishwasher companies investing money into making games but what do they know of making games you wonder?"Pause" .Exacly, Nothing! so what do we get when we infuse the gaming industry with exceding amounts of money with infestors "Cough soz" Investors demanding return on their money? You get shallow proven games MMO/FPS that all looks and feels the same in the same/Similiar settings!


The Samurai and Ronin
What is the Bane of Shallow money infushed games which only interest is making profit? you guessed it Reviewers and Pirates anything that can turn potential customers(Victims) away from the dark alley alley were they strip you of both cash and hope. Reviewers and Pirating is a shackle for the gaming industry that holds them from crashing like in 1983
. what i wont tell you tho is which one is the Samurai and which is the Ronin.

The Witchhunt
We like to hunt pirates and blame them for everything that happends thats wrong and say their supporting the gaming industry but this is only half a truth if anything they hurt the money suckling and grubbing part of the industry which is the most conceviable viewpoint many people are distorted to see. and in turn Strenghen/Empower the gamer with real choice of what he can play and not so what many people dont know is that their allowing the status quo to detoriate the gaming industry and weaken their own possition as consumer of the game!


Conclusion
Piracy is theft by every legal term of the word. But when i disect "Sharing Copyrighted material" i ignore copyrigheted search for a physical refrence to material find none... and are left with Sharing. And Sharing folks is caring. And there is many things i cheerish more then monetary currency and its the currency of time which we all have a limited amount of and im not gonna spend it playing something i dont enjoy Pricetag or not.


Henrik Pedersen The Zeitgeist Movement
contactinfo:DeliCiousTZM@Gmail.com






User was banned for this post.
Argoneus
Profile Joined July 2009
Czech Republic283 Posts
June 23 2011 12:00 GMT
#2
I don't like when people call piracy "stealing". Stealing is, when someone steals your car and its not there the next day. Piracy is, when someone takes your car, but you still have the car, so you haven't lost anything. If I was to pirate a game, chances are I wouldn't buy it anyway, so I don't think people lose profit because of that.
Terran OP
StarcraftXTZM
Profile Joined May 2011
30 Posts
June 23 2011 12:01 GMT
#3
read the whole thing
Shasta37
Profile Joined May 2011
United States70 Posts
June 23 2011 12:03 GMT
#4

Everyone does it. Not a crime.

My argument is unbreakable.
Kong John
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Denmark1020 Posts
June 23 2011 12:05 GMT
#5
I spend all my money on stuff i want, when i don't have any more money to buy stuff i want, i pirate the stuff i want.

Yay consumerism!
This is real life, where nerds must battle!
Lemonhead
Profile Joined May 2010
Denmark31 Posts
June 23 2011 12:06 GMT
#6
Piracy is theft by every legal term of the word


Piracy is not stealing. Theft is a well defined legal term that does not apply to piracy. The legal term for piracy is copyright infringement.

You can argue that morally, piracy is just as bad as stealing, but you will never get convicted of stealing by downloading a game illegally and playing it.
Sometimes the best defense is an insane offense.
mdb
Profile Blog Joined February 2003
Bulgaria4059 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-06-23 12:07:00
June 23 2011 12:06 GMT
#7
On June 23 2011 21:00 Argoneus wrote:
I don't like when people call piracy "stealing". Stealing is, when someone steals your car and its not there the next day. Piracy is, when someone takes your car, but you still have the car, so you haven't lost anything. If I was to pirate a game, chances are I wouldn't buy it anyway, so I don't think people lose profit because of that.


What. Thats makes no sense. Piracy is not "when someone takes your car, but you still have the car, so you haven't lost anything" lol. Piracy is when you have 2 milions cars, and someone steals on of the cars, and he doesnt give you the money for it and you still have ~ 2 milions cars, but you lost the profit ot the stolen car. imo
fearlessparagon
Profile Joined November 2010
United States104 Posts
June 23 2011 12:07 GMT
#8
Why dont you just put this into the other piracy thread instead of making a new one?
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win
Snipershot
Profile Joined November 2010
United Kingdom59 Posts
June 23 2011 12:07 GMT
#9
when i was younger i pirated because i had no money, so it kinda applies, but now i do have money and games are not worth it anymore imo, well most anyway.

I now use love film for all single player games/ multiplayer for console and only really play sc2 and LOL on pc, and the only game i will buy if bf3 this year and guildwars 2.

i heard they are trying to put more constraints on second hand consumers e.g second hand and rental services i wonder what they do
Hynda
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Sweden2226 Posts
June 23 2011 12:07 GMT
#10
Why not just use the term for it? It doesn't make it less illegal... I have no idea why people want to put the tag "theft" on it. It's like trying to pin animal cruelty and manslaughter together, they don't fit.

They can't possibly say that theft is a worse crime so they want to bunch them together because the punishment for those actually convicted for piracy is so much worse than for those convicted of theft.

People for piracy use it as something to defend what they are doing, and those against use the term to incite that the pirates are doing something worse than what they actually are. Both sides are idiots, both sides should just drop the whole thing. Piracy is piracy nothing else.
Centorian
Profile Joined March 2010
United States95 Posts
June 23 2011 12:08 GMT
#11
Piracy is theft. The car analogy is bad.

A better one:

You are selling games. Someone who was potentially going to buy your game steals it instead. After this starts happening more often then you sell it suddenly you aren't making money and go out of business. No more games.

Don't be a fuck head.

pay for your shit.
Insert witty statement here.
Qzy
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Denmark1121 Posts
June 23 2011 12:12 GMT
#12
You would never download a car, right? Then we agree.
TG Sambo... Intel classic! Life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery
Argoneus
Profile Joined July 2009
Czech Republic283 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-06-23 12:14:00
June 23 2011 12:12 GMT
#13
On June 23 2011 21:08 Centorian wrote:
Piracy is theft. The car analogy is bad.

A better one:

You are selling games. Someone who was potentially going to buy your game steals it instead. After this starts happening more often then you sell it suddenly you aren't making money and go out of business. No more games.

Don't be a fuck head.

pay for your shit.


How about - You are selling games, someone who was going to buy the game steals it, uploads it. 5000 people play it, 3000 people from that 5000 don't follow the game release scene so they couldn't buy the game, because they didn't know about it. Then they visit torrents and download this fresh game. 1500 from these 3000 will really like the game and buy it, the rest doesn't like the game and they won't buy it, but since they don't follow releases, they wouldn't have bought it anyway. So, one guy "stole" your game, 2000 people pirated it (some of these could buy the game too, lets say 500), but 1500(+500) others bought it, which is kinda profitable.
Terran OP
howerpower
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
United States619 Posts
June 23 2011 12:13 GMT
#14
On June 23 2011 21:06 mdb wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 23 2011 21:00 Argoneus wrote:
I don't like when people call piracy "stealing". Stealing is, when someone steals your car and its not there the next day. Piracy is, when someone takes your car, but you still have the car, so you haven't lost anything. If I was to pirate a game, chances are I wouldn't buy it anyway, so I don't think people lose profit because of that.


What. Thats makes no sense. Piracy is not "when someone takes your car, but you still have the car, so you haven't lost anything" lol. Piracy is when you have 2 milions cars, and someone steals on of the cars, and he doesnt give you the money for it and you still have ~ 2 milions cars, but you lost the profit ot the stolen car. imo


except I would of never bought the shitty american car to begin with and I was just curious.
Keitzer
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States2509 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-06-23 12:22:44
June 23 2011 12:14 GMT
#15
Mind = blown.

also, great write up.
I'm like badass squared | KeitZer.489
Deleted User 124618
Profile Joined November 2010
1142 Posts
June 23 2011 12:14 GMT
#16
Not having enough money to buy the product, or if the product isn't available in your area, are the only justifications I can accept for doing pirate stuff.

But honestly speaking, 95% of the pirates I have met do it because it's free (and they can drink their money or something similar).
Deleted User 101379
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
4849 Posts
June 23 2011 12:15 GMT
#17
It's simple:
If you can't afford the games in any way, wait a few month until they are cheaper and buy them then. - No excuse for downloading.

If you could afford the games if you'd just stop smoking/spending your weekends partying/buying drugs (of any sort)... decide what you'd rather do, gaming or smoking/partying and spend your money on that instead of trying to have both by downloading the games - No excuse for downloading.

If you can afford the games you want, buy the games - No excuse for downloading.

If you want to know how good a game is, check the reviews of people/sites you trust, then decide if you skip the game or buy it. You might have to wait a week or two to get enough opinions, but is that really important? - No excuse for downloading.


I usually go with the "wait until the games are cheaper" approach, eventhough i could afford the games on release. If everyone would do that, the games companies would finally understand that the best copy protection is to be affordable to almost everyone.

I like how the magicka developers said it when TB asked them why they had no copy protection.
The developer said something along the lines of "We have the best copy protection in the world - we only ask for 10€ so it's not that big of a loss for those that buy it if they don't like it. If there is less risk, more people will buy it. For those that still can't afford it... well, there is no way to stop them anyways without harming the paying customers."
shikheh
Profile Joined May 2010
136 Posts
June 23 2011 12:15 GMT
#18
On June 23 2011 21:12 Argoneus wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 23 2011 21:08 Centorian wrote:
Piracy is theft. The car analogy is bad.

A better one:

You are selling games. Someone who was potentially going to buy your game steals it instead. After this starts happening more often then you sell it suddenly you aren't making money and go out of business. No more games.

Don't be a fuck head.

pay for your shit.


How about - You are selling games, someone who was going to buy the game steals it, uploads it. 5000 people play it, 3000 people from that 5000 don't follow the game release scene so they couldn't buy the game, because they didn't know about it. Then they visit torrents and download this fresh game. 1500 from these 3000 will really like the game and buy it, the rest doesn't like the game and they won't buy it, but since they don't follow releases, they wouldn't have bought it anyway. So, one guy "stole" your game, 2000 people pirated it (some of these could buy the game too, lets say 500), but 1500(+500) others bought it, which is kinda profitable.



How about games that only have single-player? RPG games..Oblivion, Sims 3, etc.....
youngminii
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Australia7514 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-06-23 12:18:59
June 23 2011 12:16 GMT
#19
no it's not theft
it's copyright infringement

which is basically just as bad

p.s. if you're really using "it's not our fault because corporations are money grubbing bastards" or "yeah but most people buy the game after they pirate it" then get off your fake throne of morality and take a real hard look at yourself and your argument
lalala
Argoneus
Profile Joined July 2009
Czech Republic283 Posts
June 23 2011 12:16 GMT
#20
On June 23 2011 21:15 shikheh wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 23 2011 21:12 Argoneus wrote:
On June 23 2011 21:08 Centorian wrote:
Piracy is theft. The car analogy is bad.

A better one:

You are selling games. Someone who was potentially going to buy your game steals it instead. After this starts happening more often then you sell it suddenly you aren't making money and go out of business. No more games.

Don't be a fuck head.

pay for your shit.


How about - You are selling games, someone who was going to buy the game steals it, uploads it. 5000 people play it, 3000 people from that 5000 don't follow the game release scene so they couldn't buy the game, because they didn't know about it. Then they visit torrents and download this fresh game. 1500 from these 3000 will really like the game and buy it, the rest doesn't like the game and they won't buy it, but since they don't follow releases, they wouldn't have bought it anyway. So, one guy "stole" your game, 2000 people pirated it (some of these could buy the game too, lets say 500), but 1500(+500) others bought it, which is kinda profitable.



How about games that only have single-player? RPG games..Oblivion, Sims 3, etc.....


I was assuming mostly Singleplayer games. I mean, who would pirate SC2 or battlefield..?
Terran OP
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