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Piracy is a big issue in gaming today. Loads of people have chipped PlayStations, PS2s, GameCubes and Xboxes, and all for the express purpose of not having to pay for games. Piracy IS illegal, and people who copy games are *.
Piracy started when games were bought on floppy disks. Just stick it in the drive, and you can make infinite amounts of copies. I know that when games were on floppys, my mates did give me copied versions, but that is as far as I have ever gotten to piracy. Now, what am I going on about? Yes, piracy.
Nowadays, piracy couldn't be easier. I have a gameshark for my PlayStation, and in the instructions it tells you how to manipulate it to play copied and import games. Fine, but I don't use it because I don't have copied games. You can't buy copied games in shops, hell no, but it is so easy to copy games.
I'm not writing this as a tutorial to copy games, but you can easily copy them as you would copy anything. Create a cue file, then write to a CD. And when the games don't work, you download a patch. PlayStation piracy is so widespread, it is quite unbelievable. Of my friend group, there are more people who play copied or 'back-up' games (as they call them) than people like me who pay for them. Ridiculous.
And this 'back-up' excuse is ludicrous. You aren't allowed to hire games and copy them, and you can't copy a game then sell the original. The only legal way to have a copied game is if you actually own the original. And even then you aren't allowed to play it. Weird indeed.
Piracy is rampant, and it seems that few people can stop it. Mod chips aren't illegal because they are used for import gaming, and things like Gamesharks and action replays are as legal as buying the originals. Bit of a deadlock there.
I can't really say that those worst hit by piracy don't deserve it. Sony could have put in some anti-piracy measures on the PS2, but that would have meant extra cost, which they weren't willing to pay. Therefore, there are a lot of people playing pirate games. And judging by the amount of junk mail I get advertising 'Copy PS2 games to CD-R', it must be a big business.
GameCube has got some great anti-piracy measures. The little holes in the discs are a good idea, though I have no idea how it works, but I know that it costs just as much to pirate a game as it does to buy it. So consequently, GameCube piracy is pretty much extinct. And even when games are pirated, you can only play the CD-R versions on the Q-Cube because the GameCube's disc tray is too small.
The Xbox is open to piracy, due to the fact that it uses DVDs as the medium, but as far as I know, you can't chip the Xbox, which is a good thing. Although, judging by the tech bods that come up with all this stuff, I doubt it will be impossible for long.
So this results in the PS2 being prime choice for those pirates (arrr matey). Pirating is a big business; many of the SR contacts I have on MSN have admitted to piracy at some stage (though I won't say who). After all, if you had the option to have games for a quid each rather than 40, I think I know what you'd choose. The reason I don't go for copied games? The risk.
a) Mod chips can mess up your PlayStation
b) Copied games are illegal, and if caught you get fined a lot of money
c) Games lose their face value when they're copied; I will enjoy an original much more than a copied game, because I want my value for money. I will finish the game because I spent a lot of money on it, and don't want it to just end up on the shelf.
People say that developers lose money because of pirating. This isn't true. They just don't get money which they may have got. But the thing is, one of my mates who has copied games says that he never copies games which he would buy in the shops normally. Now, this is interesting to me, because technically developers wouldn't get money either way round, whether copied or not.
A simple and easy way to counter piracy is to make games cheaper. At £20 each rather than £40, developers won't lose money. DVDs only cost about 20p each in mass production, so it isn't as if there are restricting production costs. If games were cheaper, I'd buy more games, because I'd have more money to spare. This seems like a simple solution, and it is. The only reason preventing it is the greedy corporations who can't be bothered to give consumers an easy time. So they kind of bring it upon themselves in a way, in the piracy issue.
But don't get me wrong, piracy is bad and illegal. I would never recommend it, or indulge in it, and neither should you. Just stick with the traditional and honest method of buying games. At least SOME people give you a good deal, such as Special Reserve, and I'm not sucking up, but compared to shops, nobody comes close to the value that SR gives you.
So don't pirate, and don't pay extortionate prices. Shop around for good deals, and possibly buy second hand. You shouldn't have to shell out a lot of money for a piece of *, but, you shouldn't pay nothing either.
And on a lighter note, Maximo is brilliant. :-)
Piracy started when games were bought on floppy disks. Just stick it in the drive, and you can make infinite amounts of copies. I know that when games were on floppys, my mates did give me copied versions, but that is as far as I have ever gotten to piracy. Now, what am I going on about? Yes, piracy.
Nowadays, piracy couldn't be easier. I have a gameshark for my PlayStation, and in the instructions it tells you how to manipulate it to play copied and import games. Fine, but I don't use it because I don't have copied games. You can't buy copied games in shops, hell no, but it is so easy to copy games.
I'm not writing this as a tutorial to copy games, but you can easily copy them as you would copy anything. Create a cue file, then write to a CD. And when the games don't work, you download a patch. PlayStation piracy is so widespread, it is quite unbelievable. Of my friend group, there are more people who play copied or 'back-up' games (as they call them) than people like me who pay for them. Ridiculous.
And this 'back-up' excuse is ludicrous. You aren't allowed to hire games and copy them, and you can't copy a game then sell the original. The only legal way to have a copied game is if you actually own the original. And even then you aren't allowed to play it. Weird indeed.
Piracy is rampant, and it seems that few people can stop it. Mod chips aren't illegal because they are used for import gaming, and things like Gamesharks and action replays are as legal as buying the originals. Bit of a deadlock there.
I can't really say that those worst hit by piracy don't deserve it. Sony could have put in some anti-piracy measures on the PS2, but that would have meant extra cost, which they weren't willing to pay. Therefore, there are a lot of people playing pirate games. And judging by the amount of junk mail I get advertising 'Copy PS2 games to CD-R', it must be a big business.
GameCube has got some great anti-piracy measures. The little holes in the discs are a good idea, though I have no idea how it works, but I know that it costs just as much to pirate a game as it does to buy it. So consequently, GameCube piracy is pretty much extinct. And even when games are pirated, you can only play the CD-R versions on the Q-Cube because the GameCube's disc tray is too small.
The Xbox is open to piracy, due to the fact that it uses DVDs as the medium, but as far as I know, you can't chip the Xbox, which is a good thing. Although, judging by the tech bods that come up with all this stuff, I doubt it will be impossible for long.
So this results in the PS2 being prime choice for those pirates (arrr matey). Pirating is a big business; many of the SR contacts I have on MSN have admitted to piracy at some stage (though I won't say who). After all, if you had the option to have games for a quid each rather than 40, I think I know what you'd choose. The reason I don't go for copied games? The risk.
a) Mod chips can mess up your PlayStation
b) Copied games are illegal, and if caught you get fined a lot of money
c) Games lose their face value when they're copied; I will enjoy an original much more than a copied game, because I want my value for money. I will finish the game because I spent a lot of money on it, and don't want it to just end up on the shelf.
People say that developers lose money because of pirating. This isn't true. They just don't get money which they may have got. But the thing is, one of my mates who has copied games says that he never copies games which he would buy in the shops normally. Now, this is interesting to me, because technically developers wouldn't get money either way round, whether copied or not.
A simple and easy way to counter piracy is to make games cheaper. At £20 each rather than £40, developers won't lose money. DVDs only cost about 20p each in mass production, so it isn't as if there are restricting production costs. If games were cheaper, I'd buy more games, because I'd have more money to spare. This seems like a simple solution, and it is. The only reason preventing it is the greedy corporations who can't be bothered to give consumers an easy time. So they kind of bring it upon themselves in a way, in the piracy issue.
But don't get me wrong, piracy is bad and illegal. I would never recommend it, or indulge in it, and neither should you. Just stick with the traditional and honest method of buying games. At least SOME people give you a good deal, such as Special Reserve, and I'm not sucking up, but compared to shops, nobody comes close to the value that SR gives you.
So don't pirate, and don't pay extortionate prices. Shop around for good deals, and possibly buy second hand. You shouldn't have to shell out a lot of money for a piece of *, but, you shouldn't pay nothing either.
And on a lighter note, Maximo is brilliant. :-)
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Okay, Maximo won't appeal to everyone, but it is a laid-back game which is great for people who want a solid, decent game that is bloody hard. Hardcore gamers only, perhaps.
Good post. Not sure about Maximo though...
Piracy is a big issue in gaming today. Loads of people have chipped PlayStations, PS2s, GameCubes and Xboxes, and all for the express purpose of not having to pay for games. Piracy IS illegal, and people who copy games are *.
Piracy started when games were bought on floppy disks. Just stick it in the drive, and you can make infinite amounts of copies. I know that when games were on floppys, my mates did give me copied versions, but that is as far as I have ever gotten to piracy. Now, what am I going on about? Yes, piracy.
Nowadays, piracy couldn't be easier. I have a gameshark for my PlayStation, and in the instructions it tells you how to manipulate it to play copied and import games. Fine, but I don't use it because I don't have copied games. You can't buy copied games in shops, hell no, but it is so easy to copy games.
I'm not writing this as a tutorial to copy games, but you can easily copy them as you would copy anything. Create a cue file, then write to a CD. And when the games don't work, you download a patch. PlayStation piracy is so widespread, it is quite unbelievable. Of my friend group, there are more people who play copied or 'back-up' games (as they call them) than people like me who pay for them. Ridiculous.
And this 'back-up' excuse is ludicrous. You aren't allowed to hire games and copy them, and you can't copy a game then sell the original. The only legal way to have a copied game is if you actually own the original. And even then you aren't allowed to play it. Weird indeed.
Piracy is rampant, and it seems that few people can stop it. Mod chips aren't illegal because they are used for import gaming, and things like Gamesharks and action replays are as legal as buying the originals. Bit of a deadlock there.
I can't really say that those worst hit by piracy don't deserve it. Sony could have put in some anti-piracy measures on the PS2, but that would have meant extra cost, which they weren't willing to pay. Therefore, there are a lot of people playing pirate games. And judging by the amount of junk mail I get advertising 'Copy PS2 games to CD-R', it must be a big business.
GameCube has got some great anti-piracy measures. The little holes in the discs are a good idea, though I have no idea how it works, but I know that it costs just as much to pirate a game as it does to buy it. So consequently, GameCube piracy is pretty much extinct. And even when games are pirated, you can only play the CD-R versions on the Q-Cube because the GameCube's disc tray is too small.
The Xbox is open to piracy, due to the fact that it uses DVDs as the medium, but as far as I know, you can't chip the Xbox, which is a good thing. Although, judging by the tech bods that come up with all this stuff, I doubt it will be impossible for long.
So this results in the PS2 being prime choice for those pirates (arrr matey). Pirating is a big business; many of the SR contacts I have on MSN have admitted to piracy at some stage (though I won't say who). After all, if you had the option to have games for a quid each rather than 40, I think I know what you'd choose. The reason I don't go for copied games? The risk.
a) Mod chips can mess up your PlayStation
b) Copied games are illegal, and if caught you get fined a lot of money
c) Games lose their face value when they're copied; I will enjoy an original much more than a copied game, because I want my value for money. I will finish the game because I spent a lot of money on it, and don't want it to just end up on the shelf.
People say that developers lose money because of pirating. This isn't true. They just don't get money which they may have got. But the thing is, one of my mates who has copied games says that he never copies games which he would buy in the shops normally. Now, this is interesting to me, because technically developers wouldn't get money either way round, whether copied or not.
A simple and easy way to counter piracy is to make games cheaper. At £20 each rather than £40, developers won't lose money. DVDs only cost about 20p each in mass production, so it isn't as if there are restricting production costs. If games were cheaper, I'd buy more games, because I'd have more money to spare. This seems like a simple solution, and it is. The only reason preventing it is the greedy corporations who can't be bothered to give consumers an easy time. So they kind of bring it upon themselves in a way, in the piracy issue.
But don't get me wrong, piracy is bad and illegal. I would never recommend it, or indulge in it, and neither should you. Just stick with the traditional and honest method of buying games. At least SOME people give you a good deal, such as Special Reserve, and I'm not sucking up, but compared to shops, nobody comes close to the value that SR gives you.
So don't pirate, and don't pay extortionate prices. Shop around for good deals, and possibly buy second hand. You shouldn't have to shell out a lot of money for a piece of *, but, you shouldn't pay nothing either.
And on a lighter note, Maximo is brilliant. :-)
Piracy started when games were bought on floppy disks. Just stick it in the drive, and you can make infinite amounts of copies. I know that when games were on floppys, my mates did give me copied versions, but that is as far as I have ever gotten to piracy. Now, what am I going on about? Yes, piracy.
Nowadays, piracy couldn't be easier. I have a gameshark for my PlayStation, and in the instructions it tells you how to manipulate it to play copied and import games. Fine, but I don't use it because I don't have copied games. You can't buy copied games in shops, hell no, but it is so easy to copy games.
I'm not writing this as a tutorial to copy games, but you can easily copy them as you would copy anything. Create a cue file, then write to a CD. And when the games don't work, you download a patch. PlayStation piracy is so widespread, it is quite unbelievable. Of my friend group, there are more people who play copied or 'back-up' games (as they call them) than people like me who pay for them. Ridiculous.
And this 'back-up' excuse is ludicrous. You aren't allowed to hire games and copy them, and you can't copy a game then sell the original. The only legal way to have a copied game is if you actually own the original. And even then you aren't allowed to play it. Weird indeed.
Piracy is rampant, and it seems that few people can stop it. Mod chips aren't illegal because they are used for import gaming, and things like Gamesharks and action replays are as legal as buying the originals. Bit of a deadlock there.
I can't really say that those worst hit by piracy don't deserve it. Sony could have put in some anti-piracy measures on the PS2, but that would have meant extra cost, which they weren't willing to pay. Therefore, there are a lot of people playing pirate games. And judging by the amount of junk mail I get advertising 'Copy PS2 games to CD-R', it must be a big business.
GameCube has got some great anti-piracy measures. The little holes in the discs are a good idea, though I have no idea how it works, but I know that it costs just as much to pirate a game as it does to buy it. So consequently, GameCube piracy is pretty much extinct. And even when games are pirated, you can only play the CD-R versions on the Q-Cube because the GameCube's disc tray is too small.
The Xbox is open to piracy, due to the fact that it uses DVDs as the medium, but as far as I know, you can't chip the Xbox, which is a good thing. Although, judging by the tech bods that come up with all this stuff, I doubt it will be impossible for long.
So this results in the PS2 being prime choice for those pirates (arrr matey). Pirating is a big business; many of the SR contacts I have on MSN have admitted to piracy at some stage (though I won't say who). After all, if you had the option to have games for a quid each rather than 40, I think I know what you'd choose. The reason I don't go for copied games? The risk.
a) Mod chips can mess up your PlayStation
b) Copied games are illegal, and if caught you get fined a lot of money
c) Games lose their face value when they're copied; I will enjoy an original much more than a copied game, because I want my value for money. I will finish the game because I spent a lot of money on it, and don't want it to just end up on the shelf.
People say that developers lose money because of pirating. This isn't true. They just don't get money which they may have got. But the thing is, one of my mates who has copied games says that he never copies games which he would buy in the shops normally. Now, this is interesting to me, because technically developers wouldn't get money either way round, whether copied or not.
A simple and easy way to counter piracy is to make games cheaper. At £20 each rather than £40, developers won't lose money. DVDs only cost about 20p each in mass production, so it isn't as if there are restricting production costs. If games were cheaper, I'd buy more games, because I'd have more money to spare. This seems like a simple solution, and it is. The only reason preventing it is the greedy corporations who can't be bothered to give consumers an easy time. So they kind of bring it upon themselves in a way, in the piracy issue.
But don't get me wrong, piracy is bad and illegal. I would never recommend it, or indulge in it, and neither should you. Just stick with the traditional and honest method of buying games. At least SOME people give you a good deal, such as Special Reserve, and I'm not sucking up, but compared to shops, nobody comes close to the value that SR gives you.
So don't pirate, and don't pay extortionate prices. Shop around for good deals, and possibly buy second hand. You shouldn't have to shell out a lot of money for a piece of *, but, you shouldn't pay nothing either.
And on a lighter note, Maximo is brilliant. :-)
Page: