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...just wondering whether anyone could tell me more about them, so if you dont mind could you answer the following questions for us :
1) How exactly do these people get the games if they haven't even been released in America?
2) Are they worth the money?
3) I bought a copied Mario 4 GBA SP game without knowing it was copied, will I get told off by the police or something?
4) Why does Ebay allow people to sell illega stuff?
5) How can I tell whether i'm buying a counterfeit game or not?
Cheers.
1) How exactly do these people get the games if they haven't even been released in America?
2) Are they worth the money?
3) I bought a copied Mario 4 GBA SP game without knowing it was copied, will I get told off by the police or something?
4) Why does Ebay allow people to sell illega stuff?
5) How can I tell whether i'm buying a counterfeit game or not?
Cheers.
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Whatever, I just thought that comment was a bit harsh.
Things are only harsh if you want them to be, you MORON.
ok leave the dude alone he just wanted a few answeres. i agree if u aint gonna help dont post!!! That means u Rickoss!
Pffft, you don't even know how to spell ocarina. Zelda freak... sure.
I'm actually crying with laughter.
Microchips wrote:
> I'm actually crying with laughter.
Lol ditto
> I'm actually crying with laughter.
Lol ditto
STRID wrote:
> 1) How exactly do these people get the games if they haven't even
> been released in America?
>
> 2) Are they worth the money?
>
> 3) I bought a copied Mario 4 GBA SP game without knowing it was
> copied, will I get told off by the police or something?
>
> 4) Why does Ebay allow people to sell illega stuff?
>
> 5) How can I tell whether i'm buying a counterfeit game or not?
Suppose I should answer these for you Stridders.
1) They steal the source code. Some fat bloke from programming probably left the source on a bench somewhere while he went to get his daily fix of Tab cola.
2) No. They're cheap, nasty and the code is normally modified. Plus, they tend to lose saves if they're GBA games or muck your memory card up if they're GC.
3) Yeah, the police are gonna spank you hard Strid. They'll come and hunt you down. They have Anti-Pirate Electronic Sensors (Apes Strid, Apes) that'll sniff you out. Give them a banana or something.
4) Think how many auctions there are per day- it's nearly impossible to view them all. Plus, people can say games are official when they're not.
5) You can if it's a pirate copy if it's wearing a bandana and has a tendancy to say "Aaar, Jim-lad" alot.
> 1) How exactly do these people get the games if they haven't even
> been released in America?
>
> 2) Are they worth the money?
>
> 3) I bought a copied Mario 4 GBA SP game without knowing it was
> copied, will I get told off by the police or something?
>
> 4) Why does Ebay allow people to sell illega stuff?
>
> 5) How can I tell whether i'm buying a counterfeit game or not?
Suppose I should answer these for you Stridders.
1) They steal the source code. Some fat bloke from programming probably left the source on a bench somewhere while he went to get his daily fix of Tab cola.
2) No. They're cheap, nasty and the code is normally modified. Plus, they tend to lose saves if they're GBA games or muck your memory card up if they're GC.
3) Yeah, the police are gonna spank you hard Strid. They'll come and hunt you down. They have Anti-Pirate Electronic Sensors (Apes Strid, Apes) that'll sniff you out. Give them a banana or something.
4) Think how many auctions there are per day- it's nearly impossible to view them all. Plus, people can say games are official when they're not.
5) You can if it's a pirate copy if it's wearing a bandana and has a tendancy to say "Aaar, Jim-lad" alot.
Thank you.
STRID wrote:
> ...just wondering whether anyone could tell me more about them, so if
> you dont mind could you answer the following questions for us :
>
> 1) How exactly do these people get the games if they haven't even
> been released in America?
I don't think it is a case of getting the source code like Microchips says, in most cases they simply buy the game in Japan or get a US import, then lift the game from that. in some cases you will find that the games on the packaging, and the games on the cartridge, are not the same - after all it's not like you can complain to anyone is it?
> 2) Are they worth the money?
Nope, no save game function, no instructions, no resale value.
> 3) I bought a copied Mario 4 GBA SP game without knowing it was
> copied, will I get told off by the police or something?
Doubtful, absolute worst that happens is the package is opened by customs and seized - this is very very unlikely. One of the problems is that the games originate from China/Hong Kong where licensing laws and the influence of western law enforcement are pretty much zero. These places know they have a problem, but it's bringing in foreign currency and they have enough problems right now. It used to be the case the piracy was a low level thing, but now it's a multi million dollar industry with genuine links to organised crime, forced prostitution, terrorism etc If you're buying CD-R or DVD-r from a mate then obviously the money is going in his pocket, but if it is a mass produced imitation of a retail product then odds are the money is going to something illegal.
It's certainly something that the authorities are going to tackle in a big way in the future and I'd expect eBay is going to come under heavy criticism eventually.
> 4) Why does Ebay allow people to sell illega stuff?
Proof - lack of proof they are copies - plus the fact that the sale of them brings in much money for eBay - many many pirate sellers are powersellers - this means they sell more than 10 000 a month on eBay, all of which eBay takes a cut of through its site and Paypal.
> 5) How can I tell whether i'm buying a counterfeit game or not?
Main signs;
1)Seller is in Hong Kong/China
2)Game packaging is similar to, but not identical, to the US or UK version - look for wrong colours, bad english etc.
3)Seller says the game is preowned and has no box/instructions, and the seller is in Asia.
4)More than one game on the cartridge.
5)Asian seller, game is boxed, no instructions (these are costly to make and often the pirates don't have them anyway).
With DVDs watch for them being all region, or in Chinese/Japanese audio and english subs when you know there is an english audio version. A new tactic is what the sellers call "Asian Special Edition" for boxsets of stuff, no reputable country will release an all region disc in Asia because of piracy.
> ...just wondering whether anyone could tell me more about them, so if
> you dont mind could you answer the following questions for us :
>
> 1) How exactly do these people get the games if they haven't even
> been released in America?
I don't think it is a case of getting the source code like Microchips says, in most cases they simply buy the game in Japan or get a US import, then lift the game from that. in some cases you will find that the games on the packaging, and the games on the cartridge, are not the same - after all it's not like you can complain to anyone is it?
> 2) Are they worth the money?
Nope, no save game function, no instructions, no resale value.
> 3) I bought a copied Mario 4 GBA SP game without knowing it was
> copied, will I get told off by the police or something?
Doubtful, absolute worst that happens is the package is opened by customs and seized - this is very very unlikely. One of the problems is that the games originate from China/Hong Kong where licensing laws and the influence of western law enforcement are pretty much zero. These places know they have a problem, but it's bringing in foreign currency and they have enough problems right now. It used to be the case the piracy was a low level thing, but now it's a multi million dollar industry with genuine links to organised crime, forced prostitution, terrorism etc If you're buying CD-R or DVD-r from a mate then obviously the money is going in his pocket, but if it is a mass produced imitation of a retail product then odds are the money is going to something illegal.
It's certainly something that the authorities are going to tackle in a big way in the future and I'd expect eBay is going to come under heavy criticism eventually.
> 4) Why does Ebay allow people to sell illega stuff?
Proof - lack of proof they are copies - plus the fact that the sale of them brings in much money for eBay - many many pirate sellers are powersellers - this means they sell more than 10 000 a month on eBay, all of which eBay takes a cut of through its site and Paypal.
> 5) How can I tell whether i'm buying a counterfeit game or not?
Main signs;
1)Seller is in Hong Kong/China
2)Game packaging is similar to, but not identical, to the US or UK version - look for wrong colours, bad english etc.
3)Seller says the game is preowned and has no box/instructions, and the seller is in Asia.
4)More than one game on the cartridge.
5)Asian seller, game is boxed, no instructions (these are costly to make and often the pirates don't have them anyway).
With DVDs watch for them being all region, or in Chinese/Japanese audio and english subs when you know there is an english audio version. A new tactic is what the sellers call "Asian Special Edition" for boxsets of stuff, no reputable country will release an all region disc in Asia because of piracy.
Thanks alot SIP, I got my GBA SP today and I checked the Mario game out to see if it would work properly.
There are a couple of strange things :
- It says Gameboy Player when I turn it on.
- It also says 'Save Data is Currupted' and then has a list of things (eg. File Data 1, File Data 2, File Data 3, High Score, e-coin) and they all have 'OK' next to them.
The second strange thing sounds a bit worrying, but it's alright at the moment.
I'll probably complete Super Mario Advance 4 quickly because it's dead easy, when I complete it I will buy a new game.
There are a couple of strange things :
- It says Gameboy Player when I turn it on.
- It also says 'Save Data is Currupted' and then has a list of things (eg. File Data 1, File Data 2, File Data 3, High Score, e-coin) and they all have 'OK' next to them.
The second strange thing sounds a bit worrying, but it's alright at the moment.
I'll probably complete Super Mario Advance 4 quickly because it's dead easy, when I complete it I will buy a new game.
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