I've been thinking about this subject a lot lately. I'm the type of guy who wants to own absolutely everything he plays even if it's an old obsolete game. I was worried about the fact that I don't own Savage Empire nor Martian Dreams even though I would have to play them to complete my blog about Ultima.
So while browsing ebay I found this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200138760738&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010
I immediately thought: "COOL! Those will probably go for really cheap and it'll allow me to legally download the game!".
Then I thought about it. Does that really make sense? Buying a pair of floppies from 1990, floppies I can't even use since I don't have a floppy drive, is going to allow me to download the game?
Now the problem with 'allowing' me to download the game is that no one cares about it. This game isn't being sold anymore by anyone, no one is going to lose any money if someone downloads the game instead of buying it. The only losers are the people selling the game on ebay, but even then you'd have to think that the type of people who would download the game wouldn't necessarily be the same kind who would want to buy a fully boxed and complete game from 1990.
From what I know none of the games in the Ultima series is officially abandonware. In fact I don't even think the term 'abandonware' is accurate since there's always someone out there who owns the original rights. Then again, do those care if you download the game or buy it off of someone on ebay? I highly doubt it.
Fact of the matter is, when you want to buy a game instead of downloading it, it's usually to support someone or some company. I think this is where the ethics or the lack of come in when talking about piracy. Pirates don't care about supporting the work of others, they only care about supporting themselves and their wallet. However, buying Savage Empire off of ebay does not support Origin, Richard Garriott, or even EA. So why would I want to buy it?
It also reminds me of when Natreg told me that "Some might object to the idea of downloading FM towns games...". I tried to look for them on ebay but now I'm wondering, would someone seriously object? I highly doubt it.
The way I see it, if the creator or those who own the rights of a product don't sell that product anymore and cannot benefit from the sales of it then I feel that that product can be freely distributed.
In my case though I just like to own the original box with the manuals, it gives off a tangible feeling that downloading just cannot bring. However too much is too much. In the end when it comes to dealing with older unsupported software whether you buy it or you download it depends on your preference, and on your wallet. And no one should care one way or the other.
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2 comments:
From my perspective, if a game is not for sale from any commercial source (not including e-bay which is effectively a private sale), the company is no longer supporting the game and is no longer supporting the purchase of the game. As such, downloading the game is, in my opinion, fine and acceptable.
At the end of the day, the value of an old game is not worth the media it is printed on (with the rare exception of a few classics). Can you really imagine EA putting out a newly packaged "Martian Dreams" and putting it out for sale? They would have to give it away and would be able to expect actual sales in the 100s of people.
Even to sell a compliation of old games would required puting 50+ old games on a CD and selling it for $10. So the value of each game is $0.50?
The only reason to actively discourage downloading old games for the few people who want to play them is to push them to play other, newer games that are for sale.
IMHO, it's a non-issue for old games that are not for sale.
Alas, copyright law does not conform to sensible ethics. Unlike patent and trademark law, it does not benefit the public in due proportion to the prohibitions it places upon us. It bends over backwards to prevent piracy by shackling legitimate use...and anyone who believes it succeeds in curtailing piracy by doing so is living in a fantasy world far zanier than anything RG ever dreamed up.
Personally I am not the least convinced that if copyright were globally overturned tomorrow, we would suffer artistically. Piracy would skyrocket in those few nations where it isn't already rampant, but it would necessarily simmer down as market forces favored those publishers who could best balance quality and price, same as in every other field of manufacture.
You just wouldn't find as many hacks cranking out books, games, and movies to make a living. Only the ones whose desire to create isn't motived by profit. Awww, no more sequels to "Rocky" and "Rambo". Too bad.
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