Screw you, Virtual Console.

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by Angrist

When you download something that you were going to buy, it's pretty much the same as stealing.

No, it's not. There are philosophical differences.

If I walked into Best Buy, and made an exact copy of something and walked out with my copy while leaving the store copy there, then it would be the same as downloading something.

There are bad copyright laws too.


But none of this matters. You guys are missing the gist of this thread. Which is that I paid for the Virtual Console games, and I technically own them....in the restricted capacity Nintendo has defined. That is DRM. DRM is bullshit and doesn't prevent piracy. Insofar that I plan to pirate the shit out of any game I wanted to play now, even if it is available on the Virtual Console. And my opinion is the popular opinion, so because of bad choices...Nintendo is losing customers. If you want to be a "big boy" gaming company and compete with the other big boys, you need to step up your game.

Someone mentioned SOPA in this thread. Microsoft is against SOPA. Good for them.

Originally Posted by Ginkasa

Nintendo's not to blame for the Wii containing my VC games being stolen.

They are responsible for limitations to their medium, including DRM.


Anyway, it was a fun thread guys....I'm gonna go fire up some torrents.

[Angrist]

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

If I walked into Best Buy, and made an exact copy of something and walked out with my copy while leaving the store copy there, then it would be the same as downloading something.

So if a (group of) person(s) has put a lot of money/time/effort into developing something you like and you can just copy it without any effort of yourself, you think that's ok?

If I did that at my university I would get kicked out.


Edit: I do agree that Nintendo's business model sucks and isn't profitable for anyone. If only they would have slashed the prices of downloadable games with 50%, I would have bought so much more.

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by Angrist

So if a (group of) person(s) has put a lot of money/time/effort into developing something you like and you can just copy it without any effort of yourself, you think that's ok?

If I did that at my university I would get kicked out.


Edit: I do agree that Nintendo's business model sucks and isn't profitable for anyone. If only they would have slashed the prices of downloadable games with 50%, I would have bought so much more.

No, I don't. And honestly I hate it when people say they will pirate a game because it costs too much/I'm poor/the company did something I don't like.

It's really simple - just don't buy the game. Don't buy it. The sense of entitlement people have kills me. And if the company did something bad that makes you not want to support them, then just boycott the game completely rather than pirate. Don't talk about the game, don't encourage others to buy it.

Ever since I realized that my VC games would be gone along with my Wii, I haven't purchased a single VC title. However, if my Wii does break or gets stolen, and I PURCHASE a new one, I wouldn't hesitate to restore the VC games I had already paid for. I don't see how that's stealing - it's just restoring the bits you already had. No one loses in that deal - Nintendo still has their money, and you didn't deplete their stock of something.

[Ginkasa]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

Ever since I realized that my VC games would be gone along with my Wii, I haven't purchased a single VC title. However, if my Wii does break or gets stolen, and I PURCHASE a new one, I wouldn't hesitate to restore the VC games I had already paid for. I don't see how that's stealing - it's just restoring the bits you already had. No one loses in that deal - Nintendo still has their money, and you didn't deplete their stock of something.

I understand this.

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by Angrist

So if a (group of) person(s) has put a lot of money/time/effort into developing something you like and you can just copy it without any effort of yourself, you think that's ok?

If I did that at my university I would get kicked out.

Arrrgg....let's just agree to disagree.

But yes. If you spend time and money to develop something awesome, and then you make me jump through DRM hoops to get it? I'm going to pirate it.

I don't believe in paying for Nazi DRM. Fuck EA and fuck any company that makes me go through activations or limits me to 2 uses or whatever. I know that I'm a member of the last generation to have PHYSICAL MEDIA, but I remember what it was like to actually own my media.

Certain companies get it right. They don't ruin the experience with DRM. And I give them my money. I love STEAM for the most part...and some day the servers may shut down, but for now they run a tight ship.

Copyright laws are not good either. At a certain point NES games should become shareware or freeware. Perhaps Nintendo is entitled to argue over this fact. But I dunno. What happens when all the original software developers are dead? I mean...look at the Beatles. Buying a Beatles album probably doesn't help Ringo get money because the Beatles' discography was sold to Micheal Jackson. And the important Beatles are dead anyway. So am I thief if I download an album or rip a CD and put it on my Ipod? My family owns the vinyl albums and the CD albums. How much more money does the RIAA need?

At a certain point I'd like to see Nintendo do what a company like Rockstar does. Rockstar has made Grand Theft Auto 1 and 2 freely available to download. And now they are out cranking out awesome new games. Meanwhile, Nintendo released a whole console (3DS) based on emulated old games. At a certain point, just admit that emulation is easy as pie, and open up the NES library to people who buy the next Nintendo console.

How many times is Nintendo going to repackage and sell me Ocarina of Time before we admit that at a philosophical level I've bought the game 2 or 3 times and I'm not a thief for pirating it. Nintendo is exploiting copyright to some level...because emulation is easy and has been around for a while.

Why can't I buy hot Nintendo titles on the Virtual Console but they show up on the 3DS repackaged as new titles and slapped with a high price tag? I mean...that's begging to be emulated.

So I'm sorry Angrist, I don't think every situation is as the one you described. I think you're creating some sympathy-seeking straw man, but I'm not biting.

[KillerGremlin]

That's the second Virtual Console shortcoming. The library sucks.

Where is Mario Party 1 and 3? Where are all the good SNES games?

Where is Metroid and Castlevania?

I'm skeptical it has anything to do with licensing and it is just hardcore franchising by Nintendo. Nintendo has expressed antiquated ideas on Copyright laws and DRM time and time again. It wouldn't surprise me if they try to hold onto their NES games forever.

How much potential would Nintendo have if they released a full NES/SNES game library on the Virtual Console? Think of the huge cash they'd pull in.

Maybe even more than re-releasing Ocarina of Time on the 3DS.

[Vampyr]

There have been a lot of OoT rehashes, but to be fair a lot of work was put into the 3DS one - that game looks amazing - I think it's worth paying for again.

The other rereleases were all bonuses for preordering and such, if I remember correctly.