The Black Box Canned

Neither condoning illegal activities, nor discussion about the encouragement of such activities is the point here, nor is the creators getting paid for their work. It's the mere discussion of the subject itself that's being made taboo.



It's been my experience that publishers, more so than developers, have an almost pathological fear of the subject even being mentioned in polite (or otherwise) company. If it weren't so arrogant, ignorant and sad it would actually be funny.

Edited by [user="95147"] @ [time="1179852778"]

Patrick_Bateman69 wrote..

Funny thing is, from what I've seen and read about ep2, tf2 and portal, I'd pay $50 each for them. Yes, $150 total. But, I feel a bit scammed paying $50 for all three if it includes something I already have. Nonetheless, $50 is a great deal for all three of these games.

I quite agree. I'd assume selling each game separately at $50 would garner most revenue, and neutralize the feeling in this thread that you're getting scammed.

Software developers and artists getting paid for their work is not an outdated concept or practice. If you don't like it, don't support artists who are part of said Associations.



No one said you can't voice your opinion about Valve's practices, or what they could do to regain your business. Not all use of copyrighted material is infringement, but copyright infringement is theft. No legitimate site is going to condone illegal activities, nor discussion about the encouragement of such activities.

Fragalishus wrote..

Merely discussing piracy may not be that bad, but that could lead to discussion on how to do it, which would put the site in legal jeopardy.

To which I quote the late Lenny Bruce:



"A knowledge of syphilis is not an instruction to get it."



I don't get a sense of legal jeopardy being the issue here at all; rather, it reeks of corporate cowardice and journalistic sycophancy. Like the MPAA and RIAA the software industry is trying to hold on to outmoded concepts and practices in a losing battle against technology and human inventiveness.



More than ever it is foremost to have a product worth buying in the first place and respecting your audience enough not to insult their intelligence or sensibility. The means to fight inequity in a digital revolution are far more accessible to the masses than mere physical force.



Rather than stifle the subject, open-minded debate over ways to avoid its necessity would go a lot further toward alleviating the problem.

Funny thing is, from what I've seen and read about ep2, tf2 and portal, I'd pay $50 each for them. Yes, $150 total. But, I feel a bit scammed paying $50 for all three if it includes something I already have. Nonetheless, $50 is a great deal for all three of these games.

It's not about rules or legality, it's common sense. Merely discussing piracy may not be that bad, but that could lead to discussion on how to do it, which would put the site in legal jeopardy. It should always remain a dirty little secret. Any pirate or leecher's official stance should always be "if you like the product, buy it". So if you don't like it, don't buy it. Simple. You're completely free to tell everyone you're not going to purchase it. But there's absolutely no reason to tell anyone you're going to pirate it.

I'm going with 'their website, their rules'.



If they don't want me to say what I said in my deleted comment, then I won't. But I'll come real close to it. =P



Put it this way, simply, again. I am not going to pay for games I already own.



If that means that I don't get to play a legitimate, legal copy of Episode 2, (or any copy of it at all), then that's less money that's in Valve's pocket. Which is apparently the only possible way of reaching them.

entRo wrote..

I pirated Episode 1 and I'm glad, because it sucked.

You had your chance.

I wonder if selling the product keys for HL2 and HL2: Episode One is considered illegal in terms of the EULA? It kind of feels like it is (I guess I'll re-read it at some point to double-check). Either way, I'll likely do it anyways, since I have every intention of bringing that darn price down to $40 or so. I'm also wondering if I should even bother going for the retail version since the box art...



Wait, let me start over... I'm also wondering if I should even bother going for the retail version since the box is missing artwork... I'm also under the assumption that there won't be a game manual (no, I don't consider a reference card to be a manual) right? I guess "retail presentation" (if such a thing exists) is not part of the quality in VALVe's products; at least the games stand out from the rest of the industry... I think.



Oh and I'm not going to comment on the piracy topic since I figured it's probably a wiser idea to talk about that (if I were to support it that is) in a different website where such conversations are allowed. Their website, their rules. I have no reason to be against it. If I actually cared, I'd simply make my own forum or whatever.

I pirated Episode 1 and I'm glad, because it sucked.

Zips wrote..

Discussion or, admission of, or intent of piracy is NOT allowed here. That is discussing of illegal matters and I do not care if it "works" or not, it's illegal and it is not a legitimate means of obtaining the games or services.

WTF? The mere discussion of a subject, legal or otherwise, is not allowed?!? Either somebody's cowardly corporate hand is rammed snugly up your pathetic puppet ass or it's your nose that's rammed up theirs. This is America, my friend, and that kind of attitude is downright repugnant and flies in the face of the very concept of everything this country is allegedly based on.



For every action there is an equal -- if not more powerful -- reaction. If software companies don't consider the very real consequences of crapping in people's mouths and telling them it's pudding then those consequences, be they legal or otherwise -- are of their own making.



It'd sure be nice if the world was a just and fair place but it's not. Burying your head in the sand and ignoring the harsh realities just allows them to flourish. It is only through communication that ideas, alternatives and solutions are arrived at and shared.



Wise up, you punk.

entRo wrote..

Legality says nothing of legitimacy. If it works, and the industry claims it does, than piracy can be a legitimate force for change.



So walk the walk.

Don't try and argue semantics with me. Discussion or, admission of, or intent of piracy is NOT allowed here. That is discussing of illegal matters and I do not care if it "works" or not, it's illegal and it is not a legitimate means of obtaining the games or services.

ALT+F4 wrote..

"Episodic games will be cheaper, and will take a shorter time to make."



Speaking of which, where's the next god-damned episode of SiN?!?

That was canned months ago.

I agree. Piracy is a legitimate force to get Valve off their butts and doing something.



They made Steam as an answer to piracy. The fastest patch I've ever seen to CS 1.6 came from an exploit which allowed people to disable ads quite easily without it even being considered a hack by VAC.



Valve is screwing their customers over. That is when the hackers come in and screw them over back, by pirating their games and offering them free to others.



Valve's karma is going to kill them in the end. Every business decision I've seen coming from them, step by step, has been progressively worse.