🚀 go-pugleaf

Eurocom_Enterta...@msn.com (Mark Hetherington) wrote:

>Well, your second message removes the reason for you wanting a crack!

>In your first message you state that there are only a few CDROMs in 
>the building and you have to wait for the users of these PCs to go 
>home. I assume this is after hours. Since this is when you wish to 
>play the game, what is the problem?

Well, to put numbers to my comments, specifically, we have two
machines with CD-ROMs, and the five of us (at most) who wish to play
the game do not have CD-ROMs.  So if we're able to get one of the CD
equipped machines, three can play.  Unfortunately, it's not often we
can get both CD machines as their owners may stay late or drag their
machines home to do work.  And we occassionaly like to partake in a
game during our lunch break (although these large networked games can
easily last more than an hour, so we usually have to save and then
re-start later on..)

>You claim that it doesn't stop piracy. Correct, but it makes it more 
>difficult, thereby reducing it. It also means that it will be some 
>time after the release before the cracked versions appear. This gives 
>those people who wish to remain within the law ample opportunity to 
>purchase the game without being tempted by pirated copies.

I agree to a certain extent.  However, anyone with a reasonable amount
of computer knowledge and a modem can track down the cracked versions.
I think that if someone is of the mindset, "Hey, why shell out $50 for
this game when I can get it free?", they are not going to run out to
the store to buy a game just because the cracked version has yet to
appear.  There's so much software floating around that they'll have
plenty to keep them busy until then.. 

On the other hand, many of those who DO have access to the illicit
'warez' still choose to do the right thing and purchase the software
they use.  I may peruse the warez newsgroups from time to time and
download a game that I'm interested in and if I like it then I'll go
out and purchase it!  When demos aren't available from the publishers,
the warez groups offer a viable substitute, as I'm less inclined to
buy a game that I haven't had a chance to test-drive, *especially*
(these days) if the publisher hasn't released a demo.

>You say that you are a software developer. I would be interested to 
>know which kind of software. If is is industrial or application 
>software then it has no bearing whatsover on this much different 
>games software market. Piracy within different areas of the software 
>industry does not normally cross over between the markets.

No, I'm not a games developer (although I someday hope to make the
crossover, as that is truly where I wish to be).  My company develops
(among other things) Windows-based electronic forms packages, most of
which is not subject to gradiose piracy.  Even if the software I
develop is not directly affected by piracy, I am very much aware of
the monumental effort it takes to develop a large piece of software
and why games publishers must loathe the entire piracy situation and
their desire to quell it.

Once I do make the transition into the games realm, yes, the piracy
issue will hit home.  But I believe that putting out an outstanding
product at a reasonable price is probably the single most important
weapon a software developer can wield against piracy..

 ..Al

__      _________________________________________________
  \    /  Albert Yarusso, a...@warpsoft.com
   \/\/arpSoft, Framingham, MA  508-875-6867