Poll: Am I a bad person to use Emulators?

[SpaceBat]

You are not a bad person in my eyes.
The less available a game is for sale, the more justified piracy becomes in my eyes. If you could just buy a specific game in any kind of local or online store for a fair price, I'd recommend you do it and support the industry. If a game is near-impossible to find due to localization or rarity or is preposterously priced, piracy is fine by me.

This is barely a grey area for me.

 

[Arkley]

Emulating certain titles is definitely justifiable morally - legally it's a grey area and, despite what some people will tell you, nothing is set in stone and there isn't much precedent to cite.

Just don't forget that certain games, while very old, are still available via modern means. Let's use the original Resident Evil as an example. The PS1 and Saturn aren't really that old, but it would be unreasonable to expect you to track down a used PS1 and a copy of the game. Even if you did, neither the developer nor publisher would see any cash from your purchase. However; Resident Evil is available via modern means. It is readily available for download on PSN. "I don't own a PS3" is not a valid excuse for emulating it either. If you don't have the right system to play a game available on that system, you either buy the system or you don't get to play it - at least, not justifiably, anyway.

The same goes for older games, too. Finding an original Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cartridge may be damn near impossible, but it's available for download on damn near every modern system under the sun, so you don't get to emulate it guilt-free.

Otherwise, go for it.

 

[Xdeser2]

I've really only used emulators on my phone (because android has shit for games) and even then its only a GBA emulator. The way I see it, If the publisher does not make the game anymore, they're not going to mkae a profit anyway, so its fine. Its Piracy if the game is still being sold by the publisher.

 

[Sonic Doctor]

If a game is over 15-20 years old I'd say it's fair game. People who made it probably aren't getting money from it if you managed to buy it anyway.

Nintendo would disagree with you(i.e. Releasing old games through the Wii virtual console). I for one side with them in that respect. They own the rights and if they want to repackage and sell it, then they shouldn't have to contend with people not paying by playing them on an emulator.

The only way I condone the used of emulators and roms is if the person owns the game they are playing on the emulator.

Let's say I own an original Mario Bros./Duck Hunt cartridge(which I do) and can't play it because my NES doesn't work anymore(which it doesn't), then I would say it is perfectly fine for me to download the rom and play it on an emulator, since I have proof that I own the game.

On a side note, it saddened me that when my NES still worked, but I only just had my HDTV, that I couldn't play Duck Hunt or Hogan's Alley anymore because the NES light gun isn't compatible with HDTVs, it will only work with tube TVs. *sad-face*

Spoiler: For the heck of it, I scanned my copy of the cartridge and part of my hand. I think I created a work of art. =P

It says so much without saying anything. (Single tear) =P

 

[Matchu]

If the games are no longer available and thus the original IP cannot be supported, then its fair game.

I'm actually finding myself harking back to games of 20+ years ago from a nostaligic perspective, which an emulator would be the only way to see them again.

 

[Sonic Doctor]

The reason I use an emulator (Nintendo DS) is simple. There is literally one game that interests me on it, and I'm not buying a system for one game. If it takes some random guy a day (no kidding, they release them in one day) to make an emulated version of a handheld game, then the company who made it should have released a PC version, and if they did, they'd have sold me a copy. If they didn't, then logically they must be trying to use the game as extortion to make people buy systems. And I do not accept extortion.

So, you are saying that a company that possibly doesn't make PC games in the first place(if you are not talking about a Nintendo made game), doesn't make a PC release of a game you want, and you don't want to spend the money on the system to play it, that that gives you the right to pirate a game? Extortion? Really?

That is one of the worst arguments I have heard for pirating a game.

How are they in the wrong when you just happen to be one of the people that likes only one game that is on the system.

Besides, it's the company's product and IP, not yours. If they deem the only market is on the handheld, then that is their decision. It does not give you the right to download the game illegally and play for free while all the honest people pay for it like they should.

"Because I don't agree with their selling practices and having to spend extra money to play", isn't a viable defense.

That's like if I went to a car dealership and said, "Hey I don't like your deals and that I have to pay extra for the stuff in the car I want," then I hopped into one of the new cars and just drove off.

Playing an emulated version of a game without owning a copy, isn't stealing by loss of product, but is stealing by loss of money. "Because I wouldn't have given them the money in the first place because they didn't put the game on a system I already have," isn't a viable defense. If you were a good consumer and saved the money to get the system and game, then they would have your money.

You aren't entitled to play their game because they didn't release it on the system you have.

Seriously, how can a sane person even think such a thing is a viable option or argument.

Bottom line, pay or you don't get to play. That is perfectly fair, and is not extortion.

 

[Madman123456]

How does one even get to the point where snes emulation is considered a grey area? Grey area should be about ten years in my opinion; Are we scared to even touch Software of which the Developer doesn't even exist anymore in that form?

I'm just waiting for the Day when certain Companies have sued enough People for various Reasons that the People in general are too scared to buy Product.
Already happening in the PC sector with the ridiculous copy Protection software. Enough Headlines on techsites have been seen that copy protection software will scan for other Software that may be used to pirate things and uninstall it.
Other DRM Software phones home, sometimes without you knowing it.

I warn away People from the PC Version of GTA4. The DRM software is a ***** to get rid off.

What will happen if People fear buying product will slow their Machines down, send private Date to no one knows where?
Here we have this one Person who's afraid to emulate 20 year old Games.
What will happen if People are too scared to buy product?

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

If you own both the game and the console it is definitely fine afaik. Otherwise as long as it something like PS 1 before era it isn't too bad as the stuff is/can be quite hard to find at a reasonable price.

 

[Sonic Doctor]

So, you are saying that a company that possibly doesn't make PC games in the first place(if you are not talking about a Nintendo made game), doesn't make a PC release of a game you want

It takes some random guy on the internet a day to do it. So they should. It's easy. You can pretend you don't understand it all day, waste of breath.

The one day for one guy to do it thing means nothing. To make a "proper" "non-emulator" console/handheld port of a game for a PC takes more time than a day, and definitely costs more to do then you think it does. Not to mention the work and money for extra advertising for the PC version, deciding on the right platform to launch it from, to make it just digital or also make a box copy(which I wish more companies would do, but you don't see me stealing a copy because I don't like that some don't).

You are only one person, and you could vary well be a member of only a very small group that would have bought the game on PC. If the PC market for the game might be too small, there is no sane reason for a company to take the risk and possible loss and release a PC version.

Oh, and I understand you perfectly fine. You are trying to make up a reason to justify your illegal actions, and the reason isn't not in the ballpark of being a good one.

It just boggles my mind to think there are actually people out there that might think your reasoning for what you are doing is okay.

 

[Olas]

You aren't doing anything wrong because the people that own the rights to these games won't be getting any money if you buy a copy as the only copies left are not owned by them. You aren't costing the people who own these games any money however as the poll says, I wouldn't quite say that it is "right", it is just not wrong.

Exactly this. This important thing isn't whether or not what you're doing is illegal, it's whether or not you can think of some way to morally justify it to yourself. As we all know the legal system was never intended to override the personal beliefs of what we should or shouldn't be allowed to do. Especially in circumstances when we have a vested interest in doing something that's considered illegal. The supreme court even ruled it's okay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yPvdg1jtEY&t=1m22s

It's important to remember that even though most popular SNES games can be bought legally on the Wii/3DS Virtual Console for a relatively fair price, those games are old and nobody really gives a fuck anymore and therefore it should be okay to just emulate them for free if we want to.

 

[Stephen Wo]

No, you're not a bad person, because that's subjective. Are you, however, infringing copyright and technically stealing IP? Yes. You are.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

If it's not available any other way, then it makes sense. That or if you just can't get it in your country, say for example: Any multitude of games from Japan that I want (especially Gundam wise, we only get the Dynasty Warriors ones and I'm not a Dynasty Warriors player.) that they just don't sell outside it, or there's no way to get it for your region and it isn't banned (games like Manhunt are banned in NZ, the list is small, but it's there.) then I also understand.

 

[Something Amyss]

No, selfish is creating art and then refusing to share it with the rest of the world for no good reason.

The view I am championing is, in fact, the exact opposite of selfish.

Saying "fuck you for not sharing with me!" is incredibly selfish.

Denying someone their rights because you really, really want something is also selfish as hell.

 

[Ashadowpie]

i have Nes, Snes, N64 and GBA emulators. half the games for my Snes are Japanese but fans translated it to English. also nothing like Zelda Oot environment mods that actually look better than the 3DS remake.

if the games are really old, or impossible to find, emulate em.

 

[rob_simple]

No, selfish is creating art and then refusing to share it with the rest of the world for no good reason.

The view I am championing is, in fact, the exact opposite of selfish.

Saying "fuck you for not sharing with me!" is incredibly selfish.

Denying someone their rights because you really, really want something is also selfish as hell.

Oh alright, so if I invent the cure for cancer, it's cool for me to keep it to myself because I've arbitrarily decided that no one should have it but me?

People have a right to protect what is theirs, but if you are refusing to share something that would benefit several other people for no reason beyond you don't feel like sharing it, then you are a selfish prick; no two ways about it.

 

[Bigsmith]

If a game is over 15-20 years old I'd say it's fair game. People who made it probably aren't getting money from it if you managed to buy it anyway.

This, and if own both the game and the console for the game and are playing your areas version of the game.

Aside from that I think it's fine. :3

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Needs another option. "Yes, and so am I".

 

[Baldr]

I'm sorry but no video game has fallen into the "public domain" category from time. If you download and play it without permission from the creators than you are doing something illegal.