Poll: Moral Question about downloading...

[spartan231490]

If the devs (more likely the publishers) had their say, you'd have to rebuy the game any time you bought a new computer or reformatted your hard drive.

This question keeps popping up, and the answer is always the same, if you have the CD Key, receipt, or if you already paid for it, even if there's no solid way to prove it, you have the license for that game, no matter how it may find it's way to the hard drive. It gets slightly fudgy when you take it into account which release version you have (whether you bought a standard game but are downloading Gold/Platinum edition,) but that really depends on how much of the included content you already paid for.

Nobody ever brings this up, but you don't pay for the CD when you buy a game, you pay for the End User License Agreement, which gives you the right to play the particular version or release of the game you paid for.

I bring it up all the time, just not in those words, when I'm on threads about on-disc dlc.

Anyway, thanks for posting this, now I have the right words to use, not that it will change anything.

 

[spartan231490]

Morally? the only qualms one could possibly have are about committing a technically illegal act.
I hate sugar coating things like this, though. If you're breaking the law in your actions, you're breaking the law.
Don't bother justifying your actions to me- I don't consider morality and lawfulness to be the same thing. It does bother me when people use the two as synonymous terms.

Personally, I don't really take mind of the law, I just try to be a decent person and that just happens to coincide with things that typically don't get one arrested.

In situations like this, I feel like the law is proven to be flawed here for the fact that it would condemn someone over a technicality, rather than doing what its meant to do. (which is to keep people from using the product without paying)

But that's the law for you- as flawed and as beneficial as its creators. I can't say, "Go for it!!!" because I do feel its not right to tell others to commit an illegal act, but I won't get up in arms over a scenario in which everyone got paid as they were supposed to and the customer gets to use their product.

Law was never intended to enforce morality, or justice, these are buzz-words used by politicians to win elections. Fact of the matter is, the purpose of the law is to protect people from other people by preventing crime by the method of making an example of those who get caught in order to scare others into not breaking the law. Morality and justice have no bearing in a court of law.

 

[BeerTent]

I´m thinking about downloading a game... Wait, mods, before you start polishing the banhammer, it´s more complex than that. You see, I have Medieval 2 Total war. I just bought a new computer and was thinking about re-installing it. The problem is that I lost the CD. And this is the moral question. Is it wrong to download a game that I already paid for? I mean, it´s not like any download I make is taking money away from the publisher, it´s just one copy, but used a lot of times. And it´s not like I´m denying the publisher of their earned money, I already paid the rights to use one copy, and by downloading another free one I´m not destroying their margin of profit. So, what do you think?

Your morals are your choice. Not mine.

As a steam user, I download games all the time. Do you consider me morally off-kilter?

 

[Spectral Dragon]

It's been said, so I'll regurgitate: Morally, it's A-okay. But legally, it's still against the rules. You're technically not letting them get a sale, but... No, I still think it's the right thing to do. The experience is yours as of buying.

 

[Something Amyss]

Honestly, in situations like this, I feel like the law is proven to be flawed here for the fact that it would condemn someone over a technicality, rather than doing what its meant to do. (which is to keep people from using the product without paying)

I don't see how there's anything technical about it. the law is intended to do more than just stop people from downloading without paying. There's also unauthorised distribution, which this CLEARLY is.

The moral justifications are based on technicalities. The legal issue is not.

 

[Erana]

Morally? the only qualms one could possibly have are about committing a technically illegal act.
I hate sugar coating things like this, though. If you're breaking the law in your actions, you're breaking the law.
Don't bother justifying your actions to me- I don't consider morality and lawfulness to be the same thing. It does bother me when people use the two as synonymous terms.

Personally, I don't really take mind of the law, I just try to be a decent person and that just happens to coincide with things that typically don't get one arrested.

In situations like this, I feel like the law is proven to be flawed here for the fact that it would condemn someone over a technicality, rather than doing what its meant to do. (which is to keep people from using the product without paying)

But that's the law for you- as flawed and as beneficial as its creators. I can't say, "Go for it!!!" because I do feel its not right to tell others to commit an illegal act, but I won't get up in arms over a scenario in which everyone got paid as they were supposed to and the customer gets to use their product.

Law was never intended to enforce morality, or justice, these are buzz-words used by politicians to win elections. Fact of the matter is, the purpose of the law is to protect people from other people by preventing crime by the method of making an example of those who get caught in order to scare others into not breaking the law. Morality and justice have no bearing in a court of law.

What is your point..? What you're saying here is only tangentially related to what I posted.

Honestly, in situations like this, I feel like the law is proven to be flawed here for the fact that it would condemn someone over a technicality, rather than doing what its meant to do. (which is to keep people from using the product without paying)

I don't see how there's anything technical about it. the law is intended to do more than just stop people from downloading without paying. There's also unauthorised distribution, which this CLEARLY is.

The moral justifications are based on technicalities. The legal issue is not.

And the ultimate point of preventing unauthorized distribution is fundamentally different from trying to make sure that people pay for what they're consuming?

I mean, yeah, there is a matter of the publishers not getting to control what they have the legal right to, but in this specific scenario, I don't see how its any more or less different than the paying issue. The OP already bought a legitimate version through authorized means. If he were to download a new copy, it would technically be a new, unpaid for license acquired through an illegitimate source.

Perhaps "technicality" is the wrong term. My point is that he payed for the right to play the game. Its I can't help but find it legally a bit wonky that, because he lost a disc, trying to exercise the privilege that he legitimately acquired to play said game is illegal now because of the means he would have to use to continue to do something he bought the right to do.

(And then the "Well he should have taken better care of his things" counter ensues, and at that point, I'm done with the argument, because these are just my personal feelings on the matter)

 

[Fayathon]

Honestly, in situations like this, I feel like the law is proven to be flawed here for the fact that it would condemn someone over a technicality, rather than doing what its meant to do. (which is to keep people from using the product without paying)

I don't see how there's anything technical about it. the law is intended to do more than just stop people from downloading without paying. There's also unauthorised distribution, which this CLEARLY is.

The moral justifications are based on technicalities. The legal issue is not.

The law states that sharing data in such a manner (torrents, etc.) is illegal, regardless of whether or not you have paid for the data previously. You have to go through sanctioned channels to download anything legally, anything else is subject to landing your ass in court. Morally downloading a backup isn't wrong, but from a legal standpoint the where is the deciding factor.

 

[Pandabearparade]

I'm not pro-piracy, but if you paid for the game already... yeah, you're doing nothing morally wrong. Buy off of Steam in the future, though.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Morally no, legally yes, that's why it's always a good idea not to post your dirty deeds online

 

[everythingbeeps]

Morally wrong? No. Illegal? Still yes.

That pretty much sums it up. You have to realize that if you do this and you get caught, saying "I already paid for the game" isn't going to work as a defense.

 

[babinro]

Check to see if the developer allows access to a digital copy legally using your games product key. Blizzard does this.

If they don't, than you're still considering something that is completely wrong...you'd just have a more respectable reason for breaking the law than most. There's a reason they sell games with warranties, your copy is no doubt out of warranty so you simply have to buy another. No different than what you do when a toaster, microwave or console dies.

 

[Bvenged]

Is it wrong to download illegally? Yes, yes and a thousand times, yes. I hate it when peoepl download games illegally. They're getting the same enjoyment as someone who payed full price and all at the expense of future game development. Fuck them all, they deserve total internet bans.

...Is it wrong to download a game that I already paid for?

That on the other hand is why it's a grey argument. I am in the exact same dilemma as you. If it's the CD key that distinguishes a copy of a game it should be perfectly legal to re-download the data of the game itself as you own the property of the data and the disc, but lost the phyisical proportion. It should be made legal but at this time it isn't, unfortunately.

 

[DracoSuave]

Medieval Total War 2's CD Key isn't on the CD anyways, so if you still have that documentation, you still own the key to the DRM on it. Nothing illegal about it at that point, so long as you're not running the cracked version.


That said, you can always ask Sega and say 'hey, do you have a downloadable copy? I have the CD key!' Many companies are doing that these days.

 

[Evil Top Hat]

I'm going to go for the slippery slope argument, and say that justifying a harmless actions that are technically illegal could lead to justifying illegal acts that are slightly less harmless.

It's a tricky question, because while your morals aren't corrupt, you're still breaking the law and giving torrent sites traffic.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

That's an interesting predicament you have there. As you've said, you have bought the right to use one copy, yet you do not have the copy and want to download if for free.

I would have to say that no; in this situation you are not in the wrong. Morally, if you would find the copy (or have it with you), you would have not resorted to download a copy of a game you misplaced and I'm sure you might delete the download if you ever found the game.

From a marketing point of view, it's bad; quite frankly, you misplacing your game was not the publishers fault and any products that were not defective are treated as individual rights to one copy (and not like a subscription or account).

Bottom line, morally, you are in the clear; just don't tell the publisher that you downloaded a copy.

 

[LesStewart]

Personally, I have downloaded hours of free music and videos, but I have never illegally downloaded a game. If I think it's worthwhile, I'll pay for it because the entertainment value is much better than music or videos.

I can get 100+ hours out of a game, but only a fraction of that on movies or music that I'm taking a risk on. If I had the means to support my total media consumption, than I would pay for all that I consume.

 

[CarlMin]

I believe that illegal downloading in general is likely to be harmful for the gaming industry. But I see nothing wrong with downloading in your case.

 

[vivster]

right and wrong are just words

from a legal standpoint i'd say it's definitely not legal
you lost it so it's literally your loss
i can't steal a car just because if forgot where i parked mine
it gets even stickier that you gave your lost copy to someone else which makes it active sharing

well do what you want to
it's not that the publishers of a low profile game will seek you out and hunt you down(or even notice) if you do it...

 

[DracoSuave]

Seriously tho. Talk to the company. If your CD Key is legit, most customer support for game companies are pretty chill, and will hook you up one way or another.

I haven't really heard of Sega being douchebags in this regard.