BaD Policy Makes Pirates

On 02/18/2014 at 12:59 AM by Super Step

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Linked to Article Series: Blog a Day (BaD) 2014

Firstly, what should I complain about in my next blog? I need ideas.

Anyway, as I said in a previous blog, I returned the Game Boy Advance cartridge The Revenge of Shinobi to Game X Change, because I wanted to play it on my Game Boy Player, but something rattling around inside the cartridge turned out to be some kind of lock that made it unrecognizable to said Player or my DS, but only work on my Game Boy Advance.

You know, for quite a while now, I've prided myself on not pirating anything. Oh sure, I've streamed a few things online, but aside from downloading some older game titles I thought the owners could no longer profit from anyway, which I took off my computer upon finding out these games were indeed still offered by the original copyright owners for an ok price, I have never so much as visited Pirate Bay or downloaded a song illegally. Now, at least I get it.

Why the fuck would I pay for something without being able to enjoy it however the fuck I want? This applies to music I bought on iTunes a while ago being DRM-encrypted as well, though this is no longer standard and easy enough to undo. Bullshit I have to play my paid-for music using only your online system! I'm glad Google Play lets you just straight up download everything, even the multitude of free songs I got from them, to your computer or other device directly, as it should.

Also, I can not find the original versions of Maklemore's "Irish Celebration" or "Otherside" anywhere except places where you can download them illegally. Ryan Lewis's website says I can download The VS EP, but he never actually set it up so you could complete transactions, apparently, so the pop-up I get says when I try to pay for it. Considering I already bought Redux, which has a vastly inferior version of the former and a different version of the latter from what I'm used to, I'm not feeling any guilt over my consideration to just download the thing free somewhere else. Make it available and I'll buy it, but don't leave me with no other option. Considering there's no record label involved, I doubt the artists would care. Hell, I bet Macklemore downloaded tons of music illegally.

Not that I'd make it a habit like many I know, but these frustrating events have changed my perspective on pirating a bit.

Speaking of things not working, I'm pretty sure my Yobo wireless Gamecube controller has a "slow" R button, cause changing the batteries still doesn't allow me to use that button right in Spider-Man 2. Works fine for aiming in Metroid Prime, but I've noticed it responds slower than L in the gallery in that game. For right now I just switched the button layout for Spider-Man 2. I can live without sprinting in that game.

Other than that, still finishing up Ghost Trick and just played the first part of Ace Attorney: Miles Edgeworth. Oh and my old wired Gamecube controller's R button still works, but the control stick is still shit, so definitely sticking with the Yobo for my GCN games.

Ranger1

02/18/2014 at 08:10 AM

Oh, those controllers issues! Third party controllers are always a gamble.

I don't pirate, either, too many of my friends are independant musicians making their living from their music for me to ever feel comfortable doing it.

Super Step Contributing Writer

02/18/2014 at 03:25 PM

Yeah, which is why I was a bit upset to only have that option at the physical retailer I went to, but to be fair, it's the Nintendo controller with the truly awful problem. At least the Yobo's R button still works in most games, whereas my old Nintendo controller that came with the system can not move a character forward unless it's just a bit diagonal. That makes my Zelda games almost unplayable, whereas the R button issue can be fixed in the one game I have where it's a huge problem. It's annoying that I can easily scroll through menus with that button, but not swing or run with it in Spider-Man 2.

I wouldn't pirate from independent musicians who simply may not have the money to make certain things as readily available to me as I want, and I technically still haven't, but considering Macklemore and Ryan Lewis should have the means to make the tracks I want available by now and I've already paid for ones I don't want, my guilt over considering just downloading them for free is lacking.

V4Viewtiful

02/18/2014 at 09:00 AM

That's exactly it, when Legal channaps fail or niglect to provide potential customers with a via product what other option are you left with? I couldn't listen to half the songs or play a quarter of the games I mostly own now had not been for the Jolly Roger.

Still, things are getting better little by little.

02/18/2014 at 03:27 PM

Yeah, if something is offered to me in a way that makes me able to buy it, I'll buy it. Hell, I don't really feel like I own my Steam games, but the price is too good.

Alex-C25

02/18/2014 at 09:52 AM

I'm half pirate and half supporter. I prefer to watch movies and play games legally, but I don't have any problem in watching online a tv show, since after all, they don't always pass on TV, some are exclusive to cable and the free websites that allow that are only in the US (looking at you Hulu).

I'm also having a dilema with music on which medium. On one hand, I prefer CDs more, but on the other, some music is hard to find or pay, so digital is a good option (either pirate or not).

02/18/2014 at 03:29 PM

Yeah, it's definitely easier to get your hands on things in the U.S. than in other countries. And yet we're hypocrites, being the #1 piraters of Game of Thrones episodes consistently (something I have not done by the way, going to rent some DVDs before that, cause the option is available).

goaztecs

02/18/2014 at 01:40 PM

I really like Google Play's approach wiht music: give some away for free, and offer albums at a deep discounted price. Why should a digital album cost as much as a physical copy? It's a shame Macklemore and Ryan Lewis don't fix that option of purchasing their music.

As much as I love having a physical copy that I can convert to whatever format I want, sometimes digital is your only option.

02/18/2014 at 03:31 PM

If they just put the non-Redux version of The VS EP up on iTunes or Google Play, I'd honestly buy it just for those tracks, but I don't want to have to go to Youtube every time I want to hear them or "And We Danced."

I too prefer having CDs.

mothman

02/18/2014 at 03:40 PM

I don't pirate anything, at least in theory. I had a ton of music I "borrowed" on an external drive but my rule is, listen to it to decide If I like it and then buy it or delete it depending on the result. I also had no qualms about downloading music if I already had the vinyl. It's no different from recording albums to cassette to listen to them in the car is it?

That reminds me, I have the new QotSA in the car and I've only heard about 3 songs from it.

Games and movies I have never pirated.

02/18/2014 at 04:15 PM

I think after the long period in the 90s where people would find only the one good song they heard on the radio per a CD, it's acceptable to try before you buy, even though I don't do it out of fear of getting caught. I'm only considering getting those Macklemore and Ryan Lewis tracks cause I doubt the rights owners would care; they'd probably encourage it, considering the circumstances.

C.S.3590SquadLeader

02/18/2014 at 06:47 PM

I don't pirate stuff usually, but as you pointed out, when there's no other option I don't see the harm in it.

NSonic79

04/08/2014 at 02:59 PM

and now you see why I don't care for the Online Pass sytem that was trying to make itself known on gaming consoles. DRM doesn't help much in other forms of media, why any better on consoles.

04/08/2014 at 03:05 PM

Yeah, I never ran into it much before this blog post, but uuuughhh.

PixlBit