Some interesting stats

Visual Novel Community Archive, 2000-2009
#21

My version won’t let me start the game without the CD in the drive. And I have to admit this has reduced the temptation to jend my brother the game , so it makes a lot of sense as a way to reduce “casual” piracy even though people release hacks eventually.

Is it illegal to lend people my CD, by the way? I obviously wouldn’t if I thought there was a chance they’d buy the game themselves, but if it’s illegal then that’ll be another reason not to let anyone have it. What about selling it second-hand?

#22

I know this isn’t a solution to piracy but maybe next time whenever PeaPri comes up with a game patch we could keep it in a “locked” part of the site wherein you have to enter your serial number or something… just a thought. At least it might be able to save bandwidth and give people who are playing pirated versions some difficulty.

#23

cough I already posted that idea. cough

quote:
Wasn’t there a special code with the game that you had to know when asking support? Can’t this be applied to the patch download? That way, most pirates are stuck with a ‘more buggy’ version of Brave Soul.

#24
quote:
Originally posted by chronoluminaire:
Is it illegal to lend people my CD, by the way? I obviously wouldn't if I thought there was a chance they'd buy the game themselves, but if it's illegal then that'll be another reason not to let anyone have it. What about selling it second-hand?

If you live in the US, I don't honestly know. It depends on what your friend does with the CD. If he were to make a copy and keep it, that would be illegal on his part - but it may not be illegal for you to lend it to him. Or it may. If you need the CD to play the game, then when you lend him the CD then you cannot play the game until you get the CD back - therefore it is like you are loaning him the game. This would be perfectly legal if it were a book or a movie. I see no reason for this to be different for games, but I could be mistaken.

#25
quote:
Originally posted by chronoluminaire:
Is it illegal to lend people my CD, by the way? I obviously wouldn't if I thought there was a chance they'd buy the game themselves, but if it's illegal then that'll be another reason not to let anyone have it. What about selling it second-hand?

That is the gray area of the law I mentioned. Technically you can lend whatever you want to whoever you want, but they cannot keep it on their computer when they return the game too you, even if it works without the CD or the installation discs. So technically yes you can lend it, as to selling second-hand, once more gray area, nothing to stop you from it and if you own it that is your right, but you don't technically own the material on the disc, so while it is your right to sell the disc it might not be your right to sell what is on the disc. As I said gray areas in the law.

#26

Interesting. Thanks for replies. I live in the UK by the way, not the USA, so things might be different. I was just considering buying another copy of Brave Soul to sell second-hand to a friend who can’t buy things online, and was just wondering what the legal situation would be. If I lend anyone a game of mine then I’ll make jolly sure they don’t keep a copy on their computer when they give it back.

#27

Oh, but buying a second copy to sell to your friend wouldn’t be a problem at all. It’s not even selling second-hand, since you wouldn’t open it.

About lending and stuff, the basic rule is actually quite simple:
use it like a book.
A book can’t be on two places at the same time, for example.

#28
quote:
Originally posted by Benoit:
Oh, but buying a second copy to sell to your friend wouldn't be a problem at all. [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img] It's not even selling second-hand, since you wouldn't open it.

Actually within the U.S. at least this is still in the gray area because once again you have the new disc but still do no technically own the contents of the disc as that is still the properity of the people that made the program, acted in the program, translated the program etc.

[This message has been edited by SCDawg (edited 02-28-2004).]

#29