[Fineus]

*coughs*

Uh.. apparently there's a Stream emulator out there. You run it... it goes nowhere near the internet... you can play any HL2 game you have. I imagine that means if you get them as torrents you can play for free, or if you buy them on Steam you can use the emulator to play them without the internet or something.

I've only tried to use it once though, when I didn't feel like starting Steam every time I wanted to play something from Valve. Couldn't get it working so I bit the bullet and went back to Steam.

[Ferret]

*coughs*

Uh.. apparently there's a Stream emulator out there. You run it... it goes nowhere near the internet... you can play any HL2 game you have. I imagine that means if you get them as torrents you can play for free, or if you buy them on Steam you can use the emulator to play them without the internet or something.

I've only tried to use it once though, when I didn't feel like starting Steam every time I wanted to play something from Valve. Couldn't get it working so I bit the bullet and went back to Steam.

That would be known in the trade as an illegal crack. I never questioned the existance of those. I'm talking about being able to download the game from Steam when there is no Steam.

[Fineus]

It is illegal but I tend to draw the line at whether I own the game already or not. I've no moral problem with cracking a game I already own so that I don't need the CD or whatever because I've already paid for the game... so nothing is being stolen.

If I did it with a game that I hadn't paid for? Well that would be software piracy of course.

As you say though... if you bought the game through Steam but couldn't download it because Steam no longer existed... well I don't know what to suggest. Is there anything in the Steam EULA that says they reserve the right to withdraw service of games at any time? They won't keep the servers going indefinitely so by logic someone somewhere is going to want to play the game they bought, but won't be able to on account of Steam being shut down.

[SadisticSid]

Just on that thought, has anyone ever been convicted of a crime because they've used or created a game crack? I've only heard of groups being shut down that facilitate or provide the distribution of the original media.

[Fineus]

Just on that thought, has anyone ever been convicted of a crime because they've used or created a game crack? I've only heard of groups being shut down that facilitate or provide the distribution of the original media.

Some of the "major" games cracks people package up a text file acknowledging themselves as well as saying that they do it only as a technical exercise and do not condone or encourage piracy of software.

You can of course choose to take those words as "crap".

But I suppose the sentiment could be there... to see if you actually can find a way around someone elses copy protection software. That sort of a challenge could be fun if you're that kind of person, and of course you'd want people to see that you could do it. Perhaps they really do believe they're only doing it as a technical exercise and that you shouldn't use it to illegaly play games you don't pay for.

That said I suppose the crack on its own is harmless. You can't play someone elses game with just the crack - you'd need the game files as well somehow. So if you publish the cracks on their own, are they really facilitating piracy at that level? Like bullets without a gun to fire them... they only serve their purpose if you get the full package.

[Ferret]

Just on that thought, has anyone ever been convicted of a crime because they've used or created a game crack? I've only heard of groups being shut down that facilitate or provide the distribution of the original media.

Some of the "major" games cracks people package up a text file acknowledging themselves as well as saying that they do it only as a technical exercise and do not condone or encourage piracy of software.

You can of course choose to take those words as "crap".

Yeah they often tell people to buy the proper thing and not use the crack for anything other than say removing CD limitations.
Bollocks.

[Colonol Dekker]

What happened to the golden age of gaming, Event the FS2 leagal mumbo jumbo says you can give your mates a copy, as long as you dont charge £$£$£.

Check it out if you doubt my supreme wiselyness

[Ferret]

What happened to the golden age of gaming

died with shareware

[Colonol Dekker]

I mean games that came in a massive box with about 2 manuals and a load of Canon stroy tyoe add-ons. Like Wing commander 3, Or Homeworld, The history of Kharak contributed to making me feel so when it got burned........

[Mefustae]

I mean games that came in a massive box with about 2 manuals and a load of Canon stroy tyoe add-ons. Like Wing commander 3, Or Homeworld, The history of Kharak contributed to making me feel so  when it got burned........

It's more important to make sure it looks pretty so people will buy it. Stuff 'em once they have it, it's all about the draw.

Welcome to the new age of gaming, my friend.

[Colonol Dekker]

*Cradles a heap of pre 1997 game boxes weeping*
DAMN THEM ALL TO HEEELLLLLLLLLL!

[Fury]

I guess I'm the only one who wants to get rid of those oversized boxes and manuals which only waste precious space and collect dust. Digitizing FTW!

[Colonol Dekker]

I like to have a sit down away from a TFT and read the manuals sometimes, Its nice to have something ot hold as well....

[Sandwich]

I agree with CD. I pored over the Homeworld, Battlezone, and MechCommander manuals again and again, marking up points of interest, etc. *sigh*

[Colonol Dekker]

Plus i want as much as i can get for my £££, i think Half-Life was the first game to dissapoint me Manual wise.

[asyikarea51]

*Cradles a heap of pre 1997 game boxes weeping*
DAMN THEM ALL TO HEEELLLLLLLLLL!

Ditto.

DAMN THEM ALL TO HEEELLLLLLLLLL!

[Cyker]

Totally with you Dekker.

Frontier: Elite 2 was a good example - You get a big ass-box, floppy with most of a Galaxy on it, an excellent manual and a story/'fluff' book

And all that for just under a tenner!

Now you pay £34.99 and get a ****ty card box (with metallic writing!!!1111one), a CD/DVD with about 6 hours of un-replayable gameplay, a 5-page manual that is mostly warnings about epilleptic fits and adverts, and if you're lucky a PDF of a real manual that is formatted in a Zen-like way to make it hard to read on even the largest monitor...

...

Jesus, I've turned into a moany old man!! Nooooooooo!

Now, I must admit I don't mind the DVD cases too much, because the space I have saved is real nice... and frankly with the complexity of most modern games you don't exactly NEED a manual (And since most 'modern' gamers probably can't read anyway, I can see why they'd not bother and just stick with Pictures...)