Post AXwQ2FqEai0rFfsffk by DrEvanGowan@fediscience.org
(DIR) More posts by DrEvanGowan@fediscience.org
(DIR) Post #AXvuM68jAsRuQ9wuTQ by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-21T22:30:47Z
0 likes, 2 repeats
Here’s my essay in praise of video-game piracy!tl;dr — a new study estimates that 90% of classic video games aren’t in release any moreThey’re vanishing from the marketplace at the pace of silent film and radio serials, despite being only a few decades oldBasically, the game industry (often understandably, mind you) doesn’t want to preserve older gamesSo, the only force that’s keeping this legacy alive?Piracy!My essay: https://clivethompson.medium.com/piracy-is-saving-video-game-history-a83d5b3700ff“Friend” link https://clivethompson.medium.com/piracy-is-saving-video-game-history-a83d5b3700ff?sk=6a137aa6cd89229a86112844f0d6c809
(DIR) Post #AXvvqR0WFmZtmZ8h0a by atthenius@fediscience.org
2023-07-21T22:47:57Z
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@clive Now THIS is how you can get respect from your kids — you get the re-released mini-original Nintendo (N2,atari,saga,C64) that someone has helped by putting ALL the games, not just the 30 they sold it with,and the old muscle memory comes back…And it IS awesome.
(DIR) Post #AXvwgJxDiqQMxvKyzw by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-21T22:54:11Z
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@atthenius Ooooooooo
(DIR) Post #AXvwgMc3pyHVDAScvw by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-21T22:55:08Z
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@atthenius You are reminding me I gotta get my hands on thatRight after I finish building my own two-stick recreation of the original Robotron cabinet 😅
(DIR) Post #AXw9yYE8h3s7qgH46a by DrEvanGowan@fediscience.org
2023-07-22T01:25:46Z
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@clive I have been working on video game preservation for about 20 years, and I always say the biggest issue is the long duration of copyright law, which forces us into this situation where this is all technically illegal.
(DIR) Post #AXwIy6bmHKTtmJC3Bw by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-22T03:06:22Z
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@DrEvanGowan yep yep
(DIR) Post #AXwK8M1Vv7PYRAgLeC by mpt@mastodon.nz
2023-07-22T03:19:37Z
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@clive “The only long-term effect of copy protection is to ensure that those who defeat it are immortalized.” — Mark Pilgrim, 2001 https://web.archive.org/web/20020616105318/http://diveintomark.org/archives/2001/07/29.html
(DIR) Post #AXwQ2DPvbXmXjVYdOK by gnemmi@mastodon.sdf.org
2023-07-22T03:17:55Z
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@DrEvanGowan @clive you guys. In case your are really interested in the legal concepts of "backup copy", "second copy", "fair use" (amongst other legal related issues and statutory law), you can find a fair amount of information in the following link. I hope it may be of help 😊https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/41874/legality-of-creating-your-own-backup-copies-of-video-games-you-own
(DIR) Post #AXwQ2EIALtAQRivwvo by gnemmi@mastodon.sdf.org
2023-07-22T03:19:47Z
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@DrEvanGowan @clive also: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107
(DIR) Post #AXwQ2F4NSdjQrFUS4u by DrEvanGowan@fediscience.org
2023-07-22T03:45:08Z
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@gnemmi @clive That only really applies if you own a copy of the game. The issue at play that the Video Game History Foundation brings up is that the vast majority of games can no longer be purchased, and copyright law prevents the legal distribution of them, even for research (some countries like Japan do not even have fair use provisions).
(DIR) Post #AXwQ2FqEai0rFfsffk by DrEvanGowan@fediscience.org
2023-07-22T03:53:28Z
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@gnemmi @clive Then there is the issue with digital distribution, where ownership doesn't even apply. Once a digital distribution platform shuts down, the games might be lost forever. With the Satellaview, for instance, we buy random flash memory packs and hope that something is on them. Many aspects of that service cannot ever be preserved (unless Nintendo has the sound files saved). Some guy was uploading video recordings of it on YouTube, which were taken down due to copyright violations.
(DIR) Post #AXwQ2GTaEPULDiI60O by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-22T04:25:48Z
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@DrEvanGowan @gnemmi Yep, these are all big issues!
(DIR) Post #AXxCiCROQ8PcfQKPFQ by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-22T13:31:39Z
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@mpt Heh yes
(DIR) Post #AY1pjaXL80pvV0H1NI by heracles@mastodon.social
2023-07-24T19:07:38Z
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@clive That's a great write-up. And it's not only the packaged software that's worth mention: emulators, plugins, ROM editors, mods, hacks, FPGAs, DIY hardware. The open-source and sharing ethos in these niches of the gaming community is unparalleled.
(DIR) Post #AY1qCsDcSy66jj0ulE by wtfrank@mastodon.social
2023-07-24T19:12:57Z
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@clive as many games move to a live service model, we may experience a dark ages blip in game history
(DIR) Post #AY1qiNxuU0Z2AqgxYe by ArneBab@rollenspiel.social
2023-07-24T19:18:28Z
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@clive The main tool I have today to get the old games back is gog.com — I bought over 150 old games now to be able to archive them, show them to my kids (this is where this trope comes from!) and play as time permits.
(DIR) Post #AY21bSQ4cg0TSPlRFQ by mikebabcock@floss.social
2023-07-24T21:20:39Z
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@clive perhaps when specifically discussing the pirating of games that are no longer sold at retail.Otherwise we are not in fact encouraging the sale of games in the first place.
(DIR) Post #AY27NNM7FjLRQHa7Si by ArneBab@rollenspiel.social
2023-07-24T19:20:20Z
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@clive Fun on GOG is when you realize that the game you just bought is basically an emulator the game publisher fought against a decade ago which they now use to release their game. MAME comes back to the King of Fighters.I just wish that also meant that the vilified emu-developers of old would at least get an excuse and a big thank you for not obeying the game industry back then.
(DIR) Post #AY27NNwd3yYHFWfHNI by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-24T22:25:23Z
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@ArneBab Yes!!
(DIR) Post #AY27U0em2tTj3ATK6a by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-24T22:25:39Z
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@wtfrank Very true
(DIR) Post #AY27bxY5U63tjC8Rd2 by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-24T22:26:33Z
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@heracles Indeed! The passion and hard work of all those fans is really amazing and noteworthy
(DIR) Post #AY2DCMGdYgMQaS9GgS by jake4480@c.im
2023-07-24T23:30:09Z
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@clive @atthenius it is SO easy to hack those minis - if I can do it, ANYONE can 🤣 I put ALL 700 some NES games on the nes one (🤯) like 300 some on the SNES one, and over 80 on the PS1 one and they're AMAZING. I beat Diablo on the PS1 one a couple years back, time of my life.
(DIR) Post #AY31e6fS9A581PBHCy by tinyshop@mastodon.gamedev.place
2023-07-25T08:55:55Z
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@clive This is a worrying trend indeed :/ I wish publisher would deploy more efforts to keep video game history alive!
(DIR) Post #AY3eVJZ4irc9cxzpey by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-25T16:11:13Z
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@tinyshop Agreed
(DIR) Post #AY6JOo2nUHX4ZEpkG0 by philmoscovitch@mstdn.ca
2023-07-26T22:58:56Z
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@clive Late to the game, but +1 on Missile Command trackball.
(DIR) Post #AY6Kv14sfEoqD9jNwG by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-26T23:15:08Z
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@philmoscovitch So good, eh?
(DIR) Post #AY6M1jQolpaHSol3ZI by philmoscovitch@mstdn.ca
2023-07-26T23:21:00Z
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@clive I recently bought a trackball for work and I should just pretend I am playing Missile Command instead of writing or sound editing.
(DIR) Post #AY6NvtzWnQKWNxLDm4 by clive@saturation.social
2023-07-26T23:49:01Z
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@philmoscovitch I could not approve more