Ebay Buy: Holy S**t!!

[esper]

LJUBI has MPS.

I have original sealed copies of ZORK 1, Lurking Horror, and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, all for Commodore 64. The only reason they are still boxed is because my C64 bit the dust shortly after I went on an Infocom shopping spree.

And that scratch-n-sniff from LSL:LFS? It is most likely based off the SnS from Infocom's Leather Godesses of Phobos. That thing was so rancid that my room smelled like old pizza in a funky bathroom for months after I opened it.

[Nikolas]

I have no experience in how to do it, but I support piracy 100%

I actually have bought, almost every CD I have in my collection (1000+) and every score. But when I found myself here in London, with this huge library the temtetation was too much to resist...

And not to mention that in my early computer year (before 1990), all I did was copu 5 1/4 disk to one another (and actually fit 10 games in every disk). This is how I got Larry 1, PQ 1, and other "big" games.

I know that some people are loosing money with piracy but actually they are not the aritsts involved (they do get very little royalties, if any). If it is Vivendi, the company trhat loses money, well even better!

Of course I'm not saying "Be illegal", but I'm sure that there will be a way to find the games you want. Even if you have to wait for a while.

I've said it before, I'm not desperate to get the latest copy of every game that comes out. I don't care for the teasers or the demos. I just don't have 40 quid (GBP) to spent everytime I want to play a new game. But if I wait a year I can find the same copy, boxxed for 5 quid over the net, perfectly legal, which is a good thing. And if I wait another 5-10 years almost everything turns into freeware/shareware (or something)... Not to mention that my appetite for games has been fed by the wonderfull AGS community. What more does a man need?

[ManicMatt]

40 quid? If you paid forty pounds on a game you'd have been ripped off!

I only support the idea of downloading games when it's considered abandonware.

Also, I tend to trade old games in for new ones. So I rarely pay the full price of around 30 pounds.

I know that some people are loosing money with piracy but actually they are not the aritsts involved (they do get very little royalties, if any). If it is Vivendi, the company trhat loses money, well even better!

I disagree with your thinking, Nikolas. So if you ever got signed on a record label, and your album is in the shops, I'll just go download it illegally shall I, because it's the label that will get most of the royalties? And what have you got against vivendi mate? Why not EA? I hate those guys!

[Nikolas]

About Vivendi, it's just that there was a whole lot of deals and bullshit about that company that got me saying that. KQIX and other stuff, that's why. I could also hate EA, why not... But I think that EA was the company thaty created Bard's Tale I back in 85 (or 87), so I can really feel bad about these guys.

Well, honestly I don't know what I'll do if something like this happens, but really being a freelance composer has it's pros. Except in very special cases the money you get come not from royalties but from the fees you get paid to do your work. Not to mention that most of the time, the copyrights are transfered to the company which has published the music/art. So...

Anyway back in greece I have friends who have record deals and the best publicity and thing I ever did for them was to push both their CDs to people who sell illegal CDs.

And furthermore, since I am doing what I'm doing for free over here (with what I consider good quality), why would it bother me if I was being paid, but somewhat less money for what I was being paid. I mean ok, let's say I have a deal to write music for a game and get paid for 20.000 quid. So what if someone rips of my music from the game and starts distributing it around the net. I think this is good. It means that people like my music and next time I have a deal with a software developing company I will ask for more money (thus covering the loss).

There is an audience but there is also the people you work for. From that point of view, I work for the company that pays me, not for my audience. The audience has nothing to do with me really. Of course I like "serving" the audience with good music, but really any composer who writes music for a film, for example, get's paid the full fee and that's all. And he doesn't give a shit if people steal the soundtrack, cause it's the company that loses money and note him/her.

Now: I might be wrong in all of this. If a happen to have a good deal and these kind of stuff start happening to me, I'll come and modify my post, but for now this is how I feel.

[AlbinoPanther]

Gilbot V7000a you are so funny LOL


One day we will be able to get VISA and than all our money will be spend on AG

[ManicMatt]

Well, I think it varies on how you get paid. You're thinking of paid contracts for music.

I was thinking of music record companies. When you get signed they loan you the money to get your record out there etc, and then you cover your loan via how many albums/singles/concerts tickets you sell. If you get any change left over, it's yours. This may vary perhaps between labels?

EA are also responsible for 5 billion dreadful film licensed games. *shudders*

[Scummbuddy]

Just don't have all of your multiple personalities sign up for a Visa application, or you'll hit some debt.

And if you really like Adventure Games, and you want to see more, then you'll pay for the good games, to keep the companies around. And for games that aren't sold in stores anymore, getting them from eBay is quite easy. If you can't use eBay right now, well, patience is a virtue.
------
Nikolas, we were saying that there are music jobs where your pay depends on whether or not your cd sells (stock pay). This also happens to movie makers, such as independent films trying to take it to the next level. Some don't get paid at all while filming, and they put all their effort into making the movie the best they can. If the DVD sells, then each person gets a certain cut of the profits. No sales... no money.

I don't know how you missed the big hoohah about EA, but if any company is to be hated, its them.

[Al_Ninio]

I was thinking of music record companies. When you get signed they loan you the money to get your record out there etc, and then you cover your loan via how many albums/singles/concerts tickets you sell. If you get any change left over, it's yours. This may vary perhaps between labels?

http://www.thebaffler.com/albiniexcerpt.html

This should help you understand a thing or two...

[ManicMatt]

I was only being brief! That's what the "etc" is about! I didn't want to get into massive detail!

I know most of this anyway, thanks.

Like the band Defenestration, who were still on the dole way after releasing their album.

This article still shows that the piracy of the albums will not feed the band. Even if their share is small.

[Nacho]

Hahahaha, some stupid "DanClarke84" has bought the item! What a suckey! It's probably an opened box and then lined with role cellophane!!! Hahahaha!

I'd like to add him to my msn list and have a laugh at him! Hahahaha!

[Ben Jordan Fan]

yeah

[m0ds]

What is it? Blind links are annoying, plus its in German or something!

[Nikolas]

This should help you understand a thing or two...

I actually knew most of this. I have already read this somewhere else. And it is dreadfull. I agree on that. I was reffering to freelance composers. Not bands. Bands are f**ked up this way, and I don't know if there is any other way to do it. Well... Police did keep their copyrights and all (I think or something simmilar), and Jean Michel Jarre created his own label. Maybe this is the way to go...

But for the record: I am against anything illegal! What I also stated in my previous post is that I wait for the games to get cheap. I baught ONI (from the same company that did HALO), for 2.75 quid. That's not bad! Including postage! That's not bad at all! And it kept me for a week or so...

[Pelican]

A bit off-topic, but a rather amusing take on illegal downloading of mp3s: http://www.zug.com/pranks/riaa/
(particularly part 5)

[Snarky]

are those the only two options?

I know which option I'm leaning towards...

[Nikolas]

Thank you Pelican, that was ammusing.