[skoreanime]

And people wonder why the video game sales in the past few years have dramatically declined...

Not much profit in it for developers if they keep getting ripped off. There really is only one reason to mod a console, to pirate. Of course we can go back and forth on that, but it does come down to a person being cheap in the end.

 

[skoreanime]

No, I meant sales. It's so alarming that even my local paper decided to add a little snippit on it...even though they generally stay away from the tech stuff.

One source, US video game sales sink in June, biggest drop in 9 years - Network World

Of course it should be taken with a grain of salt. But the economy has gotten slightly back in stride, yet the gaming industry is still suffering declines all over the place. I might be just thinking too much into it, but I'm sure a fair size of that number has to be because of pirating. IMO of course

 

[skoreanime]

The most recent one in Japan was a dude who distributed the copies from China... The courts there raped this guy hard.

$100,000 fine. 2 and a half year sentence.

A scare tactic, but at least it's something.

Where did you come up with that BS? Consoles can be modded to play imports and not to pirate games. I have a "Cheat CD" for my Dreamcast that lets me play Shenmue II which is European, it was a legal copy and I used a program to circumvent the region lockout...

Then import the foreign model? I know I'm nitpicking and probably being anal about the subject, but there's a big reason why modding is frowned upon in general and hated by the companies. They can grow and have grown quickly out of hand.

 

[skoreanime]

I can agree with that to some level. It does indeed suck having a good game not being made for other regions.

But it really does come down to protecting the producers. If we could import the game, for say half the original retail price new, why not? Having free reign on deciding where to get your games from could destroy retailers.

I can see your view on this and respect it, but IMO, if you really want to play a game, you'll be willing to dish out the money for it.

We're still cool, right ?

 

[skoreanime]

1. While i could have understand that fine and sentence if pirating was involved it is stupid for modding and why is modding illegal ? i bought the damn "box" i should be entitled to do with it what ever i want.

2. Buy another ? That is just stupid (sorry for the harshness Skore ) one is more than enough, region encoding is the stupidest things which existed and still exist in console gaming atm.

3. No it isn't really protecting retailers because you forgot about shipping costs importing may actually cost you more, next thing you'll want is to ban game selling of ebay cause it affects new games sales (i mean for a game that is still on the market).

4. Using your logic emu's should also be banned because of piracy, its not the modding fault for how some of the people are using it.


PS: i had every console i owned modded and it wasn't for piracy i assure you.

1 - Buying something doesn't mean you own the ideas and innovation from the product. You just legally own the right to use it as you wish as its intended. Get on the companies radar by using their product to do something...bad, and they'll sic the authorities on you.

This was during high school, when PS2 was the king console, a guy in Canada was caught selling mod chips and pirated games. The big thing that struck out to me was the court labeled the mod chips as illegal. I believe it still is, as how the two shops that were in my city that did make, sell and install mod chips just mysteriously closed shop and was never heard from again.

2 - If you have the means and money to buy another to play a game you really, really, really, really...really want to, you will.

3 - It does protect retailers. Maybe for a single game it's not worth it with the shipping, but buying in bulk? Definitely. Instead of paying $100 worth of games at EB, what's stopping me from buying it from another country for half the price plus $20 in S&H? Ebays really no different from any other retailer. I don't see your point there.

4 - Woah woah, emulation is a whole different story there. Someone, somewhere is always making a profit off modding. Emulation, no one does. I see it more as an alternative.

I agree though region locking needs to be readjusted. With the new age of technology every few years, easy access around the globe is much more common now. But that's a whole different debate together, and I don't really want to prolong this...

@Paratech
If I came out sounding like I was accusing you of piracy, I apologize. I didn't intend to. I just meant that if you absolutely, wanted to play some games, you would've put out the money to. Not go and support a very grey industry.

 

[skoreanime]

Something bad well i ain't going to be using it to hack nasa or something other like making bio weapons (sound ridiculous but its in the I tunes User Agreement that still cracks me up), modding it doesn't even change its purpose for which it was meant really, by using this point of view it could also means that if it breaks i don't have the right to open it up and look around it to fix it since i'm only entitled to use it as is.

Didn't mean it that way. What I meant was Sony sold you a product that could play PS2 discs and DVDs in your region. That's what you bought. There's nothing stopping you from ripping open your PS2 'cept voiding your warranty. You intend to use your console in a different way then Sony wanted you to the minute you place a mod in there. That's the issue.

Retailers really don't make that much money. Especially video game retailers. Stores like Gamestop stick around cause of their whole trade, sell system. That's where most of their money comes from. I would know, cause one of my friend works at one, where his aunt is the owner

The mod chip argument may have been true in its very early life stage, but definitely not now. I don't hear (I'm talking about personal friends now, even if I don't agree with them) or see people modding their consoles to play foreign games. They do it for all the advantages they get saving money on their entertainment, which is infuriating at times. Just want to smack 'em silly

And I suppose this is one big reason why I like MMOs and other online mostly games. Every player on the game paid their fair share to get the game going.

 

[skoreanime]

Glass is half full or half empty argument on that I guess

I'd rather put the money towards supporting the longevity of the console then questionable merchants and their merchandise.

Too bad we can't swap like the old PS1 days... It wasn't perfect, but I could still play a fair number of imports at the time. I did it so much I had to replace the disc holder in the PS1 with one from my discman cause it snapped in half swapping one night :evil:

 

[skoreanime]

Oh? I'll have to read into that...but I'm not too keen on trying it on my relatively new slim I just got a couple months ago

Thank God the PS3 is region free though. No need to worry about buying a second one.

Maybe.

One of my brothers may take it if they decide to move out. We'll all be fighting for it of course, but it was a family present during Christmas sooooo... I'll have to take the initiative... :evil:

 

[skoreanime]

Really? Hmmm, I do remember reading a little snippit on how more people are plopping down at home and playing video games and such instead of heading out...but that was awhile ago. Guess I'll read up a bit more on this.

But I can't help notice how empty my EBgames has been lately. Last 3 times I've been there, I'm the only one in the store :lol:

Or it could be as Exodus said...less crappy titles being pumped out.

 

[skoreanime]

WRONG! *insert lex luthor here*
Never use an absolute statement in your life, it will bite you.

1. PLAYING IMPORT GAMES.
2. IMPROVING PERFORMANCE.
3. QUIETENING THE INSANELY LOUD 360 DVD DRIVE.
4. AESTHETICS.
5. ALLOWING CUSTOM FIRMWARE FOR INCREASED FUNCTIONALITY. (aka the 360 pad on ps3 hack or upscaling, homebrew, emulation etc).
6. CHANGING THE FORM FACTOR OF THE CONSOLE FOR PORTABILITY.
7. INCREASING EFFICIENCY IN THE PSU.
8. RETROFITTING NEW HARDWARE INTO CONSOLES (snes video output mods, 60hz switches).
9. ALLOWING MEMORY REGISTER HACKING TO EXPLORE GAMES OR CHEAT. (aka, the old ps1 datel type chipsets).
10. PIN MODDING TO ALLOW NEW INPUT DEVICES FOR PHYSICALY CHALLENGED PLAYERS.

...piratefag.

Seems like it's me vs the forums on this...bring it on!!!

I really meant mod chips specifically. Changing the case, PSU or the ROM drive and the like I'm cool with. The chips however, am not

 

[skoreanime]

Pffft, Butter Knife > Your fancy firearms.

 

[skoreanime]

I seriously doubt Sega gives a damn that I have Shenmue 2 (Europe) or that Sony cares I have Raiden DX (Playstation)...I don't think I'll see Ponch or John at my door any time in the near future...

Well, no, but they may not be so enthusiastic about that mod chip in their system. That's the point I'm making