Editorial Jeff Vogel Supports Piracy

[Jason]

Tags: Jeff Vogel; Spiderweb Software

<p>Jeff Vogel of <a href="http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/" target="_blank">Spiderweb Software</a> doesn't hate you if you <a href="http://jeff-vogel.blogspot.com/2010/07/sometimes-its-ok-to-steal-my-games.html" target="_blank">pirate his games</a>.</p>
<blockquote>These days, some people are legitimately poor. Many people, through a mix of poor fiscal choices and ill fortune, are in bad shape. Foreclosed on, or facing foreclosure. Trying to pay down a mountain of credit card debt. Unemployed for a long time. Lacking health insurance. Some people brush this growing population off, saying, "Oh, they brought it on themselves." And sometimes that is true. They made mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. I make mistakes. It's just that some people are unlucky enough to be savagely punished for their mistakes.<br /><br />Someone who is facing long-term unemployment and bankruptcy probably should not pay for my game. And, in that case, if stealing my game gives them a temporary reprieve from their misery (and there's a lot of misery out there right now), I'm cool with that. I'm happy to help. These are my fellow citizens, and I want to help out how I can.<br /><br />Now here is what I am NOT saying. If some kid has to actually save his allowance for a few weeks to buy the game, stealing it is instead of paying is not cool. I'm not OK with that. If you can pay, you should pay. But I understand that some people can't. It's reality. As for whether someone can truly pay or not, I have to trust them to be able to tell the difference. It's probably unwise to trust so many strangers so much with my livelihood on the line. But it's not like I have a choice.</blockquote>
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[Some Moron On Welfare]

Thanks, Jeff, I knew you would understand.

 

[Trash]

Now that's marketing and pr which I can adhere to.

 

[commie]

How long does welfare last there Drog? Is it a permanent free ride or they eventually cut it off?

 

[thesheeep]

What a PUSSY!

Well, actually I agree.

 

[Sceptic]

That's a surprisingly good post actually, considering most of his other blog posts usually make me want to repeatedly smash my head against a wall. I'm amazed to see a game developer write an intelligent article on piracy that manages not to devolve into "die you evil pirates!", and from an indie developer to boot. Kudos to Vogel for this one.

 

[Ruprekt]

It's easy for Vogel to say this as he makes the games himself.

What about an exec or ceo in a real company? They don't have time to make anything or the luxury of generosity. You only win when other lose, that's the first lesson of life.

As Nietzsche said "Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life."

 

[Andhaira]

May Allah bless Jeff Vogel for his wisdom and his kindness.

 

[Brotherman Bill]

Of Course, Piracy Is Almost Always Wrong

I think that the best way of evaluating the morality of an action is to ask, "What would happen if everyone who wanted to do it did it?" Littering and dumping toxic waste into rivers are wrong because, if everyone who wanted to do those things did them, our streets would be choked with refuse and our drinking water would be half benzene. And pirating PC games is wrong because, were it not for that minority of worthy souls who actually chip in, the industry that makes the games we love would descend into a shadow realm of tiny ad-supported Flash games and Farmville. Some people would be cool with that, but I'm looking forward to playing Starcraft 2, thanks.

And I've now set myself up for 50 comments of increasingly overwrought and implausible justifications for why pirating games is a good, noble thing to do. No. Sorry. You don't get everything you want in this world. You can get piles of cool stuff for free. Or you can be an honorable, ethical being. You don't get both.

 

[ortucis]

I have never played any game from Vogel but his blog is awesome (and so is he).

He is right about the the price bit though. Retarded fucks like Microsoft and Valve sell their softwares at full price (I bought piece of shit L4D at 60 USD, for like 4 shitty maps, 60 USD..) in every country and then they wonder why their softwares get pirated in third world countries.

Surprisingly, Rockstar releases their game for cheap. A legal GTA4 copy was available on day-1 here for $10 (still is infact) and GTA collections are available in similar prices (including shit like Manhunt and Bully). Sure they can't make a PC port and sure they turned MaxPayne into Sam Fisher, but at least they know how to price their games in different countries.

Maybe if people will stop suck Valve's cock, they will do the same on Steam (not discounts, fuck those, day-1 releases at the "right" price in different regions).

 

[Lockkaliber]

SOCIALIST BROFIST JEFF VOGEL FFFFFFFUUUUUCK YEEEEAH.

I will buy all your games now.

 

[Stalin]

Vogel is a jew surname

 

[Zomg]

Please God, give me the grace to rationalize the things people do to me which I can't stop as OK

 

[hiver]

I never played any of his games but i will buy one when i decide to try.

 

[Micmu]

Vogel = 1 / Kotick

 

[Forest Dweller]

Whatever Jeff. If you want to excuse the people who violate your rights, than by all means, go ahead. But it's pretty self-destructive, and it by no means makes you a better person.

 

[Hoaxmetal]

:brofist:

 

[1eyedking]

Vogel = 1 / Kotick

So fucking mathnerd it's funny in itself.

 

[mikaelis]

Vogel = 1 / Kotick

Should rather be: Kotick = 1/Vogel unless we are talking about numbers between <0, 1)

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Very sensible approach .

 

[SCO]

Thanks Jeff, pirating Avernum 6 right now (i'm unemployed).

Brofist.



...

 

[Zeus]

William Gibson called piracy a sort of "fame tax." He said that you'll be pirated if you already have legitimate customers. The only way no one will pirate your stuff is if no one knows about it, and that means no sales.

Anyway, this is a pretty damn cool stance. I like how he specifies that if you saved the cash, you should buy his game.

 

[Volourn]

His game so it's not stealing or even pirating if he gives you eprmission.

Still, it's a bullshit excuse. Being 'poor' is not an excuse to steal games. You dion't need games to steal. If yopua re so poor that you need to steal a game you should concentrate on stealing stuff you fuckin' actually need to live. FFS

It's one thing to pirate a loaf of bread to feed your starving family; it's another to pirate a game to get your jollies.

 

[JarlFrank]

Whatever Jeff. If you want to excuse the people who violate your rights, than by all means, go ahead. But it's pretty self-destructive, and it by no means makes you a better person.

RAWR ALL PIRATES ARE EVIL AND SHOULD BE BURNED IN A SEA OF FIRE ARRRRGH

 

[Site Feedback]

It's one thing to pirate a loaf of bread to feed your starving family; it's another to pirate a game to get your jollies.

What are some good sites to pirate a loaf of bread?

BREADBAY
BREADJUNKIE
YOU ONLY BREAD TWICE (LIKE RABISTS)
BREADHUNTISO
PUREBREAD
BREADREACTOR(don't even bother)
SEEDBREAD