Great job, Bioware!

[obediah]

Just a quick note on borrowing games, that does not count as piracy; if it did, you could never give away a copyrighted product, without becoming a criminal. Selling games as used, or going to a second hand place and trading games with them, is also perfectly legal.

Idiot! If renting, borrowing, and selling used copies weren't PURE COMMUNIST SATANIC EVIL THAT KILLS NUNS AND RAPES BABIES, then Bioware wouldn't have limited the number of hardware installs to 3. But they did, so they are.

 

[Longshanks]

Rule of law functions exactly because individuals do not get to determine when laws are "no good".

Individuals, no. But laws are often changed due to mass disobedience. A law that is not supported by the people, openly flouted, and infrequently prosecuted is not much of a law. A couple of examples where laws have been repealed largely due to low rates of obeyance: prohibition, taping songs off the radio, making a back-up copy of something you own (in some countries). Laws need to be in sync with the society in which they are instituted, or they are anachronistic and likely to be disdained by the people, especially if it is easy to do so.

In terms of legality EULA's are on shaky ground anyway. They've not been fully tested in court, and many have clauses which are not in keeping with the law (eg. forbidding all reverse engineering - many uses of which are not illegal, and are in fact what the Copyright Act is supposed to defend).

Anyway, Lumpy's claim that disobeying the law is not always wrong is certainly a valid one. Following unjust and immoral laws is little defence for individual immorality or unjustness. (don't read this in the context of Intellectual Property laws, I'm not claiming them to be unjust)

Just a quick note on borrowing games, that does not count as piracy; if it did, you could never give away a copyrighted product, without becoming a criminal. Selling games as used, or going to a second hand place and trading games with them, is also perfectly legal.

It does according to Bethesda's forum rules, and I assume the EULAs of their games. I have receieved a warning for advocating piracy by suggesting I may borrow a game from a friend.

 

[Annonchinil]

This whole pro-piracy thing is getting out of hand, yes SecureRom sucks and Bioware is stupid for including it but it’s not a simple as people make it out. When CoD4 PC came out with lax protection for online play, and when the high piracy rates were pointed out on a blog, people were calling Infinity Ward lazy and stupid because they didn't make it tougher. It seems like loose/loose. Stating that games on console sell better because it’s fresher is tard like, SS2 sold something like 200k 10 years ago, I doubt the majority of PC gamers played it. And when does something that is completely original guaranteed to sell anyways? As for Valve, they keep on going on about how great PC gaming market is without revealing any numbers while they quietly become a multi-platform company.
As for Stardock, who cares? Their biggest game sold something like 300'000 copies and there are many indie companies that are happy with their sales numbers, Stardock is just the largest. I am sure the biggest publishers couldn't care any less if Stardock is happy, just like they didn't care that Paradox is happy.

Does piracy hurt sales? Well PC gaming sales were going up until 2003 when torrents came and have been declining since. No one can argue that DD was big back then. And how can anyone reasonably argue that having a free-product competing with a full priced one is not going to hurt sales? Just like one that is half-priced will not impact the sales of one that costs double? Or what about the idea that people buy good games? Well yes they do but go to a torrent site and there are those who will pirate them. But the idea that the pirates would not have bought the game anyway? I am not sure what to say, have you never bought a game, or never pirated one? I bet the answer to both of those questions will be no, most people probably pirated atleast one game, and most people probably also bought one. I think the rarity would be a person who owns every game that is legitimate or one that plays and one that never bought a single one.

For copy protection; I think SecuRom is useless, but I do not think that it does not work in general, look at CD-Keys. They might not be 100% effective but they make pirating a game hard enough for people to general buy the product if they want to play online.
Do I believe that all bad sales are blames for piracy? No, but I think its wrong that it does not affect the market as a whole. In the end I don't care about the morality of it all but I do care about the success of the PC market and platform. I don't see how anyone can argue that piracy does not hurt it. I mean look at Nvidia, discrete hardware sales up, billion dollar quarters, Forbes company of the year. Clearly more people are upgrading and gaming on their PC's than before.

For VD: Giving details about your personal life on the internet is about as believable as stating that my girlfriend is Jessica Alba. The point is you have never released a game and it’s not even your full time job. Your opinion about how piracy affects you is worth about as much as mine. Even fucking Brad Wardell doesn’t like it and I am sure most developers don’t either.

 

[Kraszu]

Let's not forget that games need to be played on something and Assassin's Creed requires a top notch PC:

The list of minimum system requirements is as follows:

* Processor: Dual core processor 2.6 GHz Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ or better recommended)
* RAM: 2 GB (3 GB recommended)
* Video Card: 256 MB DirectX 10.0 –compliant video card or DirectX 9.0 –compliant card with Shader Model 3.0 or higher (512 MB video card recommended) (see supported list)*

Are these free in your country? If yes, can you get me one? I'll pay for the shipping. Yes, I know you said that you've managed to build one out of old fridge parts and a sewing machine, but I doubt that every gamer is that handy with hardware. And $1000 bucks that you spent still gotta be a lot of money in your country.

More like gazillion $ I just chceked prices on newegg:
motherboard for AMD 50-60$, Athlon x2 4600+ 66$, gef9600GT 140$, ram 45$, Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 16mb- 70$ (you don't need that much but lets not be cheap lolz), case whit ps 30$, dvd burner23$ for top of the line not sure what is best to buy, . Adding=~430$ lower then half that you said and better then recommended. Can we stop making prices up now? kthnxb

After somebody spend money on necessary bills he got limited amount left, saying that becouse somebody spend 100$/year on hardware he must make enough to buy any game he wants is ridiculous.

 

[Jaesun]

Bentham and JS Mill with a pinch of Kant mixed in = Teh win.

+1

Even if Bentham was a total cockfag

What?

-1,000

 

[Shannow]

Laws are for coporate suits and anarchy will lead to better computer games^^

Wow, your insight is so amazing! You have captured the great philosopher, and genius mind, of the Sex Pistols. Amazing!

See, I realise that you mean exactly the opposite from what you wrote. Does that make me more intelligent than you because you failed to do the same?

Probably not, but I'll try to keep track in the future, monkey brain

Wow, 19 pages. I've only got 30 minutes to read...from page 5...

 

[Gladi]

But the idea that the pirates would not have bought the game anyway? I am not sure what to say, have you never bought a game, or never pirated one? I bet the answer to both of those questions will be no, most people probably pirated atleast one game, and most people probably also bought one. I think the rarity would be a person who owns every game that is legitimate or one that plays and one that never bought a single one.

Bright day
I think the idea is that a pirate does not buy a concrete game for a certain price. Instead of spending 60 dollars on SupraShooter, he pirates it. Maybe he would buy Suprashooter for 10 dollars, maybe not. Maybe he would be willing to spend 60 bucks on new DungeonHack. But he is not going to buy your game, at price you want, at time you want.

Alas, I am not aware of any actual research into buying habits of pirates. Even a research on whetever there are any buyings made by a pirate. Do all pirates buy less games, then non-pirates? What makes pirate to buy a game?

 

[Rhombus]

Skyway asked you a valid question that I think you should answer, do it or shut the hell up.

Obviously I don't really care what he wants, nor what you demand.

Liberating, isn't it?

Best post in this thread. I feel liberated..

 

[Vault Dweller]

For VD: Giving details about your personal life on the internet is about as believable as stating that my girlfriend is Jessica Alba. The point is you have never released a game and it’s not even your full time job.

Have I ever claimed otherwise? Have I ever used my in-development game to dismiss someone's opinion - " if you were a gaem developar like me you'd understand..."?

Your opinion about how piracy affects you is worth about as much as mine. Even fucking Brad Wardell doesn’t like it and I am sure most developers don’t either.

Twilight fucking zone. Did I say that my opinion is worth more? Did I say that I like it? I've argued all day against justifications of piracy, so where is the logic?

I accept piracy as a part of the program, but that's a different matter. Games will be pirated. That's the reality. Not accepting this reality would be kinda stupid.

Edit: relevant article:
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1688

 

[elander_]

On the matter of the DRM here's an interesting article about EA lies:

http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1685

Looks like pretending you are listening to the fans is the new PR wave.

And here's some very good suggestions on how to fight piracy. In short respect the customer more.

http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1558

 

[aron searle]

snip

Do you have a mortgage?

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

I surrender, this thread is too much...

 

[MetalCraze]

meanwhile it seems Mass Effect not only got the DRM problem but it also seems that the port to PC was made by lamers. in other words - quite a number of people on Bioware forums crying that Mass Effect won't let them save the game making them play it good ol' checkpoint way.

example: http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/vi ... m=127&sp=0

*sigh*

 

[Vault Dweller]

Adding=~430$ lower then half that you said and better then recommended. Can we stop making prices up now? kthnxb

I'm not making up any prices. I replied to Sage who said:

"Now, everyone and his mother has a computer here ... By smart buying, exchanging old components, and building it myself i managed to get a machine able to, for an example, run Crysis in pretty high detail and without any kind of overclocking at around 1000$ ..."

Pay attention, will you?

 

[The Rambling Sage]

Uhm...you do realise no one goes against it because you presuppose absolute moral authority to what most of us would consider an outdated philosophical system, right?

I do not think it is outdated, sincerely - I actually believe the more we turn away from moral absolutes built around people instead of abstract considerations we are one step closer of making Kali dance our colective asses into oblivion. Not that i think there is something wrong about Her doing what every once and then must be done, but 'what must be done' must always be tempered by compassion and thought.

Sorry for the colorful simbolism.

Now I'm no relativists - perish the thought - but there is something that is way too reactionary for me to adopting a moral philosophy that can not accept the state of the world either as it is or as it can realistically be foreseen to become. It is true you can adopt such a system for personal values and even preach it, but I fail to see that why in a case where the morality isn't applicable at all, you can not simply either minimize damage (in which piracy really isn't the obvious answer) or adopt the morality of the majority.

Because the majority is always going to adopt the morality that offers an easier way to excuse themselves out of the more complicated situations - And that goes both for the Pirates as for the Developers or the Customers. I am not a religious guy (not even a little bit since my hobbies and intellectual interests tend to the side of 'Heretical') but i can see how that ongoing fashion of being able to confess or buy your way out of sin turned a given moral system into a bad joke, a 'tradition' that lost all meaning and soul.

The Law is not there to take the place of morals but to run along with them - A society that has gone the side of law (if it is not a crime it is good, if it is a crime it is bad) has simplified things to the point of what-the-fuck. One deals with social order, the other with people not being jerks and actually caring for something other than not ending in jail or having to pay a fine.

And as i said i do not think the state of the world is a static monster ruling fates and thoughts. It is a passing state, slave to time, change, and entropy as everything else. A moral system that does not accept the state of the world is one that has the potential to better people and, thus, the world - One that does is one with no more function than people feeling good while still being the same jerks they always were. When the world and morality are at odds people has to choose, to think, and to see for themselves the state of the world, and that is the reason for morality's existence - to make people trascend their own bestial nature. If not it is there just to excuse the way the world is, instead of bettering it.

Sounds like a case of simply minimizing damage to me.

Well... there is a point when minimizing damage just doesn't cut it anymore. A society is a fragile, stupidly complex system that already has enought trouble trying to balance all the constant internal turmoil, will to change, and need to stay somewhat constant without coming crashing down - Just like people is. And, just like with people, there comes a point were you must stop trying to patch the holes and consider a lifestyle change if pushing up daisies doesn't seem to be particularly tempting.

Ummm... I just lost the way around here. What was i trying to say?

In any case, minimizing damage does not threat the problem - nor the true cause, of wich that problem is just a symptom. The modern world is full of signs of what we could call 'moral corruption', the consideration of people as... well... things - Simplifications that are dangerous in and out of themselves. Yes, there are pirates who see developers as some kind of thing without conditions, reasons, or motives - And there are developers who see pirates on that same light, as no more than a bunch of revenue impairing variables. Piracy is a topic in itself, but also a symptom of society at large. When you are considering that negating access to something for... what was the number that Titan's Quest guy gave? Ten thousand people as to gain one sale? Then you are just too focused on the mathematics. It matters not if the numbers was real or just something he pulled out of his ass - The sole consideration of 'let's give the finger to all those guys so we can pull some fifty extra bucks' as acceptable is sick.

Idealism that doesn't take human nature into consideration, idealism that's based on fantasies and dreams rather than on understanding and analysises is a very, very dangerous thing. "Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood" was quickly transformed into the famous Reign of Terror that took 40,000 lives.

"Among people who were condemned by the revolutionary tribunals, about 8 percent were aristocrats, 6 percent clergy, 14 percent middle class, and 70 percent were workers or peasants accused of hoarding, evading the draft, desertion, rebellion, and other purported crimes."

70% were people whom the revolution was supposed to liberate. It would ironic if it wasn't so tragic. In some cities guillotines were working without breaks, chopping heads off 24 hours a day.

Now, the Russians weren't so lucky. Their idealism and flirting with Marx cost them much more.

"According to the declassified Soviet archives, during 1937 and 1938, the NKVD detained 1,548,367 victims, of whom 681,692 were shot - an average of 1,000 executions a day."

That's only in 2 years.

That's why i insist so much on absolute, clear-cut binary morals that have 'humanity' as the... ummm... main pillar? Something like that. Back in the day, before trying to go and grow up just the minimun necesary to stop being a jerk, i was more on the camp of 'we need to change the world no matter who gets fucked down the ass and sent into a labor camp in the meantime' and all the kill or be killed, nietszche wannabe chest beating - I even made some posts around here from that mindset. And then a day noticed it was, well, the same thing the other side was saying, and then everyone else. And since from each one's point of view everyone but him is quite not-really-needed something is not working - The things just spiral out of control and you get a blood bath.

Both groups you mention had NOT humanity as a center, since both considered a part of humanity was up for extermination or was just... what's the word? Well, not-really-needed for the greater good. Once you put some people as 'not really necesary' is just a matter of time before more and more people is labeled such - And once you already go for 'those guys aren't just not really necesary, but we would all be better without them stealing air' it's also a matter of time before someone goes and decides such group who is also not-really-needed would be better in the receiving side of a firing squad.

I do not talk about a land of rainbows and lollypops - but without a good and solid moral foundation those things are just going to happen once and again. At least as i see it once you (simbolic you, not you as in VD) make one consession to that kind of thought (homeless are not really necesary, fuck those who can't pay private medical care, those jews are really a plague, let those dirty inmigrants starve - and of that last one i am partly guilty, too) you are just... ummm... creating the posibility of it going out of control, and we all know how much does chaos theory likes to fuck with 'hey, it is just a small chance.'

Isn't that taking human nature into consideration? I know most people will become savages as soon as given the chance, so better to create a context where that chance is kept in check by strong moral values.

And now that i think of it that sounds a little bit nazi. (trauma)

I wouldn't describe capitalism like that. Let's take Obsidian for example. It's a growing company that's doing better and better. Neither "screw the next guy" nor "everyone for himself" nor "go after the money" apply to them. Sure they try to make games that sell, but that's not the main driving focus.

Well, I'm working for one of the biggest assholes you've ever seen. Do you know what the difference between him and me is? He managed to build this entire company from scratch and give well paying jobs to 500+ people and I didn't. So, while the guy's an asshole he deserves every bit of what he got because a) he built it all himself and b) he (and guys like him) keeps a lot of people employed, well paid, medically ensured, and generally well taken care of.

Well... my experience with capitalism is more on the line of assholes that build some company, then employ people by salaries under the lawful minimun and keep them in loopholes of the law so they do not need to invest in medical or retirement funds, or even "dismissal" payments. Or assholes who turn books into a luxury, cut out a good deal of the population from knowledge and culture, and then cry 'foul play' when some idiot like me decides to go around, scan a couple of books, and upload them to some friend's FTP so other people can read them without having to sell their asses in some dark alley. Or assholes who go around turning private every good public hospital (you know, the ones paid by means of taxes, not charity) so that passable or good medical care is just within reach of a certain group of the population.

That's what i meant when i talked about people putting the "Gain" before "Humanity" - As far as i am concerned you can gain as much as you want as long no one is getting screwed. Some basic things are a given not just because they benefit the one receiving it (a good job, a basic level of medical care) but because they benefit humanity as a whole (culture, knowledge). Many times the gain go beyond "A honest, comfortable living" to outright greed, and people then get screwed no matter what.

But then i noticed it is possible a system like 'capitalism' is a just a neutral ideal entity and maybe i am just mixing the ideology, system, or whatever it is with the "bad apples" that use the loopholes and half-understood principles as an excuse for their behaviour (maybe because it is those who make it to the news?)... So yes, maybe i am very well mistaken. I will leave the topic of capitalism alone until i can order my toughts on the matter instead of making generalizations.

Well, we will have to agree to disagree about our interpretations. I will cede to humility if it can be shown, but so far I have not been swayed by what you've said. As for the name calling, well this is the codex, but my apologies.

Maybe you will agree with me when I say that piracy is proof that consequentialists, dabbling in a little bit of relativism, far out weigh people seeking for a higher moral ground. In the most simplistic way to understand a pirate, within the concept of Occam's Razor, piracy exists because consequence for piracy does not.(Or at least perceived consequence.) Even if you are seeking to apply a moral principle for your actions, I have a hard time adapting the deontological point of view to pro-piracy, as you've been doing. Maybe you aren't wrong to apply this philosophy, and maybe I am wrong from my own application of it, but it's a matter of progressive thinking, and one of us is doing worse than the other. I guess that's the beauty of it though.

Yes, i think the consequentialists, dabbling in a little bit of relativism, far outweight the people seeking for a moral higher ground. But that's so for both sides in any topic of human thought or culture - Be it piracy, politics, or whatever. For anything there are individuals with a true idea or conviction and then a much larger group who just jumps in the bandwagon because it gives them an excuse to indulge in experiences and actions others, and themselves even, would find unaceptable without such an excuse - or justifies not doing so.

But then that's the thing with philosophy and any other human endeavor - As long as there is people taking it seriously and discussing it to death is just a matter of time until someone comes and manages to discover the truth both sides were experiencing and only partially interpreting by means of context and experience, and the guys who actually tried their best are the ones that maybe get a chance of doing something about it, a slight possibility that one of those many they constantly hammer with long discussions and big books gets interested and lends an ear, researchs by himself, study the topic, invest some thought, and manages to break through the current limits of experience and consideration.

Who knows? Maybe one day a wanderer of the wastes will find within the ruins of Cleve's bunker a handwritten (shaking lines, homebrew ink, bad illuminations) chronicle of the Codex, bound in dirty, stained brahmin's leather, and then all those discussions on moral philosophy, the end of western civilization, the dumbing down of popular culture, and C&C will turn into the gospel of a new golden age. We would all be, like, great sages of ages past or something.

(yes, crappy over-the-top example is both crappy and over-the-top but it works)

meanwhile it seems Mass Effect not only got the DRM problem but it also seems that the port to PC was made by lamers. in other words - quite a number of people on Bioware forums crying that Mass Effect won't let them save the game making them play it good ol' checkpoint way.

There are also a great deal of trouble with crashes, the game not liking your sound drivers, black screens of evilness, and what have you... Actually i'm starting to think the pirates are just fanatical followers of Masoch in this one case.



@ All:

This went WAY off topic :S

 

[pkt-zer0]

I'm not making up any prices. I replied to Sage who said:

"Now, everyone and his mother has a computer here ... By smart buying, exchanging old components, and building it myself i managed to get a machine able to, for an example, run Crysis in pretty high detail and without any kind of overclocking at around 1000$ ..."

Pay attention, will you?

Well, if you upgrade every 5 years, that 1000$ comes down to 16.6$ a month, i.e. three months / one 50$ game. Sure, you can buy it under such conditions too, but it's not like having such a rig implies you'll be able to easily afford the games as well.

 

[Kraszu]

Adding=~430$ lower then half that you said and better then recommended. Can we stop making prices up now? kthnxb

I'm not making up any prices. I replied to Sage who said:

"Now, everyone and his mother has a computer here ... By smart buying, exchanging old components, and building it myself i managed to get a machine able to, for an example, run Crysis in pretty high detail and without any kind of overclocking at around 1000$ ..."

Pay attention, will you?

Sorry my bad I just read what you had quote, and answer.

My point is not if that they deserve it becouse they are poor or not (becouse I don't really get why anybody should deserve or not anything), but that wast majority would not buy it otherwise, and that being able to build a PC does not mean that they can find $ to buy more games - and lack of money is major piracy factor as data indicates that is why I said that games sell better when they cost less in countries where there is big piracy (seems obvious but many didn't believe that it will happen becouse people are either lawful good and never pirate or evil and will alweys pirate according to some).

 

[Vault Dweller]

I'm not making up any prices. I replied to Sage who said:

"Now, everyone and his mother has a computer here ... By smart buying, exchanging old components, and building it myself i managed to get a machine able to, for an example, run Crysis in pretty high detail and without any kind of overclocking at around 1000$ ..."

Pay attention, will you?

Well, if you upgrade every 5 years, that 1000$ comes down to 16.6$ a month, i.e. three months / one 50$ game. Sure, you can buy it under such conditions too, but it's not like having such a rig implies you'll be able to easily afford the games as well.

I'm pretty sure someone said in this thread that in Russia games go for 15-25 bucks (25 with a manual), so I don't think we are talking about paying NA prices there. Also, there is always an option of waiting and buying games cheaper 3-12 months later.

Edit:

http://www.cdgames.ru/

The first item is Assassin's Creed Director's Cut edition. The price is 480 rubles. According to this currency converter site, that's 20 bucks. Older games (IWD2, BG2, Fallout 2, Morrowind) go for 5 bucks.

 

[pkt-zer0]

The first item is Assassin's Creed Director's Cut edition. The price is 480 rubles. According to this currency converter site, that's 20 bucks. Older games (IWD2, BG2, Fallout 2, Morrowind) go for 5 bucks.

Unless Sage is Russian, that's not really relevant. Checking out the same post:

"Assasin's creed, the newest shit you can get there for an example, goes for 268,61$ in local money. That's 86,648 in US dollars IF you can even find it in stock."

So 50$ seems to be underestimating the price.

EDIT: Oh wait. The rig was 1000$ in local money. So that'd need to be compared to 268,61$, unless something got lost in translation.

 

[DefJam101]

I'd just like to take a moment to point out how 'holy-fuckshit-cockballs' amazing the Polish CE of The Witcher is.

Honestly, you get a fucking medallion. If I lived in Poland I would've pre-ordered that shit instantly and said "Fuck you!" to every pirate within a 20 mile radius.

 

[MaskedMan]

^ You got some kind of medallion with the English version too, but half of that stuff seems to be missing from my CE .

EDIT: No you didn't get a medallion, I just confused it with the Gothic 3 CE cuz the wolfs head looks a lot like the Sleeper medallion. How embarassing.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Both groups you mention had NOT humanity as a center, since both considered a part of humanity was up for extermination or was just... what's the word? Well, not-really-needed for the greater good.

Not quite so. That's why I mentioned that the French Reign of Terror killed 70% of those for whom the revolution was made and whose interests it was supposed to protect. Same happened in Russia (making it now a system, a predictable development of all revolutions). After the rich and those in power were killed, the revolution turned on those who supported it. Did you support it enough? Did you support it for the right reasons? Maybe you have some regrets? Maybe you aren't quite happy with the outcome? Kill the fuckers! The gods demand more sacrifices! We can try as hard as we can to pretend that we are not savages, but we are and we need very little to go back to our primal instincts.

Once you put some people as 'not really necesary' is just a matter of time before more and more people is labeled such - And once you already go for 'those guys aren't just not really necesary, but we would all be better without them stealing air' it's also a matter of time before someone goes and decides such group who is also not-really-needed would be better in the receiving side of a firing squad.

Well, if you understand all that...

Isn't that taking human nature into consideration? I know most people will become savages as soon as given the chance, so better to create a context where that chance is kept in check by strong moral values.

And now that i think of it that sounds a little bit nazi. (trauma)

And now the train of thoughts has arrived to its final destination. Congratulations. You started by building a better society and end up in the Fourth Reich. Do you think that Nazi were all evil bastards who wanted to kill as many people as they could before they are stopped?

Recommended reading:
http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/Auxiliar ... dwave.html

Well... my experience with capitalism is more on the line of assholes that build some company, then employ people by salaries under the lawful minimun and keep them in loopholes of the law so they do not need to invest in medical or retirement funds, or even "dismissal" payments.

What country?

But then i noticed it is possible a system like 'capitalism' is a just a neutral ideal entity...

It's a platform. What you build on it depends on what kind of person you are. There are people who should be shot and they'll do evil stuff under any system. There are people who have a huge capacity for good and they'll do good and care about other people under any system. Capitalism is neither good or evil in itself, but rules and laws (country-specific and thus society- and local culture- specific) can affect the direction of capitalism development and what it brings to society. I don't think it worked all that well in Russia and it can probably described as evil there, but the lack of laws governing capitalism is to blame.

 

[DefJam101]

^ You got some kind of medallion with the English version too, but half of that stuff seems to be missing from my CE .

Nope, no medallion for the English CE...


D;

 

[Vault Dweller]

WELCOME TO PAGE 20! LET'S CELEBRATE!

The first item is Assassin's Creed Director's Cut edition. The price is 480 rubles. According to this currency converter site, that's 20 bucks. Older games (IWD2, BG2, Fallout 2, Morrowind) go for 5 bucks.

Unless Sage is Russian, that's not really relevant. Checking out the same post:

"Assasin's creed, the newest shit you can get there for an example, goes for 268,61$ in local money. That's 86,648 in US dollars IF you can even find it in stock."

Russia is a huge market and a huge pirate "we are so poor that we can't buy them expensive american games" heaven, yet you can get most games for 5-10 bucks. So the point still stands. As for Sage, even if he's from some small country where games aren't being localized (which includes affordable pricing), but sold by people who order them from the US and add 30% on top, then he can do the same and avoid the markup. Gogamer often has 48-hour "madness sale" events selling games for 5-15 bucks. Plus delivery. Assassin's Creed goes for 35 bucks now. There are smaller companies that ship games at affordable rates. I used that service myself to order Space Rangers 2 6 months before it hit NA. So, when there is a will, there is a way, BUT as it was stated before, we aren't really talking about costs here. We are talking about a free product competing with a product that you must pay for. For a lot of people it's a no-brainer.

 

[Herbert West]

Oh damn, those russian prices do look good. Eurofags are shafted though, when it comes to hardware as well as software, since many a time price is set simply by substituting $ sign for e