Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 20 & Epilogue

Today, we conclude the Sunless Sea Stories and my journey as Solarus comes to an end.  I'll finish up History of Final Fantasy next, but following that...I'm leaning towards retiring or at least taking a break from videos for a while...and maybe this blog.  Who knows...part of me misses playing games rather than talking about or making videos about them, you know?

Either way, here is the end of Captain Solarus...and here is the beginning.

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 18 & 19

Ugh...life has not been kind to me, in between dealing with the banking  nightmare here in China and videos, and school, and writing, and preparing to return home in 2 months, so forgive me for my lapse in video posting.  This week is HELL, so I'm not sure when the last two parts of Solarus's Journey will be up, but there are only 2 parts left...so look forward to them.  For now, see my Captain's downfall as he gives into the whims of the Apes and comes close to a fateful choice. 

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 16 & 17

Stress and my workload are increasing, plus I've got a lot on my plate day to day, so I'm probably going to start just releasing two videos on one of my weekend days rather than spacing them out through the weeks.  Still working on History of Final Fantasy, but it's slow going, so I'm finishing up these videos before we dive back into that.

Anyway, enjoy Solarus's Journey, we're closing in on an ending.

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 14 & 15

Hey all.  So, I've been sick, scraped a large portion of skin off my hands, and been swamped with work, so I missed my last chance to upload some more Sunless Sea.  So, here we're going to upload two at once to get people up to speed.  I've got six more chapters left before the story ends, so we're getting close.

Anyway, work on History of Final Fantasy is continuing, but I'm still sidetracked by real world responsibilities, so it'll only resume once I finish Sunless Sea Stories.  Just a few more weeks.  Now, enjoy Captain Solarus's journeys.

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 13

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 12

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 11

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 10

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 9

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 8

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 7

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 5

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 4

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 2

Sunless Sea Stories: Solarus's Journey 1

So, I've been through about 4 playthroughs of Sunless Sea, truly a fantastic little adventure.  For my 5th, I wanted to do something different, so I'm going to narrate, in audio book form, the adventures of my captain as told by his log book.

Please, join me for some Sunless Sea stories.  Let us follow the adventures of Captain Solarus as he tries to survive this bleak abyss beneath the earth.

Hand of Fate Video Review

Since we looked at an early access game last week, let's look at a game I've been playing since early access.  This is Hand of Fate, an addictive card/board game with rogue-like and deck building mechanics blended seamlessly with 3d arena combat.  The game has an insane amount of atmosphere and charm and is a fascinating experience for DnD players of all ages...or anyone, for that matter.

Twelve Tips for Indie Game Developers: The Outsiders Perspective

            Alright.  Let's be honest, I am not a game developer, I am not a PR guy, I am not an analyst.  What I am is a gamer.  And as a gamer, I wanted to just give a few ideas to the community as a whole, the indie gaming community, that, from a gamer's perspective, will actually help you.  Because, corporations may need advice, but they won't take it.  Indie devs tend to just be a group of a few people and they can and sometimes will use advice, so...here it is.

Considering the shit AAA devs are doing...yeah, I love Indie

            I've been seeing a lot of...shall we say, shady behavior on the indie scene, lately.  For every War Z or Guise of the Wolf, we get tons of decent games like Shovel Knight or Cubesis, certainly, but the fact that people think they can screw with their customers, on the indie level no less, is kinda disconcerting.  This doesn't just go for people trying to mess with critiques or lie to others, this goes for blow ups like with Phil Fish or even levels of mediocrity, like the dozens of RPG maker games that are starting to appear on steam.  So, let's start with some easy tips.

1) A New Developer Starts with nothing.

            As a new developer, you start with zero.  Zero faith, zero goodwill, but also zero bad will and zero vitriol.  You can build your image from the ground up.  So, play to the audience you want and respect that audience.  You can make a name that is meant to show your ambitions or what have you, like Wayforward or you can just have it sound cool, like Super Giant Games.  But, you start on an even keel, so use that to your advantage.  Use it as a jumping off point to show your audience, you respect them and you care.  They WILL start to judge you from the first screen shot you post, but when all you have is a name and a title, you start with nothing, so use that to your advantage.

All developers are born with neither good will nor bad will.  Use that to your advantage.

2) The Value of Goodwill.

            Indie developers can live and die on goodwill.  See, many indie developers work their jobs part time while doing other jobs or can survive on other means while waiting to hit it big.  However, if they do hit it big, this means they can work full time.  Indie devs are no different from big companies in this regard, as if their name has weight it can mean the difference between a boycott and massive sales.  Even if it just means you get a few hundred extra sales, since you try and deliver games cheaply and without much overhead, like a publisher or retailers cut, it can still help.

If you give to gamers, gamers will give to you, devs.

3) Be courteous, but don't be phony. 

            Your customers need to trust you and be willing to return your own goodwill, spreading word of mouth, doing reviews, talking to friends, what have you.  So, how can you build goodwill?  Well, a good way to start is to think about how you as a customer want to be treated.  Everyone hates that sir or ma'am crap we get when talking to corporate pawns like the cable company or healthcare and we hate automated systems even more.  We want to be spoken with as equals, by real people.  We want to be spoken to as people who are helping with the gaming experience, not lavished with false praise and titles.  If we make a suggestion, be glad for it.  Even if you can't use it, remember that someone cared enough that they wanted the game to be better so they could play it more. 

We all hate automated machines telling us our time is valuable to them.  Treat us courteously, but not like robots.

4) Be a nice person. 

            In spite of all vitriol, nothing builds goodwill like a developer who will act in a mature way when being insulted or demeaned.  This.  Is.  HARD.  Phil Fish may not be a guy I like, but he was insulted on a daily basis and demeaned the point he quit the game industry after many, MANY choice words.  It's probably good he did because after those words...he lost a LOT of good will from fans.  Thing is, Zeboyd put it best.  It's just good for all of us if we try and be nice guys.  Not fake nice, but if someone disagrees with you, let them, don't explode.  If they're being an asshole to you, ignore them.  If they're being an asshole to your community, feel free to ban them, since you have your community to think of.  But in general, just be a nice guy that people feel they can talk to. 

Gamers can be a vitriolic bunch but indie devs rely on them so...you kinda have to be the bigger man here.  Act maturely, even if we don't.

5) Man up to your mistakes. 

            All developers have made mistakes, wasted money, or generally had delays that prevent them from keeping promises in a timely manner.  Lying or making excuses to your fans and customers is not the way out.  Be upfront with them and share the experience.  If you're having problems, let them know but assure them of your commitment.  If you can't deliver, all there is to do is apologize, take the heat, and try to make it right how you can.  While you might lose some goodwill for doing the right thing, people remember those who are honest with them and respectful.  They respect those who don't cut and run and will try and do the right thing.  That, in turn, will get you more good will. 

People might never let you forget a mistake, but if you own up to them, don't make excuses, and say you'll do better, they're more likely to forgive and respect you.

6) Share with and go the extra mile for your community. 

            Everyone loves seeing games progress, either in development or in updates and bug fixes.  Share with them how things are going, maybe if you added something new, secrets maybe, but keep them involved, because that shows you care.

These are basic tips relating to good will.  In general, just think how you as a gamer or a customer want to be treated by others and...do that.

Community is a powerful tool in the game industry.  Treat them right.

7) Do not lie to your customers

            This is to cover all bases.  We talked about manning up to mistakes or problems, but don't sugar coat things.  If your game is a piece of ass, at least let them know going in that it's a piece of ass and that you are trying to learn to either fix it or do better the next time.  Don't bill it as a Call of Duty killer and then it turns out to be a generic shooter with copy paste graphics from the Unreal Engine with no trace of originality.  Don't use misleading clips or CGI or in general try and deceive them, because you will be found out and your attempts to hide it WILL be catalogued.  In the age of screen capture and mass media, nothing can just be covered up anymore.  You cannot cover up a lie in the games industry, so it's better to simply not lie.  Your rep and your goodwill will thank you.

If you lie, your customers will find out...and they will be PISSED.

8) Do not censor

            I know it may hurt to see something you worked hard on or which isn't finished take a verbal pounding from players who are basically ripping it apart for fun, but like I said before, if you try and cover that up and lie, it WILL be found out.  Garry's incident and Guise of the Wolf are the most notorious cases of censorship gone bad when Total Biscuit had his first impression videos taken down by people abusing the Youtube Copyright system.  He tore them apart in a mature manner, showing their wrongs in detail, catalogued, and eventually they had to relent.  Jim Sterling also covered those who took down steam reviews that were unflattering.  All incidents left a trail and the stories were picked up by Kotaku and other news outlets and the developers were treated as the scummy, money grubbing asses they were.  Don't censor.  It never ends well.  Take the vitriol on the cheek, turn the other cheek, and let it be forgotten, making way for fans who WILL appreciate your game.  Everyone hates a villain and if you act villainously, like trying to abuse the system to censor bad press, you will be slain by some righteous heroes of the net.

Best way to lose goodwill and become a gaming development pariah?  Try and censor your customers because they don't like your product.  Own up to your mistakes or you are going to burn.  The internet does not forget.

9) Don't belittle and don't fear comparison

            Not everything has to be original, but don't be afraid to have something compared to your game and don't belittle others who might be compared to it.  Many people hated the calling of Terraria a "2-d Minecraft."  Sure, they are different, but that kind of comparison...is not bad.  Minecraft is a big hit and a game like it?  That's not saying a bad thing, you could be compared to worse.  And Terraria never set off to compete with Minecraft, they didn't claim they were better.  They were just different.  They didn't speak ill of them.  This is good.  I remember playing The Last Dream for Steam and didn't much care for it because it took too much of the original Final Fantasy and not enough of the sequels, with a bland class based system and not enough interesting story or music.  However, think about that sentence I just said.  Took too much from the original Final Fantasy.  Final Fantasy purists, who enjoyed the original NES games will eat a game like that up.  Don't fear comparison.  It's just someone else's way of pitching your game to a friend in a nutshell.  Don't belittle because whether or not someone who is making a game similar to yours is better, the fact that you treat them with the same respect you treat your customers, that is to say a lot, will earn you a fair bit of goodwill and possibly partners in the future.  Who knows?  They may want to work for the masters for their sequel.

Comparison isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Don't fear it, because it's just part of how people associate your game.

10) Don't nickel and dime your customers

            I see this happen a fair bit.  I'm not of the mind that all micro transactions are bad.  Some DLC definitely deserves the money, like Dark Souls 2's Sunken Crown DLC.  It clearly took extra time to make and was not part of the original product.  However, a game like Warlock 2, which looks like it should have been an expansion pack sold as a full retail release?  It makes customers raise an eyebrow and hurts your brand.  We don't like to feel like content is withheld from us.  Held hostage from us.  If you want to offer certain extras you can't get elsewhere, like behind the scenes footage or art books, maybe, but if you are withholding characters, music, whole levels even, BEFORE the game has even launched?  You are going to anger a lot of people.  Some DLC, we are okay with, but when it's been cut out of the finished product to make more money?  Many of us will skip the finished product entirely, since it's being sold to us piecemeal.

When your customers realize you hacked out in game items to sell a more expensive edition, they may just say to hell with your game.  It shows a lack of disrespect.

11) Spread the word, but don't bribe

            Disclosure has become a hot topic lately with youtubers.  It's the idea that a game developer is offering special goodies or money or deals to reviewers for a favorable look at their game.  This is a bad idea.  Why?  Because if you don't have enough faith in your game for it to stand on its own, you probably shouldn't be selling it.  Don't bribe reviewers, don't even try to sweeten a deal.  Just advertise that you have something cool to show people.  Spread the word through the medias and the fans, but don't try and buy publicity.  Market, but don't try and get "special attention."

Full disclosure, not non disclosure.  Don't bribe, don't lie, don't keep things from your customers.

12) Don't panic

            Even good games can receive bad reviews.  Why?  Because the game wasn't what that particular player wanted to experience, even if the videos and screenshots seemed like it might be.  And that's okay.  Sometimes, wires cross.  But if you are proud enough of your game that you would play and enjoy it, then others will too.  Don't panic if you get a bad review or if something happens to derail spreading the word or getting it to your customers.  In the end, most players will remember how you act and resolve issues as well as how they like the game.  I may not like FTL, but I give mad props to the developers for improving it and offering the updates for free.  I might buy another game from them, if it were released.  Whatever happens, just go with the flow and do your best to deliver your product to your customer.  If they like it, they like it, if they don't, they don't, but someone will like it.  Have faith in that.

This isn't my kind of game, but it is for someone.  Just cause I don't like it doesn't mean others won't.  Don't panic.  Keep calm and carry on.

            It's a little sad that the indie scene has been sullied by some developers who try and lie or abuse the system to their own benefit, but for every Guise of the Wolf or Garry's Incident, we get a dozen Shovel Knights, Valdis Story, Sang-Froid, Tiny Barbarian DX, etc.  It's easy to misstep as an indie developer, sure, but from a gamer's standpoint, these points above are what matter to us of the developers we trust.  Something to keep in mind for the aspiring game developers.  And something for games to keep in mind when picking a title on name value alone.

In the end, being a good developer and being a decent human being aren't mutually exclusive.  That is the best bit of advice I can offer.

Diminutive Diatribes: The Power of Goodwill

            With net neutrality being an issue at the moment, I'm reminded of the simple statements of Nash Bozard who said that, without goodwill, we will abandon a company the instant we are able.  He was referring to the abysmal business practices of ISPs and how they have frustrated and abused their customers to the points where the instant they are not needed, their customers will toss them aside.  Well, it's the same with game companies.

Shouldn't game companies do the same?

            Goodwill is kind of an essential thing in this era of gaming, where prices are higher, income is lower, and the options are much larger.  In the 80s and 90s, you had only a few options for play, namely Nintendo, Sega, PC, or perhaps a third party console like the Turbo Grafx.  But now, we have dozens of digital distribution websites, 3 major consoles, 3 backlogs of consoles from the previous generations, and not to mention handhelds.  There are literally hundreds if not thousands of games being released every month, in some way shape or form.  So, with that many options, you have to hold onto your fans with as much vigor as you can muster, not push them away or squeeze them dry with shady business tactics.  Because a fan whom you have treated well will stick with you through thick and thin.  They'll forgive a few botched experiments, so long as you let them know you respect and care about their business.

The options we have here are staggering.

            A good example of this is Nintendo.  Nintendo has made several unusual choices in gaming in the last decade or so.  They released the Gamecube with a distinctly child-like/toyish design, they made motion control a core part of the Wii and the Wii U is meant to emulate tablet gaming.  These experimentations might push away core fans if not for the simple fact that 90% of the time, when you buy a Nintendo game, you know you buy quality.  Nintendo may not french kiss all their fans and they've made their share of mistakes, but in the age of buggy launches, early access, and outright scams via Kickstarter or Steam, it's refreshing to pick up a Mario or Zelda game and know that 1) it will work right out of the box, no patches necessary, 2) it will be a high quality experience, regardless of any experimentation, and 3) it will be accessible by almost anyone.  Fans love Nintendo because they continue to give them quality, even if the games themselves sometimes seem to repeat.  More than that, Nintendo has also generated a pseudo culture around itself, where it appears friendly, offering fans rewards via the Nintendo Club and basically making themselves seem approachable.

You bought a Nintendo game?  Come on up and pick your reward!

            On the other hand, let's look at Steam, of late.  Steam used to be a great example of a company that understood and generated goodwill with its customers.  They have frequent sales of their games and until about 2011-2012, the products released on Steam were of proven quality.  They could have bugs or patches, but they were still strong, enjoyable games that were well worth the money.  However, recently, Steam has started to become unstable.  They have released a glut of shovelware titles onto their marketplace, which, with this new influx of trash, has become harder to navigate to find the quality items, their early access releases have no quality control so a game can be for sale at full price that is effectively broken or released as a scam to take money, and their attempt at getting new, innovative products through Greenlight has been a rather depressing failure, with some games being inspiring, such as Octodad, Bunny Must Die, or La-Mulana, while other releases have been appalling disasters, such as Guise of the Wolf which is laughably bad in every way and Kingdom Rush, which was so bugged upon release that it was unwinnable past level 3.  Worse, when you start abusing your customers like this, policies that you've implemented that weren't a big deal before start becoming more apparent.  The sometimes intrusive, sometimes not DRM Steam uses to both protect your games, but also monitor you, the no refund policy under most circumstances, and the abusable comment and review systems are only a few.  When compared to GoG, which will offer refunds if your game does not work, which frequently gives out free, classic games, and which still uses a high level of quality control, coupled with DRM free titles, Steam starts to seem less and less reliable.  And if they continue, they may lose many of their regular customers to GoG, Desura, or Green Man Gaming.

Oh, Steam...what have you been letting into your inner circle?

            Now, let's look at one of the worst.  EA.  EA has frequently screwed over its customers with DRM through online passes, released buggy games, such as Simcity, which was unplayable offline at all and unplayable online for the first few weeks, and forced players to register with their online service Origin if they want access to EA's games.  These kinds of policies push consumers away and have been lampooned by people far wittier than me(See Yahtzee Croshaw or Jim Sterling.)  The sad truth is that EA doesn't value its customers.  Apologists might argue otherwise, but EA sees them as a way of making a quick profit and will do anything to get more money, such as including micro-transactions in a full price game, forcing DRM to try and shut out pirates, and releasing games too early in order to gain some quick profits.  They may be pretty big, but EA has also dealt with a lot of controversy.  Lawsuits over Battlefield 4, the outcry and hilarious media disaster that was Simcity, piracy STILL happening despite their best efforts to force consumers to prove their loyalty, etc.  If these continue, EA will lose customers...they've already been losing customers.  A franchise players love will only care a company so far.

Need I say more about EA?

            My point with this is to try and emphasize the obvious.  If a company abuses its customers, even if the abuse is something as minor as releasing a buggy game that lacks polish, then they are risking losing them.  You have to engender goodwill in your consumers if you want them to be loyal.  Elder Scrolls fans have cried foul of Bethesda on many occasions because of the bugs, but mostly forgive the series because of how deep, enjoyable, and moddable it is.  Elder Scrolls Online has pushed that, requiring a sixty dollar commitment, a fifteen dollar further commitment if they want to play the game at all after buying it, and the option of using real money to buy things like horses.  They have cast aside a lot of goodwill there.  Likewise, Konami and Kojima productions are risking reprisal when Metal Gear Solid 5 gets released due to their $40 demo sold under the title, Metal Gear Solid 5 Ground Zeroes.  Sales may be strong now, but the internet remembers...the internet remembers and it does not always forgive.

75 dollar entry fee...was Elder Scrolls Online worth it?  Goodwill, wasted, needlessly.

            Even companies like Nintendo need to be aware of how they COULD be engendering more goodwill.  Mother fans would bow down and welcome their new god, Nintendo, if they announced the release of Mother 3.  RPG fans the world over and nostalgia buffs would flock to the Wii U if cult hits like Rygar, Terranigma, and other titles would grace the Virtual Console.  And Nintendo isn't above mistakes either...the Retro Remix games they have released is dangling dangerously close to cash in, with links to the Virtual Console to buy the full version of the sample game that you can play.

I've got my eye on you, Nintendo...

            In the age of dwindling sales, game companies need, more than ever, to be willing to bow their heads, take a little bit of a pay cut here and there, and say to their fans, "Thank you for sticking with us."  The truth is, we don't have as much money, but we do have more games and more options for buying and playing them.  Hell, it's at the point where we don't even need to pay games, since something like Hearthstone or Loadout are free to play with no required buy in.

100% free to play.

            So, what can companies do to let gamers know they care?  Well, first, they can be straight with them.  Be honest if you're having problems.  Don't hide it and push your buggy game onto the market.  Say you need more time...say it might not be up to snuff...gamers will respect you more for being honest than for trying to pretend things are okay when they're clearly not. 

A little honesty might have made this less painful, Gearbox...

            Next, companies can talk to gamers like people.  Communicate not corporation to consumer, but gamer to gamer or developer to gamer.  One thing Kickstarter does well is it allows the creators of games to directly talk with and engage their fans in updates and comments.  It wouldn't be that hard to implement for anyone who's bought a game digitally.  No cryptic salesman bull crap, but just talk like a normal person.  Hell, even a regular podcast would do wonders for PR. 

            Another good way to engender goodwill is freebies that aren't just being held back or that aren't just shovelware.  Think about what would happen if Sega gave a Steam gift code to one of their titles on Steam, like Beyond Oasis, Vectorman, or the Sonic games, with each new purchase of a current game.  Fans might not use them...but they might.  They'd remember that a good game was given to them, even if it was old.  And what does that cost Sega?  Nothing.  It's a digital game made years ago.  There's no real overhead.  Extras in game packages that AREN'T collector's editions also work well with this.  Soundtracks, figurines, posters, anything that makes a gamer feel like they're getting more than their money's worth is smart and a good way to engender goodwill.

Still awesome years later, an easy way to earn kudos points with gamers.  Give it to them for free.

            Probably the best way to make gamers love you?  Listen to them and give them what they want.  Not in terms of game design I mean, since then we'd get more and more Call of Duty Clones, but for example, many Konami fans miss Suikoden or the Metroidvania style Castlevania games.  So, give them one.  If you can't make a new Suikoden game, for whatever reason, make the older ones more accessible.  Suikoden 2 is STILL awaiting release on the PSN...if it had been released 4 years ago, when the service was getting going, Konami would have been heaped with praise.  Now, we're just praying it doesn't get cancelled.  And these games?  Yeah, you might take a little loss on them at first, but think about all the people you will hold onto because you said, "We listen and we care."

C'mon, Konami, stop dragging your feet...

            The smaller things a game company can do to generate more goodwill is to not take advantage of the goodwill they've already got.  See, goodwill is like money in a bank.  It accrues interest the longer you have it and don't spend it.  If you keep getting goodwill, or even if you just don't abuse that goodwill, it will deliver in spades.  So, don't release buggy games if possible.  Don't force DRM.  Don't make on disc DLC.  Don't hold back content so you can release it AS DLC.  If you just release a game and put your all into it, you'll earn goodwill...and even if you don't, you won't squander it by abusing your consumers.

            I just wanted to write this up to remind people that sometimes, you need to play the long game.  Goodwill is like an investment.  You won't see an immediate return on it, but if you want to retire...it's a good thing to have.  It will keep making money even if you start to stumble or lose your way because you have respected and stood by your fans and they will, in turn, stand by you.  Companies need to take note, before it's too late.  You might make your money now, but sooner rather than later, your fans will abandon you when a new company, one that respects or at least doesn't abuse its players as much, joins the scene.  If you don't get people who will stand with you...then you'll have no one to help you when it all comes crashing down.

Not even great Galactus can do it alone...

            Woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up.

                                                                                                - Ecclesiastes 4:10

Video Game Piracy: A Victimless Crime?

So...piracy.  The games industry loves to blame all their problems on piracy and used video games.  But...is it really as big a deal as they say?  Is piracy the crippling blow to the industry that publishers decry it as or is it, as many pirates claim, a victimless crime?  Taking money from the already bloated, over stuffed, often dishonest publishers for products that are not worth said money to begin with.  I'm not, nor will I ever be, a pirate.  I disagree with it on a moralistic level.  However I do understand the ideas behind piracy in the modern age.  So...I'd like to discuss for a bit about piracy in the video games industry and how it both hurts, and is actually beneficial, to said industry, despite claims to the contrary.

Everyone loves pirates, right?  Err...right?

            First, let's look at the definition of piracy.  Before copyright came to be, it was robbery or illegal violence at sea.  Robbery seems to be what stuck with people, as these days piracy has been morphed into a catchall term for unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted material in its original form, I.E. copyright theft.  These restrictions have been relaxed in recent years to allow these materials to be used so long as they are altered, such as with commentary from a let's play, or through a review.  However, the idea that piracy equates robbery has always stuck with any industry that thrives off copyrighted material.  And to some extent, I sympathize.  Artists need to make money in order to keep producing art.  Even if they love it, if they can't afford to eat off their art, they probably won't have time to make it because they'll be too busy doing something that puts food on the table.  However, with the rise of corporations who use and abuse the artists for their personal profit and the advent of independent releases on the internet as opposed to something that HAD to have a publisher to ever see the light of day, I think that piracy has become sort of a buzzword that many people use to frighten others and imply that they are a victim.

In this day and age, piracy has become like the word communist or socialist.  It's just a buzzword to scare people and justify things that should not be justified.

             First, let me say this.  Piracy should only be used as a term if a product is on the market, being sold for profit, by either the original creator or a duly appointed seller, I.E. a publisher, and if this said product is being taken and either being used or redistributed without providing proper remuneration for those who created it.  What does this mean?  Well, essentially, this is my way of saying I do not believe that video game emulation should be considered piracy.  For the most part, at least.  When emulation was first on the rise, many video game companies feared they would be out millions as people could simply download the game code on the internet for free and use their computers to mimic console hardware so they could essentially play any console video game they wanted for free.  At the time of emulation's creation, I could understand these concerns.  However, they have gotten far stupider as time has gone on.  Emulation, for those not in the know, is where a video games code is downloaded from the internet in the form of a ROM, then a player, which emulates a video game console such as the SNES or the Sega Genesis, reads these ROMs and plays them as if they were the actual game.  Largely, it is excused if you delete the ROMs in a 24 hour period, as a trial run, or if you already own a physical copy of the game.

Emulation of current games shouldn't be allowed, but emulation in and of itself?  Not really piracy.  It's people getting a chance to enjoy games that are no longer for sale, and thus do not hurt the developer in the least.  Unless they've re-released it, of course.

            I want to ask people to take a moment and think about emulation and its potential to hurt and its potential to preserve.  It has been seen as a tool for piracy by many, but is it really?  Well, in some cases, yes.  If an emulator for a modern console, like an Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3 were released along with ROMs for games that you could still buy in stores it would be piracy without a doubt.  The developers and publishers are still making sales off these products and they are still in production, so there are costs to consider.  However, what so many people overlook is that emulators are almost ubiquitously used to play older games on the Atari 2600, the NES, the SNES, the Genesis, etc.  These games are no longer sold in most stores and even if they are, their sale does not profit the publishers or the developers any longer.  Many publishers or developers of older games have ceased to be, actually, so sales of these games are strictly between private owners, not a retail outlet which pays for the games to be stocked.  In this case, emulators are not really a form of piracy.  They do not steal money from a publisher or developer, as the product is no longer in use.  In many ways, it is like the copyright has become invalid as soon as production and sales of these games have ceased, making them seem like fair use products.  They are not, I assure you, but...I do not see the harm, either.  Emulation has the potential to hurt consoles currently still on the market, however, it is also a tool for preserving and re-experiencing video games from a bygone era that you may not have had a chance to play or buy during your youth.  Emulation under these circumstances should not, I believe, constitute piracy.  However, if these games are ever re-released, I believe that playing them on an emulator, even if their ROM is from a cartridge no longer being sold, then it WOULD constitute piracy.  The Wii and Wii U, for example, frequently re-release older games that they have the rights to.  In this case, downloading Super Metroid for free, online, to play on an emulator, when a legitimate copy is being sold, for very little might I add, is piracy.  Simple as that.  Emulation is used by many as a way of expressing love for video games and as such, I believe that a bit of good faith is in order.  If the games you love are available in such a way that benefits their creators then buy them.  Support the creators.  However, if games are not for sale, then feel free to emulate them.  You may even stir interest for sequels or re-releases by keeping their memories alive.

Guys, I defend emulation for how it preserves bygone games, but if those bygone games can be bought legitimately...just do it.  If we do, we support good developers and show interest, which may lead to sequels or improvement.s

            Now for the prickly subject that no one wants to talk about.  Emulation is widely regarded as okay, by gamers and even by some publishers when it meets the circumstances I outlined above.  However, there are some forms of piracy that many try to legitimize, which have no bearing in reality.  Yes, if the game is no longer being made for profit and the sales are no longer going to the creator, there should not be a concern as to who plays it for free.  Many gamers, however, feel justified in piracy just because they cannot pay for games.  I understand this dilemma.  Games are growing more and more expensive to buy and with the economy in its present state there is less and less money to go around.  So, you feel justified in pirating a game since all your money is going to supporting yourself.  I get it.  But if you ever want the industry and the world at large to actually accept this as kosher, then you need to act in good faith.  What does that mean?  Well, essentially it means supporting the games even if you do commit acts of piracy.  The host of a radio show I listen to, for example, once openly admitted to buying a copy of Skyrim on Steam, then getting a cracked copy for free online.  Why?  Because he does not like how Steam interferes with his experience, through its pop in menus and glitches.  However, he already paid for his game, so the developers have already profited.  This is what one might consider an act of good faith.  Pirates who buy the game, disagree with some of its design choices, like the recent always online DRM of Sim City, and decide to get a pirated version regardless.  This is not a problem, provided you DO act in good faith. 

If piracy is to be allowed/overlooked, it needs to be done in good faith.  So you bought SimCity and it's servers are so broken you can't play it?  Feel free to get a cracked or pirated version.  You already bought a legitimate version, so the developers already have your money...now that you've done the right thing as a person, do what's fun for you.

            Pirates who try a game and play it all the way through, then buy it to support the developers show good faith.  I would even argue that pirates who try a game for a little bit, dislike it, stop playing it, and don't pay for it act in good faith, as this is akin to buying a game, trying it, disliking it, then taking it back to the store for a full refund.  However, I have to call out the pirates who do not act in good faith.  Pirating a game that is available for retail, playing it all the way through, keeping the pirated copy on your computer, and then never paying for a retail copy is stealing.  This may sound accusatory, but it is.  And I know that in this day and age publishers are over bloated, toxic to their own customers, far too controlling, and often downright dishonest with us.  I know this.  But you cannot simply pick who to like in the games industry when it comes to piracy.  What do I mean by that?  Well, what I mean is if I said to hell with the publishers I hate, I would also have to accept that indie developers bending over backwards to make their games easy to play, download, pay for, and DRM free shouldn't get any consideration either.  Or that people giving away games in bundles like on Steam or the Humble Bundle also are beneath consideration.  If you were to pick and choose like that, it would be akin to a police officer having the option to pick and choose who to arrest.  Or a bank picking and choosing who to foreclose on, leaving their favored customers alone while bullying new customers.  These acts are dishonest and they spit in the face of the idea that we are all equal under the law.  The same principle applies with game piracy.  You can hate a company and its games and not buy them, that's fine, that's capitalism.  However, you cannot pirate the games of one company you don't like, then turn around and say people should buy games from another studio.  That's simply dishonest and hypocritical.

Piracy in good faith.  Either you support the developers for work you've enjoyed or you have stolen from them.  No one should begrudge you a free look or playthrough, but if you take it without paying for it, that is a crime.

            In a subject like this, if you won't act in good faith, then you are not allowed to pick and choose who you decide to screw over.  If you don't buy a game because you don't like it, fine, you've chosen with your wallet.  If you pirate a game, like it, but never pay for it...you are stealing.  You cannot argue otherwise.  I sympathize with not having money to pay for a game at this moment, but that is why good faith is in order.  If you pay for it down the line...great.  If not...thief.  Remember, this is only games being sold for profit, so emulators or gamers who want to pirate games that are no longer sold but which are still not freeware?  I have no issue with you and neither should the game industry.  But I do have issue with the people who hurt developers who genuinely need support.

            Like all things, the video games industry is a business.  Not everyone, however, plays by the rules of the over bloated AAA industry and smaller indie developers put their heart, souls, savings, and life into making great games that they enjoy and want to share.  I think it's fair that these people get remuneration for their efforts.  When Derek Yu and Alec Holowka made Aquaria, it was a labor of love by two talented game designers and for their efforts, their game enchanted tens of thousands.  But how many sales were lost due to piracy?  How many people profess love for a game, then offer the creators nothing for their efforts?  This is not acceptable.  In fact, sometimes, it is heartbreaking.  Recettear is an indie game about a girl running an item shop and in the demo, it talks about why she runs it.  She's in debt.  And the developers threw in a tiny gag at the end of the demo, where the girl pleads with the audience to not pirate the game, otherwise she will never get out of debt.  And this isn't just meant as humor.  Indie developers can live or die off a few thousand sales, since they have very little overhead and sometimes don't have to give publishers a cut.  The fact that this game, which does everything it can to be as open and available as possible, has to plead with its audience to not steal it is heartbreaking.  You might ask, "What's the worst that could happen?"  Well...how about no more games from indie developers.  No more Fez.  No more Aquaria.  No more Dust.  No more Minecraft.  If everyone pirated these games, the developers would die.  There would be little to no point in making the games.  No sequels would be made.  No new projects.  It would end them.  The pirates I take the most issue with are those that do not act in good faith and willfully steal from these developers who need all the help they can get.  But, as Jim Sterling pointed out, there is one breed of pirate who is the worst of all.

Like it or not, we live in a capitalist world.  If you're good at something, you should get paid for it.  And that goes for game developers too.  Piracy in bad faith is criminal because it takes money from people who've worked hard to create something beautiful and fun.

            Pirates who steal from charity.  My jaw literally dropped over a year ago when I saw Jim Sterling's article on just how many people had pirated the Humble Indie Bundle.  For those unaware, the Humble Indie Bundle is an organization that, with the creator's permission, periodically releases indie games at far below their normal price in a large bundle and gives a portion of their profit to the charity Child's Play.  You can pay a fair amount, like 10-15 dollars and get extra games or content.  Or you can pay a single penny and get the basic bundle.  A single penny for anywhere from 4-6 games.  And yet some people still felt that that was beneath them.  I understand piracy.  I understand wanting to try before you buy.  I understand wanting to recapture the past.  I understand not having money to pay for a game.  But this is willful, malicious greed and should never, ever be excused.  I will agree that game companies do treat their customers too harshly in the battle against pirates.  But those who not only act in bad faith but who will turn their nose up at honest, noble attempts to deliver great games at a low cost which benefits charity?  I have no pity for them.  In the least.

The Humble Bundle is an effort by game developers to give games out to the fans for very cheap and at the same time, support a worthwhile charity.  To pirate this is to be absolutely morally bankrupt.

            So, is piracy a victimless crime?  No.  No its not.  Not everything should be considered piracy, I admit.  Emulation can prove to be a great way for those who are broke to experience older games without hurting anyone by getting a chance to play games that are no longer sold for profit.  However, piracy on the whole does take away money from those who desperately need it.  Piracy in bad faith, that is.  I would actually argue that piracy in good faith does more for the industry than any amount of advertising could.  Piracy in good faith spreads the word about a game to people who may want to buy it, without acting as if they are justified in their theft, since the pirates also want to support the game and will eventually buy it.  This kind of press cannot be bought with any amount of money and will be beneficial to any game that was made with passion and not created as just another assembly line piece of shovelware.  Many indie developers have been gracious in the face of piracy because it does spark interest.  I say, good for you for being so gracious, but you still deserve to be paid.  Piracy is not a victimless crime.  But it does not always have to hurt people either.  I imagine in the olden days, pirates could not only steal gold and silver from ships, but also medicine for sick families who could not afford it.  Piracy is not evil in and of itself.  However, when performed in bad faith, it deserves no sympathy.

Piracy is freedom, to a degree.  It is the ability to choose whether to purchase a game blindly or try it out, then decide what to do.  Piracy is no more evil than freedom.  It is only evil if you choose to use it as such.

            I should end this discussion with that, however I just want to bring up something Daniel Floyd and James Portnow have said in the Extra Credits Series.  You want to stamp out piracy?  Then offer a better service.  This is simplicity itself.  Why do people pirate?  Because of DRM.  Because games are too expensive.  Because there are no other options.  Give them other options, and the pirates will beat a path to your door and fling their money at you whole heartedly.  Most of them will, at least.  There will always be those who think it beneath them to pay, who believe the internet and anonymity entitles them to do as they please...but for most pirates, offer them what they can only get through piracy, and then one up that offer, and you will win over hundreds of thousands if not millions of customers.  Steam uses DRM.  However it is not intrusive, games connect directly to the Steam forums and community through it for troubleshooting and support, it can be deactivated to play offline, and Steam offers trading and great sales to bring the cost of games down.  GOG does one better, allowing players to, after paying for them once, re-download their games as much as possible, potentially allowing limitless sharing.  The games themselves are also completely DRM free with sales that happen just as frequently as Steam sales.  These are things that piracy cannot always do.  If a torrent disappears, your source to a game is gone.  But so long as you have a GOG account, it will always be there for you to re-download.  So, how do you stop piracy?  Make it seem like more of a hassle than buying the games legitimately.

Want to stamp out piracy?  Offer a better service.

            Just in case anyone is wondering, yes, I saw E3, I know about the PS4, the Xbone, and the Wii U.  No, I'm not going to discuss them.  While I do believe the issues of ownership that the Xbone and some other companies have been screwing around with are important, and a core reason as to why people pirate, they have already been thoroughly explained by people more entertaining than me.  If you want to see why they are going to cause an issue, check out Angry Joe's rant on the Xbone or Video Games Awesome's coverage of E3.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.  I know Microsoft flip flopped on their DRM policy recently, but it's sad that the Xbone ever got this far without someone raising a hand and going "Ummm...are we sure this is a good idea?"  This is the kind of attitude that breeds piracy.  Restriction.