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jsjrodman: Why is everyone so certain that these folks didn't license the rights to distribute the rom image from Sony?

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rtcvb32: Hmmm... I'm reminded i've released software without the source code before under the GPL. I got around that little issue because i was WILLING to release the source code upon request (and so far only 1 person has ever requested [tiny](and seen)[/tiny] the ugly code).

Just because code wasn't released doesn't mean they were breaking GPL... (although if they refused once asked that's different).
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jsjrodman: Software you wrote? If you wrote all the code and call it under the GPL but don't provide it, you're not honoring the license but it doesn't matter because you're not going to sue yourself.

If it's software other people wrote that you modified or added to, then you're almost certainly violating the GPL.

The required terms of providing the source upon request are really quite demanding, and I'm pretty certain you aren't planning to be sure to provide it for a period of 3 years after the last availability of the software. It's very difficult for an individual to meet the requirements of the "upon request" branch of the availability terms in the licensing.

By contrast, simply packing the source in the distributable is so easy, that anyone who doesn't go that route is silly.
because everything about them sounds shady as fug, including the topic starter/shiller. and it's not the first time STEAM tried to sell games that screams copyright infringement. or partial copyright-infringement by trying to sell a game that's made with stolen or open-sourced under GPL resources. extremely cynical about anything coming out of steam and their so-called "developers".
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jsjrodman: Why is everyone so certain that these folks didn't license the rights to distribute the rom image from Sony?
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dick1982: because everything about them sounds shady as fug, including the topic starter/shiller. and it's not the first time STEAM tried to sell games that screams copyright infringement. or partial copyright-infringement by trying to sell a game that's made with stolen or open-sourced under GPL resources. extremely cynical about anything coming out of steam and their so-called "developers".
If a game includes copyright infringing materials, that's really between the game maker and those infringed upon. Valve can't take on policing that. They're not in any sort of position to dig up the specifics in libraries and audio files. Not to mention that doing so incompletely opens up legal risks when you aren't consistent about it.

You also can't associate "games on steam" with each other. What practices Ubisoft employs in games they happen to sell on Steam don't really associate with whatever practices Take2 employs in games they happen to sell on Steam.

You CAN point out that there is *some* dodgy stuff on Steam, with which I'll agree. But that doesn't really support the idea that these games definitely aren't licensing the rom.

These games appear to have PCSXR embedded in them. That's not theft, because copyright infringement isn't theft. When someone asked for the source code for the embedded PCSXR code, they were sent it. Clearly the creating shop, or someone who works there, is wiling to honor the license. That small datapoint suggests they are likely to follow other legal requirements, but I certainly don't know if they did at this point.
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jsjrodman: Why is everyone so certain that these folks didn't license the rights to distribute the rom image from Sony?
What does Sony have to do with N2O?
....mean while in reality.....


Everyone who really wants to play any old titles can go get them free and the emulator to play it with. Done.


Bitching over the legal status is a means to amuse simple minded people and to give a small something to look forward too; as in, the hope a legal license way to get a hold of their youth/nostalgia.

The main difference between old console games and PC games is simple. PC games tend to have problems running on modern machines. DOS games have to be tweaked even if you get the original files. Most people just want stuff to work out of the package without fiddling with it, because they would have to learn how to do this. Even smart people get annoyed at learning something new.

While I don't really play old console games due to lack of interest. I couldn't find an easier medium than to emulate everything and just ignore the whiners on either side of the pirate argument. Nobody will lose sleep over it and companies aren't waiting around the internet corner to clobber you with a lawsuit. Even if they did give a crap....which they don't. They don't care even when they sell stuff because they know damn well that most people who want those games already got them for free.


So why this? Why that? bluh bluh bluh bluh.....seriously, its a tornado in a teacup. You want games? Go gettem. You wanna pay some asshat that picked up a license? Go do that. No one on either side of the argument is incorrect.

The folks who made these titles make nothing from their work. You support nobody when you pay for them. The people who emulate then on modern machines/consoles who charge money for them, steal the free emulators code to do it. Irony. The ways in which the "legit" companies get games for their stolen emulators is from the very people that they claim are pirates. Yes folks, they actually use the same software to sell you crap you coulda got the same exact way for free. Why? It isn't rocket science, the folks that give it out for free GAVE IT OUT FOR FREE lol
So the licensed version is more than likely a "pirate" copy or ripped with the same software the "pirates" used, to be played on an emulator that was by "pirates".



In closing, you have big companies hiring pirates. It is easier to hire them than to fight them all off.

Kinda how in Pirates of the Caribbean 2, the East India Company tries to get Jack Sparrow in their ranks. But I"m just amusing myself here ;D
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Cyraxpt: Is this even legal?
Short answer - yes. There was two legal PS1 emulator in the 2000s, one by quite a size company, another by small team (Bleem!). The larger one won against Sony, so Sony purchased it. The small one was bankrupt due to court cost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectix_Virtual_Game_Station
Sony perceived VGS as a threat, and filed a lawsuit[2] against Connectix for copyright infringement. The case was eventually closed in favour of Connectix, but Connectix was unable to sell the software in the meantime because Sony had been awarded a temporary injunction.[3] Soon thereafter, Sony purchased VGS from Connectix and discontinued it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleem!
Although Sony's litigation against Bleem! led the company to bankruptcy, Sony did not manage to win a decisive victory against Bleem! and to have the product removed from shelves after their demise, which is a legal precedent for the commercial viability of emulators[citation needed] invigorating development of many free PlayStation emulators[citation needed] offering 90% or greater compatibility, and with Bleem! generally regarded as obsolete.
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jsjrodman: Why is everyone so certain that these folks didn't license the rights to distribute the rom image from Sony?
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bpsilvia: What does Sony have to do with N2O?
Sony (presumably) holds copyright authority on the contents of the Playstation 1 system rom.

Did you think I meant the game? Playstation games shipped on discs, not ROM.
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Cyraxpt: Is this even legal?
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fablefox: Short answer - yes. There was two legal PS1 emulator in the 2000s, one by quite a size company, another by small team (Bleem!). The larger one won against Sony, so Sony purchased it. The small one was bankrupt due to court cost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectix_Virtual_Game_Station

Sony perceived VGS as a threat, and filed a lawsuit[2] against Connectix for copyright infringement. The case was eventually closed in favour of Connectix, but Connectix was unable to sell the software in the meantime because Sony had been awarded a temporary injunction.[3] Soon thereafter, Sony purchased VGS from Connectix and discontinued it.
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fablefox: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleem!

Although Sony's litigation against Bleem! led the company to bankruptcy, Sony did not manage to win a decisive victory against Bleem! and to have the product removed from shelves after their demise, which is a legal precedent for the commercial viability of emulators[citation needed] invigorating development of many free PlayStation emulators[citation needed] offering 90% or greater compatibility, and with Bleem! generally regarded as obsolete.
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fablefox:
except topic starter is shilling a faux "developer" that's using PCSX(and badly), which is a GPL-licensed emulator. nothing to do with those 2. read previous messages and links.

maybe reddit can spell it out more clearly for you.
https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/3bmjlu/steam_rerelease_of_playstation_1_game_n2o/
Post edited July 03, 2015 by dick1982
Yes, a developer who appears to be complying with the requirements of using the GPL software. What's the problem again?
Console Classics released another PS1 game on Steam-

http://consoleclassics.co/?p=331
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Shmacky-McNuts: Everyone who really wants to play any old titles can go get them free and the emulator to play it with. Done.
...
While I don't really play old console games due to lack of interest. I couldn't find an easier medium than to emulate everything and just ignore the whiners on either side of the pirate argument.
Having emulated games on Steam makes it even easier for some people, so they can "have all their games in one place" and easily install the emulated game from their account rather than having to go hunting for a ROM online, especially if they switch or use multiple machines. Maybe not worth $5/game to you, but to some people that is, evidently.
Their next teaser-

https://twitter.com/_CClassics_/status/624652317569069058


Seems like a description for Loaded-

http://www.consoleclassics.co/?games=loaded
Any updates on whether or not these games are coming to gog?
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jcoa: Any updates on whether or not these games are coming to gog?
GOG is cockblocking them from being released because they don't want ROMs on their service anymore.
Besides a few RPGs and a few Adventure games there, the lineup is not really worth much. Most people will probably get baited into buying games due to nostalgia and not because they really want to play them. This being said, the whole project looks suspicious. Not sure what they hope to achieve with this, but I'm pretty sure no one but Steam and the porters get money out of this, and they won't get any of mine.
I'd rather encourage emulation than give money to a shady business that doesn't seem to have any legitimacy and is ran quite poorly. Their website doesn't even have authentic content in terms of advertising the games.
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bpsilvia: GOG is cockblocking them from being released because they don't want ROMs on their service anymore.
Source? Or just FUD?