Ahoy there pirate.

[callum112233]

Someone doesn't really understand piracy laws I would say...
AP need some sort of anti-piracy I would say. I can only imagine the revenue they have lost.

[rfletcher72]

I have lost count of the emails I have had, usually something along the lines of, "ooh, I like your reskin but don't have that add-on. Can you send me the .Geo files please? Just between me and you, I'll not tell anyone, honest".

I don't even bother to reply these days - file 13!.

We all like summat for nowt every now and then in general, but you can take it too far.

Cheers,

[gonzo2431]

The best i have had would be a few days after the release of B&A receiving an Email from someone saying they wouldn't buy from JT, only steam, so can they have it for free. That was a fun set of Emails i had back and forward.

[DPSimulation]

I used to get really irate about this, and I dare not imagine how much it has cost me over the years. I could also recount many PM/Email conversations!

I'm now of the mindset that I don't particularly care, people will always do it whilst they can get away with it and talking about it just gives airtime to those who do it.

[SteamSoundsSupreme]

A disgraceful attitude some people have!!! Richard, ourselves, and other 3rd party developers, are trying to scrape a living with our small business'. Some people seem to think they have the 'right' to have something without paying. The statement 'So.........who would know' just about sums up a lot of what's wrong with this world! It's become ingrained in many people to think that, as long as they're in private and no one can see, then you can do what you like. The price for such a secular society! That's just my opinion, I hasten to add.....................................

A few months back I was warned of a site giving out pirated software, including our stuff. I wasn't given the address. I was assured that SSS products had been removed. However, that doesn't take away the feeling that there could be others. It could effect our sales. If enough people pirate software, the makers of it will be forced to pack up, simple as that!! I dearly want to continue sharing our steam sounds work with everyone, but it cannot continue if we don't knock piracy on the head! We are working on ways to protect our packs from all but the most determined of pirates. Hopefully we can turn the tide! Hopefully, if you good people continue to stand firm when offered pirated material, or asked to supply it, then those responsible may have a twinge of conscience......................................you never know!!

Regards
Matt

[Crumplezone]

Software piracy has been around a very long time and its even more prevalent these days with the digital era were in.

To tackle piracy is no small measure as the most determined pirates will set get content regardless of what anyone will do, but there are ways to deal with it and with 3rd party developers they have a few options.

Just trains has a fairly decent system in which they require a unlock of the software once its been downloaded and its also account based so someone download JT content for example would have to A. have a account with just trains B. access a buyers account C. have the code from there site.

Rar files can be password locked which can also prevent all but the most determined in getting into the files.

At the end of the day however, none of the big firms or small 3rd party is free of piracy. Steam isn't safe from piracy and people have already found ways around running games which are downloaded through steam and run without the requirement of steam being present to run them (which by default steam games do require).

The thing is, if you involve alot of DRM it can also have a negative effect on customer and userbase. Alot of people disagree with having multiple different types of DRM just to get to content they have purchased these days and there used to be quite a big one back a few years ago which installed with games which in turn ended up actually breaking some people's disc drives due to it.

What I suggest is if you see these type of posts, you inform the owners immediately and privately and let them deal with it in there own way and as a point for 3rd party developers, if your users are loyal they will end up telling you someone is trying to pirate your content and pass the information onto you.

I'm a funny sort mind, I also consider digging out links to downloads on payware/freeware sites and linking the direct download as a form of piracy and I had brought this up with AP once on his own facebook page to be shot down people because "the content was free". The whole concept that devouring vast amounts of bandwidth from the owner, hence costing money and also not directly having people visit the site thus not providing ad/site hit revenue was completely devoid on the people, they just wanted the free content. Ofcourse this got resolved and the thread in question on UKTS was also closed but it annoys me at times when people think because its free from them it doesn't matter if you offer direct links to content. In AP's case, the links if 100 people had downloaded all the content at the same time or over a hour period would have run up 50gigs of bandwidth.

Now that might seem small to some people, however for a small firm that is a heck of lot of bandwidth used up suddenly.

Unfortunately, piracy at the end of the day is one of the lesser evils we have to deal with, I think people diliberately inserting keyloggers or malware into original downloads then redistributing them is alot worse.

[DPSimulation]

Just trains has a fairly decent system in which they require a unlock of the software once its been downloaded and its also account based so someone download JT content for example would have to A. have a account with just trains B. access a buyers account C. have the code from there site.

One flaw in that system though, the installed content is not protected in any way.

I'm a funny sort mind, I also consider digging out links to downloads on payware/freeware sites and linking the direct download

I'm with you on this one, and made an announcement about it only the other night due to the growing number of direct links appearing on forums for my content. I may well have received some funny looks when you consider the content is free, but these links meant the content instantly downloaded without the need for the user to visit the website. I pay a hell of a lot of money to host content from myself and others, and all I expect is that people would link to the website to allow people to browse for the files.

[callum112233]

Just trains has a fairly decent system in which they require a unlock of the software once its been downloaded and its also account based so someone download JT content for example would have to A. have a account with just trains B. access a buyers account C. have the code from there site.

One flaw in that system though, the installed content is not protected in any way.

I believe it is just a case of copying the relevant files from the assets and content folders? If you are that way inclined?


Piracy can be a bit of a grey area. I hold my hands up as I share TS things that I have bought with my dad and vica versa. Technically this is still piracy but who doesn't share with family?

[DPSimulation]

I believe it is just a case of copying the relevant files from the assets and content folders? If you are that way inclined?

As it's an open forum and can be viewed without registration, I didn't want to go into detail. But at the same time, these people aren't stupid.

But as I said above, even the discussion is giving them airtime that they don't deserve.

[AndiS]

Some more unorthodox views on the subject:

A friend of mine owned dozens of compilers but never understood how to write a single program. Some of these people getting caught with stolen music possess more than they would ever consider buying. A colleague once stated that he owns so many downloads that he never has to hear any title twice. I'd rather have a collection of stuff I love to hear twice and much more often.

People are so used to rubbish TV and see the Internet as some sort of newfangled TV programme that they can only think of it as being drowned in a flood of stuff they don't really esteem but still their brains need the constant tingle to kill of any thought that might hide in it.

Even if some of those thieves actually enjoy their bounty, I doubt they had the money to legally acquire it. In the case of software (as opposed to music), I see a divide between one group of persons on low income some of whom are willing to ignore morals. And another group with sufficient money most of whom are worried about the well-functioning of their computer. It is more and more know to those with some brains (who tend to have money) that all these Internet freebies are exactly what makes your computer act funny. I know lots of people who are worried about computer issues and they are the type of consumer that spends money.

If I got a pound for each business offer I received, I would be as rich as these people promise. My private parts would touch the floor and "my woman" would say "wow" indeed. But my PayPal account would have been locked 10 times. While it is certainly distracting that such scam is possible and senders are not prosecuted efficiently, it is important not to confuse attempt with success.

I can understand creator's blood pressure rising when they see such offers or requests, but all you should do is see for those people to get in trouble where possible. UKTS' Matt once said that officers he contacted were knowledgeable and cooperative.

All these computers captured by malware are a big threat to the Internet community when they are used as an attack vector and I don't understand why we still don't have laws taking those careless people to charge. If you leave the keys in the car and a kid starts it and destroys the neighbour's fence, you are in trouble and debt. It should be the same for criminal abuse of private computers, only then will most people start to think about counter measures. This again would reduce the volume of stolen stuff that is passed around.