Capcom's Resident Evil DRM Is Evil: You Get To Play The Game Once And That's It

from the so,-it's-a-railshooter? dept

Tue, Jun 28th 2011 11:25am — Tim Cushing

DRM use by game manufacturers is old news. Every so often, a software company thinks it's got something "nigh invulnerable" (+30 Geek points to whoever recognizes that reference), only to find its latest piece of copy protection hacked and discarded along the virtual superhighway faster than you can say "stoptreatingyourcustomerslikethieves." Lately though, the game companies seem nearly as distraught by used game sales, which bypass their pocketbooks completely. Consequently, they've shifted their efforts towards making second-hand users feel like the last kid in line for family hand-me-downs by giving them the tattered remnants of the latest game in exchange for their second-hand money.

Capcom, however, has trumped everyone with its latest DRM, scheduled to debut on the Nintendo's 3DS. "Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D," along with being a mouthful-and-a-half to say, will feature this crippling new "feature":

You only get one save file.

And...

It can never be overwritten.

In other words, if you decide you'd like to start your game over and replay the whole zombie shooting match from the get-go, too bad. You only get one shot. How's that for sticking it to the second-hand market? If you, being the good non-pirating customer that you are, go and plunk down your $40 for this game, you would kind of expect to do things that you could do with all the other games you've spent money on. Like have multiple save files. Or a chance to start over.

Instead, Capcom is going to give you a piece of software with all the save features of the original Nintendo and possibly even less. Let's say you happen to have friends/family members who'd like to play the game. (I know: gamersz. But some of them still socialize/co-habitate.) Too bad. Those free-loading bastards you used to call friends and family will just have to open up their wallets and buy their own damn copy if they want to experience the game for themselves, rather than "enjoy" it vicariously through your save file.

You're twice as screwed if you decide to save a few bucks and pick this up at Upsell Boutique or GameReserveYourCopy or wherever. You're starting wherever the previously unimpressed gamer left off. And if they finished the game, well... then I guess you get to watch the end credits and try to determine which of the scrolling names deserves the full blast of your rage.

And Capcom's already has its "out" for when the angry gamers come calling. "Why, we printed it right there in the manual! That's hardly hidden and/or underhanded!" The manual? You mean that worthless little booklet that had no importance until I tried to resell RE:TM3D down at the local GameUpsellBoutique? That thing? Who even reads those? More importantly, why is the clerk at the trade-in counter giving me a pro-rated payout based on completion percentage? What the hell?

Oh, Capcom. You've built yourself a very slippery slope with this move. You care so much about the potential loss of income from secondhand sales that you've completely removed yourselves from reality. I have a feeling there's some nasty backlash in your future, and I fully expect to enjoy every second of it.

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Filed Under: drm, play once, resident evil, video games
Companies: capcom

169 Comments

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The eejit (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 10:49am

HAHAHAHA! Oh, wow!

That's a shitton of fail right there. I'll just go notify my local gaming stores...and watch the hilarity.
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Chris Rhodes (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 10:52am

It Depends On How You Get Your Kicks
I don't know much about the game in question, but if it's anything like the previous RE: Mercenaries games, it's more of a single-round, high score-type game. The "progress" in such a case is likely to be things like unlockable characters and items that you get access to as you beat certain levels and scores.

If that's the case, the inability to "start over" will be seen not only as an annoyance to some second-hand buyers, but also as a boon to others, since essentially they will always have those unlockables available to them without having to meet the requisite requirements themselves.

Myself, I would find it an annoyance. There's a reason I don't download savegames off the internet; I find that the struggle to unlock things for myself is half the fun. That doesn't mean that everyone agrees with me. Cheat codes have to exist for someone, after all.
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Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 10:55am

Spoooooon
I was reading about this on another blog. Capcom says that the decision is not going to affect if someone wants to play the game again and it won't affect the second hand market. Well if the former is true then they must have gone back to the days of Jumpman and Time Pilot where there is no real save and you just have a high score (or they're lying out their asses). If the latter is true, then Japan must be out of the loop; the second hand market for this game is less then a quarter of the standard.
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:06am

What is with Capcom lately?
SSIV Arcade edition crippled due to "piracy concerns"

Capcom, you have some decent products. You can have people enjoy a game and people love to mod them. But this entire piracy claim of yours has got to stop. Let people play the damn game. You cheapened the price and guess what? You made some money on it.

You have servers that people love to play on, and you have a great system of arcade titles that tournaments are played around. We even have Zangitroll to enjoy, along with Youtube videos of epic proportions. Piracy is the LEAST of your concerns.

Let us have more than one save file!
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:31am

Isn't this type of crap just an invitation to crack and pirate the thing doubletime? Just to prove a point?
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jezsik (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:32am

Nigh invulnerable?
"Spoooooon!"
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The Devil's Coachman (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:33am

I have the attention span of a mayfly, so game playing doesn't mean much to me. Makes me wonder when the XXAA's will get around to trying something similar, though. Once you buy their media, you can never sell or give it away, Yeah, that's the ticket. And then, if you hum a tune from it, you have to pay up. I hope they accept payment in lead!
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:33am

Evil, indeed. Blaming them for putting the info in the manual, lame.
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Jorge, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:38am

The Tick!
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Robert Doyle (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:39am

Re: Nigh invulnerable?
I got a straw right here...
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Designerfx (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:39am

pending sales fail in 3...2...1...
Who would buy this? It might be worth 40 cents for a once through, but $40? pathetic.

company perception vs consumer value coming to a clash shortly.
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Spaceboy (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:42am

X-Men - Colossus.
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Chris (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:46am

Re:
So... is that your take-away from the article? Really?
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Robert Doyle (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:46am

Re: Anonymous moron
"Evil, indeed. Blaming them for putting the info in the manual, lame."

Yeah, the manual - the thing you don't even get to read until you have paid for the game. And then, like all consumers, you immediately go through the manual in the store. And when you read this, the store points to its return policy - "In Original Packaging - including cello" and tells you to call the company.

Who says they will gladly refund you after they have received the copy from you in the mail, and you had best put insurance on the package. Oh, and send it to Taiwan, because that is where we process our returns...

I guess I'm never buying anything from capcom again. It isn't worth the risk.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:46am

Apparently, you can replay the missions over and over again so it isn't quite as bad as it sounds.

As a result of this move, I still won't be buying it though. If it's a success, it will mean other game developers will free to implement the same restrictions.

Shame. As a 3DS owner there's been a lack of decent titles and I was looking forward to this.

I can't help wondering if a game with all the content unlocked - including rare items - could end up being even more valuable on the second hand market?
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A Dan (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:47am

Are you sure?
I read about this yesterday, and I'm skeptical that this means what people (including you, Tim) think it means. I would try confirming your interpretation of these lines with Capcom if I were you.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:49am

You can not view the manual until after you have purchased it. It's wrapped in the protective cellophane and once you break the seal, it's yours. Stores will not refund your money on the purchase. They will only allow a swap for the same product. It's like the EULA in ways, you can't see it till after.

This totally defeats the reason I buy a game, which is to play it over and over. I'm very choosy on what games I will buy as well. If it doesn't vary and is the same from game play to the next, I'm not interested in them. It is the replay that I value the game for. Needless to say, most games do not fit that requirement.

Capcom has ensured that this game will not be one I am interested in ever buying. This article has told me what I need to know and it does not fit my values and requirements for games. EA is usually another that does not fit my requirements as most games I play are on a computer without internet hookup. It's that way on purpose and it stays that way. If requiring internet to play a game is the standard, there is a cure for this. The pirates have a better market plan.
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Lord Binky, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:50am

Two Birds One Boulder
Well, they certainly never have to worry about the evils of Piracy or Used Sales again. What a brilliant Idea, not only do you get rid of used sales by making a product that no one buys in the first place, you also make a product not even pirates will touch. Now they get to focus on selling their product like they always wanted.

I do understand how they do not like the used gaming market which is a bigger problem than piracy ever will be, because the people buying used are people who the company lost a sale to (granted it may be their fault for pricing to high and the knowledge of economics they lost upon getting their MBA). I personally always buy new if possible, and often turn down used because the store does not have any new. I WANT to support developers. The retail stores do play a dirt game by buying back a game at $1-20 dollars and then undersells a new $60 dollar game by $5. That $5 is not the saving grace of customers who cannot afford buy new all the time.

When the customers sell the game back after buying used the �cheap� customer has spent ~$30 to RENT a game. Even if they buy new and sell back they spent $35 to rent the game and smell the new packaging. So they spent $5 more to smell paper and plastic.
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E. Zachary Knight (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:50am

Instead, Capcom is going to give you a piece of software with all the save features of the original Nintendo and possibly even less.

Actually, the original Nintendo was way more useful than this. The Legend of Zelda, one of the first games to feature a save system, allowed for 3 saves that you could copy and erase.

What Capcom proposes is a completely useless game.
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Joshy, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:53am

What happens when your drunk High roommate plays your copy instead of his...Oops too bad?
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:53am

If you are upset, don't buy it.

Oh yeah, but most of the whiners will download illegal copies and hacks an insist on playing it anyway. It's the miracle of people who cry outrage but quietly enjoy the product anyway.
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:53am

Re:
"If it's a success, it will mean other game developers will free to implement the same restrictions"

When has DRM of any type ever worked in the long run?

Even the EA DRM for Dragon Age 2 had its fair share of bungles.

This is almost as epic a screw up as the Ubisoft cracks of '09.
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Ed C., 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:54am

Re:
Yeah, have media where you can only play or skip forward, but never back. Once it's to the end, you might was well through it away. The media corps would all spontaneously go into orgasms over that idea! All I have to do of course is patent it first so I can get my cut when they figure out how to actually make it work. (Yep, patents no longer don't require that little part were all of the actual expense is).
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:55am

Re: Are you sure?
What fun would that be? He would much rather make a post ranting about this evil DRM instead. Grab your pitchforks and torches people....we're goin' lynchin'!
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jsl4980 (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:55am

It sounds like their plan to destroy the second hand market is to make such a shitty product no one would buy it first hand. Now that's a great business model.
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Ed C., 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:55am

Re: Re:
Ops, I meant "...throw it away."
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:57am

Re:
[citation needed]
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Joshy, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:57am

Mercenaries 3D isn�t the only 3DS game with this restriction. Sega�s Super Monkey Ball 3D released March 27 and also features DRM where the player can�t delete their save file.

Players are extremely upset at Capcom for locking the save file. Some are choosing to boycott Capcom. Other are cancelling their preorders and deciding not to buy Mercenaries 3D.
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Lord Binky, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:02pm

The Lost Art of the Manual
The Manual has fallen and become a useless legalese pamphlet/slip with a customer service #. This is another example of cuts made to a product to slightly reduce cost in exchange for quality and craftsmanship. Few remember it's days of carrying the majority of the dialogue*, controls, characters, back-story, instructions, artwork, and various other stuff that made reading it before you play the game entertaining and maybe even excited about the game. I do not fear the loss of this additional piece of art to games, because it has already happened.

*(Dragon Wars Interplay's 3rd game would refer you to the manual with a # to look up what to read, early anti-piracy techniques were actually creative)
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:03pm

Capcom just isn't talking here... Seriously, they need to get their PR people on board because this is really turning big rather quickly.
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Scott, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:06pm

Killing DRM
Dear Capcom,

Thank-you for yet again demonstrating that DRM is a lost cause.

When the game's copy protection is broken (yes, WHEN not IF), I'm pretty sure there will be a fantastic market for a bootleg version with the option to make multiple save files and delete data hacked back in.
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maclizard (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:09pm

Dear Capcom
I only buy games I plan to play more than once.
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RadialSkid (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:09pm

The balls. The unmitigated BALLS.
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Ima Fish (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:12pm

"You've built yourself a very slippery slope with this move."

Sorry, Mike, but as far as I'm concerned, this is the very bottom of the rope. Any lower and the rope would be gone and we'd have a game that could never be played.
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Miff (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:16pm

So
Did they even consider the lost sales from players who buy games and intend to resell them once they're completed?
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:16pm

I posted a link to an article from dvice about this issue on capcom's facebook page, it got a few likes, then capcom removed it about 10 minutes after being posted and replaced it with their press release, I posted it again, as well as telling capcom where they could shove it and it was deleted from their wall in seconds lol
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:16pm

Re:
*facepalm*
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:17pm

Re:
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/capcom-used-games-not-a-factor-in-resident-evil-the-mercenaries-3d-lac king-data-reset/3430/

ARGH! Stupid link didn't work!
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:18pm

Re:
*ahem*

*points to Tim's name*
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:18pm

Re:
At least with a pirated copy you could hypothetically delete the save file.
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Lord Binky, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:18pm

Re: Are you sure?
What this does mean is that I can't have a save of my game while my Wife has a save of her game on the same cartridge. The high scores, the unlocks, the accomplishments are all maintained forever for that cartridge. Yes you get multiple play throughs, but you do not get a fresh start. You don't get to unlock something for yourself, and get that rewarding feeling of accomplishment for the task. You do not get the option of the FULL experience after anyone has used the product. What if I don't want to know that the unlockable item for that random super hard tasks are Holy Hand Grenades +1, what if I want that sense of mystery and wonder to drive me to accomplish things to find out the unknown? Nope, capcom says you don't get that if you borrow, rent, or buy used. Assholes.

They reduce the usefulness/worth/value of the product to what, discourage used sales and lending/giving the games? At the same time their decision has the side effect of discouraging new sales, especially at the standard fully functional video game price point.
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John Doe, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:21pm

Re:
Tell me, do stores give refunds on opened software? I don't know for sure, but I don't think so. So if the info is in the manual and you have to open the shrink wrap to read it, then a return is out of the question.
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Lord Binky, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:21pm

Re: So
*points to my first post* You mean the people who pay extra to rent the game and get that fresh plastic smell?
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ShellMG, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:22pm

How quickly we forget
"This DVD Will Self-Destruct"

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1817828,00.html

It's a distant memory for good reasons. Which obviously haven't been learned.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:24pm

Re:
Thats what they would prefer. Just like telco's, video game publisher's have realized the greatest profit pushing business model, get people to pay you for something they don't use. How do you do that, you ask? You do something a little like this. Don't you care that they are trying to live off their meager developer salaries(about 80k http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_programmer#Compensation)?
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Ed C., 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:28pm

Re: How quickly we forget
That's actually worse, it doesn't even insure that you at least get a single viewing.
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Desco (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:33pm

Re: Makes me wonder when the XXAA's will get around to trying something similar, though.
They already did. It was called DIVX, and it flopped. Anyone who bought these players/disks are SOL now that the server has been shut down.

The only place where this kind of DRM exists and is for some reason acceptable is e-books, and as more books start getting "accidentally" deleted, servers go down leaving people with dead books, or when more companies shut down their services meaning more hassle getting another copy that works, there will be more backlash there too.
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Ed C., 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:34pm

Re: Re: So
There's other ways to sell a used game that doesn't require lubeless raping...
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Lord Binky, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:35pm

Re: Re:
That's exactly why Indie Developers are so successfull. It is only a matter of time before the Indie developers make enough money to create AAA games, slowly transforming into the businesses they supplanted.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:35pm

Re: Re:
If the product is bad, don't pirate it. Don't support the company in any way, don't play their game, don't talk to your friends about it, don't join chat rooms to talk about it, don't form teams around it... basically, if it sucks so much, don't pay it any attention.

Stop whining and move on.
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Chris in Utah (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:36pm

Somebody please copy this, in its entirety, to the Anonymous boards and see if Lulzsec wants to take action. Thanks a head of time.

Oh and before I get a reply on laziness. Nah, If i go I wont return.
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Huph, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:42pm

Re: Re: Are you sure?
Yeah, it really pisses me off that every time I buy a used car I don't get exactly the same privileges that a new-purchaser would get. Where's my new car smell? Not that air freshener crap, but the genuine smell of new parts and upholstery.

Why don't I get that satisfying feeling of watching the odometer clock it's very first mile? That roll from the area between 0 and 1 to just 1 is the whole reason I purchase cars.

And why don't I get a manufacturer's warranty?

I don't get it, why don't I get the option of the FULL experience of new ownership after someone else has used this car for a year or two?

Also, sometimes when I borrow my friend's car (when mine is in the shop), his junk is still in there. How dare he! Borrowing = new purchase, don't you know?
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DannyB (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:43pm

Living up to the title: Resident Evil
What did you expect?
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DCX2, 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:49pm

Corrupt the save!
Remove the cartridge while the game is being saved. If it gets corrupted, there's a good chance that it will reset the save. Or you can brick the cartridge, but it's already useless anyway.
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crade (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:54pm

Re: Re: How quickly we forget
they never do. Somehow or another you always get screwed out of it.
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David Liu (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:55pm

Re:
Yes, pretty much. With pirated games, you have the ability to just delete your save file (or move it to a different location), so in this case, piracy means adding functionality to a crippled game.
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jackwagon (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:56pm

Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
you know TFA isn't about cars, right?
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crade (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:59pm

Re: Re:
phh, developer salaries? No developer (or anyone else who actually contributes to creating the products) would support that kinda decision. Try clueless sales manager and exec salaries which I'm sure are much higher.
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jackwagon (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 12:59pm

Re: Re: Re:
How are we to know whether it sucks or not (or in this case, has undesirable features) without discussing it?
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Danny, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:00pm

Wow...
And Capcom's already has its "out" for when the angry gamers come calling. "Why, we printed it right there in the manual! That's hardly hidden and/or underhanded!" The manual? You mean that worthless little booklet that had no importance until I tried to resell RE:TM3D down at the local GameUpsellBoutique? That thing? Who even reads those? More importantly, why is the clerk at the trade-in counter giving me a pro-rated payout based on completion percentage? What the hell?
Oh you mean the manual that you can't even read until after you've paid for the game and opened it? That manual? Kinda like how you basically have to agree to the EULA on software via buying it AND THEN reading it after getting home and opening the box.

Capcom is really about to shoot themselves in the foot for one major reason. Name a single Resident Evil that can be completed 100% in one playthrough (I don't know about the spin off titles but I know for a fact it can't be done in the main titles, except for maybe Code Veronica).
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Marcus Carab (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:01pm

Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
Oh come on Huph - I know you come at this stuff from the opposite direction but usually you are a lot more sensible than this.

Every example you just listed about a car is created by the realities of a physical world. They are natural restrictions. Smells change. Odometers tick up. Cars degrade. Junk accumulates.

None of that applies to the inability to start fresh in a video game. That is a completely artificial restriction. In fact, they likely had to do additional work to add that restriction.

They are two completely different situations, and I'm kind of surprised you are attempting to compare them.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:03pm

Hopefully the save will involve entering a 16 character code every time with the control pad. Then the game will be perfect.
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zegota (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:04pm

Re: It Depends On How You Get Your Kicks
This is the truth. It's annoying, and it's enough to make me not want to purchase it, but I'm kind of OCD about my games. You can play the game and missions as much as you like, but once unlocked, things will never become re-locked, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the game to me.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:06pm

This article has triggered my psychic abilities!

I see bankruptcy in CAPCOM's future!

keep it up, we have to weed out the losers somehow, with this kinda of thinking, they are doing it for us.

Thanks CAPCOM and goodbye!
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Marcus Carab (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:06pm

Re: Re: Re:
lol. What are you doing here whining about this post, then?
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:08pm

Re:
are you that stupid?
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crade (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:10pm

Re: Two Birds One Boulder
lol, of course they want to get rid of used. It's the only legal competition they have left!
Of course you are still supporting the developers when buying used. You are adding value to everyone buying new because they can recoup some of the costs.

I would think it was obvious but don't buy from the retailers.. lol, buy it on ebay then sell it there again when you are done with it.
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dev, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:14pm

money
money, imagine it could only be spent once. imagine that, if cash could only be spent once, who would accept a form of payment that became worthless as soon as it was used.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:15pm

Capcom's Resident Evil DRM Is Evil: You Get To Play The Game Once And then they kill it.
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crade (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:18pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
That and the Original Post is talking about him and his wife sharing a new game anyway, it's not related to buying used at all.
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Nathan F (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:19pm

Re:
I'm not sure how their PR people could make a positive spin about this 'feature' to be honest.
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duffmeister (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:20pm

Re: The Lost Art of the Manual
I still have that manual laying about to this day actually. This allowed them to make smaller game files in the days of much more limited space, the days of the floppy.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:20pm

Soon you'll be buying movies that you can only watch once, will have no pause feature and you cannot restart the movie and/or rewind.
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Lord Binky, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:21pm

Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
That's some shiny troll bait you laid out there Huph. I can't help myself, sorry.

So your first comparison to a digital good (that is when broken down just a set of instructions) to a physical good. Let's see what happens when we apply physics.

Can I set fire to code? No, I can burn the medium is contained on, but not the code itself.

Can I set fire to a car? Yes, it is one of those things that comes with being a physical object that must obey laws of physics when an irreversible chemical process is applied.

So your comparison while just plain stupid by comparing physical changes to a car to a sequence of little flickering lights, I haven�t addressed how blatantly obvious the difference is. The little sequence of lights, can be repeated over and over infinitely giving a different person the experience of that sequence. This sequence does not deteriorate or change with each use, preventing a limit. The changes in a cannot be repeated over and over infinitely giving a different person the experience of that change. The does deteriorate or change with each use, providing a limit.
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crade (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:24pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Yeah, spread the word of the suckiness. Friends don't let friends get ripped off. If I had a dime for every rip off artist that told someone to "stop whining" after they ripped them off I could buy a country.
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Greevar (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:33pm

Re:
Yes, the pirates do and they will find a way around this new DRM while the honest paying suckers will get ripped off. It only takes one copy to get cracked before everyone can use it.
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umccullough (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:37pm

Re:
Isn't that basically the experience you get when you go to a movie theater?
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umccullough (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:38pm

Re: Re:
Also Pay-per-view on cable/satellite...
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taoareyou (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:40pm

What's next?
Think Amazon and Apple will sell e-books that, once you turn the page it is gone forever? lol
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Fickelbra (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:48pm

Oh well
Let this become a trend and I will have a flash card or whatever needed to circumvent the 3DS protection. If they feel the need to limit functionality because of "pirates", then I will pirate to get that functionality back.
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Danny, 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:49pm

Re: Re: Re:
Meaning the advantage of buying it in a "permanent" format will be lost. If you can tivo then you can pause pay-per-view and if you're at the theater you're trading away the convinience of pausing for the superior quality (even though that gap is narrowing with new home theater tech) and convenience of not having to fix your own snacks and being able to just walk away once the movie is done (versus cleaning up at home).

If movies got to that point I would think that most people simply stop buying home formats (like digital, DVD, Blu-Ray, whatever comes next, etc....) because the advantages of home format would be lost.
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Greg G (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 1:51pm

Re:
...and once you break the seal, it's yours.

Wait. I thought it was still theirs....
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UraniBag, 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:00pm

Re:
You cant read the manual untill after you open the game......So no matter what i would be out the full cost of the game, even if my intentions were to buy it thinking i could beat it and then make money off of resell.....that's something i would want to know BEFORE i buy....and if so would only pay a lower price for the game new
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:14pm

Re: Spoooooon
Ah, we have a winner(s)! (That's some video game English right there.) Sadly, I only have 40 Geek points total, so I'll have to divide by 3 and round down so as to keep the remainder to myself. Sort of like XBox Live Points.

Congratulations! Here's your approx. 13 Geek points! Don't spend them all in one place, as you will find it impossible due to our 5/10/15/20/etc. pricing schemes!

And congrats, of course, to jezsik and Robert Doyle, who have taken the same pop culture bath that I have. (?)
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:16pm

Re: Re: Spoooooon
I am mistaken.

I need to divide by four (4) as I see that Jorge also has the correct answer.

Here are your approx. 9 Geek points! (Rounding, etc.) Enjoy!
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:18pm

Re: Re:
It's yours, meaning you can't do anything else useful with it, like resell or replay it.

It's also theirs, should they suddenly decide you're getting more than their money's worth out of it.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:25pm

Re: Re: Re: Spoooooon
I am mistaken about my mistake and my previous post.

I only have 30 Geek points to give away but at this point I'm retconning it to 40 because I already typed all that other stuff (plus the post with the 30-40 Geek points in it.)

In all honesty, I felt we just needed an excuse to throw some Tick quotes around, which is one of the reasons the internet was invented.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:27pm

Re: Re: Nigh invulnerable?
I have awarded you both some ever-changing amount of Geek points for your correct answers (see above).

I'm sorry I can't be more definite about how many points exactly you're receiving or what they're even good for, but all the same, I appreciate people whose brains run in the same strange directions mine does.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:29pm

Re:
Blaming them for putting the info in the manual, lame.

I don't see any need to respond to this statement, AC. It's been handled perfectly already.

Hopefully you'll learn from this experience and go on to lead a more useful life.
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Rekrul, 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:31pm

Back in the 8-bit era, Capcom turned out so many lousy arcade ports that I started calling them Crapcom. Looks like they're going to deserve that nickname again...
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Griff, 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:31pm

Re: Re: Makes me wonder when the XXAA's will get around to trying something similar, though.
For the most part, DIVX discs purchased under the silver (I think) tier of always-playable were refunded, and a $100 payment was made on the players to pay for the DIVX functionality that was now dead.

If any of these players are still out there, they still play DVDs just fine. Probably - hard to tell with the way studios are jiggering the copy protection on them.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:31pm

Re:
Jorge! You've won some Geek points! (See above and even further above.)

They're of limited use and of an indeterminate amount, but that's not important. The important thing is that: The TICK!

God help me, I do love the internet.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:41pm

Re: Are you sure?
Capcom's really not saying much about it, when tends to indicate it closer to what people (including me) think it is, rather than something non-nefarious and a perfectly acceptable business decision.

I am curious as to what you've heard that indicates otherwise. (This is a sincere question, not an assholish one.)

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/capcom-used-games-not-a-factor-in-resident-evil-the-mercenari es-3d-lacking-data-reset/3430/

Jay dropped this link in further down in the thread and Capcom's official response is:

"In Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, all mission progress is saved directly to the Nintendo 3DS cartridge, where it cannot be reset," said the company. "The nature of the game invites high levels of replayability in order to improve mission scores. In addition, this feature does not remove any content available for users."

1. Unless they can't code like other game makers, then there's really no reason there can't be (a) more than one save slot or (b) a way to wipe the save and start over. Cartridges have had this functionality since way back in the NES days.

2. The other stuff about "replayability" and not "removing content" doesn't refute anything I said in the post. You can replay it as long as you don't mind not being able to actually start over with a fresh save. And no one is saying anything about content being removed, but rather about having content in a permanently unlocked state.

Unless Capcom can trot out something more convincing, I'm inclined to believe that it means exactly what everyone thinks it does: lockdown to limit used game sales.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 2:57pm

Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
I've seen some bad analogies here in the TD comment threads before, but this is one of the best/worst ones I've seen.

You buy Vehicle X. After purchasing it, the manufacturer informs you that your new car ($30,000) is only able to travel a maximum of 100,000 miles. You have no way to alter this.

Because of this limitation, your resale value drop precipitously with each mile driven. No used dealer wants it on the lot, taking down the price even further. Just driving it around the block a couple of times drops the resale value to $4,500. (See also: the original article, pointing out that Japanese game resellers are only offering $6 for a $40 game.)

Not to mention that it's only this manufacturer who has made their cars essentially worthless in the resale market. Now, you may truly love the car but once you hit 100,000 miles, no one else will touch it. And now you're forced to drive the same route every time with no variations. Location A to Location B. Sometimes you can do it a little faster. Sometimes you get to a higher top speed. Sometimes you get to wear a different hat. But that's it.

And should some unfortunate bastard decide to purchase your used vehicle, they have to wear your hat and are limited to driving from location A to location B, using your same routes.

In other words... this isn't really like used cars at all, especially if I have to concoct this mythical vehicle to attempt to meet your analogy halfway.

Buying a used car with all the "problems" you listed is like buying a used game that's missing its manual and original case. You still get to use the car/game like anyone else would. You just don't get the shiny new stuff.

With Capcom's "car", you get someone else's vehicle in an unknown state of disrepair, very possibly painted some sort of puce and with A55HAT on the license plate (which can never be removed). And if the previous owners have decided that AC/optional chainsawgrenadelauncher is for wusses, well... you can't even install some AC/kill zombies more efficiently. You say the tires are bald/high scores unbeatable? Too bad. Just be careful out there.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:01pm

Re: Nigh invulnerable?
Kid: (excited/amused) "Mommy, look at the bunny man!"
Arthur: (condescending tone) "I'm a moth!"
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:01pm

Re:
(and it never comes back ...)
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:04pm

Re: Re: Nigh invulnerable?
http://www.thetick.ws/wavs/ep1/blood.wav
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ben, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:10pm

EB (the biggest game retailer in Australia) are refusing the carry the game because of this.
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BeeAitch (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:10pm

Re:
They accomplished their goal: there will be little, if any, second-hand market for this game.

Great job team! Back-pats all around!

/sarc

The pointy-haired bosses win.
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:11pm

Re: Re: Re:
Remember, you bought a "license".

This means you bought the physical CD/DVD but they retain all rights to the IP on that medium.

So Capcom can change the license at any time and you're basically F'd. Aren't physical sales of entertainment great with the new digital rules?
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:17pm

Re: Re:
Maybe their next game will feature a coin slot so you can insert quarters for more time.
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Michael Kohne, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:23pm

I'm a little surprised at Nintendo
for allowing this. This isn't going to reflect well on their platform (especially with the limited number of titles currently available). I suppose it's possible that Nintendo doesn't know, but I have a hard time believing that, because don't they do some of the QA? I seem to remember they put their fingers on every game before it ships, so they can prevent the really crummy stuff (crashy, just doesn't run, etc) from getting out there.
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Greevar (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:31pm

Re: Re: Two Birds One Boulder
Or better yet, you could try one of those swapping sites where you can get used games for trade on your used games. There's no money involved, you just have to give some games up to get "new" games.
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FormerAC (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:32pm

Business Model?
I could almost understand this as a business model. You want to stamp out a secondary market (one that does not harm you in any way shape or form) so you make a game that can only be saved once.

The only problem, is the price point. Max I would pay for a game I could only play once is $1-2. Any more than that, and it is a complete rip-off.
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trish, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:46pm

second hand
I can buy second hand clothes, furniture, cars, etc. WTF is so different about INFORMATION (which is infinite by nature) that makes developers think that a second hand market is a 'problem'? You got paid for the product. The person who bought it now owns it. They should be allowed to make use of the product any way they choose!
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:54pm

Re:
I'm reminded of an old story i heard of a gamer buying a game from a well known game retailer. The game in question had some debilitating problems with it and not wanting to keep the game attempted to return it. Now the return policy is it has to be in the original packaging (including cellophane) and not wanting a trade he realized a way out, trade for a new copy of the same game then return that sealed copy for his money back.
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:55pm

Re: Re:
That is way too high and Valve is making this even more dubious.

I'd rather not get into a huge post on Valve, but there's plenty of information about how Valve:

1) Adds value to a game through expanded features

2) Finds ways to make the customer experience the very best out of all game companies

3) Remove "titles" from developers and allows them to work on a game however they want.

4) Become unconcerned with what the rest of the gaming world is doing, merely what makes sense for their customers and enriching the game play experience.

But I assure you, the game testers and game programmers for other companies make nothing (NOTHING) like the amount professed on wikipedia.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 3:58pm

If this is true i wonder how game rental companies such as Gamefly will handle this? Just not offer the game?
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darryl, 28 Jun 2011 @ 4:31pm

Here is a clue !!
If you dont like the fucking software, dont buy it !!!.

How hard is that ????

We get it, you dont like not being able to pirate games and music and movies.. WE DO GET THAT..

We also get that NO ONE CARES !!!!

I mean REALLY NO ONE CARES,

Another novel idea for you, if you do not like a product, DO NOT BUY IT, and get on with your life.

At least this is a company that creates work, and a product that regardless of Mikes rant, lots of people appear more than happy to pay for. DRM or not.

If the FOSS/Linux fanbois with to write programs and give them away for free, they are allowed to do that (as long as they do not steal other's software).

If you want to write proprietary software and ONLY SELL it to ONE CLIENT, and force them not to onsell it, you can do that too.

But just because Mike, YOU dont like it does not mean anything to we'll anyone,,, really.

Im sorry you cannot as easily pirate and steal others content, and due to your trying to steal others content, is the primary reason why these schemes are introducted.

So they work you stop you, they succeed, and you whine about it.

So I guess all is normal with the world...

It is quite clear from your attitude Mike, that you have NEVER EVER created something of value, from your own little brain. We all know you can 'talk the talk' (to a degree), but what we do not know is can you "walk the walk" and I doubt that very very much.

There are 'talkers' and there are "do'ers", then there are Mike Fanbois.
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Nicedoggy, 28 Jun 2011 @ 4:38pm

Quote:
the product of the greatest minds of a generation working together with the express purpose of building the dumbest moron who ever lived

Source: Portal 2

That quote should read:

the product of the greatest minds of a generation working together with the express purpose of building the dumbest moronic scheme ever devised
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 5:03pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
darryl, when you understand that Capcom is only hurting themselves and their own bottom line, let the rest of the world know.

Also, Mike didn't write this.
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Marcus Carab (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 5:03pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
So why shouldn't the first-sale doctrine apply to software?
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 5:16pm

Re:
*slow claps*
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Jay (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 5:18pm

Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
That is a battle for another time...

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/09/the-end-of-used-major-ruling-upholds-toug h-software-licenses.ars

And remember... This is darryl. I can name only one time that his rantings and ravings have made sense.
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Amaress, 28 Jun 2011 @ 5:53pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
Even more ridiculous than your rant against Mike is the fact that you think this DRM will stop the game from being pirated...
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 6:10pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
Hi, Darryl.

"Mike" here. This isn't about piracy. Not this time. This time it's about the resale market.

I'm sorry I cannot as easily pirate and steal others content as well, but this doesn't have anything to do with those things that were never mentioned in the article other than in stating that DRM is usually crammed into software to prevent piracy.

As for my "attitude" and "little brain" having never created something of value? How many people just saved $40 by reading this?

I also like the cut of this "Mike Fanbois" jib. Is he perhaps Canadian? If so, send him my condolences on being locked out of pure musical enjoyment at turntable.fm thanks to the actions of the so-called "music industry."

As always, it's been a pleasure being yelled at. We must do it again sometime.

Sincerely,

Capitalist Fucking Lion Tamer, Esq.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 6:30pm

EB Games Australia are refusing to stock the game because of this.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/309403/news/eb-games-australia-boycotting-resi-evil- mecenaries-over-save-restrictions/
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Chargone (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 6:44pm

Re: Re: Anonymous moron
the better stores around here will point at the stupidity of our current law/policy/whatever and say they can only accept a return for a new, working, copy of the same thing if it is physically broken...

then point you at their second hand sales policy and buy the thing back for a way bigger percentage of it's initial price than you'd expect (depending how soon after release it is) and sell it onto the next guy.
(including the warning of the issue when HE goes to buy it.)
a lot of stores the clerks will actually warn you of that sort of thing when you bring it up to the counter (usually while processing your stuff, so depending on what you brought up and when they noticed it, it might be too late by then or might not...) though this is usually the clerk passing on their own experience to a fellow gamer rather than store policy, so if the place isn't a dedicated games shop this doesn't happen as much.
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Chargone (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 6:48pm

Re: Re:
the manual is probably available in pdf on some website somewhere... the address for which is probably in the paper manual.

also, no one reads the damn things anyway. they usually contain: standard stuff that anyone with a brain and a console already knows... including stuff about the console that should be in the Console's manual, which people might actually read while setting it up. this is followed by, if you're Lucky, an explaination of the controls.. which if the game isn't terrible is explained much better in a tutorial in game, so is only really useful if you forget.
finally, there will be stuff about the gameworld/story that either contains spoilers for the first half of the game or should have been on the back of the case. in the european version this might be repeated in up to four other languages. basically the more intuitive/useless it is the more likely it is to be in the manual.

then there's games which Don't explain certain significant gameplay features in game.

those are NEVER in the manual. :S
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Chargone (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 6:49pm

Re: Re:
and yet, responce :P
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Any Mouse (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 6:57pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
1) Not Mike, Tim. RTFA.

2) You seem to care an awful lot for someone who doesn't care. Forget for the moment that you're a complete moron about it.

3) Still not Mike, and you're still a complete moron.
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Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 7:00pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Spoooooon
That's OK, I don't deserve the geek points. I had to Google it. I never really liked The Tick. While I did eventually learn the value of mindless TV shows while working at Eat n' Park, The Tick was just before it's time.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 7:16pm

Re: Re: Re:
I was in an ironic place when I wrote it. Possibly the Onion.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 7:24pm

Re: Re: Re: Nigh invulnerable?
Just remember, kids:

"Absolute power is a sticky wicket!"
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MindParadox (profile), 28 Jun 2011 @ 8:02pm

Sucks to be them
Sadly, this is going to lose them alot of customers, and they will simply blame piracy as the problem anyway, not lack of actual sales due to supreme idiocy on their own part.

Plus, you now know that this game is A: going to be so linear that bad decisions simply will not be possible, because that would make the game truly unplayable from that save point on(if you saved after the bad decision but didn't know it)

and B: that it will hand-hold you through every possible moment, because with only one save, you literally will not be able to do anything but play it like a rail shooter.

and C: There will be no "Rare Unlocks" as you will HAVE to be forcefed every bit of content on your first run through the game, so difficulty of anything will be set for the lowest skilled person on the planet.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 8:27pm

Apparently, Super Monkey Ball on the 3DS also had the same restrictions but nobody cared because:

1 - the game was bad
2 - no one in their right mind would want to play it more than once anyway

I'm glad I traded my copy of Monkey Ball in before the restrictions became common knowledge.

RE: Mercenaries is a bit different though because it was touted as one of the A-list 3DS games. Magazines have given it 80%+ scores - and that means a lot when the only good title released so far is a remake of a 13-year old game (Zelda.)
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 10:25pm

and that, is some A+ copyrightardedness right there
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 10:36pm

Re:
trololol
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Pixelation, 28 Jun 2011 @ 10:44pm

"Instead, Capcom is going to give you a piece of SHIT!"

FTFY!
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jun 2011 @ 10:44pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
"you have NEVER EVER created something of value, from your own little brain."

No U
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Anonymous Power Talker, 28 Jun 2011 @ 11:24pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
wow DARRYL I must *slow clap* for you on your AMAZING talent for SPOUTING POWER JARGON! Especially DARRYL the hackneyed TECHNIQUE of sprinkling the opponent DARRYL's name in REPEATEDLY. Combining that with the DISTRACTIVE STRAW MAN argument and the INVENTED CORRESPONDENCE trope with the OVERTON WINDOW SLIDE is just so inventive! And, DARRYL, that last TWO SIDES AND THE OUTCAST fillip was just genius, DARRYL.

I am VERY INTERESTED in your timeshares! Where can I FIND OUT MORE, DARRYL?
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mike allen (profile), 29 Jun 2011 @ 1:25am

Re: Re:
I put my money on about a week before someone cracks this one.
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PaulT (profile), 29 Jun 2011 @ 2:26am

Re:
"If you are upset, don't buy it."

I won't. In fact, I haven't seen a compelling reason to buy a 3DS yet, and this is just another tick in the "I will never buy this system" pile, no matter how much positive press Ocarina Of Time gets. After this and the PS3 DRM debacle on some of their games I'm also paying close attention to anything Capcom release and will not buy any of their games unless I see something incredibly compelling.

"most of the whiners will download illegal copies and hacks an insist on playing it anyway"

Wow, where did you get the straw? That man looks shiny!

"It's the miracle of people who cry outrage but quietly enjoy the product anyway."

It's OK folks, we can quietly have our rights eroded so long as the non-tech savvy don't complain. By the time they notice, they'll have no rights left and glorious profit for all!
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PaulT (profile), 29 Jun 2011 @ 2:32am

Re: Re: Re:
"If the product is bad, don't pirate it. Don't support the company in any way, don't play their game"

For once, we agree wholeheartedly. However:

"don't talk to your friends about it, don't join chat rooms to talk about it"

How, exactly, are you meant to know the problems with the game if nobody talks about it. You get ripped off, and the response you recommend is to quietly slink away and not say a word about it? How does that make sense, exactly?

"Stop whining and move on."

No thanks. I'd rather voice my concerns and let Capcom know that the reason they didn't get a sale from me was not the boogeyman of "piracy" or a problem with the gameplay, a lack of market for Resident Evil games, or any of the other assumptions that these fools tend to make. I want them to know that the DRM directly cost them money.

By doing this, we can hope that their DRM will eventually be phased out and we can enjoy games how we wish to play them. Otherwsie, they will just take the easy road of assuming "piracy" was the cause... which will lead to further and more restrictive DRM... which will lead to less sales... and so on.
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The eejit (profile), 29 Jun 2011 @ 4:30am

Re: Here is a clue !!
In Soviet Raccoon City, zombies eat YOU!
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Joshua Lyle, 29 Jun 2011 @ 6:15am

Goose/Gander
Just buy it with cash upon which you've written a shrink-wrap contract stating that the recipient may not spend it.

That'll show 'em.
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darryl, 29 Jun 2011 @ 6:16am

Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
is the fact that you think this DRM will stop the game from being pirated...

I said no such thing, of course it will be pirated, no two ways about it, it will probably take more time and effort than you would need should you just decide to legally purchase it.

DRM is like a paddlelock, they are not inpossible to break, but they are designed to keep HONEST people HONEST !.

You see there is a small but noisy group of people here that think that if they see a door with "NO ENTRY" on it, that is unlocked, then they have a 'right' to enter that door. (after all it was 'unlocked')

These are the types of people who if they see someone drop their wallet they will wait for that person to walk away and run over to see how much money is in it for them.

Not the type of people who will say "excuse me, you've dropped your wallet".

The types of people who first ask themselves "what can I get out of this for me for free".

You see your not complaining about DRM, you are complaining that people do not leave their doors open and unlocked, and you see that as an invitation to see what you can get out of it.

It's the same with copyright and the same with patents.

it's "why should they get all the breaks, I know they are skilled, talanted, well trained and all, but I want his shit for free".

Why does that hardworking person feel they have a right to what they create, when I should be able to profit from their labors by doing nothing.

Sure you can break DRM, big deal, but clearly you do not have the skills to write the application that the DRM is protecting.

If you did, you would not care about trying to crack the DRM and get something for free, you would probably have an understanding of the time and effort that goes into writing a large and complex program and accept that if you want that development to continue you need to PAY for that development.

How is cracking the DRM on an application going to make that application function better ?.

It wont, again, it might be easy to crack the DRM, just as it is easy to mug someone if you need a little cash.

What is hard, (and therefore why you dont/cant do it) is being creative and skilled enough in the first place that you can earn the money honestly to pay someone else for the work and risk they took on.

And you might gain an appreciation of how the real world works, as opposed to beleiving that complex applications, games or software is delivered by the 'stork'!

DRM simply removes temptation from honest people, if you're intensions is to get what you want regardless, you will break the lock, break down the door, crack the DRM... blah blah..

It's all the same thing, and the same mindset. (If I cant steal it, I will complain about the people who have put locks on it).

Who is putting the DRM on their software ?.

The manufacturers of that software,, that's who.

WHY? TO KEEP YOU OUT, you the dishonest people who want something for free regardless or the effort to create it.
You do not care if that company goes out of business because they lose sales, just as long as you can get it for free (free loading) and screw over 'the man'.

That is why I state, (accurately) that the people who complain about such things are incapable of achieving anything by themselves.

Basically, you're are little more than leaches on society, you forrage around for 'road kill' and if you cant get it legally, OR if you CAN get it illegally, you will most cerainly take up that offer.

And the result of your free loading, is that everyone now has to suffer with DRM, because of the small few who think they are somehow above .. paying for things..

So if no one tried to creak DRM or no one tried to illegally copy software, then like locks on doors they would not be necessary.

You complain about DRM, do you complain about car ignition keys, or house keys, or the keys to your business ?

Do you complain to you're local supermarket that you have to actually PAY for the products you remove from the store ?

You complain about ICE and its methods and what it has to do, yet what they are doing is a result of groups of people breaking the law and forcing them to take that action.

We would not have ICE if crims did not hyjack planes and kill people, we would equally not have DRM if people did not actively seek to break the law.

We would not need locks on doors if you could trust everyone not to enter and steal things.

So you, I do not like DRM, just as I dont like the small inconvience of having to find a key to open a door, but I know there are people who will abuse any trust given to them.

Therefore I understand that DRM is necessary, for the very reason this article states (that it is not necessary), because people like the one who wrote this article wants to get things for free, when everyone else is willing to pay an honest price for an honest product.

It is very possible if all those that crack the DRM purchased a legal copy instead, then the total price for that product would be far less.

So a $40 dollar game might only cost $20 dollars, IF EVERYONE WAS HONEST and did not steal.

The same at the supermarket, you pay a higher price for your products to cover "THEFT LOESS" and 'SECURITY', so even if it is not you stealing, you pay for their theft.

Oh well, I am sure I could write a million words and it would make exactly ZERO difference to most here, who have been effectively brainwashed by the mantra of Mike...

What is sad is how completely you DO NOT GET IT !!!

You come acress as immature children who will quite willingly thow a tantrum if they do not get their way, and if they see something shiny, they just HAVE to have it.

They have an excuse, they are small children, they do not know any better, but when adults whine and cry about not being able to get that shiny thing they see (by just taking it) it is very sad..

But totally normal for TD,,

I am very sure Mike spends most of his working life trying to work out how to cram in more adds on his web site, and get more drones giving him page hits.

If you honestly think mike is 'in it' for the good of anything else except Mikes wallet then you are (IMO) mistaken.

No, Mike is in this for one reason only (well two actually) Mike's paycheque and Mike's ego).

Mike it is true that you come across as totally self centered and egotistical, as long as you can gain some 'points' from it you are willing to make any statements or claims, and quote as many vague "sources" as you can find to boost your ego, and to justify your actions.

Fortunately, to most, it is very clear and obvious, except of course your cult followers who hang off your every word, as if you are the prophet.
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darryl, 29 Jun 2011 @ 6:24am

Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
As for my "attitude" and "little brain" having never created something of value? How many people just saved $40 by reading this?

So what have you created again, with your 'little brain' ?

As for my "attitude" and "little brain" having never created something of value?

Gee for a second there I actually thought you were going to tell us all what you have done to create something of value.

At least you could of said something like, 'turning a beef patty into a Big Mac.

But you said NOTHING, no less than nothing, so what have you created of value in your life ???

Ans. NOTHING

And that is exactly the reason why you and your ilk do not have a clue, and will never have a clue,, Right Mike ??
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darryl, 29 Jun 2011 @ 6:32am

Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
yes, lots !!!

ive spend my entire working career creating things of value, including running my own business, specifically creating 'things of value' for my clients.

Far to many to list, and most classisified.

But it is very telling that those who are most against people being rewarded for their skills, are the very one who do not have said skills themselves.

You want things you are not capable of creating yourself, and you expect to be provided those things for no effort on your part, just because you want it.

That shiny thing the child throws a tantrum for.
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ohreally, 29 Jun 2011 @ 6:39am

SuperCard
Jokes on Capcom. Anyone with a ROM Card (and who owns a DS WITHOUT a ROM card nowadays?) will still be able to save. Yet another example of the paying customer getting abused for no reason.
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Jay (profile), 29 Jun 2011 @ 7:20am

Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
"including running my own business, "

Wait, wait, wait...

With your poor grasp of reality, your bass ackwards grammar and spelling, you have a business?

That's even funnier than anything you've put up in regards to ad hominem attacks! I can't take that seriously because there's no way anyone running a popular website/service/product would really take as much time to attack people like you do. You can try to pull the wool on people's eyes, but there is nothing backing up you can actually run a company except into the ground.
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Jun 2011 @ 7:54am

Re:
Just look at the pricing structure of WoW accounts....1 toon level 85 character, no gear vs the price of a WoW account that has a geared to the teeth, rare pets/items....

Yea, Yea, I know, it's against the ToS, and I don't personally sell or purchase WoW accounts, but I have seen people that do....and heard the stories.
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slymagpie, 29 Jun 2011 @ 10:41am

30 points is mine my good sirs and she-sirs�
I think you will find �Nigh Invulnerable� was originally an oft reused Chris Claremontism from his superlative writing on Marvels mutant titles�
�I'm nigh invulnerable when I'm blastin'!�- Cannonball
30 points is mine my good sirs and she-sirs� ( insert crazy 1990�s hatched lightning effect and Tom Orzechowski lettered maniacal laugh )
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chubbysumo, 29 Jun 2011 @ 2:25pm

cracked like everything else
it will be cracked and out on the internet, with this "feature" removed in less than a day from release. It will do nothing, because people will find a way to remove the game save, or keep the game save on the DS, and not the game. fucking tards cant figure out that the harder they try, the faster the failboat sinks.
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Niall (profile), 29 Jun 2011 @ 4:03pm

Re: Two Birds One Boulder
The way I look at it is, the money the original purchaser gets back will go partway towards a new game and so will help a developer. The person likely only bought the game (shelling out �40) knowing that they could re-sell it - I know it would make me reluctant to buy any old game (as opposed to the greats) if I couldn't trade it in.

And if it's a game I wouldn't have bought anyway, then the developer wouldn't have gotten any money from me anyway. Plus, I get to find older games second-hand that would be a bitch to find first-hand. Win all round!

But then I'm a PC player, so we have better built-in flexibility anyway ;)
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 29 Jun 2011 @ 4:37pm

Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
Darryl -

When I said it was a "pleasure being yelled at" and that we should "do it again sometime," I was thinking that something this annoying should be spaced out a bit more. I don't want us both getting bored of this.

Once again, I'm going to answer for "Mike" seeing as he's otherwise detained not answering questions directed at the wrong person. He's usually pretty busy and often has the entire internet open on his laptop at any given time.

I'm going to have to agree with the other commenters in your randomly ALL-CAPPED thread when they say that this post was not written by Mike. (Or as some of you know him [especially when he didn't write the post in question]: Mr. Resnick.)

Now, let's get right down to business here:

You asked what I had made of value. (Rather rudely, I might add.) First of all, I've been employed at a variety of businesses during my life, all of which were providing either goods or services of value to other people. (I won't go into detail, just as you haven't. All we know is that you have [or used to have] a business.)

That's probably not good enough for you, as I'm not currently running a software business of my own named Capcom, so I'll continue.

This post has value. Some readers who were unaware of Capcom's idiotic actions may have been looking to purchase this game, but will now spend that $40 on something actually worth their money. That's value.

Others will swear off buying from Capcom forever. This money will be used on other products. This is also value.

I write for Mike's website at his request. If I was not actually adding value to his website, I doubt that I would be allowed to continue writing for him. The handy little "Top Posts" widget on the main page had this very post near or at the top for most of the last 24 hours. So, there's traffic being driven here by my writing. (And serves more ads. Or "adds", as I understand the kids are calling them these days.)

I also have my own blog (just click on my name to go there) where I have written several hundred thousand words over the past 2-1/2 years. The readers there, much like here, usually find something of value in reading it.

Some readers get a few laughs. Some readers pick up some new information. Some readers have someone to kick around for a few comments. These are all examples of value.

Now, I'm sure you're already banging away on the keyboard about how writing isn't really creating something of value, because, duh, anyone can do it. And it's true. Everyone can.

Some people can write. And write well. Others can just write. A lot of this "writing well" is very subjective, much like any other creative art. For instance, many people would agree that my writing skills are far superior to yours. A few others will disagree just because they don't like what I'm writing, not how well it's written. And still others will point out that it sucks on all levels.

If you're just going to narrowly define value as "Capcom software" or "game software" or whatever it is that you need it to mean in order to support your point, then you really don't have a valid argument.

One last thing: this post isn't about piracy, no matter how badly you want it to be. It's about taking away value from your product and still expecting customers to pay top dollar for it.

You say you "create things of value for your clients." Is this the sort of thing you do? Or do you run your business with your customers' best interests in mind? If it's the second, how the hell can you defend Capcom?

All the best,

Tim Cushing (a.k.a. The Guy Wot Wrote This Post)
d/b/a Capitalist Lion Tamer
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dwg, 29 Jun 2011 @ 4:53pm

Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
And yet...you maximalists use the "you wouldn't steal a car" analogy non-stop, don't you? Funny then that you'd try to point up its uselessness here. Except that you're not being funny, so it's just sad.
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dwg, 29 Jun 2011 @ 4:58pm

Re: Re: Re:
No, if the product is bad, DO pirate it. If it's good, decide whether or not to buy it and support the company. See, here's how it works, marketeer: BAD products should fall out of the market, and the sooner the better. Piracy of shite like this will accelerate the process. YOU fucking buy it.
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PaulT (profile), 30 Jun 2011 @ 12:08am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
No, I respectfully disagree with that.

If you pirate, they have an excuse. They don't go "oh, our product wasn't good enough to buy" or "our actions cost us sales", they go "the pirates are stealing our money, we need more DRM, more draconian laws, more protection". Nothing's achieved, and you encourage further bad behaviour.

Don't pirate, and they lose their biggest scapegoat. They will lose the same number of sales by you simply ignoring their product, and that will be more effective - just put your money toward something released by a better publisher.
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Paul Keating, 30 Jun 2011 @ 12:09am

"nigh invulnerable"

Scotty I believe.
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Mini Gamers, 30 Jun 2011 @ 10:48am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
At the end of the day it comes down to our right as gamers to have personal ownership over the games we choose to buy, including being able to start from scratch.

However, I agree with you, Paul T. Don't pirate the game or it just gives them more power to use more of these types of features in other games.
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Chris in Utah (profile), 30 Jun 2011 @ 3:27pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Easily broken, easily played, easily reviewed, easily modded. All behaviors of your fan-base that in the majority restricts new users and the non-tech savvy people from fully enjoying your game.

You tell someone not to do something it's the first dam thing there going to do. Freedom doesn't come from prohibition, or have we learned nothing in 200 years?
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darryl, 30 Jun 2011 @ 11:01pm

Yes, my own busines, who would of thought !! :)
With your poor grasp of reality, your bass ackwards grammar and spelling, you have a business?

Yes, I am sure that must upset you to no end LOL..

I can't take that seriously because there's no way anyone running a popular website/service/product would really take as much time to attack people like you do.

So much time ? what 5 minutes a day ?

No I do not run a 'popular website/service/product' as you seem to think that is all people do 'in the real world'.

I get more work that I can or want to do !!. I provide no service/product or 'website' (as if a website is a business) but people will come to me, and pay me lots of money for me to solve some type of problem that they have.

So basically all I do to make lots of money is think for a living.

that is I make my living by providing Interlectual property for my clients.

So many people state here (incorrectly) that "there is no value in information, yet I have to turn people away who are requesting that I 'think' about a technical, scientific or engineering problem they have.

They pay me lots of money for my 'bad grammer and spelling', well they probably do not pay for that, they pay for the wealth of information, or an elegant solution to their problem.

And it is not that I do not care about spelling and grammer it is just that I do not care about it here.

I mean I do not spend hours here, nor do I take more than a few minutes to dash off a quick response.

But if you think that when I am providing a technical paper or report or providing my clients with the 'product' I supply that it does not meet and exceed ISO9001 QA, Mil-Spec, and all the necessary technical specifications.

As well as meeting the design deadline, and being underbudget, and providing to my clients exactly what they requested.

That is why I have to turn down work, and I am in high demand because my clients know, that if they pay me to do a job for them, it will be done.

It about the people to "talk" and the people who "DO", I guess I must be therefore better at the later, and not at the former. But it is only because for here, I do not really care.

That is what most of you guys seem to never 'get'.

If see something you "want" and you feel you have a right to have that thing.

My clients see something they want, that does not exist!

They ask me to create that "thing" for them, because they really want/need it.
I cannot 'copy' that 'thing' from somewhere else and provide it to my client. Because that thing does not exist 'somewhere else' for me to copy it.

So for new things to be created, that you might yourself want in the future, there has to be people who can think of those things, and people (like me) who can turn that 'idea' into reality.

So at some time in the future, some untalented theif can see that 'thing' and say I want one of those too !
So he copies it for himself, because he does not have the skills or probably the time to create that item he desires himself.

I would much rather have the grasp and depth of understanding in physics, electronics, communications, engineering, mechanics, law, maths and reality, than it appears you have of them.

I am sure, you would prefer to work when you like, on what you like, for the amount you want to charge, in your own time at home, and to have people waiting in line to write you cheques :)

For doing little more than sitting with a copule of books, a calculator a PC, pen a paper, with the telly on. Doing something I would do anyway for fun if no one wanted to pay me to do it. LOL..

Life is good.. IP = $$$$$$$ and FUN !!

Like all businesses I 'amortize', which means I divide my 'product' development costs over my customer base, that means a single client does not bear the total cost of my training, skills acquisition and development time (or R&D) but those costs are distributed across all my clients.

Just as no single client can afford the cost of a movie just for themselves, or the production costs of a song are not paid entirely by a single purchaser of that song!

No the cost of manfucature or development of a movie, song, software or anything is spread across all PAYING customers.

These are basic and fundamental principles of reality !! you must somewhere deep down realise that it is you who appears to lack a grasp on it.

Which is why I said in the first place most of the comments from here are clearly from people who do not understand how to create something that is unique and original and who can appreciate that IP is as it says Interlectual PROPERTY, and most people consider "what you know" to be the ONLY thing for them that HAS ANY VALUE AT ALL !!!.

It appears most here are so shallow, that you appear to think that what makes you an intelligent being is being able to get what you want, when you want.

You look past the fact that "WHAT YOU KNOW IS WHAT YOU ARE!!!!"...

I will leave you to ponder that deep concept for awile.
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darryl, 1 Jul 2011 @ 2:06am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
There are TWO groups that I have the "best interests' in that is first myself, and second my clients.

As you explained, you have worked in various jobs and business, you know that the health of that business is the first priority and your clients are second.

After all, if you are not in business you are not able to service your clients.

So the first basic tenant of a business agreement is an agreement that the provider of that service will be able to sustain it's business model, stay in business and provide the required service to the client.

This is the precept of "Due Diligence" that is the requirement of the provider to ensure their capabibility to provide.

So, therefore the "best interests" of my clients is the ongoing success and prosperity of MY business and therefore 'my best interests'.

If for me to run my business I need to hire 10 software engineers (I never hire 'programmers', or anyone with FOSS/Linux/GNU in their resume) I have to each week pay those engineers.

For me to pay them I need to be paid !

For me to be paid I need to be able to provide a product to a certain number of PAYING clients, amortize, and charge that number of clients the amount I require to pay my staff and to keep my business operational.

If it is necessary to take measures to ensure that people who want my product cannot get it for free, as opposed to paying for it, I will take any measures necessary to do that.

Because when that occures, as you know you are not then able to amortize costs. So the 'honest' people who are willing to pay a reasonable price and insure the 'best interests' of both parties, so the synergy can continue have to pay more to subsidise those who think that if they can they have a right to take the work of other's off those who are willing to fairly pay for that product.

When you are working in a business, do you go to your managers and tell them "in the 'best interests' of our clients I feel you should pay me $0 money, and we give away our product/service to our clients for free..."

Would that work, could you build a 'business model' off of that ?

Of course not, no a business's first priority is to remain in business, without that basic concept the business will not exist and you're product or service cannot be provided.

That is what I do not 'get' from the comments of many here, who parrot Mikes word.

This is the most basic of basic economics, and natural principles.

It is not what you own that makes you what you are, it is what you know, and can do.

Sure, if you are a skilled writer, and you get people to read what you write, and somehow you can make money from that (with advertising I assume), then good for you.

You are providing a service to your clients.

But if you were not able to afford to costs of providing that service because of lack of revinue or funds would you still provide it ?

I would expect "NO", of course not, as you cant pay for it.
So it is your responsibility to extract money from somewhere if you want to provide the service you are providing.

If Capcom wants to provide software of a specific functionality, and they require X amount of money to achieve that, it is not possible for them to do that unless there is the client base and price structure to enable that to occur.

Because as you know, people do not work for nothing, nor do they provide products or services in a way that will stop them from fairly amortizing the cost of their business across their paying clients.

Lets take an example.

The airline industry, for them to remain in business they need enough people to pay for the aircraft, the pilots, the fuel, and infrastructure, therefore to minimise costs they try to move as many people as possible per flight.

They have BIG plains and can carry a large number of people.

Each passenger pay's for a percentage of the fuel and costs of the flight, it is 'amortized' over the passengers.

Each passenger has to pay a certain amount to cover their share of the overall costs.
If this does not occur then the airline will not be able to afford to fuel or pilots or plane and will go out of business, and withdraw it's service.

No everyone loses.

If each passenger pays "their way" then the airline company can remain in business, and they can purchase fuel and hire planes and conduct a business that rightly is in the best interests first of the business and second of the client.

how much do you think it would cost you to fly from LA to NY if you were the only paying client ?

Do you think you can reasinly afford that ?

NO, of course not. That is why airline companies try to fly many people and spread the cost out accordingly.

That is the only way for them to provide that product/service to their clients at a reasonable cost and remain able to continue to provide that service.

If an airline just let anyone ride on their plains at any time without them paying for it, then who would then be willing to pay for it ? who pays for the fuel, pilots and airplane ?

If Capcom let anyone use their software without paying for it, then who gets to pay for the programmers and the business that supports them ?

If you cannot support a viable business model you fail both your own business and your clients and potential clients of your product of service.

A viable business model means being fairly paid for the product and services you provide and performing due diligence with that money to ensure you're business and therefore service remains.

A creator of a movie is not able to create that movie unless he has a reasonable expectation of being able to amortize out the cost of production amoung a specific minimum number of paying clients and a specific pricing and cost structure.

That means if no one is willing to pay for it, he wont make it, sound familure ?

The function of my business is simply to solve problem's, "technical solutions" is what I do.

I have clients that ask me to solve a problem for them. For example.

I have had requests such as

"I want a machine that will test all parameters of a PV Cell (photovoltaic cell, solar cell), including Eff, FF and all electrical parameters, that is light frequency selective across the visible and solar specturm and with a test range intensity of 0 to 20 'suns'.

As well as a calibrated "ONE SUN" spectrally equivalent light source.
Oh, its gott'a be fully automated and provide all information in multiple data formats and in real time!!... design, build, calibrate/test and deliver with documentation and training in 3 months?"

And my response ?

Sure, easy, but you need more than that, you will also require a cold plate cooler for the cell under test and temperature control and monitoring, and I will ensure that the client get what he needs and not just what he asked for.

But not more than what he needs and what he wants, I then take this job on as an "easy one" that is trivial, then set about to exceed my clients expectations.

He pays me well, he gets exactly what he wanted and needed and I get to go onto another project and provide for them a technical solution to the 'problem'.

So my business, or my product/service is my IP, it is my interlectual property, it is what I know, not what I own.

When a client come to me and say "I want to purchase your product" what they are buying is what I know, and what I can do. They did not look at a catalogue and say "he sell's one of them things we need".

My clients come to me and say, we need you to create something for us that we need, but are unable to create ourselves.

I can do it because I have the Intellectual property (knowledge) to perform that task.

I do not teach them everything I know and how to design and build it themselves, they pay me to teach myself everthing I know and to design the thing and provide it to them.

And yes, they do pay me before the product exists and before the solution to the problem has been found.

They pay what I ask them to pay, I ask them to pay me enough for me to maintain my business and do my work plus a reward for doing the work for them, and not for someone else (thats called profit).

So that is possibly one reason why I state that the majory of people here who claim IP has no value would be those that don't seem to understand that it is the ONLY value there is. Without it you have nothing.

I know the value of IP, as does everyone who has it.
And most that do not, also know it's value, that is why they are more than happy to pay me well for me to apply my IP to their problem.

Another example would be

Can you provide full 24/7 support of our countries armed forces portable satellite communications equimpment, and testing/repair and planned maintenance of our entire range of SatCom equipment, as well as 24/7 phone support from field operators for emergency service restoration

Yes, no problems.

They are paying me for my IP, ie, they are paying me for what I know, or more specifically what I can do with what I know.

Now that is "life and death" stuff ! imagine if you are under fire and you're phone home for support does not work !

I would be just as bad as your gun not working or far worse, So for them it is not a matter of 'cost' it is a matter of it working, and it working is due to the original design and my IP and what I know and can do to ensure it remains working.

a contract like this I am paid a fixed price per 'service restoration' for specific systems.

So for example if I am paid $800 dollars for a peice of equimpement and because I have alot of IP I am able to identify the problem and rectify it in 30 minutes.

So for 30 minutes of applying IP I am pain $800, of course extensive testing and servicing will consume several hours, what leaves my bench is something that is "as good or better than new".

So when the solder in the field turns it on to "phone home" the lights come one and it rings and is answered.

So very few businesses are based on 'what you own' most if not all commerce is based on IP, or what you know and what you can do with that information, that intellectual property that you posses.

The 'high' cost of drug development is another good example, it is based on knowledge, which is IP, the cost of the development of a new drug is amortized among the 'non-starters' and overheads, like paying scientists to conduct R&D and product development/testing.

The value is in the IP not in the tablet or pill you take, yes that is why it is cheap to create generic, because it is not necessary for a generic drug company to conduct product development or refinement (it is forbidden by law).

Because generic drug manufactures have to follow the IP of the company that developed the compound in the first place (otherwise it is not generic).

Generic companies do not develop new drugs, or conduct their own product development.

There has to be a mechanism to allow those companies like any other company to remain in business and to perform the service they are paid to provide.

If that is patents, security (secrets), copyright, DRM or whatever method that is required (locks on doors, security guards, shop keepers) Then whatever it takes to remain in a position to provide the service to your own business and in turn to your clients.

It does not matter what you do, that is how the economy and human interaction functions.
My mutual agreement products and services are exchanged.

of course next time you watch "a beautiful mind" you can consider the "best" for any one party in a group of negiotation parties is what is 'best' for all parties, and not 'best' for any one of the group.

So you do not run a business for the best of your clients, you run it for the best of your business and the best of your clients at the same time.

The best outcome for someone like Capcom and their customers is what is best for all parties, that is their customers get a product they are willing to pay a certain sum for, and the company get's to provide that product for the sum they require to provide that product and remain in operation.

The more people that use it and dont pay for it, increases the burden on those who are willing to use it and pay for it.

To the point and beyond where you not only lose functionality but the product itself and the company capable of creating that product.

It is also wrong, to state (as Mick often does ) that 'they would not use it if they had to pay for it.

Of course, that applies to everything, but with the extension of When you cannot afford it.

I would not use an jet plane if I had to pay for it and I could not afford to pay for it.
I would not purchase a song if I had to pay for it and could not afford to pay for it.

Because I cannot afford to pay for something does not entitle me (or you) to have that thing anyway.

Or to assume because you can acquire it at no cost that it therefore has 'no value'.

I dont know, but it seems the attitude here is very distorted or something. It's hard to fathom how people cannot see what it clearly in front of them.

As I have stated before "It's not that hard!!!"
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darryl, 1 Jul 2011 @ 2:19am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
One last thing: this post isn't about piracy, no matter how badly you want it to be. It's about taking away value from your product and still expecting customers to pay top dollar for it.

What 'value' did they take away ?

The entire product is "of value", and the client pays what he consider a "fair market price" for said product.

You cannot really "take away" value, you can only provide a product that the client considers of value. (value for money).

If you provide that product with sufficient value for a level of sales that enables you to maintain a vaiable business model and business then the best interest of all parties are equally served.

The client gets what the want at a price they are willing to pay, and the company get to create the product that the client wants (and will pay for, if it satisifies their personal cost/benifit analysis).

I am not trying to be demeaning, but it is pretty simple stuff.
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darryl, 1 Jul 2011 @ 5:39am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
I write for Mike's website at his request. If I was not actually adding value to his website, I doubt that I would be allowed to continue writing for him

Very true, I am sure your idealogy very closely matches Mikes, which is why he 'employes' you. (plus the price is right).

So from your statement, you clearly consider the 'property of your intellect to be of value to Mike, and also for yourself.

Great, you make a living from your intellect, by applying your own unique intellect in such a way as to entertain your clients.

And you are 'good enough' to make a living out of it, but at the same time you (and mike) decry the fact that others would like to profit from the product of their intellect as well.

And I can defend Capcom just as I defend you, you have every right to say and do what you like on your web site, but what you say and do will have a bearing on your ability to maintain your business.

But if you want to remain in business and doing what you want to do, like you running your own web site, then you will conform to your target audiance, just as Mike predomately does on this Web site.

You will also be aware that if you fail to provide the service (ie you cannot afford to domain or servers) then you're revinue steam closes and you are no longer able to provide the service and make the money to keep you there.

What is the difference between you can Capcom ?

They have to meet expenses, they have to gain revinue, they have to pay staff, they have to keep the business viable and they have to do their best to maintain paying clients.

"By providing products or services that people what to use and are will to pay for, and improving on those products and services, while maintaining a vaible business model"

Now, I'm sure you're already banging away on the keyboard about how writing isn't really creating something of value

STOP !!!! you'll only give yourself brain damage.

Who said, that I said that I did not consider 'writing' as creating something of value ?

Was it me ?? I dont think so... perhaps you can point me to where you think I said that, but stop banging your head first.

I think for awile there you forgot that I was the one who was arguing that IP does have value, and you launch into a diatribe explaining in great detail how I am exactly right, and yes, IP is valuable, because when you write articles for mike with your intellect and your ability to write you add VALUE to something.

Adding value to something, and 'creating something of value" are not quite the same thing, but for you to stage that is a counter argument to what you and make proscribe to in the first place.

That the 'information' is of by itself of no value.

Then you go on to say, "but" I use that information to create value, and thats how I make a living !"

So you draw from a random group of words and convert them into a dialogue, you employ your intellectual property (what you know, what you can learn, and what you can do) to create that dialogue, that collection of words, thus creating something that some may consider of value to them.

Was your dialogue a 'transformation' of someone elses work ? or was it a creation of your own intellect ?

I am sure the subject of your dialogue has been discussed often before, and the words that you use have been used extensively before.

What has not been used before is (and ONLY IS) the application of your intellect to the subject that leads to the arraingement of the words in such a fashion that you deem commercially acceptable.

Because, if it not commercially acceptable, it will not be commercially accepted, you have no customers, and you have no business and therefore no customers.

Same with music, you take words, as well as sounds and you use the product of your intellect to create something others consider of value.

Why defend your ability to use your intellect to create value and deny a musician or artist their right to do so?

Just as you are not creating words or phrases, does not mean you are not creating, as you clearly stated.

In writing, as in engineering, music, movies, accountancy, sciences ..... (everything) you have basic building blocks and 'fundamental or first principles', or words or numbers, or pictures, or drawings, or equations and so on that are the product of the intellect.

As you stated the product of your intellect is as real is reality itself, it is physical, it is tangible, it has a 'cost' and therefore has a 'value'.

You said so yourself, you can create value from the property of your intellect. You completed my argument for me.

(allthough I suspect that was not your original intension).
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Chris in Utah (profile), 1 Jul 2011 @ 7:39am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
The last two sentences tied that up nicely though you might want to brush up on the definition of labor.
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PaulT (profile), 1 Jul 2011 @ 3:05pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
"What 'value' did they take away ?"

Wow, I don't usually respond to your wall o' texts but you outdid yourself here. Do your clients get billed for this, or is this what you do in your spare time?

Anyway, this is quite a simple concept. The value of a game is complex, but for many people the ability to share is important. This may be the ability to share with a partner or children. With friends, or with strangers via the second hand market. It's not normally considered, but part of that value is implicitly the ability to start the game from scratch. To experience the game first hand from the very start, and the gain all of the achievements, collect the items, unlock the unlockables and so on. They may not realise it till it's gone, but it's a valuable function for many.

By removing this ability, Capcom have committed 2 very serious errors. First, they annoy paying customers. The guy who buys a copy of the game for him and his 2 kids can no longer have everybody he bought the game for experience the full game. That's bad. The second problem is that as soon as the game gets cracked (and, yes, it will get cracked), the functionality is present in the pirated game but not the full game. This means - and this is extremely important - the pirated game is MORE VALUABLE than the legal copy. That is, even if the cracked game were the same price, the pirated version would be more valuable!

If you can't get this, you have a serious problem understanding what people value. Which, if you work in media, is an extremely bad problem and the reason why your industry is failing.
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John in Brisbane, 1 Jul 2011 @ 11:12pm

Copy Protection
This will fail. Ubisoft tried this with Far Cry 2 among other titles and they have now backed off. I had a games PC that never touched the internet and I had to install security software and then go online to use Far Cry 2. I vowed never to put up with that again. After going through my younger years treating piracy like a fun game for the whole family, as I got older I started paying for games (and OSes for that matter). If the developers keep this up, I will just go back to pirating. And this time I will be doing it specifically to punish those idiots rather than because I am too poor.

Blizzard have the right idea. I can install Star Craft 2 on 50 computers if I want and I then log on with my account to play. So I have it installed on 3 boxes. And they give guest passes so others can have quite a few goes before deciding to buy or not - and I know several sales have resulted from that at my place.
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Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 2 Jul 2011 @ 12:13pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Here is a clue !!
Darryl -

Thanks for the thoughtful response. As much as I hate to point this out, if you're in agreement about my writing creating value, then you have to transfer that to Mike himself, who you stated has "NEVER EVER created anything of value," and therefore, has no stake in this post's subject matter.

CLT
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Valkor, 3 Jul 2011 @ 12:07am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
I wouldn't steal a car, but I'd make a metric crap-ton of backup copies of it if I could.
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Curious, 9 Jul 2011 @ 9:14am

Capcom is evil etc. etc.

I am really puzzled. How on earth is this DRM supposed to work? I mean, from a technical point of view, how did they achieve that?!
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Jay, 30 Jul 2011 @ 7:41pm

Re: Re: Re: Are you sure?
Wow! Just wow, you sir...are an idiot. To continue with your well thought out car analogy, you buy a new car and it comes with a full tank of fuel but no means to refill it. Once you have completed your journey/used all the fuel, that's it, no more use, it's done.
Muppet.
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Claymoor (profile), 5 Oct 2011 @ 12:06pm

Re: No Early Warning
Don't you usually have to, like, buy and open it (rendering it unreturnable) to get to the manual?
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SPECIAL TACTICS AND RESCUE SERVICES, 8 Mar 2012 @ 10:25pm

Bad Choice,Still Fun
Its still fun,even so.I Was very peeved (to say the least) When i bought this game and learned this.Lucky for me,My former owner got bored quickly,seeing that he only completed the 1st 3 levels (and unlocked Claire)But,i unlocked EVERYTHING and feel the urge to start anew.It was a bad choice on Capcoms part,but lets bypass this error.Its still a fun experience.
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SPECIAL TACTICS AND RESCUE SERVICES, 8 Mar 2012 @ 10:36pm

Re: Here is a clue !!
I Agree 100%!I Extremely enjoy the game!I Dont care about my freaking scores.I Have fun on Co-op!I Do think it was stupid to not add the data feature,but loads of people have found ways to do so.SCREW THE FREAKING NON-RE FANS!You should just get the game.Its a very fun game with very good characters+graphics are amazin'!
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Johny, 11 Jul 2014 @ 8:13am

Resident evil desktop!
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Johny, 11 Jul 2014 @ 8:14am

Resident evil desktop!
Hey guys check this resident evil theme for windows. Sick
http://www.artmoth.com/blogger-templates/details/2257-resident-evil-afterlife-3d/
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Johny, 11 Jul 2014 @ 8:17am

Resident evil desktop
Woops wrong link sorry http://topwindows7themes.com/resident-evil-windows-7-custom-theme/
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