Piracy in T&T

[vivman1107]

I was checking out the thread in the Anime section where someone wanted to know places to buy/rent and I saw a discussion arise about piracy. I thought a thread devoted to this should exist so we could hear all arguments, big and small, about it. I will be the first to admit that I have some pirated stuff on my PC. It consists of ROM's, music and some old PC games. As far as possible, I try to buy new stuff. My new games from current gen back to N64 and DVD's are all 100% original. I don't buy much music and most of what I have is trance which is hard to source. One thing that I don't do is sell pirated stuff. If I have a ROM, MP3 or old game that somebody wants, I may just ask for a CD or just burn one for them. If I go to the video club, I usually rent only originals unless my girlfriend really wants to see something and they only have a copy. In T&T, many people are not as financially fortunate as others may be in other countries. This does not automatically give people a reason to pirate but it explains why it is more prevalent here. A person who would not be financially able to purchase a $600 game or $200 movie may very well do it for $50 or $100. If this is done early in a person's life, it cultivates an attachment to games and movies. Then, if and when the person becomes financially able, original purchases may begin to happen. What happens, though, is that people get used to the low prices of pirated copies and just continue with it. It gets me, though, to see first-run movies in video clubs when they are still airing in cinemas. That, to me, is a real low blow and I am surprised that it has gone on this long. The bottom line is that the entire thing is a business. However, the companies that stand to profit from it are mostly foreign. If no T&T companies have a significant cut in the original royalties, you will find that this piracy will continue almost unabated. This is because no pressure will be put on the government to regulate it (like with soca and calypso). Even with regulation, we still see pirating of local music on a regular basis.

[Kaizen]

well piracy in trinidad is i would say normal lol there are places that are alot worse. Since last year that thing with hit movies comin out and dvd clubs have them before but lol. Alot of the dvd clubs have closed down. And well its true alot of gamers arent fortunate enough to buy legit games but hell sometimes there are some games that come out that you buy and realized you wasted your money on it ..anyhow i try to keep my purchase of games legit mainly pc games but i cant help a few times but get some pirated XD

music is a whole different story :S

[Red Paradox]

hmm. well as far as piracy is concerned.....I honestly don't support it.....but at times I'm usually f***in' broke and desperate...so to try and get the product, I usaully sink to the dark side and go the pirated ways...usually though I try to get my movies original. Sometimes games too. Since I'm an abstract music listener....I buy or 'acquire' them pirated.

[steveunderwood0]

Before I moved to Trinidad (some short 2 and a half years ago), I was ignorant in regards to priated movies, games, programs, etc (except mp3s).  I didn't even know it could be found and downloaded, or bought.  I come from a medium sized city in Tennessee (pop 140,000).  When I left, the folks that knew anything about piracy in this sense was a very minute portion that population.  Of course, when you go to NYC, you see TONS of it on the streets...not quite as openly displayed as it is here...but nonetheless....

You've already seen my views on where I think DRM's are heading...so I won't bore you with a repeat of my theories (and thus invoke W1N's corrections). 

[vivman1107]

When I was real small, I just get by on what my parents bought for me (Atari 2600 games). Later on, when I got a little allowance I would buy my own stuff. Then, when I finished with certain games, I would trade in and buy more. The problem was the real low trade in value for games back then (before widespread internet use). While in Florida, I found a website called Switchouse that I used for quite some time. You could post your lists of games, movies, music and books and trade with other users. It was on the honor system so sometimes you would get burned but for the most part, it was a real nice option. This way, you got fair value for your games. The site died a few years back but there was another that is still going: Game Trading Zone. This, of course, is in the US. The trading grounds here is a good alternative for locals. These are other ways to get originals rather than pirates.

[Arcmanov]

My view is simply this:  If you can afford to buy the original, then do so.  If you cant afford it, but can 'acquire' it from other 'sources', then do so DISCREETLY!!!
Remember, piracy is still a crime.  (and Bittorrent=best friend   )

Nuff said.

[steveunderwood0]

no no no....

Bittorrent=morereliablethanbestfriend

[Kaizen]

but some men shell out thousands on there pc upgrades XD
it not hard to atleast buy 1 original game now and then

plus there are still major advantages when you buy the software original

[vivman1107]

I like to see the look on people's faces when they start looking at my game collection and realize they are all originals. It is a source of pride to have original games. I tend to have a lot because I hardly buy games when they are now released. I wait till they reach greatest hits or when they go on sale for $20 US or less. That way I maximize my buying potential while still putting money in developers' pockets. We all know what can happen when developers don't get paid, right? Classic example: I got a coupon from EA yesterday for $15 US off a game from their online store. I got Burnout Revenge for Xbox for $20 - $15 + $6 shipping = $11 US. Now, if I was in the US that would be the end of the story, but here in T&T we pay shipping and customs. Still, the total price should be no more than $200 TT. I would say that is a very good deal and one that most Trini gamers could afford. That is, if they have the kind of patience I have (and a skybox).

[Kaizen]

It doesnt take long for alot of games to reach on the greatest hits and also because of the xbox 360 and ps3 etc greatest hits are becomin like 10$ us

still i promote pc games legit

[greyfox]

i remember when i visited T&T a couple years ago, me and my cousins went to a video game store/electronic store, and the price difference was crazy i mean i brought some games down for them, GTA VC was one, you know i bought that game for like $15 and i saw it sitting in the store for something like $350 or something, i don't know the price conversions exactly but that in a sense seemed to be like coplete robbery, they told me about the modding and I left them some change to go do it.  i mean if the price difference is that great it's best for them just to go and buy those burnt games, they aint exactly the richest ppl in the world.

[Gambitt]

Uh, I've been a gamer/computer user for a long time. A looong time. So I remember somethin called shareware. I don't know how many of you guys can remember that far back, but the way it USED to be was that a programmer/company would produce a good game. Then they'd release a partially or almost totally complete version and say "go ahead and copy this for any and everyone who wants it, please. Oh if you like this game and want more, why not try "XYZ" for only "$abc" contact us at..."

Some of the time games used to say "If you like this game please help out by sending a contribution to ..."

Now you get companies pushing cookie cutter games- someone has a hit game, everyone starts making and marketing a game just like it. Some of them are really good, most are just crappy knock offs. And what I might like, you might not, so a review is pretty much pointless until you've played some of it and see how you like it. Of course the prices are the same so if you dont like it you are screwed.

I mean, you can go legally into KFC take a bite and say "nah this tastes like crap I want another or my money back" right? But with underwear and computer games, no chance. "Used goods, no return, no refund." I dont like that idea, not one bit, not at all. So I for one will not usually go out and buy an original first. I'll try a pirated version, see if I like it and if I do then I'll buy it.


Now I can already hear you saying "What about the demos, just download one and try that you worthless SOB". But I'm on dial up, limited hours too. So it's a crapload easier for me to go to a web-cafe or a lan party, d/l a bunch of pirated games and try them, I only do it once every couple of months. Most of the time, they aren't my thing and I just delete them, but once every blue moon I find one that's so good I really have to have it. Then I'll go out and buy a copy, not before.

As greyfox said, the mark up on games locally is just so flipping much that I won't even bother to walk into a computer game store. Complete robbery might be a slight overstatement, but not by much. Man, even in the states there's bargain bins with legit copies of older games that you can get for a few dollars. Down here.... "special reduced price - $300".

If the local stores were selling legit copies for more realistic prices, maybe there'd be less piracy. If game companies were in the habit of putting out more innovative, replayable, good games, maybe there'd be less piracy.

[vivman1107]

Another option could be to buy a PC Gamer or similar magazine with a CD. They usually include a few demos for new/recent games. Also, if you happen to know someone with a skybox, you can order games online and end up paying a lot less (even with shipping and customs). Signing up for one is not too bad either and if push come to shove, you can share the box with others and split the annual fee. I refuse to buy games locally and really don't understand how stores can sell for the kind of markup that they do. Worse yet, there are people who pay those prices instead of going online to do shopping. If enough people do that, the prices should come down.

[steveunderwood0]

I agree about the price markup and not being able to understand why anybody would pay that markup...the same goes for PS2 games...the markup is freakin' nuts.

[Gambitt]

Good point about the mag with the demo cd's. I've done that, but only a few times when I happened to be feeling in need of a new magazine. With the skybox.... I havent ever been interested in it enough to get one. I dont trust anyone, anywhere with a credit card number, especially not on the net. I'm just paranoid like that, and I know enough folks who've been contacted by the banks to have good reason.

[vivman1107]

I understand that some people don't like to give out their credit card info. In terms of a skybox, I have been using E-Zone for about a year now. They can deliver stuff to you and will take cash payment on delivery. About ordering online ... I have found that many foreign places (US) don't take locally issued credit cards. However, the one that counts, Amazon, does take them. I have not once had a problem with an order placed with Amazon and that is going back 6 years from now. You can either store your credit card info with them or enter it when you order. Their prices are usually competitive except for some of the more outrageous sales you see from time to time in some US stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, etc). Plus, paying a total of less than $200 TT for a new, original game is worth it, IMHO.

[Spazosaurus]

Technologies like SSL and public/private key cyptography makes transmitting such sensitive information not completely safe, but very much so. Even if u dont want to use a credit card to purchase things online, there are facilities where you can let someone else do it for you, like Buy Trinidad.

[Qloxx]

I have a large collection of Original Anime ah talking aboth special limited collectors editions and stuff and all my Ps2 games are Original but my anime collection is Huge and my originals are like 1/4 of it.
My point is it's all up to the person i import if i want it original hell i even buy it or download it then buy it original. With music i only have a few artist original like Outcast and busta the rest Mp3 baby, P.O.T.C forever ( Pirates Of The Caribbean).

[BeoBear]

WE ARE THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN.

Run down the road, get a taxi to south, hit up the rastaman for my goods, run back , install game. Nuff said.

[Kenji]

when food like potatoes selling for 3 dollars a pound, and man have family to support, or in school and only have money to go and come back, words like sky box and credit card could only happin in thier dreams. So short of just giving up on these Dvd's, word like burn and copy is the language. That is just how it is right now, right or wrong.