piracy, prices, options, etc.

from Stardock Forums
Well, I'm writing from Turkey, which is a real heaven for software piracy. GalCiv was available here one week before it shipped in the U.S.!!!
There are many reasons, why people don't buy original games, but one of the important and simple reasons is, that you can have ANY cracked PC game for 1,5 US Dollars. So, original games have no market and even if you wish to buy one, you most probably won't get it in stores. There is simply no demand.

I've followed GalCiv's web-site for a very long time and my expectations and excitement grew bigger and bigger. I enjoyed reading all the posts of the beta-testers and how Brad (and the other devs) dealt with all the ideas, problems, developments, etc. When the game was on the "market" I could finally prove for myself, that this project deserved all my excitement.

Now I have decided to buy the original and I have to confess that I never did this before. The general economical situation in this country and my own one combined with the de facto situation of being surrounded by only-crack game consumers and sellers, were pragmatically convincing enough to forget about ethical dilemmas or guilt feelings.

But this time it was different. Even if I should get bored within -let's say- one year (which is unlikely); I would really feel too bad, if I'm not going to support Brad's attitude. Therefore, once again, it's clear: I want to buy this game.

I examined the prices of GalCiv at different online stores and here at Stardock. And here's my first question: How comes that Amazon (which is also shipping internationally for 3 Dollars) can sell the game cheaper than Stardock?

Won't the customer get exactly the same?

Am I right with this calculation:
GalCiv at Amazon for ~ 43 Dollars (inc. shipping)
GalCiv at Stardock for ~ 55 Dollars (inc. shipping)

Don't beat my too hard for my confessions. :p
I just explained how things are working out here. And I do not feel any desire to defend piracy.

Thanks in advance
376 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
You don't feel any desire to defend it but you did in your post so:

Man, you can afford to get a computer but not the software? What sort of backward ^% ^%(^ %(* (^ (^% ^*^%&)(*&*&*( thinking is that!?!?

I'm sure Brad will respond decently to you, but he's a better man than I am.

As to you're question, since you've only ever involved yourself in the black market, I suppose you wouldn't understand how a real above the board business deal between distributer/publisher and retailers would work, now would you? :notsure: It's because Brad's company depends on the infrastructure built by another company in how they distribute the game, so as a business in order to not compete against that arrangement, Brad's company charges more so that the retailers (who have contact directly with customers on the street) can also sell the game. It's about making more equal all the distibution channels that are available to you, which you, knowing only piracy (F&*^ing &*^*&) wouldn't be able to conceive. There's a little bit of turf war to it as well, but you should understand that already.

Just order it from Amazon and save yourself some money.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I won' to repeat tthat I don't have the des...., but I'm really curious: Have you listened to what said about the local circumstances? And -if you don't mind- where do you live?

I'm not trying to say, "hey you western people, you have it better anyway, etc. etc.", (which would be slightly irrelevant) but you could at least admit that there are other circumstances than you are used to, or?

And I don't mind to pay more to buy the game from Stardock. That's most probably the thing I will do, because this whole thing is in a way special to me. I just tried to get an answer. Well, thanks for that part (concerning distributer/publisher...). That helped. Really.

And another irrelevant detail: I got my PC donated from a friend, who lives in Finland. (Not because I'm a game freak, but to give me a tool for my work)
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
What a harsh response Dearmad...

I come from Russia and piracy there is a number one thing. So what? Shall we accuse every russian of being a criminal? There is more to the existance of black market than a simple demand for cheaper products...

And I think its very nice that Gezz (given the financial difficulty he is in) is actaully thinking of buying a game from the developers...

PS: In his post he didnt defend the black market but simply said why its widely used.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I won't respond anymore to this thread as I find it abomidable, anddon't want to ruin the board. I'll just leave the thread with this:

Suffice it to say that having made my living for a time as an artist, having been stolen from (as an artist), had people claim my work as their own, use my images/art for their own commercial purposes without repaying me until I could bring the law down upon their heads, and all the while listening to their claims of ignorance about copyright and that it didn't hurt anyone to use *my* efforts (tell that to the household for which I am financially responsible): I have no tolerance for any piracy arguement whatsoever.

TLA-Russian: you haven't seen my harsh response- I was really, really nice in this thread.

To think of Gezz as being *charitable* rather than merely deciding to be *ethical* is a warped view of the world.

~SDC~
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I don't even see why piracy was even mentioned in the first place? Gezz surely could have just asked why the price discrepancy? :notsure:

~SDC~
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Sorry Dearmad...I don't think you read his post correctly. He says that even though he has never bought a game he is going to buy this one. Hell, I wish I would have pirated about 90% of the 300 or so games I have. But alas, I am an impulse consumer and I justify it by calling myself a "collector". ;)

So Gezz, I'm sure I have made up for your past mistakes. This just goes to prove that Brad's view of piracy is correct. That is, that every person that pirates a game may not necessarily be a lost sale (paraphrase).

~SDC~
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Thanks to all.

Dearmad, I have no problem with your point and can very well understand why you feel anger as an artist.
Mythor, I think I had the urge to "confess". Maybe to give an example of Stardock's charm as a dedicated and persuadive company. And/But Dearmad is right when he says that this shouldn't be seen or admired as "charitable". Nevertheless I still think that differing economical realities in different parts of this world are another (broad) aspect of discussion (which is not indispensable here).
And Slapbone, I agree with you on Brad's view of piracy. I was really impressed by his refreshing brilliance and practical consistence.

Regards to everybody...