There have been a number of developers who have tracked piracy rates in various ways, and the numbers I have are more from the mainstream and sighted indy game scene. It's not that everyone is an elite hacker, it's more that one or two elite hackers can produce a download that works for everyone with a single click. Once that download is out there, people share it. "Hey man, can you skype me that download?"
As for prosecuting people, it costs more than it's worth, so nobody does it. Look at the MPAA and the record companies - they've tried making an example of downloaders, and it hasn't stopped music sharing If anything, it's just made them look bad. Suing your players will just make your players hate you. This is why I won't bother to produce any standalone games unless I intend to give them away. Anyone who thinks they can sell standalone games without strong 'phone home' server authorization and make money is fooling themselves. Dennis Towne Alter Aeon MUD http://www.alteraeon.com On Tue, Apr 30, 2013 at 6:48 PM, Thomas Ward <thomasward1...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Charles, > > Well, if a developer wants to prosecute a software pirate to the full > extent of the law all they have to do is report it to their local > prosecutor and report it as a theft. According to the 1997 No > Electronic Theft Act a convicted software pirate can receive five > years in jail and a $250000 fine. That's if a developer wants to press > criminal charges. > > If a developer wants to sue for damages the minimum is $150000 per > instance of illegal copyright infringement. So if Joe gives his key > out to 10 people and the developer can track his key to all 10 people > he can be sued for a total of $1.5 million in damages. Of course, as > we've already established most blind people aren't rich so there is no > way to get $1.5 million in damages from a pirate. > > The irony here is while most developers have been rather light handed > about piracy if they wanted to get nasty they could really make their > lives miserable. I think five years in prison and $250000 in fines > might discourage a few pirates you think? > > Cheers! > > > On 4/30/13, Charles Rivard <wee1s...@fidnet.com> wrote: >> Speaking of piracy, does anyone know the approximate cost, or what would be >> >> involved in, penalizing these pirates to the full extent of the law, and >> what you would get in return for the money, time, and effort spent? You can >> >> answer off list in order to not think the answers would make them feel that >> >> it is safe to pirate because nothing would be done about the rampant >> problem. Could it be possible for developers to get together and split the >> >> cost involved? Thanks. >> >> -- >> If guns kill people, writing implements cause grammatical and spelling >> errors! > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
