Summations Only

Yes, but you forgot the second part of that sentence: So for us, it really is that simple. Unless you upload an ungodly amount of content, you'll never get busted.

I was talking more about the technical part of it. Guess, we live in different technological environments. Literally everyone I know (well, apart from the bum down the street), has a flatscreen TV, and a PC. If they themselves do not know what torrents are, they've got people who can set up their PC's for them so that it literally doesn't become more then a few clicks and a search to start donwloading. Then of course, you simply set up a media player to their TV's, and a whole new world of content awaits them. Well, over here, downloading a movie is legal, so that aspect goes out the window as well. But yes, that could be a reason not to do it. Again, I was referring to the technical part of it. Like I told Catholic Scientist, if I could download a digital HD copy of a movie as easily as I can now torrent it, and the price would be reasonable, I'd stop downloading it for free immediately. If say, something like Netflix came along, where I had to pay 20 Euros per month, and I could download and watch any movie I like at any time I like in HD, I'd say goodbye to torrents or usenet in a heartbeat. And funnily enough, most people I know also feel this way.

Indeed. Have you any reason to think I wouldn't? Do you know more about me than I do? But I already live in such a world... Want to know why I would pay for such a system? Because I think people should get paid for the work they perform. Basically the same reason I still pay for movies and music and games today, though, I will admit, not all of them. But I wouldn't be able to afford those at the current pricing anyway, so there's no sale lost. While my experiences may be subjective, it points me in to an entirely different conclusion. Should I now abandon my own "common sense" and ascribe to yours?

Fair enough. Ok, just saying, you could if you wanted to. I use them as coasters. But to each their own. Ah well, let's say two dollars for blue rays then. And not carrying the latest releases is big nono. But If that's all you got, I guess it's not too bad. Why? Do they work for free? I've found SWTOR to a bit "meh", for my taste. It's basically WoW, and I really don't enjoy that stuff anymore. Well, I do, and most people I know also do. 'twould be double D's sir, double D's I tell you!

For those that think funding will become a problem for creators of content, I would like to point to Tim Schafer's "Double Fine". They asked the public to help them fund a game that has yet to be produced, and within 8 hours they had the required $ 400.000 they needed. Now, after about one and a half week, they reached the milestone of more than $ 1.500.000 that was donated to this project. Without anyone knowing what the final product will be like (beyond it being a point and click adventure). Link to Kickstarter with info

Indeed, so do I. This just shows that it is possible to come up with enough money from the public alone. Might I also point out that the average donation made to this project is $ 35 (at least it was this morning, didn't bother to check again) and that this is more than twice the minimal amount needed to receive this game for free when it's done? I don't think this game will, for I don't think it will have cutting edge graphics, for one, and two, they gave an estimated release date of october 2012. They already have more than 4 times the amount they aimed for in the beginning. Unlikely, but in the event that happens, Tim Schafer's name will pretty much be ruined, and I don't think he'll ever be able to raise any funds again. Probably no, no. So what? Indeed, which is why I never claimed it did. I claimed this was an example of people being able to get the required funding for an idea from the public, something you guys said was impossible. You see, even if Tim Schafer had decided that he wasn't going to release this copyrighted, do you think it would've had any impact on the donations?As an aside, perhaps this wiki article about Double Fine Adventure is also worth a read.

Uhm, isn't this the case now, with copyright intact?

Poor little Hollywood, not making billions anymore, I weep for you... Since they already have more than 4 times their aimed for budget, I'd advice them to make the game for twice the budget and keep the rest as profit, and give it away for free. Not having copyright would not have impacted the donations one bit. Like unknown developers could get that kind of money today, with nothing more than "let's make a shooter". Of course there are risks, but they are there today as well. You might not feel them directly, but indirectly you already pay for the flops the games industry produces. Like we can't get it for free on the day of release right now.

You think it would've turned out different had Tim Schafer said: "listen, we would like to make a game, but we need money. Once we reach $400.000 we will make the game and give it away for free, all extra donations will be spent on the game, and if we get more than $x we will keep the rest as profit. Yes we are, the entire population already has free media easily available. Must I list the top 100 most popular torrents on pirate bay as an example?

And you could set up a donation system and still get paid for your contribution.

No, sorry, don't fancy another MMO. However, make it a single player RPG and I might be tempted. What's the budget you're aiming for?

Indeed, as I have said already in Message 248:

Sure they do, since those teenagers are their children/friends. And what's this about burning DVD's? Why on Earth would anyone do that? Just use digital copies. The technology is here, it's just that the people are to lazy to learn it. And even then, asking one of those teenagers to set it up for you will solve that problem. It's a days work, if you take your sweet time for the set up.

Then I'm sorry, but I won't be investing in your project. Good luck with finding other people to fund it. Though, might I suggest a bit more solid of a proposal, like Tim Schafer did on the website I linked to earlier (you know, what is the amount you're aiming for, what you will do with any excess money etc.).

Well well, a study done by the university of Minnesota (amongst others) suggests that the advent of piracy hasn't cost the entertainment industry in America a single dime. That's right, not a single cent was lost due to piracy from the early 2000's on, looking at domestic income for the entertainment industry.Abstract:

quote:

---

Hollywood films are generally released first in the United States and then later abroad, with some variation in lags across films and countries. With the growth in movie piracy since the appearance of BitTorrent in 2003, films have become available through illegal piracy immediately after release in the US, while they are not available for legal viewing abroad until their foreign premieres in each country. We make use of this variation in international release lags to ask whether longer lags — which facilitate more local pre-release piracy — depress theatrical box office receipts, particularly after the widespread adoption of BitTorrent. We find that longer release windows are associated with decreased box office returns, even after controlling for film and country fixed effects. This relationship is much stronger in contexts where piracy is more prevalent: after BitTorrent’s adoption and in heavily-pirated genres. Our findings indicate that, as a lower bound, international box office returns in our sample were at least 7% lower than they would have been in the absence of pre-release piracy. By contrast, we do not see evidence of elevated sales displacement in US box office revenue following the adoption of BitTorrent, and we suggest that delayed legal availability of the content abroad may drive the losses to piracy.

---

So, there might be a loss worldwide, but this has more to do with the fact that fucking Hollywood doesn't release films everywhere at the same time, than that it does with piracy. Gee, haven't I been saying this all along, that people want to pay to see movies in cinemas, no matter if they can get the film for free online.Complete study found here.