Why Not Digitial Distribution?

[Soyweiser]

Originally Posted by Edi

As far as pirates offering better service? Bull****. They have taken what others have done and are conveniently handing it out to anyone who wants it for free while the people whose work they are exploiting do not get paid for their efforts, at least as far as those copies are concerned.

Actually, getting free downloads and manuals is a better service than having to pay for it, and getting it mailed. That the creators are not getting paid is not relevant for service reasons.

Sure there are a lot of reasons why piracy is bad. (Mainly because developers are not getting paid). And the level of piracy will influence the service the developers will provide. But that does not make 'free download' a bad service. It just has other consequences. That these consequences are unwanted is a totally different issue.

Sorry for nitpicking .

[SlipperyJim]

Wow, I can't believe someone (Gandalf) revived this old thread. At least he was kind enough to also cast Gift of Reason on it, so that the discussion might be reasonable and polite.

Still, Shrapnel Games has clearly said that they won't offer digital downloads for Dom3 and that they aren't open to persuasion on the matter. The developers have said they're okay with Shrapnel's answer. Given those responses, I simply don't see how this discussion has any future to it ... no matter how reasonable and polite people are willing to be.

In other words, y'all are doing this:
So I'll do this:

[Edi]

Originally Posted by Soyweiser

Actually, getting free downloads and manuals is a better service than having to pay for it, and getting it mailed. That the creators are not getting paid is not relevant for service reasons.

Sure there are a lot of reasons why piracy is bad. (Mainly because developers are not getting paid). And the level of piracy will influence the service the developers will provide. But that does not make 'free download' a bad service. It just has other consequences. That these consequences are unwanted is a totally different issue.

Sorry for nitpicking .

If the overall service form the developers degrades and/or ends completely, those consequences are very relevant. It depends on whether you look at things from the point of contact perspective or from the perspective of the entire chain.

From the latter, which is what I'm using, pirates are nothing but parasites. The "service" they provide is entirely dependent on someone else having done all the work, it is completely incapable of existing on its own. Therefore it is by definition inferior.

Computer games are a luxury product, so there is NO excuse to not pay for them. Some solutions may not be the most absolutely user friendly from the end user point of view, but must be used due to practical considerations.

But as has been said, Shrapnel Games has made its position crystal clear, so there is nothing left to discuss as far as digital downloads of Dominions 3 are concerned.