I admit I did the same thing with Homeworld, tried a ripped copy, went "Oh cool", and bought the full copy so I could get the movies and updates.

I think most people who download games from warez never have any intention of purchasing them, so as Stardock has said, they didn't lose anything anyway. While those that do try it as a less than legal version of a demo, and do buy it are probably the minority, but still exist (obviously).

You can't really defend piracy, nor can you really stop it. And I think it is probably equating to some lost sales, but not nearly the huge numbers that the pro-copy protection groups cite.

I think Stardock has a much better, and more progressive, method of ensuring sales than annoying garbage like StarForce or SecureROM, or whatever. And as download sales become more common, more software will go this route (or similar), and disk based protection will die the death it deserves.

I'll either apply for beta testing or download demo's to games I'm interested in... Personally I think its wrong to basically steal games by downloading them for free... but this is just my opinion. Its my view no other gaming company out there has done as much to make their consumers happy than Star force... I'm totally impressed with their honesty and hard work and feel they deserve my full support as far as buying the game... I haven't been fortunate enough to play it yet because my local EB store hasn't received it... But I feel if a company deserves $39.99 its definitely Star force.

I think you mean Stardock, not Starforce.

Let's hope so Green. Otherwise it's proof that you really can fool some of the people all of the time

But I feel if a company deserves $39.99 its definitely Star force.

I was drinking some very hot coffee when I read that.

Now I think I have third degree burns inside my nose and I trashed a good shirt and keyboard with the resulting spray!!!

But I feel if a company deserves $39.99 its definitely Star force.

Yeah, no company in history has done more to prevent obsessive gaming...

You can't really defend piracy...

I can absolutely defend piracy until the day that I am able to return software products that are broken/incomplete and/or publishers stop shoveling out broken/incomplete games.

Is it theft? No more than jacking my wallet for 49.99 plus tax for an unworking, non-returnable product.

But I feel if a company deserves $39.99 its definitely Star force. Yeah, no company in history has done more to prevent obsessive gaming...

That's not a bad thing per se but I seriously disagree with their methods!

Mmm. Caelistis' commentary reminds me that I wish somebody would come up with a feasible way to legally try out the full version of software for a short period of time, the same way you can rent DVDs and console games. That would help ameliorate that reason for piracy.

Peace & Luv, Liz

somebody would come up with a feasible way to legally try out the full version of software for a short period of time

basically, that's what Stardock did: nobody had to reverse engineer the software to make it work w/o a copy protection. People could download and try it from certain unofficial sources. That's how I got ahold of the game, and then I bought it (it's worth every cent!). In fact it would not be a bad idea to release "trial versions" to P2P networks - companies could save a lot of bandwidth this way.

Teemeister: The small problem with that specific notion is... it's not legal. No company in their right mind is going to purposefully release free fully-functional trial versions to P2P networks.

Of course, companies do release non-fully-functional free trial versions... they're called "demos".

No, I'm talking the way other rentals are handled now... you plunk down $3 and get to play a full version of a game for a week that the rental place legally acquired. It works for console games... why not for PC games?

Well, actually, I know why in the past... it used to be you could pirate PC games without a lot of fuss, but not console games (since they were cartridges). But seeing as how console games and movies are almost all CDs or DVDs now anyway, it seems like less of an issue there.

One downside is that rental versions of games/software would *have* to be DRMed in some fashion, otherwise a customer could just do a full-install, return the software CD/DVD, and dub himself one bit of software richer for $3. Yes, you can rip rental movies DVDs too, for instance, but the idea of using software without a CD is a "normal function", as it were... ripping a DVD isn't.

Peace & Luv, Liz

I tend to focus on online sources for trial versions (or demos) because as soon as you rent a CD/DVD you can easily copy it - and the black sheep will copy it, unless it's copy-protected. But that's not what we want, is it? An alternative would be web-downloads of demos that are not too crippled, meant to excite the potential gamer, yet they miss quite a bit of the full version game code. The missing code could be downloaded from a source that requires registration or some proof of purchase. Once you have both "parts" you can archive them on a medium of your choice. No copy protection required.

A great deal of the "Pirates" who "Pirate" software, own the software they Pirate.
Most Pirateers stress also in their NFOS when they can for the Obtainer to buy the game.
Pirateers got more Ethics than StarForce does, they only Pirate software because they believe it may be: too expensive, or not available in their area (Not "Not released yet" available, more like Not Available because of location), or to give those who get the software a idea what it can do.
By Software I really mean Games, as I see no one cares if they Pirate very expensive software (Adobe, Microsoft, Symantec..)
I did not tho get a Pirated version of Gal Civ 2. I demanded a Gal Civ 2 Preorder as a birthday gift and so far, I'am very happy with my purchase, though there is onw little flaw in my happiness... I got a computer that needs a bit of a upgrade....

I downloaded this game and tried it, then turned around and bought it. This was before I heard about the whole Starfarce fiasco (via Penny Arcade), I doubt I am the only one either.
when people talk about piracy they rarely take into account how often the game purchaser gets swindled by developers. I don't think I can count how often I have bought a game that turns out to have been totally misrepresented by its ads and packaging, not to even get into hired false forum posters and for-sale review sites. In that light full-version demoing, which is how I term it, is less of a crime and more of a sane response to the fact that quite a few software companies are outright stealing from game buyers.
Of course what starforce did was inexcusable, and had everything to do with strongarm tactics, and nothing to do with protecting consumers and I certainly don't condone it. And obviously, since I purchased the game after deciding I liked it, I am not insinuating that Stardock is in any way ripping folks off. Anyway, I hope this admission doesn't get me dropped from the forum.

I have pirated games too. But have many original.

When I buy a game it's because it's worth it.

I rarely buy games like 3d shooter for example. Or king of game like Anno. Thoses games can be fun, but you will never pay 40 or 50$ for it.