Your Opinion on Emulation

[squadala]

Emulation was one of the main instruments that got me into Zelda, and other, great game series. Beyond that I started to explore the games more "professionally." I know some people that despise emulation and rom hacking though. It IS technically illegal but it has introduced many people to great games who would'nt have that oppurtunity otherwise. So what do you guys think? Is emulation a force of good? Or evil....

 

[mooper11]

I don't emulate because IT'S ILLEGAL!!!

 

[blubb]

Well I think it's not a bad thing and that it's rather beneficial for gaming companies because it makes it easier to introduce new players to different gaming series. I for example started with the Final Fantasy series as late as early 2010. For me as a European, it was the only possibility to play those games because I-VI were never released here on their original consoles (VII was the first one to ship to Europe) so that's the only way to play those games (other games as well, like Chrono Trigger) and I'm not a big fan of the DS/PSP remakes (yay for original experience). Without emulation, I'd never gotten into the series at all. I consider buying one of the newer games of the series if they ever release a non-MMORPG FF for PC again (I don't wanna buy a PS3 or XBOX). And I don't see anything wrong with ROM hacking either because that also attracts players to the games (I really liked the LttP hack "Parallel Worlds" and the numerous SMW hacks, very creative => possible recruitment of new video game developers?).
Same goes for the old NES/N64 Zelda games. I unfortunately never had any of those consoles (only a SNES with aLttP and other games back in the day) but emulating all these games really got me deeper into the series and it's also the reason why I'm here. Sure, I could've bought a NES/N64 (+ the games) from eBay, but Nintendo wouldn't have profited from that any more, maybe even less, because with emulation you can optimize these old games for more modern Full HD screens and faster PCs (texture enhancing, anti-aliasing etc.) which makes them more enjoyable (the original 240i would've looked horrible on a Full HD screen).
I'll definitely buy the Wii successor when it comes out along with Skyward Sword now as well as a 3DS, and emulation of the older games was a big, maybe even decisive factor in that, so yeah, I'm all for emulation.
Edit: Whoever did it, thank you for de-repping me for opinion rather than for bad grammar/spelling/flaming/off-topic and other things it is actually intended for. And without even bothering to write down a reason. You're doing it way right :yes:

 

[MarioBr1]

I emulate. I've owned most of the games I emulate, though. But there are a lot of games I have roms of that I don't own, and I have emu's on my Wii.

I don't think emulating is bad, well for me. I only emulate old games, games that aren't even on sale any more. So it's not stealing money.

*cough* Virtual Console *cough*

I emulate as well, but only games that aren't in VC, or if I own them.

I also emulate to try games before I buy them from the VC.

 

[ancazur]

I have an emulator, but rarely use it. I prefer to own my games outright. But the only games I use it for are those that weren't released in America, and require the use of a translator to play. So yeah, I think I'm okay with that.

 

[Jimmy]

Fierce Diety, I have to inform you that whole 24 hour thing is bull****. It's something that goes round the emulation community on the grounds of "trial before purchasing", but it has no legal basis. Essentially if you were caught (very unlikely) with a ROM of a game you didn't own within 24 hours of downloading it they could still prosecute you for it. But it nearly never happens.

In my view old games should be released into the wild for people to play, but that's as a consumer. I can see the point of them charging for re-released games though, it would make them a fair amount of money for little to no development time.

 

[Djinn]

Use of emulators has allowed for me to play so many games that I never would have had a chance with. Games such as Seiken Densetsu 3, Twinbee, Zelda BS, KikiKaikai 2 and 3, entire Touhou series, many Goemon titles, etc. All of these that their developers thought to never release in North America I had the ability to play because the roms were available.

Also a lot of third party NES and SNES games have become public domain in recent years. It seems Nintendo and Capcom were the only ones really interested in maintaining their properties for further use.

 

[MarioBr1]

It's only illegal if you don't own the game you're emulating. Emulators themselves are not illegal, the use of ROMs are. And it's illegal AFTER you have kept using a ROM for more than 24 hours.



Are they for their original consoles? No. They're edited version to work with the Wii, basically, NOT their original versions, therefore the original version shouldn't have anything to do with the VC version. Also, Virtual Console doesn't have every old game, just the high rated ones, and the ones that are Nintendo's pride. Would the Virtual Console have Duke Nukem Time to Kill?
No. Does the Virtual Console have Space Station: Silicon Valley? I highly doubt it, but if they do, I'd get it. Does the Virtual Console even have the Gameboy or GBA games that seem to have vanished from where I live? 'Course not, they saved that up to get their 3DS more sales. Most of the stuff on Virtual Console I already have, that means ROMs and cartridges, and I've owned the original games of the ROMs before. So what I'm saying is Virtual Console = useless.

First of all, do some research before you post because the games on Virtual Console ARE the original thing. Are the ROMs you use on the emulators for their original console? No.

VC isn't useless, it's a LEGAL way to get old games.
VC doesn't have every game because it would be a stupid business move to put them all in there at once.
It also doesn't have GB, GBC, or GBA games because those are HANDHELDS. It's called Vitrual Console, not Virtual Handheld, and of course Nintendo is saving them up for the 3DS, Nintendo IS a business after all. If you didn't know, businesses are about making money.

The games on Virtual Console are the original games, they are emulated on the Wii. They are not altered, only Pokemon Snap which got a new feature that lets you send the pictures you take to the Wii Message Board so you can send it to friends and stuff.

You said: "I only emulate old games, games that aren't even on sale any more. So it's not stealing money." .

Maybe I miss-understood that sentence.

I'm not trying to be rude or anything. I also have emulators on my Wii, but I use them for games that aren't in the VC. I also emulate games if I already own the cartridge like you said.

I don't think it is actually legal to download any ROM, even if you have the game already;

From: http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#download_rom

"Can I Download a Nintendo ROM from the Internet if I Already Own the Authentic Game?

There is a good deal of misinformation on the Internet regarding the backup/archival copy exception. It is not a "second copy" rule and is often mistakenly cited for the proposition that if you have one lawful copy of a copyrighted work, you are entitled to have a second copy of the copyrighted work even if that second copy is an infringing copy. The backup/archival copy exception is a very narrow limitation relating to a copy being made by the rightful owner of an authentic game to ensure he or she has one in the event of damage or destruction of the authentic. Therefore, whether you have an authentic game or not, or whether you have possession of a Nintendo ROM for a limited amount of time, i.e. 24 hours, it is illegal to download and play a Nintendo ROM from the Internet."

I guess it's illegal to download any kind of ROM, unless you made the actual ROM file yourself.

 

[mooper11]

Can I Download a Nintendo ROM from the Internet if I Already Own the Authentic Game?
There is a good deal of misinformation on the Internet regarding the backup/archival copy exception. It is not a "second copy" rule and is often mistakenly cited for the proposition that if you have one lawful copy of a copyrighted work, you are entitled to have a second copy of the copyrighted work even if that second copy is an infringing copy. The backup/archival copy exception is a very narrow limitation relating to a copy being made by the rightful owner of an authentic game to ensure he or she has one in the event of damage or destruction of the authentic. Therefore, whether you have an authentic game or not, or whether you have possession of a Nintendo ROM for a limited amount of time, i.e. 24 hours, it is illegal to download and play a Nintendo ROM from the Internet.

That was taken from NOA's official website. Basically it says that even if you own the game, if you emulate it, its considered an illegal copy. There are more things about that on NOA's Emulating website listed here: http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#download_rom

It's only illegal if you don't own the game you're emulating. Posted by Fierce Diety

Well If I go to gamestop and say that I already have one copy of Twilight Princess, and ask them to give me another one for free, they won't. Basically thats what your saying. I paid money for the game the first time, so give me another one for free even though I'm asking for a different copy.

Your logic
First Buy of Kingdom Hearts = $25
Second buy of Kingdom Hearts = Free because I already have a copy
Does that really make sense now?:hmm:

 

[Y2K3]

I've essentially stopped with the emulators and the roms. I think I currently have 2 roms and I don't play them, so I have no reason to keep them. I guess it's just one of those things where I feel better if I don't have them.
If it's a game that I really want to play, but cannot get access to in a legal way, I'll download it for a couple of days and after I get my fix, I'll delete it again. Most of the games that I'd want to play I own, so I find that I don't have to emulate very often anyway.

 

[MrLuigi]

It's just a myth that if you own a game, that you can emulate it. It really is all in all, illegal to download ROMs. This was said before on this thread, but I want to say it.

Whenever you download a game (even if you own it) it copies from the site you got it from. That copy is worth $10.00 (VC price, Ocarina of Time for example). That site is like a retailer, that's illegally letting you "buy" ROMs. So not only is the retailer in the wrong, you are too for pirated software, or stolen goods.

 

[MarioBr1]

But seriously. It goes largely unpunished.

But that doesn't mean it's right to do. You are obviously for it, ran out of excuses, and keep posting the same thing.

 

[Jimmy]

It is true it goes unpunished. I personally find it more immoral that Nintendo would charge me 10 dollars to play a game I already own with a different controller.

On another note, from a legal point of view what is the difference between making a ROM yourself (which some seem to be saying is legal) and downloading a copy. At the end of the day you have a copy. Does this mean if I buy a music album and download it off of piratebay that it is illegal? At the end of the day I have a copy of something I own, I'm seriously sceptical as to whether they could prosecute you for such a thing. What is the difference? To the computer its lines of code.

 

[MrLuigi]

Use this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGM8PT1eAvY

Applies the same to video games.

 

[Jimmy]

That video is pretty hilarious actually