Copyright Exemption for Obsolete Videogames

Submitted by awf on
Forum
General Chat

From www.Gamasutra.com:

The exemption applies to games that require the original media or hardware as a condition of access, and it determines a format obsolete ?if the machine or system necessary to render perceptible a work stored in that format is no longer manufactured or is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace.?

Seems reasonable to me. I guess applies to the earlier emulation thread as well.

Submitted by Aven on Wed, 05/11/03 - 9:13 AMPermalink

I remember reading a few years ago, that once a game has become 10 years old, it can become freely distributed. PC Powerplay had the full version of Ultima 4 on one of their cover discs. I would be interested to know if this still exists. I always waited for id to release Doom for free at it 10 year aniversary. Instead they released the Doom chronicals package. I bought that instead :P

Submitted by souri on Sun, 16/11/03 - 10:34 AMPermalink

Unfortunately, [url="http://www.1up.com/article2/0,4364,1383026,00.asp"]Sega have different plans[/url]..

quote:"Sega today opened the official page for its soon-to-debut "Sega Game Honpo" service, a new subscription-based retro-gaming site where players can download and play an array of 16-bit games on their PCs. Starting November 20, Japanese gamers will be able to subscribe and play a growing selection of Mega Drive/Genesis games via the site, and Sega will gradually expand the library of games offered on a monthly basis."
Submitted by Aven on Sun, 16/11/03 - 7:06 PMPermalink

Would be worth it for Gunstar Heroes and PuyoPuyo. $15 is a small price to pay. I guess it beats having to pay $100 for seven Sonic games crammed onto one disc. I will be interested to know if they are ports, or if Sega have made their own emulator for it :)

Posted by awf on
Forum
General Chat

From www.Gamasutra.com:

The exemption applies to games that require the original media or hardware as a condition of access, and it determines a format obsolete ?if the machine or system necessary to render perceptible a work stored in that format is no longer manufactured or is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace.?

Seems reasonable to me. I guess applies to the earlier emulation thread as well.

Submitted by Aven on Wed, 05/11/03 - 9:13 AMPermalink

I remember reading a few years ago, that once a game has become 10 years old, it can become freely distributed. PC Powerplay had the full version of Ultima 4 on one of their cover discs. I would be interested to know if this still exists. I always waited for id to release Doom for free at it 10 year aniversary. Instead they released the Doom chronicals package. I bought that instead :P

Submitted by souri on Sun, 16/11/03 - 10:34 AMPermalink

Unfortunately, [url="http://www.1up.com/article2/0,4364,1383026,00.asp"]Sega have different plans[/url]..

quote:"Sega today opened the official page for its soon-to-debut "Sega Game Honpo" service, a new subscription-based retro-gaming site where players can download and play an array of 16-bit games on their PCs. Starting November 20, Japanese gamers will be able to subscribe and play a growing selection of Mega Drive/Genesis games via the site, and Sega will gradually expand the library of games offered on a monthly basis."
Submitted by Aven on Sun, 16/11/03 - 7:06 PMPermalink

Would be worth it for Gunstar Heroes and PuyoPuyo. $15 is a small price to pay. I guess it beats having to pay $100 for seven Sonic games crammed onto one disc. I will be interested to know if they are ports, or if Sega have made their own emulator for it :)