Is it Ever OK to Buy a Reproduction?

[Seingalt]

I keep parsing the title as a very mangled question from a non-native speaker about the ethics of prostitution.

That makes me wonder how you interpret the title of the other thread started by the same member.

[goldenband]

That makes me wonder how you interpret the title of the other thread started by the same member.

Ha!

[redsox2013]

The only repros I ever bought were games not released here in the U.S. such as Gleylancer, Eliminate Down & Panorama Cotton. I have no problem with buying a MUSHA repro as it's a game many people want but few can afford (and it's a MUST play for any Genesis fan).

Strange that the seller of that MUSHA is selling repros of TMNT Hyperstone Heist for $30. You can buy a loose original cartridge for only $10 (or so) more.

[marlowe221]

Ha!

The double entendres was intended on that one. My (admittedly lame) attempt at a joke.

The only repros I ever bought were games not released here in the U.S. such as Gleylancer, Eliminate Down & Panorama Cotton. I have no problem with buying a MUSHA repro as it's a game many people want but few can afford (and it's a MUST play for any Genesis fan).

Strange that the seller of that MUSHA is selling repros of TMNT Hyperstone Heist for $30. You can buy a loose original cartridge for only $10 (or so) more.

Really? I was under the impression that Hyperzone was kind of pricey... I got lucky and found my loose copy for $5 a year or so ago at a flea market. But aren't the eBay prices considerably higher than that?

[needler420]

To each their own really.

I would never buy a reproduction cartridge for a game that had an official release; I understand there are games that are money-prohibited but spending any amount for a counterfeit is probably a poor investment in the long-run compared to buying a flash-cartridge and having a larger library available to you as a few people have already mentioned.

But where I personally like reproduction carts for is with games that were never localized here and were strictly language-prohibited; it makes owning a dedicated cartridge novel and in and of itself is obviously not to be confused with something genuine.

This guy said it best.

Reproductions are supporting someone profiting of others work that needs to get hit with a DMCA.

At that point might as well emulate and if you so have to play on original hardware go flashcart.

[marlowe221]

This guy said it best.

Reproductions are supporting someone profiting of others work that needs to get hit with a DMCA.

But downloading a ROM is somehow better from a legal perspective? Or should we pay ridiculous sums of money to individual sellers on eBay who are also profiting off some other person's IP?

I totally get that a reproduction is not the perfect answer. As far as I can see, there isn't one in this case - there isn't a perfect answer in the case of a lot of "dead" IPs from 25 years ago.

As far as I know there is no holder of the IP rights for MUSHA distributing it anywhere or in any form. In other words, there is not currently a way for me to pay the developers of MUSHA for the work they put into the game (one of the best on the system from what I have read).

So what's the difference between putting a ROM on a flashcart and buying a clearly marked reproduction?

[IrishNinja]

it's okay to buy most anything you want - yeah, the scene likely loses a sports game, but it's your call

also, don't listen to the silly "somebody else's work" crowd; you're not paying dick to the original creators paying ebay markup fees either. for a repro, you're paying for the parts and labor.

Get a flashcart, like midnightrider said. In the long run much cheaper and many times more useful.

honestly, i started out just buying repros years back of stuff we never got that was on the sega channel - Pulseman, Wily Wars, Alien Soldier etc, but the guy was doing some BOGO thing so i ended up with MUSHA, Centy & Punisher as well, which i thought was cool...but years later, i've a Mega Everdrive and feel a bit silly, since that was an infinitely better use of my money.

[needler420]

The point is one is the lesser of two evils. Which flys past the majority of you.

The Rom is illegal to begin with unless you own a physical copy.

1.Reproductions. someone else is making lots of money by flashing the roms on blanks.

2. Flashcart. Not letting others profit off of others work. But doing the dirty work yourself.

[Flygon]

It's a catch-22. A lot of people simply enjoy having a box, cartridge, and manual. Unfortunately, 'genuine' copies are often more expensive than a reproduction that comes close (ie. passable, not Hong Kong pirate grade) to how the original was.

But most people don't have the facilities to purchase a flashable cartridge, print the boxes, manuals... you see where I am going with this.

[IrishNinja]

The Rom is illegal to begin with unless you own a physical copy.

i literally cannot imagine caring about the legalities of a ROM, but if i'm not mistaken, it's kinda a moot point since not every source ive seen says having a "legit" copy entitles you to that, anyway.

as far as others profiting off others work: there's middlemen for tons of services i use. if someone is willing to do the reproduction itself (dumping the ROM, quality art, etc) that's a service, no dirtier than most.

it's not a "lesser evil", as paying $600 on ebay for Snatcher isn't a moral good. it makes one feel better about their shelf, sure, but playing a legit copy, emulating, or buying a $2 disc someone made good art on & dumped the image do the exact same amount of good/harm: nothing.

[Flygon]

Incidentally, we're heading into the same logical and emotional loop this sort of discussion tends to head towards where Copyright Law becomes some form of an 'ethical' thing.

Even if the end result does not affect the corporations involved in any measurable way. There's a reason my personal belief is in Copyright for an individual work expiring after around 20 to 25 years.

[IrishNinja]

agreed - mind you, if the game's ever resold digitally (steam/virtual console/PSN etc) i personally feel morally compelled to support it where i can, unless i bought it in the day.

it's funny, in the past i thought it would've been cool if classic game devs no longer working with their respective studios had a paypal tip jar at their sites, like there's a lotta people id like to leave beer money for after getting into the saturn's library way after the fact.

[Flygon]

Ooh, yes, a tip jar would be bloody amazing. I would love if former developers did that.

[needler420]

Flys right past their heads.

[MasterGenesis]

So... I really want to play MUSHA.

I know I could easily emulate it but playing it on the original hardware would be very cool.

That said, I cannot afford an actual cartridge.

So what if I bought a reproduction (clearly marked as such)? Would it even work? Is that a no-no among the community?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Either save up or get an Everdrive. MUSHA isn't as rare as say, Magical Chase or Stadium Events and therefore, no one would make a reproduction of it as it's only a $250 game.