Giana's Return Gpx2?

[Squidge]

Unlike Tapwave, at least we know GPH are not going to just die suddenly

There are ways around the signed applications on the Zodiac though, specially if you have the DAA.

 

[OrR]

Sure, DRM is designed to protect from piracy but you have to ask yourself: Is piracy an issue? I don't doubt that there will be people doing piracy if it is possible but as long as the GP community does not tolerate this I don't think it'll be a big problem. If you like a game you buy it. Who does not do this should be thrown out.

 

[Seraptin]

Sure, i would donate some money....
But maybe you should take some oher ways to donate into account.... i dont like paypal :/
I always liked to pay via money transfer etc. but well i think i would set up a small paypal account to dontate 4 gpx2 software ;P

 

[DaveC]

Selling it without DRM means they could possibly get one sale and then that person hands it out to 100 people. DRM is designed to make sure every copy that exists is a copy that is paid for.

If the DRM was similar to how some digital audio is distributed I wouldnt mind. I bought a song from Buy.com a while back. it currently exists on 2 differnt computers an external HD and my MP3 player without having to buy extra copies. I move the song and when I go to play it I'm asked to verify with my creditcard number that I'm the owner of the file 5 seconds later it plays and I can upload it to any of my MP3 players (assuming I have more than one) or leave it on the computer.

This method assures that you can have more than one and that you wont be giving out hundreds of unsanctioned copies.

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Unfortunately the DRM is likely to similar to be what we have on GP32 and Zodiac. Apps signed to only work on your unit.

Speaking as someone who owns several apps purchased in this manner for my Zodiac (and my previous GP32 as well!) I have to say it's not at all friendly for the consumer. My Zodiac is dying. And I no longer own the Gp32 I originally bought some of these games for. So basically, I can no longer play some of the games I paid for. And even if I were to get a new Zodiac someday, now that Tapwave is gone, I have no way to get the games resigned for a new unit. So it's just lost money.

It really does leave a bad taste in your mouth.

But I would still buy some GPX2 games that way, just to help support GPH, because I know they aren't Nintendo or Sony and they truly need any support they can get. But I have to say that boxed games ar e worth the extra money since they will work on any unit. But I doubt many (if any) GPX2 games will be sold that way. We'll see.

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Matbe they could just sell it without DRM. I have avoided purchasing games because of DRM. It is like you really don't own it and are just renting it for as long as the device you have it on lasts.

I don't think most GP32 owners will pirate the games. Some of us may have a few ROMZ around but most of us have no problem supporting the devs and won't spread their games illegally. I would actually pay MORE for a non-DRM game as at least I know it is truly MINE after I pay for it. This would offset any pirated copies that may come about. So instead of asking for a $1 donation maybe he could sell the game NON-DRM for $5.


OT:
Just imagine if all of the old computer/console games like SNES and Atari-ST were locked secure and not cracked, many would be lost forever.

 

[declaration]

Yeah, you could just sell the game non-drm'ed.

If you made it clear it was a commercial game, I am almost 100% sure that none of the GP32 sites would host it illegally.

I doubt there would be a massive problem with piracy.

Just make the game $10 and I'm sure you'd have plenty of takers.

 

[Prophet]

Pirates (in terms of commercial apps) were heavily shunned by both the Gp32 and Zodiac communities. We never had any real piracy to speak of, unlike the Nintendo and Sony handhelds where piracy is huge and out of control.

But I still think GPH will use the DRM. And I can't blame them. Afterall, what _IF_ GPX2 becomes very successful, and sells enough units worldwide that communities like this no longer hold much sway over what users do. Then there could be piracy. I know that's unlikely, but you don't start a business without looking to the future and hoping for the best possible outcome.

 

[Alpha2]

Just like the people on the poll that picked the "why pay money for something free" choice there are going to be people who want something for nothing even if the price is low.

I know if I were to post a game and ask a modest price for it's purchase that someone would instantly post it else where for several people to get their hands on it for nothing. It's probably why some many people simply hand their games out, too much trouble to try an enforce a profitable system unless you have some sort of official buisness distribution or DRM system to protect your own interests.

Donation is the best way to go, atleast you know the people the appriciate the game most will try to show it if they can even remotely afford to. Not as much money in it as there'd be if you could sell it commercially but it's better than nothing.

 

[DaveC]

Sadly I wouldn't buy it if it was DRMed. I do not like DRM and the hassles associated with it. You are not free to use it on any handheld you want when you want and are at the mercy of the publisher to give you permission. What would happen if you were to buy hundreds of dollars worth of games, GPH went under, and your unit broke. You buy another unit from ebay but now none of your games that you PAID FOR will work anymore. What then? What if your unit breaks and you replace it now you have to contact GPH and beg them to let you use the games on your new one and must prove that you are not a pirate? We know that GP is not the most responsive when it comes to e-mail. What a pain. What if you have two units one for backup, you would have to buy the game twice and have it loaded 2X on the same SD card taking up twice the space so it works on both? That is unacceptable to me, sorry.

Think that is far fetched? Well that EXACT thing has happened to the Zodiac, Tapwave folds, your fucked. Perfect case study.

 

[Alpha2]

Personally I'd seek the safer option every time, so I completely agree. But I also say "buyer beware" with any purchase you make. People have to make their choices carefully everyday when it comes to money and even moreso when it comes to buying things over the internet.

If every one of their games were only purchasable online then they'd be shit outta luck because I wouldnt buy them all and I'd encourage others not to under that particular system untill I heard that you could save back ups to you computer and still use them without having to ask permission for every copy (atleast as long as the company seems stable if they go out of buisness they should be required to give you the unlock code).

I bought Dyhard online for the GP32 because it was cheap and I wanted a game to play that was already translated to english. That I paid about 25 bucks for it means I wouldnt loose much sleep if I could never play it again which I always concidered a possibility. After that I weighted any purchase I'd make heavily, price vs entertainment value vs how likely it would be that I'd damage my system and need a new one. (I'm very protective of my GP32, if it were broken for some reason not related to ak act of god then someone would hafe to pay in blood.) Ultimately the questionable state of the site I bought the game from kept me from ever buying another from them and from then on Boxed was all I was interested in.

So basically I guess what this long winded post is saying is that if everyone had been more discriminating about how they bought online content instead of jumping on the first things to come along maybe companies would have realized they had to do beter and there'd be a better option for buying digital content online, but it's what we have and you have to make do with it the best you can or come up with a better way and offer it to them.

 

[triton]

i have the great gianna sisters for the amiga 1000, i love that game! i like it more that mario, if i ever get a gp32 or gp2x i will get your game for certian, and if i can i will donate to you guys

 

[tengen]

$1? Sure.

I don't even play platform games much, not my favorite genre, but I'd donate a dollar just to support high quality homebrew on GPX2.

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same. we need all the jems we can get