ok why not provide or sell the script to the user so it can convert the separate data files/pnd into one PND file? that way you are avoiding any misunderstanding.
Thank-you for a constructive suggestion, milkshake.
Yes, I will provide the scripts as public domain code, free of charge. I will include needed tools, make them user-friendly, and port them to windows. These scripts might be useful to people who already bought the games, or for some reason don't want to support my evil PND store. I will also offer the PNDs for direct download to people who bought the game through me, unless someone slaps me with a DMCA notice or whatever. They would have to make a purchase first in order to obtain evidence of my misdemeanour.
I'm also strongly against this without contacting the authors first!
I did contact Terry first. He's not interested to do this or anything else with VVVVVV at the moment, he's busy writing Super Hexagon. I mentioned my idea to do a re-sale / packaging service. He neither granted nor denied permission to do that, he doesn't have time to bother with small-fry idiots like me. (my words, not his)
If you don't like my scheme, I don't doubt you will vote with your wallet and boycott my ridiculous shop! Or, you can give my 1GHz Pandora some dead pixels as a punishment or something. I expect no less evilness from the EvilDragon!
I didn't notify the repo commercial game authors yet. I don't need their permission to re-sell unmodified PNDs. Milkshake has implemented a "gift" function on the repo which should make it easier and less controversial, no "illegal copying" involved.
Even if you buy the game, the original developer has no idea knowing how many you really sold and will be pissed off.
I thought you were supposed to be an evil dragon? Ah well, the houses of evil divide against themselves!
In fact the original developers will know how many I sold, because they can see all the "gifts" I gave in their database. I will also contact them to let them know, in the unlikely event that I do sell a significant number of bundles. I expect they would be happy to have a few more sales.
Who ever got pissed off that he shipped some more product?
If you're concerned that I will give away the PNDs for free, well that's silly because anyone can do that, and I'm specifically promising not to do that, and it would ruin my already tarnished reputation.
When GOG sells a game, do they have to explain in detail to random third parties (not even customers!) how their business works? I'm trying to do this in the best way I can, for all invovled. I have not even sold any games yet, and yet here I am being interrogated, and even insulted by the loose cannons among us. Clearly I should have written a FAQ in advance, but who knows how people will react?
Why don't you offer the original dev to pack the PND together with the datafiles and put it on the repo using HIS PayPal data?
Then he would directly get the money from the sales and that's it.
Yes of course it would be better to do it that way. If the original dev had the time and inclination to fuck about with this trivial market, and this old game, he would do so - or not. It would certainly be preferable, and I would do that where possible. In this case, the original dev is busy working on his new games and doesn't care to talk about VVVVVV or Open Pandora with me at the moment.
As another example, I intend to package "I have no mouth, and I must scream" by Harlan Ellison. Mr Ellison likely does not give a crap about Open Pandora, but on the off-chance that he is interested, I will offer for him to host the PND on the repo directly as you said. If he's not interested, I'll do it myself according to my re-sale / re-package scheme; but probably not on the repo, it would violate the terms of service as I don't own the content.
Geca just removed DRM from PolloPollo as the community likes buying games without DRM. I am really happy about that move and will support it as good as I can.
Yes, it's good. I bought the game already before, and made a donation to say thanks.
If you think your idea is good, explain it to the original devs and if they think it's good too, you're free to contonue
It would be pretty damn stupid to sue an honest re-seller, who is only bringing you new business and making your software more accessible on an uncommon platform.
This whole idea is pretty fucking stupid.
Thank-you, I will take any such ill-mannered insult as a compliment.
We shouldn't consider middlemaning anything
This level of ignorance is really depressing.
"Middlemen" can make things potentially easier for authors. As long as the copyright holder agrees with it (or the software in question is free software), I see nothing wrong with it.
Did you know, a book-seller does not need the permission of the copyright holder to re-sell a book? And he especially does not need the permission of a gaggle of acquaintances who neither sell, write nor publish the book he will be re-selling!
And neither do I need permission from the author to re-sell a video game. In the case of digital copies it can be unclear, however courts have ruled in favour of consumer rights rather than ridiculous EULAs.
I can legally re-sell VVVVVV in a bundle with 2 other games for $10,000 and no person has anything to complain about. It's called trade, it's called a market. Not that I'm doing this, no one would buy it. In the case of VVVVVV, it's particularly easy, and clearly legal to "re-sell" VVVVVV by means of their "gift" option. Our repo now has a "gift" option that I requested for this purpose; thanks very much to milkshake for coding this over the weekend.
The only thing I am doing which might be questionable, is to put the software into a PND filesystem. I consider this to be fair use, it's the best way to play these games on our platform. If you don't like it, vote with your wallet and don't buy my bundles.
Yay for open markets and free trade.
Someone else mailed me, and told me what I am doing is wrong because I am not allowed to resell open source software. That was wrong on two counts:
1. the software I am re-selling is not open source
2. anyone is allowed to re-sell DFSG-free open source software at any price, make compilations of it, etc.
