Slashdot Mirror
Quick Fixes For Those Pining For A 6-foot Cabinet
Joe Barr writes "Over at Newsforge [part of OSDN, like Slashdot], there's a look at the arcade/system emulator movement and two Linux-based Live CDs designed to put you in touch with your inner Donkey Kong: KnoppixMAME and AdvanceCD. I'm happy with gameplay under both. I only wish I knew more about the legality of using them." S!: We previously covered release details on KnoppixMAME and AdvanceCD last year, and also mentioned the categorically legal, if limited StarROMs site on Slashdot Games a few weeks back.
an old DDR cabinet, KnoppixMAME, StepMania, and a few days of free time. Then I will never have to leave the house again!
bash: rtfm: command not found
i use a hacked xbox in my cabinet boots faster then the Knoppix solution and you dont need a keyboard at all.
I only wish I knew more about the legality of using them.
...
The software for most of these arcade games is not free. If you do not have a legal license for a game you are playing under MAME, you are infringing on someone's copyright.
I think that about sums it up right there. Yes, most MAME use is illegal. No, they probably won't call you on it for the older games. They might call you on it for some of the newer ones that are still making money in the arcades, but they'd need to catch you first, which is pretty hard if you just do it at home.
There is one site that tells you EVERYTHING you need to know.
www.arcadecontrols.com
Enough of these side articles about mame.
Are y.ou D1S5AT1S.FIED with the S.1.Z.E. and G.1RT.H of you.r C.AB1N.ET????
We can help, with our A.11 N.A.T.U.R_AL H.3RB.AL F.ORMULA!!!
C.LI.C.K H.3RE for r.3M0.V.@.L
Honey, I shrunk the Cygwin
Vector graphics, decent force-feedback and an operable clutch, which can really show you who knows how to drive. The physics were pretty realistic, even allowing for throttle steering.
Of course, it only came with a four-speed transmission, but it's better than the contemporaries, which had no clutch and paddle shifters, with laughable physics.
"Snoochie-Boochies? Who talks like that? That is babytalk!"-Jay, Chasing Amy
In a perfect world, I mean. I use MAME, and I use it to play really old arcade games. Yes, I realize that this is almost certainly illegal--Nintendo would probably sue my ass off if they knew that I played Donkey Kong with my setup. But why? Look at it realistically; Donkey Kong is freaking old. Even if Nintendo were to rerelease it for, I dunno, the GBA or something--hell, they might have already done this--how well would it actually do? Most people who play games today would take one look at it and say "Eeew! That's crap!" based on the graphics / difficulty and go away. The only people who would actually buy a rerelease of Donkey Kong would either be people who played it in arcades long ago or those or who, like me, played it via MAME. MAME is therefore actually a good thing--it spreads around old games and gets people excited and interested in them, thus boosting sales if those games are ever rereleased. Changing the subject slightly, look at Super NES emulation. Tons of people use things like ZSNES to play old RPGs like Final Fantasy VI. When Square actually did rerelease that game, it sold pretty well, but it arguably would not have sold nearly as well if the ROM trade hadn't made games like that popular among "pirates." Hell, I played that game on an emulator and then gladly purchased the rerelease when it came out; had I not played the game before in ROM form, there's no way I would have done that. Emulation, especially for older/obsolete game platforms, is a Good Thing.
MAME user: I wish the law wasn't so ambiguous about playing ROMs.
The Law: It's illegal unless you have the copyright owner's permission.
MAME user: like I said, so vague...
Copyright holders: Don't do it. We don't give permission.
MAME user: can't I get a clear answer out of either of you two?!
While in general you aren't hurting anyone, this isn't always the case. Sometimes these games are bought by companies who plan to release an update version, including a version of the original as well. Or they are planning to release a compilation of old games. There are at least a few compilations packs that include things such as Pacman, DigDug, Asteroids, etc. So while you may think you never hurting anyone, that isn't always the case. Just look at the current "control games" that have become fairly popular. There is an Atari 2600 one with 10 or so old Atari cart games on it and an arcade version with 6 old arcade games. Certainly your hurting the sales of these type of devices.
"Information wants to be expensive" - Stewart Brand, the same guy who said "Information wants to be free"
The rulemaking from the U.S. Copyright Office is perfectly clear. If you have rights to the game (as in you own a broken one, bought ROMs from StarROMs, etc), AND you the machine isn't made anymore, you can emulate the machine, even if it has anti-copying built in.
So, the rest of us that have 2000 ROM sets for games we haven't ever seen in person, let alone own a broken original, then we are 'breakin the law'. But you know what else... NO ONE CARES!
No one cares because there is no money involved. The people that own the rights to all the classic arcade games know that it's not worth there time and effort to try and sell old stuff. They're never going to make another Defender machine. They tried to sell Defender and other classics on CD, but that was hardly worth thier time and effort. They will sit on those old rights forever. I have approached a few of the owners and tried to buy the IP from them, and secure the rights for what I felt was some biz-ops, but they have some lazy ass lawyers that are not even sure what games they have right to (becasue of all the mergers), and they weren't willing to look into it.
So if they aren't even willing to figure out what games they have the right for, how willing do you think they are to sue individuals over small time infrinement cases? Not very willing at all.
As long as MAME keeps their distance from ROM distribution, they have nothing to worry about as there are legal and legitimate ways to use MAME.
As long as you're not selling turn-key MAME cabinets fully loaded will all ROMs, you have nothing to worry about. Your not profiting from having and emualtor in your living room, and people that aren't making any money (from their illegal activity) generally don't get sued.