While I understand why Tobias is hated around here, and I know he has done some pretty selfish things, there is an issue that I would like to bring up here.
I live on a fairly modest monthly budget, and that makes it extremely difficult to justify buying Turbo games right now, because eBay sellers are charging obscene amounts for even common games. When I first entered the Turbo scene, a copy of Neutopia II was selling for about $100. Now that's what a copy of the first game is being listed at.
With that being the situation, there is no way I could buy a legit copy of games like Beyond Shadowgate, Dynastic Hero, or Dungeon Explorer II, and still feel comfortable about it. I could burn a CD-R, but we know that those are not great for the lasers in our systems, and frankly, look butt-ugly when the game's on the shelf between plays.
Tobias' repros are not cheap, but I can still get four games for less than the price of one (legit copy), and it's professionally pressed, printed, and looks like an actual product that I can feel happy to have on my shelf and in my CD drive. For the first time, I have a chance to actually feel like I "own" these games. That would never happen if I were left to the nonexistent mercies of eBay sellers.
Should Tobias try to make his repros look legit? No. Should he profit off of the homebrew community without permission? Of course not. However, I'd much rather deal with him than the eBay sellers. In fact, I'd argue that it's because of them that we have this situation in the first place. Tobias provides a service to people who want these games but cannot afford them, and I am happy to support that...up to a point. I won't be purchasing his unauthorized copies of fan translations or homebrews out of respect for those who make them.
Does that make me a selfish person? Yeah, probably, but if it means I can own and experience "rare games" like Dynastic Hero without breaking the bank or funding swindling resellers, I can live with that. Games are meant to be played, not bought and sold like stocks.
I'm not attacking you personally, but I think your perspective (because you gave an example) should be put into context. So.. don't take this personally. (Also, please read the following in Laurence Fishburne's voice. Thanks).
1) What right do you have to anything? I mean, complaining that you can't afford this or that, when it
isn't a matter of life or death, or even the difference between eating unhealthy junk food vs eating healthy (i.e. more expensive), or not having the income to move out of the ghetto <- better quality of life by being safer. You're talking about physically owning games, to play on your old relic of a system. You have no inherent right to that. And in context, you have every opportunity to play or "own" any of these games via emulation, CD-R, or flashcard. So this whole, "I can't afford it" thing seems petty, especially knowing how expensive these systems are to collect for -> this isn't some surprise to you. Even if you did buy the game from PCEWORKS, it's not the original. It's still a fantasy of owning the original, which really isn't any different than CD-Rs, flashcard, or emulation. It's fantasy shelf candy.
Don't get me wrong. From a human-science perspective, I understand the
experience with the relationship of owning a physical copy of the game. I understand that the experience of the game is more than just the controller and interaction with the game logic; it's the feel of the real controller, the sounds of the CD drive seeking, the act of taking the game out of its case, parsing through the manual, and placing it in the system - the physical affirmation of the system sitting in front of you; the aesthetics.
All of it. But it's still a choice, not a right or something owed. And you have other options that aren't preventing you from playing
any of these games - only your own view that's preventing you from enjoying them via other options.
Should Tobias try to make his repros look legit? No. Should he profit off of the homebrew community without permission? Of course not. However, I'd much rather deal with him than the eBay sellers.
Before I continue, you might say - "But hey Mr. Bnuts, you see it differently because you're directly affected by this". I've come to terms with all of this. And.. I don't give a shit about him anymore, relation to anything I've worked on. I've reconciled it, internally. But.. this quote right here - what exactly are you saying? I'll tell you what I see...
2) You feel bad that Tobias cheats people with deception, and you feel bad that he rips off homebrewers.. but none of that compares to the
evil of having to deal with ebay sellers of the real products??? Do you realize the absurdity of that statement? I know you're trying to rationalize it with the minimal amount of guilt or feeling shitty about it, but in the end you pretty much just said, "I feel a
little bad about what he's doing, but not bad enough to not to support Tobias". Your nod to the opposition is just that - for show. And that's what it boils down to for you. And if that's how you feel, then just say it. Don't shift the blame on ebay sellers. That's ridiculous. No one is forcing you to do anything - you made a choice.
Own it. Don't squirm around it because it make your conscience feel better.
Does that make me a selfish person? Yeah, probably, but if it means I can own and experience "rare games" like Dynastic Hero without breaking the bank or funding swindling resellers, I can live with that. Games are meant to be played, not bought and sold like stocks.
Emulation destroys this whole argument. You DO have the games available to you. This means you have choices. Does it make you selfish? It think it makes you
self-righteous; you think you're owed something, that you have an inherent the right to something or some game.. for whatever your justification is. But you're
not owed anything in relation to this system. Buying his items isn't just a decision on the morals and ethics of him profiting on someone else's work (Capcom, NEC, whoever) - it's the fact that when you purchase something from this specific man, you're not only supporting what he does, you're elevating/promoting what he represents. Fraud, deception, robbing from the very community that gave it something special. You need to
own that too.
Recap: I'm not saying don't buy from him. I'm saying that if you
make that choice, you need to
own it for what it is - and not justify it with bullshit, to make your conscience feel better.
