Jump to content

Do you consider Tales of the Tohunga to be abandonware?


Art Vandelay

Tales of the Tohunga  

47 members have voted

You do not have permission to vote in this poll, or see the poll results. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Recommended Posts

...And are you opposed to it being available online to download and / or play?

 

Definition of abandonware from Wikipedia:

 

"Abandonware is a product, typically software, ignored by its owner and manufacturer, and for which no product support is available. Although such software is usually still under copyright, the owner may not be tracking or enforcing copyright violations. Abandonware is a variant of the general concept of orphan works."

 

The developer responsible for the Game Boy Advanced game "Tales of the Tohunga", Saffire, is long gone, and LEGO no longer makes a profit from it. At this point in time, the only party that still makes some profit from the game are re-sellers. The question is, does this justify hosting the game online? I believe it does, for the reasons stated above. I would like other people's opinions on the matter, however.

Edited by XONAR
Bliss.png
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure I agree fully with putting it online. I understand that its creators are long gone, and Lego no longer makes a profit, but it could result in a similar situation to the Legends of Mata Nui game, and why no one has put that online yet. It's still under someones license, and it could still result in legal trouble.

 

I would personally be against it, but I doubt I'd campaign against it. I don't care either way, I have the game on it's original playing device.

 

sig.png

  • Upvote 3

lazy_life_3.0_banner.png

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Three Virtues | Eljay: The Becoming | BioCraft: Chronicles

Go give a read to an amazing epic,

Seven Lives... Two Faces, written by Kini Hawkeye!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure I agree fully with putting it online. I understand that its creators are long gone, and Lego no longer makes a profit, but it could result in a similar situation to the Legends of Mata Nui game, and why no one has put that online yet. It's still under someones license, and it could still result in legal trouble.

 

I would personally be against it, but I doubt I'd campaign against it. I don't care either way, I have the game on it's original playing device.

 

sig.png

 

So do I. I can even use the gameboy player to play it on a TV screen.... but those cartridges are finite, and I think it ought to be available online for people to see where it allllll began. If Lego isn't doing anything to support it, and don't have anything to lose from it, and still doesn't want people to play it... that's just kinda mean.

Edited by NickonAquaMagna
  • Upvote 3

the_toa_sig_by_nickinamerica-dbn0wau.png

The Toa- A Bionicle Retelling by NickonAquaMagna http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/25275-the-toa-a-retelling-of-bionicle/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's definately illegal to post the game online, but I wouldn't worry about that. As has been stated, Lego is not making a profit from the game anymore and they won't bother a second glance if it does become available online. Since it doesn't matter to the company itself and there are many people who would love to play it, I'd say go for it.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The movies were released more recently and were probably far bigger investments than this GBA game, but have been publically available on YouTube for years now. If Lego don't care about that, would they care about this?

 

The case of The Legend of Mata Nui is a bit different, because that was never released and was meant to have been cancelled (ie, the last official move with it was to ensure it wouldn't reach the public). The legality of the lost copy/copies even existing is questionable.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's nothing special. It has good graphics and music for the gba, but the camera angle makes the platforming sections extremely frustrating.

 

I personally wouldn't care if it was released digitally, as it's really not all that hard to find.

  • Upvote 1

 

           

Chuck Norik is no match for Bruce Lhikan!

 

 

If you use correct grammar in your posts (or try hard to), place this in your signature. Join Myst's campaign for correct grammar usage on BZPower!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's nothing special. It has good graphics and music for the gba, but the camera angle makes the platforming sections extremely frustrating.

I think it's more the principle of it being available regardless of whether or not the game itself is worth it. :lol:

  • Upvote 2

save not only their lives


d665fa5c17bc200a946e0a69eaf11f929dc080cb


but their spirits

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My personal rule for ROMs and ISOs for games I don't own is that if the game is completely out of print, then me downloading it in no way hurts the publisher, right? I still prefer hard copies, but this is a mediocre (at best) game, that is no longer being printed, was developed by a company that doesn't exist, and was used to promote the launch of a now-dead toyline, released 13 years ago. It's totally up to you if you want to just emulate it or not, or in your case, host it for download, because absolutely no one with authority will care.

 

To all of you who say you want to play it... picture a top-down Zelda game with way too many enemies who hit way too hard and move way too quickly for a screen that is way too small and way too dark, with some really, REALLY clunky platforming mixed in.

Edited by Ghabulous Ghoti
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My personal rule for ROMs and ISOs for games I don't own is that if the game is completely out of print, then me downloading it in no way hurts the publisher, right? I still prefer hard copies, but this is a mediocre (at best) game, that is no longer being printed, was developed by a company that doesn't exist, and was used to promote the launch of a now-dead toyline, released 13 years ago. It's totally up to you if you want to just emulate it or not, or in your case, host it for download, because absolutely no one with authority will care.

 

To all of you who say you want to play it... picture a top-down Zelda game with way too many enemies who hit way too hard and move way too quickly for a screen that is way too small and way too dark, with some really, REALLY clunky platforming mixed in.

In isometric 2D, no less.

 

I don't have any opinion one way or another about this. If you want to host the game online, that's your prerogative, but I'm no expert on the legality of it and won't pretend to be one.

Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

Aanchir's and Meiko's brother

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

If the developer is dead, the game isn't being produced anywhere anymore, the only way to get it is to buy it from someone who owns it and LEGO isn't getting anything from it... then there isn't anything for LEGO to lose.

It should be avaible for free by now.

Bionicle is cancelled, the website isn't even there anymore.

-I was infected for the most part on April the 1st 7.gifBEWARE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just waltzed in here and finally got around to voting and then was rudely waked, by the results, to the fact that I'm in the stark minority here.

 

I don't know, majorities can be wrong about ethical decisions, but I'm no expert at internet law so go with what you think is right Xonar.

cheesebanner.jpg.4e180047b2ca502f2c43489af7b439da.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not against having it up for download, but that doesn't mean it's legal. (I believe I still have a copy of it somewhere.) And unfortunately, the way copyright law is, it's not about someone losing something. And unless I'm mistaken, providing a ROM of a game is very much illegal.

3DS Freind Code: 1693-0634-1082 Name: Joey


I also have Mario Kart 7, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Pokemon Y and Kid Icarus: Uprising


PM me to add me. 


Steam profile


Click here for the BZP Destiny Group

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not against having it up for download, but that doesn't mean it's legal. (I believe I still have a copy of it somewhere.) And unfortunately, the way copyright law is, it's not about someone losing something. And unless I'm mistaken, providing a ROM of a game is very much illegal.

 

Yeah, regardless of it's status as abandonware, it'll still be illegal, but I see nothing morally wrong with it. Technically speaking, it's illegal to download ROMs/ISOs of games you DO own legitimate copies of (you are supposed to make your own backups), but with the exceptions of Wii/Gamecube/PS2 games, it's just more convenient to download them (unless you don't mind the multi-hour download times some of the bigger games offer). And I believe that emulators are technically illegal if they include any part of the original system bios.

 

Does the BMP host the ISO of the unfinished BIONICLE 2 game? Isn't that a similar field? I'm sure that's illegal too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I'm not against having it up for download, but that doesn't mean it's legal. (I believe I still have a copy of it somewhere.) And unfortunately, the way copyright law is, it's not about someone losing something. And unless I'm mistaken, providing a ROM of a game is very much illegal.

 

Yeah, regardless of it's status as abandonware, it'll still be illegal, but I see nothing morally wrong with it. Technically speaking, it's illegal to download ROMs/ISOs of games you DO own legitimate copies of (you are supposed to make your own backups), but with the exceptions of Wii/Gamecube/PS2 games, it's just more convenient to download them (unless you don't mind the multi-hour download times some of the bigger games offer). And I believe that emulators are technically illegal if they include any part of the original system bios.

 

Does the BMP host the ISO of the unfinished BIONICLE 2 game? Isn't that a similar field? I'm sure that's illegal too.

 

 

Unfortunately "legal" and "morally wrong" aren't synonymous though... Knowing Lego, though, I don't think it's terribly risky, they seem to not care about stuff like that.

3DS Freind Code: 1693-0634-1082 Name: Joey


I also have Mario Kart 7, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Pokemon Y and Kid Icarus: Uprising


PM me to add me. 


Steam profile


Click here for the BZP Destiny Group

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

I'm not against having it up for download, but that doesn't mean it's legal. (I believe I still have a copy of it somewhere.) And unfortunately, the way copyright law is, it's not about someone losing something. And unless I'm mistaken, providing a ROM of a game is very much illegal.

 

Yeah, regardless of it's status as abandonware, it'll still be illegal, but I see nothing morally wrong with it. Technically speaking, it's illegal to download ROMs/ISOs of games you DO own legitimate copies of (you are supposed to make your own backups), but with the exceptions of Wii/Gamecube/PS2 games, it's just more convenient to download them (unless you don't mind the multi-hour download times some of the bigger games offer). And I believe that emulators are technically illegal if they include any part of the original system bios.

 

Does the BMP host the ISO of the unfinished BIONICLE 2 game? Isn't that a similar field? I'm sure that's illegal too.

 

 

Unfortunately "legal" and "morally wrong" aren't synonymous though... Knowing Lego, though, I don't think it's terribly risky, they seem to not care about stuff like that.

 

And you shouldn't worry about having to post the rom at all.

Its not like it hasn't already been done tenfold (a hundredfold by now).

Admittadly I know of about 5 places to get it (but I'm not telling! >:3 )

-I was infected for the most part on April the 1st 7.gifBEWARE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Um, how do we know it's not already up on the internet somewhere? The real question is if there is a ROM that isn't filled with viruses: many, if not most sites purporting to provide such services are rather questionable in that regard. A ROM dumped by a BZP member, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to be safe, if still technically illegal.

Edited by ~~Zarkan~~

I have slept for so long. My dreams have been dark ones. But now I am awakened. Now the scattered elements of my being are rejoined. Now I am whole. And the Darkness can not stand before me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Um, how do we know it's not already up on the internet somewhere? The real question is if there is a ROM that isn't filled with viruses: many, if not most sites purporting to provide such services are rather questionable in that regard. A ROM dumped by a BZP member, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to be safe, if still technically illegal.

I don't think I've ever had a problem with ROMs and viruses. Just do some research about a site.

 

Also, how do you dump GBA games? I know it's pretty easy to dump disc-based games (I have done so myself on PS2, GCN, and Wii), but I always wondered how people made ROMs of games that don't go into computers very well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Um, how do we know it's not already up on the internet somewhere? The real question is if there is a ROM that isn't filled with viruses: many, if not most sites purporting to provide such services are rather questionable in that regard. A ROM dumped by a BZP member, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to be safe, if still technically illegal.

There are loads of sites that do roms without viruses (3 of wich are fully 500% safe).

Then there are torrents, since good sites allow people to comment on the file you can see on them if anybody is shouting fake.

-I was infected for the most part on April the 1st 7.gifBEWARE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Um, how do we know it's not already up on the internet somewhere? The real question is if there is a ROM that isn't filled with viruses: many, if not most sites purporting to provide such services are rather questionable in that regard. A ROM dumped by a BZP member, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to be safe, if still technically illegal.

There are loads of sites that do roms without viruses (3 of wich are fully 500% safe).

Then there are torrents, since good sites allow people to comment on the file you can see on them if anybody is shouting fake.

 

A ROM is not an executable file, it has to be run in an emulator, so basic knowledge of computer software and a secure browser like anything but Internet Explorer should be enough to keep you safe.

 

Also, how do you dump GBA games? I know it's pretty easy to dump disc-based games (I have done so myself on PS2, GCN, and Wii), but I always wondered how people made ROMs of games that don't go into computers very well.

You would need special hardware.

Are signatures still a thing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Also, how do you dump GBA games? I know it's pretty easy to dump disc-based games (I have done so myself on PS2, GCN, and Wii), but I always wondered how people made ROMs of games that don't go into computers very well.

You would need special hardware.

 

Would it be custom made, or is there a "black market" of sorts that sells such devices?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Um, how do we know it's not already up on the internet somewhere? The real question is if there is a ROM that isn't filled with viruses: many, if not most sites purporting to provide such services are rather questionable in that regard. A ROM dumped by a BZP member, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to be safe, if still technically illegal.

 

It's available at about 3 other sites, at the least, from what I've seen.

 

I'm not against having it up for download, but that doesn't mean it's legal. (I believe I still have a copy of it somewhere.) And unfortunately, the way copyright law is, it's not about someone losing something. And unless I'm mistaken, providing a ROM of a game is very much illegal.

 

Oh yes, it's definitely illegal. :P The morality of it is the concerning part, and I wanted to see what the general opinion about abandonware was.

 

Does the BMP host the ISO of the unfinished BIONICLE 2 game? Isn't that a similar field? I'm sure that's illegal too.

 

The BMP does have it. It probably is illegal, but we got that one from someone who found it on an abandoned XBOX Development Kit. It's was presumably the only trace of the game left anywhere, unless someone from Argonaut still has it. So it might be illegal, but since it's rather insignificant and never reached a release stage at all, there's really no problem with hosting it.

Bliss.png
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A ROM is not an executable file, it has to be run in an emulator, so basic knowledge of computer software and a secure browser like anything but Internet Explorer should be enough to keep you safe.

 

I presume people would look on how to play .gba files and then come very quickly to an emulator. There are loads out there for the GBA.

(or would come across a GBA flascard)

And I'd recommend Firefox for... anything that has to do with internet; ie is just..........

  • Upvote 1

-I was infected for the most part on April the 1st 7.gifBEWARE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

A ROM is not an executable file, it has to be run in an emulator, so basic knowledge of computer software and a secure browser like anything but Internet Explorer should be enough to keep you safe.

 

I presume people would look on how to play .gba files and then come very quickly to an emulator. There are loads out there for the GBA.

(or would come across a GBA flascard)

And I'd recommend Firefox for... anything that has to do with internet; ie is just..........

 

Yeah I think we can agree that IE is not good.

 

I think the question-ish thing here isn't so much about hosting it (since anyone can download it from a multitude of sites), but actually being able to stream is on BMP without having to download anything (XONAR mentioned this to me once). I already have it downloaded on a bunch of devices, but actually being able to play it directly on BMP would be awesome.

 

 

And yes that paragraph is terribly worded.

Edited by Master of all Kopekes
rsz_screenshot_from_un_chien_andalou.jpg
My Writing Blog (more writing coming soon!)

My Bionicle/LEGO Blog (defunct)

Hyfudiar on Spotify (noise/drone/experimental music)

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the question-ish thing here isn't so much about hosting it (since anyone can download it from a multitude of sites), but actually being able to stream is on BMP without having to download anything (XONAR mentioned this to me once). I already have it downloaded on a bunch of devices, but actually being able to play it directly on BMP would be awesome.

Is there such thing as a browser-based GBA emulator? I'm sure one could be made, but I don't know of any currently existing, and I'm really not about to make one.

Are signatures still a thing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I think the question-ish thing here isn't so much about hosting it (since anyone can download it from a multitude of sites), but actually being able to stream is on BMP without having to download anything (XONAR mentioned this to me once). I already have it downloaded on a bunch of devices, but actually being able to play it directly on BMP would be awesome.

Is there such thing as a browser-based GBA emulator? I'm sure one could be made, but I don't know of any currently existing, and I'm really not about to make one.

 

If any of you know vSauce on YouTube, in one of their DONG (Do Online Now Guys) episodes they presented a website with browser based emulators for almost anything.

-I was infected for the most part on April the 1st 7.gifBEWARE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I think the question-ish thing here isn't so much about hosting it (since anyone can download it from a multitude of sites), but actually being able to stream is on BMP without having to download anything (XONAR mentioned this to me once). I already have it downloaded on a bunch of devices, but actually being able to play it directly on BMP would be awesome.

Is there such thing as a browser-based GBA emulator? I'm sure one could be made, but I don't know of any currently existing, and I'm really not about to make one.

 

I'm just going on what I remember XONAR saying to me.

rsz_screenshot_from_un_chien_andalou.jpg
My Writing Blog (more writing coming soon!)

My Bionicle/LEGO Blog (defunct)

Hyfudiar on Spotify (noise/drone/experimental music)

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...