Thrust being pirated?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I found that someone called NTG is selling several Atari 2600 games including my own homebrew in the Zune Marketplace.

 

Here is an example link:

http://www.windowsphoneapplist.com/atari_2600_roms-a15799.html

 

I cannot find any way how to contact NTG or Microsoft about this. What should I do? Does anyone have an email address I can try?

 

Note: I am not opposed that people show love for my game, but I expect to be asked before someone makes any money with it, even if it are only a few cents.

[+save2600]

Never mind. Guess this isn't a copyright issue. Since the ROM image is made available without a disclaimer, people must consider it PD or free for all.

[+bennybingo]

I looked at that link and it seems to me (if I'm reading it correctly) that they are selling a smartphone app that searches the internet for 2600 roms. I don't think they are selling the roms themselves, just a search application. It doesn't even seem to be an emulator.

 

It says "Atari 2600 Roms instantly search and finds atari 2600 roms to play on emulators found on the market and internet."

 

 

It is unsettling that your homebrew somehow made that short list though. That means that your rom is likely dumped out there somewhere. Sorry to hear that.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I looked at that link and it seems to me (if I'm reading it correctly) that they are selling a smartphone app that searches the internet for 2600 roms. I don't think they are selling the roms themselves, just a search application. It doesn't even seem to be an emulator.

 

It says "Atari 2600 Roms instantly search and finds atari 2600 roms to play on emulators found on the market and internet."

Hm, you could be right. Then it would be Ok for me.

 

It is unsettling that your homebrew somehow made that short list though. That means that your rom is likely dumped out there somewhere. Sorry to hear that.

That's no problem. My ROM can be downloaded for free even here at AtariAge.

[+bennybingo]

I'm going to see what I can find out about that app (if it is an app). One of my buddies is an app developer (and a classic gamer at heart). He knows a lot more about smartphone apps than me. I'll hit him up later and see what light he could shed on the subject.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

That would be very nice. Thanks in advance.

[SeaGtGruff]

That's no problem. My ROM can be downloaded for free even here at AtariAge.

I think some people scour AtariAge for any and all ROMs they can find. I laugh whenever I see the ROMs for my little bB demo programs included in some collection or posted on some "romz" web site, because they're completely pointless without the bB source code (since the source code *was* the point).

 

Michael

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Any news from your friend, bb?

[nofrills100]

I have seen at least one of your games on the hozer site too.

http://www.geocities.com/hozervideo/atari/2600.html

CLick on 'my personal list' and read what he has to say - looks dodgey to me.

Although he says they are not for sale, he does state that they would cost $11 to make, and he is open to haggling. I hope you have an agreement regarding this??

Edited May 5, 2011 by nofrills100

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Although he says they are not for sale, he does state that they would cost $11 to make, and he is open to haggling. I hope you have an agreement regarding this??

That's an old, unpleasant story (if you search AtariAge, you will find multiple threads about this). Randy knows that he has no right to put my games on carts. Since I cannot (and also don't want to) control if he is selling carts without permission, I can only appeal to his customers.

 

Every homebrew which is pirated harms the developer and therefore, since there will be less new homebrews developed, harms the whole community.

[DickNixonArisen]

I haven't bought a homebrew in a few years but half the point for me is to get the nice, clean official cart and manual as well as supporting the community. The ROM will play on a harmony or emulator anyway, so why bother to get a cart version at all if you're going to get a fake one?

 

On the plus side though, you're popular enough to be pirated.