GBA roms...

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Mr Durand Pierre

Mr Durand Pierre

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So I just found out that one can download GBA games online in rom form (yeah, I'm a little behind on this internet thing) and I had a few questions about this. Now before I get flamed I don't have any intention of downloading bootlegs instead of buying games, but there are a few titles that I'd like to try out just to see if I like them or not (like Warioware. sounds pretty lame, but I hear it's great. I'm curious).

I hear that it's only illegal to have these for more than 24 hours, so can you download and play roms, and just delete them within 24 hours no questions asked? (heck, if you can do that, is there anything stopping you from repeatedly doing that with the same game?) And also, can someone reccommend a good emulator and rom site?
 
Its not like the police will come and arrest you. The 24 hour policy as well as getting them even if you own this game is BS. If you can find them, download them, enjoy them. You won't get a knock at the door the next day.
 
downloading roms is illegal. period.

the 24 hours myth is just that.

please do not ask for links to rom sites here. (anyone that posts links will have their posts deleted)
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']It's illegal period and this topic will probably be locked quickly since you asked for an emulator.[/quote]

emulators are perfectly legit actully, since almost all are freeware. its the roms that are illegal.
 
I'd hate to tell you punqsux, but does this sounds familiar:

"ok let me start by saying ive heard no one ever talk about this game, so im going to bet its pretty far under the radar. i first played this game over a year ago, and i loved it, but i stopped playing because it was a rom, and i didnt want to beat it until i got the real deal, which i didnt find until last week, ebgames had it for $10 shipped AC (cart only) and i jumped on it. " -Punqsux

You're actually the one who brought roms to my attention. Now look what you did.
 
[quote name='punqsux'][quote name='zionoverfire']It's illegal period and this topic will probably be locked quickly since you asked for an emulator.[/quote]

emulators are perfectly legit actully, since almost all are freeware. its the roms that are illegal.[/quote]

Wait so we can talk about emulators until the cows come home so long as ROMs aren't mentioned? I'll remember that for the future.
 
Are emu's legit? Wouldn't the reverse engineering of the proprietary hardware be illegal? I know I've heard that they are legit, but I have never seen any real firm documentation on such a thing.
 
[quote name='Tromack']Are emu's legit? Wouldn't the reverse engineering of the proprietary hardware be illegal? I know I've heard that they are legit, but I have never seen any real firm documentation on such a thing.[/quote]

Could it be one of those weird laws like the black box for your TV, where it is perfectly legal to buy and own but illegal to use?
 
emus are legal because they are programed by people who release their programs for free.

AFAIK linking to roms and requesting roms is against the tos of cag. i dont think theres a problem with emus since they can be used for homebrews, and weve had quite a few homebrew threads in the past here
 
[quote name='Mr Durand Pierre']I'd hate to tell you punqsux, but does this sounds familiar:

"ok let me start by saying ive heard no one ever talk about this game, so im going to bet its pretty far under the radar. i first played this game over a year ago, and i loved it, but i stopped playing because it was a rom, and i didnt want to beat it until i got the real deal, which i didnt find until last week, ebgames had it for $10 shipped AC (cart only) and i jumped on it. " -Punqsux

You're actually the one who brought roms to my attention. Now look what you did.[/quote]

I don't punq is making a moral judgment here. He's just making it perfectly clear that the use of ROMs is illegal and that the posting of ROM sites is a violation of the CAG TOS.

My advice: take it off CAG and to Google.

-- Howard
 
Yeah, Emulators are one of those grey areas.. it's like.. people know what they're for, and while they can be used for other purposes, they're usually not, but it still keeps them legal because there's no proof that they're going to be used for rom purposes. Some people can make homebrew GBA games, but I don't think anyone has yet.

On a side note, people took it one step further and "skinned" the GBA emulator. I won't deny it, i've played a few GBA roms to test them out before I bought them. Here's my emulator (sorry, you can still see the IM box in the corner).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/scorch/gba.jpg

Google for some skins, there's hundreds of 'em, including the old school GBA.
 
So...would it be against the rules of CAG to post pages with links to homebrew GBC/GBA games and development webpages? I've heard about people making homebrew Atari games but I didn't know about it for handheld gaming and I'm interested in seeing the games/how-to stuff.
 
[quote name='Scorch']Yeah, Emulators are one of those grey areas.. it's like.. people know what they're for, and while they can be used for other purposes, they're usually not, but it still keeps them legal because there's no proof that they're going to be used for rom purposes. Some people can make homebrew GBA games, but I don't think anyone has yet.[/quote]

There have been many. Even some interesting utility programs like this one that lets you test the GC bongos through software running on a GBA Player. The ease of access and good available documentation has made the GBA a favorite for people teaching themselves game programming.

http://www.pineight.com/gba/

http://pdroms.de/roms.php?system=Gameboy Advance&typ=Games&first=0

Do a Google on 'homebrew GBA' to see lots of public domain offerings rather than pirated commercial products.
 
[quote name='SadieDee']So...would it be against the rules of CAG to post pages with links to homebrew GBC/GBA games and development webpages? I've heard about people making homebrew Atari games but I didn't know about it for handheld gaming and I'm interested in seeing the games/how-to stuff.[/quote]

I wouldn't think there is any problem. As long as you aren't stepping on the toes of game publishers or retailers there should be no offense taken. The console companies have mixed feelings about this because on one hand the tools are capable of being abused and on the other it is how a lot of their future employees will learn their skills.
 
[quote name='epobirs'][quote name='Scorch']Yeah, Emulators are one of those grey areas.. it's like.. people know what they're for, and while they can be used for other purposes, they're usually not, but it still keeps them legal because there's no proof that they're going to be used for rom purposes. Some people can make homebrew GBA games, but I don't think anyone has yet.[/quote]

There have been many. Even some interesting utility programs like this one that lets you test the GC bongos through software running on a GBA Player. The ease of access and good available documentation has made the GBA a favorite for people teaching themselves game programming.

http://www.pineight.com/gba/

http://pdroms.de/roms.php?system=Gameboy Advance&typ=Games&first=0

Do a Google on 'homebrew GBA' to see lots of public domain offerings rather than pirated commercial products.[/quote]

Thanks!!!
 
[quote name='BigHow'][quote name='Mr Durand Pierre']I'd hate to tell you punqsux, but does this sounds familiar:

"ok let me start by saying ive heard no one ever talk about this game, so im going to bet its pretty far under the radar. i first played this game over a year ago, and i loved it, but i stopped playing because it was a rom, and i didnt want to beat it until i got the real deal, which i didnt find until last week, ebgames had it for $10 shipped AC (cart only) and i jumped on it. " -Punqsux

You're actually the one who brought roms to my attention. Now look what you did.[/quote]

I don't punq is making a moral judgment here. He's just making it perfectly clear that the use of ROMs is illegal and that the posting of ROM sites is a violation of the CAG TOS.

My advice: take it off CAG and to Google.

-- Howard[/quote]

Yeah, that makes sense. I know bootlegs are illegal (and rightfully so), but there are some honest people who do just use bootlegs to try before you buy. But I understand CAG policy in not giving out bootleg sites since most people wouldn't be honest about it and videogame sales would drop. I really don't care much about roms anyway, but was just curious. Blame Punq for bringing awareness of GBA roms in his review;)
 
So... using roms of games you already own and posses at the time is illegal? There are some cool emulators of home consoles (like SNES) for handheld systems (GP32s and Pocket PCs) and it is illegal to emulate SNES games that I own on a portable system?

BTW, I don't do this because I'm too cheap to buy a GP32 or Pocket PC (or an SNES for that matter).
 
Yes roms are illegal period. Doesn't matter what the platform you're using is. That's why GP32 sites and CAG don't allow links to rom sites but they're out there and are quite easy to find if your google-fu is good.

Of course there are pleny of other sites that WILL talk about it, but they're usually under the radar and subscribe to the "it's only illegal if they catch you" credo.

Actually the only legal emmulation is anything created by the original owners of the game code, like the Midway collections or the little licenced game packs occasionally included with pc magazines that only run with a specific program which they provide.
 
Aside from those that are homebrewed, the ones that arnt protected a few an far in between so it's just easier to say they all are. But yeah there are a few exceptions.
 
[quote name='PenguinMaster']So... using roms of games you already own and posses at the time is illegal? There are some cool emulators of home consoles (like SNES) for handheld systems (GP32s and Pocket PCs) and it is illegal to emulate SNES games that I own on a portable system?

BTW, I don't do this because I'm too cheap to buy a GP32 or Pocket PC (or an SNES for that matter).[/quote]

The issues become more ill defined when you have legit possession of the original material and wish to use it in ways not licensed by the console maker. They may often make assertions that won't stand up in court but their very willingness to take it that far places it beyond the financial and temporal means of most to make a fight of it.

If you ask Nintendo, the use of any Nintendo published or licensed game is authorized for use solely in devices Nintendo has manufactured for that purpose. Thus a GBA game may be used on a GameCube via the GBA Player but not on a PS2 or a PC through a device that connect through USB and reads the cartridge data into the host system's memory. Nintendo's argument is that cartridge software an only be used as cartridge software. This stance gets a bit strange when dealing with discs whose contents must be copied into RAM to be used on their native console. One law for carts but another for discs? It becomes complex quickly.

The best bet is too avoid those situations that can be perceived as causing actual financial harm to the game publisher. Specifically, obtaining the code and data of the game in any form than that used to publish it by the originator. There is simply no excuses in this situation.
 
[quote name='siamesellama'][quote name='Querjek']All roms are not illegal. Check the DMCA.[/quote]

True, but do you have the means to "rip" from a cartridge?[/quote]

for gba its much easier than you think.
and yes, i do have the means.
 
[quote name='bowmanarmy']I hear you get an std if you keep them too long[/quote]

nah you get prostate cancer as soon as you download one
 
dont they become legal after a certain time...like i remember reading something like 5 years after they are off the market shelves your able to play them....

edit...checked myself im wrong....

Isn't it Okay to Download Nintendo ROMs for Games that are No Longer Distributed in the Stores or Commercially Exploited? Aren't They Considered "Public Domain"?

No, the current availability of a game in stores is irrelevant as to its copyright status. Copyrights do not enter the public domain just because they are no longer commercially exploited or widely available. Therefore, the copyrights of games are valid even if the games are not found on store shelves, and using, copying and/or distributing those games is a copyright infringement.

.
 
[quote name='danny90044'][quote name='bowmanarmy']I hear you get an std if you keep them too long[/quote]

nah you get prostate cancer as soon as you download one[/quote]

Where are you storing your file? :shock:
 
CAG frowns upon the practice of software piracy, and in this community, it is considered "bad form" and we do not allow discussion of it here.

Thank you.
Topic locked.

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