[game_preservation] XBLA, Wiiware, and maybe the future of releasing all games + intro

[Andrew Armstrong]

The IGDA could organise efforts, but any front of physical work is a bit 
too much to do (so other places would have to do the actual "here's a 
physical copy for preservation we want you to have" part). We're no 
where near the size or have the funding that other similar organisations 
have. I'm all for trying to organise such a feat - but I would rather 
think the current projects which have had no work done on them need 
sorting first. I only have so many hands. In any case, since we are the 
IGDA group for this, if we want to do this, we could. I'm not saying all 
the members or associated companies would/could be able to help, but 
it'd be a start.

DMCA copyright exemptions, AFAIK, have not been renewed for videogame 
stuff. They're pretty rubbish parts of the law anyway, from what I've 
read, anyway - the entire DMCA law needs to change rather then allowing 
3 year exemptions that might not be renewed (thus, no further work can 
be done in that area...). I don't live in America though, so write to 
your congressperson! :)

I also don't know what people do "regardless" of this exemption stuff. 
In Europe, for instance, with no DMCA-like law, yet, there is nothing 
stopping the reverse engineering or breaking of DRM so that copies can 
be made for preservation, libraries, etc - at least, I think this is the 
case.

Andrew

PS: It's never "gaming industry" - that's gambling - "games industry" 
"videogame industry" etc are better ;)

Devin Monnens wrote:

> Wow Steve! That's quite a response!

>

> I hadn't read the article by Kotaku actually. I'm guessing this was 

> supposed to be common knowledge? (this is the kind of thing I was 

> talking about for resources...maybe we need a 'game preservation 101' 

> reading list) I don't remember there being a LoC entry on our list... 

> (or at least the VA branch). 2000 titles in storage going back to the 

> beginning is an interesting figure as well - that's the number of 

> titles officially registered under copyright!

>

> What this article states is that it was a two year project - which 

> means they should be publishing the results within a year. It would be 

> fantastic to get them on board for the Best Practices, or at least get 

> some one-on-one interviews. Please tell me someone from LoC is on the 

> list...

>

> Regarding an international group, this would have been something 

> mentioned before I joined. This was ultimately a goal that I had in 

> mind as well, but I don't think a truly international repository could 

> be established simply because of copyright laws in different 

> countries. Though different national groups could certainly integrate 

> their catalogues for researchers. I think the IGDA could have a good 

> chance of getting through the door as a start of that depository - 

> especially if we establish that oral history project (you know, maybe 

> I should try and lay some groundwork for the local project in 

> Colorado...).  However, I don't know if the IGDA is something that 

> wants to be that involved with the industry. In an ideal world, you'd 

> have a place where games would be registered and a copy sent for 

> preservation and IP, etc. could be tracked through that central location.

>

> -Devin Monnens

>

> -- 

> Devin Monnens

> www.deserthat.com <http://www.deserthat.com>

>

> The sleep of Reason produces monsters.

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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