OregonPacman

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I guess if I have to ask, the answer is probably no. A person could go down to their local arcade and buy tokens and measure the size so that they could go online and buy a whole bunch of them for cheap and use them in the arcade. Is that considered "wrong"? You didn't steal anything beacause you bought the tokens in both instances. However, you would be able to get the tokens in mass quantities for much cheaper than at the arcade. So is this "giving yourself a discount" or "stealing a service"? I guess that's kind of the same thing. Thoughts?
 
Are you for real? The arcade isn't being run as a non-profit business. What you are describing would be prosecuted as theft of services.
 
I would say that'd be theft of service. You didn't buy the tokens from the place you're using them. It'd be no different than using slugs, or putting a token on a string and ringing up credits.
 
I would say that'd be theft of service. You didn't buy the tokens from the place you're using them. It'd be no different than using slugs, or putting a token on a string and ringing up credits.

Yeah, I didn't think about the slugs. I haven't acutally done it, nor do I intend to. It was just one of those early morning not quite awake yet thoughts. Though I have heard of guys on here using tokens locally that they got from games they bought.
 
If I make an impression of your car key to measure it and get another one that works, would it be OK to use it to drive your car every now and then? Would that be OK?
 
I say it's a crime... HOWEVER... if anyone really thinks on it... that game sitting there is using the same amount of power whether you're playing it or not. So by playing it, you're not really "stealing" anything.... that is unless, of course, there are other PAYING customers waiting to play the game you are on.

NOW... would I do it? Naw... we're talking about quarters here...
 
I say it's a crime... HOWEVER... if anyone really thinks on it... that game sitting there is using the same amount of power whether you're playing it or not. So by playing it, you're not really "stealing" anything.... that is unless, of course, there are other PAYING customers waiting to play the game you are on.

NOW... would I do it? Naw... we're talking about quarters here...

And technically you are giving the tokens to the establishment.


But it's still wrong.
 
I say it's a crime... HOWEVER... if anyone really thinks on it... that game sitting there is using the same amount of power whether you're playing it or not. So by playing it, you're not really "stealing" anything.... that is unless, of course, there are other PAYING customers waiting to play the game you are on.

The operator doesn't rent out the use of power, they offer entertainment on a pay-per-use basis. The tokens (from his establishment) are proof you paid to play. Any method of avoiding payment is theft. No different that sneaking into a movie, faking a wristband to get into disney world, or "borrowing" an unrented car at the rent-a-car place.
 
I would say that'd be theft of service. You didn't buy the tokens from the place you're using them. It'd be no different than using slugs, or putting a token on a string and ringing up credits.

I agree on the theft of service that has been mentioned. But how about a twist on this?

You buy a game a few games at auction that have a few thousand CEC tokens in them. All original, real, non-slug CEC tokens. Would they be legally ok to use at CEC? Notice, I asked legally, not morally.
 
No it's not a crime. It's sort of like having sex with a dead body. Totally moral.
 
The operator doesn't rent out the use of power, they offer entertainment on a pay-per-use basis. The tokens (from his establishment) are proof you paid to play. Any method of avoiding payment is theft. No different that sneaking into a movie, faking a wristband to get into disney world, or "borrowing" an unrented car at the rent-a-car place.

The movie is a great comparison. The Disney World comparison is pretty good too... but the borrowing an unrented car? A bit of a stretch. Doing that causes wear/tear and uses a resource (gas)... the other two are happening whether or not you're participating so they're certainly more analogous.

But I digress... it's pretty much been established that it's a douchebag maneuver regardless of the comparison! :)

Especially in this day and age where it's RARE to see a game on location.
 
... that game sitting there is using the same amount of power whether you're playing it or not.

That's not actually true. Try measuring the power consumption with a Kill-A-Watt meter. You'll find that the game sucks a bit more juice during game play as compared to sitting idle. There are at least a couple reasons for this, but the biggest contributing factor is probably audio amplification.
 
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That's not actually true. Try measuring the power consumption with a Kill-A-Watt meter. You'll find that the game sucks a bit more juice during game play as compared to sitting idle. There are at least couple reasons for this, but the biggest contributing factor is probably audio amplification.

Depends on the game.... and whether or not the attract mode includes audio.

:D

Of course other factors like force feedback motors, additional lighting, etc... etc... can come in to play.
 
Here is the part don't get...Why spend the money and time trying to figure out the right size token? Just use that money to buy the damn tokens and play a few games. Really..why am I even in this thread? :confused:
 
I guess if I have to ask, the answer is probably no. A person could go down to their local arcade and buy tokens and measure the size so that they could go online and buy a whole bunch of them for cheap and use them in the arcade. Is that considered "wrong"? You didn't steal anything beacause you bought the tokens in both instances. However, you would be able to get the tokens in mass quantities for much cheaper than at the arcade. So is this "giving yourself a discount" or "stealing a service"? I guess that's kind of the same thing. Thoughts?

I think you just found something clever to put as your signature. :D
 
You could also include wear and tear on the games, although technically, you could wear and tear the joystick/buttons without putting in any tokens, but it wouldn't be very much fun ;)
 
Depends on the game.... and whether or not the attract mode includes audio.

They all consume more when playing, just some more than others.
Normally I'd apologize for taking a thread off course, but the original topic is just stupid.... :D
Although Joe's question about using tokens found in a machine at their intended location is a good one. I usually only find a few (maybe dozens, but not thousands), but I don't feel bad using them... I figure they wouldn't mind having them returned. And I end up spending a lot more while I'm there anyway.
 
technically, you could wear and tear the joystick/buttons without putting in any tokens, but it wouldn't be very much fun ;)

Unless you're the 5yr old on the machine I want to play. You know, the child of the inconsiderate mom who is using the attract mode as a free babysitter...

but the borrowing an unrented car? A bit of a stretch. Doing that causes wear/tear and uses a resource (gas)...

It's not a stretch at all. You're not paying the operator for wear-n-tear (or gas) when you rent a car. You are paying to be allowed to use of the vehicle for a period of time. If you use it without paying the operator, you are stealing. The fact that it wasn't being used by anyone else at the time has no relevance. But Here's a different example. "Borrowing" an unrented hotel room. Ok? Obviously not.

I do find it interesting that people will self-rationalize stealing time on a video game, but when it comes to stealing time in a car or a hotel they would *never* consider such a thing. 1c or $1M, stealing is stealing.


You buy a game a few games at auction that have a few thousand CEC tokens in them. All original, real, non-slug CEC tokens. Would they be legally ok to use at CEC? Notice, I asked legally, not morally.

You can ask this question a hundred different ways, but IMHO the answer is the same. Tokens are not money. They are "tokens" that represent payment for a service to be delivered at a future time. You did not pay, therefore playing the game is theft of service. It doesn't matter if they are generic tokens, CEC tokens, or a metal slug.

Getting them from a machine is no different than if the operator forgot to lock the change machine and you helped yourself to some tokens. You didn't pay for the service.
 
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