I want to say that anyone suggesting that cracking your server does not push people to buy the legit version of the game is ridiculous.
Let me tell you the story of myself, and over 200 other TF2 players. Back in the months January - June a cracked server called Onan's Disciples was started. It turned out to be one of the biggest American servers, having a consistent 32 players for much of the day. When the server was shut down and replaced by a legit server, almost all of us bought the game on Steam. Just about everyone who was a regular on that server now owns the game legit, and the vast majority of them originated as pirates. That server achieved two things: a) People bought the game who, if they hadn't gotten the cracked version of the game, probably wouldn't have. b) It created a community that lasted even when the server went legit. Sure, that server allowed people to illegally play the game, some of whom never went out and bought it (more often than not, because they didn't have the ability to buy it), but if that server did not exist, would the ones who did buy it have bought the game? The answer is no. I'm not justifying piracy, I don't think anyone is, but before you censure this man consider that piracy doesn't always lead to lost sales. _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds
