There is no difference in the files. The fundamental difference is the copying of said files. You can have them, you can media-shift them, you can run them in an emulator. The moment you give that file to someone else, you've gotten away from personal use. In many ways, it feels like we're beating a dead horse here. *Goes off to play a few rounds of iDrop Dead FE to beat those guys up instead...*
Agreed. I never said I'd given any files to anyone else, though. They don't. But then, they don't know how many people have illegally downloaded their software and are currently playing it on the PC. It's a tricky situation, I'll admit. I guess you could argue that this is a form of DRM, but using this sort of system as DRM isn't going to work though, because the people who are determined to pirate are probably using jailbroken iPhones and a cracked version of the app anyway. To be quite honest, what I wish they would do if they're going to go down that route, is adopt a system a bit like Steam, with a store and a client app that could download games through in-app purchases, along with support for high score/best times boards, online versus mode, etc. It would mean using a proprietary format for the games (well, a ROM with added metadata and some memory hacking tricks), but would allow possibilities like DLC level packs which would be cheap for them to make and popular with fans, and possibly even the ability to design and share levels (which I think is a huge market that companies have yet to exploit - just look at the popularity of Super Mario World ROM hacks). With Sonic 4 coming to the iPhone soon, they could really turn this into something good, if they cared.
That's similar to how C64 works, they have in-app purchases that you can do straight from within the app, like a little catalogue. There's a possibility Sega may do something like that, they already have a computer one: http://www.playsega.com/info/?action=whatIsPlaySEGAVIP
It seems on the App Store, no game is officially canceled, it just never shows up. Which makes situations like this even more confusing.
Sega need to say something about it and what happened to sonic winter olympics (good game too, shame to see it taken down) By guessing I am going to think that they have a problem with roms and how to contain and obtain them for users, flashback last year got around the problem by making you download the rom on first boot up but since then some apple rules changed to make it easier, how does the c64 app handle it's game roms?
I doubt it would be a ROM problem, as Sega owns them. For the C64 the ROMs are added to the store with each update, and they're purchased via in-app purchases. They of course have to obtain permission from whoever owns the game. It looks like Sega's only customer support is a phone number. If anyone feels up to calling them, be sure to post here. We'll all appreciate it.
I'm not sure if you guys already know this but Pocketgamer.co.uk have reported that Sega has canned this project: http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Various/The+Rumour+Mine/feature.asp?c=19407
Well from the looks of it, alot of Publishers are now rethinking their IPhone Strategy.... Because along with alot of them reconsidering and the IPad coming out, we've seen a lack of Main Stream Games for the last month. Usually theirs one like either week or every other week. But hopefully summer hits and we'll be set yet again!
I dont mind if they withold new games until late fall. Good weather is on its way and the ipod touch nor any iphone currently has super amoled. i need to try and enjoy the weather while it lasts.
Thanks KD, didn't know about that. Poor Shining Force... @Foozlez Reading is pretty fun, you should try it.