Is renting Lego:RB just to import unethical?

[Pyrettablaze]

I thought that, at least Blockbuster, pulled RB1 from the shelf once RB2 came out so one could not do this exact thing?

[newmanator]

But didn't HMX say that the songs on Lego RB would eventually become DLC??

I think they had 'no comment' on that situation. But I wonder if there will be any songs we won't be able to export such as Paranoid etc off rb1.

[T-Hybrid]

I thought that, at least Blockbuster, pulled RB1 from the shelf once RB2 came out so one could not do this exact thing?

No. If it got pulled from shelves it was because nobody was renting it.

Whatever the case, it's not illegal. Nor is it unethical. If you rent LEGO and are playing it, and the exportation feature is available...you have rented your game and thus have access to whatever is on the disc.

If you purchase your export license and then return the game once your rental period is up...you have violated no law. There's is nothing unethical here.

I will however, go ahead and say I TOLD YOU SO. When people were aruging for LEGO to be exportable, I suggested it was becaues they want to just rent it and rip the songs. Sure enough...

[Parodygm]

Check your moral compass. It knows.

What if it's permanently stuck 30 degrees south of Bad Mamma Jamma?

[slickpitt]

Well I'm sure I'm in the same boat as a lot. If there's an export code in the manual for a 1-time deal, then I'll just miss out.

If you can rent it and pay a fee($20 or whatever) to export, then I'll happily do that. But I'm not paying $50 for a game I'll never play(I just don't get the Lego thing) just to get a few songs from it. I certainly won't be paying $50 AND paying a fee for export.

Of course this is all pure speculation... who knows how it will actually work.

[DMBillies]

if harmonix does the export key thing, then i'll rent the disc.

if it is a 1 time use code, I'll buy the disc. :/

as far as ethics go in the first scenario, I don't see how it's wrong.
Sure, I'm not buying the game, but I'm still paying for the export key.

I'm quoting this relatively old post as an example of my point on this...

The export key (which have cost just a few bucks in the past) is a simple way for HMX to make a little additional money for the additional time/labor involved in making the songs exportable. As I recall, AC/DC didn't even cost additional money to export but it was a 1-time export (and my memory is bad, so it may have cost a couple bucks too).

The point here, is that when you are paying, what you are paying for is the ability to specifically export songs you have already paid for and own as part of the main game. I'm sure if HMX could easily prevent people from "renting 'n' rippin'" they'd do it, but obviously even a 1-time code won't stop a lot of people.

HMX is doing a service to the fans by allowing exports to begin with (for a pittance) and it kind of pisses me off that everyone is always trying to buck the system and then rationalize their bad behavior.

Disk songs are also "heavily discounted" even if you pay full price for a brand new game... if you want to see HMX succeed using a business model that is very consumer friendly (as opposed to GH's system), perhaps you should consider not doing this.

[cherokeesam]

I will however, go ahead and say I TOLD YOU SO. When people were aruging for LEGO to be exportable, I suggested it was becaues they want to just rent it and rip the songs. Sure enough...

I was ALWAYS going to buy the game, export or no. It's a LEGO game; my kid has ALL LEGO games, toys, etc; and he'd luh-huv this one, too.

I asked for export because I wanted the ability to play the songs without having to resort to LEGO minifigs.

There's plenty of others like me.

[Dragonclaw]

Exactly...How many tracks are on Lego:RB? Probably at LEAST 45...with a retail of $49 that's just the other side of $1 per track. Even if you don't like LEGO its cheaper per track than any of the track packs out there so why post the myriad of "hope I can get the setlist on the cheap"...especially on the board run by the company you're hoping to get their work without paying for...

Export is a PLUS...it makes it the equivalent of any of the 20 song ($30) track packs so you can choose to play the Lego side of things, bring them over to RB2...or do both since I'm sure the game has it's own merits Abusing the export as a way to get something for nothing is a great way to ensure they end the feature and makes the rest of us, who feel like the company's efforts are worth paying for...lose out in the future. If YOU don't feel their worth it, than you shouldn't bother with trying to get the songs for nothing OR complain about not having them.

[DeadManDrumming]

I would probably rip it since it could have just became DLC instead of its own game. =/

[gabrielca]

I will however, go ahead and say I TOLD YOU SO. When people were aruging for LEGO to be exportable, I suggested it was becaues they want to just rent it and rip the songs. Sure enough...

Nice wide paint brush you got there...

BTW I own ACDC, never played it, only exported it. Lego will be the same.