Hope tragedy not be repeated

[fromz 2]

I am an ARMA faithful fun of Chinese mainland players, I know from the Internet Chinese gaming agents company Soarsoft signed an ARMA by proxy, a Chinese localization and distribution ARMA this news.

News: I have received the Soarsoft company's statement, the agency is authorized, and we all hope that is really. May be what I said is too excesses, I just wanted to hope the Chinese proxy company do not steal BI, and do not deceive us again.

[ricki 0]

cannot read chinese

[max power 21]

While I don't know anything about the OFP-Soarsoft debacle, if what you say is true, it is indeed shameful. If BIS is dealing with Soarsoft again, the deal they have struck must be beneficial to BIS in some way overall. Regardless of Soarsoft destroying their own reputation on the world stage, at least this means that some copies of ArmA will be delivered to the Chinese market, do you not think so?

[-Puma- 2]

yeah the websites are chinese. well god bless the internet, u guys can atleast use sprocket or atari digital download version

[fromz 2]

While I don't know anything about the OFP-Soarsoft debacle, if what you say is true, it is indeed shameful.  If BIS is dealing with Soarsoft again, the deal they have struck must be beneficial to BIS in some way overall.  Regardless of Soarsoft destroying their own reputation on the world stage, at least this means that some copies of ArmA will be delivered to the Chinese market, do you not think so?

Yes what you said is very reasonable

By the way, the OFP Chinese Version is not published by Soarsoft, It's from a other company named "Tian Ren Hu Dong", and the company have no permission, In fact.

[mrj-fin 0]

By the way, the OFP Chinese Version is not published by Soarsoft, It's from a other company named "Tian Ren Hu Dong", and the company have no permission, In fact.

There is still not all around world covered distribution network to anything else than food aid, electricity and military equipments. There is so much potential on asia countrys to sells games but hardly any1 there is aware of this game. Selling games by internet is the easiest way to purchase and I´ll see need steam version of arma. And of course OFP2 from CM will be ur cup of tea when u will be bad evil as opponent.

[suma 8]

As far as I understand the situation with China, China never accepted any international agreement about copyrights, and all foreign copyrighted material is therefore basically considered "free" in China by the local law. In such situation is has no sense to try to sell products based on intellectual properties there, and this attitude to copyright issues is one of the important clashing points in USA - China relationship.

I am not aware of us having any contract with any Chinese company - I may have missed something, but I think more likely what you see is a product published with no permission from us (I wonder what CD keys did they use?)

[Jex =TE= 0]

yeah the websites are chinese. well god bless the internet, u guys can atleast use sprocket or atari digital download version

Maybe - China censors a lot of internet usage so that may not be an option.

[Maddmatt 1]

yeah the websites are chinese. well god bless the internet, u guys can atleast use sprocket or atari digital download version

Maybe - China censors a lot of internet usage so that may not be an option.

They can use proxy servers to get around it.

[sdoc 0]

Don't worry about it. China needs rather low prices anyway to sell it. In my experience the software shelves in stores are only there to give the real sellers a reason to stand there. People who want to buy, tell him, he'll lead them outside, to a backyard, open a shed and sell you the real commodity. For prices chinese can actually afford.

For a niche game like ArmA there's no money to make on chinese market. The costs to port it there will consume all revenues.

However it's good enough sign that a chinese company thinks they can make some money by pirating it. Typicaly you get mostly mainstream stuff there. If ArmA's popularity in china can be increased by this, all the better! (*sdog hopes for some good chinese addons)

There's also hardly any risk for international sales. firstly those officially pirating companies are a bit slow. secondly there's hardly much grey imports to the west. people who'd buy pirated copies will download a pirated version for free.

@fromz: Is the version english? Or is it in some way localized?

ps.: china's a great place to stay.

[Dwarden 1124]

the point is what receives BIS ...

i mean even if u sell for 5 bucks on chinese market and BIS gets e.g. 2 or 3 ... put some million number as sales and u got winner lol

[mattxr 9]

I am not aware of us having any contract with any Chinese company - I may have missed something, but I think more likely what you see is a product published with no permission from us (I wonder what CD keys did they use?)

If you dont sell to Chinnees no wonder they have to pirate this stuff, unless i missed your point and someone else but a chinees company markets it.

[-Puma- 2]

the point is what receives BIS ...

i mean even if u sell for 5 bucks on chinese market and BIS gets e.g. 2 or 3 ... put some million number as sales and u got winner lol

why do a contract with chinese reseller, when a store next store sells a pirate copy for about 50% reduction.

ontopic, what the topic starter basicly said is that if u buy a pirate

copy in china u cant play MP

[fromz 2]

As far as I understand the situation with China, China never accepted any international agreement about copyrights, and all foreign copyrighted material is therefore basically considered "free" in China by the local law. In such situation is has no sense to try to sell products based on intellectual properties there, and this attitude to copyright issues is one of the important clashing points in USA - China relationship.

I am not aware of us having any contract with any Chinese company - I may have missed something, but I think more likely what you see is a product published with no permission from us (I wonder what CD keys did they use?)

OK I understand what you mean

I will announce the piracy company in China to avoid being cheated

[crashdome 1]

I am not aware of us having any contract with any Chinese company - I may have missed something, but I think more likely what you see is a product published with no permission from us (I wonder what CD keys did they use?)

If you dont sell to Chinnees no wonder they have to pirate this stuff, unless i missed your point and someone else but a chinees company markets it.  

What I think Suma is trying to point out is that if you try and sell software in the Chinese market, you will most likely get under-bid by pirates as what they do is not against the law.

Example: You make a Software application  and decide to sell for equivalent of $10US. Pirates take your software, crack it, and distribute it as their own for $8US because it's legal. Nobody buys your product and you lose all revenue spent on marketing and distribution making it not only a loss of sales, but much.. MUCH worse. On the contrary, if you decide not to spend the money on marketing and distribution to Chinese market, you don't really lose anything other than "potential sales" depending on if you really want to consider that they exist or not.

[EDIT] fromz, I would like to add that some of us appreciate what you are trying to do as little or as much as it might help. I am sure a Chinese company that sells in any other country wish their product not be stolen by pirates also. Persistance and time will hopefully make things right.

[fromz 2]

I am not aware of us having any contract with any Chinese company - I may have missed something, but I think more likely what you see is a product published with no permission from us (I wonder what CD keys did they use?)

If you dont sell to Chinnees no wonder they have to pirate this stuff, unless i missed your point and someone else but a chinees company markets it.  

What I think Suma is trying to point out is that if you try and sell software in the Chinese market, you will most likely get under-bid by pirates as what they do is not against the law.

Example: You make a Software application  and decide to sell for equivalent of $10US. Pirates take your software, crack it, and distribute it as their own for $8US because it's legal. Nobody buys your product and you lose all revenue spent on marketing and distribution making it not only a loss of sales, but much.. MUCH worse. On the contrary, if you decide not to spend the money on marketing and distribution to Chinese market, you don't really lose anything other than "potential sales" depending on if you really want to consider that they exist or not.

[EDIT] fromz, I would like to add that some of us appreciate what you are trying to do as little or as much as it might help. I am sure a Chinese company that sells in any other country wish their product not be stolen by pirates also. Persistance and time will hopefully make things right.

Yes, Thank you

The ArmA agent company has told me that thier acting is authorized.I hope that is true.

[MP.Green 0]

The registration process took such a loooong time before I was finally allowed to post.  

The first thing I want to clarify is: there is legal protection on intellectual property in China - I can tell with confidence as an admitted Chinese lawyer - although I'm not specilized in this area. I have to admit the enforcement of IP-related laws is weak in China. There is a bunch of Chinese company cut cornors and bend the rules to make dirty money, but NONE of them go far.

Let me walk you through the facts. Fromz and I are the members of a OFP/ArmA community in China(www.mp-ofp.com/bbs/). We were surprised when Soarsoft released an announcement on its website saying its had been granted the rights by BIS to publish and distribute ArmA Simplied Chinese language version in China because (i)the game setting of ArmA is too politically sensitive to pass the cencorship in China; (ii) Soarsoft had a very bad record of illegal copycating games- there was a rumor says they snatched a copy of Mount & Blade demo, cracked it, translated it into Chinese, sold it to Chinese players and claimed it was "developed" by their own!! When the developer of M&B found out what was happening in China, they posted a thread on their forum to warn all the Chinese player http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/topic,25342.0.html

It looks like Soarsoft wants to play its ricky trick again, so Fromz volunteered to figure out whether they had due authorization they claimed by posting a thread here. Thanks to Suma who appears to be the lead programmer, the answer is NOPE.

In a couple days after Fromz's post, a guy who claimed to be a staff of Soarsoft showed up in our forum, asserting that they are duely authorized to publish and distribute the Chinese version of ArmA and each pack they sell will include a valid CDkey. Considering the complexity of the issue, we closed the relevant threads, wishing it will fade out before anyone gets hurt.

Now that's the whole picture. My question is: is there any way to dig out whether Soarsoft has any authorization from BIS (the developer) or Idea Game (the publisher) or any other party? Is there a list of authorized distributors anywhere on BIS's website? If not, there should be one!

If it proves to be a trick, we need ACTION before the innocuous Chinese ArmA lovers spend their money on crippled copycat version-at least BIS should follow M&B's suit-post a warning on the website to alert the Chinese plays to the lousy trick of Soarsoft!

[maruk 80]

Sorry for confusion and I have to correct Suma here.

Soar is authorized to distribute ArmA in China, we signed a deal at this years GC with them.

So any Chinese players please buy the game from them to support us and our valuable partner in China.

Thank you.

[MP.Green 0]

Sorry for confusion and I have to correct Suma here.

Soar is authorized to distribute ArmA in China, we signed a deal at this years GC with them.

So any Chinese players please buy the game from them to support us and our valuable partner in China.

Thank you.

Thank you for your quick response, Maruk.

I'm sorry to have wronged them. From another standpoint, it could be a good news, Chinese company with a not so glorious history started showing some respect to copyright. More important, Chinese players now have the option to own an authorized copy.

I'm looking forward to seeing ArmA2 in China market, too.

Regards to the term and your awesome games.