Ruined my disc. Ethical decision?

SPARTAN VI

SPARTAN VI

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Jun 12, 2004
Messages
8,762
So I was given Rock Band 2 (just the game) for my birthday, which is tomorrow. Popped the game in, hooked up the drums and everything, when I realized the cables were hanging all over in front of my display (Xbox is on top of my TV). I get up, and start moving the Xbox while the game is in the tray. Stupid stupid stupid decision. I hear a grinding and immediately knew what I had done. Happened to me with my Saint's Row disc when my Xbox360 tumbled over.

Anyhow, try to play the game afterwards and it DDEs me. Boil the disc a few times, still DDEs. I have the gift receipt and all, but just keep thinking it's a slime ball thing to do by going back to Target, telling them the disc is conveniently scratched, and getting a replacement for free? Then again, I'm being told by others that I'm not actually buying the disc, I'm purchasing a license to play the game, so I should go back and exchange it. Well, I'm a broke college student and admit I made a bonehead error, but I'm exchanging it no matter what.

I can only imagine how much it costs publishers to burn copies, print manuals, and place everything in a nice plastic case for me versus the $50 some dollars it cost my sister to buy the game for my birthday. Pennies?

I bet you guys have some pretty abrasive opinions. :)
 
Well, you know the answer to your own question, so I'm not sure why you've asked.

Ethical? No. Moral? No. You fucked up, so own it.
 
SPARTAN VI said:
So I was given Rock Band 2 (just the game) for my birthday, which is tomorrow. Popped the game in, hooked up the drums and everything, when I realized the cables were hanging all over in front of my display (Xbox is on top of my TV). I get up, and start moving the Xbox while the game is in the tray. Stupid stupid stupid decision. I hear a grinding and immediately knew what I had done. Happened to me with my Saint's Row disc when my Xbox360 tumbled over.

Anyhow, try to play the game afterwards and it DDEs me. Boil the disc a few times, still DDEs. I have the gift receipt and all, but just keep thinking it's a slime ball thing to do by going back to Target, telling them the disc is conveniently scratched, and getting a replacement for free? Then again, I'm being told by others that I'm not actually buying the disc, I'm purchasing a license to play the game, so I should go back and exchange it. Well, I'm a broke college student and admit I made a bonehead error, but I'm exchanging it no matter what.

I can only imagine how much it costs publishers to burn copies, print manuals, and place everything in a nice plastic case for me versus the $50 some dollars it cost my sister to buy the game for my birthday. Pennies?

I bet you guys have some pretty abrasive opinions. :)
Click to expand...
If they take it, they take it. Try your luck replacing the game and if they don't take it then fine. That's the whole point of them having a return policy. I remember accidentally stepping on my NHL 99 disc once and it being unreadable. EBGames gladly replaced

That Xbox360 you're playing on exists today because Microsoft stole from competitors and backstabbed partners.

Ethics are bull$#!T.
 
phide said:
Well, you know the answer to your own question, so I'm not sure why you've asked.

Ethical? No. Moral? No. You fucked up, so own it.
Click to expand...

Didn't want to put "what would you do" in the title. Basically one of those threads.
 
I think what you're asking is, "Is there anyone out there who has a way of thinking about this that makes me feel better about doing what I know is wrong?".
 
Were you hoping someone would come in here and tell you that it's okay? If all you've done was purchase a license to the game, then Harmonix should just give you another disc for free right? No, didn't think so, you fucked up and what's worse is you even knew it was going to happen. I don't even get the point of this thread since you've already made your decision.
 
mystykmax said:
I think what you're asking is, "Is there anyone out there who has a way of thinking about this that makes me feel better about doing what I know is wrong?".
Click to expand...

Nope, didn't ask that, but that's the abrasive [H] response I was expecting. I'm not looking to justify my decision.

I don't even know if it is, in fact, the "wrong" thing to do. Everyone and their parents (literally) are telling me to get it replaced at Target and personally I thought that was wrong.
 
I don't know... this is one of those gray areas.

The XBOX360 is flawed in the fact that this can even happen.

On the other hand, the OP knew about it and previously did his best to avoid it happening.


I'd side on, take it back and get a new one. MS should really revise the XBOX360 so this is not possible... hell my 19yr old Phillips portable CD-Player didn't scratch CD's when I moved it around.
 
SPARTAN VI said:
Everyone and their parents (literally) are telling me to get it replaced at Target and personally I thought that was wrong.
Click to expand...
Well, it is wrong. Target and MTV are eating costs that you should eat via the disc replacement program, which no doubt MTV/EA offers. They charge a fee to replace a disc for those who neglect their disc, which you did.

Returns exist for you to be able to exchange a product with another product if it was defective prior to you leaving the store, which it wasn't in your case. This was a case of blatant owner neglect, so why pass the buck to Target and MTV? Unless there's an additional layer of coverage outlined on your receipt to account for accidental damage (which there isn't), you're S.O.L.

Contrary to what Met-AL believes, this is not a "gray area". This is perfectly black and white.
 
I know Microsoft has a sticker on the trays now that say not to do what I did, I know this because my friend just unwrapped his 360. I guess what I meant to ask are these two questions:

One, what would you folks do? Put your money where your mouth is.

Two, what's the generally accepted practice regarding damaged discs and exchanges? Am I really paying for the license and entitled to exchange the media?
 
noobman said:
If they take it, they take it. Try your luck replacing the game and if they don't take it then fine. That's the whole point of them having a return policy. I remember accidentally stepping on my NHL 99 disc once and it being unreadable. EBGames gladly replaced

That Xbox360 you're playing on exists today because Microsoft stole from competitors and backstabbed partners.

Ethics are bull$#!T.
Click to expand...

Your name couldn't be more fitting.

Ethics are bullshit? Please. They're pretty much the only thing left that isn't bullshit.
 
Ack! Hate to do this, but I'll just go ahead and post again...
SPARTAN VI said:
Am I really paying for the license and entitled to exchange the media?
Click to expand...
You're paying for both the license and the associated media (the tangible product). In essence, you're paying a license fee (you do not own the game content), but you own the tangible goods. MTV's ownership of the tangible product transfers to Target when they purchase it from MTV/a third-party distributor and ownership transfers to you when you purchase it from Target.
 
I think if you have the ask...then you already knew it even before you asked. *shrug*
 
phide said:
Ack! Hate to do this, but I'll just go ahead and post again...

You're paying for both the license and the associated media (the tangible product). In essence, you're paying a license fee (you do not own the game content), but you own the tangible goods. MTV's ownership of the tangible product transfers to Target when they purchase it from MTV/a third-party distributor and ownership transfers to you when you purchase it from Target.
Click to expand...

So in essence, it would be within my rights to have burned a back-up copy and use it at this point? Since my license is still valid, but I "forfiet" my tangible item? And before anyone thinks about insinuating anything, I cannot play back-up copies on my box, just using that as an example.

Whomever mentioned the EA replacement program, I'll look into it. Admit my reluctancy to give any more of my money to EA though.

Mav451 said:
I think if you have the ask...then you already knew it even before you asked. *shrug*
Click to expand...

Huh? Sentence.. sense.. makes none?
 
Lol what I meant is that if you even have to ask, it's probably not ethical. Pardon the enigmatic language.
 
PWMK2 said:
Your name couldn't be more fitting.

Ethics are bullshit? Please. They're pretty much the only thing left that isn't bullshit.
Click to expand...

Take a look at the track record for "unethical" decisions by corporations in the past 50 years.


So, what were you saying again?
 
This same thing happened to me a few days after I got Rock Band 1. Know what I did? I said,"Eff it, it was my fault", so I bought a brand new one. I wasn't about to cheap out Best Buy returning an item I knew I effed up.
 
Mav451 said:
Lol what I meant is that if you even have to ask, it's probably not ethical. Pardon the enigmatic language.
Click to expand...

Oh oh, yeah that makes sense. :)

Hulk said:
you have to ask yourself, "what would jesus do?"
Click to expand...

:D

He'd touch my disc... then it would miraculously start working again.







I said "DISC" you perverts.

phide said:
Were it not for the DMCA, yes.
Click to expand...

Ah.... Oh well, wasn't an option, but worth the inquiry.

I sent an email to EA to see what my options were. Looking around other boards, some got theirs replaced for free, others were charged a $20 replacement fee on top of taking time/money to mail it back to them.
 
Hulk said:
you have to ask yourself, "what would jesus do?"
Click to expand...

He'd ask his dad to get him a replacement copy :)

Having purchased a license to use the software, then the op is still entitled to use the software.
Get in touch with the reseller or the distributor.
They may charge for a replacement disk but you should be entitled to one for less than the original purchase price if you provide proof (ie send them the bad disk).
 
Sonicks said:
This same thing happened to me a few days after I got Rock Band 1. Know what I did? I said,"Eff it, it was my fault", so I bought a brand new one. I wasn't about to cheap out Best Buy returning an item I knew I effed up.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have a problem stiffing Best Buy. I mean, they've done that to my family, I'd gladly stiff them to break even. Imagine your non-technical father walking into a Best Buy to look at new digital cameras (at the time, they were sub-5MP), specifically asking a rep for a camera that used a USB interface, being shown a camera on the floor that has said features, ask to purchase it, but instead, the rep brings the camera (in box) from the back cage directly to the register and rings him up. Father gets home and opens the box to find it uses a serial link interface... come on. Goes back to the store to return it, doesn't get anywhere arguing with the manager and eats a 15% restocking fee. So, I don't really like Best Buy.. :)

Target's been great to me so far.
 
noobman said:
Take a look at the track record for "unethical" decisions by corporations in the past 50 years.
Click to expand...
If you have a point, I suggest you get around to making it :)

SPARTAN VI said:
Looking around other boards, some got theirs replaced for free, others were charged a $20 replacement fee on top of taking time/money to mail it back to them.
Click to expand...
$20 is obscene. Used to be $10, and even that seemed ridiculous.

If they request that you pay $20 to replace the disc, I'd tell them that it's obscene and threaten to stop buying their products unless they offer you the opportunity to pay a more reasonable fee. It really is shady as hell for them to profit on disc replacement.
 
Nenu said:
He'd ask his dad to get him a replacement copy :)

Having purchased a license to use the software, then the op is still entitled to use the software.
Get in touch with the reseller or the distributor.
They may charge for a replacement disk but you should be entitled to one for less than the original purchase price if you provide proof (ie send them the bad disk).
Click to expand...

Sure thing. I plan on walking into Target this weekend to see if their customer service would actually do the exchange. I'd rather give Target money for a replacement than EA.
 
in this kind of situation would it be ok for the op to just torrent the game, since he already bought the license for the game?
 
Hulk said:
in this kind of situation would it be ok for the op to just torrent the game, since he already bought the license for the game?
Click to expand...

Not under the DMCA. Refer to Phide's post. Get your favorite chair out if you even plan on reading the entire DMCA. :D
 
Has nobody thought about resurfacing? And I don't mean disc doctor. There are several stores around town for me that will "resurface" (essentially polish the disc side back to a shine) any disc that I give them for 3 or 4 dollars a disc. I've taken them DVD's, MS CD's, video games, audio CD, etc. and it's worked perfectly every time... even with some scratches that I thought wouldn't come out. Now if you can see sunlight through the disc (i.e. a scratch in the foil layer) you're hosed, and resurfacing won't take out every scratch. But might be worth the time to call to some old CD / game stores and a few bucks to see if it works. They've done some miraculous stuff for me.
 
arkamw said:
Has nobody thought about resurfacing? And I don't mean disc doctor. There are several stores around town for me that will "resurface" (essentially polish the disc side back to a shine) any disc that I give them for 3 or 4 dollars a disc. I've taken them DVD's, MS CD's, video games, audio CD, etc. and it's worked perfectly every time... even with some scratches that I thought wouldn't come out. Now if you can see sunlight through the disc (i.e. a scratch in the foil layer) you're hosed, and resurfacing won't take out every scratch. But might be worth the time to call to some old CD / game stores and a few bucks to see if it works. They've done some miraculous stuff for me.
Click to expand...


In fact... GameCrazy directly the across the street from my complex does this. For $3, doesn't hurt to try.
 
I would, and have. My dog ran through my play and charge kit and pulled my 360 out ruining my Mass Effect disc 10 minutes after I started playing for the first time. She went in the kennel and I went off to replace my copy.

I would get that 360 off you TV if it's pretty high up to prevent it from toppling again though.
 
I would never, not even once, think twice, about returning something I broke to a retail store.

ethical decision? Are you fucking kidding me?

Do you people have any idea how you're viewed by retail corporations? We are walking dollar signs, the only shit they give is acquiescing just enough to give the illusion that we're valuable enough not to lose as a customer. And feeling bad about returning something to a target? Pffft. My Target is full of rude lazy people, nothing is ever tagged right, the customer service counter is an "oh god I hope I never have to return something" affair, and they don't even price match their own online sales, or do any of the good clearances like the rest of the country.

They rank right up there with Best Buy in my town. The only time I have a pleasant shopping experience in either store is if I don't have to talk to anyone there in any capacity, and I try to avoid shopping at either at all costs.

Not to mention you aren't stiffing anybody, they send it back and get a credit.
 
FWIW, i've used one of those cheap "disc doctor" things on several 360 and PS2 games (and DVDs), and they all work flawlessly now. My brother's son bumped into the 360 when we were about to play Rock Band, scratching the entire disc, preventing it from loading. After "doctoring", it works great. I think it cost me $10 or so, and i've fixed half a dozen games over the last year or two with it. The discs aren't shiny and new afterwards (you can tell it was "doctored"), but they play just fine.
 
Syndicated_Death said:
I wasn't aware of how tight that was.... I don't pirate but I've begun to think about backing up my media... so according to this I'm not allowed to?
Click to expand...
That's my understanding, yeah. There are various exceptions, but they don't generally apply to us.
 
Dude it might be wrong, but it's not that big of a deal, take it back to Target and tell them it was scratched and they'll give you a new one. Don't waste your time going through EA and all that other bullshit. Target will just send it back and EA will lose $3.50, big deal.

And yeah it's being dishonest but under certain circumstances it's the no brainer thing to do because
A:you have limited cash
B:EA has a shitload
C:the game was legitamately purchased in the first place.

After all is said and done I think jesus will let you live another day.
 
Kahnvex said:
I would never, not even once, think twice, about returning something I broke to a retail store.

ethical decision? Are you fucking kidding me?

Do you people have any idea how you're viewed by retail corporations? We are walking dollar signs, the only shit they give is acquiescing just enough to give the illusion that we're valuable enough not to lose as a customer. And feeling bad about returning something to a target? Pffft. My Target is full of rude lazy people, nothing is ever tagged right, the customer service counter is an "oh god I hope I never have to return something" affair, and they don't even price match their own online sales, or do any of the good clearances like the rest of the country.

They rank right up there with Best Buy in my town. The only time I have a pleasant shopping experience in either store is if I don't have to talk to anyone there in any capacity, and I try to avoid shopping at either at all costs.

Not to mention you aren't stiffing anybody, they send it back and get a credit.
Click to expand...

QFT
 
phide said:
If you have a point, I suggest you get around to making it :)


$20 is obscene. Used to be $10, and even that seemed ridiculous.

If they request that you pay $20 to replace the disc, I'd tell them that it's obscene and threaten to stop buying their products unless they offer you the opportunity to pay a more reasonable fee. It really is shady as hell for them to profit on disc replacement.
Click to expand...

so it is shady to charge your $20 for a new disk vs say $50 for a new disk to buy it new?

it is not like these stores are given "spare" disks to give out.

i personally would take it back, explain exactly what i did, i and ask nicely if there is a way to replace and not have to buy a whole new game
 
phide said:
If you have a point, I suggest you get around to making it :)
Click to expand...

Why should I do your dirty work for you?

Go grab yourself a copy of The Pirates of Silicon Valley, The Corporation, and any frikkin university ethics textbook.
 
SPARTAN VI said:
I wouldn't have a problem stiffing Best Buy. I mean, they've done that to my family, I'd gladly stiff them to break even. Imagine your non-technical father walking into a Best Buy to look at new digital cameras (at the time, they were sub-5MP), specifically asking a rep for a camera that used a USB interface, being shown a camera on the floor that has said features, ask to purchase it, but instead, the rep brings the camera (in box) from the back cage directly to the register and rings him up. Father gets home and opens the box to find it uses a serial link interface... come on. Goes back to the store to return it, doesn't get anywhere arguing with the manager and eats a 15% restocking fee. So, I don't really like Best Buy.. :)

Target's been great to me so far.
Click to expand...

Best Buy doesnt charge the restocking fee if he chooses to get another camera. The camera he wanted in the first place would be a good start. If he had gotten the camera he wanted in the first place and decided he didnt want it he would have to pay restocking fees. They have restocking fees to discourage people "renting" certain things not to eff you over. If he gets the camera he wants there will be no fee and Best Buy would be more than happy to sell the other camera as an open item and take some loss to get him the correct product. This whole notion of companies out to get you is absurd. They have policies in place to protect themselves against fraud and other stuff and help the legitimate customer.
 
noobman said:
Why should I do your dirty work for you?

Go grab yourself a copy of The Pirates of Silicon Valley, The Corporation, and any frikkin university ethics textbook.
Click to expand...

Don't treat us as retards. Yes, some companies have done some practices in the past whose ethics can be questioned. What does this have to do with that? My Xbox 360 hasn't ever scratched my discs; however, some people have had theirs scratched by their console. It's not like Microsoft is going out of its way to scratch peoples' discs. Regular people work there, not spawns of satan. In fact, if you called up Microsoft to talk about what happened, I think there's a good likelihood that you'll get compensated for it.

Either way, I wouldn't take it back to the store. Talk to MS or the manufacturer directly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top