Downloading Sonic Music?

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Antiporcupine

Antiporcupine

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I want to download some music from, say, SA2B and ShTH to put in Windows Media Player (preferably MP3s). I don't currently own either game.

1. Is it legal? (I really don't know - I think it would be, but I want to check knowing how common illegal downloads are these days)

2. Where should I be able to find downloads for these? Can you suggest a site for them?

Thank you!
 
Actually, I found that one already; glad to hear a good review on it. But, I still want some kind of confirmation that it's legal. (I get really paranoid about that kinda stuff....)
 
Legally, its arguable, Morally, I guess its ok as you technically own the songs in some form or another in the game itself.
 
Yeah, because, in a sense, you own the music. Of course, you could always convert them to OGGs and erase the MP3s from existence...
 
You can dowload Legal and Free Sonic 2 remixes.
The album is called Hedgehog Heaven
(made it a link to thier site)

My faves from that are "Bring In The Machine", "Robeatnik's Theme" and "Next My Generation"
 
Actually, even that's questionable as far as legality. They didn't get permission from Sega to remix those songs. All of OCR and VGmix (and, minorly, vgmusic.com too) suffer from sitting in that gray area.

As far as directly downloading music tracks from games, that's illegal. Physically owning the game itself doesn't make it any less illegal.
 
Well, most of you failed to notice something:

Antiporcupine said:
I don't currently own either game.
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By the sounds of the consensus, original music from a game I don't own would be illegal, but a remix might be okay. Makes sense to me. Just another reason to be disappointed that SA2 isn't for PC.... :cry: Maybe I should petition Sonic Team to make SA2DX or something....
Oh, and if I take music directly from a game I own and use it exclusively for myself? For instance, I have a number of tracks from SADX and SHeroes saved in my WMP, and I retrieved them directly from the game disks, which I own for the PC. This is legal, right?
 
Well, you can be that much of a legal freak, if you want...Your method would work. But to the best of my knowledge, SEGA hasn't made any complaints of anyone downloading/using/passing on its music illegally. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
 
Arrow said:
Actually, even that's questionable as far as legality. They didn't get permission from Sega to remix those songs. All of OCR and VGmix (and, minorly, vgmusic.com too) suffer from sitting in that gray area.

As far as directly downloading music tracks from games, that's illegal. Physically owning the game itself doesn't make it any less illegal.
Click to expand...

Sega has adknowledged sites with music/roms/isos (SonicStuff is the best example of this) and has shown they honestly don't give a damn. They're cool like that, I guess.

But if you want to be technical about it, no, it's not legal, though Sega doesn't care either way.
 
Antiporcupine said:
Oh, and if I take music directly from a game I own and use it exclusively for myself? For instance, I have a number of tracks from SADX and SHeroes saved in my WMP, and I retrieved them directly from the game disks, which I own for the PC. This is legal, right?
Click to expand...

Basically. This would fall under a backup rule, and is especially fine if the PC game saved the music on your computer to begin with, such as PC games that let you do full installs to your hard drive rather than playing from the CD. The illegality in situations like this comes in when you use the music for things other than its intended purpose. Companies own the copyright for the music and the game, and according to copyright laws, you can't just up and use their music for your own purposes without their explicit permission.

In a nutshell, here's situations and where they fall on the meter.

  • Copying music from personally owned PC SADX and Heroes discs, and leaving them in their original form, only intending to listen to them for personal enjoyment - Legal. This can go back and forth though; if the game doesn't allow you to install it on your computer by doing a full install to the HDD, then it may not be so legal.
  • Copying music from personally owned PC games just to listen to when the EULA/legal documents shown in the installation clearly say you CAN'T do that - Illegal
  • Converting legally downloaded tracks to another form, like MP3 - Illegal, though it's likely nobody would care.
  • Downloading/ripping the soundtrack from a game not owned on PC or not owned period - Illegal.
  • Sharing the tracks via P2P services like Limewire, even if you legally own the soundtrack or ripped the music from your own PC copy - Illegal.
  • Burning CD's for other people to listen to - Illegal.
  • Using the licensed music in a fangame - Illegal.
 
By this logic the entire PSO Episode 1 & 2 soundtrack is legal to download/copy for free since it's given away free in OGG form with Blue Burst, which is a free download in itself. Am I correct in saying this?
 
SRB2 does have some "illegal" music, like the Spring Valley and the Metal Harbor music...

SRB2 = illegal?
 
Omega the Hedgehog said:
By this logic the entire PSO Episode 1 & 2 soundtrack is legal to download/copy for free since it's given away free in OGG form with Blue Burst, which is a free download in itself. Am I correct in saying this?
Click to expand...

PSO was actually my example in that post before I edited it. It's legal to have on your computer to listen to, yes, since the game puts the music files on your computer in the first place.

I don't recall Blue Burst being free though. Unless you're talking about the beta, which honestly shouldn't be in circulation anymore now that the full game is available.
 
No, sorry, Arrow wins. Thanks; that was exactly the reply I was looking for, no matter how disappointing it was. Guess I'll just have to wait for another PC game from Sonic Team for more music. (Riders. Oh joy. :| )
 
PSOBB being free to download doesn't make a difference when you have to pay a monthly fee to play it (since offline doesn't work if you're not connected online). Sega and Schthack both, though Schthack's a OTO fee.

I win. :)
 
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