Dont make mods, boycott Reforged [EULA Update]

[Map Designer]

You're referring to maps now, before it was about the site...
Make up your mind.

well if they can shut down map by map, its basically shutting this site for what it does. that was my initial thought.

 

[Arcmage]

Blizzard could shut down most of the site with DMCA claims. With the new EULA, the vast majority of maps and resources are the exclusive property of Blizzard, and may not be legally distributed without their consent. Thus the vast majority of this site's function has become, from a legal standpoint, essentially piracy.

As it stands, uploading your own map to a 3ed party website without Blizzard's express permission is copyright infringement and puts you in danger of a lawsuit and statutory damages.

Obviously, Blizzard hasn't done any such thing with SC2 maps, where this has always been true, and they aren't likely to start now. But it's still a pretty ridiculous state of affairs.

 

[loktar]

Thus the vast majority of this site's function has become, from a legal standpoint, essentially piracy.

This has always been the case for anything that's not 100% original, which is a big part of the stuff on here.

But it's still a pretty ridiculous state of affairs.

True, but in reality there's almost zero chance it will affect anyone.
Even if a dota-level popular map turns up, the creators can just move to a different platform without a worry because you can't just make a blanket claim to all concepts and ideas as intellectual property. These are just misguided scare tactics, and the biggest problem with it is that it's working, which drives even more people away.

 

[Arcmage]

True, but in reality there's almost zero chance it will affect anyone.
Even if a dota-level popular map turns up, the creators can just move to a different platform without a worry because you can't just make a blanket claim to all concepts and ideas as intellectual property. These are just misguided scare tactics, and the biggest problem with it is that it's working, which drives even more people away.

Concepts and ideas are not protected by copyright. But many parts of dota are copyright protected, such as the characters and writing. All of the biographies, item descriptions, etc, would be Blizzard's exclusive property, and they could use them in their own clone while preventing the original authors from using them on a different platform. Dota's authors would have to completely rewrite their plot and a lot of their content.

 

[HerrDave]

Rewriting the descriptions of every item, like say, the Ironwood branch(?) would be an arse :[

 

[loktar]

But many parts of dota are copyright protected, such as the characters and writing. All of the biographies, item descriptions, etc, would be Blizzard's exclusive property,

Those types of things are what I meant. It's not legally viable to claim copyright to all of these things just by virtue of coming into contact with your software and/or platform.
It's only meant to discourage, and if it were to come that far, to scare people into relinquishing their rights because a legal procedure might be too expensive.

 

[Map Designer]

Does EULA itself hold in US Court system? is it even acceptable by law?

 

[Lothar1994]

i don't think it would especially if some makes a map and creates custom models and textures from scratch, no blizzard assets besides the map it self. if said person made such models to replace reforged ones in a map and got a copyright on it/them (models and textures) than blizzard can't claim their map as theirs with out violating the copyright on those custom assets. but than they could also ban the user for that to prevent the map from being on their system, and than get potential sued for retaliatory action (those highly unlikely) in all this is a massive can of worms that sooner or later is going to come and bite blizzard in the rear when someone finds a loop hole or finds that this is illegal to do in the first place. but we will see time will only tell.

But they can claim your map if you don't make a lobby in the online part of the game so if you make a map to play with friends you can just use it in the LAN offline just make sure to send it to your friends and let them know to keep it offline, that's one loop hole. SC2 you could publish a map as either Public or Private and all my maps were private only those i invited would be able to play it. you can kind of do the same here in a way, thats what i'll be doing with my lord of the rings style maps

 

[disruptive_]

Those types of things are what I meant. It's not legally viable to claim copyright to all of these things just by virtue of coming into contact with your software and/or platform.
It's only meant to discourage, and if it were to come that far, to scare people into relinquishing their rights because a legal procedure might be too expensive.

This is true and most of you know how such notion turn into pure stupidity (like Blizzard owning racist and obscene maps just by you uploading them). I will not explain legally why just accepting a contract wont constitute Blizzard the owner of your IP because i did it just too many times to no avail. Overprotective clauses, clinging to so called "rights" and "interests" instead of doing the good stuff, and overprotection in general indicates 2 thing: fear of losing something and distrust. The person that experimented these emotions first were some Blizzard's stakeholders but somehow all of you are also doing it. Just do the things you love.
If some of you ever get contacted by Blizzard in regards your IP and assignments about your content just contact a lawyer with negotiating captabilities ASAP and you will get most likely some good news. Don't do it alone because you maybe get bullied. Maybe you don't even get bullied at all (most likely). Until then, just assume your work is yours. But do the work.

 

[Lothar1994]

If some of you ever get contacted by Blizzard in regards your IP and assignments about your content just contact a lawyer with negotiating captabilities ASAP and you will get most likely some good news. Don't do it alone because you maybe get bullied. Maybe you don't even get bullied at all (most likely). Until then, just assume your work is yours. But do the work.

probably the only real good advice i have read since this hit the fan so to speak. the forums on their site are full of anger. I wont lie i am angry, but only because the single player aspects i loved i.e the custom games is gone in offline mode and it seems that the only way to play it is with LAN, but when i am trying to test a map i made i use the cheats to speed things up, see whats broken and what not. Can't do that anymore unless you want to exit the game and use the map editor every time. Yes do i think the cinematic and UI that was shown needs to return, Yes i do. Do i think the story should "be in line with current WarCraft Lore" Yes and No. Yes to a extent because i fell Reign of Chaos is like a chapter in a book, and Frozen Throne pick up where Reign of Chaos left off, so having both Stories somewhat adjust to match the current chain of evens makes a good point to have done, again "like a chapter in a book". However should it also stay somewhat the same yes. I sure blizzard could find a way to do this and rework all the maps so like the said not just one here and there.

but that's just me

 

[SerenityInFire]

As to whether it's worth it to make maps or not, I think it is. For me, modding isn't just a hobby, it's like a calling. Even if I give it up for years, after awhile I'll start to really miss it, and I'll start feeling that itch once again.

 

[Brambleclaw]

As to whether it's worth it to make maps or not, I think it is. For me, modding isn't just a hobby, it's like a calling. Even if I give it up for years, after awhile I'll start to really miss it, and I'll start feeling that itch once again.

Then just use Unity or Unreal Engine they are free, have more functionality, and don't steal your stuff.

 

[lainiwakura]

i fail to see how this is a problem. you guys really should have known this from the beginning. you should have known that you never owned any bit of the assets you use to make your mods.

 

[ThompZon]

i fail to see how this is a problem. you guys really should have known this from the beginning. you should have known that you never owned any bit of the assets you use to make your mods.

Except that you kinda did, as proven by DotA (map in WC3) and DotA 2 (stand-alone owned by Valve), until the EULA update.

 

[Ardenaso]

Except that you kinda did, as proven by DotA (map in WC3) and DotA 2 (stand-alone owned by Valve), until the EULA update.

account was made just yesterday lmao

 

[Daethz]

I certainly wont start any new projects on wc3, mainly because this game isn't even that lively anymore.
Just keeping my map on life support when I feel like editing it