[Answer] Is World Building legal?

[newtech]

Hello there, my dear MMOwned users!

I was bored this evening while I was on retail, and I had a ticket answered while I was offline, so I got an offline response. Some of you may know that means 'Instant Answer' on the next ticket.
And it sure was Well, I had to wait like 15 minutes to get an answer x) But yeah... :P

Now, lets get to the point of what this topic is all about. I am not sure about all of you guys, but I have often wondered, "What would Blizzard do, if they saw my World Builds, and decided to strike down upon me?"
So I went to ask a GM on retail :P And well, the picture below should answer it pretty much :P


You might have to rightclick the picture and 'View' to be able to read the text properly. And yes, my FPS sucks! I know xD

This was the conversation between me and the GM. It turns out, if you do not actually release it as a patch, it isn't illegal to make it :P So to all of you World Builders out there, who purely use it as a tool of art, have no fear! =D But for all of you exploiters out there, who only use it as a tool of cheating, SCREW YOU! >_>

I'm not gonna make this a flaming topic towards exploiters so... All I have to say is, we're off the hook, if we stay to making worlds, posting pictures and get feedback :P And of course, keep it in Local Host, when taking ingame pictures x)

Hopefully this will answer some peoples questions :P

Thanks
Newtech

PS. If you don't believe that's on retail, feel free to Armory my char. The realm is Steamwheedle Cartel - EU
This convo between me and the GM was spoken the 5th of April, 2011

[twilightsamus]

As he said, it could be clarified better by the "legal team", and the reputations most GMs have is not one of necessarily knowing anything about anything; however, his response makes sense, of course - obviously as long as you aren't shifting terrain to glitch to certain places and things like that and uploading it to Rapidshare for all to use, there's really no reason for them to hunt you and others down for creating something, but it's possible that they would have the right to do so if they chose.

[xsx]

WTB moar CAPS in the header on the front page.

[newtech]

WTB moar CAPS in the header on the front page.

Da f*ck you talkin' 'bout? There isn't more caps, that necessary :P Maybe your thinking more about large text x)

OnTopic: Haven't written to that legal support team yet. Will so as soon as I can find time for it

Thanks
Newtech

[~OddBall~]

WTB moar CAPS in the header on the front page.

lol this!

[Xel]

I was once told that "model editing" is fine as long as it consists of adding, but not altering files.
Another contact of mine told me that he, as well, used to do model edits before being hired to Blizzard. This employee still visits this site occasionally according to his words. (I was also given the keyword "sandbox" as a hint of some kind)

Blizzard does not seem to have strict policy for these things and therefore punishments are often situnational and might depend on the employee you are dealing with. Blizzard appreciates model editing as a form of art (at least some of them do, the opinions differ) and perhaps most importantly as advertisements (Youtube, Warcraftmovies, MMOwned, they all bring them more paying customers).

Ps. Edited your "eye-catching" welcome note. Don't try to bring in more people by doing that, please.

[MadameGrip]

If you want a clear answer.. read the bloody ToA and ToS, and copyright infrightments on Blizzard.us or whatever the link is.

As long as it's used for private educational use, it's alright.. But sharing the edits is not legal, and will trigger the laws of copyright infrightments :P.. it's like 4 lines, that a lot of people apparently cba to read......................................................

[Xel]

If you want a clear answer.. read the bloody ToA and ToS, and copyright infrightments on Blizzard.us or whatever the link is.

As long as it's used for private educational use, it's alright.. But sharing the edits is not legal, and will trigger the laws of copyright infrightments :P.. it's like 4 lines, that a lot of people apparently cba to read......................................................

Taken from Google's permissions of usage:

[.. ] Use the trademark only as an adjective, never as a noun or verb, and never in the plural or possessive form.

Just decided to quote that.

[predattak]

who cares if this is legal or not .. anyway alot of world edits are better than what blizzard is making so who cares.. ow yeah ..ppl who play on retail ..

[DDDevilz]

You use a lot of emoticons, especially ":P".

Just making you aware.

[MadameGrip]

You use a lot of emoticons, especially ":P".

Just making you aware.

That's because he can.

[Xel]

Don't go offtopic guys otherwise I will have to close this thread.

[Eluo]

To ask a GM about sth like that is quite ... not usefull.
1. He is not in the position to tell you how you can use the files. Even if he said "Yeah you can do what ever you want." , it would not be acceptabel if you get dragged to court.
2. Why should blizz sue somebody who is making no expoits, no profit or anything else? The community of model editing is no fear for them. They just compleatly ignore it. If blizz would really be bothered by that ,you would'nt be even in this forum. To kill modelediting and hell... even private servers would be just one click for them.
3. The laws differs from country to country. Hire a lawyer if you really want to know anything about that.
4. ToS, Eula, and so on are NOT the law. These are agreements between the user and the company (don't cheat and so on). If you get sued for anything ,then not for breaking the eula , but for breaking the copyright.

[newtech]

That's because he can.

Win XD And yes :P

To ask a GM about sth like that is quite ... not usefull.
1. He is not in the position to tell you how you can use the files. Even if he said "Yeah you can do what ever you want." , it would not be acceptabel if you get dragged to court.
2. Why should blizz sue somebody who is making no expoits, no profit or anything else? The community of model editing is no fear for them. They just compleatly ignore it. If blizz would really be bothered by that ,you would'nt be even in this forum. To kill modelediting and hell... even private servers would be just one click for them.
3. The laws differs from country to country. Hire a lawyer if you really want to know anything about that.
4. ToS, Eula, and so on are NOT the law. These are agreements between the user and the company (don't cheat and so on). If you get sued for anything ,then not for breaking the eula , but for breaking the copyright.

You've got a point Eluo. But then again, you always do >_>

Thanks
Newtech

[MadameGrip]

http://eu.blizzard.com/en-gb/company...legal-faq.html

that is what I meant Elou.. And YES breaking those.. is what you get sued for.. And As I mentioned. go to the blizzard website.. /facepalm.jpeg

anyway, THERE you read exactly everything you need to read in order to get your answer


HAF FAWN