Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

General: World of Starcraft Mod Targeted by Blizzard

245

Comments

  • Zeus.CMZeus.CM Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 1,788

    Another reason why I will never vote for Blizzard as my favourite company!

  • gkb3469gkb3469 Member UncommonPosts: 148

    i bet blizzard is secretly working on world of starcraft and are mad cus some random made a better game with a mod

  • SolestranSolestran Member Posts: 342

    Originally posted by Meowhead

    Originally posted by Solestran

     It's no longer modding if they completely change the format of the game.  How the hell do you equate a SC2 mod with a MMO style game labeled as World of Starcraft?  They aren't modding SC2, they are creating a completely different kind of game, using the SC2 engine and mod tools.

     

    You are aware that Blizzard themselves made 'StarJeweled', a mod that turns Starcraft 2 into a Bejeweled version of Starcraft, right?  Along with several other mods that completely change the gametype (Including a co-op survival game called Left 2 Die?  Which seems suspiciously close to ANOTHER game's title, yet Valve never got around to sending them a cease and desist)?  To show people that it can be done, and encourage people to do other things like that?

    There are mods that make SC2 a turn based JRPG style game, and a kart racer, and Blizzard/Activision are fully aware they exist.

    You really don't have the slightest idea about the SC2 mod tools, do you?  Are you just making up stuff to make yourself sound smarter or something?

     Yes, but that's Blizzards' perogative, not the consumers'.  Authors can do what they like with their IP's, consumers cannot without express permission, no matter what capabilities their mod may have.

  • VyethVyeth Member UncommonPosts: 1,461

    There's really no discussion.. He should have been more creative with the name.. Maybe they were planning on bringing out their own MMO with the name World Of Starcraft and didn't want people getting confused whenever they decided to act on that.. It's not a hard concept to grasp..

    If Blizzard was some small company that barely had much of an image at all, I am positive they would love the positive light.. But we are talking about an established "super power" of the mmo industry..

    However, when I create my studio and create my first MMO I am going to name it "World of.." something.. How does "World of Orcs and Humans" sound?

  • April-RainApril-Rain Member UncommonPosts: 316

    activision/ blizzard always thought it was a very bad idea and they have shown themselves for what they really are over this, instead of giving the guy a pat on the back they just hound the guy after he's done a fantastic job, the video is amazing.

     

    by the way as a poster above said its probaly becouse they are releasing said game themselves, i totally disagree and that wont happen in the next 5 years at least, everyone knows project titan is a halo mmo.

    Playing: FFXIV
    Future: wishing for SWG 2, World of Warcraft Classic
    Played: Most current and extinct MMO's - 18 Years in....

    Interesting Fact - I own 27 Tarantula's

  • MeowheadMeowhead Member UncommonPosts: 3,716

    Originally posted by Solestran

     Yes, but that's Blizzards' perogative, not the consumers'.  Authors can do what they like with their IP's, consumers cannot without express permission, no matter what capabilities their mod may have.

    First of all, Blizzard doesn't own 'Left 4 Dead' or 'DoTA'... Valve owns both, yet they made mods called 'Left 2 Die' and 'Blizzard DoTA'.  So they do the same thing that guy was doing, just Valve is too smart to sue Blizzard because it'd be an ugly fight with lots of money lost for no good reason. :P

    AAAAAAALSO, you totally have the right to pretty much all the assets of SC2 for your SC2 mods.  You have NO IDEA WHAT SC2 mods are, do you?  none at all?  Are you not aware that most of the mods are Starcraft 2 based?  Because... oh... I don't know... all the art assets and stuff you have are Starcraft 2?  Huh.  Fancy that.  If they said 'You can't do anything with our IP at all, but uh, here's some mod tools', it would be the most dead modding community ever.

    Seriously, the more you talk, the more it's totally apparent that you wouldn't recognize a SC2 mod if it gave you an autograph and a notarized piece of paper explaining what it was.

  • MeowheadMeowhead Member UncommonPosts: 3,716

    Originally posted by k1klass

    activision/ blizzard always thought it was a very bad idea and they have shown themselves for what they really are over this, instead of giving the guy a pat on the back they just hound the guy after he's done a fantastic job, the video is amazing.

     

    by the way as a poster above said its probaly becouse they are reasing said game themselves, i totally disagree and that wont happen in the next 5 years at least, everyone knows project titan is a halo mmo.



    Except Microsoft would sue the hell out of Activision, and I'm pretty sure they have the money to win. :D

  • SolestranSolestran Member Posts: 342

    Originally posted by Meowhead

    Originally posted by Solestran

     Yes, but that's Blizzards' perogative, not the consumers'.  Authors can do what they like with their IP's, consumers cannot without express permission, no matter what capabilities their mod may have.

    First of all, Blizzard doesn't own 'Left 4 Dead' or 'DoTA'... Valve owns both, yet they made mods called 'Left 2 Die' and 'Blizzard DoTA'.  So they do the same thing that guy was doing, just Valve is too smart to sue Blizzard because it'd be an ugly fight with lots of money lost for no good reason. :P

    AAAAAAALSO, you totally have the right to pretty much all the assets of SC2 for your SC2 mods.  You have NO IDEA WHAT SC2 mods are, do you?  none at all?  Are you not aware that most of the mods are Starcraft 2 based?  Because... oh... I don't know... all the art assets and stuff you have are Starcraft 2?  Huh.  Fancy that.  If they said 'You can't do anything with our IP at all, but uh, here's some mod tools', it would be the most dead modding community ever.

    Seriously, the more you talk, the more it's totally apparent that you wouldn't recognize a SC2 mod if it gave you an autograph and a notarized piece of paper explaining what it was.

     The modding sofware itself is the property of Blizzard and they reserve the right to censure the misuse of that software as they see fit.  Bub, you can try to finnagle your way around the legal issue, but you can't.  If Blizzard doesn't censure some other person's mod, but they do this guy's, that IS their perogative.

  • April-RainApril-Rain Member UncommonPosts: 316

    Originally posted by Meowhead

    Originally posted by k1klass

    activision/ blizzard always thought it was a very bad idea and they have shown themselves for what they really are over this, instead of giving the guy a pat on the back they just hound the guy after he's done a fantastic job, the video is amazing.

     

    by the way as a poster above said its probaly becouse they are reasing said game themselves, i totally disagree and that wont happen in the next 5 years at least, everyone knows project titan is a halo mmo.



    Except Microsoft would sue the hell out of Activision, and I'm pretty sure they have the money to win. :D

     a deal is done on this one  ;)

    Playing: FFXIV
    Future: wishing for SWG 2, World of Warcraft Classic
    Played: Most current and extinct MMO's - 18 Years in....

    Interesting Fact - I own 27 Tarantula's

  • StainlessgmrStainlessgmr Member Posts: 12

    Blizzard flipping out when someone made a mod of a Game they used as an April fools joke on WoW's website 5yrs ago.  Funniest part of this is how they ripped off the Warhammer universe.  I remember reading an interview with the Pres of Blizzard, asking him about where he came up with the idea, and he stated he remembered playing Warhammer tabletop game when he was in college, asked them if he could make a game out of it and they refused.  So he hired a team of writers to come up with what was the beginning of the Warcraft franchise.  So you really cant blame them for being afraid someone would rip them off...

  • pawmaulpawmaul Member Posts: 42

    lmao at all of the speculation here.

  • MeowheadMeowhead Member UncommonPosts: 3,716

    Originally posted by Solestran

     The modding sofware itself is the property of Blizzard and they reserve the right to censure the misuse of that software as they see fit.  Bub, you can try to finnagle your way around the legal issue, but you can't.  If Blizzard doesn't censure some other person's mod, but they do this guy's, that IS their perogative.



    You're a little slow, aren't you?  I said in one of my first posts that they are fully within their legal rights to shut down any mod they want, for whatever reason they want.  No matter how badly you want to make that the issue, that isn't the issue.

    The POINT is, other than possibly some copyright issues over the NAME, he hasn't done anything illegal or heck, even immoral with the modding tools.  He was doing what Blizzard themselves said you can do.  There is no 'misuse' of the modding tools.

    I'm not trying to finagle my way around anything, the point is that you are misunderstanding the whole concept of what the heck a mod is.  You're all 'Oh no!  He's using EVIL HACKER POWERS TO STEAL!' or some crazy thing, when all he's doing is what Blizzard has expressly allowed people to do... with the minor problem that he has bad taste in names.

  • VyethVyeth Member UncommonPosts: 1,461

    Originally posted by Stainlessgmr

    Blizzard flipping out when someone made a mod of a Game they used as an April fools joke on WoW's website 5yrs ago.  Funniest part of this is how they ripped off the Warhammer universe.  I remember reading an interview with the Pres of Blizzard, asking him about where he came up with the idea, and he stated he remembered playing Warhammer tabletop game when he was in college, asked them if he could make a game out of it and they refused.  So he hired a team of writers to come up with what was the beginning of the Warcraft franchise.  So you really cant blame them for being afraid someone would rip them off...

    !

     

    Hot damn boy! You might be on to something!

  • mrw0lfmrw0lf Member Posts: 2,269

    My 2 pence on this is going to the name also and almost certainly issued by Activision (as stated elsewhere they've issued the same copyright notice to blizzard themselves for one of their vids on youtube).

    It's just a mod and there are loads of them and blizzard do give rights for people to use the tools to create them. The mod has to run through BN and the guy has stated he had/has no intention of sharing it in any other way. Chances are they'll come to an agreement and the project will continue, if he can be assed to, although he will certainly be required to change the name.

    At least that's my opinion.

    -----
    “The person who is certain, and who claims divine warrant for his certainty, belongs now to the infancy of our species.”

  • Slider7Slider7 Member UncommonPosts: 75

    Originally posted by Solestran



    Yeah, I'd love to see how you guys would react if it were your itellectual property that was being misused.  Especially in a way that undermines any future plans you may have for the IP.  I'm willing to bet my life that most if not all of you would be up in arms with lynch rope in hand.  Not only upset at the principle of the matter, but the detrimental effects on income as well.


     

    Sorry...but if someone was able to take a product that I created and was able to make it better. Then more power to that person!

    Heck, if Blizzard is so flippin' worried about their copyright and Itellectual property,  then they (Blizzard) shouldn't have rolled out the SDK software so that the player base can mod their product.

    If anything Blizzard should offer that person(s) a job and take their idea and their software code to the next level and turn that into a cash cow for them both.

     

    -Slider7

    -Slider7

    Looking for that next MMO

  • RavZterzRavZterz Member UncommonPosts: 618

    Originally posted by Solestran

    Originally posted by Meowhead

    Originally posted by Solestran

    Originally posted by kishe

    They make modding tools for Starcraft...then when people mod Starcraft, they pull copyrights on them?

     They weren't modding SC2, they were making a completely different game with the modding tool and to make it worse, labeling it as World of Starcraft.  I mean really, it's indefensible by anyone but asshats.

    Uh, no.  They were totally modding SC2.  The SC2 mod tools are pretty amazingly flexible, really.  This would have been simply a mod that was unplayable unless you actually own SC2.  It's not like the man was stealing their money or something.

    Yes, they probably have to make the guy stop, to protect their own copyright, but they could have been nicer about it.  There's a huge gap between 'Can't you be a bit more polite when fans are using your own modding tools to create a mod of one of your games' and 'asshat'.


     

     It's no longer modding if they completely change the format of the game.  How the hell do you equate a SC2 mod with a MMO style game labeled as World of Starcraft?  They aren't modding SC2, they are creating a completely different kind of game, using the SC2 engine and mod tools.

     Thats still modding... You would still need SC2 and have to go through battlenet, the creator already stated that. 

    And I really think the only reason they are trying to get this down is because of the name, jsut like everyone else has said.  It's clear he isn't doing this for profit, but they want to protect the name.  Just think, no one made a fuss about dota and it was well accepted.  If anything, they could probably use his creation to make money since it would have to be accepted by Blizzard to be placed on battlenet and, in a sense, donated.  But they won't let this guy be the creator of something called World of Starcraft, even if they profit from it.  The name is worth a lot by itself and they won't let it be ruined.

    Make games you want to play.

    http://www.youtube.com/user/RavikAztar


  • ValentinaValentina Member RarePosts: 2,104

    LOL I knew this would happen.

  • just2duhjust2duh Member Posts: 1,290

     Haha, pretty silly for them to take action when starcraft and warcraft are their two best sellers, was only a matter of time until someone tried to marry the two when given permission to use their tools.

     I seriously laughed at that, but maybe their next unnamed mmo actually is World of Starcraft? It could explain this nonsense lol.

  • SilverbarrSilverbarr Member Posts: 306

    Originally posted by just2duh

    I seriously laughed at that, but maybe their next unnamed mmo actually is World of Starcraft? It could explain this nonsense lol.

    Idd, but I think it would be Universe of Starcraft ;)

     

    M

    "Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death!"
    - Sun Tzu, the Art of War

    image

    Support the Indie Developers - Kickstarter

  • just2duhjust2duh Member Posts: 1,290

    Originally posted by Silverbarr

    Originally posted by just2duh

    I seriously laughed at that, but maybe their next unnamed mmo actually is World of Starcraft? It could explain this nonsense lol.

    Idd, but I think it would be Universe of Starcraft ;)

     

    M

      Hah, touchè

  • Equilibrium_JWEquilibrium_JW Member Posts: 201
    Originally posted by Meowhead
    Originally posted by Solestran

     It's no longer modding if they completely change the format of the game.  How the hell do you equate a SC2 mod with a MMO style game labeled as World of Starcraft?  They aren't modding SC2, they are creating a completely different kind of game, using the SC2 engine and mod tools.

     

    You are aware that Blizzard themselves made 'StarJeweled', a mod that turns Starcraft 2 into a Bejeweled version of Starcraft, right?  Along with several other mods that completely change the gametype (Including a co-op survival game called Left 2 Die?  Which seems suspiciously close to ANOTHER game's title, yet Valve never got around to sending them a cease and desist.  Speaking of which, they also made 'Blizzard DoTA', when Valve owns the copyright to DoTA.  Huh.  So asshattery is okay if it's Blizzard, but not if you're an independent modder?)?  To show people that it can be done, and encourage people to do other things like that?

    There are mods that make SC2 a turn based JRPG style game, and a kart racer, and Blizzard/Activision are fully aware they exist.

    You really don't have the slightest idea about the SC2 mod tools, do you?  Are you just making up stuff to make yourself sound smarter or something?

    I think everyone is missing the point, and you are almost making it here.

  • MeowheadMeowhead Member UncommonPosts: 3,716

    Originally posted by chaosngn

    I think everyone is missing the point, and you are almost making it here. They are working on Starcraft Universe no matter what they've told you in the past, and this just pissed them. It's Activision mostly.



    Oh, whether or not they're making World of Starcraft, or whatever they want to name it, they want to protect their trademarks and copyrights and whatnot.  I don't think anybody here is debating that.  Whether they're going to make a Starcraft MMO at some point in time is almost irrelevant, because they have to act as if they were getting ready to any moment now.

    My only issue is that some people don't seem to understand what you can and can't do (legally and coding-wise) with the Starcraft 2 mod program. :)

  • elsurionelsurion Member Posts: 24

    So funny...blizzard gives out the tools and then says "hey don't use them".... Personally they should IMO...hire the guy.

  • Roman291Roman291 Member UncommonPosts: 104

    Everyone saw this coming. And I am a glad this project is getting shut down. Not to be mean to the developer of the mod, but it's just not his place to make a MMO like this. He probably new this was going to happen, but he probably did this to bring it up. And anyways if Blizzard did let this project continue, and it was a successful project people would probably flock to the mod instead of playing Starcraft the RTS like WoW did to Warcraft the RTS. So for the sack of the series Blizzard had to shut it down. Although, I do agree a lawsuit is a little much, but Blizzard had to get rid of it  as quickly as possible.

  • einexileeinexile Member UncommonPosts: 197

    In the US you can't copyright a title, and trademark protection is for businesses operating in the same sphere. This guy isn't doing business in any sphere, and Blizzard's lawyers know they can't sue him anymore than they can sue a snowplow manufacturer or a two kids putting on a play for their parents. They also haven't lifted a finger to protect "World of" in their own industry. This is a meaningless gesture.

    And silly too, because the only reason anyone enjoys all this tacky Warhammer fanfic is because Blizzard is really good at making it.

    einexile the meek
    Vacuos, Winterlong, Vaciante, Eicosapenta
    Atlantean, Tyranny, Malton

Sign In or Register to comment.