eula
Latest
Norway complaint changed the way Tinder uses your swipes
If you actually read the terms and conditions or end-user license agreement before you click the "agree" button, raise your hand. Okay, stop being funny, we know that you actually didn't and you aren't going to score any brownie points with us. In Norway, Tinder recently got into trouble over how its terms and conditions are worded, according to regional news publication Dagens Næringsliv (translated).
New Minecraft EULA exceptions drafted to clarify monetization
The fact that Minecraft users can run their own servers has always been a bit of a double-edged sword - a blocky, low-res sword yes, but one sharp on both sides nonetheless. Players can do just about anything they want on these servers, which is great, but these players also sometimes end up breaking terms of the game's EULA, which gets developer Mojang in trouble. "Some privately run Minecraft servers do charge for in-game items, for xp boosts, for access to certain game modes. Some of them even charge quite a lot," Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson wrote in a new blog post yesterday. "I don't even know how many emails we've gotten from parents, asking for their hundred dollars back their kid spent on an item pack on a server we have no control over." To help protect from such accusations in the future, Mojang has created new rules regarding monetization. The rules have been detailed on Mojang's site, but what it boils down to is fewer restrictions on creating and selling in-game items and other monetized goods. Just make sure to communicate with your customers that you aren't Mojang, don't sell items that impact gameplay, and don't charge real-world money for in-game money. Oh, and one last thing, a request straight from Persson: "Herobrine is not real please stop asking." [Image: Mojang]
Elder Scrolls Online accidentally bans legitimate accounts
Mark this down in the "oops!" category: ZeniMax admitted that it got a little too zealous in its war against EULA breakers in Elder Scrolls Online by accidentally banning some players who had done no wrong. "As part of our continuing effort to combat gold spammers, botters and exploiters, we recently banned a number of accounts," the studio posted. "After several players appealed, we were able to investigate the matter further and discovered some legitimate accounts got caught up in the sweep. We unbanned accounts last night, and have email responses going out for those affected from our support group. It is never our intention for legitimate players to be harmed as we work to keep your game free of cheaters, and we sincerely apologize for the mistake." ZeniMax also said that this past week's maintenance accidentally deleted some characters' bank expansions and the items held inside of them. The studio put up a process how to regain those slots and items if it happened to you.
Ask Massively: Trailers, emulators, and 'skill caps'
It's time for a grab bag edition of Ask Massively! A reader named Nicholas is up first: I was wondering if you could help me remember a game studio that was developing a new Korean action- MMORPG game engine (and it wasn't Bless, Blade and Soul, or ArcheAge). In the tech demo, no environment was being shown; it focused on the combat aspect of the engine. All the combat took place against a white background, and it was combo-based and reactive to hits. I remember a slow motion scene with an NPC being punched in the face and the face distorting. At the time, there were no announced games using the engine; the video was just showing what tech the game studio had developed. If it helps any, I remember the comments saying that the engine was just going to be vaporware. I think we might! Massively's Lis pegged it as NetEase's Dragon Sword trailer. +1 to Lis.
Valve given ultimatum by German consumer organization over EULA
Valve must respond by October 10 to a desist order from the Federation of German Consumer Organizations, otherwise the company faces a potential lawsuit. The Federation of German Consumer Organizations, or VZBV, wants Valve to change Steam's recently updated end-user license agreement (EULA), which prevents customers from bringing class-action lawsuits against the service.As Cinema Blend reports, the VZBV argues that users are coerced into agreeing to the updated EULA, because if they don't they lose access to their Steam accounts. The VZBV also wants Valve to enforce the European Court of Justice's ruling made in July, which states that authors cannot oppose their 'used' digital download software being resold.Cinema Blend notes a suspicion that Steam's updated EULA is designed to protect Valve from class-action lawsuits related to the EU ruling. The VZBV originally gave Valve until September 26 (today) to respond to its desist order, but the organization later extended the ultimatum to October 10. We've reached out to Valve for comment.
The Daily Grind: Do you report gold spammers?
There you are, minding your own business, when someone named Fghdsjfta walks up to you and says "***---~~~BUY GOLD CHEAP FAST DELIVERY <<500 = $5>> FAST DELIVERY!! CHEAP GOLD TO YOU NOW!!~~~---***" This wouldn't happen in real life (besides, how would someone pronounce a tilde?), but it can and does in your favorite MMOs. Most of the time these gold-selling messages are repeated in your chat window over and over again as you try to figure out how to report the character for being an annoying spammer. Or do you? After having this conversation with some friends, I've found that not everyone reports these gold sellers. Some block the name, some turn off chat channels completely, and others simply ignore it in hopes that someone else will deal with it. So where do you stand? Let us know in the comments below! Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
iBooks Author gets new EULA, aims to clear writer's block
We've waxed lyrical about iBooks Author at the technological level, but a good self-publishing platform counts for nothing if authors are put off by its terms and conditions. A particular source of antagonism so far has been the notion that, if an author decides to charge a fee for their iBook, then Apple will claim exclusive distribution rights and prevent them from publishing their work anywhere else. Check out the More Coverage links below and you'll see that a number of writers tore up Apple's licensing agreement and flung it into the proverbial overflowing trash can. Now though, Cupertino has done some re-writing of its own and come up with a new EULA. It clarifies that Apple will only demand exclusive distribution rights over .ibooks files that are created with iBooks Author, rather than the book's content itself. It states that "this restriction will not apply to the content of the work when distributed in [another] form." So, there it is -- writers everywhere can happily go back to tearing up their own work again.
iBooks Author 1.01 out with updated EULA
An incremental release for iBooks Author has been released with changes to the program's EULA. The update is 143.50 MB, which seems pretty hefty for a EULA change. The change is an important one though, clarifying that Apple has rights over the format a book is in, not the content. If someone wants to charge a fee for an .ibooks formatted file, that document can only be sold or distributed through Apple, and that work will be subject to a separate agreement with Apple. The restriction does not include works distributed in non-.ibooks formats (such as the Kindle), as TUAW's Erica Sadun previously discussed.
SWTOR welcomes Collector's Edition arrivals and suffers credit farmers
It was the best of times in The Old Republic, it was the worst of times. Even though BioWare's freshman MMO has yet to officially launch, so-called "credit farmers" are already hard at work setting up operations to sell in-game currency via third party sources. Shacknews identified one company, IGXE, as spearheading the assault on SWTOR's economy, although that company certainly is not alone in attempting to bypass the EULA. On a brighter note, the Collector's Edition of the game has already shipped to many (but not all) customers, and Darth Hater has a massive 20-minute unboxing video to show off all of the physical goodies that come inside. If you're curious or are still waiting for your own CE to arrive, you can view the action-packed video after the jump.
Service helps users opt out of EULA class-action prevention
If you're looking to opt out of the class-action lawsuit prevention clauses inserted by certain companies like Electronic Arts for Origin and Sony for PSN, a new service is seeking to streamline the process. The trick about opting out is consumers must send something known as a physical letter and use a "stamp" (an antiquated method of payment, we understand, to facilitate this analog-mail). Because this letter-mailing artform has been lost to time, GamersOptOut.com will help.
New website provides online opt-out services for game EULAs
If you're like most of us, you don't read the giant wall o' legalese that serves as a speed bump on the way to your favorite virtual world. A group of Redditors has, though, and has set up a new website designed to assist gamers in opting out of the clause that prevents participation in potential class action lawsuits leveled against gaming service providers. Apparently opting out requires that a physical letter be mailed to the gaming company in question, and GamersOptOut.com purports to do the tedious work for you (either for free or for a voluntary donation). The catch is that you'll need to provide personal information, including your name, address, and game account name. The website's creators page lists the online handles (as well as Xbox Live, PSN, and Twitter identities) of those responsible, but given the anonymous nature of the site and the privacy concerns raised by providing your personal info, we suggest you proceed with caution. Currently the website features an opt-out form for Sony's PlayStation network and Electronic Arts' new Origin digital delivery service.
The dangers and allure of real money trading in MMOs
It's been one of the longest-running debates in the MMO industry: whether or not real money trading (RMT) helps or hurts players and the game worlds they inhabit. The Ottawa Citizen shed some light on the subject by showing how the games industry at large has dealt with the subject, from players dealing in grey market trades to studios overseeing RMT in the hopes of keeping players' bank accounts safe while lining the studios' pockets with additional income. Two examples were given of players engaging in illicit -- and ill-advised (Massively disclaimer) -- RMT activities. One player said that he made $7,000 in 2001 by purchasing EverQuest characters from bored players and reselling them to others, even though this was against the game's EULA. He likened it to real-world corporate practices: "It was kind of like buying a company and breaking (it) down and selling off all its assets, and flipping it for more cash." Another player admitted to spending $50 in hopes of gaining 2,000 gold in World of Warcraft, but the third-party company simply took his cash and never delivered the gold. The article notes how games like Second Life and companies like Sony and Microsoft are embracing RMT even as the issue remains taboo in many MMOs.
EA revises Origin EULA; data collection is still in, collection for marketing is out
This week, people finally got around to reading the end user license agreement for EA's download service Origin, and found that it allowed EA to collect personal and usage data for marketing purposes. This contrasts with Steam's EULA, which allows Valve to collect and store information related to Steam and other Valve software only. In response, EA issued a new, much softer-sounding version (PDF link here) of Origin's EULA. The new version no longer mentions marketing, but maintains the right to collect "nonpersonally identifiable data, including computer configuration, software usage, and peripherals connected. EA specifies that this data collection is done "for purposes of improving our products and services, providing services to you, facilitating the provision of software updates, dynamically served content and product support as well as communicating with you." EA also added a note that seems directly inspired by the outcry over the last EULA. "EA knows that you care how information about you is collected, used and shared, and we appreciate your trust that we will do so carefully and sensibly," the document now reads. "Information about our customers is an important part of our business, and EA would never sell your personally identifiable information to anyone, nor would it ever use spyware or install spyware on users' machines."
The Road to Mordor: Power to the levelers
With Rise of Isengard creeping up on us, I've seen an increasing number of people begin to freak out about it, not because they're upset it's coming but because they're not prepared to partake in the expansion on day one. Now, this might not be important to you, but I assure you it's quite important to many -- lots of people like to be in on the excitement from the very beginning, and it's a special kind of torture to contemplate having to sit there and listen to your friends oohing and ahhing over the new zones and content while you're still poking your way through Moria. So because of this, some players really, really want to get a character up to level 65, prepared to do a dive roll right into Dunland when September 27th hits. It's understandable. Even I, a normally laid-back type of guy, am pushing hard to finish up Enedwaith with my Lore-master so that I'll have one character good to go on I-Day (that's Isengard Day). But what about those who don't have a level 65 in their pockets? Is it too late to get your act in gear and get up there before it's too late? Of course it isn't. I'm pretty convinced that you could even roll a fresh toon today and get him or her up to the endgame by I-Day, depending on how much time you can dedicate to it. Today we're going to look at a few leveling tips I've picked up over the years to aid those of you who want to kick in the afterburners of the leveling process so that you can make sure you're where you want to be. It's not even that hard!
Apple to allow license-free virtualization with OS X Lion, developers roar with delight
Developers and IT managers have reason to smile today, because it looks like Apple is changing its approach to virtualization. According to Mac Rumors, users who download the client version of OS X Lion will be able to run one or two virtualized copies on a single Mac, using tools like VMware or Parallels. This functionality first surfaced with Leopard, but was only available to users who obtained a pricey OS X Server license. The EULA for 10.7, however, suggests that Lion owners won't need any extra licenses to tinker away in an alternate OS universe. It's news that the enterprise community will certainly welcome, but we'll have to wait a little longer before riding the Lion into a virtual realm, later this month.
Lion to allow two virtualized instances of Mac OS X per machine
The virtualization story for Mac OS X is about to change dramatically, and for the better, as Lion's licensing changes the rules for virtual machines. For some enterprise deployments, virtual Mac OS X environments are the Holy Grail: giving access to Mac-only applications on demand without having to supply Mac hardware on a one-to-one basis. While the vanilla version of Mac OS X has been theoretically virtualizable since the Intel transition (and in fact can be run on a virtual machine now under the right circumstances), the licensing agreement for Mac users up until Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard didn't allow virtual Macs, full stop. Starting with Leopard, Apple began to permit limited virtualization of Mac OS X, with two major caveats: you could only run VMs on Mac hardware (no blade server racks full of HP gear serving out Mac desktops), and you needed a Mac OS X Server license, with a steep price. Under these conditions, virtual Macs were a luxury few took advantage of. Now Lion's new EULA is set to change all that, as reported by MacRumors. 10.7 users will be permitted to run one or two virtual Mac instances on each physical Mac, presumably using existing virtualization tools like VMware Fusion, Parallels, VirtualBox or others. This is bound to be a big help for developers, IT managers and others who need to keep a known-good test environment or try out new apps in a controlled fashion. Note that virtualized Macs aren't the same thing as virtual desktops, which Lion is also slated to support; that second feature means that you can remotely connect to your user account and your desktop 'underneath' a user who is currently logged in to the machine. A similar capability was baked into Snow Leopard, but it required some hairy workarounds to use effectively; You can get a similar capability from the $79 iRAPP utility or the free Vine Server, but the Lion version will be single-click friendly.
Richard Dreyfuss offers a dramatic reading of Apple EULA
License agreements are dull...until they're dramatically performed by an Academy Award-winning actor. The folks at CNET asked Richard Dreyfuss to read sections of an Apple EULA in dramatic fashion, and he obliged. The result is silly, hilarious and enjoyable. Don't miss the last section, "Effective Until." It's especially, well, final. Hats off to Richard for being a good sport.
Alter-Ego: DCUO's console conundrum
With the first month of DC Universe Online now in the past, the time has come for that all-important MMO decision -- is the game worth renewing? For some, the answer is no. The first major patch still has not dropped; it's meant to offer us many fixes and the new content we've been told is coming. Some players have hit the level cap and aren't interested in leveling alts or doing endgame content. Whatever each person's reason may be, the shine is wearing off for some. Meanwhile, Hal Halpin, President of the Entertainment Consumer's Association, recently wrote a piece that presented another reason that some may not be renewing: Console gamers are feeling that Sony Online Entertainment has been less than open about the game's being locked to a single account. Many are upset about not being able to trade DC Universe Online in for another game now that their free month is up. His reasoning? "The problem, of course, is that console games are sold and the ownership conveyed, along with rights." There's only one flaw in that statement: This isn't anything new -- not even on consoles.
The Lawbringer: Glider's Neverending Story
Pop law abounds in The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Running parallel to the games we love and enjoy is a world full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. How about you hang out with us as we discuss some of the more esoteric aspects of the games we love to play? Back in October, I made the case that Blizzard was in the best position to fight for a stronger EULA because it has the money, industry sway, and a very specific set of lawsuits pending that could allow for stricter End User License Agreement provisions. In the simplest terms, EULAs are hard to hold up in court. They aren't airtight -- yet. Game companies would love to strengthen EULAs since enforcement of their provisions would then be easier.
Sony files to dismiss 'Other OS' class action lawsuit
SCEA has filed a motion to dismiss a class action brought against the company for its removal of the PS3's "Other OS" feature, which allowed users to install Linux on the system. Sony argues that the lawsuit, a consolidation of seven similar suits filed last spring, fails to present evidence that the company overtly advertised Other OS in its marketing campaigns or on PS3 packaging. Sony's filing also claims that the PS3 warranty, license agreement and the PlayStation Network Terms of Service "specifically provide PS3 purchasers with a license, not an ownership interest, in the software and in the use of the PSN, and provide that SCEA has the right to disable or alter software features or terminate or limit access to the PSN, including by issuing firmware updates," according to court documents obtained by IGN. (Other OS was removed with a firmware update; and users who decline any update are barred from PSN.) Additionally, Sony has requested that the "class" allegations be stricken from the suit because the plaintiffs did not all use Other OS in the same way. In fact, one of them never used the feature at all. With Sony presenting some seemingly solid grounds for the lawsuit's dismissal, it might be prudent for the plaintiffs to call a key witness to the stand when the two parties meet before a judge on November 4. How about ... the United States Air Force?
