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Blizzard releases third-party API usage policy
Ever since earlier this year, Blizzard's API data streams from the WoW Armory have hit the scene in a big way, with developers creating such awesome web tools as apps for better gear checking, more accurate reforging calculators, and transmogrification fashion websites. As Blizzard continues to push its API data to web developers and app creators, the API usage policy is finally here with guidelines on how this data is to be used and what limitations exist for premium applications. The third-party API usage policy has a lot in common with Blizzard's addon creation and usage policy. No premium applications or web tools that use WoW API data are allowed, which means you will not be able to be charged for access to information that is freely given. App creators will also not be able to put commercials or advertisements inside of applications that hinder the use of the application and data. Developers will, however, be able to host these apps or web tools on hosting that has advertisements -- you just can't force people to watch them or do something in order to use the app. Remember, you should not be paying for applications that use this data. Take a look at the full third-party API usage policy after the break. If you're interesting in coding with these new APIs to create programs, web tools, or mobile apps, check out Blizzard's community platform API forum on the WoW community site. You will be in awesome company.
Blizzard's APIs and You: Cool information and tools coming down the pipe
Recently, Blizzard disabled the WoWArmory Facebook application, signaling that the time of the modern WoW Armory is over and we will soon live in an age when new Blizzard APIs will transform our out-of-game experience. And change it, they will. These forthcoming APIs will change the way you interact with WoW outside of the game in ways you cannot even think up yet. How do I know this? That's the power of information facilitation, and some inventive hypotheticals will show you what Blizzard's APIs will do for you in the near future. Over the past few months, Blizzard has been preparing to roll out a new set of APIs that will take internal information from the Armory, the new community site, and more, parse it into easily manageable data streams, and make those streams available to application developers. With these new streams of information, savvy developers can craft web applications, smartphone apps, social media plugins, and anything else under the sun to provide you with new and dynamic WoW experiences on the internet. I know that sounds horribly cliché, but hear me out -- this stuff is pretty cool, and the back end could bring about a new standard for information availability and MMOs. I'm not a developer. In fact, a lot of us in the community are not developers. Writing this story felt like an exercise in obscurity because, frankly, all this back end information isn't in my wheelhouse. As I dug deeper and began to realize the potential of the systems being set up, I fell in love with the idea that Blizzard is opening up easy access to so much information. I thought it would be a good idea to illustrate for those of us who have no idea what APIs are capable of, to break through the programmer/developer talk and discuss what these APIs mean for us, at the end of the day.
