Money has nothing to do with why private servers were shutdown. It was the fact they were stealing intellectual property. The loss of revenue to NCSOFT only sped up the process and made them more willing to pursue L2extreme.
L2J does the same exact thing. It doesn't matter if the source code is modified you are still playing "Lineage 2". It's like taking a Mickey Mouse picture and saying that the character name is Lickey Mouse and therefore you own the copyright to him. It doesn't work that way.
I'd also like to add that the NCSOFT eula specifically states emulators, like L2J, are illegal.
You may not (a) sublicense, rent, lease, loan or otherwise transfer the Software or the Service (or any part thereof), including without limitation serial codes; (b) modify, adapt, reverse engineer or decompile the Software, or otherwise attempt to derive source code from the Software; (c) create any derivative works in respect of the Software or the Service;
7. OFFICIAL SERVICE
You further agree not to create or provide any other means through which Lineage II may be played by others, as through server emulators. You acknowledge that you do not have the right to create, publish, distribute, create derivative works from or use any software programs, utilities, applications, emulators or tools derived from or created for Lineage II,
Not to bring up something new, but a games EULA isn't law. In order to be illegal it has to be breaking the law. It is breaking game rules. Dipping your hand into the monopoly money bank is against the rules, but you are hardly going to have the FBI knocking at your door.
Sure part of the sting operation was because of IP theft. IP theft doesn't matter if your using emulation or stolen source code except that "stolen" code is direct property. It is the lines on the page so to speak, the thing you actually copy write. It is hard to copy write elves, humans, dwaves, orcs, etc. etc. Even a kingdom called Aden, or a class called Spellsinger have all existed long before lineage II in many fantasy tales. The line is only fuzzy to the point that emulating a source code is pretty much plagiarizing a book.
The reason for L2extemes sting operation, even though NCsoft would love to use it as a publicity stunt, was mainly due to untaxable/unreportable LARGE profits not reported to the IRS. IP theft came second. The reason for lets say L2exteme vs. a server like Deviant Worlds (used a slightly alterned name for the server so not to draw attention both good and bad) was chosen is because of this reason, and the reason why Deviant Worlds (US based) server is still running.
It makes my blood boil all these people ripping off other peoples hard work All thes people that want something for nothing should be made to sit and develop a game for 2 or 3 years and then be made to watch as every type off low life rip off their work perhaps they would change their tune then ?
Amazing so many people can be so clueless as to defend criminal behavior like they have in this thread. All emulators are stealing someone elses's property, and the people who support them are thieves, no better than a person who jacks someone's car.
Yes...it is that simple..and there is no "gray" about it....
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Also to make a statement. I am playing official Lineage servers ran by NCsoft, and have for the last two years. I don't agree with private servers and I think that they should all be shut down. Ethically and morally it isn't right, and it is correct that they are stealing their work. It is Lineage II after all, emulated or not. But to emulate a server isn't ILLEGAL but against the game policy, no law. But private servers have used stolen source code, modified clients to run on their servers, etc. Which is illegal activity.
If I bought a server computer and created a L2J server for me and my friends to screw around on without even modifying the client itself, it is perfectly legal due to all copy write laws. You are paying for the "service" to play L2 on official servers, not the game itself. It is when you start making profits off of the work of the people of NCsoft and marketing your server over the official ones that you run into trouble.
But in the end, just be safe and play the real thing. If you think official GMs are corrupt, then the age 18-35 year old guy running the L2 game enviroment on a dedicated server for "fun" in his basement is definately not going to be un-corrupt. Plus support the game to keep releasing the content and creative works that they did.
And to make a short statement about the original topic of this post, Official servers are MUCH MUCH BETTER than private servers. If all you are looking at is grind time, then you may be falsely lead to belive that private servers are better. But if it is grind you are worried about, just play a different game. Don't waste your time playing a private server because it has boosed rates... If you want PvP for free play guild wars or Counter Strike, etc. etc.
Sure elves and dwarves are pretty hard to copyright b/c they've been used in the past by other sources. However, using the art, textures, music and models of Lineage 2, which L2J servers do, is copyright infringement.
what about the 60 to 70 bots i see every time i play? NC SOFT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THERE PLAYERS.. i played this game for a while but why play when someone can bot 30 char's and sell them on ebay for 100's? private servers elliminate this problem.. either that or nc soft has to wipe all char data for me to play again
I'm a little surprised to see Lineage 2 top 100 free server lists, after the news of NCsoft involving the FBI to shut one down. I guess NCSoft is only focusing on a few, but what about the hundreds of others out there?
Comments
L2J does the same exact thing. It doesn't matter if the source code is modified you are still playing "Lineage 2". It's like taking a Mickey Mouse picture and saying that the character name is Lickey Mouse and therefore you own the copyright to him. It doesn't work that way.
I'd also like to add that the NCSOFT eula specifically states emulators, like L2J, are illegal.
3. LICENSE TO USE
You may not (a) sublicense, rent, lease, loan or otherwise transfer the Software or the Service (or any part thereof), including without limitation serial codes; (b) modify, adapt, reverse engineer or decompile the Software, or otherwise attempt to derive source code from the Software; (c) create any derivative works in respect of the Software or the Service;
7. OFFICIAL SERVICE
You further agree not to create or provide any other means through which Lineage II may be played by others, as through server emulators. You acknowledge that you do not have the right to create, publish, distribute, create derivative works from or use any software programs, utilities, applications, emulators or tools derived from or created for Lineage II,
Sure part of the sting operation was because of IP theft. IP theft doesn't matter if your using emulation or stolen source code except that "stolen" code is direct property. It is the lines on the page so to speak, the thing you actually copy write. It is hard to copy write elves, humans, dwaves, orcs, etc. etc. Even a kingdom called Aden, or a class called Spellsinger have all existed long before lineage II in many fantasy tales. The line is only fuzzy to the point that emulating a source code is pretty much plagiarizing a book.
The reason for L2extemes sting operation, even though NCsoft would love to use it as a publicity stunt, was mainly due to untaxable/unreportable LARGE profits not reported to the IRS. IP theft came second. The reason for lets say L2exteme vs. a server like Deviant Worlds (used a slightly alterned name for the server so not to draw attention both good and bad) was chosen is because of this reason, and the reason why Deviant Worlds (US based) server is still running.
Yes...it is that simple..and there is no "gray" about it....
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
If I bought a server computer and created a L2J server for me and my friends to screw around on without even modifying the client itself, it is perfectly legal due to all copy write laws. You are paying for the "service" to play L2 on official servers, not the game itself. It is when you start making profits off of the work of the people of NCsoft and marketing your server over the official ones that you run into trouble.
But in the end, just be safe and play the real thing. If you think official GMs are corrupt, then the age 18-35 year old guy running the L2 game enviroment on a dedicated server for "fun" in his basement is definately not going to be un-corrupt. Plus support the game to keep releasing the content and creative works that they did.
And to make a short statement about the original topic of this post, Official servers are MUCH MUCH BETTER than private servers. If all you are looking at is grind time, then you may be falsely lead to belive that private servers are better. But if it is grind you are worried about, just play a different game. Don't waste your time playing a private server because it has boosed rates... If you want PvP for free play guild wars or Counter Strike, etc. etc.