Second, my MUL has everything about everything. The only thing left is about 200 WS/DS, after which I'll format it up, toss it in a database, and let people peruse it.
For but for of you who don't know how to use google, and think that i'm releasing IP protected content, use google: Google
Click on any of those links, well, minus the couple CCG related ones (Your results are probably a bit different, google sells your info and markets specific things to you based on your viewing habits).
Anyway, notice all those sites with everything needed to make that unit? Heck, I don't even have all the fluff yet, and probably never will (though I do plan on grabbing quite a bit from HMP files, including who edited the if the data is in there).
So anybody getting all freaked out, I'm not copying a PDF and putting online like some have, I actually manually entered in every single byte. I did link many to their canon MUL entry though, so you can hyperlink to masterunitlist.info, and my stuff will be in a much more usable format, but it isn't anything new to the internet by any means.
Oh, and I thought of this earlier today. A bit on the whole ban thing, I did know it was coming eventually so it wasn't a surprise, the moderators did it, probably without talking to anybody on the CGL payroll (my assumption), but as a former leader in the US Army, I took full responsibility when my subordinates screwed up, and though it may or may not be right in this case, kicking a contributor off the forums forever for my infractions seems to me pretty harsh, and not the way CGL should allow its fans to be treated. I don't think this was anything personal, but just moderators blindly following rules without interpretation, something I'd make my soldiers do push-ups for.
Here is my plan, in no particular order:
- Finish up the MUL, only about 200 units left, all DS/WS, probably won't finish till this weekend as I've got "chores" to do :)
- Write a real time game, similar to BT, using megamek mech type graphics for now but in DX, that lets multiple people log on and fight out a game between tanks, infantry, buildings, mechs, VTOLs, etc, etc. I think the hardest part about this will be creating and defining the interfaces, can't exactly use the DOW one :)
- Import heavy metal mech fluff into the MUL, I never wrote an app to convert the other heavy metal apps :(
- Write a web interface for the MUL. That includes showing all the record sheets, hopefully a QS/BF sheet, and some decent searching code.
- Finish up my rules for "Interstellar Wars". This are probably much like IO/ISW or ISIF, but I'm thinking far less broken and far more detailed. Its too big to fight out an entire succession war (unless you have a LOT of space/time/toner), but it'll be used to test out the code in the eventual Interstellar Wars computer game.
- Look at Renegade Legion again as a potential computer conversion instead of BT. Though its owned by the same folks, nobody is making stuff for it, and I've always been a big fan. Or maybe Heavy Gear/Jovian Chronicals. Both of those I really need more art for though :(
I don't see the TR3025 or TR3039 text copied verbatim in any of those links. That's what got you in trouble for the quirks. Not the 'data', but the copy/paste of the quirks text. (My assumption, the moderators dont' say to anyone else the reason, but having seen the document you posted, I'm fairly certain the quoted text was the problem.)
ReplyDeleteThat's been the general rule with Sarna, SSW, MegaMek, 'MEch of the week articles, etc. No copy\pasting of the fluff text. That's copyright/plagarism.
You're allowed to quote a short bit of text as necessary to discuss/question a point. What does this rule mean? How do we do X, here's the rule that applies..
I think I had looked at 3050 Revised when looking at those links, which at least one site was verbatim, and all of them have exact stuff from TROs/RS's. So 5 words is ok, but 6 too many?
ReplyDeleteAs for what I posted that was my "final straw". yeah, that was it. Then, right after, some mod deleted my message and said watch rule 11. Made sense, oops on my part, fixed the issue, move along. Instead, a couple hours later I get banned. Just seems the punishment didn't fit the crime.
And the posting thing is very hypocritical. Battletech images are all over the internet, being used for all sorts of sites, and nobody seems to care, yet the text is somehow more sensitive? Just doesn't seem right if you ask me, either protect all content, or none, don't pick and choose when trying to protect your IP.
Fair use comes up though, and its why most people are allowed to freely use this stuff, they aren't making money (well some are through ads, which I loathe), but if I post some stuff verbatim, don't claim it as mine, don't try to use it for anything other than informational purposes, fair use very much applies.
That isn't the argument though, it was apparently against the rules, so they banned me, I'm not trying to argue *why* I got banned, I see that now, just that there wasn't any harm done, delete the message and say "No, Bad Bad Syntax", and move along. It isn't like there is any shortage of moderators over there to remove any offensive messages, and they do it all the time.
I hate IP laws in general, and think they have no place in a free and unselfish society.
You should be happy though, now I'll stop posting MUL errata ;) And I was about to give you pages of it, plus lots of new pics ;)
Too bad our society is not 'free and unselfish'. Otherwise, I might have more sympathy for your take on the IP laws. As far as I can tell, however, many folks are downright rotten. Rule of law is there for a reason.
ReplyDeleteI may run afoul of the IP laws myself - but they are needful things in a culture where folks routinely ask you to sell your buddies down the river for a cookie - and more often than not, folks do just that.