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Bioware Revises NWN EULA
malaire writes "Assistant Producer Derek French of Neverwinter Nights has posted the new EULA for all to see. This addresses most concerns raised by the community about user-created content for the game." Our story noting the EULA concerns makes interesting, if somewhat confusing, reading.
Well, this is good news; the rewording is a large step in the right direction although they still haven't crossed the finish line yet.
;)
Essentially they have revised the clause everyone was upset over to read "we can force you to stop giving away your mod, but only if we're not selling it too". This addresses the concerns people had with Bioware stealing their customers' mods, while still giving them a legal right to stop the distribution of mods they/someone finds offensive. While cencorship is still implied, it at least removes the possibility that they can unfairly profit off your hard work.
However, they still added the weasel words that would allow them to include your mod in a CD they're selling and not give you credit for it. While it does they they will make every effort to give you credit, it does not say they *have* to; in fact they give themselves permission to forget; so it basically still boilds down to "we'll give you credit if we feel like making the effort".
Oh well, if your mod is that popular, people will most likely have already heard of you and know you made it. I know that I for one now feel no hesitation in designing and distributing my own mods; whether people will want to play them is another matter.
I browse Slashdot at +3, Funny
No kidding, with all the people rushing out to buy Linux games it makes you wonder why Loki went out of business. Oh, wait...
Only in the software business does this perverse atitude exist.
;) )
Modifing an existing product and selling the modification is a true american princepal.
Examples:
You buy a new car and figure out a way to increase its horsepower with $20 dollars worth of parts, and procede to sell the modification kits on ebay for $30 dollars. Not only is this very very legal, it is also quite widespread (car fanatics are everywhere
You buy a portable gaming system that for reasons totally unknown has no backlight, and design one and sell it on your own website. Huh, never heard of this one, huh?
Wake up, no matter what some silly EULA says, aftermarket modifications that you spend your time on are yours. If you spend 80 hours on a modification, and its completly your own work, no judge would let a company steal those rights from you because of some contract you did not sign before the sale. If you sign a contract before the sale, now, thats entirely different.
I hate reading posts like this from people who have no clue and didn't follow the community for the last three or so years like some of us did.
The reason people are upset with no linux binary is because THEY SAID THERE WOULD BE ONE. In fact even stores thought there would be one, so people ACTUALLY PUT MONEY DOWN ON A LINUX VERSION!!
This is like Nintendo promising Mario for the Genesis - going so far as to say it hundreds of times - and have it on their webpage - announce in stores that mario for the genesis was coming so you had better preorder now - thousands of peole "buying" it - and then nintendo saying "Nah, we don't feel like it any more"
DONT COMMENT ON THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT!
I am a linux gamer - but I am NOT that upset over this whole thing. I am buying the game tomorrow (already preordered at Gamestop) - and will be dual booting - then when the binary comes out I will use that in linux.
Derek