Dragon Army - Blizz's new add on policy

Blizz's new add on policy

Thread Tags
Primary:	[General-Public]
Secondary:	None

Killcaustic
Member
Posts: 453(1.65%)
Threads: 64(1.39%)
Private Posts: 32

Characters:
Kuyleh(80)
Selaris(85)
Nartherys(85)
Talikah(82)
Tailyn(70)

Posted: 5718 days ago

Link

Quote

World of Warcraft User Interface Add-On Development Policy
With the continuing popularity of World of Warcraft user interface add-ons (referred to hereafter as "add-ons") created by the community of players, Blizzard Entertainment has formalized design and distribution guidelines for add-ons. These guidelines have been put in place to ensure the integrity of World of Warcraft and to help promote an enjoyable gaming environment for all of our players - failure to abide by them may result in measures up to and including taking formal legal action.

1) Add-ons must be free of charge.
All add-ons must be distributed free of charge. Developers may not create "premium" versions of add-ons with additional for-pay features, charge money to download an add-on, charge for services related to the add-on, or otherwise require some form of monetary compensation to download or access an add-on.

2) Add-on code must be completely visible.
The programming code of an add-on must in no way be hidden or obfuscated, and must be freely accessible to and viewable by the general public.

3) Add-ons must not negatively impact World of Warcraft realms or other players.
Add-ons will perform no function which, in Blizzard Entertainment's sole discretion, negatively impacts the performance of the World of Warcraft realms or otherwise negatively affects the game for other players. For example, this includes but is not limited to excessive use of the chat system, unnecessary loading from the hard disk, and slow frame rates.

4) Add-ons may not include advertisements.
Add-ons may not be used to advertise any goods or services.

5) Add-ons may not solicit donations.
Add-ons may not include requests for donations. We recognize the immense amount of effort and resources that go into developing an add-on; however, such requests should be limited to the add-on website or distribution site and should not appear in the game.

6) Add-ons must not contain offensive or objectionable material.
World of Warcraft has been given a "T" by the ESRB, and similar ratings from other ratings boards around the world. Blizzard Entertainment requires that add-ons not include any material that would not be allowed under these ratings.

7) Add-ons must abide by World of Warcraft ToU and EULA.
All add-ons must follow the World of Warcraft Terms of Use and the World of Warcraft End User License Agreement.

8) Blizzard Entertainment has the right to disable add-on functionality as it sees fit.
To maintain the integrity World of Warcraft and ensure the best possible gaming experience for our players, Blizzard Entertainment reserves the right to disable any add-on functionality within World of Warcraft at its sole discretion.

Sounds to me like Activision is getting money hungry. I don't really see any issues with people that charge to maintain an add on. Results of the Glider lawsuit, maybe?

--
"If what you're seeing is an open book...Thats great. Well, I'm an open book. But I'm real shy." ~Blue October, "The Answer"

[Login to interact]

truenos
Friend
Posts: 348(1.27%)
Threads: 34(0.74%)
Private Posts: 6

Characters:
Plaguewind(85)
Truenos(85)
Saphiira(74)

Posted: 5717 days ago

Link

I do see a problem with people charging to distribute an addon. Not only will it give those with more IRL money an in-game advantage over those without it (however minor), it's also making money off of blizzard without cutting blizzard in. By that I mean, if WoW didn't exist, these addon creators wouldn't be getting that income. I sympathize that creating and updating an addon takes time that could be spent doing something else, but no one's twisting their arm to force them to do this. Very often, when an addon creator stops updating an addon, someone else steps up and takes over for them without expecting any kind of compensation.

Glider wasn't an addon, it was completely automated gameplay, i.e. cheating. The only way they got away with charging for it in the first place was because those brazen arrogant douchebags were doing it in direct defiance of the EULA and multiple cease and desist warnings. I've never seen a legitimate addon you had to pay for, and I've used most of the major addons available in this game.

And blizzard obviously doesn't care if kind people donate to keep the addon up and running, so long as the solicitation doesn't occur in-game.

--
(USER WAS AWESOME FOR THIS POST)

AFK: Attack, Fight, Kill! The healer is telling you to go pull mobs.
WTF: Way To Fight! The healer is applauding your tactical genius.
OOM: Out Of Mobs, go pull more.
"Being around you makes me feel nicer [by comparison]."
-Valaheea
"You can't use math to determine (your) spec." - Vomit of Ursin, on rogue class mechanics

[Login to interact]

Isadoriana
Dragon.Council
Posts: 2553(9.28%)
Threads: 764(16.57%)
Private Posts: 1256

Characters:
Isadoriana(96)
Riice(77)
Peligrie(76)
Lotustalla(50)

Posted: 5717 days ago

Link

Quote

Add-ons must not contain offensive or objectionable material.
World of Warcraft has been given a "T" by the ESRB, and similar ratings from other ratings boards around the world. Blizzard Entertainment requires that add-ons not include any material that would not be allowed under these ratings.

Sounds like they're also targeting that nude mod that some people use for WoW too.

--
"If we ever get a dog and cat, they should be named "Come-on" and "Goddammit", so that when you yell "Come on, Goddammit!" you'll be surrounded by their love." -Locklear (paraphrased)

"You navigate like a blind chick." -Locklear
www.twitter.com/peligrie

[Login to interact]

truenos
Friend
Posts: 348(1.27%)
Threads: 34(0.74%)
Private Posts: 6

Characters:
Plaguewind(85)
Truenos(85)
Saphiira(74)

Posted: 5717 days ago

Link

Quote by Isadoriana

Sounds like they're also targeting that nude mod that some people use for WoW too.

Actually, when I read that line, another addon jumped to mind. There are a few addons out there that allow the use of custom emotes, many of which are explicit. These addons spam the emotes publicly for everyone to see, while the naked mod only changes the the game for people who have it installed. Both of them are probably targeted by this rule though.

--
(USER WAS AWESOME FOR THIS POST)

[Login to interact]

Mordru
Member
Posts: 86(0.31%)
Threads: 19(0.41%)
Private Posts: 2

Characters:
Mordru(85)
Belash(85)
Calecon(70)
Millivanilli(65)

Posted: 5715 days ago

Link

I know Carbonite and NUI are going to be affected by this new rule. NUI has just made their Premium edition public. I have not heard what will happen with Carbonite.

The thing is that each addon takes the developer some time to create. The developers do not need to share their efforts with the community. Personally, I do not mind donating to some of the addons that took a tremendous amount of effort to create and maintain (like NUI and Carbonite).

--

[Login to interact]

infernally
Member
Posts: 106(0.39%)
Threads: 12(0.26%)
Private Posts: 15

Characters:
Wingwraith(100)
infernally(80)

Posted: 5715 days ago

Link

Quote

Personally, I do not mind donating to some of the addons that took a tremendous amount of effort to create and maintain (like NUI and Carbonite).

^absolutely. I have no problem at all shelling out a few bucks to get the Enhanced Carbonite. I just hope this doesn't end w/ me not having Carbonite at all. That would really suck; I really don't like Quest Helper. :-(

--

------
Abit Ip35-Pro
E6750 @ 3.4MHz (Exp Index = 6.8)
OCZ Platinum 1GB x 4 @ 850MHz 5-5-5-15 (Exp Index = 7.0)
HD 4890 (Exp Index = 7.6)
150GB Velociraptor (Exp Index = 5.9)
Windows 7 Pro

[Login to interact]

guy
Administrator
Posts: 2351(8.55%)
Threads: 218(4.73%)
Private Posts: 348

Characters:
Guynamedsue(100)
Tiddlywinks(91)
Youdecide(91)

Posted: 5714 days ago

Link

I like to run them both & see if i can get my fps below 60 while running algorithms in the background for mersene prime numbers.

[Login to interact]

Isadoriana
Dragon.Council
Posts: 2553(9.28%)
Threads: 764(16.57%)
Private Posts: 1256

Characters:
Isadoriana(96)
Riice(77)
Peligrie(76)
Lotustalla(50)

Posted: 5713 days ago

Link

Found this article about someone talking about the Add on policy :

Quote

You have no rights in World of Warcraft
Opinion: Now shut up and keep grinding 3-24-09 By Luis Villazon

It's the end of add-ons in WoW... well, two of them.

I think we've all spent so much time playing World of Warcraft that we've started to mistake it for an actual country. So when the ruling Blizzard party passes a law banning add-on authors from advertising or soliciting cash donations within the game, we all react as if it is a civil liberties issue.

It's not. WoW is a game, not an economy. Blizzard isn't against gold farmers and powerlevelling services and nagware add-ons because it wants to be the only one to make money from WoW. Blizzard is against them because it wants to protect the image of WoW as a fun game, which ultimately is the best way to protect its own revenue. Blogger sites are predicting the imminent implosion of the add-on community, but the reality is that there are really only two commercially run add-ons affected by this new rule.

The first is Carbonite, an add-on that makes questing easier by telling you where to find things. This has two versions, one paid for by subscription and a lite version that nags you in-game to upgrade to the paid version.

The second is Quest Helper. QH is the most popular add-on in the game, with over 20 million downloads. It does much the same thing as Carbonite but it is paid for with donations. There is a nag message in game to prompt you to donate.

Both add-ons sound as if they are doing the same thing in the same way, with the same commercial motive. But QH is a voluntary project that became a full-time job for its author because it was popular enough for discretely solicited donations to pay the bills, whereas Carbonite was run as a money-making exercise from the start and exhibited a lot of the web sleaziness you see from gold spammers and powerlevellers. In other words, Carbonite is the bathwater and QH is the baby. It's a shame they both had to be thrown out together, but it's hardly the end of WoW add-ons.

I still believe that the game as a whole is improved by the new rules. Virtually all add-ons are free because they are developed by enthusiasts who just want to make the game better. If people only worked on things that directly resulted in financial reward, none of us would have exalted reputations with any faction. Yes, you should be fairly recompensed for your hard work. But programming WoW add-ons isn't work, it's a hobby.

Or at least, it is now.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/you-have-no-rights-in-world-of-warcraft-587599

--
"If we ever get a dog and cat, they should be named "Come-on" and "Goddammit", so that when you yell "Come on, Goddammit!" you'll be surrounded by their love." -Locklear (paraphrased)

"You navigate like a blind chick." -Locklear
www.twitter.com/peligrie

[Login to interact]

Ellisande
Member
Posts: 348(1.27%)
Threads: 36(0.78%)
Private Posts: 29

Characters:
Ellisande(90)
Cyndane(77)
Synthe(70)
Sargasm(1)
Zarhaiel(1)

Posted: 5713 days ago

Link

Quote by guy

I like to run them both & see if i can get my fps below 60 while running algorithms in the background for mersene prime numbers.

>.> You part of GIMPS?

--
I´ve had my frustrations about the pains of daily life
I´ve tasted degradation and found the lace and candle light
But we have the weights we have the measures of our days and nights
I´ve had my frustrations but now I´ve found my place

And you will make it
But only if you run

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!

[Login to interact]

infernally
Member
Posts: 106(0.39%)
Threads: 12(0.26%)
Private Posts: 15

Characters:
Wingwraith(100)
infernally(80)

Posted: 5713 days ago

Link

Quote

The first is Carbonite, an add-on that makes questing easier by telling you where to find things. This has two versions, one paid for by subscription and a lite version that nags you in-game to upgrade to the paid version.

Nags you? Really? I used the free version of Carbonite for a long time before upgrading, and I don't recall being nagged at all. What is the definition of "nag" we're using here? A chat message when you log-in? A pop-up box?. . . idk, maybe i'm just too high when i play that i don't even notice. .

--

------
Abit Ip35-Pro
E6750 @ 3.4MHz (Exp Index = 6.8)
OCZ Platinum 1GB x 4 @ 850MHz 5-5-5-15 (Exp Index = 7.0)
HD 4890 (Exp Index = 7.6)
150GB Velociraptor (Exp Index = 5.9)
Windows 7 Pro

[Login to interact]

[Back to Index] [Top of Thread]

Part of the DKPSystem.com Network.

Recruitment

Default
	Death Knight	OPEN
	Druid	OPEN
	Hunter	CLOSED
	Mage	OPEN
	Monk	OPEN
	Paladin	OPEN
	Priest	OPEN
	Rogue	OPEN
	Shaman	OPEN
	Warlock	OPEN
	Warrior	OPEN

Shout Box

Hellllllo :)
By Isadoriana @ 8/29/17 4:23am

Let's get this site moving again! Post in the test thread if you can read it. Thanks!
By Primevalus @ 10/4/15 7:50pm

Posted my thoughts in the forums about the Imperator fight, please read and weigh in :)
By Red @ 1/9/15 1:20am

Good to have you back Red!
By samgaygangie @ 11/17/14 12:45pm

Hi Everyone! I'm back =)
By Red @ 11/16/14 1:25am

I'm currently playing a game called World of Warcraft...
By Primevalus @ 7/1/14 6:54pm

I'm still alive! :)
By Primevalus @ 6/6/14 9:37pm

SHOUT! I heard you like shouts, so I put a shout in your shout box.
By Momentous @ 5/11/14 10:25pm

Congratulations on the birth of your new baby girl, Sam!!
By Isadoriana @ 1/2/13 12:04am

Happy New Year DA!
By samgaygangie @ 1/1/13 8:44pm

Merry Xmas to all and congrats on surviving 12/20/2012!
By samgaygangie @ 12/26/12 12:03am

Dragon Army Reunion Tour - Getting the Guild back together
By samgaygangie @ 12/19/12 10:25pm

I am so glad, Fune :)
By Isadoriana @ 1/5/12 10:46pm

I have returned!
By Fune @ 1/5/12 10:56am

Happy Birthday Fune!
By samgaygangie @ 10/30/11 10:52am

Happy B-DAY ISA!!!! WOOT~!
By samgaygangie @ 4/11/11 11:52am

Thank you, Fune :)
By Isadoriana @ 4/11/11 8:04am

Happy Birthday Isa!!
By Fune @ 4/10/11 1:27pm

Holy Shout-out batman, laver's wearing tights
By guy @ 4/6/11 10:39pm

Is it time for the snow to STOP yet? :)
By Isadoriana @ 4/3/11 1:07pm