test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Questional Legality of selling STO guide !

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Question:

Isn't this technically illegal?


As far as i am aware, dont prima strategy pretty much hold the rights to produce strategy guides and sell them?

Cryptic, you might wanna go snag this guy :p

He's selling a 'guide to star trek online' =/

Probably taking the FREE info available on the forums from helpful players and using it to make his 'awesome' guide.

I smell legal issues :p


*Edited by WishStone - please do not drive custoemrs to such sites by posting their URL.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    their are other strategy guide making companies. and as long as he didnt infringe on anyones copyright he should be fine.

    PS Mineria is in no way a Lawyer, legal advisor or anything similar.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Stop grinding missions with low yields and find out which ones are best to gain equipment, Skill Points and Energy Credits. I've broken down various types of missions in STO and give you invaluable info which will cut down your leveling time in half!

    Heh, we need to point the "OMG, I level too easy/fast" posters to this guy. :p
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Is Prima even making a guide for this game? They usually come out the same time as the game, don't they? Anyway, there are always free guides on the web for games besides the official ones, so I'm not sure if charging for one makes it different or not.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    How can advising people how to play a game be illegal? It isn't illegal to offer advice so long as you don't claim to be doing it in an official capacity you have not been granted.

    If he uses screenshots in it, there may possibly be copyright issues if he has not got the rights to use those, but producing a guide to something does not require permission at all, only if one wants to call it an 'official' guide, which was invariably what Prima marketed their stuff as.

    I could write a guide to how to drive a Ford Mustang if I wanted, I wouldn't need Ford's permission to do that, unless I called it 'The Official Ford guide to driving the Mustang'

    Al
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Charging for it is the problem here.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Kitsunami wrote: »
    Question:

    Isn't this technically illegal?


    As far as i am aware, dont prima strategy pretty much hold the rights to produce strategy guides and sell them?

    Cryptic, you might wanna go snag this guy :p

    He's selling a 'guide to star trek online' =/

    Probably taking the FREE info available on the forums from helpful players and using it to make his 'awesome' guide.

    I smell legal issues :p

    i smell a tattle tale...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    He's charging for it.

    As in, he's profitting.

    SALE of a strategy guide for a game has to be authorised by the holder of the copyright over said game, as far as i am aware.

    which is why you see free stuff all the time, and mostly only Prima strategy guides

    Yes, im a tattle-tale, woop-de-do.

    No, im a star trek fan. And i find it morally questionable to be profiting out of information that was probably stolen from these forums in the first place, considering there are guides freely avaialable in the forums anyway.

    He/she is no better than the gold sellers.

    Regardless, this was not meant to be a discussion :P Posted it for a dev/Cryptic rep to see and raise it with their law department.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    haha... "tired of the slow levelling" what a joke. fastest MMORPG to level in ever. just someone trying to cash in on idiots that would pay for such BS.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Chock wrote:
    ...If he uses screenshots in it, there may possibly be copyright issues if he has not got the rights to use those...
    I think that if the author of the guide/website has not obtained Cryptic's authorization to use the in-game art on this page, he's already in trouble... :o

    Worse yet, this guy may be in trouble with CBS... :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I have never understood why people would pay for a guide like this when all the info is available free. I bet this guy played WoW where there seems to be a lot of these and is more expected.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Wow...

    I just noticed that. He is using a LOT of cryptics assets there.

    The logo, the icons, the graphics for his 'cover' and advertisements.

    Come on Cryptic, time to go get you some free money. Sue his TRIBBLE :P

    edit: and hes offering 50% commishion for people that host said banner too...

    Yeah. Thats not good
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    LordOfPit wrote: »
    I think that if the author of the guide/website has not obtained Cryptic's authorization to use the in-game art on this page, he's already in trouble... :o

    Worse yet, this guy may be in trouble with CBS... :D

    Yup, that's why I mentioned it. But how do we know for sure that he has not got said permission? Probably hasn't I'm guessing, but that is just a guess.

    In any case, 29 bucks for what is probably no better a guide than you or I could offer with a quick collation of the advice freely available on the forums is almost certainly a waste of money. But then again, if someone wants to buy it, good luck to the guy so long as he isn't infringing any copyright.

    Al
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Kitsunami wrote: »
    He's charging for it.

    As in, he's profitting.

    SALE of a strategy guide for a game has to be authorised by the holder of the copyright over said game, as far as i am aware.

    which is why you see free stuff all the time, and mostly only Prima strategy guides

    Yes, im a tattle-tale, woop-de-do.

    No, im a star trek fan. And i find it morally questionable to be profiting out of information that was probably stolen from these forums in the first place, considering there are guides freely avaialable in the forums anyway.

    He/she is no better than the gold sellers.

    Regardless, this was not meant to be a discussion :P Posted it for a dev/Cryptic rep to see and raise it with their law department.

    You are kidding right?

    Hate to break it to you , but Prima isn't developing a guide for this game. We can save why for another thread. Matter of fact beyond this forum and the few guides you can buy from Killer Guides there are almost next to no fan sites for STO or content on the web to support it.

    Quite frankly I am in full support for anyone who brings any content to STO for the public be it a fan site of a paying guide.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Azreell wrote: »
    Quite frankly I am in full support for anyone who brings any content to STO for the public be it a fan site of a paying guide.
    I love to see any kind of content about STO on the web, as long as it does not involve charging money from its intended viewers.

    A Prima guide, I'd buy, if it was printed that is. An online guide from someone who doesn't even offer a sample of that guide, definitely not.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Games to slow in leveling and complex? I wouldnt pay for a MMO guide to start with but his website looks unprofessionally and sketchy. Who needs a guide to this game anyways :/
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Who needs a guide to this game anyways :/
    All those who're still looking for Sulu :p;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    i've seen what's in the paid for guides in other mmo's i've played and they're usually not as good and not updated as often as free guides.

    i think it's a legal gray area, as long as your using original artwork. not sure about screenshots either, or video.

    but lifting a graphic from a website for a profit is illegal.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    lol, it's a scam site, there is no guide at all. I mean look at it. It's exactly the same layout as many other scam sites offering junk that either doesn't exist, doesn't work or just isn't worth whatever you're paying for it. Do you see an actual book anywhere on that site at all? No, you don't. But you do see a badly photoshopped box with nicked cover art on it.

    Cryptic probably does have some legal grounds to get the owners of the site into a court for nicking the name and some art, so do CBS for the name as well.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Do you really need a guide for a game thats on rails?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    LOOOL

    Have you read the kids terms and conditions?! friggin funny!!! here is part of it...

    Visitor downloads information from this site at this own risk. Website makes no warranty that downloads are free of corrupting computer codes, including, but not limited to, viruses and worm
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    His "fast leveling guide" of "level in half the time" is probably one sentance:

    Que up for PvP because you level up twice as fast doing PvP!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Geoduck360 wrote:
    Do you really need a guide for a game thats on rails?

    Not for the game itself as it's pretty straight forward.

    BUT, I can see people being interested in a guide for the Talent Trees.

    The problem with the current trees is quite frankly they are misleading in terms of what they do or how they exactly work.

    With no respecs currently available I can see some players interest in this.

    But, a dedicated fan site (which btw none exist atm) would solve that above problem I'm sure for free.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    The answer is "maybe"

    It might be illegal.

    I had a IP conversation with my legal council in 2008. It boils down to fair use, and its a bit irritating to figure out.

    The safest thing is to get the IP holder's written permission. Otherwise, you take your chances.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    LOOOL

    Have you read the kids terms and conditions?! friggin funny!!! here is part of it...

    Visitor downloads information from this site at this own risk. Website makes no warranty that downloads are free of corrupting computer codes, including, but not limited to, viruses and worm

    You think that's bad? How about;

    'Due to refund abuse the buyer can only issue for a refund after a month from the date of purchase. This is to prevent buyers from exploiting the system by buying the guide and instantly asking for a refund'

    I am always sceptical of this sort of website and the offers promted as I fear issues like the one I quote appear to be hiding something else like; 'I don't want you to ask for a refund within the time limit that your local consumer rights says you can because this is a scam!' or 'That's right folks, once the money has cleared for the first month, I'm closing the site and doing a runner!'

    Of course, I am not trying to say that in this case there is any wrongdoing. Scepticism has served me well in the past and I see no reason to change the habit.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Here's the thing. A nice printed, official or not, but clearly licensed guide, can be a very nice object for any fan to have. I've seen some FF XI guides at a friends and, clearly, due to the complexity of the game, and the outstanding artwork involved, they're really both beauty and value objects. There is info in there you won't find anywhere else (well, that is until someone buys it and scraps the info to his website, but you see what I mean). A real strategy guide must have some "insider" content to it (or it should be called a beginner's guide).

    A cousin of mine did the french MSG1 official guide back in the days, and I must say I was quite impressed at the level of communication he had to put up with Konami, he actually played the game much less than I thought he would (several times the whole game, but not that many times all things considered). Most of his value intell came from Konami themselves.

    Which is in total contrast with cheap online paid "leveling guides" with no value associated to them besides the time it took to compile the free information. Then again, websites do it for free (well, usually not free per-se, but hey I can live with adds).

    But the question that really sparks my interest here... why no fansite on STO? It's a strange lack. Is it because of a lack of documentation from Cryptic? A lack of interest from players --for instance did the guys at STO-intell throw the towel in? A lack of need? I know I'd like info on skills. What up with that?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Azreell wrote: »
    Not for the game itself as it's pretty straight forward.

    BUT, I can see people being interested in a guide for the Talent Trees.

    The problem with the current trees is quite frankly they are misleading in terms of what they do or how they exactly work.

    With no respecs currently available I can see some players interest in this.

    But, a dedicated fan site (which btw none exist atm) would solve that above problem I'm sure for free.



    You might want to check out http://www.sto-intel.org. They have some really helpful information.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    apologies to restarting an older thread :o
    Game too slow in leveling and complex? I wouldnt pay for a MMO guide to start with but his website looks unprofessionally and sketchy. Who needs a guide to this game anyways :/
    I saw an ad for this thing too on Facebook.

    I can't understand why anyone would *want* to pay for a guide/walkthrough when fleet membership and reading or asking these forums is free. Plus pie-in-the-sky promises and "order it now or the price will be increased next week" hard sell ...

    Who the heck is this "Admiral Will C." character? I suspect it's a Chinese hacker who only wants your money.

    I level fairly easy and many others prolly hit VA in just a month of play. In fact I've bought Duke Nukem 3D and Return to Castle Wolfenstein in the past, no guides for those and I did okay.

    *Edited by WishStone - do NOT drive customers to such sites by posting the URL!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    *smacks the zombie with a shovel. HARD*
This discussion has been closed.