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Important News about Army Builder Data Files for GW Games – Please Read

gmerrick said:
Rob, what kind of notice was sent to the hosting site? Was it an official DMCA takedown notice, or a letter from GW's lawyers asking for the data to be removed?
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It was a very generic, fill-in-the-blanks takedown request via email that cited the DMCA. It looked like it was probably the standard form that GW uses for all such requests, with the details simply changed to list the specific site and files.

This just reinforces the working theory that someone in GW legal saw the site in their standard internet scans and flagged it, without actually consulting anyone else about the 14-year allowance of AB data files.
 
razorramon31 said:
Is there a site here we can get Warhammer 6th edition files and such?
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Not yet. It has been standing policy by the 40K data file team to release new material at least 30 days after the book hits the streets, so you should see the files in early August. This policy was enacted years ago in response to requests from GW to let the initial wave of books sell before offering the info via AB data files.

The 40K team has been very proactive about working with GW for many years to make sure both sides are happy with the arrangement, which just further calls into question the doomsayers regarding the implications of the datafilecentral closure. But fear-mongering and sensationalizing of news is all the rage on the internet these days. It definitely makes for a much better read than something boring like "the data files are being moved to a new site and everything is otherwise proceeding the same way it has for the past decade". The critical detail that "news" on the internet is often not based on any actual facts, and in some cases flies in the face of the facts, is largely overlooked these days. :(
 
I have been getting some mileage out of this today. This is a post I made on Chaos-Dwarfs.com some time ago now:
Game rules are not subject to copyright. Game rules cannot be patented, although in certain jurisdictions, game mechanics can be patented. An example of a mechanic is the Magic the Gathering "tap" mechanic, which is one of the most well known game mechanics subject to a patent in the United States. Even if patented, it's the use or application of the patented mechanic that is contrary to the owner's rights, not the publication thereof. In fact, to obtain a patent, the owner has to make the mechanic publicly available in the patent registry. Canada specifically forbids patents based on board games, although the US and UK allow limited patenting in the case of novel mechanics following the standard tests for originality and non-obviousness.

US:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

Canada:
http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipoin...l#whatcant

UK:
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/copy/c-applies.htm

An interesting article from games designer's point of view:
http://www.gamesdiner.com/2009/08/game-r...ted-by-law

GW can send threatening letters all they want, but they aren't backed by anything. The fact that forums/individuals cave in means nothing except those individuals don't understand the law or don't have a spine to stand up for themselves.

Points costs, unit stats, and rules descriptions are all fair game. GW doesn't own any interest in any of those. What they have is a protection of their specific expression as published in their literary works.

Note that this is how Army Builder operates so successfully.

And although I am not providing legal advice, in any way, I am a lawyer and very familiar with copyright and intellectual property issues.

I am fully within my rights to say the following:
A Leman Russ Battle Tank in the Imperial Guard Codex costs 150 points, has Armour Value 14 on the front, Armour Value 13 on the sides, Armour value 10 on the rear. It comes equipped with a Battle Cannon on the turret, as well as a hull mounted Heavy Bolter. It has a searchlight as well as smoke launchers standard. It has a number of options including... bla bla bla sponsons... equip, etc. You get the idea.

GW has never made the above specific expression, so they can't prohibit its publication.
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In summary, datafilecentral would do well to ignore the cease and desist. There's no teeth to it.
 
It doesn't have to make sense with GW, about half the rules changes from 5th to 6th make less sense than dropping an H-bomb on your own capital city.

My take is that yes they want to do some kind of over priced builder on the over priced I-Pad themselves and then inflate the price beyond what is sensible knowing folk will either have to do that or give up the hobby. I for one refuse to buy anything Apple just to continue playing 40k or any other GW game, so if the worst comes to the worst I would urge everyone using AB to boycott them in protest if they continue with this totally anal attempt to shut down a perfectly reasonable system. If they want to cause problems then in my humble opionion I really think it would serve them right to lose far more than they stand to gain, and if they continue like that it would truly be a benefit to the world if they went the way of a lot of other companies lately ... To the wall.

Rant over, sorry guys but I think GW are getting above their station in life now.
 
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jboweruk said:
My take is that yes they want to do some kind of over priced builder on the over priced I-Pad themselves and then inflate the price beyond what is sensible knowing folk will either have to do that or give up the hobby.
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Please provide the details you have that indicate that GW has created (or is creating) an iPad only army creator. I have seen no news indicating that direction, with the exception of the Digital Codex, but those are NOT an Army Builder application. They are simply glorified digital books.

Given that GWs in-house army creation application failed miserably when originally released, I would be surprised to hear that they are trying that again. Generally GW sticks to what worked in the past and just re-does it every few years. They forget about the stuff that never worked, giving the impression that a new iPad app for army creation is a figment of imagination.
 
I'm not the only one with the opinion, and can you figure why else they suddenly do this and reach for their heavy handed law team?
And yes I'm fully aware that the overpriced digital codex is not an army builder. I do believe as I've stated elsewhere it's the precursor to that.
The last time GW tried it wasn't somebody else at the helm? This guy that is in control now is a moron, a lot of people have said so, he's ruined GW in a lot of ways, not least the law team he has, and the ridiculous price rises he keeps inflicting, it's almost like he's trying to break them.
 
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As noted, the legal issues are minor. GW simply requested the website the datafiles were stored at to take the files down. No legal notice was sent to any file maintainer nor to wolflair. If they were seriously considering an app release everyone, and their mothers, would have received these letters.
 
6th edition what?
Tiddlywinks?
Pogs?
I would suggest looking in the relevant forum section for the game you are looking for.
 
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