NCSoft's Intellectual Property and Server Migration from EU to NA

[bagfry]

So we're all playing on stolen code and it appears that the Homecoming team initially seeked refuge in the EU to circumvent Intellectual Property (IP) laws like most private servers do in order to laugh at cease and desist letters from the rightful IP owner. However, with the server migration from Digital Ocean in Amsterdam to somewhere in Canada on OVH servers (which I do believe is less about server stability and more about a movement in how IPs are viewed after the plug has been pulled). If we wish to continue playing, it would be best to know how to handle ourselves as a community against potential C&D letters in NA and any other potential legal discrepancy. What's your opinion, where do we stand, and what must we do as a community to keep our game alive for good? 

[PSLAnimal]

I suspect that NCSoft won't be too interested, now that the toothpaste is well and truly out of the tube, in engaging in a never-ending game of Whack-A-Mole to attack every private server that pops up.

 

Here's the smart play for NCSoft:  "Hey, guys, this rise of private CoX servers has made us realize we effed up.  Tell you all what; we'll turn our servers back on; you can have all your original characters back with their progress intact.  We'll give you a year free, following which we'll ask maybe $9.99 a month to finance a minimal development team so you can have some cool new stuff now and then."

 

I suspect old CoX fans would go flooding back.  Hell, I would.

[Burnt Toast]

There's nothing WE need to do. Homecoming is handling everything. They have sought out legal counsel etc.... Just enjoy the game. NCSoft is not going to come after you.

 

 

So we're all playing on stolen code and it appears that the Homecoming team initially seeked refuge in the EU to circumvent Intellectual Property (IP) laws like most private servers do in order to laugh at cease and desist letters from the rightful IP owner. However, with the server migration from Digital Ocean in Amsterdam to somewhere in Canada on OVH servers (which I do believe is less about server stability and more about a movement in how IPs are viewed after the plug has been pulled). If we wish to continue playing, it would be best to know how to handle ourselves as a community against potential C&D letters in NA and any other potential legal discrepancy. What's your opinion, where do we stand, and what must we do as a community to keep our game alive for good?

[bagfry]

There's nothing WE need to do. Homecoming is handling everything. They have sought out legal counsel etc.... Just enjoy the game. NCSoft is not going to come after you.

 

 

You do realize that the Homecoming team preached about the COMMUNITY being the ones to make this happen. Without OUR donations this project wouldn't be possible for these privateers. I still do not believe that there can be so many people involved with this project and they're all doing it for the sole purpose of bringing CoX back. I severely doubt their intents are malicious, but the true story is much more interesting. And for the majority of the community: it's not only the money that people are investing, but their time. To not even inform the community of the possibility of a C&D with this transfer is simply allowing the sheep to feel safe and the curious left hanging. I know that characters will never be wiped, if something happens to Homecoming all of that data will be simply handed to another "unaffiliated" group. It happened with one of the largest private servers in gaming: Nostalrius -> Elysium

 

The players should be better informed of these possibilities. The existence of CoX has been a fighting story. The more the community knows, the more support Homecoming will receive.

[Fiddleback]

Your conspiracy theory is amusing, but ultimately uninteresting.

 

Our donations were not for playing the game. Our donations were for these fine folks to buy some server space and resources on which to run some code.

 

I'm sure actual lawyers with actual experience will have actual opinions when something actually happens. Until then, we're all aware what could happen. Up to and including little green men coming along and dematerializing the servers themselves. If we're going to speculate, let's speculate big.

 

Otherwise, it just sounds like you're trying to start something. And it doesn't seem like anyone is interested.

[mattwo]

it appears that the Homecoming team initially seeked refuge in the EU to circumvent Intellectual Property (IP) laws

 

Sounds like someone never heard of things like the Berne Convention, ACTA and other such international treaties. Come back when you know even the slightest about international IP laws.

[Obsidius]

A bunch of "IANAL" talk I see.  :o

[jkwak]

So we're all playing on stolen code and it appears that the Homecoming team initially seeked refuge in the EU to circumvent Intellectual Property (IP) laws like most private servers do

thats bs EU Copiright laws are strikter than in the US especially regarding to the Internet and even more since Artikel 13.

I dont know why they hosted in the EU but if it was because "Intellectual Property" that would be the worst decision someone could do.