Bioware applying shackles to SW:TOR websites.

[Dammagia]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02...uffs_fansites/

Seems kinda crazy really... thoughts?

[Minimegamax]

I don't care aslong as the game is good..

[Vetis]

it makes sense that people shouldn't make money off your game really but its not the way to foster a good community

[Dammagia]

it makes sense that people shouldn't make money off your game really but its not the way to foster a good community

Well those sites are advertising the game, it is wrong that they have adverts on their site? accept donations for BW? Really?

[SynergySin]

It means they're going to pay off the media to give favorable reviews of their game, without many big fansites to refute them.

[Deleted]

So they're not going to give you support or the official kit if you plaster your website with gold selling ads? (or in this case, cred selling ads)

Big deal? Oh wait, it's Register - they post anything that gets them a few hits.

It means they're going to pay off the media to give favorable reviews of their game, without many big fansites to refute them.

I'm going to guess that you didn't either read the article or didn't understand it - they are not trying to prevent you from making negative articles about it, they are simply not going to give you free stuff if you try to make money off of their product.

[Xacez]

This severely hurts the community, I seriously hope they revert this; there is essentially nothing good about it.

[nyhcjedi]

Bioware should stick to things they know: making linear, single player, rpg games for all the story dorks out there.

[Airia]

silly policy, I could understand if they wanted you to avoid ad's like virtual currency sales.. but ads altogether? running a website, travel to their studio/game conventions, working to get good content on your site, none of it comes cheap.

[Trollsbane]

Originally Posted by Adunai
If I understand correctly they are only limiting the sites which get some exclusive BioWare-sourced info, vids, etc... this doesn't mean you can't post videos about SWTOR an your website if you make money on your website. It only means you won't get nothing exclusive from BioWare if you do so...

No big deal imho.

^ This. At least that's the way I interpret it.

[Lackluster]

Geez, can't even accept donations?
Hosting a big website isn't free... :S

I wonder if you can't just have one faux fansite that meets the conditions to get the scoops and then pass the information to the "real" fansite that does have ads and donations.

[Puremallace]

wow good luck hearing any actual reviews on SWToR anymore. Talk about crooked.

[Deleted]

I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact Bioware is operating under a license from LucasArts. Star Wars is intellectual property. If you're making money from it, then you have to have a license too. Fan sites are no different.

They are only limiting the sites which get some exclusive BioWare information, videos and so on. This doesn't mean you can't post videos, reviews, etc. about SW:TOR on your website if you make money on your website. It only means you won't get anything exclusive from BioWare if you do so.

[Trollsbane]

What are you talking about? Any site can say anything they want just like they are doing now. They simply won't be the FIRST to hear it from Bioware. They'll need to get it from fansites that are willing to sign their agreement.

Quit bringing strange doomsday, gag order, say only want we say propaganda to this. There's nothing like that written anywhere.

It says do what we are asking, or you don't get exclusives with us. So what?

---------- Post added 2011-02-12 at 03:41 PM ----------

That was to the people before you Ash. =)

[Profyrion]

I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact Bioware is operating under a license from LucasArts. Star Wars is intellectual property. If you're making money from it, then you have to have a license too. Fan sites are no different.

They are only limiting the sites which get some exclusive BioWare information, videos and so on. This doesn't mean you can't post videos, reviews, etc. about SW:TOR on your website if you make money on your website. It only means you won't get anything exclusive from BioWare if you do so.

Except what they're asking fansites to do in exchange for "exclusives" is impossible.

You can't run a fansite on hope and love and unicorns prancing on rainbows. Bandwidth costs money. Servers cost money. If I can't make money to support the site, then I won't have a site to host Bioware's "exclusives" on.

It's a retarded catch-22 dreamed up by some idealist lawyer at Lucasfilm who has no clue what the Internet is, let alone how it actually works.

[blizzardcashshop]

Except what they're asking fansites to do in exchange for "exclusives" is impossible.

You can't run a fansite on hope and love and unicorns prancing on rainbows. Bandwidth costs money. Servers cost money. If I can't make money to support the site, then I won't have a site to host Bioware's "exclusives" on.

It's a retarded catch-22 dreamed up by some idealist lawyer at Lucasfilm who has no clue what the Internet is, let alone how it actually works.

that's the thing, he knows exactly how it works and how people, especially the 20 somethings, love to profit off someone else without doing anything useful themselves.

the people who aren't bringing you exclusive updates won't make much, but will easily pay their bills. advertisers care about traffic and the sites bringing it to you second will be fine

they just won't allow the operator to profit

[treston323]

No big deal.

[Tidus]

guys there nothing wrong with this its only regarding to fansites.

[Revved]

So.. there still can be fansites without support from Biowere.

[Tore]

I said "So?" as soon as a read the article title.

"Wanna puff the Old Republic? Only if you do it for free"

The hell's wrong with that? A fan site is a fan site, not an agreement to advertise a game in exchange for income. Ad revenue is enough to host a website, any more isn't necessary.