Is modding for H2V illegal?

GRDDESTROYER · Post by **GRDDESTROYER** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:04 pm

Is modding for H2V illegal??

hell_knight · Post by **hell_knight** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:11 pm

is modding for halo 1 illegal?

SHOUTrvb · Post by **SHOUTrvb** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:30 pm

Like actual modification of the game? If so, then yes. As it is for the other Halos, or any other game for that matter without written permission from the author. However, Halo 2 Vista does come with a map maker, so you have an okay amount of legal freedom.

CanadianPanda · Post by **CanadianPanda** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:12 pm

it might be illegal but iv never heard of anyone being arrested for modding a game.

Patrickssj6 · Post by **Patrickssj6** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:18 pm

Read the articles signed by Clinton...they define what's legal and what's not in that area if I recall correctly.

Post by **grimdoomer** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:30 pm

Im pretty sure as long as you dont distribute any assets or file from the game ex maps, then its ok. I mean it is after all your copy.

But I think im the only one with a modding app right now......

Tural · Post by **Tural** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:12 pm

It is illegal to bypass copy and modification protections. That makes it illegal to resign a map. You can modify it all you want, but making it playable, circumventing the methods to prevent such, is illegal. It's never enforced, but it is factually illegal under the DMCA.

Post by **grimdoomer** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:40 pm

Nice to know. But I thought that the encryption/signature wasent ment to stop modders, but to make sure the maps copyed properly? White Papers?

Tural · Post by **Tural** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:56 pm

It assures the map has not been modified. If it has been modified, the signature will mismatch the map and render it unplayable. It is a modification protection method, whether that is its entire purpose or not, I do not know.

Post by **grimdoomer** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:34 pm

But when we sign them you can still play them?

Tural · Post by **Tural** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:46 pm

...What?

Supermodder911 · Post by **Supermodder911** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:34 pm

grimdoomer wrote:But when we sign them you can still play them?

As Tural said, What...
I don't get what you mean by that. =X

CanadianPanda · Post by **CanadianPanda** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:03 pm

I think he is asking thin a way . why can we play them when we resign them then.

I'm gonna guess and say the answer to that would be someone found a way to make it possible thats why it works when we resign them.

Tural · Post by **Tural** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:05 pm

That question wouldn't even make sense in this context. He'd be asking something that's blatantly explained and is common knowledge. I do not believe that's what he was asking.

CanadianPanda · Post by **CanadianPanda** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:38 pm

after i reread what i stated it didnt make much sence .. sorry tural .. i just cant figure out the words to put it in but i think i know what he meant by it.

johnnyblaz20 · Post by **johnnyblaz20** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:42 am

In my opinion its all good unless you totally steal someone elses hard work.

What do you consider modding? Making maps for halo 2 is obviously not illegal because of the tools provided. So you are talking about the dev trainer in another thread? Or pulling the bsp's out of the provided maps? Thats not possible yet as far as i know. Even if you were doing something illegal i highly doubt you'd get in any trouble but i'd keep it to yourself.

Post by **grimdoomer** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:19 am

Tural wrote:It assures the map has not been modified. If it has been modified, the signature will mismatch the map and render it unplayable. It is a modification protection method, whether that is its entire purpose or not, I do not know.

What I ment was, is how will the signature make the map unplayable if we can resign it? Or would that be to further show that it is illegal?

OwnZ joO · Post by **OwnZ joO** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 7:20 am

He's saying that unless you resign it, which might be considered illegal if they argue that the checksum was to prevent modification, then the map won't play.

SHOUTrvb · Post by **SHOUTrvb** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:06 am

Either way, it's illegal. We get away with it because we try and keep it as legal as possible. i.e. Disallowing modding on Live, and sharing of illegal modification tools. Still, even then we are shunned by certain corporations, including Bungie.

Tural · Post by **Tural** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:05 pm

grimdoomer wrote:What I ment was, is how will the signature make the map unplayable if we can resign it? Or would that be to further show that it is illegal?

I said the purpose of the signature is to prevent modding. I did not say anything about resigning it in that scenario I wrote. That has nothing to do with what I said there.

It is illegal. It is never enforced. We "get away with it" because nobody seems to care. The answer to the question is "Yes." End of discussion.