New Federal Laws - Will This effect LackeyCCG?

[hendersondayton]

If you have not noticed, Board Game Geek is down. There notice on the site is pretty disturbing:

http://boardgamegeek.com/

The issues are in regards to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) legislation that are currently being considered by the US Congress.

My question is, will these copyright laws impact LackeyCCG and other programs like it?

This is a major deal for sites/programs like BGG and LackeyCCG (and Vassal) that will probably need to be addressed soon.

[r0cknes]

First of all Board Game Geek is not down! LOL!!! did your read the first line?

It could affect sites like this and vassal, maybe, but you will notice that it is the most popular ones that will be noticed. I am thinking torrent sites and the like will take the biggest hit. Board and card games are nothing to the entertainment industry. Also, Board and Card Game companies as a whole are much more lenient toward digital versions of games. No offense Trevor, but no matter how hard you try, owning the game and playing it on a table will always be more fun. Vassel is used by developers of games. Board game companies are OK with vassal and programs alike.

[Red Menace]

The language in SOPA and PIPA are so broad and vague they are a threat to Lackey and many other sites.  They not only pose a direct threat to certain sites but create a chilling effect that would hamper creativity and innovation.  Observe the wisdom of The Oatmeal.  http://theoatmeal.com/

[innuendo]

r0ckness you're wrong to think this wouldn't matter because 95% of companies don't care.

All it takes is 1 copyright holder to say "lackyccg.com has a picture of my artwork on it's forums, please block it's domain." And a court order latter the domain is down until Trevor protests.  It's reverse due process. It would instantly remove the website because one user on the site posted a copyrighted image. Just a cursory glance at the forums confirms this is the case.

So it doesn't matter if 95% of people don't care about lackey. If one person objects they would have the ability to take down the site.

[hendersondayton]

It's reverse due process.

This is my concern exactly, for this, and many other sites i frequent.

[Saethori]

Obviously, if SOPA passes, the LackeyCCG website itself would be in danger of being 'disappeared', having its very existence on the web be forgotten. This is, however, true for a great deal many websites indeed, which is why so many sites protested yesterday. (Their 'shutdown' examples are ideas of what it would be like, permanently instead of one day, if SOPA passed.)

However, if my understanding of the bill is accurate, it will not actually stop LackeyCCG the program, which is merely a client connecting to either a server or another client directly. It'll just be really difficult to get the word out about it.

[pickleishopeless]

From what i heard these bills were dropped?  Is that true?  Also, if not true, i could see it being plausible that we would have to stop using artwork of the cards, and just use blank templates with text on them, which would be a shame, but would still allow me to use the program as intended.

Remember, Lackey is not a substitute for real life or online magic, it is a way to build and play test without investing in cards that are unncessary.

[Saethori]

Also, if not true, i could see it being plausible that we would have to stop using artwork of the cards, and just use blank templates with text on them, which would be a shame, but would still allow me to use the program as intended.

This is, in a manner of speaking, already the case. Trevor is not permitted to host any sets for whom the copyright owner has requested he remove the images.

The program itself is not at risk, as it does not itself contain any copyrighted material; just merely the ability to use add-ons which may or may not have copyrighted material themselves. So as long as Trevor does not host any add-ons that he was requested not to host, Lackey is fine.