Database Data
I agree totally. I think this is a lot less about legality (although, as mentioned on the steam thread, there is a legal issue) and a lot more about common human courtesy. It's POLITE to ask permission, and not AFTER you've started redistributing these things; BEFORE. And just taking the maps without permission is, imho, very rude indeed.
For T3rm1 (although, to be fair, this was all directed at you anyway:) And since this is about politeness, I think that it would be nice for you to email US and ask, not for us to have to email you. You should have contacted us and asked permission anyway, so I don't want to hear whining about sending out hundreds of emails. But I'll count you out of one email - you can keep mine. I quite like the layout of that site (although I'd recommend a different font.)
Finally it's got to a point where people understand. Hopefully, T3rm1 understands as well.
Just next time you want to upload maps in future, contact the mapper about it, rather than just doing it.
|| Need help uploading a map...new user? Read my Map Uploading Guide ||
|| Want to play custom maps, but don't know how? Read my Playing Portal 2 Custom Maps Guide ||
And since T3rm1 is able to post here, if he wants to save the trouble of emailing people, he could send personal messages (PM's) to the authors here asking if they want their maps kept or removed on his site.
My Work
[spoiler]Maps:
Revenge of the Angry Turrets
Capture the Cube [Co-op]
Capture the Cube 2 [Co-op]
TPWEGTH Sample Map
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center 2
Aperture Time Testing Center
ML's Halloween Trick - 1000 downloads!
ML's Halloween Treat
ML's Combination - 1000 downloads!
ML's Jailbreak Labyrinth
ML's Tricky Teamwork [Co-op]
WIP:
"Capture the Cube 3"
Workshop Maps Link: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198008890579/myworkshopfiles/[/spoiler]
Mine can stay on the website. As I don't mind it. I only got annoyed due to the fact that my map just appeared on the website when I hadn't even heard of it.
|| Need help uploading a map...new user? Read my Map Uploading Guide ||
|| Want to play custom maps, but don't know how? Read my Playing Portal 2 Custom Maps Guide ||
Mine can stay also, no hard feelings T3rm1, just ask me and anyone else about their maps first before uploading them to your site.
My Work
[spoiler]Maps:
Revenge of the Angry Turrets
Capture the Cube [Co-op]
Capture the Cube 2 [Co-op]
TPWEGTH Sample Map
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center 2
Aperture Time Testing Center
ML's Halloween Trick - 1000 downloads!
ML's Halloween Treat
ML's Combination - 1000 downloads!
ML's Jailbreak Labyrinth
ML's Tricky Teamwork [Co-op]
WIP:
"Capture the Cube 3"
Workshop Maps Link: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198008890579/myworkshopfiles/[/spoiler]
I'm fine with mine on there too. But in order to prevent future problems like this, how about we make a minor change to the download database? Whenever you upload or edit a map to TWP, there should be a setting along with the map description and title and everything: Allow this map to be hotlinked. If it's set to yes, PortalDB and other similar sites can generate hotlinks to the map. If it's set to no, then hotlinking is disabled for the map so that even if anyone tries to hotlink it, they can't. With hotlinking disabled, PortalDB and other sites like Portal2Maps.net can link to the TWP download page, but again, still not hotlink it.
So I hate to dig this up out of the grave, but I've finally looked into it and it's obvious to me that this site is both 1.) stealing a lot of our traffic, and 2.) rehosting YOUR content without YOUR permission.
I have gone ahead and filed a DMCA Takedown request with the host as an umbrella, since TWP is originally hosting this content. Anyone who does not want their map hosted there, or who feels that they should have been asked permission for this prior to it being rehosted, is strongly urged to file a similar DMCA takedown. Here is an example DMCA, and the addresses it needs to be mailed to:
MAIL TO THESE ADDRESSES
- Code: Select all
admin@portaldb.net, hostmaster@serverkompetenz.de, marco@brakis.de, abuse-server@strato.de
DMCA TAKEDOWN
Copy in full, fill in your information, look for content in [BRACKETS]
- Code: Select all
October 31, 2011[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR FULL MAILING ADDRESS]Stratoserver.net, Strato AG
C/O Copyright Agent for Notice of Claims of Copyright InfringementSent via: Email
DMCA Notice of Copyright Infringement
re: Copyright infringement of hosted contentDear Stratoserver.net, Strato AG,
Please take appropriate action to disable access to the infringing
materials described below, in accordance with the provisions of the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.Should you require further information regarding this matter, please
feel free to return email, or if necessary, call me by phone. Thank
you for your quick assistance and cooperation.Regards,
[YOUR NAME]
ELECTRONIC NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
I, the undersigned, CERTIFY UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY that I am an
agent authorized to act on behalf of the owner of certain intellectual
property rights, said owner being named:[YOUR NAME], original copyright holder
I have a good faith belief that the items or materials listed below
are not authorized by the above IP Owners, their agents, or the law
and therefore infringe the IP Owner's rights. Please act expeditiously
to remove or disable access to the material or items claimed to be
infringing.I may be contacted at:
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR FULL MAILING ADDRESS]My actual or electronic signature follows:
/s/ [YOUR NAME]
Allegedly Infringing items or materials:
Infringed Work or Right:
- Content uploaded without original author's permissionLocation of ORIGINAL WORKS:
- [URL to your file downloads, IE:]
- http://forums.thinking.withportals.com/downloads.php?view=detail&df_id=xxxxURL(s) of Infringed Works or Right:
- http://www.portaldb.net/maps
Yes, you have to fill out all of the information there for it to be a "valid" DMCA request.
I have also taken measures for this person to no longer be able to scrape content from our site, and I'm going to be looking into the appropriate cyberlaws that would apply to maliciously copying content like this.
Please do not Private Message me for assistance. Post a thread if you have questions or concerns.
If you need to contact the staff privately, contact the Global Moderators via Discord.
Also, for the record, and as has been stated before - portal2maps.net is run by me. It also doesn't re-host the content, it re-links back to the site for the download page. The issue with this site is that it has actually copied and re-hosted the files without the permission of the original author.
Please do not Private Message me for assistance. Post a thread if you have questions or concerns.
If you need to contact the staff privately, contact the Global Moderators via Discord.
I was sure there was some strange voodoo legalise in Valve's wordings somewhere about who actually owns content created with their tools. No matter I'm not terribly fussed as long as I'm credited but I have run into issues in the past with other projects. Ever tried dealing with nitwits who submit bug reports for older versions of something you're actively working on? Massive head ache. Had to keep telling people the official source of blah is at such and such website.
I think the person stopped uploading maps to the site, since 09/17, though I may be wrong.