Rules for Age Content

[Jennifer_P]

Okay, we're on the same page then. It just sounds weird when people refer to breaking Cyan's copyright on story material when they actually mean just contradicting what the storyline material currently says.

[Pryftan]

I'm usually talking about copyrights in terms of using Cyan textures or Age names, etc. The big no-nos. The other ones are just to make Cyan confident we can be trusted to "discover".

[Kierra]

- Other than the engine itself (and Relto pages/clothing if we are permitted by Cyan explicitly), we are not to use any raw files of Cyan's, including textures, models, music, sound effects, animations, etc.

This line is a possible stumbling block. We have tools right now that use general sound effects from Uru (like footsteps) and animations (like pressing a button for example)

textures, models and music however have not been touched, as far as I know.

I think that "Action" sound effects are okay to use, but something like...oh, say yeesha's speech or bahro sounds should be off limits, for example.

/two cents

~Kia

[Owehn]

Isn't there a certain set of files that's shared across all Ages? (Such as, for example, footstep sounds and avatar animations) I would think that those would be ok to use, but I don't really know how the technical side works.

[Pryftan]

Okay, very true. In association with the engine, some sound effects (footsteps) and animations (avatar animations) may be used.. but if it's not something that is implemented as a consequence of using their engine, it shouldn't be used. Thanks! I'll add that.

[Paradox]

Any files that are considered "global" (avatars, ki, relto book, footstep sounds, general animations, etc.) are considered to be part of the engine and usable. However, we cannot modify these in any way, and other than avatar animations, we really don't have a choice because they'll show up in our Age anyway

Another issue is content: Everything must be family-friendly (or more accurately, suitable for a 'E' rated game).

[Pryftan]

Added suggestions from Lehm and Paradox.

I think this is looking pretty good, I can't really think of much else to add.

[The Noble Robot]

I like this list, and I think that we are all pretty much in agreement over "toe-stepping," but I have a feeling that Cyan is actually going to strike down a lot of it, because it allows for explorers to "find" already existing ages, when the fan ages are going to be handled (IC) as brand new ages that sprung forth from the minds of IC explorers.

Watson's speech (the only thing we have to go on) explicitly mentions that explorers will write the new ages, and makes no mention of old D'ni ages that explorers might find. Thus, it doesn't seem like *any* of our ages could be "contemporary to D'ni culture." Even the reference cited in the OP to a character living in the time of so-and-so would be an IC impossibility, since none of our ages will have even had non-native visitors before 2007-2008(or whenever).

It seems that even naming an age using D'ni words would have to be the decision of the IC explorer as an homage, and would not have any historical basis. More than likely, Cyan will also encourage us to name our ages using words that are contemporary to modern Earth. Our ages will have nothing to do with the D'ni, other than the the fact that the IC methods we use to create them are D'ni in origin.

What's odd is that this IC explanation actually does allow for a player-created age that looks just like the planet Vulcan or Alderaan, since an age is merely what springs forth from an explorer's mind, and ironically this same IC explanation does not allow an age that was ever visited by a D'ni or has the slightest relation to the Uru IP(!).

Of course, we obviously won't have "crossover" ages for sound OOC reasons, but I'm just illustrating a point. It remains to be seen whether or not Cyan will allow players to create ages that were said to have been written (IC) before 2007-2008(or whenever). My own opinion is that aside from copyright and "E for everyone" restrictions, we should be able to do whatever we want, and Cyan can ignore ages that aren't congruous with the official storyline, just like the DRC ignores OOC questions from explorers during episode weeks. But... I have a strong feeling that they are going to be really strict about "contemporary to D'ni" ages.

Does everyone get my meaning here? I don't know if I'm being totally clear.

[Owehn]

I'm not really sure what people mean by "contemporary to d'ni history". Can you explain what you mean by that?

Also, it would be a good idea to explicitly include references to Uru's EULA. For example:

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The following are examples of the types of
content or use that are prohibited under this Agreement:

    • Any content or use that is offensive to the online community, such as
sexually explicit content or content that promotes obscenity, pedophilia,
racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group or
individual;

    • Any content or use that harasses or advocates harassment of
another person;

    • Any use that involves the transmission of “junk mail,” “chain letters,”
or unsolicited mass e-mailing or “spamming”;

    • Any content that promotes information that is false, misleading or
promotes illegal activities or conduct that is abusive, threatening,
obscene, defamatory or libelous;

    • Any content that infringes upon or violates any third partyÂ’s rights,
including but not limited to, intellectual property rights, rights of privacy,
including unauthorized disclosure of a personÂ’s name, e-mail address,
physical address or phone number, and/or rights of publicity;

    • Any content that promotes or enables an illegal or unauthorized copy
of another personÂ’s copyrighted work, such as providing pirated
computer programs or links to them, providing information to circumvent
manufacturer-installed copy-protect devices, or providing pirated music,
movies, videos, or video games  or links, or other access thereto.

    • Any content that contains restricted or password-only access pages,
or hidden pages or images (those not linked to or from another
accessible page);

    • Any content that provides material that exploits people in a sexual
or violent manner or solicits personal information from anyone under 18;

    • Any content that provides instructional information about illegal
activities such as making or buying illegal weapons, buying or selling
illegal drugs, violating someoneÂ’s privacy, or providing or creating
computer viruses;

    • Any content that contains video, photographs, or images of another
person without his or her permission (or in the case of a minor, the
minorÂ’s legal guardian);

    • Any content or use that tries to gain unauthorized access to the
Service, including without limitation profiles, blogs, chat rooms,
communities, account information, bulletins, or other aspects of the
Service or solicits passwords or personal identifying information for
commercial or unlawful purposes from other users;

    • Any content or use that engages in or solicits commercial activities
or sales without TGNÂ’s prior written consent such as, without limitation,
contest, gambling, betting,  sweepstakes, barter, sales advertising,
investments and pyramid schemes;

    • Any content that contains viruses, time bombs, trojan horses,
cancelbots, worms or other harmful, or disruptive creations, components
or devices;

    • Any content or use that interferes with another userÂ’s use and
enjoyment of the Service or any other individualÂ’s use and enjoyment of
the Service; or

    • Any content that refers to any website or URL that, in the sole
discretion of TGN, contains material that is inappropriate for the Service
contains content that would be prohibited on the Service, and/or violates
the letter or spirit of the GameTap Agreement, the Code of Conduct, or the
Privacy Policy.

Any access to, or use of, the Service or the computer systems used to
provide the Service that is not in accordance with the express provisions
of this Agreement is expressly unauthorized and prohibited.


Also, it would be a good idea to include this section on user-created content:

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User Content.  You are responsible for any content, messages, opinions,
ideas, photos, images, videos, profiles or other information that you
create, transmit or display on or through the Service, or that is created,
transmitted, or displayed via your account or sub-accounts (collectively,
“User Content”).  By transmitting or displaying User Content on or through
the Service, you grant TGN and its affiliates and licensors an irrevocable,
perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide right and license to use, reproduce,
publicly perform, publicly display, distribute copies and create derivative
works of the User Content in any media now known or hereafter devised,
and to grant and authorize sublicenses under the foregoing right and
license without any compensation to you.  You represent and promise
that you own all copyrights and other intellectual property rights in the
User Content, or otherwise have the right to grant the foregoing right and
license.  You agree that TGN may review, edit and delete any User
Content which, in the sole judgment of TGN, violates this Agreement.


And this bit goes for naming Ages as well:

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Naming Policy.  When selecting a character, guild, city, pet, or object
name for use on Myst Online: Uru Live, you must abide by the following
Naming Policy set forth below (and in the event TGN changes it, you will
abide by all changes after it is posted at
www.mystonline.com/naming_policy
You must use your best judgment to avoid gray areas.
    i. Names may not be offensive, sexually explicit, vulgar, racist,
hateful, obscene, defamatory, or any other language that is offensive in
nature (including common swear words, names concerned with
anatomical references, and intentional misspellings, anagrams,
combinations, and homonyms of these words) or inconsistent with the
nature of the Service including any game within the Service.
    ii. Names may not be used that harass or damage the reputation of
another player, group of players, or TGN’s employees or agents.
    iii. Names may not be a name or handle of any TGN’s employees or
agents.
    iv. Avatar names may not include any reference to copyrighted or
trademarked names, materials or products.
    v. Names may not derive from popular culture or media references.
    vi. Names may not be religiously or historically sensitive.
    vii. Names may not be proper names of an Age, area or a NPC within
Myst Online: Uru Live.
    viii. Names may not have a title or rank within them that would be
associated with the D’ni Restoration Council (‘DRC’) or related or
analogous groups.
    ix. Names may not contain a phrase, sentence, or any fragment of a
sentence.
    x. Names may not include any telephone numbers, credit card
numbers, social security numbers, street addresses, or email/instant
message addresses other than your own (and TGN strongly
recommends that you not use your own either).
    xi. Names may not use misspellings or alternative spellings of names
that violate any of the rules above.


There's a lot of good stuff in the EULA. I wonder how many people have actually read it...

Anyway, if we include everything we can possibly think of that could go wrong, then I think Cyan will have a better idea of how we plan not to step on their toes.

[Pryftan]

Watson's speech (the only thing we have to go on) explicitly mentions that explorers will write the new ages, and makes no mention of old D'ni ages that explorers might find.

Well no, that's not the only thing we have to go on. We also have what grey dragon and Cyan have said to Age Creators since the shard days, and they've never explicitly said we cannot write Ages as "discoveries". When asked about it they'd just say to avoid messing with anything involved in their set story or trying to introduce new information about their copyrighted material.

Owehn, those passages are great.. I think when we're done, I'll write up the list we're making in slightly more legal sounding form to coincide with those clips and we can include them all in one overarching rulebook. ;D As for "contemporary to D'ni history", I meant, for instance, the story idea I posted in Storytellers that talks about Ages written by a D'ni author named Kahgehn. The storyline involves stuff that would have taken place at the same time as history set by Cyan, but rather than altering any of Cyan's stuff it just references it as fact.