MTG Editor

Mooseman

Mooseman

Isengar Tussle
So, I went to download MTG Editor and this is what I found:


At last, something that I've been expecting for quite a while now has occurred. I have received the following letter:

Subject: Infringement of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Copyrights and Trademarks

Dear Mr. Weikopf:

We are counsel for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ("Wizards"), the owner of the copyrights and trademarks to the MAGIC: THE GATHERING® Trading Card Game. We have recently become aware that you are making available on your website, www.mtglair.de, a tool called MtG Editor that allow users to create their own MAGIC: THE GATHERING® trading cards. The site includes many sample trading cards, as well as entire sets that have been made using the MtG Editor. These trading cards copy the overall look and feel of genuine MAGIC: THE GATHERING® trading cards and also include MAGIC: THE GATHERING® Mana and Tap symbols.

Wizards owns the copyrights and trademark rights to the MAGIC: THE GATHERING® trading card game, including the cards themselves as well as the Mana and Tap symbols. Your unauthorized copying of the MAGIC: THE GATHERING® Mana and Tap symbols constitutes copyright infringement in violation of 17 U.S.C. § 501. Your unauthorized use of the MAGIC: THE GATHERING® Mana and Tap symbols and overall look and feel of the trading cards violates the federal trademark laws, including 15 U.S.C. §§ 1114(1) and 1125(a), by creating a likelihood of confusion with respect to Wizards’ authorization or sponsorship of or association with your MtG Editor tool and website. This unauthorized use is also likely to dilute the distinctive quality of Wizards’ MAGIC: THE GATHERING® marks in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c).

We therefore demand that you immediately cease and desist from any further use or distribution of the MtG Editor tool and remove it from your website, and remove all infringing MAGIC: THE GATHERING® trading cards and trading card sets created using the MtG Editor tool from your website.

Please provide your written agreement to the above, as soon as possible and in any event within ten days. This letter does not purport to be a complete statement of the facts or the law and is without prejudice to Wizards’ legal and equitable rights.

Sincerely yours,

... (name and adress removed)

Yes, that means no more MtG Editor. You may discuss among yourselves whether that is the right way of responding to the huge support that WotC receives from the community. I personally remain unconvinced that the existence of MtG Editor has harmed WotC's commercial interests (which I respect) in any way. If anything, I believe, projects like this one keep people involved in the game.

Be that as it may, I've learned a lot during the development of MtG Editor, and I don't regret having done it. It's been a swell time as long as it lasted. I want to thank everyone out there who supported me through testing, feedback, suggestions, translations, or even donations (there were not even enough to pay for this site, but I wasn't in it for the money after all).

Condolences and further question, if they still exist, go to mail@mtglair.de or to the magicthegathering.com boards.

See you,

Oliver
 
Oversoul

Oversoul

The Tentacled One
Aw, I've never used the program and I don't know anything about it. Maybe what the guy was doing fell under fair use and maybe it didn't. It looks like the guy didn't know himself...
 
N

Nightstalkers

Guest
So long as you put in the copyright crap on the program you'll be in the safe zone unless they wanna try suing you.
 
Mooseman

Mooseman

Isengar Tussle
Nightstalkers said:
So long as you put in the copyright crap on the program you'll be in the safe zone unless they wanna try suing you.
Click to expand...
But I can't get a copy of it anymore. All the links I followed lead to that page.
 
D

DarthFerret

Guest
Ok, question, can the program be transfered via email/whatever ftp or something, across the net. If so, I have a copy and would be happy to let you have one.
 
R

Ransac

CPA Trash Man
It can be e-mailed, but it won't be installed unless you send the zipped file with the install program (I believe).


Ransac, cpa trash man
 
D

DarthFerret

Guest
I cannot say you are dense at all, simply because I also do not know what torrent is.
 
Oversoul

Oversoul

The Tentacled One
If you don't even know what a torrent is, good luck figuring them out. I was able to make them work, but it took some figuring out...

I'm sure one of the resident computer nerds will be able to explain it better than I can...
 
O

orgg

Guest
Basically, a torrent is like a download link, but when you start downloading if someone else starts downloading, you send them bits as well so the single website doesn't have to send all twenty people downloading the file the complete file-- everyone gets other bits from the rest who are downloading the file.

Thus, thirty people downloading a file from a website that is torrenting the file would 'feel' like maybe 18 people to the website, bandwidth wise.

I'd recommend the "Bit Tornado" program.
 
G

Gizmo

Guest
I <3 mtgeditor

I would say I'm disappointed but unsurprised by the action from WotC, especially as WotC forums had always listed mtgeditor as a link.
 
R

Ransac

CPA Trash Man
I read the thread regarding this at the magicthegathering.com forums. It seems that the creator of the program may have be able to solve this by merely asking permission from WotC. At least, that's what's being hoped right now.


I'll just go on record and say that this set that we've been developing has resparked my interest in the game. Not to the competetive level I once was, mind you. But, I'm again interested in the game. And I attest MTG Editor and the set to resparking my interest.


Ransac, cpa trash man
 
F

Force of Will Smith

Guest
he probably was charging a fee for some special version of it... thats probably where he got his.
 
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