Announcing GWLP

Kudos. I personally don't have a problem with this idea if someone bought a key.

All right, going to move this to Community Works actually. No comment on legality here unless someone from Anet contacts me I'll allow it. It's not, per say, a private server but at the same time raises questions. I imagine it's Anet who has to decide what they'll allow as I know we've been contacted in the past for things much more minor then this and asked to remove posts that were questionable. That doesn't mean this will be, more of a heads up if you just happen to see this disappear and have questions. Very awesome project though.

I seriously doubt Anet would sue these guys.... hire them is much more likely. It's the same as with any software; if someone manages to crack it, he/she is hired so that the company will learn from them.

I would like a bit of "extremeness" in a parallel GW. I'd be a bit put off by a monthly fee though. I wouldn't feel GW much.

Still, great job. Tell us when we can go and kill lvl 28 charr in pre... solo as a lvl 50

What does GWLP stand for? Guild Wars...?

The person who started all this left the project on july and when someone asked him why he left he said that it was a secret. I'm guessing that they already hired him.

Project sounds good, if you looking for C+/C#/SQL programmers let me know

GWLP = Guild Wars: LAN Project

Wow it would be pretty nice to see this finished and able to download. I will soon again be out on deployment and it would be nice to be able to play sum sort of GW like game with other people aboard my ship.

you have got to stick me down as a beta tester if you need +1 And i think it's a brilliant idea.

Yea, it's like that guy that cracked the iPhone protection (i know you Americans can only use it on 1 network)

Linky

No, we have not hired anyone involved with this project nor with any project of this sort.

Alright, that's nice to know. Can you confirm or deny the legality of this project, though?

I would be highly cautious about this project, both in terms of its legality and the safety of your accounts and personal data.

Perhaps ANet will take an interest in this project, and release a private server module as GW1 winds down... but until I hear something official from ANet, I wouldn't touch this project with a ten-meter cattle prod.

NC Soft owns GuildWars ^^
You should know every law around the legality for this project, before even thinking about going on with it.

Something about legal rights.

You get the map zone info on client side, this info is gained from a transmission between client/server.

Rules of conduct #18 states:
You will not attempt to interfere with, hack into, or decipher any transmissions to or from the servers running Guild Wars.

So this means, everyone using the GWLP tool upon playing on retail GW is breaking that rule.

And the same goes for rule #21
# You will not create, use, or provide any server emulator or other site where Guild Wars may be played, and you will not post or distribute any utilities, emulators or other software tools related to Guild Wars without the express written permission of NC Interactive, NCsoft Europe, or NCsoft Corporation.

Since you are part of the GWLP developer team, by using a tool and providing info to them for making a server emulator, your breaking the rule.
The guys who released the tool are not.

And lets face one thing, this is a server emulator, since it will serve as a real server to which the original GW client can connect to.

I'm sure of that Ajaala got his back clean, but I know as well, that people using his tool to gather info won't.
So players will have a risk on getting their accounts permanently banned and in worst case getting a law suit from NC Soft.

What bothers me, is that the OP doesn't notify the players of it from start.

You asked about the permissability of this project, and I'd like to respond:

With any project of the nature of this server emulator, the primary concern of the game developer is piracy. Our view on this project is that it must assure that the emulator can only possibly be used by people who own a legitimate copy of Guild Wars and that those using the server emulator have access only to the content that they have purchased. For instance, users should not be able to access maps, professions, skills, or any other content from a campaign they do not own. If at any time we find that the emulator is being used for piracy or to access official Guild Wars content that was not purchased through NCsoft or ArenaNet, we will pursue its closure.

I bet some lazy people are going to find a way to use it for piracy and ruin it for the rest of us!

^^
Yes some people may, but the GWLP team at the moment isn't planning on that. They're not planning to release the emulator software until they can guarantee that nothing like that will happen (something I remember from ragezone)

http://www.guildwars.com/support/leg...sofconduct.php
#20 You will not attempt to play Guild Wars on any server that is not controlled or authorized by NC Interactive or its designees.

So you are saying that this server is or will be controlled or authorized by NC Interactive or its designees, as long as it is like retail and the players playing on it got legal Guild Wars keys? :O
*Wonders*What is the difference then in playing on the real thing compared to play on that one?

You know Mineria, the one thing you shouldn't do is tell ANet and Gaile that they don't know what their EULA is about.
That just reeks of disrespect.

Anyway, they are able to authorize it just by acknowledging it without condemning it. That's a shaky legal defense, but it's definitely a defense.

No, not at all. I am saying that we have, at other times, taken the stance that we will not take action (even though legally allowed) if there is only good for the community, and nothing whatsoever bad for the community or the company. That would be, by definition, different than straight-out "permission" and it's certainly not meant to imply ownership, approval, or endorsement of the project. It's simply saying that we're aware of the project and do not, at this time, choose to exercise the option to pursue its termination, because we believe it has either a positive or a benign impact on both the community and the company.