What changed
0 fixes0 additions2 changes1 removal
removedThe FactsI received the DCMA request after its removal from Steam with no warning/contact from either Valve/Steam or any developer associated with Call of Duty nor anyone from Activision. I never was provided specific examples of assets, or screenshots of what offended them - nor given the chance to rectify or remove any offensive content prior to having our game removed from sale. We assumed which pieces of content based on what they self-labeled of their own as well as community-provided assets. (Comparison 1 - Auto Shotgun) http://i.imgur.com/8Qx1NI2.png (Comparison 2 - Auto Rifle) http://i.imgur.com/IjS7dfO.png http://i.imgur.com/ZQeBNGs.png We immediately offered to remove ANY offensive content (as it wasn't specified) and this was not accepted.
changedThe EventsI was informed by Steam that accordingly to their policy, Activision has 10 business days (until July 7th, 2016 - basically a month due to the Holiday) to act or do anything. If Steam doesn't receive a copy of a legal complaint within 10 business days, then our game will be re-instated. What this means is that Activision has maliciously and erroneously used a DMCA request to aggressively attack a small, independent development team during the BIGGEST Sale Event of the entire year, the Steam Summer Sale.
changedOur CommentsThe sight is the only similarity we can see. Even if it was a 1:1, that's not enough for a design infraction, even by legal standards and by a significant amount. http://i.imgur.com/ZQeBNGs.png And the sight is just a futuristic M1 Garand, so either way both are homaging a real world property, the only thing that could actually hold up and is the only one without a dog in this fight. Regardless, an invalid and malicious act from Activision on wrong or non-existant evidence. They are are multi-billion dollar company coming over what is currently a 50 cent game, without contacting us or requesting anything of us NOR providing any specific assets or images of the offensive content to begin with That being said, if our community finds our weapons or content offensive we are of course always listening and will integrate feedback/suggestions based on such. If you want weapons changed, we are a developer that reads what you write. We've demonstrated this for many years now across a variety of products: ORION https://youtu.be/BbL9MioMpF8 ORION: Prelude https://youtu.be/ShQ3GBFI4KQ The Non-Specific DMCA: DMCA Takedown Notice on your item Valve received a DMCA copyright take down notice about your game, Orion, on Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/407840/.
ORION: Prelude changes
removedI received the DCMA request after its removal from Steam with no warning/contact from either Valve/Steam or any developer associated with Call of Duty nor anyone from Activision. I never was provided specific examples of assets, or screenshots of what offended them - nor given the chance to rectify or remove any offensive content prior to having our game removed from sale. We assumed which pieces of content based on what they self-labeled of their own as well as community-provided assets. (Comparison 1 - Auto Shotgun) http://i.imgur.com/8Qx1NI2.png (Comparison 2 - Auto Rifle) http://i.imgur.com/IjS7dfO.png http://i.imgur.com/ZQeBNGs.png We immediately offered to remove ANY offensive content (as it wasn't specified) and this was not accepted.
changedI was informed by Steam that accordingly to their policy, Activision has 10 business days (until July 7th, 2016 - basically a month due to the Holiday) to act or do anything. If Steam doesn't receive a copy of a legal complaint within 10 business days, then our game will be re-instated. What this means is that Activision has maliciously and erroneously used a DMCA request to aggressively attack a small, independent development team during the BIGGEST Sale Event of the entire year, the Steam Summer Sale.
changedThe sight is the only similarity we can see. Even if it was a 1:1, that's not enough for a design infraction, even by legal standards and by a significant amount. http://i.imgur.com/ZQeBNGs.png And the sight is just a futuristic M1 Garand, so either way both are homaging a real world property, the only thing that could actually hold up and is the only one without a dog in this fight. Regardless, an invalid and malicious act from Activision on wrong or non-existant evidence. They are are multi-billion dollar company coming over what is currently a 50 cent game, without contacting us or requesting anything of us NOR providing any specific assets or images of the offensive content to begin with That being said, if our community finds our weapons or content offensive we are of course always listening and will integrate feedback/suggestions based on such. If you want weapons changed, we are a developer that reads what you write. We've demonstrated this for many years now across a variety of products: ORION https://youtu.be/BbL9MioMpF8 ORION: Prelude https://youtu.be/ShQ3GBFI4KQ The Non-Specific DMCA: DMCA Takedown Notice on your item Valve received a DMCA copyright take down notice about your game, Orion, on Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/407840/.
The Facts
I received the DCMA request after its removal from Steam with no warning/contact from either Valve/Steam or any developer associated with Call of Duty nor anyone from Activision. I never was provided specific examples of assets, or screenshots of what offended them - nor given the chance to rectify or remove any offensive content prior to having our game removed from sale. We assumed which pieces of content based on what they self-labeled of their own as well as community-provided assets. (Comparison 1 - Auto Shotgun) http://i.imgur.com/8Qx1NI2.png (Comparison 2 - Auto Rifle) http://i.imgur.com/IjS7dfO.png http://i.imgur.com/ZQeBNGs.png We immediately offered to remove ANY offensive content (as it wasn't specified) and this was not accepted.
The Events
I was informed by Steam that accordingly to their policy, Activision has 10 business days (until July 7th, 2016 - basically a month due to the Holiday) to act or do anything. If Steam doesn't receive a copy of a legal complaint within 10 business days, then our game will be re-instated. What this means is that Activision has maliciously and erroneously used a DMCA request to aggressively attack a small, independent development team during the BIGGEST Sale Event of the entire year, the Steam Summer Sale.
The sight is the only similarity we can see. Even if it was a 1:1, that's not enough for a design infraction, even by legal standards and by a significant amount. http://i.imgur.com/ZQeBNGs.png And the sight is just a futuristic M1 Garand, so either way both are homaging a real world property, the only thing that could actually hold up and is the only one without a dog in this fight. Regardless, an invalid and malicious act from Activision on wrong or non-existant evidence. They are are multi-billion dollar company coming over what is currently a 50 cent game, without contacting us or requesting anything of us NOR providing any specific assets or images of the offensive content to begin with That being said, if our community finds our weapons or content offensive we are of course always listening and will integrate feedback/suggestions based on such. If you want weapons changed, we are a developer that reads what you write. We've demonstrated this for many years now across a variety of products: ORION https://youtu.be/BbL9MioMpF8 ORION: Prelude https://youtu.be/ShQ3GBFI4KQ The Non-Specific DMCA: DMCA Takedown Notice on your item Valve received a DMCA copyright take down notice about your game, Orion, on Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/407840/.
*REDACTED*, on behalf of Activision, alleges that the game Orion uses weapon art content from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The weapon art in question includes the M8A7 rifle, the Haymaker rifle, and the Bal-27 rifle. Use of this weapon art content without permission infringes Activision’s copyright in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. https://www.activision.com/games/call-of-duty/call-of-duty-black-ops-3,https://www.activision.com/games/call-of-duty/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare. As a result, we have removed your posting from Steam. Valve follows the procedure set forth in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The DMCA is a United States copyright law that governs online service provider liability in case of copyright infringement. When we receive a DMCA notice, Valve must take down allegedly infringing copyright materials; otherwise Valve could be subject to a claim of copyright infringement.
In Short
Orion is a game all about homages. It's what it's always been, since it was announced as a retro homage to the classic 90's games
