MAKE: Blog: Warcraft 'bot'

Warcraft 'bot'

Previews Pc World-Warcraft World-Of-Warcraft-A
Nice "News from the Future" from BBC, a legal battle over a Warcraft 'bot'. It will be interesting to read the verdict!

The makers of World of Warcraft are locked in a legal battle with a firm that has produced a tool to automate many actions in the virtual world. Blizzard is suing Michael Donnelly, the creator of the MMO Glider program, which performs key tasks in the game automatically, such as fighting. Both sides have submitted legal summaries to a court in Arizona.

Mr Donnelly said the first time had had been aware of potential legal action over his program was when a lawyer from Vivendi games, which publishes Warcraft, and an "unnamed private investigator" appeared at his home.

Blizzard has said the tool infringes copyright because it copies the game into RAM in order to avoid detection by anti-cheat software.

Related:

The Future of Credit Cards - Earning virtual currency for spending in the real world & other world bridging.

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: BigD145 on March 26, 2008 at 11:45 AM

An ATmega or BASIC Stamp in your keyboard can do the same job without being tracked. I considered doing it back in FFXI, but I was also trying to kick the habit at the same time.

Posted by: Mark on March 27, 2008 at 9:19 AM

Thats a pretty goofy argument, all programs copy from disk into ram in order to run. WOW is already in ram when its running. There are tons of mods and bots floating around for WOW, I think they will have a very difficult time proving their case.

Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.

$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)

Subscribe now

Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out... Welcome to the Make Blog!

Features and more @ MAKE!

Get MAKE 14 - Subscribe or on newsstands!

Add MAKE to iGoogle - GoogleGoogle.
Add MAKE to your RSS reader - Real simple.

Why advertise on MAKE?
Read what folks are saying about us!

Click here to advertise on MAKE!

Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311

Gareth Branwyn
Robot Maker

Kip Kay
Video Maker

Jonah Brucker-Cohen
Artist / Researcher

Suggest a Site!

Natalie Zee Drieu
Senior Editor
CRAFT

Becky Stern
Culture jammer

Collin Cunningham
Sound Maker

Marc de Vinck
CNC Maker

Current Podcast

Maker's Notebook Pocket - CRAFT Video Podcast Download the MP4 Video or HD Version | Subscribe to CRAFT in iTunes Love your Maker's Notebook, but wish it had a pocket? Well, in this video I'll show you how easy it is to add your own. This... More...

Get the Make blog sent via email

Enter your email to receive the Make blog each day:

WOW! Thanks to everyone involved with Maker Faire Bay Area: attendees, makers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and crew...it was AMAZING! Over 400 Makers and 60,000+ attendees! Be sure to check out the photos @ Flickr, and our Maker Faire posts for all the action! The next scheduled Maker Faire is Austin: Oct. 18th & 19th, 2008 - Travis County Expo Center!