workshop crawler ArmA 3 Workshop Crawler - Find reuploads of your workshop submissions within minutes

[optix 137]

Workshop Crawler

Yes, we scan.

 

What is the ArmA 3 Workshop Crawler?

Workshop Crawler regularly creates an index of all available workshop items and the files contained within them. This allows content creators that decide to upload their content to the workshop to easily check for unauthorized reuploads of their files.

 

How does it work?

Each file available on the workshop has a unique identifier (hash). When you click on "Find Reuploads" on our website, the hashes of your files are compared against thousands of others in the database.

Due to how hashes work, these matches almost 100% guarantee, that the files found elsewhere are exactly the same as yours - but in a different workshop item.

 

Do I have to pay?

No.

 

So, how can I start looking for reuploads?

Head to workshopcrawler.com, paste the link to your workshop item into the search box and click the magic button. It's that easy.

[kiory 404]

This is really cool and all, and probably a step in the right direction, but what's stopping someone from re upping and using this tool against us?

Considering it's all based on file names etc, I anticipate this being abused by the assholes out there, happens on youtube and it'll happen here, unless there's something I'm missing?

[kremator 1064]

Absolutely brilliant.  Time for all modmakers to claim back what is theirs !

 

[Dedmen 2588]

15 hours ago, kiory said:

This is really cool and all, and probably a step in the right direction, but what's stopping someone from re upping and using this tool against us?

Considering it's all based on file names etc, I anticipate this being abused by the assholes out there, happens on youtube and it'll happen here, unless there's something I'm missing?

 

How would anyone use it against the Mod makers? They can't file DMCA claims against the original.. Well.. They could.. But that's not really a good Idea.

[kiory 404]

3 hours ago, dedmen said:

 

How would anyone use it against the Mod makers? They can't file DMCA claims against the original.. Well.. They could.. But that's not really a good Idea.

That won't stop anyone from doing it, youtube is a great example of that.

[Belbo 461]

Hm... Sometimes (in my experience most of the time) people upload a mod to sws in order to have it "more accessible". That means that the mods don't have an original upload to sws. Sometimes uploading a mod to sws in itself is a breach against a modders licence. People do it anyway completely disregarding the explicit licence.

Is it planned to include a crawl for non-sws-mods, so we can find mods on sws that aren't supposed to be on sws at all?

[b00tsy 28]

There is nothing to DMCA really, it's BI's IP not yours. With full mods like 3D models it is still hard to prove that it's your intellectual property, unless you were prepared before spreading it on the internet and have some legal proof that you are the creator.

 

And besides that, When I joined the ArmA community many years ago most scripters and modders were very open and helpful and shared 'their stuff' with the community so that others can learn from it. I mean there was/is even an UnPBO tool thats lets you unpack missions and look inside the scripts and stuff with the download link on this forum in a sticky (if I remember correctly). That was normal back in 2008/2009. Most mission creators didn't mind that other ArmA peeps reuploaded an edited/modded version as long as credits were given to the orginal creator.

 

My mission may be UnPBO'ed, edited and reuploaded so long as I get credits as the original creator... and if not then there is not much I can do about it right. It is nice to ask first!

[mr burns 131]

On 18.5.2017 at 4:20 AM, b00tsy said:

There is nothing to DMCA really, it's BI's IP not yours. With full mods like 3D models it is still hard to prove that it's your intellectual property, unless you were prepared before spreading it on the internet and have some legal proof that you are the creator.

 

And besides that, When I joined the ArmA community many years ago most scripters and modders were very open and helpful and shared 'their stuff' with the community so that others can learn from it. I mean there was/is even an UnPBO tool thats lets you unpack missions and look inside the scripts and stuff with the download link on this forum in a sticky (if I remember correctly). That was normal back in 2008/2009. Most mission creators didn't mind that other ArmA peeps reuploaded an edited/modded version as long as credits were given to the orginal creator.

 

My mission may be UnPBO'ed, edited and reuploaded so long as I get credits as the original creator... and if not then there is not much I can do about it right. It is nice to ask first!

 

Well you´ve named the relevant part yourself: "many years ago most scripters and modders were very open and helpful and shared 'their stuff' with the community". Times have changed since that dayz uproar when people started shitting on the whole concept of sharing and helping and then replaced it with the sole wish for profit. And once there´s money involved, all friendship ends.

 

 

Also, congratz to everyone now included in the mod hall of fame, you might not even know about it as no-ones ever asked for your permission:

 

http://www.pcgamer.com/the-mod-responsible-for-playerunknowns-battlegrounds-has-been-inducted-into-the-mod-hall-of-fame/

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

So jealous about your work in... Arma 3... because is everything you have on your life. Its even better to pretend not.

[mr burns 131]

6 hours ago, donnovan said:

So jealous about your work in... Arma 3... because is everything you have on your life. Its even better to pretend not.

 

You´re coming across exactly as one of those people that make modding in ArmA a less worthwhile hobby.

 

As said before, I don´t worry about downloads so much anymore. It´s just those piggybacking people ... i´d say they get my blood pumping but even that is over. It´s become a matter of "release something for arma and fuck your rights or don´t release at all" which is really sad and not fitting to my personal opinion of what it should´ve been, or what it was like in retrospective.

 

Let´s just leave it at this: Once you´ve released some mods and i get rich off of them, we talk again

[PuFu 4591]

On 5/18/2017 at 5:20 AM, b00tsy said:

There is nothing to DMCA really, it's BI's IP not yours.

sorry what?

[kiory 404]

48 minutes ago, PuFu said:

sorry what?

Some uneducated fool, don't feed.

[Macser 776]

 

On 5/18/2017 at 3:20 AM, b00tsy said:

With full mods like 3D models it is still hard to prove that it's your intellectual property, unless you were prepared before spreading it on the internet and have some legal proof that you are the creator.

 

And what about source files? I don't know any modders that hand those out, except under rare circumstances. Even then it'd likely be with a colleague. Not some random person they barely know.

 

Unless they're complete morons, who ever investigates the claim would only need to see the source files once.  Assuming it's not an automatic process.

 

Not that I agree that there's no ownership. Even in the case of content derived from default assets.

[kiory 404]

7 hours ago, Macser said:

 

 

And what about source files? I don't know any modders that hand those out, except under rare circumstances. Even then it'd likely be with a colleague. Not some random person they barely know.

 

Unless they're complete morons, who ever investigates the claim would only need to see the source files once.  Assuming it's not an automatic process.

 

Not that I agree that there's no ownership. Even in the case of content derived from default assets.

I would be that complete moron, thank you very much.

 

I knew from day one that I'd be fighting an uphill battle that I couldn't win, open source was my only option to just make things easier for everyone, people using my mods and the people stealing my mods, it cannot be avoided.

 

Ironically, my mods aren't stolen that much, and people still come to me asking for permissions, weird isn't it?

[Macser 776]

I've no experience dealing with the system. I assumed someone other than the involved parties would try to establish if there's any messing around, or if the claims are legitimate.

 

 

 

[b00tsy 28]

12 hours ago, PuFu said:

sorry what?

Look, in the past I have done many DMCA's myself on other platforms and in the end it just not worth the hassle... unless you have the hope that the DMCA works like a scare tactic. Unless you are a company that can affort legal costs the idea of sending DMCA's is a bit of a joke. The most you might get out of the DMCA if you send it to Valve is that the reupload gets deleted..... and after that you can do it all over again, cos it will just get reuploaded again.

 

General rule of hobby modding: don't share it to the public if you want to keep it as your 'possesion'. Otherwise just get over it and accept that this is how the internet works. If you ulpaod it to the public it will sooner or later become public assets.

[PuFu 4591]

1 hour ago, b00tsy said:

Look, in the past I have done many DMCA's myself on other platforms and in the end it just not worth the hassle... unless you have the hope that the DMCA works like a scare tactic.

 

Unless you are a company that can affort legal costs the idea of sending DMCA's is a bit of a joke. The most you might get out of the DMCA if you send it to Valve is that the reupload gets deleted..... and after that you can do it all over again, cos it will just get reuploaded again.

You obviously don't know what DMCA is and how it works then:

 

DMCA takedowns is used to remove the content infringing IP. In case the one who received the DMCA brings a counter notice in accordance with US copyright laws (at least where valve is concerned), i will get notified and receive his personal contacts so i can pursue further legal actions. I can legally do that if i i feel that there has been any commercial gains or if i want any sort of compensations for damages that might have occurred. 

 

There has been 0 such counter notices so far (because none of which can prove that they have IP right for the content i am DMCAing), and i have close to 1000 DMCA filled since A3 RHS version was released, and also a number of C&D sent - directly to owner and their service providers, all of which have been put into effect with permanent consequences.

Quote

General rule of hobby modding: don't share it to the public if you want to keep it as your 'possesion'. Otherwise just get over it and accept that this is how the internet works. If you ulpaod it to the public it will sooner or later become public assets.

false...but feel free to do that with the content you create yourself and share it to the pu...oh wait, there isn't any, is it?

 

On 5/18/2017 at 5:20 AM, b00tsy said:

There is nothing to DMCA really, it's BI's IP not yours.

Because you obviously failed to respond to my question, i'll say this again, BI doesn't own any IP for any of the content made from scratch by any 3rd party. I have read about this fallacy before from other ignorant people such as yourself, so you might wanna read BI's EULAs again, and some IP laws (be it US or EU ones) before spreading this bullshit and making a fool out of yourself.

 

Quote

With full mods like 3D models it is still hard to prove that it's your intellectual property, unless you were prepared before spreading it on the internet and have some legal proof that you are the creator.

it's actually really really easy to prove, because most 3d artists have their raw files stored securely, i also have my files digitally signed and full track history of model development (from the very first box to it's final form). Sure, i'll need to take you to court for it, which means i'll need to spend some money on, but in the end at the very least own legal fees will be paid by you, plus the damages. 

[Tankbuster 1733]

31 minutes ago, PuFu said:

i have close to 1000 DMCA filled since A3 RHS version was released, and also a number of C&D sent - directly to owner and their service providers, all of which have been put into effect with permanent consequences.
 

1

Good work, fella.

[b00tsy 28]

2 hours ago, PuFu said:

Snip...

You can by cocky all you want, but I was already filing DMCA's in 2006 on content that actually made me 30K (thats a years salary in a lot of countries). In most cases the DMCA was just a way to 'scare' and to take down the illegally uploaded content from a website/platform while I knew that a day later I would have to do it all over again. At the time my 'content' was wanted and popular it was worth the headache a hour a day cos I made money from it. After that 'peak' I just accepted the nature of the WWW and let it go as public content. And in the case of ArmA content, it's nice if people have the decency to link to the original creator and give him/them credits for it and add enough modifications to the orignal work so that it justifies a reupload. If you are reuploading original work just to take credits for it then thats incredibily lame. And knowing the online community, they will call it out when that happens.

[x3kj 1247]

15 minutes ago, b00tsy said:

If you are reuploading original work just to take credits for it then thats incredibily lame. And knowing the online community, they will call it out when that happens.

Except this is propably the majority of people... reuploading someone elses work without permission or as part of some "pack" that they use on their server (not rarely monetized as well).

And no the online community at large won't call it out, because they mostly dont know about any of this.

[Guest]

WOW! 1000 DCMA? I fell a heat in my pubis.

 

The way you think can be denpedent of donwloads or success, but this normaly happens with those crazy actors full of drugs.

[heavygunner 179]

6 hours ago, b00tsy said:

You can by cocky all you want, but I was already filing DMCA's in 2006 on content that actually made me 30K (thats a years salary in a lot of countries). In most cases the DMCA was just a way to 'scare' and to take down the illegally uploaded content from a website/platform while I knew that a day later I would have to do it all over again. At the time my 'content' was wanted and popular it was worth the headache a hour a day cos I made money from it. After that 'peak' I just accepted the nature of the WWW and let it go as public content. And in the case of ArmA content, it's nice if people have the decency to link to the original creator and give him/them credits for it and add enough modifications to the orignal work so that it justifies a reupload. If you are reuploading original work just to take credits for it then thats incredibily lame. And knowing the online community, they will call it out when that happens.

Pufu is talking about the Steam Workshop, so your experience with other sites doesnt matter at all, especially since it seems to work nicely for him.

[PuFu 4591]

14 hours ago, b00tsy said:

You can by cocky all you want, but I was already filing DMCA's in 2006 on content that actually made me 30K (thats a years salary in a lot of countries). In most cases the DMCA was just a way to 'scare' and to take down the illegally uploaded content from a website/platform while I knew that a day later I would have to do it all over again. At the time my 'content' was wanted and popular it was worth the headache a hour a day cos I made money from it. After that 'peak' I just accepted the nature of the WWW and let it go as public content. And in the case of ArmA content, it's nice if people have the decency to link to the original creator and give him/them credits for it and add enough modifications to the orignal work so that it justifies a reupload. If you are reuploading original work just to take credits for it then thats incredibily lame. And knowing the online community, they will call it out when that happens.

Anyone can create his own mirrors for RHS and upload the files we provide, as long as there are not changes for them (re-pack, re-distribution), on any site that doesn't require the uploader to share his IP rights with the company behind the mirror website, like Valve/Steam does(so that the uploader needs to be the owner). It is as simple as that.

In the case of modifications (as in re-textures, config changes whatever), for Arma, you can do all that without ever touching the original files, and release it separately provided these files are dependent on the original ones.

 

With the tool this thread is about, i can do the DMCAing once a week as i always have, in under 2 minutes per upload...there is no headache anymore whatsoever.

 

[warden_1 1070]

The worst part about all this is that there are many people who aren't aware of their content being used without their authorization. For example a specific case I have often urged be dealt with severely (aside from the idiots who steal the car models from forza) is the ripper known as Kickass on steam: https://steamcommunity.com/id/307752601

He deserves a BattlEye ban. He steals tons of content from other games and people.

[kiory 404]

51 minutes ago, warden_1 said:

The worst part about all this is that there are many people who aren't aware of their content being used without their authorization. For example a specific case I have often urged be dealt with severely (aside from the idiots who steal the car models from forza) is the ripper known as Kickass on steam: https://steamcommunity.com/id/307752601

He deserves a BattlEye ban. He steals tons of content from other games and people.

Ah, of course, the Chinese, aside from Russia, they are by far the worst for piracy and copyright infringement.