Let's roll him up in a carpet and throw him of a bridge!

Yeah, I know it's a last resort, like I said before "if all else fails."

So ideas so far are:
1) Email the admin about it. Hopefully he/she will understand.
2) Blocking the hotlink files. If they need the download link to be linked to this site for it to be "legal," > LostProphetPunk wrote:

by directing the downloader to this website for the download.

then I don't think they can manually download and upload copies of them without some legal issues. This might not be 100% true, but I'm trying to look up what counts as plagiarism.
3)Last resort: Humiliation

The owner of the site was trying to say it was legal due to the fact that making maps is basically re-distributing content of Valve.

So I was like "that is not true. Valve have given you permission to make maps, which does re-distribute their content...in the form of having the authoring tools to download."

Then I continued to mention about the fact that he is still uploading content that is partly the owner of the mapper, due to the ideas etc. I also mentioned the fact that Portal2Maps never host any of the maps directly on their website etc.

Here is a link to the thread on Steam if anyone wants to follow etc.

I don't really see what the big hullabaloo is about. Technically the authors of the maps are getting more downloads for their maps if their work is spread throughout sources on the internet. What I don't like is when someone takes your map, puts it on their site, and not state that you are the author of the map.

For example this: http://www.jacklands.webs.com/
That picture of the Mario and Luigi I made. Any mention? Nooooo...

Well, I read the thread on Steam. After all of that and the admin still hasn't ask the author permission. Asking makes all the difference.

BTW Nice M&L picture ChickenMobile.

Edit: They got my map up there too! ASK FIRST DAMNIT!

MasterLagger wrote:
Edit: They got my map up there too! ASK FIRST DAMNIT!

They have virtually everyone's maps etc up on the website.

Also ChickenMobile...you should get the Mario and Luigi printed.

Hi guys,

I'm the one who created PortalDB. I see there is a lot displeasure floating around concerning the maps I hosted. Most of the maps can indeed be found here as well. My only intention is to create a place where everyone can search through all the maps available for Portal 2. Although I'm biased - for obvious reason - I think we were able to accomplish this.

I checked this site and didn't find any note or license that forbid downloading the maps and hosting them elsewhere. I offer you to contact me if you want your map removed on PortalDB. Send an email to admin/a\portaldb.net and write me the names of your maps.

In addition I'm going to add a link and note to each of the maps that is also hosted on TWP. I will link to the specific thread just like portal2maps.net does. This is really no problem.

Then again I don't understand your problem with the situation right now. I offer a free service without any advertisements that gives you the possibility to reach more users with your map.

I hope you will use and enjoy my site in the future. Any suggestions are welcome.

Kind regards,
T3rm1

T3rm1 wrote:
Then again I don't understand your problem with the situation right now. I offer a free service without any advertisements that gives you the possibility to reach more users with your map.

The problem is the fact that you just downloaded the maps, re-uploaded them without the map-creator's permission, as well as use all of the data (download description, no. of downloads, and also ratings) from this website.

It's fine by me if you create a website that can host maps, but only the maps that have been uploaded by the mappers...not you. The only thing that needs to be done when doing this, is not to download maps that have been uploaded elsewhere (without the mapper's permission) and upload them to the website. The only content that should be on your website, is the stuff that has been personally uploaded by the mapper's themselves...and not stuff that has been uploaded by you on behalf of the mappers without their knowledge.

I can't really see the problem you are all having. I, personally, uploaded my map here and on MaL and several other sites (including mine) a long time ago. When, after some time, I googled for my map, I was surprised to see it hosted on many other sites and I was GLaD for that. I mean, you can really reach more audience with what you have created. Plus the advantage of having your map hosted on more sites than here - if nothing more, it is one more place for people to find your map if, eventually, they could not download it from here. So, as long as credit is given, what's the problem?

Look, I don't mind having my maps on a different website, but people should ask me first before putting it on another site. Same thing for everyone else. Mappers get upset when their maps are uploaded "behind their back" to a different site without their consent. I understand people just want to make a website for downloading Portal 2 maps and that's absolutely fine. But if they want a map from another site however, then you should ask the author first. I personally don't mind having a map on another site, I just would like to be asked ahead of time.

MasterLagger wrote:
Look, I don't mind having my maps on a different website, but people should ask me first before putting it on another site. Same thing for everyone else. Mappers get upset when their maps are uploaded "behind their back" to a different site without their consent. I understand people just want to make a website for downloading Portal 2 maps and that's absolutely fine. But if they want a map from another site however, then you should ask the author first. I personally don't mind having a map on another site, I just would like to be asked ahead of time.

I agree totally. I think this is a lot less about legality (although, as mentioned on the steam thread, there is a legal issue) and a lot more about common human courtesy. It's POLITE to ask permission, and not AFTER you've started redistributing these things; BEFORE. And just taking the maps without permission is, imho, very rude indeed.

For T3rm1 (although, to be fair, this was all directed at you anyway:) And since this is about politeness, I think that it would be nice for you to email US and ask, not for us to have to email you. You should have contacted us and asked permission anyway, so I don't want to hear whining about sending out hundreds of emails. But I'll count you out of one email - you can keep mine. I quite like the layout of that site (although I'd recommend a different font.)

Finally it's got to a point where people understand. Hopefully, T3rm1 understands as well.

Just next time you want to upload maps in future, contact the mapper about it, rather than just doing it.

And since T3rm1 is able to post here, if he wants to save the trouble of emailing people, he could send personal messages (PM's) to the authors here asking if they want their maps kept or removed on his site.

Mine can stay on the website. As I don't mind it. I only got annoyed due to the fact that my map just appeared on the website when I hadn't even heard of it.

Mine can stay also, no hard feelings T3rm1, just ask me and anyone else about their maps first before uploading them to your site.

I'm fine with mine on there too. But in order to prevent future problems like this, how about we make a minor change to the download database? Whenever you upload or edit a map to TWP, there should be a setting along with the map description and title and everything: Allow this map to be hotlinked. If it's set to yes, PortalDB and other similar sites can generate hotlinks to the map. If it's set to no, then hotlinking is disabled for the map so that even if anyone tries to hotlink it, they can't. With hotlinking disabled, PortalDB and other sites like Portal2Maps.net can link to the TWP download page, but again, still not hotlink it.

So I hate to dig this up out of the grave, but I've finally looked into it and it's obvious to me that this site is both 1.) stealing a lot of our traffic, and 2.) rehosting YOUR content without YOUR permission.

I have gone ahead and filed a DMCA Takedown request with the host as an umbrella, since TWP is originally hosting this content. Anyone who does not want their map hosted there, or who feels that they should have been asked permission for this prior to it being rehosted, is strongly urged to file a similar DMCA takedown. Here is an example DMCA, and the addresses it needs to be mailed to:

MAIL TO THESE ADDRESSES

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

DMCA TAKEDOWN
Copy in full, fill in your information, look for content in [BRACKETS]

October 31, 2011

[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR FULL MAILING ADDRESS]

Stratoserver.net, Strato AG
C/O Copyright Agent for Notice of Claims of Copyright Infringement

Sent via: Email
DMCA Notice of Copyright Infringement
re: Copyright infringement of hosted content

Dear Stratoserver.net, Strato AG,

Please take appropriate action to disable access to the infringing
materials described below, in accordance with the provisions of the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

Should you require further information regarding this matter, please
feel free to return email, or if necessary, call me by phone. Thank
you for your quick assistance and cooperation.

Regards,

[YOUR NAME]

ELECTRONIC NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

I, the undersigned, CERTIFY UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY that I am an
agent authorized to act on behalf of the owner of certain intellectual
property rights, said owner being named:

[YOUR NAME], original copyright holder

I have a good faith belief that the items or materials listed below
are not authorized by the above IP Owners, their agents, or the law
and therefore infringe the IP Owner's rights. Please act expeditiously
to remove or disable access to the material or items claimed to be
infringing.

I may be contacted at:

[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR FULL MAILING ADDRESS]

My actual or electronic signature follows:

/s/ [YOUR NAME]

Allegedly Infringing items or materials:

Infringed Work or Right:
- Content uploaded without original author's permission

Location of ORIGINAL WORKS:
- [URL to your file downloads, IE:]
- http://forums.thinking.withportals.com/downloads.php?view=detail&df_id=xxxx

URL(s) of Infringed Works or Right:
- http://www.portaldb.net/maps

Yes, you have to fill out all of the information there for it to be a "valid" DMCA request.

I have also taken measures for this person to no longer be able to scrape content from our site, and I'm going to be looking into the appropriate cyberlaws that would apply to maliciously copying content like this.

Also, for the record, and as has been stated before - portal2maps.net is run by me. It also doesn't re-host the content, it re-links back to the site for the download page. The issue with this site is that it has actually copied and re-hosted the files without the permission of the original author.

I was sure there was some strange voodoo legalise in Valve's wordings somewhere about who actually owns content created with their tools. No matter I'm not terribly fussed as long as I'm credited but I have run into issues in the past with other projects. Ever tried dealing with nitwits who submit bug reports for older versions of something you're actively working on? Massive head ache. Had to keep telling people the official source of blah is at such and such website.

I think the person stopped uploading maps to the site, since 09/17, though I may be wrong.