Fiel, the administrator of South Perry forums, received a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) letter from NEXON two days ago telling him to dismiss any further decryptions of their files. For those of you who don’t know Fiel, Fiel is the creator of the famous pre-patcher and a former Sleepywood.net star amongst the forums. He contributed valuable information to the community and without him, everyone would be left in the dark. Prior to this Fiel had spoken with Lloyd and was led to believe the issue was resolved. As you can see below, it was not. Fiel is only decrypting KMST and MapleSEA data because Asia Soft owns MapleSEA, not NEXON, making it fair game.
The DMCA notice reads as follows to Fiel:
Originally Posted by Nexon America
From: Lloyd Korn
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 12:35 PM
To:
Subject: DMCA notice www.southperry.netRe: DMCA Notice relating to www.nexon.net
To whom it may concern:
Nexon America Inc. (“Nexon”) is the owner of the Website, www.nexon.net (the “Website”) The website contains Nexon’s copyrighted material and the intellectual property in the Video Games on the Website, which include the game MapleStory (the “Game”), as well as the original images on the Website and embedded in the Game, and the object and source code for the site. In addition, Nexon is the owner in the trademarks NEXON and MapleStory, as well as hundreds of other trademarks used in association with the website.
You are currently hosting the following website: www.southperry.net (the “Rogue Website”). The Owner of the website has continually intercepted Nexon’s encrypted wz files (which contain Nexon’s copyrighted material and code of the Game), cracked the encryption code and reveals the encrypted data on his website without Nexon’s approval or authorization. I have specifically asked the owner of the website to stop illegally cracking Nexon’s code and he point blank refused. We will be releasing another update very soon which he told me he plans to crack and put the contents on his website. Because of this, the Rogue Website is severely damaging the Game and hurting Nexon’s business. In addition, by revealing and displaying the unauthorized, copyrighted material on its website, it is misappropriating Nexon’s intellectual property for its own commercial gain.
You need to look no further than the homepage at www.southperry.net and to the forums at http://www.southperry.net/forums/index.php to see Nexon copyrighted artwork and protected Trademarks all over the site which are used by the owner to promote his site, to show how to cheat and undermine the Game and to collect money from those who visit the site.
I hereby state that Nexon America Inc. is the owner of copyright in the images attached hereto and that to the best of my knowledge and belief, the infringing use was not authorized by it, its agents or the law. I further declare under penalty of perjury that this notice is accurate and that I am authorized to act as Nexon America Inc.’s agent in this matter. Pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and your Terms of Service, Nexon America Inc. demands that you shut down the Rogue Website and remove the infringing material contained on said site. Given that a new patch will be released very soon, I request that you shut down the site immediately to prevent Nexon from suffering any more financial harm!
You may reach me by e-mail at lkorn@nexon.net if you have any questions about this matter. The foregoing is not intended as a complete statement of our rights and remedies, all of which are hereby expressly reserved.
Sincerely,
Lloyd Korn
Lloyd Korn
Nexon America Inc.
General Counsel
Main (213) 858-5930
Fax (213) 858-5940
Email lkorn@nexon.net
www.nexon.net
As you can see, this is legitimate. NEXON now has the ability to stop sites who threaten their intellectual property…in other words according to their DMCA, they could DMCA Hidden-Street, MapleSim, MapleTip, Basil Market, etc. any site who uses their images, or any of their data. Even people like Fiel who have served the community and asked nothing in return get their dreams and hard work destroyed. Is this really where things have gone? Not only did Mr. Lloyd Korn give Fiel the impression that the decryptions would be tolerated and that things were okay, but he then proceeded to back stab him by sending him a DMCA notice a few days before his birthday! One action has turned an entire community of almost 3,000 members against NEXON America. They have lost valuable players and profit. I myself can say I am deeply disappointed. Pirates were a way for NEXON America to redeem their reputation and get players back. They merely took one step forward, and two steps back. There’s a difference between stopping Private Servers and attacking innocent websites. If you’re looking for a company that attacks a person and a forum community who has supported a game and a company through thick and thin and then kicks them when they’re down like a stray dog, NEXON is your man.
I am truly disappointed in NEXON and I feel somewhat ashamed in how Fiel and SouthPerry.net was treated. It’s hard to believe a game about mushrooms has gone this far.
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18 Comments, Comment or Ping
meghlll
wow nexon they are getting serious sueing people and putting them in jail.
Nov 14th, 2008
Tribunal
I hope NEXON reads this.
NEXON SUCKS. THEY DONT KNOW ANYTHING THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO SUCK IT NEXON!!!
Nov 14th, 2008
PHILL
i think NEXON was doing his job. nothing wrong about this.
before that Fiel even think about decrypting NEXON’s data, he should read the Privacy Policy and Terms on every NEXON’s website and it is clearly stated that if you disagree to any of this terms, do not play the game. not only did he not play the game, he hacked the game, which is worse.
although providing convenience to players might be well liked by the community as they get what is coming out before the game was actually released. however, this way, NEXON cannot earn as all the contents before it was officially released would be revealed and they would not benefit.
it is true that Fiel only decrypt the data and post on forums, which means no harm but did you consider those professionals outside the forums who might use his decrptyed data for their own profit and benefits? its perfectly fine for him to do so, but not to distribute.
think about it again. the game belongs to NEXON, not Fiel. if he is really that interested, he can get employed by NEXON. yes i also agree that without him, i am disappointed and have nothing to look forward to. but thinking about it again, he was just providing convenience to the community by doing something illegal, which is not correct.
i don’t think NEXON would be so selfish to release their upcoming data if we, as the community, would ask them politely. after all, we contribute to their revenue so that they can better improve the game, not Fiel, to hint us about upcoming patches.
“One action has turned an entire community of almost 3,000 members against NEXON America.”
i don’t agree. if you think it at a maturely, NEXON means no harm. also in addition to the upcoming Pirate class, NEXON should take more responsibility in his community against Private Servers and people who decrypt their data, so that people can enjoy the BEST out of their game, not the MOST.
but i think it is better for NEXON to send this letter after Fiel’s birthday. this is totally a breakdown to Fiel. sigh.
Nov 14th, 2008
PHILL
sorry, not “upcoming data” (Paragraph 6, Line 1), should be information on upcoming events and patches.
Nov 14th, 2008
TARMA
srsly i think u all should respect ur client (mapleglobal) more and stop hacking it. clients like maplesea and mapleHK still do nt have so much things and updates like urs
Nov 14th, 2008
Jezza
Well if Nexon was doing their job, why did they only sue Fiel, not Adura or the other mods posting extraction data on their sites as well?
Nexon seriously should get a grip, they have no idea how much effort Fiel put into Southperry and how much better it has become. I personally believe Nexon is picking on SP, they have just lost not only my favor and trust but others as well. Way to blow Nexon…
Nov 15th, 2008
KUNDY
thats because Fiel is the owner of the site you boob don’t sue Fiel sue who? other moderators can just change their username and password for another identity
too bad NEXON found SP. don’t want get sued don’t publicise so much la! like that also don’t know sheesh
Nov 15th, 2008
Savage
I don’t understand why everyone automatically assumes Cease and Desists and DMCA’s equal a lawsuit. They’re a warning people. You have to be warned to be sued like that.
Nov 15th, 2008
mapleboy555
Nexon, if you are reading this, you are idiots.
Did you know that Southperry was doing NOTHING wrong?
You’re actions are making you down.
Nov 16th, 2008
Thorgal
People are saying ‘Why didn’t they take that fansite down, or that one’, beware NEXON might still think of doing that.
I do think Nexon should rather help their community, then take down the ones that would be a “Threat” to Nexon. I believe it’s Nexon right to sue others who violate the rules, but doing so, they will also lose popularity.
I think diminishing private servers to 0 is one thing, but taking down harmless fansites? I don’t see the point.
Nov 16th, 2008
ALICE
you call that a “FANSITE” when it actually distributes encrypted data to the public? fansites are websites who respect the intellectual properties of the games they discuss, not hacking and totally raping the whole game into pieces, then throwing all the data onto that so called “fansite”!! think twice before calling that site a “fansite”. dumb
‘they could DMCA Hidden-Street, MapleSim, MapleTip, Basil Market, etc. any site who uses their images, or any of their data.’
yes hidden-street and basil market did use their images. but they get their images from SCREENSHOTS and have no clear intention on decryting the game for those images. unlike what Fiel is doing, he is totally breaking the game into pieces and should be sued. you cannot use him to compare with other fansites like hidden-street.
i think Fiel deserves what he deserves today.
Nov 16th, 2008
Ryan
I Didn’t get what happend. O.o They sued him since he used in thier website images? So what? Lots of websites doing it. Like BasiLmarket or MapleTip or any other game. I think they meant he’s just using in thier data for pServers.
Nov 16th, 2008
Street
Well they used nexon’s images. Those are copyrigghted and against the ToS, so fiel deserves to be shut down. hidden-street is a maple fan site database, they dont use nexons copyrights, or encourage people to hack on nexon’s servers. so fiel will get what he deserves. and for you who say they hate nexon now, well, if u were the CEO of nexon, would u want your servers to be hacked? no, so youd take action against hackers and those promoting hacks. and for you guys who will say “FCKZ U STREET U A NIGGA” well at least think of a real arguement to go with it, unlike “NeXON IS A BIGGASS bish FAG FOR SHUTTING DOWN SOUTHPERRY! WHERE WILL I GET HAX FROM NOW???!!!!ONEELEVEN11″
Thanks
Nov 16th, 2008
TROY
that Fiel thing is a noob. seriously.
Nov 17th, 2008
Gary
Sorry? I think this community cares too much.
Instead of bolding the important details, you’ve decided to bold “before his birthday!”. Big deal..
Nov 18th, 2008
Garnett
In my personal opinion, NEXON did nothing wrong. Who they choose to sue is up to them, and it’s evident that destroying Feil will send a message to everyone else.
If you didn’t understand their shady lingo, they said, “We are NEXON. Do NOT **** with us.”
Quite honestly, they have every right to protect their content, and a birthday is a birthday. But profit is lost forever…
Nov 19th, 2008
smiles
DMCA is USA-only
So it can only affect people, websites, etc etc in the USA only
Nov 23rd, 2008
Deagan
Maplestory actually aint NEXON’s property since Wizat made it,,they just came and rule it,,now they make their own traps because well alot of my members left for Pirates,,but now they go harming innocent websites.
NEXON SHOULD LEAVE MAPLESTORY ALONE AND MAPLESTORY SHOULD GET WIZET BACK!
Dec 2nd, 2008
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