A thought.

[Presto12]

Do you think private servers will eventually go a different way than retail. As in they will still try to keep up with the patch and stuff but just make their own custom content like zones / maps / raids / ect. I ask this because blizzard is releasing patches faster now days and if emulators cant keep up, the next best thing is to create something new. I see it alot since people are playing on patch 2.4.3, trying to make it "Bug Free"

Also where did the post go for that Winning Gurubashi Arena thing =/

[mcsweeney63z]

Bugs will happen no matter what. The fact that we have keep up with the patches is the amazing part :P and custom maps and such would require patches which correct me if i'm wrong is HIGHLY illegal (Yes more then Running a private server).

[alj03]

If you make money of custom stuff then it would be, but i don't know about normal. Would just be world building. Again correct me.

[Mr. Clean]

Private Servers should go through more custom things like this [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] , instead of "fun servers" etc. but thats all i think.

[Kirsebaer]

Well, you are totally right.
The only good solution is to make a big devteam.
But with a good devteam comes the great fall.
Blizzard just sewed WowScape and yeah...
We are forced to pay the money if we want to play....
By the way, does anyone know what happend to Magic-WoW and Marcelo?

[Henkke]

wowscape, magicwow.. either of these servers have nothing to do with wow emulation itself.
Take a look at Arcemu, MaNGOS, WCell, Trinity these are the prioneers which are running wow emulation, they are the ones making the stuff work, not some single servers which are just there for the money.

[Kirsebaer]

Originally Posted by Henkke

wowscape, magicwow.. either of these servers have nothing to do with wow emulation itself.
Take a look at Arcemu, MaNGOS, WCell, Trinity these are the prioneers which are running wow emulation, they are the ones making the stuff work, not some single servers which are just there for the money.

FrostEmu is an emulator, isnt?
That's what keeps Magic so different.

[Henkke]

^Yea 1 server, but from what is it made off, is it made from scratch?
What if the server goes perma offline, what happens to the code?
Vanishes most likely.
So in conclusion it offers nothing for the wow emulation, only for the limited group of people, and even then the portion is so small that it doesn't matter does it exist or not, wow emulation will go on just the same way it has gone for years.

[Exanthos]

The emulators dont have any illegal content. They are suing Peyton cause she made money. No other reason. What does have illegal content though are the DBC's and Maps which the Emu cant run and you extract those yourselves.

[TheSpidey]

Well, not entirely true:

Originally Posted by EULA, Section 2 Clause A

You agree that you will not, under any circumstances:

A. in whole or in part, copy, photocopy, reproduce, translate, reverse engineer, derive source code from, modify, disassemble, decompile, or create derivative works based on the Game; provided, however, that you may make one (1) copy of the Game Client and the Manuals for archival purposes only;

Emulation at its very basis derives source code from the game, and sometimes also decompiles it.

Originally Posted by EULA, Section 2 Clauses D, E, F, G

D. use any unauthorized third-party software that intercepts, "mines", or otherwise collects information from or through the Game or the Service, including without limitation any software that reads areas of RAM used by the Game to store information about a character or the game environment; provided, however, that Blizzard may, at its sole and absolute discretion, allow the use of certain third party user interfaces;

E. modify or cause to be modified any files that are a part of the Game Client in any way not expressly authorized by Blizzard;

F. host, provide or develop matchmaking services for the Game or intercept, emulate or redirect the communication protocols used by Blizzard in any way, for any purpose, including without limitation unauthorized play over the internet, network play, or as part of content aggregation networks;

G. facilitate, create or maintain any unauthorized connection to the Game or the Service, including without limitation (a) any connection to any unauthorized server that emulates, or attempts to emulate, the Service; and (b) any connection using programs or tools not expressly approved by Blizzard; or

D is crucial for emulator developers; E affects players because they change their realmlist.wtf file; F is for both emu developers and hosts; G is for players.

Emulation goes against the EULA for all parties, you all agreed to the EULA because you clicked the 'I agree' button ingame, and it holds as a legal document. What else do you need to realize emulation is illegal?