Legality Issues

**Tonberry_Kid** · 05-7-2006, 05:34 PM

Re: Legality Issues

You can use any song

**NuclearShadow** · 05-7-2006, 06:11 PM

Re: Legality Issues

o but wai

what if the song is on ffr D:

**Tonberry_Kid** · 05-7-2006, 06:32 PM

Re: Legality Issues

Ask???

**aperson** · 05-7-2006, 06:47 PM

Re: Legality Issues

Technically, you are breaching copyright by stepfiling any copyrighted songs [which most songs are] without asking for permission from the original author. It doesn't fall under fair use, don't even try.

**braintrust** · 05-8-2006, 08:35 AM

Re: Legality Issues

Pretty much every file available for SM is illegal. I do believe the files on Stepmania's website are legal, because they don't want any problems, but otherwise they breach copyright.

If your worried about this, there are a select few of us trying to make a 100% legal pack. The problem is though that a- we have to look for artists who will let us use their songs. So that means there aren't really any known songs except for 1 or 2 by DM Ashura. b- Since there isn't the best song selection in the world we don't have many people that are all that interested in helping with the pack. c- every song we do requires us to find an artist, choose a song, e-mail that artist, have him/her email us back with a statement saying they agree with the license, and only then can we start to work on the song. So it's a lot more work to do it legally. However, if you're interested, we have a ton of stuff at www.smmix.com. If you want you can join the forums and let someone know you'd like to help out. Trust me, we need it.

Ok... I'm sorry for the shameless plug.

**Bursurk_Lurk** · 05-8-2006, 09:15 AM

Re: Legality Issues

Stepping stuff by unknown (and talented) authors should be more appreciated. That is not illegal since you're giving them more recognition. (IMO)

Stepping stuff by known authors (Sharpnelsound, Rhapsody) is not a good idea. 99.9% of those songs doesn't make a good simfile, and you're sharing popular music. Both illegal and stupid at the same time.

**aperson** · 05-8-2006, 10:52 AM

Re: Legality Issues

Originally posted by Bursurk_Lurk

Stepping stuff by unknown (and talented) authors should be more appreciated. That is not illegal since you're giving them more recognition. (IMO)

It is illegal, and it is not a matter of opinion.

**Cj_leonine** · 05-8-2006, 11:31 AM

Re: Legality Issues

Since some stepfiles are illegal do you think anyone could stop those who make them or stop others from continuing making them?

I ask because all you need to make a stepfile is the mp3 of the song right?

***edited

**aperson** · 05-8-2006, 11:33 AM

Re: Legality Issues

Originally posted by Cj_leonine

I guess that even though this is "illegal" do you think anyone would be able to stop those who do it or stop others from continuing to do it.

You are unlikely to ever see a lawsuit unless you step songs from a very popular and well-backed artist and your file gains massive popularity.

Actually, you'll see a cease order before you see a lawsuit anyway.

**Cj_leonine** · 05-8-2006, 11:35 AM

Re: Legality Issues

good point.

**braintrust** · 05-8-2006, 01:13 PM

Re: Legality Issues

Truthfully I had heard of very little of the artists I've ever seen a song from in SM before SM besides anything Bemani. Stepmania gives artists free advertisement. And even if people are stealing music by d/ling sims, they most likely would a- not have ever heard of the song anyways, and thus still wouldn't have supported the artist, or, b- would have stolen the song anyways. Is it illegal? yes. Is illegal always wrong? no. The truth is that copyright laws don't consider the fact that file sharing often leads to purchases. But if they're too ignorant to see that, then it's the artists' loss.

**Afrobean** · 05-8-2006, 01:25 PM

Re: Legality Issues

Originally posted by braintrust

Pretty much every file available for SM is illegal. I do believe the files on Stepmania's website are legal, because they don't want any problems, but otherwise they breach copyright.

If your worried about this, there are a select few of us trying to make a 100% legal pack. The problem is though that a- we have to look for artists who will let us use their songs. So that means there aren't really any known songs except for 1 or 2 by DM Ashura. b- Since there isn't the best song selection in the world we don't have many people that are all that interested in helping with the pack. c- every song we do requires us to find an artist, choose a song, e-mail that artist, have him/her email us back with a statement saying they agree with the license, and only then can we start to work on the song. So it's a lot more work to do it legally. However, if you're interested, we have a ton of stuff at www.smmix.com. If you want you can join the forums and let someone know you'd like to help out. Trust me, we need it.

Ok... I'm sorry for the shameless plug.

FFR does well enough with legit steps.

**sertman** · 05-8-2006, 02:14 PM

Re: Legality Issues

Basically, songs from most of the mainstream US artists aren't really very good songs to step, and most of the simfiles made from those songs suck, and never really achieve any popularity, or enough to get on the record industry's radar. They probably aren't really concerned about it anyhow because of the very niche audience that simfiles have.

It is illegal, no question about it, but it's a matter of priority. The RIAA has much more pressing issues to worry about (sharing movies, sharing entire albums to thousands and thousands of people) that they really don't feel the need to spend the resources to actually go after simfiles.

**dballin4** · 05-8-2006, 02:24 PM

Re: Legality Issues

DDRUK lol

Legality Issues

Legality Issues

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