Seems Odd

[torstan]

Update on RPGLife:

I posted a note on the forum about my maps and I've had a reply fro the staff. This has been more successful than using their contact form and I suggest that you do the same if you have a map that you would like removed (probably adding to the same thread as it seems to have their attention).

Note that their login seems to be broken on the main site. Go to the forums and use the register/login boxes on that page to access the site and log on.

Here's the thread and their response so far:
http://www.rpglife.com/phpBB3/viewto...st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[Steel General]

Good news!

[ravells]

Good news indeed!

[Jaxilon]

Nice, and it looks like they got right on it once they actually got informed. Torstan's maps are already removed at least.

If you think about it, it's a hassle to run a site and have to worry about people posting things they shouldn't. Especially if you can get in trouble over it. Of course, I guess if they have good records they can just point to the one doing the illegal posting and remove the images.

[tilt]

Here is something about watermarking your images - https://www.digimarc.com/solutions/images/ here you embed a noise pattern into your picture that can be read by software and if you pay them some extra cash, they'll scour the web for you looking for your images

[Redrobes]

You have several types of people ripping off stuff and the vast majority of them fall into the category of taking it, reposting (whether not attributing or passing off). For these I think the plain sight watermark will help and protect 90% + of the problem even if watermark is in bottom corner and could be cropped off.

Next are the people who want to put some effort in to rip it. Personally I think those people would hit only the maps from wizards and other high profile sources since they usually do this to make a collection for download that is attached to ad revenue.

Third type is where they would do anything to rip it off even if it meant significant effort and usually that is because there is legal recourse if they get caught. For these you need the hidden ones. This could be the state funded map makers like Ordnance survey, google and photo sites like AP etc. Personally I don't think were in that league.

From a tech point of view the visible water mark can be removed especially if you have a pic of the source image used to put it there but it does take effort. If you flood fill a logo outline with noise before you use it as the water mark then it can be much much more difficult to remove.

You can do an all image watermark which falls into two categories that I know of. One is to modify the low bits of each color value to put a pattern on it - like say a canvas weave but more unique. If you blur the image then it takes it out so only good for some images.

You can do a more sophisticated change which is more invisible and is protected from blurs and rescales etc but its not so easy to implement. But I think this is overkill.

If you want examples of any of that then just ask.

[tilt]

Personally I just plan to make a "signature" on the map - my maps are CC anyway so I'll be pleased if people use them ... I'll probably add them with the name/scale/compass somewhere. If someone should choose to crop them away then they'll miss out on that stuff. If they'll run it through photoshop and remove it there, well, nothting I can do about it. And its an easy job to do so if you are an experienced photoshop user. I just hope that people will respect the signature and link back. I'm not planning to use the digimarc myself, but posted it here just in case anyone found that interesting.

[torstan]

I have a final response from them. They say that the best way to have a map removed is to email:

webmaster (a t) rpglife.com

with details of any map that they want removed. They will take them down. They look overstretched, and underfunded, but were quick to pull down my images when they were notified.

[tilt]

it is a common problem with sites depending on volunteer work to make them work - its hard to check everything, especially when the site grows. I'm guessing that this community here (CG) is lucky in two ways, first off people are really nice in here and respect each other, second - a large percentage of our members make their own maps - it not only means that they would rather use their own material, but also that they respect the process and the work put in maps by other cartographers
I think that rpg life should be more adamant in getting the right info when people upload, ie make input fields for artist and link to artist + they might write a short text about what i means of troubles and possible closing of site if the copyright rules are broken - that might make their users more carefull about what they do

[Ascension]

I go on vacation and come back to find more peeps stealing our stuff. I think my future maps will all just be of the human middle finger Punk ass bitches stealing everything, ****es me off.