Its now possible to move BO/W@W/COD4 animations to COD2 without any problems. TOM_BMX (one of the best in coding in C++) has released his new tool (download below)

Download: http://tom-bmx.com/downloads.php?id=12

This tool enables you to CONVERT a BO/W@W/COD4 animation BACK to a maya file, this tool includes a Maya 6.0 plugin version for us COD2 people.

For the COD4/W@W users who want BO animations, all you have to do is drag the animation you want from BO to a box that is in the UI of the tool, it will automatically convert the animation so it works in COD4 or W@W!

Doing so is also illegal.

VeeTee writes...

That pertains to the game executable (= "The Program"). Not to assets like model files. It is essentially a legal notice to stop people making a derivative game out of source code derived from a decompiled executable, and then selling it.

AFirstTImeMapMaker writes...

This is good news indeed. Thanks for the heads-up.

I agree with Tally on this one. People have been doing this very thing for quite some time and to date Activision has never made an issue of it as it applies to what veetee mentioned above.

To me what is made available with these movements of assets etc is simply enchances the games that we mod and map and does not cross the line of making a new game.

Ray writes...

It is still illegal.

Sorry but that is a statement and not a reason. What do you base your statement on please? Im not trying to fight with you but I would like to know what you base "It is still illegal." on. Please explain.

Ray writes...

If everybody steal cars, it is still not legal to steal car. So it's not correct to say 'everybody does' so I am allowed to steal things. That my friend, is the reason why youre not allowed to decompile things. Make your own work.

paulix90 writes...

As I said, the clause from the EULA which was quoted pertains ONLY to the executable. It is NOT illegal to use xanims from one COD game, and put them in another COD game. There is no part of EULA that envisages such a situation; the EULA does not talk about such things. It ONLY talks about executables. That is what is meant by the word "Program" when it says you can't decompile it. An xanim is not a "Program". Neither is a fastfile. Neither is a BSP file.

Now, if we were talking about another games assets being ported over to COD, I would say that "maybe" that starts to become illegal. That is a large grey area. But assets from one COD game into another? That is not illegal.

I am not for a minute suggesting that it is always ok to decompile other people's work. But not doing so would be based on ethics rather than legalities. There are moral considerations when talking about modders or mappers work. But we cannot resort to legal clauses from EULAs because they never talk about such things, only about making money out of Programs which are protected by international copyright.

I would also argree that just because a certain practice has always been done, and Activison has taken no action, that it could be argued that gives such practices tacit agreement from Activison. That is what the creators of AlterIWNet thought, until Activision legal finally issued the "cease and desist" notice. It sometimes takes a company a while to catch up to them.

edited on Jul. 29, 2012 06:32 am by Tally

The simple act of stealing carries the implication that "profit is to be made". That is the main reason for "stealing" is it not? I have not seen any cases where decompiled assets were done to make money.