General Chatter: Make sure you don't post Shining Force videos.

[Synbios16]

Well this is terrifying and disheartening.
A sad state, really. You'd think the commentary on videos would protect them via 'fair use' but that seems not to be the case.

Even TotalBiscuit has had his videos flagged. Either he lost his appeal, or just removed the flagged videos to avoid dealing with it.

Check out his SF3 playlist,
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE8DABBAB48FC2708" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The order is all messed up, but battle 1 and episode 10 have been deleted.

[Moogie]

We should encourage TotalBiscuit to message YouTube about the Sega harrassment too. Is he a member here, or a random youtuber?

[whiterose]

@Moogie: Hm, well if my video was removed simply because I never spoke in it, or posted a claim stating that the Shining Force property wasn't mine, I suppose I understand why it could be removed. But still, nobody that made videos claimed the brand was theirs. -.-

Oh well. I still have my vid, so nothing lost on my end. In any case, this whole thing is ridiculous.

[Arc_the_Lad]

We should encourage TotalBiscuit to message YouTube about the Sega harrassment too. Is he a member here, or a random youtuber?

He is internet famous, has a podcast, does a WoW thing too, I doubt he is on this site.

[Kalkano]

"Fair use" protects us, whether we talk over the video, or not. If you look at it as a walkthrough/tutorial on battle strategy, hidden items, etc. What can they do?

[Synbios16]

We should encourage TotalBiscuit to message YouTube about the Sega harrassment too. Is he a member here, or a random youtuber?

TotalBiscuit is one of the biggest names in YouTube gaming. His LP of Shining Force 3 is one of the oldest around, and while I know he loves that game, he doesn't spend ANY time on it anymore.
His career, his entire livelihood is gaming videos, and every episode of his SF3 LP has a combined total of 500,000 views.

When he publishes a new video, it gets a quarter million views in its first DAY.

He's got way too much on his plate to be worrying about this game with such a small following. It'd be nice to have his support or get his opinion, but you have to know that his inbox is filled with hundreds of user questions, emails and comments every day, we'd likely go unnoticed... and as stated before, it won't be a priority for him.

EDIT: TB Has spoken. I started a thread about this on reddit and TB caught it. His user name on reddit is the same as on YouTube, so look for user TotalBiscuit.


Here's what he said, in case you don't feel like clicking

Yeah this is really weird and completely out of the blue. SEGA (or at least it appears to be Sega, the claimant uses a legit Sega email address but it's still possible that there's some spoofing going on by a copyright troll) is going on a spree and I have no idea why. Attempts to contact them have resulted in no replies at all. Going to have to go deeper I think and start dealing with Youtube directly. Filed a counter-claim so the video should be back up shortly but it causes us problems while that is going on.

http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/ ... rs_videos/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TotalBiscuit]

This whole thing is really bizarre. Going to go directly to Youtube with it via our TGS rep to find out what SEGA is playing at, assuming it is indeed SEGA. Those notifications use the same email address that I saw putting claims against one of my videos. Only one so far, the other one in the playlist I deleted years ago because it had copyright music in it. Put in a counter-claim, which I would suggest you guys do too. At that point the only thing they can do is sue you (and they won't).

[Tarethen]

OMG it's TotalBiscuit. *fangirl scream*

[ehow22]

Bulzome's account was deleted. Apparently all his SthA vids were flagged while he was MIA.

[Arc_the_Lad]

This whole thing is really bizarre. Going to go directly to Youtube with it via our TGS rep to find out what SEGA is playing at, assuming it is indeed SEGA. Those notifications use the same email address that I saw putting claims against one of my videos. Only one so far, the other one in the playlist I deleted years ago because it had copyright music in it. Put in a counter-claim, which I would suggest you guys do too. At that point the only thing they can do is sue you (and they won't).

Well here he is, I look like a dumbass now.

I put "Shining Force 2 is a product of Sega" in my Shining Force 2 intro video, let's see if that does something.

[Synbios16]

Thanks for taking the time to comment here, TB.

I think I speak for all of us on the Translation Project when I ask if you'd be so kind as to keep us in the loop as this progresses?

A lot of people have put quite a bit of their personal time into it, and it'd be a damn shame for it to be shut down on every front.

On a tangent, is the video that had copyrighted music the Penn training music video?

[MXC]

lol, you guys didn't notice his 4 year old account?

[Moogie]

I thought I'd seen the name around here before!

Thanks for your comments TB. Time to file a counter claim, at least against their removal of the video of me!

[MarauderEX]

I have some news as well, Last night I emailed SEGA asking if it were possible to get permission for the purpose of lets plays, this was their response...

Hello,

We never give explicit permission to use our intellectual property. However, in cases like this we tend not to take action unless we or our products are slandered in the derivative works.

Best Regards,
SEGA Customer Support

So while that is not written consent, it is proof that they are not the ones responsible for the flags. I have also sent another response to SEGA asking if they are able to forward this information to youtube to show that these are false claims made by someone who is not authorized to do so. I will update when more information comes in

[Moogie]

Well done, that's great
I don't think any of the SOS videos would count as slanderous, some folks may have said they prefer the old games or don't like the new ones - but that's hardly a damaging opinion or slander.

I've counter-claimed on two of the videos which I feel can't in any way be seen as infringing.

I also Googled the email address associated with the troll account and not a lot came up, but this looks like they've hit someone else:
http://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=1575722" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(translation: http://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=1575722" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

[Synbios16]

Interesting. I wonder if it's not being done in an offical SEGA capacity then? IF this is the real guy, he may just house some sort of grudge? Very conspiratorial, I know.

I'm very impressed that you were able to get a reply from Sega so quickly, MEX. It's too often large corporation's right hands don't know what the left hand is doing. It might be that a different department, division or legal team is after you and the one you contacted knows nothing about it.

Or we could all be getting trolled hard.

[MarauderEX]

I'm almost positive its a troll, but now its just on a larger scale than I thought. I doubt a company like SEGA would take the time to respond in such a way if it was not company policy, so if another department is pursuing copyright claims there seems to be a large scale miscommunication within the company that I just dont see happening.

I strongly suggest contacting SEGA customer support (they say they have a 1 business day turn around on support issues and run on PST sbut they have been nothing but polite to me which also makes me think its a troll), as well as filing counterclaims on any available video, if your channel has already been taken down like mine, I have sent forwarded the email from SEGA to the first google customer service link Moogie provided.

If it is SEGA then taking down the videos does nothing to protect the IP's if they really wanted this to stop they would issue Cease and Desist letters or threaten other legal action, not target random videos on random youtubers to hit the 3 strike clause

[Century]

If it is SEGA then taking down the videos does nothing to protect the IP's if they really wanted this to stop they would issue Cease and Desist letters or threaten other legal action, not target random videos on random youtubers to hit the 3 strike clause

That's a really good point. These claims are all a bit too sporadic and shambolic, it seems. Well, fingers crossed, anyway

[gritzcolin]

We should encourage TotalBiscuit to message YouTube about the Sega harrassment too. Is he a member here, or a random youtuber?

He is internet famous, has a podcast, does a WoW thing too, I doubt he is on this site.

I was a TB fan when he was still mistaken for a respiratory disease. RAPPIN THE FORUMS!

I need to find a copy of Red White and Blue plz!

I hope your vids don't get pulled Arc they are enjoyable when I remember to watch them.

[MarauderEX]

https://segaofamerica.zendesk.com/home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

top of the page where it says "submit a request" thats the customer service information I used from SEGA