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Urban Dead is shutting down

urbandead.com

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Re: Urban Dead is shutting down

#4

Post by cmrx64 »

Rebelgecko wrote: post #3

This was a super fun game back in the day. It was really cool to see the social structures forming on both the human and z sides during being events like mall sieges

I forgot about it so long ago and now that I’m aware of it again, it’s because it shut down… damn. This OSA has been so destructive to early web communities :/

Re: Urban Dead is shutting down

#5

Post by NoboruWataya »

Damn, this was such a fun game back in the day. I used to love logging on after school to go on raids with friends. Recently I had been logging back on every few weeks to play for a bit. Or even just read through the wiki for some nostalgia.

"19 years, 8 months and 11 days" is a damn good run for a game like this (though it seems extra sad for it to die just shy of its 20th birthday)! There was certainly still activity in the game - I wonder how much of it was bots.

Re: Urban Dead is shutting down

#8

Post by ColinWright »

9283409232 wrote: post #6

Can someone explain why the OSA is forcing this to shut down? Merican here.

Although probably intended to target large platforms, the OSA is worded in such a way as to apply to nearly everyone who provides any kind of service that allows user-to-user interaction. It is (rightly) ostensibly intended to prevent abuse, terrorism, grooming, and similar activities, but it requires a full risk assessment against around 10 different possible interactions, and the paperwork is potentially onerous.

But worse, the fines are potentially in the tens of millions of pounds, and even inadvertent non-compliance can result in extensive prison time.

Of course, the government says they won't go after the small organisations, but if the wind changes, the legislation is there. Even if the risk is extremely small, the penalties are life-destroying.

As a result, many are deciding it's simply not worth the risk.

Also explained here:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152178

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152154

This comment is especially useful:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152930

    Liability is unlimited and there's no provision in law
    for being a single person or small group of volunteers.
    You'll be held to the same standards as a behemoth with
    full time lawyers.
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