Wristhax, TopFrag, ClassicCS, all Violate Steam TOS and federal law

[Zastels]

These communities have modified game files to enable non-steam users who do not posses a game license to connect to the Valve game. This is in direct violation of Steam TOS. These communities also promote the use of pirated software, and attempt to monetize their operations while stealing Valve intellectual property. The players who legally purchased the game are severely mistreated.

“host or provide matchmaking services … or emulate or redirect the communication protocols used by Valve … through protocol emulation, tunneling, modifying or adding components … for any purpose including … network play over the Internet … without the prior written consent of Valve.”

Source: https://store.steampowered.com/eula/1490550_eula_0

Normally we'd turn a blind eye, but due to the extreme level of admin abuse to the point of dehumanization, we're going to illuminate the fact that your communities violate the following federal laws:

DMCA, 17 U.S.C. §1201

The illegal monetization part is 17 U.S.C. §1204.

A person who willfully violates §1201 for commercial advantage or private financial gain can face:
- first offense: up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a $500,000 fine
- subsequent offense: up to 10 years and/or a $1,000,000 fine

DMCA circumvention is a federal felony.

It's time these communities are closed down, they've become sodom and gomorrah.

[Classic]

Originally posted by Zastels:

These communities have modified game files to enable non-steam users who do not posses a game license to connect to the Valve game. This is in direct violation of Steam TOS. These communities also promote the use of pirated software, and attempt to monetize their operations while stealing Valve intellectual property. The players who legally purchased the game are severely mistreated.

“host or provide matchmaking services … or emulate or redirect the communication protocols used by Valve … through protocol emulation, tunneling, modifying or adding components … for any purpose including … network play over the Internet … without the prior written consent of Valve.”

Source: https://store.steampowered.com/eula/1490550_eula_0

Normally we'd turn a blind eye, but due to the extreme level of admin abuse to the point of dehumanization, we're going to illuminate the fact that your communities violate the following federal laws:

DMCA, 17 U.S.C. §1201

The illegal monetization part is 17 U.S.C. §1204.

A person who willfully violates §1201 for commercial advantage or private financial gain can face:
- first offense: up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a $500,000 fine
- subsequent offense: up to 10 years and/or a $1,000,000 fine

DMCA circumvention is a federal felony.

It's time these communities are closed down, they've become sodom and gomorrah.

The irony is that ClassicCS.com actually helps Valve sell more copies of CS 1.6.

Our game servers attract players, but the ClassicCS.com website and its community features are accessible only to Steam users. Anyone playing without Steam who wants to fully participate in our community needs a Steam account and a legitimate copy of CS 1.6.

So we're actually encouraging people to buy the game, bringing players back, and helping keep Valve's 25-year-old classic alive.

Oh, and while you're at it, could you please ask Valve to fix the CS 1.6 Internet server browser? It's flooded with thousands of fake server listings redirecting players to other servers. Since you're apparently taking charge of enforcing Valve's policies, you might as well make yourself useful.

[GodAm || TopFrag.com - CS1.6]

Get a grip, Zastels. If you smell ♥♥♥♥ absolutely everywhere you go, it's time to check your shoes.

[strive]

You would make a great HOA president.

Keep up the hall monitor energy, I'm sure it will make you less dissatisfied with your life.

[bubedmasder]

Originally posted by Zastels:

Normally we'd turn a blind eye, but due to the extreme level of admin abuse to the point of dehumanization, we're going to illuminate the fact that your communities violate the following federal laws:

How is it admin abuse, if you're just running around and getting into trouble every server you go to. Sounds like an enforcement of server rules more than anything. God this post is so corny

[Princess99Samantha]

Who exactly did you hire to help you put this together? Because this entire narrative comes across as nothing more than fabricated nonsense designed to make yourself look better. It’s difficult to take this seriously when you spent so much time having emotional outbursts in Discord, crying over the situation, and acting as though the world was against you. The inconsistency is hard to ignore. Perhaps instead of constructing a story to justify your behavior, you should take a step back, reflect on your own actions, and learn to hold yourself accountable. At some point, you have to stop pointing fingers at everyone else and recognize that you aren’t exempt from criticism simply because you didn’t like how things turned out.

[cyanide]

Originally posted by Zastels:

These communities have modified game files to enable non-steam users who do not posses a game license to connect to the Valve game. This is in direct violation of Steam TOS. These communities also promote the use of pirated software, and attempt to monetize their operations while stealing Valve intellectual property. The players who legally purchased the game are severely mistreated.

“host or provide matchmaking services … or emulate or redirect the communication protocols used by Valve … through protocol emulation, tunneling, modifying or adding components … for any purpose including … network play over the Internet … without the prior written consent of Valve.”

Source: https://store.steampowered.com/eula/1490550_eula_0

Normally we'd turn a blind eye, but due to the extreme level of admin abuse to the point of dehumanization, we're going to illuminate the fact that your communities violate the following federal laws:

DMCA, 17 U.S.C. §1201

The illegal monetization part is 17 U.S.C. §1204.

A person who willfully violates §1201 for commercial advantage or private financial gain can face:
- first offense: up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a $500,000 fine
- subsequent offense: up to 10 years and/or a $1,000,000 fine

DMCA circumvention is a federal felony.

It's time these communities are closed down, they've become sodom and gomorrah.

The language you quoted is from the Steam Subscriber Agreement (SSA), not a Counter-Strike 1.6–specific EULA. Section 2 of the SSA does contain restrictions on emulating protocols, modifying components for unauthorized network play, and commercial use without Valve’s written consent. That language exists. What it does not do is turn every long-running GoldSrc community server that accepts non-Steam clients into an automatic federal felony.

CS 1.6 community servers that support both Steam and non-Steam clients via ReHLDS and plugins such as Reunion (or its predecessors) have existed for well over a decade. Valve has distributed dedicated server tools for these games and has historically tolerated the community server ecosystem. Non-Steam support is common across many active CS 1.6 networks, not a secret innovation unique to TopFrag, ClassicCS, or WristHaX.

Framing routine CS 1.6 server operation as “federal felony” activity and calling for the communities to be shut down as “Sodom and Gomorrah” is rhetorical escalation, not a description of how the laws are applied.

Full participation in the ClassicCS community features requires a Steam account and a legitimate copy, as stated above, and their presence helps keep the game active. Monetization of VIP or admin privileges is widespread across CS communities and does not automatically convert a server into criminal copyright infringement.

Also, “admin abuse to the point of dehumanization” reads as an ad hominem personal dispute to falsely infer a link to some "crime" taking place. These appear to arise from typical bans and rule enforcement. Other replies in this thread describe the same events as ordinary moderation. Disagreements over server rules do not convert longstanding technical practices into newly discovered federal crimes.

[Zastels]

Originally posted by GodAm || TopFrag.com - CS1.6:

Get a grip, Zastels. If you smell ♥♥♥♥ absolutely everywhere you go, it's time to check your shoes.

You're an awful Counter-Strike player and you resent me for it.

[Zastels]

Originally posted by Princess99Samantha:

Who exactly did you hire to help you put this together? Because this entire narrative comes across as nothing more than fabricated nonsense designed to make yourself look better. It’s difficult to take this seriously when you spent so much time having emotional outbursts in Discord, crying over the situation, and acting as though the world was against you. The inconsistency is hard to ignore. Perhaps instead of constructing a story to justify your behavior, you should take a step back, reflect on your own actions, and learn to hold yourself accountable. At some point, you have to stop pointing fingers at everyone else and recognize that you aren’t exempt from criticism simply because you didn’t like how things turned out.

Kid they modified the game files so non Steamers could connect.

I'm a leader why would I enter into a discord and get along with everyone? You must have went to some terrible public school to have such a mindset. You think there is value in fitting in?

How am I supposed to fit in when I empty the server because I'm the best Counter-Strike player alive?

[WammBot]

My farts are heavy, loud and smell like gasoline

[Zastels]

Originally posted by Princess99Samantha:

Who exactly did you hire to help you put this together? Because this entire narrative comes across as nothing more than fabricated nonsense designed to make yourself look better. It’s difficult to take this seriously when you spent so much time having emotional outbursts in Discord, crying over the situation, and acting as though the world was against you. The inconsistency is hard to ignore. Perhaps instead of constructing a story to justify your behavior, you should take a step back, reflect on your own actions, and learn to hold yourself accountable. At some point, you have to stop pointing fingers at everyone else and recognize that you aren’t exempt from criticism simply because you didn’t like how things turned out.

Sorry all I hear is your terrible score in CS.

[INESTABle!]

Im not sure who will care of a 20+ years old game like this, but someone at least in life started playing in non-steam versions as kid, and then bought the game on Steam as teen. Is like that Notch post from 2013: "If you still like it when you can afford it in the future, buy it then."

Btw, personal but CS its sick (for bad) in terms of people. Is rather to go meet people outside and do sports of your fun than play in there trying to make friends or talk for laugh / enjoy life a bit and instead receive bullsh1t even if you didn't say nothing awful to them. This same happens in other games such as Dota or TF2.