5 ms·

Urban Dead is shutting down

109 points by ColinWright 2y ago

ColinWright 2y ago
In case the site itself goes away: https://web.archive.org/web/20250303181731/https://urbandead.com/shutdown.html https://web.archive.org/web/20250303181731/https://urbandead...
Rebelgecko 2y ago
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
- cmrx64 2y ago
  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 :/
- YeGoblynQueenne 2y ago
  Yeah. I remember I kept repairing the generator in a house next door and when I went back some guy had always broken it again. It took me a while to realise those guys were the human alts of zombie players. At least people noticed my efforts and someone made a comment about it. I felt so proud. My character is still asleep in the house next to the one with the generator. I even remember their name. I might go in one last time, for old time sake. :shakes fist at dumb legislators:
NoboruWataya 2y ago
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.
9283409232 2y ago
Can someone explain why the OSA is forcing this to shut down? Merican here.
- ColinWright 2y ago
  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=43152178 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152154 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152154 This comment is especially useful: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152930 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.
  - Talanes 2y ago
    >Of course, the government says they won't go after the small organisations, but if the wind changes, the legislation is there. Especially because with online projects, all it takes is an upswing in popularity for the general public to perceive you as a large organization. Would they have ignored Minecraft until Microsoft purchased it if these laws had existed during it's upswing? I doubt it.
  - cco 2y ago
    Does the LLC not exist in the UK?
true_blue 2y ago
The reason for the shut down is especially sad. it feels so common that the smaller players are disproportionately hurt by acts like this.
- fyrn_ 2y ago
  Often, that's intentional. Like with OpenAI and other big players begging for regulation
- arresin 2y ago
  It’s easier to control speech if you have just a few companies to lean on.
pachouli-please 2y ago
What a shame, having gotten into Torn recently, this scratches a similar itch and I would have liked to try it. Any other hidden text-y web gems out there like these two that I should check out?
- schnitzelstoat 2y ago
  Utopia is one of the oldest ones I think, it was really fun too, like a browser-based MMO Crusader Kings: https://utopia-game.com/shared/ https://utopia-game.com/shared/
jjmarr 2y ago
Sad to see it's shutting down. The wiki was the most fascinating thing about it to me as a kid with the lengthy recounting of mall sieges.
- harry_ord 2y ago
  The tie in with deadset(TV show) was neat as well.
q2dg 2y ago
Why not free code?
fractal618 2y ago
What does the online safety act require websites to do?
- ColinWright 2y ago
  Just off the top of my head: * Verify the ages of people using the site; * Verify that there is no CSAM; * Verify that there is no child-grooming; * Verify that there is no terrorism; ... and more. Anyone running a site that has user-to-user interactions has to provide risk-assessments for each of: * CSAM; * Grooming; * Terrorism; * Under-age access to porn; * Modern slavery; ... and more. For each of the above there must be written policies about how the limitations are enforced, and the procedures taken for each of the risks identified. I've download some, but not all, of the explanatory and guidance documentation and it amounts to around 1100 pages of legalese so far.
  - RandomDistort 2y ago
    Has someone got a guide they can link that is easy enough to understand for service administrators that aren't doing anything complicated? Also, can I request these risk assessments off companies myself?
    - ColinWright 2y ago
      I suggest you start here: https://onlinesafetyact.co.uk/ https://onlinesafetyact.co.uk/ There's a lot more out there ... seriously, a lot more, but that's a good single point to start from. There's also this: https://russ.garrett.co.uk/2024/12/17/online-safety-act-guide/ https://russ.garrett.co.uk/2024/12/17/online-safety-act-guid...
  - pacifika 2y ago
    So any site with a live chat widget? Update: no the chat operator is the provider of the service not a user. My reading not a lawyer.
sieabahlpark 2y ago
[dead]

109 points by ColinWright 2y ago

In case the site itself goes away: https://web.archive.org/web/20250303181731/https://urbandead.com/shutdown.html https://web.archive.org/web/20250303181731/https://urbandead...

Rebelgecko 2y ago

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

cmrx64 2y ago
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 :/
YeGoblynQueenne 2y ago
Yeah. I remember I kept repairing the generator in a house next door and when I went back some guy had always broken it again. It took me a while to realise those guys were the human alts of zombie players. At least people noticed my efforts and someone made a comment about it. I felt so proud. My character is still asleep in the house next to the one with the generator. I even remember their name. I might go in one last time, for old time sake. :shakes fist at dumb legislators:

NoboruWataya 2y ago

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.

9283409232 2y ago

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

ColinWright 2y ago
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=43152178 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152154 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152154 This comment is especially useful: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43152930 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.
- Talanes 2y ago
  >Of course, the government says they won't go after the small organisations, but if the wind changes, the legislation is there. Especially because with online projects, all it takes is an upswing in popularity for the general public to perceive you as a large organization. Would they have ignored Minecraft until Microsoft purchased it if these laws had existed during it's upswing? I doubt it.
- cco 2y ago
  Does the LLC not exist in the UK?

true_blue 2y ago

The reason for the shut down is especially sad. it feels so common that the smaller players are disproportionately hurt by acts like this.

fyrn_ 2y ago
Often, that's intentional. Like with OpenAI and other big players begging for regulation
arresin 2y ago
It’s easier to control speech if you have just a few companies to lean on.

pachouli-please 2y ago

What a shame, having gotten into Torn recently, this scratches a similar itch and I would have liked to try it. Any other hidden text-y web gems out there like these two that I should check out?

schnitzelstoat 2y ago
Utopia is one of the oldest ones I think, it was really fun too, like a browser-based MMO Crusader Kings: https://utopia-game.com/shared/ https://utopia-game.com/shared/

jjmarr 2y ago

Sad to see it's shutting down. The wiki was the most fascinating thing about it to me as a kid with the lengthy recounting of mall sieges.

harry_ord 2y ago
The tie in with deadset(TV show) was neat as well.

q2dg 2y ago

Why not free code?

fractal618 2y ago

What does the online safety act require websites to do?

ColinWright 2y ago
Just off the top of my head: * Verify the ages of people using the site; * Verify that there is no CSAM; * Verify that there is no child-grooming; * Verify that there is no terrorism; ... and more. Anyone running a site that has user-to-user interactions has to provide risk-assessments for each of: * CSAM; * Grooming; * Terrorism; * Under-age access to porn; * Modern slavery; ... and more. For each of the above there must be written policies about how the limitations are enforced, and the procedures taken for each of the risks identified. I've download some, but not all, of the explanatory and guidance documentation and it amounts to around 1100 pages of legalese so far.
- RandomDistort 2y ago
  Has someone got a guide they can link that is easy enough to understand for service administrators that aren't doing anything complicated? Also, can I request these risk assessments off companies myself?
  - ColinWright 2y ago
    I suggest you start here: https://onlinesafetyact.co.uk/ https://onlinesafetyact.co.uk/ There's a lot more out there ... seriously, a lot more, but that's a good single point to start from. There's also this: https://russ.garrett.co.uk/2024/12/17/online-safety-act-guide/ https://russ.garrett.co.uk/2024/12/17/online-safety-act-guid...
- pacifika 2y ago
  So any site with a live chat widget? Update: no the chat operator is the provider of the service not a user. My reading not a lawyer.

sieabahlpark 2y ago

[dead]