This is not new. This is actually fairly old now...

http://sharks-lagoon.aceboard.fr/215394-2094-5301-0-Eros-games.htm

When rules are enforced inconsistently they are not rules, but rather just the whims of the ruling class.

Hi, D-Willy, I do not know what you mean exactly, but the direct download links which you've cited in your message are shown in the forum, but they are alltogether invalid links, therefore there is no necessity to delete them. Or do you mean something else??

Arnulf, I was referring to this thread. I provided a link to the "Eros Games" thread where this game is discussed and where some Rapidshare links to download the game were removed "according to the rules."

I see that you've removed the link in this thread, too, but there are so many other similar "direct links" to games in other threads that I'm afraid I often don't understand which rule it is that's being violated.

Maybe when a link is removed, you could state "copyrighted" or "cracked" or "not an .html page" or whatever rule is being violated.

The rules state that a link to an .html is allowed and many of the links removed were to .html pages, and a link to rapidshare or such is not a direct link to the game as far as I'm concerned. If it's a crack or copyright on rapidshare or torrent or whatever, then how does one know without spending *much* time searching? It looks to me like the majority of games on imperia-of-hentai are in the same category as the removed links, so why is that allowed?

It also seems that a direct link provided by a pilot fish is more likely to get removed than the same type of link provided by a great white shark or higher.

Sorry for the rant. I guess I was just having a bad day.

I do come here often and appreciate the work you and others are doing for our community of H-lovers.

Hi, D-Willy, the definition of "direct links" is a little complicated. It seems clear that a rapidshare link is definitely a direct one because you only have to click on and can download the file without doing any other action. The main purpose of such rules is to protect the forum from complaints regarding copyright violation. For example, you can go to imperia of hentai and do some actions there. Referring a website which offers you a direct link does'nt violate the forum rules, because any resposibility lies with this website. Then we have direct links here in the forum, of which the publisher has the right to do so. It is not always very easy to make the right decision when deleting a link, but we try to do our best. Naturally we can make mistakes, but every user can post his arguments against the decision. But I'm very serious when I say that we make no difference between new sharkies and well known ones!

I agree that it's very complicated, but I still believe that a link to rapidshare or any other download site is not a direct link to a game and does not in itself violate the rules. Only if the game violates the copyright or one of the other content rules should it be subject to removal.

Example:

www.someplace.com/thegame.swf which is the game file itself is a direct link to a game.

www.someplace.com/games/thegame.htm which is a web page where the game can be found is not a direct link.

Such a web page, whether at rapidshare or hornygamer or where ever, usually also contains advertising and trackers which makes it in compliance with the intent of the rule regarding direct links.

A link to a torrent or other P2P would fall into a gray area; it probably should still not, but could be, considered a direct link. The game would certainly be subject to the content rules.

This is why I asked if you could explain why the link is being removed. If the game is an illegal crack or copyright violation I would like to know so I don't go searching for it on my own.

Anyone could easily become confused when they see "legal" direct links in other threads and believe their post is in the same vein.

This discussion should be moved to the "shark's lagoon" or "beach" sections I suppose.

Just my $.02 worth, but you're the boss ;-)