The Oracle - Resources and Terms

Resources and Terms
For Webmasters

Graphical Site Links

Over the last several months, for various purposes, I've made images for graphical links to this site. If you'd like to include one on your site (thank you!) please select the version that best suits your needs.

Button:

Larger version:

If you prefer a banner style image:

Of course you may also use the main header image on this page if you prefer. If you want to get really fancy there is an animated version of the header logo. I wouldn't recommend using this however, it is substantial file (486K) and takes quite some time to load.

Terms of Usage

"Can I use material from The Oracle on my site?"

Yes, you can. Provided you follow a few simple requests, you have my permission to use certain materials from this site.

You may not use the following:

Custom graphics from this site such as the images heading each of the Bestiary pages.
Special purpose maps, such as the small maps showing directions to various locations in The Realm. These maps are integrated features intended solely for the convenience of the users of this site.
Articles and other writings.
Data tables in whole. The data contained in the tables belongs to Codemasters, the tables themselves are the property of this site. Grab the data if you wish, but please make your own tables.

You may use the following freely:

All data taken from the Realm, such as weapons statistics, spell data, etc. Neither I nor any other information site provider has any right to restrict usage of such material.
Dungeon Level Poll data. Take it, publish it, spread it around. Get people involved. I strongly urge, however, that all Poll data contributions be sent to me rather than creating separate databases. The information is only as good as the quantity of contributors and it is not valid procedure to attempt to merge separately maintained databases. Note: I would be most happy to pass the Poll Data maintenance responsibilities on to a dedicated individual should one wish to volunteer.
All other materials on this site if, and only if, the use is strictly private. This includes the maps and anything else here. The word "all" really means all. In other words, there are no restrictions on private usage.

You may use the maps if you adhere to the following:

All sites that wish to include the maps on their pages must register there usage with me by email, giving site name and URL. This includes all who received authorization prior to May 1999 when The Oracle opened; you must re-register.
Copies of the maps stored on other servers is no longer authorized. If you have copies of any of HyJinks' maps on your internet server please delete them.
All maps are to be offered by providing links to the appropriate map HTML page, if available, on this site. If no HTML page exists you may link directly to the map. This is the only manner in which the maps are authorized for use on any site other than The Oracle. Example:
<A HREF="http://web.triton.net/h/hyjinks/fester.htm">Festering Hate Pool</A>
If you prefer, instead of linking to each map you may pass your visitors over to The Oracle's maps page:
<A HREF="http://web.triton.net/h/hyjinks/maps.htm">Call it whatever you like</A>

For a complete list of authorized links click here.

The Oracle header graphic may be used for providing links to this site. If there is something else you wish to use and are unclear about authorization please don't hesitate to write.

"Oh man! Why are you doing this?"

The simple answer is because I wish to control the products of my efforts. From the beginning I have always made the maps, and just about anything else I produced for the Realm community, freely available to all who wished to use it, in most any manner they desired, with few restrictions and without any requirement for credit being given. My generosity has come to haunt me.

The Realm maps are pretty well established and are carried by many, if not most, sites that wish to offer maps. Yet the only sites that consistently carry the most current versions are those sites that link to my server rather than maintain copies on their own. Anyone who asked to carry the maps on their site was told "Yes, provided you keep them updated". Unfortunately, very few did anything beyond grab the copies they wanted at the time and then let things go. An out-of-date map is worse than no map at all. A map which you trust to be reliable but which leads you astray is like falling into a pit trap while taking a romantic stroll. At least the person without a map in unexplored territory is aware enough to be watching where they are going and what they are doing.

On the personal side, I have become acutely aware of my work being used on other sites with little, if any, acknowledgment of the material's source. There are sites out there that have taken portions of my old site (HyJinks' Compass) and copied it en masse, changing a few details and then posting it with the implication that the work is their own. One site I ran into actually copied my whole site, called it something else, and opened up for business. Flattering but hardly ethical.

If the Realm community wishes to make use of my work they should come to me for it, not somewhere else.

Thank you.

Authorized Map Links

All regular Dungeon maps: Link to HTM (ex. d-fester.htm, not d-fester.gif).
All full page Village maps: Link to HTM (ex. t-amwa.htm, not t-amwa.gif).
All Single Area maps: Link to HTM (ex. a-asc.htm, not a-asc.gif).
All Area Quadrant maps: Link directly to GIF (ex. r3ascets.gif, no r3ascets.htm exists).
All Compact Dungeon maps: Link directly to GIF (ex. c-fester.gif, no c-fester.htm exists).
All Compact Village maps: Link directly to GIF (ex. t-arim.gif, no t-arim.htm exists).

http://web.triton.net/h/hyjinks/usage.htm
Comments and feedback:
Corsican, HyJinks,
TheOracle

© The Realm and related graphics are the property of Codemasters, Inc.
© website and all maps contained therein copyright 1998-2002 by HyJinks.