Would it be legal to create a chat bot for chat rooms like Yahoo Chat to go around and market a game and it's website?

Had anyone thought of that idea? Anyone want to collaborate on making such a web bot?

I don't know if it's legal, but Yahoo probably would frown on it and block you when the complaints come in. Sounds like just another form of spam to me.

What if it was a web bot that people actually sign up for... Like a newsletter, only more interactive... sounds like a pretty good idea.
Then they could message it with keywords like:
1)Sales - which would respond with all the indie games that are on sale at your site
2)New - latest indie news or whatever

3)etc...

I had a similar idea to this except it would be to create a mod for another game where you give a small sample of your game. So say if you're creating a fps game, how about releasing a level or mod for a really popular game like UT or Quake that resembles your game somehow and putting in many plugs in for your game?

Of course the consequences may be good or bad. The game ideas may be copied into the really popular game you make the level for and leave your game behind. However, there's bound to still be unimplementable features that make your game unique. If not, there's likely to still be a lot of content in your game.

This concept could of course be applied to many other genres with games that allow addons.

The problem with doing this of course is that it will likely be seen as giving away permission of your game assets like art, characters, etc that you use in the mod/level even if that's not your intention. I'm not sure if you could make a mod/level and retain exclusive control of these things. If the mod/level package allows you to secure it so it can't be read by others that may help protect certain algorithms/data. However, I'm sure many of the "secure" formats have been hacked which negates the usefulness of it.

Of course I'm not making a fps, way too much content required for something like that. I'm still brainstorming around for ideas for my game (I'm gaining a new appreciation for game designers).

Not sure if it's illegal, but most IRC servers have rules regarding spam-bots.

I read Yahoo's TOS, and using a bot to spam is illegal.

not if someone actively signs up for it :)

Originally posted by Nexis
So say if you're creating a fps game, how about releasing a level or mod for a really popular game like UT or Quake that resembles your game somehow and putting in many plugs in for your game?
1. That would almost certainly be a breach of the license for the Unreal SDK. Using it to advertise your game would be considered commercial use and as such a breach.

2. Also I think it would reflect badly on your game. If your game is good why do you need to be using someone else's engine to advertise it. Just put out demos of your own game.

Don't do this. It's highly annoying, and as you already pointed out, quite contrary to the TOS agreement.

Yahoo Chat is already filled with porn bots, please don't make it any worse. It would probably be much better to do some manual self-promotion in a chat room... People are bound to ask what you do if you actually start a conversations. You can also put your web site link in your profile and people will click it just out of curiosity.