Replacementdocs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

replacementdocs
URL	http://www.replacementdocs.com
Type of site	Video Game Resource
Registration	Not Required
Owner	Sleepy
Created by	Sleepy
Launched	2002
Current status	Active

replacementdocs was founded in 2002 by Sleepy in an attempt to provide a universal repository for video game documentation to be stored in a graphical format. It is notable for being the first website devoted entirely to archiving video game documentation, and is currently the largest archive of its kind in existence.

After running for several years, the site was attacked by hackers in 2004 resulting in downtime of about a year. In 2005, the site relaunched with a completely revamped interface and features targeted towards community building such as forums, contributor stats, and private messaging. replacementdocs also partnered with MobyGames in 2005 to provide their game documentation to MobyGames users.^[1]

In 2006, replacementdocs was awarded Best Resource Site in Da Fast Lane's Abandonware Awards.^[2]

1 Site content
2 Controversy
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Site content

The site provides game maps, manuals, and other documentation for games spanning across over 40 different platforms. Platforms range from very old personal computers like the Amstrad CPC up to the most recent generation of game consoles such as the Wii and PlayStation 3. Many of the documents are hand-scanned by members of the site while others are original documents from the publisher (such as the many PC games that come with a PDF manual on the disc).

As of 2007, replacementdocs hosts over 5000 different manuals totalling over 10 GB of data.

[edit] Controversy

replacementdocs does not own the copyright to any of the documents that they host. They clearly state in their FAQs section that what they are doing is, in fact, illegal.^[3] However, they feel that the benefits to the gaming community are worth the risk.^[4]

The site has offered to cooperate with any copyright holder that requests their content removed. However, as of 2007, there are only a small handful of documents on the site's list of banned manuals^[5]. It would appear that most copyright holders are happy to ignore replacementdocs' actions rather than treating them like typical warez sites. This is possibly due to the fact that replacementdocs only hosts game documentation and not the games themselves.

In May 2007, Bethesda Softworks requested that replacementdocs remove all documentation for Bethesda games. Interestingly, this mandate included the removal of documentation for The Elder Scrolls: Arena, an older game that Bethesda released as freeware.^[6]