I need permissions for mod content

It’s actually a middle ground here.

IANAL, but what I gathered was that should you create an entirely original mod, you would retain ownership of the story, the universe and anything entirely custom like ships or stations.

However, you would not keep ownership of anything that is written using Freelancer’s code. This means that you would keep ownership of the ships, but not of the ships stored as CMPs. Microsoft could decide to use the CMPs and you would have near to no legal grounds (although Freelancer itself MAY infringe on other copyrights, so the possibility of this happening is nil), but they would not be allowed to modify the model in any way. I believe the texture would be your own, too, since that uses standard formats which are merely stored in the MAT format (which is based on the standard UTF format, not related to Microsoft in particular). You would not however have any ownership on things like weapons, effects, systems, etc.

The point here though is that FL is way too obscure as far as legal issues go for it to be possible to sue on copyright infringement. Mod makers should be mature enough to be able to resolve conflicts by themselves without the need to use the legal system for it.

It’s like I pointed out earlier, you can protect your artwork, but you have to release it as a stand alone product, you can’t protect it if you release it as part of a mod.

If you make a piece of artwork, distribute it as a piece of artwork, otherwise it’s something else.

Artwork would be a model released in a 3d file format, a model only, not a ready to fly model configured for a game engine such as freelancer. It then becomes a mod or addon.

To protect code or a program, it needs to be released as stand alone code or a program, otherwise it’s something else.

A mod is a mod, you can’t protect it, but you might want to include some form of disclaimer just in case it breaks something!

@FF

I have to agree wholeheartedly with you, almost like a judges summing up really. That about covers it.

As i mentioned earlier, music is a different kettle of fish entirely, especially if it’s already in the public domain, (on an album, used in a commercial etc), then you have to be careful. M$ not being totally stupid would ask for it’s removal or have to licence it from the author.

I keep stressing the music side of things because of what i do, plus if it’s already out there, then it’s probably covered by PRS or some other agency and they take great pains to nail you to a cross for copyright infringement.

Artwork as already mentioned is another thing that as long as it’s already in the public domain, (on a postcard, hanging in the Louvre) then you have grounds for a lawsuit.

Fact is, very few would even try as the costs involved are astronomical, trust me on this. Like FF said, most of us who live on the TSP are reasonable fellows and nearly everything can be sorted either on the forums or via PM. It’s only when idiots from some strange community wander in, claiming this and that, then issues arise.

sure, me either think that this little discussions and codework are not worth of getting in trouble with the law though we are balancing ourselves on the edges of legality. i just meant, that if it would come out to the very primitive rules and who’s right, who isn’t, than the answers would be simple like this. i got myself informed just today further: dunno about international rights, at least in german law it depends on wether you have put in your own ideas to the result, if you can have some rights on them. as long as you did not try recreations of what you have seen somewhere (sci-fi show?) but initiated the visualities yourself you have entire rights for any code even if a certain program not created by you is needed to use them. this is irrelevant as there are much more usual analogous cases (mentioned: html and browser program) that behave just the same. also the ready-to-fly models are entirely ours as long as theire entirely customly shaped, because it were our community’s cmp exporters and our community’s UTF-Editors we used to compile our own shapes to a format that can be used by a certain program called “Freelancer” by Microsoft Game Studios and Digital Anvil.
ofc we are sensible enough not to need any lawyers to stop some stupid mod thieves from using our mods under other names for their own little community without our permission. we can handle it ourselves. also we are not stupid enough to sell our mods without the permission of Microsoft though in some cases we would have rights to do so - however: Microsoft has more money for good lawyers than us, they would win any process against us. but this is not even needed to be imagined as nothing of this will happen. all of these are just thoughts about right and wrong, noth more.

FriendlyFire wrote:

① For instance, Why’s missile trails are really becoming bland to me because EVERYONE uses them to hell and back.

② Build your own stuff, people! Get creativity flowing, stop being imitators because you can never hope to better or equal what you’re imitating. It’s not like there’s just one way to do everything, gosh.

/rant

After few weeks of FF’s rant….

Point 1, Yes indeed at all. I don’t know why some people use new resource crazy no matter if that really becoming to be use there. As I, I’m tried to make ALE few month ago, and I can sure i can make my own rough effects bases-on the original ALE code LOL.

Point 2 (Actually that is point 1 too), I’m agree with it, but you know, there may have a large community behind some modders. I mean, maybe some community member/others still urge modders to complete theirs mod, That may why you will see same ships in different mod with different setting and different name.

I’m very lucky because i just interest in make mod, and not live or make mod for any gamer community, that made me have lot of time to play with mod LOL.

I’m a loner, but it doesn’t stop me from making things like this in a single afternoon. If I can, anyone can.

Peer pressure shouldn’t affect quality, nor should head count.

FriendlyFire wrote:
I’m a loner, but it doesn’t stop me from making things like this in a single afternoon. If I can, anyone can.

Peer pressure shouldn’t affect quality, nor should head count.

WOW, Big one and Good Job. Mmmmm…… Can i make something like that? <= LOL

Of course you can

I want to write detailed documentation on the ALE format soon. The point here, however, was that anyone with some perseverance and dedication CAN create something entirely unique and fun and good looking and all that. You just need to trust in yourself, get started and not be afraid of making mistakes.

FriendlyFire wrote:
Of course you can

I want to write detailed documentation on the ALE format soon. The point here, however, was that anyone with some perseverance and dedication CAN create something entirely unique and fun and good looking and all that. You just need to trust in yourself, get started and not be afraid of making mistakes.

I feel with those words of enthusiasm I…I…I CAN TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!

FriendlyFire wrote:
Of course you can

I want to write detailed documentation on the ALE format soon. The point here, however, was that anyone with some perseverance and dedication CAN create something entirely unique and fun and good looking and all that. You just need to trust in yourself, get started and not be afraid of making mistakes.

Thank you! And Thanks for you will do!