Trying to understand

[Pasquale1223]

It's like donating my time and code to a git open source project and then expect to be treated specially and have the power to ruin the project for many more people. I feel like people that contribute and do these amazing free pieces of software should definitely be recognized and respected, but I disagree that they should have the tools to take their contribution away. Their contribution should be given with the knowledge that it is now public.

When you contribute to an open source project, it is with the understanding that you have no ownership in anything you contribute, and that it is all essentially in the public domain.

 

That has never been the case with mods. In fact, the licensing agreements that come with some game's modding kits specifically state that the author of any mod created with such kit owns the IP rights to their creations.

 

Perhaps you've not noticed this, but every mod uploaded to Nexus has a list of specific permissions the author may set to their liking. Authors may elect to allow their works to be used with or without permission, with or without attribution, and there are other settings as well. You might have already seen some collections of textures, armors, weapons, etc., created by someone who simply pulled together a lot of individual items that had been created by various other authors - with their permission.

 

That, along with the ability to delete files has been the tradition here at the Nexus. And the management here has traditionally been very supportive of authors' rights. These new policies are a significant departure.

[Gruffydd]

 

...

I see where you are coming from but at the same time in my point of view I think that's a weird point to stand from a contributor in general. It's like donating my time and code to a git open source project and then expect to be treated specially and have the power to ruin the project for many more people. I feel like people that contribute and do these amazing free pieces of software should definitely be recognized and respected, but I disagree that they should have the tools to take their contribution away. Their contribution should be given with the knowledge that it is now public. That's how I've always looked at my contributions to several open source projects.

...

 

Mods are not open source projects unless the author specifically decides they are and states such to be the case.

Mods are not public upon release. They are owned and copyrighted by the authors.

NexusMods says so (see: Copyright and You in the Rules forum). Bethesda says so (see: section 2A of the CK EULA). US Copyright Code says so (see: copyright.gov).

[HadToRegister]

 

It's like donating my time and code to a git open source project and then expect to be treated specially and have the power to ruin the project for many more people. I feel like people that contribute and do these amazing free pieces of software should definitely be recognized and respected, but I disagree that they should have the tools to take their contribution away. Their contribution should be given with the knowledge that it is now public.

When you contribute to an open source project, it is with the understanding that you have no ownership in anything you contribute, and that it is all essentially in the public domain.

 

That has never been the case with mods. In fact, the licensing agreements that come with some game's modding kits specifically state that the author of any mod created with such kit owns the IP rights to their creations.

 

Perhaps you've not noticed this, but every mod uploaded to Nexus has a list of specific permissions the author may set to their liking. Authors may elect to allow their works to be used with or without permission, with or without attribution, and there are other settings as well. You might have already seen some collections of textures, armors, weapons, etc., created by someone who simply pulled together a lot of individual items that had been created by various other authors - with their permission.

 

That, along with the ability to delete files has been the tradition here at the Nexus. And the management here has traditionally been very supportive of authors' rights.

 

 

Part of the ZeniMax agreement

 

GAME MODS; OWNERSHIP AND LICENSE TO ZENIMAX

A. Ownership. As between You and ZeniMax, You are the owner of Your Game Mods and all intellectual property rights therein, subject to the licenses You grant to ZeniMax in this Agreement. You will not permit any third party to download, distribute or use Game Mods developed or created by You for any commercial purpose.

[frontaldnd]

 

It's like donating my time and code to a git open source project and then expect to be treated specially and have the power to ruin the project for many more people. I feel like people that contribute and do these amazing free pieces of software should definitely be recognized and respected, but I disagree that they should have the tools to take their contribution away. Their contribution should be given with the knowledge that it is now public.

When you contribute to an open source project, it is with the understanding that you have no ownership in anything you contribute, and that it is all essentially in the public domain.

 

That has never been the case with mods. In fact, the licensing agreements that come with some game's modding kits specifically state that the author of any mod created with such kit owns the IP rights to their creations.

 

Perhaps you've not noticed this, but every mod uploaded to Nexus has a list of specific permissions the author may set to their liking. Authors may elect to allow their works to be used with or without permission, with or without attribution, and there are other settings as well. You might have already seen some collections of textures, armors, weapons, etc., created by someone who simply pulled together a lot of individual items that had been created by various other authors - with their permission.

 

That, along with the ability to delete files has been the tradition here at the Nexus. And the management here has traditionally been very supportive of authors' rights. These new policies are a significant departure.

 

I fully understand that. I also fully understand why they want to change that and only time will tell if it was a good or bad decision. I just don't like when people list everything like it's all doom and gloom like that guy saying that something becoming more popular/mainstream brings no benefits at all only negatives.. There are reasons why they are doing this in such a way and I agree with their reasons. Nobody here is right or wrong, we'll have to see what happens.

[Gruffydd]

 

 

I see where you are coming from but at the same time in my point of view I think that's a weird point to stand from a contributor in general. It's like donating my time and code to a git open source project and then expect to be treated specially and have the power to ruin the project for many more people. I feel like people that contribute and do these amazing free pieces of software should definitely be recognized and respected, but I disagree that they should have the tools to take their contribution away. Their contribution should be given with the knowledge that it is now public. That's how I've always looked at my contributions to several open source projects.

In truth, legally this is how most mods typically work, at least as far as I remember. When you make a mod for a game, you usually don't have ownership of it unless the mod in question doesn't use any tool or assets from the game in question. Meaning if you posted it, even if the site allowed you to delete it ... legally anyone could repost it. But most sites would still typically be against that just out of respect for the mod author. BGS games in particular are a bit more on the unique side due to their ToS, where BGS does allow mod authors to retain ownership, course with caveats like you can't sell it.

...

 

No, legally unless the game company states you can mod a game (like Bethesda does), you don't have the legal right to do so, because you are making a derivative work without the copyright holder's permission.

Some game studios are happy to look the other way. Others are not, and request that mods be taken down when they find them. In neither case does it give anyone the legal right to distribute copies.

If the mod is owned by the mod author (as licensed for derivative work by the game studio) then you are violating the mod author's copyright by distributing the mod. If the author did not have a license to make a derivative work, then you are violating the original game studio's copyright by distributing the mod.

[frontaldnd]

All you quoting ownership terms of use and such I too can do that if you want to go this way on the discussion.

 

 

By submitting content to our services, you are granting an infinite, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license for Nexus Mods to store, distribute, copy or reproduce, edit, translate, reformat, publicly display, or perform the submitted content, at our discretion.

[HadToRegister]

Love how these people that I've never seen post before July 2021, are all suddenly here in these threads defending Nexus and arguing AGAINST modder's rights.

Not a peep, until there's the chance to attack mod authors.
As usual.

[HeyYou]

 

 

It's like donating my time and code to a git open source project and then expect to be treated specially and have the power to ruin the project for many more people. I feel like people that contribute and do these amazing free pieces of software should definitely be recognized and respected, but I disagree that they should have the tools to take their contribution away. Their contribution should be given with the knowledge that it is now public.

When you contribute to an open source project, it is with the understanding that you have no ownership in anything you contribute, and that it is all essentially in the public domain.

 

That has never been the case with mods. In fact, the licensing agreements that come with some game's modding kits specifically state that the author of any mod created with such kit owns the IP rights to their creations.

 

Perhaps you've not noticed this, but every mod uploaded to Nexus has a list of specific permissions the author may set to their liking. Authors may elect to allow their works to be used with or without permission, with or without attribution, and there are other settings as well. You might have already seen some collections of textures, armors, weapons, etc., created by someone who simply pulled together a lot of individual items that had been created by various other authors - with their permission.

 

That, along with the ability to delete files has been the tradition here at the Nexus. And the management here has traditionally been very supportive of authors' rights. These new policies are a significant departure.

 

I fully understand that. I also fully understand why they want to change that and only time will tell if it was a good or bad decision. I just don't like when people list everything like it's all doom and gloom like that guy saying that something becoming more popular/mainstream brings no benefits at all only negatives.. There are reasons why they are doing this in such a way and I agree with their reasons. Nobody here is right or wrong, we'll have to see what happens.

 

Nexus is doing this for ONE reason. Money. The 'one-button-install' will only work for premium members. More traffic equals more dollars from advertising. Etc. Mod authors will get essentially zero benefit from this. Donation points are worth .001 dollar. No one is ever going to be able to 'make a living' from downloads here. Just not gonna happen.

 

The decision was wrong. The implementation was outright horrid. "collections" have been a thing for a couple years now. WITHOUT keeping other peoples work, regardless of their feelings about it. If a mod in a list disappeared, it was up to the LIST AUTHOR to deal with it. Why that is suddenly seen as an imposition on list authors here at nexus, is beyond me.

[frontaldnd]

I like when the argument devolves to veterancy when someone doesn't agree with your point of view. Seen it twice already in 2 pages. Gatekeeping at it's best. "Your account isn't old enough even tho I have no idea how long you've used nexus for, you aren't entitled to your opinion!"

[HadToRegister]

I like when the argument devolves to veterancy when someone doesn't agree with your point of view. Seen it twice already in 2 pages. Gatekeeping at it's best. "Your account isn't old enough even tho I have no idea how long you've used nexus for, you aren't entitled to your opinion!"

 

 

I like how the haters resort to SPAM

Also, ignored