Legal Question

[Yossarian22]

Hi

 

I would like to ask, how far legal restriction goes for reuploading tweaked core game content.

Because there are several mods online, that include tweaked models or textures from the core games.

 

Here are two examples:

 

1. Fallout3 DLC the Pitt includes a Model of a Baby, but this Model dont has a Collision and

a few other issues. I fixed these things in blender. Now, could I upload this new Mesh here,

or would it be illegal? Because it's a modified core model. Many are uploading modified models

here and it seems to be ok... but I don't know for sure...

 

2. A similar example: I would like to port a resource mod to fallout 3 to create a mod with it.

The author used core game meshes from oblivion and modified and tweaked them. So they are

kinda new models. If I port them to F3, they are tweaked again and the textures are also new.

So, if it's ok to upload them on tesnexus, it would be ok for f3nexus too or would that in this

case not be allowed?

 

I am kinda confused, because there don't seem to be a clear line for this and I don't want get banned

because of such misunderstandings.

 

Gretz

 

Yoss

[Pronam]

uploading is possible, but they have to require the Pit to be loaded. As it's originated from there. Even though you've modified it to the unrecognizable or it's not been shown in the game, if it's still (partly) based from a bought thing and therefore not made from scratch you'll still have to put it in a way that it's not usable without the original source.

 

In-between game-swapping of sources/porting/etc is not allowed. Read more about it here.

It tells about oblivion, but it's simply about all games.

[phoneyLogic]

So to speak,

it is not allowed to port sth from one game into another (this also applies for DLCs) regardless how heavy it has been edited?

 

But it's O.K. to edit an Fallout content if you only use it for Fallout. Same goes for DLCs?

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong

[Yossarian22]

uploading is possible, but they have to require the Pit to be loaded. As it's originated from there. Even though you've modified it to the unrecognizable or it's not been shown in the game, if it's still (partly) based from a bought thing and therefore not made from scratch you'll still have to put it in a way that it's not usable without the original source.

 

Require Pitt to load is a bit of simulate, that it requires the pitt, but in fact, it doesn't. It's like telling someone, it requires to use a boat to pass that river, while there is a bridge right before their eyes. Everybody could load the mesh inside a new ESP, that doesn't require the pitt with no difference... you see my point? It's just dissemble. If this is asked here, I can of course do that, but I really can't see the difference than releasing it just as a resource.

 

In-between game-swapping of sources/porting/etc is not allowed. Read more about it here.

It tells about oblivion, but it's simply about all games.

 

I am not talking about a direct conversion of an game asset. I am talking about an asset, that was heavily modified, but was based on original game content. You can't really say a heavily modified model still belongs to the rights of the native creators, you could also say, this new modified model belongs to the rights of the one, who modified it and therefore could be used if he allow it. For me, this is a grey zone. You could see it both ways... so a admin word about it would be appreaciated.

[Arthmoor]

You can't really say a heavily modified model still belongs to the rights of the native creators, you could also say, this new modified model belongs to the rights of the one, who modified it and therefore could be used if he allow it. For me, this is a grey zone. You could see it both ways... so a admin word about it would be appreaciated.

 

You should probably look into the details of "derivative works" under copyright law. Starting with an original mesh, modifying it, then modifying that, is a derived work from the original and the law has a certain viewpoint on that you can't really escape.

 

Bethesda's licensing is fairly clear that if you use modified DLC content, it has to be done in such a way that the DLC is required to use it.

[Yossarian22]

You should probably look into the details of "derivative works" under copyright law. Starting with an original mesh, modifying it, then modifying that, is a derived work from the original and the law has a certain viewpoint on that you can't really escape.

 

Well, I see. Thanks to point it out then.

 

 

Bethesda's licensing is fairly clear that if you use modified DLC content, it has to be done in such a way that the DLC is required to use it.

 

So, if I release a modified DLC mesh and don't include the textures and set the DLC as requirement, I assume it's ok?

I can live with that, still think it's kinda pointless.

[phoneyLogic]

So, if I release a modified DLC mesh and don't include the textures and set the DLC as requirement, I assume it's ok?

I can live with that, still think it's kinda pointless.

Do you mean a mesh replacing only?

Afaik you don't need to include the textures since the mesh is able to use the vanilla one in the bsa archive.

 

---

As far as I can see, normaly you are not allowed to modify and to share any copyrighted content. It is an exception to do this in that case only because of an agreement regarding the GECK and its EULA :unsure:

[Yossarian22]

Do you mean a mesh replacing only?

Afaik you don't need to include the textures since the mesh is able to use the vanilla one in the bsa archive.

 

Doesn't matter. I know that. Question is, if I include a original mesh without it's texture it's functionally useless,

so it would require the DLC for it's texture and therefore I assume it's allowed or not?

 

As far as I can see, normaly you are not allowed to modify and to share any copyrighted content.

 

If that is so, I am wondering, what all those 1000 of mods doing up here, that include game assets.

Just to name all those retextures, that frequently include the original mesh...

[Vagrant0]

1. Fallout3 DLC the Pitt includes a Model of a Baby, but this Model dont has a Collision and

a few other issues. I fixed these things in blender. Now, could I upload this new Mesh here,

or would it be illegal? Because it's a modified core model. Many are uploading modified models

here and it seems to be ok... but I don't know for sure...

In this case, you would need to force a requirement of the DLC by means of a resource, such as the textures which are used by the model which are still needed, but are linked from an outside location usually within the .bsa or by means of a textureset that links to a file in the .bsa that is defined within the mod.

 

2. A similar example: I would like to port a resource mod to fallout 3 to create a mod with it.

The author used core game meshes from oblivion and modified and tweaked them. So they are

kinda new models. If I port them to F3, they are tweaked again and the textures are also new.

So, if it's ok to upload them on tesnexus, it would be ok for f3nexus too or would that in this

case not be allowed?

In this case, it's simpler to simply say "no, it is not allowed". There are some special exceptions depending on the type of the resource and just what the resource is supposed to be since almost all of these "vanilla" portions would have to be re-created from scratch in order to work, or would be nearly impossible to track, but these are very rare cases and can still be open to some degree of scrutiny.

[phoneyLogic]

Duno which Mods exactly, but there are different forms, such as

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/publicdomain/

and

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/

and

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

...

 

It is possible that assets from other games become such an license. Then you are able to use it under that terms