Editing other people's mods; What etiquette?

[DaWrecka]

Let me explain this one; I'm a compulsive modder. I tend to mod other people's mods as a matter of course, because pretty much nobody's mod is ever just how I'd like it. I'm not trying to be snobby here; Nobody but me is going to make me completely-pleased because nobody but me knows what the hell goes on in my mind. Fortunately I'm a dab hand with the GECK, FNVEdit and Wrye Flash, so it's not too difficult for me to make plugins which override the downloaded plugins into something I like. I've even learned some interesting new things while making mods like that.

 

It's probably fair to say that the majority of these mods-to-mods I've made are tweaks; Compatibility patches to make mods never designed to coexist at least cooperate, list merges, things like that. But every so often I come up with something that other people might get some use out of it. For example, AWOP has 4D Storage items which provide extra carrying capacity. Reasoning that pretty much nobody in the Wasteland is going to have a single goddamn clue what the hell this 4D widget thing is you have, I wrote a plugin that causes the presence of a 4D Storage item in the player's inventory to screw up casino greeters (the ones that take your weapons away) as well as the "strip the player's gear" thing that gets you when you go to the Sierra Madre. Not everybody is going to want such a mod, but I'd wager a fair few are. This is only one example of the sort of mods-to-mods I've made, but it's nicely-illustrative of the sort of thing my diseased brain concocts.

 

But here comes the question of etiquette; would it be considered... I dunno... rude to release a mod to someone else's mod? Would it be better to message the author about the changes I made and let them decide... even if it turns out that author is an ass? What of mods the author has abandoned?

 

tl:dr; Sometimes I mod other people's mods. Should I just keep these and everything I learned while creating them to myself?

 

Edit for clarity: while they're mods of other mods, they're plugins that still require the other mod to be installed before they can be used. For example the AWOP plugin I mentioned uses AWOP as a master, doesn't replace any AWOP files, and won't run unless you've got AWOP enabled separately. Distributing them wouldn't be a case of distributing someone's modified mod, but distributing the changes only.

Edited October 7, 2014 by DaWrecka

[viennacalling]

The rules at least for the Nexus are pretty clear: if you do not have clear permission to upload modified versions of other peoples' mods then don't, even if the authors are long gone.

[DaWrecka]

Actually I should've been more clear. The plugins I've made don't REPLACE the existing mods, but EXTEND them; The plugins I've made use the original plugin as a master. So while they're mods of other mods, they're mods that still require the other mod to be installed before they can be used. For example the AWOP plugin I mentioned uses AWOP as a master, doesn't replace any AWOP files, and won't run unless you've got AWOP enabled separately.

[DizzasterJuice]

On every Nexus mod there is a little button that says "Perms". It will tell you exactly what you are and are not allowed to do with that mod. The default setting is you can't do anything with it without the author's permission so unless he changed it you'll need to ask first.

The author of AWOP has changed the perms to allow use but I suggest you read the details anyway because he has some specifics.

[blaze1514]

Actually I should've been more clear. The plugins I've made don't REPLACE the existing mods, but EXTEND them; The plugins I've made use the original plugin as a master. So while they're mods of other mods, they're mods that still require the other mod to be installed before they can be used. For example the AWOP plugin I mentioned uses AWOP as a master, doesn't replace any AWOP files, and won't run unless you've got AWOP enabled separately.

From what I have seen posted that is fine....... However I got into a childish argument (I was being childish) about a the way a certain Halo ODST armor project was being handled.

I then said that I would just post a re-texture to my liking. I was told that I would be banned. Then I made it clear that the re-texture would still require you to use the original mod. I was then told that it didn't matter, it was still the same deal. I think this is pretty strange as it contradicts the whole site itself (hosting modified files of video-games with or without the approval of the license holders).

However, I was then later told that the previous statement is incorrect. So to get a clear picture you probably just need to contact the staff directly in an e-mail.... Or risk getting contradictory answers.

 

Edit: Dizzaster posted while I was typing. He seems to clear up some of my confusion

Edited October 7, 2014 by blaze1514

[RoyBatterian]

DJMystro is difficult to get a hold of, but not impossible. It also may take him a loooong time to respond to you. I cannot speak on his behalf until given explicit permission to do so. However Athelbras and I have full edit permissions for AWOP and we can somewhat act as a go-between within reason if required, which it shouldn't be.

 

If you want to release a small mod that uses AWOP as a master, I don't see a problem with it myself, and DJM has given permission for people to do that. Just be aware that AWOP may not stay the same for much longer and your mod may soon be broken. Also make clear that the authors of AWOP will not provide any support for YOUR mod, and that will be solely your responsibility.

 

On a side note, don't be an ass to mod/tool authors, and usually they won't be an ass to you. That isn't always the case as there is huge ego's and asshats in every scene, but it's usually pretty easy to figure out who they are. Some authors are incredibly helpful and always a nice person even when they don't have/want to be. Some just have little patience because of all the ridiculous dumb demands and questions they get on a regular basis, once you release a few mods you'll find that out pretty quickly if your mod is at all popular.

[blaze1514]

DJMystro is difficult to get a hold of, but not impossible. It also may take him a loooong time to respond to you. I cannot speak on his behalf until given explicit permission to do so. However Athelbras and I have full edit permissions for AWOP and we can somewhat act as a go-between within reason if required, which it shouldn't be.

 

If you want to release a small mod that uses AWOP as a master, I don't see a problem with it myself, and DJM has given permission for people to do that. Just be aware that AWOP may not stay the same for much longer and your mod may soon be broken. Also make clear that the authors of AWOP will not provide any support for YOUR mod, and that will be solely your responsibility.

 

On a side note, don't be an ass to mod/tool authors, and usually they won't be an ass to you. That isn't always the case as there is huge ego's and asshats in every scene, but it's usually pretty easy to figure out who they are. Some authors are incredibly helpful and always a nice person even when they don't have/want to be. Some just have little patience because of all the ridiculous dumb demands and questions they get on a regular basis, once you release a few mods you'll find that out pretty quickly if your mod is at all popular.

 

I wish that authors that are prone to being gone for long periods would have some kind of "Fail-Safe" I would make it so that if an author is inactive for over a year then the permissions automatically get set to "use with credit". That way only authors that REALLY do not want their work used (who show this by making a clear bold statement in the description text) would be covered. We would in turn have less mods that have authors that have not shown up in 3 years that we cannot use for anything.

 

Side Note: Oh I know, I have made some art that was popular in my local area. Many people are just too dumb to deserve to be called critics. The exchange of words was more about the Legal and Ethical aspects of me not being able to Mod a Mod (something I am still questioning), not about how he was doing his work.... witch was/is excellent. I was childish because I escalated the thing into an ordeal that it didn't need to be (because whether or not I was right, I was still just being a dick). I have since apologized over the indecent.