New distribution permissions options for all files

[ladydesire]

@Mur_Zik: why would someone releasing something "for general use, with credit given" object to anything done with the content, as long as they do receive credit for their contribution? It's been my experience with modding in Neverwinter Nights 2 that they generally don't have a problem with what an end user does with the content.

[antistar]

Nice: this feature can only help.

 

If I could make a suggestion, though; this part:

 

Other user's assets

All the assets in this file belong to the author

 

Could be a bit misleading. Perhaps it could instead say something like:

 

Other user's assets

All the assets in this file belong to the author, or are from free-to-use modder's resources

 

 

It makes me uneasy as it is now. I don't want to claim that all assets in a mod belong to me if that's not strictly the case.

[McMuffin]

I'm thinking that the permission display could use colored icons or text, for easier at-a-glance review (ie green=yes, red=no). And perhaps, as some have noted that old files may not get updated soon, display a note referring users to the read-me where files have unchanged default settings.

[papill6n]

Great functionality , but why not a "Translation permission"'s category?? It would be very useful.

[Arthmoor]

Seconding a "Translation permissions" block/category. I allow non-English translations but the current scheme doesn't allow for an easy way to specify that short of using the "notes" box which seems a bit awkward.

 

Also seconding the wording on "All the assets in this file belong to the author" because when you're setting that yes/no flag in the edit screen it actually says "Does your file contain assets used from other authors (that you have permission to use) that can't be redistributed without permission?" which from a legalistic standpoint are two entirely different things.

[Dracomies]

 

Posted by NMC

 

Just got to applaud the ongoing support for modders Nexus provides- yet another fine example of how to run a tight ship. Thank you Dark0ne, and all those involved.

 

Edit: ALL users of Nexus benefit (not just modders) with these safe-guards, as this would prevent a lot of modders giving up through having their work stolen.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with what NMC stated here.

 

I really like the recent direction of Nexus.

 

And as stated, this isn't only benefiting modders, it's going to help everybody.

 

These new rules really are giving modders more confidence in releasing more mods and working on more mods because they know that their hard work will be secure.

 

 

Edited October 29, 2010 by Dracomies

[XTR3M368]

Mur_Zik said

As you've said it's a step - what will be the next one? I'd propose to do the same with ideas. I do mean the mods' ideas(ideas of the mods in other words).

 

Could you explain this? I really hope you don't mean something like since you created a sexy walk for OB (which is very sweet BTW) that since it was your idea, no one else can create any other type of sexy walk for OB. Is that what you meant? If not, could you clarify that? The first person with an idea for something is not always the person who does it the best...history shows that over and over again. Competition makes for improvements...as long as content isn't abused or stolen.

[Semtex]

On the one hand, the current step is (maybe) step in the right direction. Creative effort should be encouraged to provide satisfaction to authors and to protect them against plagiarists.

 

On the other hand, a large percentage of existing plug-ins are explicitly based on "recycling", reusing or reworked by other authors developed models, textures and scripts as resources to implement their own new ideas. Or, conversely, old ideas are reworked using new models, new textures, or whether new elements to enhance the appearance, functionality or gameplay options.

 

Then you need to ask - where is the limit?

How do you protect copyright content so that it was for the benefit to the community of players and pluginmakers?

 

Because too strong protection of one group of authors prevents other authors in creating their own works, too weak protection in turn reduce the interest of some authors to publish their works.

 

To understand me - not every author is also a talented creator of 3D models and texture creator, and scripts programmer, and storyteller, and only few authors can self-create the entire contents of the plugins.

But it is good, if the story teller can not tell their story, because it needs models that can not able to produce?

It's good, if the creator of 3D models can not texture models, as has not been authorized to use foreign textures?

It is good, if the models can not be placed into the story?

Right to the original author will be protected. But not so for all of us miss something? We will not miss something what we could have? Something we do not have?

 

So I think that published plugins, and their contents - 3D models and textures, should be "common ownership" throughout the community.

It is good and right and fair that they were always referred to by its original author, even after a new arrangement with new authors (Although sometimes can be very difficult to know who is the "original author" of the work). But it is unwise, and not good, if the rules prevent reuse or reprocessing of the published content, if the original author not explicitly prohibit reuse or reprocessing.

 

-----------------------------------

I am not English speaking

[CmdrObvious]

Instead of relying on trust and having "mods of mods" appear in seperate mod pages, I have been dying to see an upload space in an existing mod entry to allow for contributions - translations, retextures, customised meshes, bugfixes for abandoned mods, ESP files for NV, you name it.

 

It would definitely reduce clutter in the file listings by providing a centralised and managed space for fan works.

 

It might require a bit of overhaul work on the existing site script so if I may suggest a very simple intermediary:

1) a "parent mod" index entry in new mod pages (which automatically assigns editing access to the original author and disables file rating)

2) a new tab or subsection that show all child mod entries.

[holbrook]

@semtex

 

this may be a step in the right direction, but it is not a change to policy.

 

this is a change to make the long existing policy more clear by giving authors a way to make their wishes more apparent to others.

 

you ask where the limit is, but the limit has not changed. the limit is exactly where it has always been; what the author and owner of the work allows.

 

"ideas" are not subject to copyright, only tangible material. in the case virtual definition; our files.

 

old ideas are always free to be reworked using new resources, but as has always been and should be, you are only free to use someone else's resources when that freedom has been given.

 

- it is true that not every author has universal talents, and may only be proficient in certain areas.

 

- it is true that as a result of this, one author may wish to use resources that they did not create in order to accomplish their goals more easily or with more quality.

 

- and it is possible to do so as long as you have one thing; permission.

 

that has been true and unchanging since day one and continues to be the case now. perhaps your comprehension of english made the message unclear, but we are still able to use and reuse content, we simply still need permission.

 

we should never be so selfish in our own desires that we look lightly on the idea of harming someone else, and i don't think that is what you meant by your post, but as simple as i can say it...

 

don't worry.

 

no one is changing whether or not you can use the work of someone else. as it always has, the ability to do that remains with the author, not the site.

 

what the site is doing is making it more clear and easily understood to everyone which files you can or cannot use, as decided by the author.

 

if anything, we are just as likely to see more content using someone else's work with permission by using this system as we are hopeful to see less content using someone's work without permission.

 

things will continue on the same way you've always known them to, the only change is that people will reduce the things that would have been deleted/banned in the past, and increase the things the amount of mods that do reuse content correctly.

 

@cmdrobvious

 

that sounds like an awesome idea in theory, and would work very similar to how a fan of a mod can submit their images to the authors image gallery for that file.

 

it would also bestow a level of control for that to the author, letting them remove the items that appear on their upload just the same.

 

the problem is people could still choose not to do that, and submit them normally. also, the people causing the "problems" with would surely submit them normally against the authors wishes just as they always have.

 

for organizations sake and the people who do follow the rules, that is a good idea to at least add in the realm of possibility though.

Edited October 29, 2010 by holbrook