A suggestion for compilations

[fnorder]

Well it seems like the recent news is that there was a New Vegas community bugfix compiled by Zenball. Much drama ensued, the bugfix is now unable to be downloaded, and there was much flaming.

 

So guys, do you know how we can stop this from happening? What might the Nexus do to prevent such drama from happening again? Well, let's be reasonable and restrict ourselves with compilations.

 

Let's go over the important points, stop me if I'm wrong. Remember, this thread is not solving all drama involving mods, just giving some suggestions and discussion. Please don't make the mods ban my first post.

 

+Drama-inducing situations Problems

 

- Modders want recognition

So you worked on a mod and that's some effort put in. You want some recognition, some credit. Something that makes this work seem worthwhile. Some just want to be named. Some want others to bow down to their version of mod ELUA. Some don't want their hard work to be stolen by anyone.

 

- People "steal"

Eh, this is a fair and open mod download site. Anyone can download for free, anyone can upload for free. And if you have the GECK, fiddling with someone else's work to make it compatible for your own loadlist is ridiculously easy.

 

- People don't give credit

It happens. Some guys just don't remember where they got some piece of code from. Or where that mesh came from. Not everyone is organized.

 

- People actually steal

Grab 'em and say its your own. Happens all the time, I think 12-year-olds really enjoy that kind of crap.

 

- People are LOUD

Steal 'em and LOUDLY PROCLAIM that is YOURS and YOURS ONLY I've got LOGS and RECORDS mods I'll tell-- You get my drift.

 

- Copyright

Gives people a nice, legal backdrop to... Screw it I don't know how to say this. Let's just say it more-or-less a law and increases the Serious Business Quotient whenever mentioned.

 

+ Solutions

 

- Recognition

Well there's the endorsements. I guess that works. I think.

 

- "Steal"

I dunno.

 

- Credit, Steal, Loudness

1. Complain 2. Drama 3. ??? 4. Profit!

 

The suggestion:

 

A checkbox for compilations. Where the uploader becomes just the compiler. Now, a lot of mods are compilations. They should have the ability to check the compilations tag even after submitting the mod.

 

Endorsements will also automatically go to the authors stated in the credits. It should state which compilation the endorsement came from.

 

A pop-up reminder that the uploader will have much drama if he didn't credit correctly or if someone complains.

 

A new system of crediting, that allows the uploader to select exactly which mod he is crediting, according to the mod's unique ID number. (The number is at the end of the filename right?) Like the search function, it allows the user to click on a search result.

 

An automated file renamer for files. Adds modname_versionNumber_isCompilationT/F_author_filename_ID to the downloaded file. Makes selecting mods so much easier. And crediting. Just remember to keep the source file in your work folder. If in doubt, credit anyway.

 

It probably also needs some system to check and manage the "Distribution permission" section of the uploading page. Letting the authors know who used their crap, who they've granted exclusive permission, who credited them in a compilation, who they want to complain about etc.

 

Well? What do you guys think?

[fronzelneekburm]

I think you never made a mod. When you upload a mod to nexus you HAVE to supply an appropriate license which can be "Yeah re-use my mod for whatever, but credit me", "Nuuuu, never re-use my mod you stealer" or something self-written. All my mods come with a "Do whatever you want i dun care about credits" license, so for example you could use my mods for whatever you like and dont need to credit me. Other modders might be more sensible - let's not discuss their motives, it's their damn good right to want that, okay? So just start reading the licenses. I don't see what the problem is with that, just read the licenses and if it allows use in another mod, then use it. If it requires credits then give them. Easy as that. I don't think automating would lead to anything else but some uber-noobs compiling like a 100 mods into one and fishing for compliments for their work. While i give a s**t about this i think like 90% of the community would seriously hate that.

[fnorder]

Good point.

 

That was a stupid idea.