Using banned mods for screenshots

[Dazaster]

I store just about everything I download from the nexus sites for ages and have a file which I downloaded in good faith from the NewVegasNexus back in November called WastelandClothCollection from alex3474. I haven't used the mod for a while and got bored with my characters current clothes so dug around in my hardrive to find some older stuff to re-wear as such. As is often the case the mod author may have released an update so I sometimes (but not always) check the nexus to see. I did with this mod and found that the author has been banned, in this case for apparently using somebody elses textures. Fair enough but as I still have the file no-one here can stop me using the mod in my own game and I don't want to debate the morals of doing so now. Anyway, from time to time, I post screenshots in the images section. If I post images with my character wearing clothes from this mod will I face banning? If I hadn't bothered to look for an update I would never have known the mod was banned. I don't often check the forums cos I'm not a chatty guy. Maybe there should be an 'All Banned Files' bit in the tag search and categories.

[myrmaad]

I have the same mod, and missed his banning and the reason for it, myself. I actually re-textured some of it for my own use before I realized there was any problem.

 

So what would most likely happen is that if you upload an illegal screenshot, and it is reported or otherwise noted, a staff member would remove it and send you a note with the an explanation of why.

[Dazaster]

Ok thanks for that, I'll just have to try to remember what she's wearing thats all, but a lot of the stuff (jeans etc) looks very similar to other stuff if you know what I mean. Also, don't want to get anyone in trouble but when I installed the file it wanted to overwrite some existing files which means another mod I have is possibly using some of this??? as this is a clean install of new vegas in a different directory to that which I installed the mod originally back in November. Now I'm wondering what other mods I have that are 'bad'. Edited July 27, 2011 by Dazaster

[greywaste]

Ok thanks for that, I'll just have to try to remember what she's wearing thats all, but a lot of the stuff (jeans etc) looks very similar to other stuff if you know what I mean. Also, don't want to get anyone in trouble but when I installed the file it wanted to overwrite some existing files which means another mod I have is possibly using some of this??? as this is a clean install of new vegas in a different directory to that which I installed the mod originally back in November. Now I'm wondering what other mods I have that are 'bad'.

 

Just so you know more details here and perhaps can think on the morals of it, what that guy did was download (probably from a warez site to avoid paying for them)a ton of commercial meshes and textures - i.e. stuff that people make for the purpose of making a living off - and ported them into fallout 3 and tried to pass it off as his own work making it available to others for free on Nexus - so it wasn't just a case of "someone elses textures" - he was a full on software pirate.

 

It's no different to somebody uploading a DLC here.

[Dazaster]

Just so you know more details here and perhaps can think on the morals of it, what that guy did was download (probably from a warez site to avoid paying for them)a ton of commercial meshes and textures - i.e. stuff that people make for the purpose of making a living off - and ported them into fallout 3 and tried to pass it off as his own work making it available to others for free on Nexus - so it wasn't just a case of "someone elses textures" - he was a full on software pirate.

 

It's no different to somebody uploading a DLC here.

 

I just quoted what I read in the post of the file thats still up on the nexus which is a stat adjustment for this mod. I and anyone else who downloaded it, and, the nexus for hosting it, is already guilty of piracy. It's just a question of whether or not I delete the file from my hardrive and cease to use it in my game, which, in retrospect, I may do. But it will be my choice to do so at the end of the day.

[LHammonds]

We typically don't ban members for such images. If they continue to post them even knowing they shouldn't, that is a different story.

 

If they are recent images or there are a lot of them uploaded, we typically send a PM about it to educate the member.

 

However, if the image is somewhat old, we may just delete the image and not even send a PM.

 

Just depends on the situation.

[FlyingHigh10000000]

Edited to avoid starting any trouble. :pinch: Edited August 3, 2011 by FlyingHigh10000000

[Kuraikiba]

Um... this might be REALLY awkward, and I don't want to get banned for this...

 

Okay, I found a mod online, and I didn't know until later it was a rip. It was a sword and armor. I learned after the screenshots were already up that it was an Aion rip. So, if an admin could please take down my pics, The Sentinel and The Sentinel II, would be thankful.

 

Here are the two links

 

Sentinel I: http://tesnexus.com/imageshare/image.php?id=96729

Sentinel II: http://tesnexus.com/imageshare/image.php?id=96758

 

Sorry, but I would like if I didn't get banned over this. I mean, I feel really guilty about the shots even though I didn't know till later it was wrong.

 

EDIT by LHammonds: Did you even ready my reply above? Post #6? We understand that not everyone knows a mod was ripped from another game, especially if the mod author / ripoff artist was trying to conceal that fact.

[FlyingHigh10000000]

Just wanted to express apologies for that earlier post. Soapbox was stood upon, and etiquette was forgotten for a moment. As someone, somewhere, probably said once, "Don't trouble trouble until it troubles you."

 

One thing I will say is that there actually aren't all that many mods that have illegal content in them. Only outright rips seem to, for the most part, and those tend to...well, suck. It ends up being overpowered armor, or a glitched-out weapon, usually, and thus not worth the time to even download, much less equip on a character.

[LHammonds]

Educate? It's a screenshot. It's not like they're linking the mod in the image description.

Allow me to / educate / you. We do not allow ripped content on this site nor advertisements for them...such as a screenshot showing off a rip. If you haven't noticed, anyone posting images of rips will invariably get quite a few comments and PMs asking where to "get" the ripped content.

 

They're not "guilty" of piracy just because they use a mod that may or may not contain pirated content.

"may or may not"? I think you are confusing yourself and everyone around you at this point.

 

We ban "pirates" for illegally downloading, illegally distributing, illegally using software...that also includes promoting / supporting such activities.

 

Ripping content from one game and inserting it into another is referred to as Copyright Infringement.

 

What is Copyright Infringement? As a general matter, copyright infringement occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without the permission of the copyright owner. (Reference)

 

The rules around here have become almost ridiculously tight in regards to supposed piracy. Some great modders have been lost to the community, for stuff that they didn't even /know/ was pirated.

Oh, so you happen to /know/ these "great" modders that got caught and /know/ that they didn't know what they were doing? These are "great" modders right? Please tell me you are NOT another one of toxa01's fanboys.

 

That's a great way to fracture a community, and it's done so, with that-which-must-not-be-named.

If by fracture you mean support and protect the rights of everyone who makes content including modders AND game companies and kick out those that would steal other peoples work and claim it as their own...yes, we are guilty of that.

 

So what if someone throws in a model from Crysis? If anything that's /promoting/ Crysis, because the mod ends up being labelled "Crysis Nanosuit". This crap is the reason the whole Protect-IP act might end up getting passed, opening the gate to outright censorship of the internet in the USA.

Spoken like a true leech. I bet you'd change your nonchalant stance if your entire income depended on the creation of 3D gaming assets...much like the nano suit.

 

It's interesting, Mr. Hammonds, seeing that quote in your signature while you down using resources from other games. That's half the fun of modding: importing stuff from other games.

Here you go getting all confused again. Have I taken content from one game and inserted it into another. Yep. Do I then turn around and distribute it to other people? Nope. The "fun" you speak of must be related to the infringement of other people's rights. You sound like those people that talk about freedom as if it was some god-given right to do anything you want. However, in America, the land of the free, you are free to do whatever you want as long as it does NOT infringe on the rights of others. You want freedom to own a gun (or whatever)? You'd better not try and steal mine in order to own one because you would be in for a rude awakening.

 

Instead of just banning left and right

Again with the idiotic notion that we ban without thought of any kind.

 

Why don't you browse through the forum rules section and add up all the people that we have banned. It would then be an easy calculation to find out what our ban ratio is and how likely someone will be banned around here. Here is your 1st number...the amount of total registrations: 2,387,220...last month alone was 60,403 registrations.

 

maybe the mods here should just have a place where DMCA notices can be sent, so that specific mods can be taken down. As it is, you're just jumping the gun and kicking people out for no reason.

More completely inaccurate generalization that is nothing more than a waste of space.

 

I don't endorse piracy, either, before anyone throws that out there. Employees work hard to put a game together, and to outright steal the game is pretty screwed up, from nearly every moral standpoint. But using a model or a texture? It's nothing near "being a scummy pirate" or whatever.

Oh, I get your line of reasoning.

 

This is what it sounds like on the receiving end:

 

I don't steal. Stealing is wrong. If somebody robs a gas station and takes all their money, that is bad. But if I just take a coke and some glasses, that is NOWHERE NEAR as bad.

 

Yep...that is exactly what you sound like. A filthy pirate with yet another justification story.

 

That label is slapped on people like some sort of curse word, and it's kind of disgusting. Do people really have nothing better to do than look down on others from their ultra-legal towers of power, striking down anyone that happens to break even the tiniest of rules?

Yep, more justification and trying to play it off as being just a little problem nobody cares about.

 

Again, I stress that this site is great, and should be more recognized. At the same time, you guys need to loosen up a bit. Cleaning out the "trash" is taking a lot more really good contributers to the community than you might think, and for some reason, nobody is standing up to it

Huh? I again assume you are a fanboy of someone we banned. I have yet to see anyone that can truly "backup" somebody that was banned for copyright infringement and present a case as to why they should be allowed to continue such activity here on the Nexus. You are standing up alone in a packed stadium and you don't have a clue as to why this is?

 

It doesn't make you any better, really.

Who said anything about being "better" at any time? The Nexus has rules...they are posted for all to see.