Fixing someone's mod

[MrMiggins]

What's the etiquette for fixing a mod that is no longer supported by the maker? I've been working on a few fixes for a mod that hasn't been updated for nearly two years. The fix is in a seperate esp file to the mod itself. Just wondering.

[ElderMalaclypse]

The first thing you should do is read the authors mod description and readme file, if there is one, to see if they stated anything about use of their mod. Some mod author’s state their mod can be used as long as credit is given, others ask for you to receive permission before using their mod.

If you cannot find any references from the author about the use of their mod or they have requested you contact them, you should then write the author of the mod and ask for permission. You can do this through their profile on the Nexus or if they have given contact info try that also. Just give a brief description of your intentions and ask if they are OK with it.

There’s always a chance that the author is not supporting their mod anymore and isn’t active in modding anymore. If that is the case you may not receive a reply. How long you need to wait for a reply is somewhat of a grey area but you should at least give them a couple weeks before going ahead.

If you do not receive a reply and go ahead with your changes or include part of their mod in yours it is of course always proper to still give them credit or mention how their mod contributed to yours.

 

Good luck and happy modding

[Jeoshua]

Releasing a fix in a separate esp which requires the original is always supported even if the author doesn't want it to be. It's best to ask for permission first, because you may even get help on it.

 

Fixing little errors in popular yet discontinued mods is pretty much half of what Remastered is based on.