Is it illegal to issue a mod with atomic store/collector's edition assets for public use?

[Rigell]

I presume it is, but still, maybe some of you guys will point me where to look for that sort of info.

 

People, who used to mod FO76 already know that the assets from the atom shop and collector's tricentennial edition are in the game archives on their hard drives. And it's pretty easy to use all that without buying it in your own game by swapping some regular textures with yet unreleased item assets or the assets behind a paywall.

 

I'm pretty sure that many people may want to use it but simply won't buy these assets because some of those are from the previous game and the current pricing for others is outrageous to say the least.

 

[UlithiumDragon]

Illegal? I mean, not really - the files are on your computer and were distributed by the company. Against their TOS? I don't know.

 

Is it against Nexus policy? Again, this is a very foggy area and I'm not sure. If the process involved including files that came from downloadable content that players using the mod didn't already have, then yes it would be. But that isn't the case here... so I'm not sure what Nexus' stance is on the matter.

 

I would guess it's fine. It's not really any different from visual swapping anything else that is unobtainable (i.e. like the Overboss PA swap I posted a day or two ago).

Edited February 1, 2019 by UlithiumDragon

[Rigell]

Thanks for clarification -)) I'm still thinking about releasing tricentennial and blackbird paints as a standard paint options for different armors. Maybe one day I will do that.

[BigBizkit]

Hi Rigell,

 

We don't think the argument that those files are already installed on the user side is sufficient, as the very nature of an online game like FO76 necessitates this.

 

Whether it is illegal or not is not a question we can answer, however, we can say that we would not be comfortable hosting mods that make atomic store content available to users who have not bought that content. I hope that answers your question.

[TheGadget1945]

It will almost certainly be illegal as the Atomic Store and everything in it are Bethesda's Intellectual Property.

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456368/IP_rights_in_USA.pdf

Edited February 7, 2019 by TheGadget1945

[Rigell]

Hi Rigell,

 

We don't think the argument that those files are already installed on the user side is sufficient, as the very nature of an online game like FO76 necessitates this.

 

Whether it is illegal or not is not a question we can answer, however, we can say that we would not be comfortable hosting mods that make atomic store content available to users who have not bought that content. I hope that answers your question.

 

So, I guess I can consider it as a warning to take down my latest FO76 PA texture replacers. Fair enough!

[Ethreon]

I mean, it's illegal to distribute DLC content, why would this be legal?

[gamingunderscoreogre]

Thoughts like this is why I suspect they will not make the game mod-able like Fallout 4 until they are done making money off of the game. One of the reasons I am against in-game stores like this. It encourages the game owner to act in the interests of their pocketbook, and not the player base.