iDisOrder Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) On a mod thread here on the forums, I was able to contact a mod author/creator and ask what their intentions were about updating a mod after seeing this person has been inactive since September 2014.Several others were posting on this thread wanting an update.(which is not uncommon on mod threads, I know)I think one of the requirements here on the forums should be that if you're going to "abandon" a mod,Abandonəˈbandən/verb1. give up completely (a course of action, a practice, or a way of thinking).2. cease to support or look after ~ leave (a place or vehicle) empty or uninhabited, without intending to returnthe mod author should be required to:* leave a contact email (public or private accessible to moderators only)* or, at the very least have a license expire after "x" amount of forum inactivity.I know I've gone through some of these wonderful mods I'd like to have, only to see the last version being compatible with 0.23and due to it's licensing, be untouchable with some of the intelligent folks here on the forum scrambling to make "patches" that don't violate the mods licenseI respect trademarks and licensing, (having owned businesses once upon a time) but mod licensing should have a shelf life and then return to the public domainThey were, after all, created to be shared....AmIRight???What say you?Actually I took down one of my mods for another game when the dev/publisher (matrix games) started to openly scam customers (and continues to do so).That option is more important to me than the advantages of a more permissive license.At least for my main mod(s).Something I'll admit I overlooked!My mindset was on the gaming community and I did not consider the possibility of game developers stealing mods from their creators.Very good point.I move to close this thread and cancel all further voting.My respect to all modders! Edited June 12, 2015 by iDisOrder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Iron Crown Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I would have to disagree. Mods are the intellectual property of their creators who are free to license as they see fit. If they don't want their work to be taken up by others, that's their right. There's no "return to the public domain", it was never PD in the first place.It's unfortunate that some mods get abandoned with restrictive licensing that prevents forking, but that is better than the community appropriating the works of modders against their will, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diazo Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 While there are a few people that do this (put an abandoned clause) in their license, I disagree with changing the rules for this.If you are okay with people taking over your mod and doing as they will with it, you will choose a license that allows that (CC, MIT, GPL, etc.) and so people will be able to use your work.If you are not okay with people taking over your mod, you will choose a license that does not allow it (All Rights Reserved) and people will not be able to use your work.A mod author's opinion on whether they want their work usable by others is not going to change just because they move on and stop maintaining a mod.Effectively what this would do is make All Rights Reserved licensed mods not allowed and if that rule change was made, I suspect a surprisingly high number of mods would quietly vanish as mod authors who want to publish under the All Rights Reserved license would not longer be able to do so, and so would not post their mods.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 No need to change the rules. If someone wants to abandon their mod, good for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stibbons Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 They were, after all, created to be shared....AmIRight???They were created to be shared on the author's terms. No, don't enforce additional licence criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iDisOrder Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 This is why I love this community....such dedication!I see the first few responses are from actual mod creators and I love it!I notice too the "join dates" of those who responded and it proves the dedication.but what about those mod creators who, like me, have gamer A.D.D. and bounce from game to game forgetting what they've created and leave behind the community they created these mods for?If you made something compatible for something 3+ versions ago, your creation has died.As mod creators, wouldn't you want a creation you made live on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Iron Crown Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 As mod creators, wouldn't you want a creation you made live on?I'm not a modder, but I would have to say that if the modder cares about this they can choose a license that permits it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yemo Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 They were, after all, created to be shared....AmIRight???As a modder (and human/adult) I reserve the right to choose the reasons for my effort/work myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stibbons Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Yes, that's why the code I write is under a licence that allows that. Other people have other opinions, and licence their code appropriately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yemo Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) As mod creators, wouldn't you want a creation you made live on?Actually I took down one of my mods for another game when the dev/publisher (matrix games) started to openly scam customers (and continues to do so).That option is more important to me than the advantages of a more permissive license.At least for my main mod(s). Edited June 12, 2015 by Yemo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iDisOrder Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) Actually I took down one of my mods for another game when the dev/publisher (matrix games) started to openly scam customers (and continues to do so).That option is more important to me than the advantages of a more permissive license.At least for my main mod(s).Something I'll admit I overlooked!My mindset was on the gaming community and I did not consider the possibility of game developers stealing mods from their creators.Very good point.I move to close this thread and cancel all further voting.My respect to all modders! Edited June 12, 2015 by iDisOrder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiagobs Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 As an user, I understand the frustration of wanting to play with a mod but being unable to do so because it has been abandoned...But enforcing a change in licensing may have unintended consequences... Some modders may get unhappy and completely remove their mods and take their business elsewhere...At most, we could have an unenforced recommendation that modders place mechanisms to allow continuation of their work in case of abandonment (especially for unforeseen causes, like -- God forbid -- passing away).Something like "if I'm not active in the forums for xx period, the mod can be picked up and continued by the community"Or, if you're friends with and trust another user, to give them your contact for these kind of situation and letting your friend to post in your name, having them continue the mod themselves or releasing it to the community...Of course, those are all at the modders discretion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kagame Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 -clip- At most, we could have an unenforced recommendation that modders place mechanisms to allow continuation of their work in case of abandonment (especially for unforeseen causes, like -- God forbid -- passing away).Something like "if I'm not active in the forums for xx period, the mod can be picked up and continued by the community" Or, if you're friends with and trust another user, to give them your contact for these kind of situation and letting your friend to post in your name, having them continue the mod themselves or releasing it to the community... Hear, hear. The list of mods I've wanted to give a spin, but were no longer updated, is a long one. This represents the best solution because us forum guys tend to stick together and swap a lot of information... whoever the modder would choose to bequeath his work to would probably almost know more about it than he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Iron Crown Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I move to close this thread and cancel all further voting.Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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