Intellectual Property Thread

Why not simply make it against the rules for any mod listed on moddb to be based on someone else's intellectual property without permission? Is copyright theft something moddb want to be associated with?

It was also send out a signal to people that they should be making their own ideas for mods, not basing them illegally on franchises they have no rights to.

Just an idea...

Some people are able to, and have, gotten permission from the original developers to make these mods. And since our goal is to list all mods, not all mods excluding ones based on another game, its not really fair.

You make it sound so simple.

If the makers of guns went after CS would this and many sites and mods wouldnt be made. Yes it didnt happen but it brings me to my point. The gun is trademarked. The user can create any mod he wants. They have nothing to do with moddb.com.

So many DBZ mods were foxed but many went on to release. Were the ones who released sued or in prisoned. So I love your idea but if the person wants to steal and rape someone elses work they will do it besides coming to this site.

If the makers of the water guns I used in my mod Water Wars went after me do should I cave in? My mod is based of a gun that you can squirt water with, which = someone else's intellectual property without permission.

ShortCutMan: That's why I said to ban those which don't have permission. And not all mods are listed, many have been banned for a variety of reasons, some as simple as having a website in french. Surely copyright theft is more deserving of a ban than that?

BlueWolf72: Understood, but there is a limit. Using guns that look a bit like real ones is one thing, but making a DBZ mod is something completely different.

Personally however, I wouldn't use exact replicas of guns, especially the names in my mods. I wouldn't put a can of Coke in a mod either, for the same reason. I respect that the people who designed them (and the companies who hired them) own the trademark the design. I see no reason why a mod can't have a EK-48 instead of an AK-47.

I know banning the mods will not stop people making them, but it would send a message that moddb doesn't condone this behaviour.

Edited by: Mauvebib

BTW, I hold the rights to produce Mods / Games based on books by Peter F. Hamiltion - hes has given me exclisive rights, how ever if he wishes to alow a commerical entity access to procude a game based on one of his books, then they would have to come to me and my laywer to sort out who will then own the IP. (I of course would hope that PFH Would still own 55% as he has with me)

Its a leagel muble jumble, but PFH, and My self watch out for each other

EDIT - Changed IMO 2 BTW

Edited by: amckern

Maybe they could provide proof that they have permission to make a mod based on a commercial license. They can claim they do, but do they have the evidence? That's what I think we should do. At least a screenshot.

I thought that the gun companies DID go after CS, and they needed to change the names of the desert eagle, p-90, and other weapons like that?

Yep, I beleive they had to change all the names.

I can't see why there is a problem with this. Moddb shouldn't be condoning copyright theft, and the site should try to encourage people to make mods based on their own ideas, not other people's.