Jump to content
The Dark Mod Forums

I dread asking but, stolen/unlicensed assets in TDM?


RJFerret

Recommended Posts

So I don't want to rain on the parade of any specific mission, since the authors are already aware of the issue, expressed their views elsewhere and made their choice. However I saw a stolen image used as a texture--worse, it had been modified to remove attribution, apparently in flagrant violation of the source's attribution-required license. I stopped playing and checked the text files included, and although there was a list of TDM members acknowledged, as well as other textures "thanked", no credits for others' work or that image.

 

In a previous forum thread discussing a bit of this issue (made more complicated by additional issues), it seemed said image was to be included with TDM assets in the future. That last part is obviously the scary part. My question becomes, is there a way to determine which included assets might have been stolen from their creators, or are in violation of their license versus those legally/ethically included?

 

I do know two sound files are listed in the authors.txt included with TDM 2.02, some shaders and three fonts. However it seems there's a dearth of information of which assets might have been legitimately created/obtained versus those that are breaking a license or stolen.

 

Projects I've previously been involved with kept a strict record of source with license, which I'm failing to find here except for those two sounds. I dread having put this question forth, afraid of the answer...

"The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

- Baron Thomas Babington Macauley

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In a previous forum thread discussing a bit of this issue (made more complicated by additional issues), it seemed said image was to be included with TDM assets in the future.

 

If you're talking about that parchment texture, I thought it was already established that it was not covered by copyright?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're referring to the recent discussion about removing a biblical quote from an image, and that image was included in a recently-released mission ...

 

1 - I thought that was put to bed

 

2 - It was added late in the mission's production, so the author might have forgotten to include attribution in the text files.

 

I take it from your creating a public thread to fish around for potential unattributed work, that ...

 

1 - You didn't agree with the other thread's conclusion

 

2 - You haven't asked the authors if the missing attribution was an oversight on their part that will be corrected in the future

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well the first thing wrong is that the updater i downloaded from the site still breaks on folders with spaces. It might be because the update needs to be incremental and it's using a old one?

 

 

 

[=========================] 100.0% File:

Done applying the differential update.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trying to match local files to version definitions...

[=========================] 100.0% File:

Done comparing local files: no luck, PK4 files do not match.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comparing local files to server definitions...

[=========================] 100.0% File:

Done comparing local files to server definitions.

A new updater is available: 1 file needs to be downloaded (size: 892 kB).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Downloading TDM Update application...

Downloading from Mirror roggen.jmnet.us: tdm_update_linux.zip

[=========================] 100.0% at 169 kB/sec

Done downloading updater - will restart the application.

Relaunching tdm_update via shell script /home/i30817/Desktop/The Dark Mod/doom3/darkmod/tdm_update_updater.sh

sh: 1: /home/i30817/Desktop/The: not found

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well the first thing wrong is that the updater i downloaded from the site still breaks on folders with spaces. It might be because the update needs to be incremental and it's using a old one?

 

Wrong thread for this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

its dated 1722 its likely to have run out of copyright after the death of the author + 70 years is usually the length of copyright in england, copyright laws came in, in england in 1662 as the author is unknown then even if you add 170 years to the date of 1722 then copyright ran out in 1892.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also another thing to remember for not just this case but any case of using creative commons works you can contact the author and obtain written proof to modify the original files/use it for commercial use/etc. So even if you check online and see that there is a no-modification rule in place you cannot see if there is a written agreement between the fm author and the creator. The only people that really know if what they are using is legit or not are the people using them.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only half of responses touch on the question.

 

My question becomes, is there a way to determine which included assets might have been stolen from their creators, or are in violation of their license versus those legally/ethically included?

 

I'm not asking about a specific image, that discussion already took place and folks declared their opinions, there's no point in re-hashing it.

 

But on TDM assets, since I have no way of knowing who contributed what assets to TDM, there's no individual to PM, as apparently there's no record keeping. Emailing everyone in authors.txt would be time intensive, superfluous and potentially accusatory.

 

I intentionally waited to avoid the red-herring of the other discussion. Which is more worrisome, is there reason to avoid the topic regarding other assets?

 

...you can contact the author and obtain written proof to modify the original files/use it for commercial use/etc. So even if you check online and see that there is a no-modification rule in place you cannot see if there is a written agreement between the fm author and the creator. The only people that really know if what they are using is legit or not are the people using them.

 

Which was the case for a sound Bikerdude kindly provided me for my very first FM.

"The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

- Baron Thomas Babington Macauley

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[...] However I saw a stolen image used as a texture--worse, it had been modified to remove attribution, apparently in flagrant violation of the source's attribution-required license.

 

I'm not asking about a specific image, that discussion already took place and folks declared their opinions

 

You can understand the confusion?

 

Also, "opinions" weren't declared. I believe facts were presented or at least that is the way it read and there was no violation of anything.

Edited by Lux
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After writing an incensed reply to the implication that we have something to hide (guilty until proven innocent), I decided to abandon it and mark this thread as one of those that can go nowhere other than down a rathole that I don't wish to descend. I have better things to do with my time.

 

@RJ, if you have serious concerns with the provenance of TDM's assets, you'll probably be better served by a PM discussion with Springheel and demagague. You'll get no satisfaction in a public forum.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually I don't understand the confusion, I did make a concerted effort to point out my question wasn't about a specific mission, but did need to provide context of why this leads me to wonder about other assets. That said, I recognize that people often answer what they assume to be the discussion, rather than what is actually being asked.

 

Sorry Grayman to have caused that implication, vice-versa, I was coming from the innocent place.

"The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

- Baron Thomas Babington Macauley

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only half of responses touch on the question.

 

Not surprising if a question about a technicality got overlooked when you sandwiched it beneath a public accusation of criminality against two easily identifiable people and an assumption of gross negligence on the part of the curators of this project. All without a shred of evidence. Not up to your usual standard of communication, at all.

 

There won't be a record of where all assets came from, nothing like it. The TDM IP has been built up by contributing members who donate their work by submitting it themselves to the svn repo. How many will stop to add their name to the credits for every texture or model they make? I wouldn't, and there'd be no need to. If someone raises an IP problem about an asset, it'll be dealt with.

 

p.s. the debate about faithful reproductions of non-copyright 2d works was over years ago. I remember reading the bridgeman v corel ruling twice over, all 90-or-so pages at the time. It's a fascinating and beautifully lucid piece of writing, completely accessible to the non-specialist.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • However I saw an image used as a texture, it had been modified to remove attribution, apparently in flagrant violation of the source's attribution-required license.
  • My question becomes, is there a way to determine which included assets might have been stolen from their creators, or are in violation of their license versus those legally/ethically included?

  • What image? as Im sure we will find that the licencing for it has been followed by the mod.
  • The team have been incredably carefull about this RJ, every peice of external resource (texture/sound has been checked before we have used it.

  • There won't be a record of where all assets came from, nothing like it. The TDM IP has been built up by contributing members who donate their work by submitting it themselves to the svn repo.
  • How many will stop to add their name to the credits for every texture or model they make? I wouldn't, and there'd be no need to. If someone raises an IP problem about an asset, it'll be dealt with.

  • And any external resources that have been used or added to the mod would have been either Creative commons licence or a compatable licence that allows us to use to modify and dsitribute said resource as part of the mod.
  • I havent for one, all I have said is people are free to use stuff I have created they just need to mention that in the readme for this mission. But ultimatly it dosent matter if they dont because everything I make is part of the mod which is covered my the CC licence. For example I have seen a bunch of my textures and sounds used in T2 FM's with no credit, but due my stuff being covered my CC I am not going kick up a fuss about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did make a concerted effort to point out my question wasn't about a specific mission, but did need to provide context of why this leads me to wonder about other assets.

 

The "confusion" probably arises from this line: "I saw a stolen image used as a texture" which is a blatant accusation of theft. Accusing people of theft is hardly a positive way to begin, wouldn't you agree? And it's all the more inflammatory when the use of that texture has already been explained--presumably you're still referring to it as a "stolen image" because you think everyone who has explained why it is okay to use it is wrong?

 

You can see how that might be just a little offensive.

 

As for the more general issue, there is NO way to know whether we have copyrighted material in the mod. Our assets came from dozens of people over the span of a decade. I have no way of knowing whether models being offered to the mod are actually created by the person offering them. I have no way of knowing whether someone sharing a texture with us got it legally or not. Even when I'm making assets myself, I have no way of knowing whether the site I'm getting a texture from actually owns the original texture or whether they stole it from somewhere else. Short of having everyone who donates to the mod sign a legally binding contract to ensure proof of ownership, the best we can do is operate on good faith, and if an issue arises, we deal with it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Springheel and Melan. It has been made clear before that TDM will not support any copyright infringments.

 

Obviously it's hard to proof all assets are clean, but if anyone comes up that owns the right on one of them, we can just remove it.

 

Regarding your approach: If you see assets you think they are stolen, it would make more sense to either contact the contributers or, if you don't know them, Springheel or demagogue. Spreading such negative stuff out in a public forum is just not very helpful, especially as you caqnnot be a houndret percent sure whether you are right or wrong.

 

Your concern is however understandable, but as said you should proceed in a different way.

 

Regarding this text example in Melan's new mission: The author/distributor only holds the copyright on the product (the book for example), the copyright of the content (the actual text) expires after a while. In germany for example the copyright on music expires after one houndret years. So if I distribute something from Mozart I have played and recorded myself, this is legal, but not if someone else has played/recorded it. This is a fine but important difference.

  • Like 1

FM's: Builder Roads, Old Habits, Old Habits Rebuild

Mapping and Scripting: Apples and Peaches

Sculptris Models and Tutorials: Obsttortes Models

My wiki articles: Obstipedia

Texture Blending in DR: DR ASE Blend Exporter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for very considerate and gracious answers on a sensitive topic.

 

Perhaps naïve (I was called worse in PM), I was honestly expecting, "...authors.txt is out of date, look here instead..."--or perhaps "hoping" would be a better choice of word than "expecting".

"The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

- Baron Thomas Babington Macauley

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Really interesting read, glad to see pretty much everyone being so sensible.

"My milkshake bringeth all ye gentlefolk to the yard. Verily 'tis better than thine, I would teach thee, but I must levy a fee."

"When Kleiner showed me the sky-line of New York I told him that man is like the coral insect—designed to build vast, beautiful, mineral things for the moon to delight in after he is dead."

https://soundcloud.com/paralytik

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Petike the Taffer  »  DeTeEff

      I've updated the articles for your FMs and your author category at the wiki. Your newer nickname (DeTeEff) now comes first, and the one in parentheses is your older nickname (Fieldmedic). Just to avoid confusing people who played your FMs years ago and remember your older nickname. I've added a wiki article for your latest FM, Who Watches the Watcher?, as part of my current updating efforts. Unless I overlooked something, you have five different FMs so far.
      · 0 replies
    • Petike the Taffer

      I've finally managed to log in to The Dark Mod Wiki. I'm back in the saddle and before the holidays start in full, I'll be adding a few new FM articles and doing other updates. Written in Stone is already done.
      · 4 replies
    • nbohr1more

      TDM 15th Anniversary Contest is now active! Please declare your participation: https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/22413-the-dark-mod-15th-anniversary-contest-entry-thread/
       
      · 0 replies
    • JackFarmer

      @TheUnbeholden
      You cannot receive PMs. Could you please be so kind and check your mailbox if it is full (or maybe you switched off the function)?
      · 1 reply
    • OrbWeaver

      I like the new frob highlight but it would nice if it was less "flickery" while moving over objects (especially barred metal doors).
      · 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...