Modding Etiquette

[Thedrin]

I've nearly finished a mod that uses code written by another modder. A couple of days ago I sent the person in question a PM - here and at Civfanatics - asking for permission to post the code online. But since he/she hasn't posted at either site in many months I'm not expecting a response.

I've never put any form of work online for public use so I'm wondering what the general consensus is to using code without permission (it would be credited, of course).

[Dale]

Most modders only require their name in the credits. That's all.

It's curtesy to send the person an email saying you've used it, but if no email available, a PM.

Dale

[Locutus]

That's always a tough issue. First of all, if it's someone who's been inactive for a long time, you're gonna have to give them more than a few days. Likely RL has eaten their modding time so they may need up to a few weeks to respond, don't despair yet.

Technically any unauthorised use of someone else's materials is a copyrights violation, but then again technically any mod is a copyrights violation of Firaxis materials anyway, so you're very much in a grey area. As Dale points out, most modders don't mind you reusing their materials, in fact they are often happy to see it, but it's still that person's work and it's certainly bad form if not plain illegal to reuse it without permission.

If you can play it safe and release your work as an 'add-on' to someone else's work that's the best way to go -- not a whole lot anyone can say against that. Just add in the readme or wherever that the files you're reusing are a prerequisite to being able to play your mod and don't actually include them in your download but tell people where they can download them. If that's somehow not an option and your own mod is sufficiently different from the files you're reusing and you credit the original owner appropriately you've done the best you can do, really, it shouldn't have to stop you from releasing your mod. Should the person in question contact you in the future informing you that (s)he doesn't like what you did you can always pull down the file or make appropriate changes at that time. Odds are that if it does happen (however unlikely) it won't be a friendly message, so be prepared for that and willing to act according to their wishes.

This is why you should always include a legal disclaimer in all your mods explaining what people can and can't do with your work...

[Thedrin]

Thanks for the information. I'll probably keep it to myself for a while.

I put the mod together to improve my own enjoyment of the game so not posting it online isn't an issue.