in what context exactly?

because under the 0.9.8 licence, you can't actually change anything in the core code or another persons module and then release it without their express permission.  If you can't release a module, you can't run a module because it's required under the licence that you should be able to provide the source if it's requested.

So basically, if a module isn't 100% your own original work, you can't touch it without the authors permission.

of course, you can make modifications and then show the author, and they may well either release it themselves with the changes or let you use the altered module, but once again you need their permission for this.

A module is a routine created by a modder which introduces a new feature or capability to the game.

A modification is a modified version of another file.

A patch involves editting core code.

If you haven't already done so, read the following items I've posted over time:


FAQ

and

http://dragonprime.net/index.php?board=18;action=display;threadid=873;start=msg6341#msg6341



If it's a forest special, it's a forest special.  But if you didn't write the original special, you cannot upload it here.


That is the type of change anybody could do.  Sharing it here is of no value to the modder's community.  It is also contrary to the previous point, about being the original author.


That would be considered a patch, and should be posted as a topic, not a download.  Sharing a complete file with your one change just leads to errors in the long run.

Now, before you comment about releasing files that you've altered but are not the original author of being against the rules of DragonPrime so how can you meet the license requirements...those are the rules enforced in this community to protect the authors, but do not prevent you from making them available to the public on your own server.  After all, if you can host the game, you shouldn't have any trouble providing access to a few files.

For full examples, take a look at the modules, events, specials and so forth which various people have created and shared here.  Many of them were picked up by Kendaer and added to the core distribution.  THAT is the sort of thing intended to be fostered here...that, and providing assistance (but not coding for dummies) to modders and admins.

So your saying I can still use code when I don't know the original author for it, as long as I don't claim to be the original author, and don't release the code on this site, but give people access to it on my own?

You may use any 0.9.7 code you like, if it was released and it is intact.

You cannot take ANY 0.9.7 mod and convert it to 0.9.8 and use that WITHOUT crediting the author, whether you know who the author is or not. That means, all the modules that you have converted, where you cannot contact the author, you should not be using. This is not about the ethics of it (which is a whole other question) this is the law of copyright and the license restriction of the 0.9.7 modules released under the GPL.

The GPL under which the 0.9.7 mods were released allows you to modify the code, providing you do not infringe the copyright (that is, the original author is retained as the owner of the work) and you distribute it once you alter it. From the GPL:
"if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code."

You may not limit access to this: "any patent must be licensed for everyone's free use or not licensed at all."

"You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of it... you must cause it... that users may redistribute the program under these conditions."

Note also, in regards to "language" translation, "translation is included without limitation in the term "modification"".

Since all the other released 0.9.7 mods fall under the GPL: "You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Program except as expressly provided under this License." Which means you cannot modify to 0.9.8 as that is a CC license. "If you wish to incorporate parts of the Program into other free programs whose distribution conditions are different, write to the author to ask for permission." (this covers permission to port to 0.9.8.)

Now. looking at the CC license for 0.9.8:
"Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual (for the duration of the applicable copyright) license to exercise the rights in the Work as stated below:
   1. to reproduce the Work, to incorporate the Work into one or more Collective Works, and to reproduce the Work as incorporated in the Collective Works;"
(this means, the Authors of the game and modules, including myself and all other module coders who have released their modules, allow you to use and distribute the game and those released modules.)

"You may not distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, or publicly digitally perform the Work with any technological measures that control access or use of the Work in a manner inconsistent with the terms of this License Agreement." (this means, you may modify and use it in any way you like, but since WE allow YOU to use it, YOU must similarly allow anyone else to use your modified core or modified modules under the same conditions.)

You are not required to release a module you have written yourself from scratch, but if you make any changes to the core at all or to anyone else's released file (excluding translation done with the translation tool) then you must make those files available for download. That includes adding one single line of code to a module. You've edited the code, you have to release it.

As several people have pointed out, most authors would be thrilled to have their mods converted to 0.9.8 and do appreciate the work you have put in. The sticking point is that they weren't consulted nor credited, which is a stinging slap to the face. It's their intellectual property, something they slaved over, it's their baby, and it's akin to someone writing a novel and you filming and releasing a movie without permission or giving them anything in return.

that really depends where you got it from, if (as a lot of them do) it came from dragonprime, then it's easy as pie because if the person who uploaded it wasn't the author, they should certainly know who is.

as for other sources, such as sourceforge, unless there are comments in the file you're probably out of luck.  But if you're good enough at coding you're more than welcome to take an idea and convert it into a whole new script written from scratch by yourself, and if you can cope with some of the changes I see made to your server, I'm guessing you can cope with writing your own modules.

Originality really does have advantages.

Ariodos, your initial impression left alot to be desired but your fortitude and subsequent courtesies are working well as a testament to you, keep up the good work

SaucyWench did a pretty good job of explaining the dos and dont's of the copyright stuff.

There really are only a few sticking points about working with Logd.

You must credit Eric and Myself as the authors of the game and leave our copyright, etc intact.  [This should just be common sense, right? ]

You *MAY* make any changes you want to the core code (ie, what I distribute here as a lotgd-0.9.8-prerelease.X.tar.gz file).  This includes files in the main directory, the lib directory, the modules directory, etc..  The only requirement here is that if you change any of these files *in any way* you make your changes available.  [The preferred format for making this sort of change available is as a unix diff file rather than releasing a copy of the full file, however, if someone asks you to see the file, you have to let them].  This allows myself and Eric to look at the changes made, and if they are generally useful (IE, adding a new hook that is needed, or a change of behaviour that makes things more general, etc) putting them back into the core for everyone to get the benefit of.

You *MAY* keep modules you write from scratch which don't rely on any other module, and which don't rely on any changes to any core code private if that is your wish.  This is a concession we made because we know there are lots of people who want to have unique and individual areas/etc on their game.  Our hope is that people will come forward with these modules over time and make them available.  Personally, I'd love to see people start releasing things publically after they've been 'stable' (meaning not constantly being changed) for 2-3 weeks.  Legally we'd be within our rights in the CC license to demand release of all modules of this sort, but we specifically are exempting them to allow uniqueness to develop.

You *MAY* modify another authors 0.9.8 module as long as you release the modifications to that module the same as you would release the modifications to the core code.   Module authors have the expectation that their code is protected by the same rules and restrictions as the core code.  The only differences here is who owns the copyright.

You *MAY NOT* take a module OR ANY CODE from 0.9.7 and release it as part of 0.9.8 OR vice versa.  This is due to the clash of the licenses.  You *MAY* however, submit your changes to the author of the original modification and ask them to release it.

I'm really hoping this lays any lingering questions about what is and isn't allowed to rest so that we can all get back to the creative work of writing code