Content Licensing - Questions and Answers

[CameronMcDonald 146]

Can't you share everything but the other user's content? Delete it out of P3Ds, nuke applicable textures, truncate the config, etc?

[John Kozak 14]

A user has contacted me claiming my mod is illegal and I have to share the source data because my mod uses data from the sample packs. However there is also data from another user who does not want to share their work through me. The sample data (ironsights and grenade launcher model) is used on the 3rd party p3d.

Surely this is not the case that I have to share what I am not permitted to share?

As said above, APL license doesn't contain any clauses about having to provide sources, so the guy is bullshitting you.

[maddogx 13]

As said above, APL license doesn't contain any clauses about having to provide sources, so the guy is bullshitting you.

Pretty much this.

Don't give out your sources unless you want to.

[lstor 17]

From the Game Content Usage Rules:

You may not reverse engineer or hack our games to access the content you want to make items from or to change the game’s functionality.

Now, I live in Norway where I have an un-waiverable right by law to reverse engineer any computer program I have permission to use, so I'm not going to argue the point itself. However, I am wondering:

• Why does BIS have this point in the GCUR?
  
• Does this apply to the game binary itself, or any other parts (as well)?
  

It would seem to me that that point would contradict the licence agreements, since 'accessing the content [we] want to make items from or to change the game's functionality' is pretty much the core of mod-making.

[maddogx 13]

It would seem to me that that point would contradict the licence agreements, since 'accessing the content [we] want to make items from or to change the game's functionality' is pretty much the core of mod-making.

It would seem to me that you are nitpicking over a moot point. :)

Reverse engineering the game is not necessary in order to make a mod, because licensed tools and sample models have been provided.

[lstor 17]

It would seem to me that you are nitpicking over a moot point. :)

Reverse engineering the game is not necessary in order to make a mod, because licensed tools and sample models have been provided.

Thanks for the quick reply. I didn't mean to be nit-picking, I was simply asking for clarification on which parts of the game it applies to. I have the feeling I misunderstand something about it, since it in my interpretation goes against the BIS spirit of embracing the modding community.

[.kju 3244]

I would guess it mainly refers to models and the terrains, you are not allow to modify.

[maddogx 13]

Thanks for the quick reply. I didn't mean to be nit-picking, I was simply asking for clarification on which parts of the game it applies to. I have the feeling I misunderstand something about it, since it in my interpretation goes against the BIS spirit of embracing the modding community.

Perhaps the word "mod" is confusing in this context, since it implies that the game might be "modified" in a way that the EULA forbids (i.e. changing core game files). This is simply not the case though, since mods in ARMA are applied by adding your own files, not by changing existing ones.

[lstor 17]

Perhaps the word "mod" is confusing in this context, since it implies that the game might be "modified" in a way that the EULA forbids (i.e. changing core game files). This is simply not the case though, since mods in ARMA are applied by adding your own files, not by changing existing ones.

That makes sense, and I think I understand now. Thanks!

[flawstradamus 11]

http://i.imgur.com/ZmOqXcB.png (477 kB)

I'm curious if the above photo is allowed. Selling humanity as a donation perk seems it would be illegal under the licensing would it not ? I couldn't start a thread on the main board so I hope this is the correct place to reply if not could you possibly move it for me into a standalone discussion.

Thanks,

Flaws

[barakokula31 10]

http://i.imgur.com/ZmOqXcB.png (477 kB)

I'm curious if the above photo is allowed. Selling humanity as a donation perk seems it would be illegal under the licensing would it not ? I couldn't start a thread on the main board so I hope this is the correct place to reply if not could you possibly move it for me into a standalone discussion.

Thanks,

Flaws

No, it's not - BI recently told Tonic, the creator of Altis Life, that "donation perks" are not allowed and he had to remove them. But the problem is that sooooo many DayZ communities are doing it. The best thing you could do is report each and every single one of them. I'd do it, but I don't know where to do it...

[flawstradamus 11]

No, it's not - BI recently told Tonic, the creator of Altis Life, that "donation perks" are not allowed and he had to remove them. But the problem is that sooooo many DayZ communities are doing it. The best thing you could do is report each and every single one of them. I'd do it, but I don't know where to do it...

While I do believe you. I need someone from BI to confirm. Also do you happen to have the link to report servers?

[Chairborne 2594]

If i was to reskin an original A3 asset that has no hidden selections, as in, i opened the p3d with a hex editor and redirected the texture paths to my own, wouldn't that be some sort of copyright infringement?

I'm asking because i see some people doing it but i always thought it wasn't legal.

Of course this is intended to be used in A3, not to steal and use in some other game.

[PuFu 4600]

it is copyright infringement according to the EULA (goes under reverse engineering). This used to be tolerated. You don't need hex editor, you need Mikero's Move tool. :) it's on dev-heaven

[Chairborne 2594]

So i assume there's nothing to worry about, correct?

[PuFu 4600]

the hex editor solution is not really a solution since you can change a path only when the new path has the same number of characters (ie: \bi_content\veh01\data\ to \myown_cntn\vehic\text\ ). IRC, movetool does not have that limitation.

[lato1982 36]

Sorry if the question was already answered, but can we use ArmA 2 soundtrack in the contest? I see there's only a packege with models but no sounds?

EDIT:

I have found this, so everything is clear now:

Most of the music can be freely used subject to our general rules, e.g. all music from Arma games. Sometimes we license music from 3rd parties and subsequently don’t own the rights ourselves and cannot give permission for you to use music or other audio from the game. If this is the case we’ll let you know, safest to check first with us. But we can confirm that the music in Carrier Command: Gaea Mission and some of the music in Take On Helicopters is not available for re-use

Edited September 6, 2014 by Lato1982

[cifordayzserver 119]

No, it's not - BI recently told Tonic, the creator of Altis Life, that "donation perks" are not allowed and he had to remove them. But the problem is that sooooo many DayZ communities are doing it. The best thing you could do is report each and every single one of them. I'd do it, but I don't know where to do it...

http://i.imgur.com/ZmOqXcB.png (477 kB)

I'm curious if the above photo is allowed. Selling humanity as a donation perk seems it would be illegal under the licensing would it not ? I couldn't start a thread on the main board so I hope this is the correct place to reply if not could you possibly move it for me into a standalone discussion.

Thanks,

Flaws

While I do believe you. I need someone from BI to confirm. Also do you happen to have the link to report servers?

I'd really like to hear an official reply on this as well.

I've always been of the understanding that this is expressly forbidden, but as mentioned the practice has exploded in the DayZ community, and already was something fairly prevalent in the "life mod" scene from what I've heard.

Frankly, I don't care what the rules ARE, but I don't like the lack of clear message. Modders, as mentioned by Vilas, who spend often hundreds or thousands of hours creating content find it hard to collect so much as a dime in donations, while server hosts are collecting what's rumored to be in some cases LARGE amounts of money.

There are arguments for either case, allowing it, or not allowing it... but there is no justification for these "rules of honor" that seem to exist.

If it's allowed... fine, let some modders team up with hosts and provide exclusive or more content in return for shared donations...

If it's not allowed... please at least take some steps to prevent server hosts from breaking the rules and doing so. Even if it's just making that message CLEAR.

Should anyone question whether or not that message is clear, feel free to browse reddit, or any of the many server community websites, or derivative DayZ mod websites for endless amounts of exclusive partnerships, content exploitation, and what equate to content malls for people to donate up to the level they want to be geared on log in.

The only thing that is clear, is people who adhere to the rules, suffer and do not profit... those who ignore them blindly and with no respect for BI or any community authors profit, and don't at least publicly appear to be even asked to stop by Bohemia.

If it's forbidden, I don't understand the process, because I've spoken with hosts that I was told were reported and they at least say they've never have been.

---------- Post added at 22:34 ---------- Previous post was at 22:02 ----------

On a different note, I have a fairly specific question.

Can you edit the terrains from A2 in Terrain Builder to fully port/alter them for A3? IE use a combination of the Data Pack files, the public data files, and then create the missing files in order to edit and pack the terrains as we did with SMD_Sahrani?

For example, If I wanted to take the SMD Buildings and place them down on each terrain 1 by 1 properly, so the maps were more enterable, is that allowed?

[Dreadp1r4te 10]

If a mod maker releases a mod/content under the Creative Commons License (which all creative commons licenses allow redistribution as long as credit is given to the original author), is it necessary to obtain permission to redistribute their mod/content, since under the CCL they can't legally prevent you from redistributing?

[JdB 151]

"Redistributing" is to make the entire unaltered package available on other websites and download mirrors free of charge without denying the ownership right of the Intellectual Property by the original author(s) contained within the package regardless of the form (compressed archives like zip, rar, 7zip or a fileformat like pbo, wav, sqs etc). The key parts here being "unaltered" and "free of charge". As long as the package remains as the author intended it to without money being charged for it's availability it cannot be restricted from being redistributed if the product is freeware like most addons, mods and missions are. This of course does not apply to commercial addons for which free distribution amounts to piracy. For example community sites can host content as much as they want unless the author objects with a legal reason, like when content is stolen and someone else releases it and pretend that they made it.

[TheEdge 14]

Hey guys, iam new here, and i have a lot of models made by me, and i want to put them on the game arma 3, anyone knows where can i find a good tutorial for this? thanks in advice.

[Chairborne 2594]

Check the specific editing sections and the Wiki for more information.

I have another question.

Say i was making a model of my own with the tools.

If i was to export the file into another format like 3ds or whatever format common programs use, would i be allowed to commercialize it (as in put it for sale on the internet) while still releasing it as a mod for arma?

[.kju 3244]

If you use O2, strictly speaking no - if you use a third party tool to build the model, yes.

[ange1u5 11]

I'm just trying to find out if a youtube trailer with a copyrighted soundtrack, even if the mission itself does not contain any copyrighted content itself, would disqualify me. Anyone else know?

[TheEdge 14]

Thank you for the response, i will try modding.