A new ISIS mod, picking up the ball

[accuracythruvolume 547]

If you've followed the recent hub-bub about the ISIS mods lately, you know that a few dumb interweb "articles" full of lies and propaganda have popped up, calling the makers of the mods ISIS supporters. Due to this, of the three main mods out there that feature(d) ISIS, one has (at least temporarily) been abandoned, one the author appears to have dissociated himself him completely (at least publicly) and the last one has removed all vestiges of ISIS logos. While it is up to them to do what they what with their mod, I however would like to pick up the slack and create a new / hybrid mod that will indeed feature ISIS logos all over the place. That is because that is what they do. They are huge on the propaganda front. If they were crushed into dust tomorrow, they have (like it or not) already carved out a space in history, and people like to play things based on current and historical events. We've all seen WW2 games since a little game called Wolfenstein to present day and no one ever thought those developers were all nazi supporters. I feel the same with continuing to develop an ISIS faction. For the record, I feel they should be pounded into dust and it saddens we that the civilized world has not done so already.

As I am new to modding this game, I would like to use an amalgamation of the three mods as a jumping off point and continue from there. This means using assets found in those mods. I want to claim no original authorship but I feel that the authors want to distance themselves from them as they were when this BS about the logos started. I believe a demand exists in the player base to play against this faction.

I envision a mod called something like "Iraqi Syrian Conflict" as it would offer several factions that cover that region of the world. ISIS would be the premiere OPFOR unit but there is room for more generic irregular insurgents. Plus I like playing occasionally with BLUFOR AI as peshmerga.

Does any objection exist to these ideas? Again, I would hold no claim on the original work, I simply would like to have a mod to play as described above. What say you?

Edited February 5, 2015 by AccuracyThruVolume

[EricJ 759]

It's a bit unfair to call them sympathizers when they're providing targets, but... sounds good man..

[Defunkt 431]

This means using assets found in those mods.

You can base your own addon on those mods by nominating the original mods as dependencies but you can't repackage assets extracted from those mods without permission. As long as you follow that, you're golden.

[Spartan0536 189]

Very nice, finally someone who can step up to the plate, I am looking forward to the development of this mod so that SEAL Team 7 and the 22nd SAS on my server can kick the living **** out of those little punks.

[Sif 10]

If I might say you could do a Syrian Civil War pack and include all the large parties in the conflict. YPG Units, FSA, Al Nusra, ISIS, NDF, SAA, try to diversify the groups a little. Either way it's good to see someone will go down this route, can't blame the authors if they don't want to be unnecessarily hassled for a mod they made.

[accuracythruvolume 547]

You can base your own addon on those mods by nominating the original mods as dependencies but you can't repackage assets extracted from those mods without permission. As long as you follow that, you're golden.

Could said "mods as dependancies" be included automatically? One of the mods in question as officially been deleted from armaholic and PWS and the author appears to have abandoned it. (please author comment in here if you have an issue with my idea)

Notice I'm not calling out names. I respect those authors decision even while I disagree with them.

If I might say you could do a Syrian Civil War pack and include all the large parties in the conflict. YPG Units, FSA, Al Nusra, ISIS, NDF, SAA, try to diversify the groups a little. Either way it's good to see someone will go down this route, can't blame the authors if they don't want to be unnecessarily hassled for a mod they made.

I literally don't give a fark what lies may be posted about my mod (if I can fumble thru making it work). Yawn, doesn't move my needle. People want to play against them. A need exists to fill.

Edited February 5, 2015 by AccuracyThruVolume

[war_lord 934]

Could said "mods as dependancies" be included automatically? One of the mods in question as officially been deleted from armaholic and PWS and the author appears to have abandoned it. (please author comment in here if you have an issue with my idea)

Notice I'm not calling out names. I respect those authors decision even while I disagree with them.

Not without permission. You can't package stuff without the author's okay on it.

[accuracythruvolume 547]

Ok, thank you for the clarification. Worst case scenario then would be to study the file structure they used and recreate the specific bits. Not impossible. This would largely be a learning exercise for me. ISIS logos are all over the interweb so that is not a problem.

[serjames 357]

Just to clarify, unless they pass you across the source files, You're not going to be able to do anything without starting from scratch on this effectively..

Annoying eh !?

[malcom86 33]

Interesting idea, I'll look forward to this !! Best luck ;)

I don't think you will have any problem having permissions...no one seems willing to put the ISIS on a mod again now. Good someone is making the difference just to not let the terror for a simbol spreading.

[nodunit 397]

I don't blame the original authors for stepping down for personal reasons, that is their right and we should all respect that but on the other hands media shouldn't be allowed to influence things like this or make claims just for obvious clickbait. They should be held to task for the complete lack of any research into the fact that the game engine handles these units just the same as any other unit.

Secondly the idea of killing western soldiers...awful as this may sound, so? It is a video game, it is not reality and how is it not MORE propaganda to say that we should always play as the west or specificly the US soldiers fighting for freedom and all that lovely jazz. That seems like far too much of a white washing mentality to me, now don't get me wrong..I'm not saying ISIS are great people, far from it, they are pretty barbaric and with a medevil mindset with what they have been doing, but again this is a video game not reality. We're not even beheading people, burning them alive, or doing other heinous things to our fellow human. At the absolute most we are just another avatar holding a rifle, shooting another avatar, same mechanics but different uniform, that is it.

And they say we have problems differentiating video games from reality...pft.

[jcae2798 132]

It's true, and a shame that words of the public cause peoples ideas to look different. I agree with using the names and logos has nothing to do with supporting such a group, but just the facts that this is who they are. People will always talk BS and start unnecessary chats over something so dumb, but for some that's how they feel and I can understand their point of view as well, they just cant take it out on others. Anyways GL with the project.

[accuracythruvolume 547]

Thank you all for your support. As I suspected, people want to play against these types of enemies. The planned faction structure at the moment is as follows:

BLUFOR

* [iSC] Peshmerga

* [iSC] Free Syrian Army

* [iSC] Iraqi Army

OPFOR

* [iSC] Syrian Arab Army

* [iSC] Syrian NDF (National Defense Force)

Independant

* [iSC] Islamic State

* [iSC] Al-Nusra Front

That is how they will be named in the editor, to avoid any conflict with other mods. This mod for now is to be called Iraqi Syrian Conflict.

[R0adki11 3949]

As I am new to modding this game, I would like to use an amalgamation of the three mods as a jumping off point and continue from there. This means using assets found in those mods. I want to claim no original authorship but I feel that the authors want to distance themselves from them as they were when this BS about the logos started. I believe a demand exists in the player base to play against this faction.

Before go ahead using assets in other mods, please ask permission.

§19) Posting addon/mod other content without permission

For many years this community has been known as the premium addon/mod creating community, people work tirelessly and in great detail to create fantastic addons/mods/missions/campaigns to release for free so that everyone benefits, including Bohemia Interactive. There are a few simple rules in place to provide the respect to these creative people/groups that they deserve:

The first and most fundamental rule is that you must seek permission to alter someone's work, to mirror it or use it in any way other than for personal use. No permission, no editing, no mirroring, no adding to your mod pack, no editing and sharing around your private squad, none of that is acceptable.

Obviously we cannot unfortunately control what people do outside of these forums, however on these forums you must follow this rule, if a person/team post a thread to share an addon/mod using content from someone else without permission and we receive a complaint then the mod thread will be closed until the issue is resolved and the forum member(s) risks being permanently banned from these forums for taking someone's work without permission.

This isn't just limited to re-using content in addons/mods/missions however, it's not acceptable to edit someone's work without permission and then to post screenshots of it on the forums (even if the edited addon/mod is purely for personal use), it's also not acceptable to edit someone's work, or use someone's work in any way that you don't have permission for and then to create videos which you post on these forums, doing any of the above without the permission of the original creators risks a permanent ban, for individuals, for whole mod teams or squads.

also you may want look at these aswell: http://amar.arma3.fr/

[accuracythruvolume 547]

Indeed. I will not use other's work without the ok. Worst case scenario is to start from scratch.

[dragon01 902]

The simplest way is just to ask authors themselves. If someone disassociated with a mod completely, he might as well let you have it. It would be somewhat odd to have assets shared with a clause that requires not crediting the original author, but that's politics for you, I guess. :) I wish you best luck with this, I love using ISIS as targets to bomb/strafe/shoot. Make sure to include some military vehicles, too (love watching them blow up). Don't let politics get in your way.

[Degman 73]

Newspapers and especially these online (click me! click me!) articles should not stand on anyone's way. Dont give up from your work just because they talk crap about it, without even trying to inform themselves about it.

Anyway, here's something I had been working on in 2014. (a part of not-yet-released version of the Croatian Armed Forces mod - in which ISIS will be a main enemy)

http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/30730197233508488/BEA086E8627234213B8E0370868903914241AFAA/

http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/30730197233529923/C5B45746C62503300DAFB65F682DB66EA8DC1850/

http://media.moddb.com/images/groups/1/6/5083/2014-12-31_00001.jpg

There are also separated body parts avaible (left/right hand/leg, head and torso).

I can send you models to include it into your ISIS mod, if you want so. Also, I can help with other things as well, or even stop working on my ISIS mod integrated into CROAF and help you do yours, so that there is no 100 different kinds of mods with Jihadists, each one with different stuff.

[Nicholas 5]

If you've followed the recent hub-bub about the ISIS mods lately, you know that a few dumb interweb "articles" full of lies and propaganda have popped up, calling the makers of the mods ISIS supporters.

Haven't heard of any articles calling the mod-makers ISIS supporters.

Anyways, go for it.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Nicholas

[chortles 263]

Haven't heard of any articles calling the mod-makers ISIS supporters.

Anyways, go for it.

The articles tended to admit that the mods didn't start as pro-ISIS (claiming that they were "hijacked" by ISIS supporters), but in a "throwaway line" sentence with the headline and initial paragraphs severely distorting what was going on.

[Nicholas 5]

The articles tended to admit that the mods didn't start as pro-ISIS (claiming that they were "hijacked" by ISIS supporters), but in a "throwaway line" sentence with the headline and initial paragraphs severely distorting what was going on.

Welcome to the world of journalism. :)

[ProfTournesol 956]

Welcome to the world of journalism. :)

No journalism in Daily mail.

[Nicholas 5]

No journalism in Daily mail.

Who even mentioned the Daily Mail? I certainly didn't.

[Psilocybe 3]

Thank you all for your support. As I suspected, people want to play against these types of enemies. The planned faction structure at the moment is as follows:

BLUFOR

* [iSC] Peshmerga

* [iSC] Free Syrian Army

* [iSC] Iraqi Army

OPFOR

* [iSC] Syrian Arab Army

* [iSC] Syrian NDF (National Defense Force)

Independant

* [iSC] Islamic State

* [iSC] Al-Nusra Front

That is how they will be named in the editor, to avoid any conflict with other mods. This mod for now is to be called Iraqi Syrian Conflict.

Looking at this mod from an standalone standpoint, I would suggest:

BLUFOR:

SAA

NDF

IRAQI ARMY

OPFOR:

IS

Al Nusra Front

Independant:

Peshmerga

FSA

[Defunkt 431]

Looking at this mod from an standalone standpoint, I would suggest:

BLUFOR:

SAA

NDF

IRAQI ARMY

OPFOR:

IS

Al Nusra Front

Independant:

Peshmerga

FSA

While the situation is complex and changeable I think the OP's choices far better reflect current alignments.

[war_lord 934]

Personally I'd go

BLUFOR:

* [iSC] Peshmerga

* [iSC] Free Syrian Army

* [iSC] Iraqi Army

OPFOR:

* [iSC] Islamic State

* [iSC] Syrian Arab Army

* [iSC] Syrian NDF (National Defense Force)

Independent:

* [iSC] Al-Nusra Front

* [iSC] Syrian Arab Army (again)

* [iSC] Syrian NDF (National Defense Force) [again]

Al Nusra Front are assisting the Rebels against ISIL, who basically no one involved wants to see in charge of Syria. Thus they certainly shouldn't be featured on the same side as ISIL. They're anti-ISIL and also anti-West, the definition of independent.