Rules/Etiquette on Altering Another Author's Mod Code

[zanjia]

I've fallen in love with a mod and have since made a few custom alterations to the code and added features. I'm now getting requests to share this altered version with others but am uncertain how to proceed without stepping on the toes of the original author.

I am trying to contact the original author for his/her advice on crediting, etc, but am curious if there are any rules or procedures that are shared by the general mod-authoring community that I need to follow and therefore research further. Does anyone have any links that they can share?

[slizen]

I've also had thoughts on what is considered okey to take, and what is considered to be something you need to ask the orginal author about.

For example textures and fonts, is it considered okey to for example pick out the textures and fonts from like SharedMedia and use them in your own addon?
I realize the fonts are probably free and not made by modders, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case with most textures.

[VincentSDSH]

If the project doesn't specifically say it's in the public domain, assume it isn't. And even if it is, good form is to give credit.

If it's possible to contact the author, obtain their leave or don't do it.

If you've made good-faith efforts to contact the author and and the original project is dead, give full and absolute credit to the original author even if you wind up replacing every line of their code eventually.

I've had a bunch of requests for some work that I've done that's built to resemble another mod hosted here but sans leave from the original author, it'll say quietly in private use. Sometimes that's just the way of it.

I'm looking at taking over an apparently abandoned mod for LK but I'm still trying to contact the author about it before I publish my updates and take it over.

[Seerah]

For addons, you are doing the correct thing in trying to contact the author first. It also depends on the license that the addon is under. If it says that it's okay to create derivative works, redistribute, etc, then you're good. If it says all rights reserved, etc, then you cannot modify it. If there is no license provided, that means that you haven't been given permission to modify, redistribute, etc. Absence of a license does not equal absence of copyright. If no "all rights reserved" type license is present, and all attempts to contact the original author have failed, the mod is considered abandoned, etc, then you may release it with credit given to the original addon and the original author. You can call it a fan update or tack "Reborn" onto the name or something.


As to the question about textures... It would probably be best for your users to just include support for SharedMedia. And, yes, most, if not all, of the textures have been created by other authors/users.

[Slakah]

Always attempt to get the original authors permission before releasing anything. If you gain the permission then I would personally come up with a new name, or if possible adopt the previous name, as appending "Reborn" to a mod name can sometimes lead to confusion as awol authors can return etc.

Also out of interest what addon are you considering carrying on?