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Posted by: Catbert 13 Nov 2013, 7:36

Got back to playing company of heroes. Had an idea to set it in the Generals universe, more specifically something along the lines of ROTR factions and units. While the chances of anything happening is slight (My modding experience is limited to stats, balancing etc), I just wanted to check that whether I am allowed to borrow unit designs, ideas, inspirations etc, with credit, of course.

Heck, if not, I probably can just stick to trying to make the vanilla factions anyways...

Posted by: Chappi55 13 Nov 2013, 13:50

Why would you need to ask about this?
It's not like designs/ideas are copyrighted. Hell, if your mod is for personal use you can use any mod assets you wish as long as you won't release it publicly/claim the assets as your own.


You should check sleipnirstuff forum, it's a dead place but it has a huge topic of free to use W3D models for generals/zh.

Posted by: Stalker 13 Nov 2013, 21:02

I think he wants to mod CoH, not ZH, right?

And if he wants to use ideas from RotR I think it was a good idea to ask first.

Posted by: Chappi55 14 Nov 2013, 15:25

True dat, didn't read closely enough. Why would he need to ask Rotr for permission to use their ideas? They're not copyrighted and he's not selling them or anything.
Of course blatantly copying something and stating it's yours is a dick move, but even if he used somebody elses idea and provided credit there's no need to ask.

Posted by: Stalker 14 Nov 2013, 15:56

Everything you create is copyrighted (at least in my country). And unique design like the Sentinel is their creation. It's probably not a huge problem, but it's still nice to ask first. Of course this doesn't apply to RL stuff like a TOPOL-M for example.

Posted by: Catbert 15 Nov 2013, 7:07

You got it. I am trying to mod CoH. Might put up scans of some sketches and ideas if I have time.
Hell, even try to actually get this thing off the drawing board as well?!

Posted by: Chappi55 15 Nov 2013, 15:52

Sorry for going offtopic but,

I'm not saying that we should go and claim their stuff as our own, but to be honest it's not copyrighted at all. They're not selling it, so they can't enforce anything on anyone. They've done something and put it up in the internet for download. I don't remember if there was a specific part regarding copyrights/permissions in rotr's readme, but it's the same as if I actually drew a cat and put it as a download here, saying that "Credit me if you use it". It's still not copyrighted because I'm fully dependant on the internet users to follow my wish or not.

As for ideas, did they patent them? I think not, so I can model/texture/script a sentinel and I don't have to say that I'm using their ideas.
Of course blatantly copying something and claiming it as your own is a dick move, but to be honest I never really played rotr so I wouldn't want to be called a thief simply because I've coded/textured something that looks like their mod asset.

In conclusion to my rant, you DON'T HAVE to ask for anything if you're using it only as a private mod that's not going to be released. Though it'll be nice to credit the original authors even if it's private.
If you're going to release the mod, then don't be a huge dick and ask for permission as some people are ultra anal about their work and in most cases I fully understand them.

Posted by: MsD IV 15 Nov 2013, 16:14

Technically you can't get legally axed for stealing mod assets and such and dickwaving by not giving proper credits, you'll just have a really bad name within the community and people will hate you to the very bottom. Also put in trust issues.


As for the subject, if you do go with it eventually, I'd love to see how the Paladin turns out a way or another

Posted by: Catbert 16 Nov 2013, 5:17

As for the Paladin tank, I plan to modify the Abrams models already made for CoH. How the hell I can code in the PDL is another story...