Morrowind 2011 Mod Collection Pulled After Complaints

[WittyInfidel]

I had checked it out, but couldn't ever get it to run. I had various problem trying to get it to mesh together, the loaders didn't want to load, ect.

Really broke my heart, too. I had so wanted to play it. Hopefully it'll reach 100% playability one day.

 

[Plurralbles]

wait... the mods are fucking hypocrites. The game itself could have been completely unmoddable, but it is and incredibly so. To not allow this and threaten legal action is the worst kind of failure of the spirit of what makes modding communities great. Fuck morrowwind modders.

 

[Sporky111]

So they made mods and released them for free.

He compiled them and credited them and showed how to make them all work together. For free.

And they filed copyright infringement against him?

Sounds like free publicity and distribution to me, but I guess I just don't know anything about the mod community. He should have asked first obviously, but the response is pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

 

[Ewoc]

That possibly had to be the most depressing news that I will hear this year. Morrowind is my number one game of all time. Maybe there will be some sort of agreement with all the mod owners so we can get this back into the hands of the people!!!!

 

[RogueDarkJedi]

I don't play Morrowind, but I feel like I should throw in my two cents.

Although it doesn't sound like it from the article, but did our friend here email any of the creators in the first place before he made a compilation?

Second, did these mods have licenses or any sort of terms listed on their respective download sites? No? Then they obviously didn't think ahead (I also wonder how strong their legal ground would be here. Both sides are rather weak). I thought it was practically required to include license files with mods. Seriously, this is the internet. If you are worried about someone distributing/modifying your work, you should include a license (please note: I know someone will attempt to point out that this will never work out and people will ignore it [and then most likely give an example like the internet and pirating music or something]. I would like to state that the guy who made this package had GOOD intentions [at least from the facts we know], and would most likely respect those licenses before creating a package. If the mods he included DID have a license and it FORBID "remixing" then the fault is with him).

My other points:
* Really mod authors, really? I mean come on. This guy is helping you get more views out there. You provided these mods for the community. Get over yourselves. If you didn't want someone to bundle your mod, you better have made it clear in the first place.
* Putting a file in the zip as credits is a nice gesture but you should also put the credits on the website as well.
* Why exactly is he banned from the Bethesda forums? That makes no sense.

As a software developer myself, I feel like this issue is blown out of proportion. Given only the information posted here, it seems like the guy who bundled this was well within the DMCA fair use. I can understand the mod developers being angry because he hadn't contacted them. I would be angry too. I would probably contact him demanding an explanation of what he was thinking. But then again, I probably wouldn't have been affected because I would most probably include a license/terms that would forbid redistributing.

There is not enough information given to really choose a side completely. But tl;dr, I believe that given only the information here, it seems like mod developers are going a bit too far.

UPDATE:

So doing a bit more research this is what I found.

1. Tyler was banned from the Bethesda forums for flaming (from what I can tell, flaming was not used as an excuse to ban him, he was legitimately doing it), of which he posted emails of people trying to stop distribution of their mods.
2. The major player against him is a guy named Sean, who claims that by bundling, Tyler is plagiarizing. From my understanding, plagiarism is when you take part or all of a work and claim it as your own and/or without credit.
3. Rumor has it that the original package contained no credits document (bum bum bum). I cannot confirm this completely, but the original reddit posting has a link to a credits list (a rather long one).

As I stated before, there really isn't enough information on the subject, and because of this, it is difficult to draw a conclusion.

 

[Manchubot]

well, on a plus side the guy who made this mod compilation has the coolest Morrowind game ever to play now, so it's not all time wasted.

 

[Danpascooch]

What the FUCK modders!?

You were supposed to be different from the fucking corporations, what happened to caring about the GAME and not about the red tape?

I am disappointed.

 

[Danpascooch]

There are a number of sites were this is still available... I've found several of them. Hopefully it won't die and third parties will continue to upload it despite the "risk."

If anyone is interested in download and hasn't had much luck finding it, try here:

http://www.filefront.com/17749072/The-Elder-Scrolls-III-Morrowind---Morrowind-2011-Mod-Compedium-1.0/

That's only 1.1gb, is that the right size?

HOLY SHIT! IT DOWNLOADED AT 11MEGABYTES PER SECOND!

What is that site? Most download sites let you get like 10kb/s after 10 captchas

 

[Danpascooch]

I hope he posts the usernames or emails of these assholes so they get spammed into oblivion and people know whos mods to stop supporting. I don't care who is right or wrong here, those people are fucking douchebags, plain and simple.

Yeah, those people are douchbags for not wanting someone to compile their mod [that they spent a lot of time and effort on, and then released to the community] in a package without their permission...

I think you need a reality check - the mod creators aren't in the wrong here, what the guy did was illegal, and what's more he clearly [well according to this news post anyway] didn't ask permission from the modders in the first place - and he's gaining positive publicity from their work...there's nothing wrong with them threatening action against him.

If they didn't it would only encourage similar incidents - permission is important in the mod scene, and I assume, had he asked around, he'd have received the permission he sought, instead of incorrectly assuming the modders would be satisfied with his offer.

I'm not so sure it is illegal if he wasn't making money off of it.

Modding is supposed to be something that is done for the good of the community, but forcing him to take down is package, these modders are showing they obviously don't give a shit about the good of the community.

 

[mr_rubino]

ITT: Gamer entitlement complex and misunderstanding/dismissal of intellectual property rights.
In other news, the sky is blue and the sun rises in the east.

 

[Fumbleumble]

The original site is finally down

 

[imperialreign]

I'm at a lack for words here. Ok, so all these mods were created by modders and offered up to the community to use as they see fit right? I mean, you can personally just go and download each and everyone of them separately an achieve the same result that this guy did. Then, wanting to share his joy with others such as these modders were originally doing, he releases a pack of these mods, nothing in which he claims except for the way to put them together. Sounds really stupid to me. I mean, all he really has to do is release his instructions online along with where to download each mod. That will make it a little less convenient for everyone but would end up in the same exact result. I just don't see any kind of reason for a problem here. All these modders are over reacting to this way to much. It's not like you need permission from them to go and download each mod individually, assuming they are all still provided online by the modders themselves. That is the only way I see a problem at all with this. I just don't understand some people.

I agree with this.

I gues it just boils down to the differences within the modding communities. If you release a mod, you know full well it's public domain . . . you don't technically have that many "rights" to the majority of the work, as you're releasing it for a platform or program that you don't have rights to modify to begin with (read the EULA that hasn't changed for most games in the last 30 years). Simply because the game devs don't care if there are users modding their games doesn't give the modders right to go and throw a hissy when someone compiles their work. The only thing I could agree with here would be if the user in question released the comp-pack without providing any kind of credits to the original authors, or if he was trying to make money of the compilation.

IDK, I just find it sad. Being extremelly involved in the STALKER modding community, I don't see this kind of childish behaviour . . . and there are an absolute TON of STALKER mod compilation packs available. We see the same issue where many times compilation packs recieve more publicity and "awareness" than the smaller individual mods, and many users mistakenly credit or assume the compilation author for the entirety of the work. STALKER Complete is a prime example of this . . . but, us modders who's work has been used in these types of compilations don't care. When a mod of any type (even a compilation) recieves this kind of attention, it's for the betterment of the community as a whole . . . it brings more awareness to the scene . . .

 

[pliusmannn]

They should all be very kind with mister Smith, he done a great job and must be appreciated. Mods, you can download them for free right? So why not in one big chunk? I call those mod authors who complaint douchebags

 

[LewisLongshanks]

You can actually still download it. Not all of the file network sites have removed it.

I've seen this kind of prima donna bitching before by various modding communities, and it's always stupid in my opinion. If they had a problem with not getting credit for their work, they could have contacted Smith and asked to be included in the credits. To shut it down completely reeks of selfish egotism. Besides, mod authors don't even use their real names most of the time, just their online pseudonyms.

Now I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but the whole "violating copyright laws in about a dozen countries" claim reeks of bullcrap. Nobody was making any money off of this. Moreover, it's unlikely any of the mods would be protected like Morrowind itself, since they were all based on the original game's IP.

In short, the modders need to drop the drama queen routine and work something out.

QED. It is bs the modders are making a big deal about it. It is like they had some vain belief that maybe, just maybe their mods for a game that is over half a decade old would get them acquired into professional business someday. Completely vain. It sickens me because they're part of the problem that alot of people are having with the existing corporate giants in video gaming. Oh the irony.

 

[xqxm]

I have never seen someone shoot themselves in the foot more severely than the "dissatisfied creators".

This was a beautiful way for mod creators to get their work appreciated, and for people to see the glory of many people working together to breathe life into an old game.

But since it's obviously more important to them that people download THEIR FILE from THEIR SITE, i guess it wasn't meant to be.

This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[Irridium]

I'm not so sure it is illegal if he wasn't making money off of it.

Modding is supposed to be something that is done for the good of the community, but forcing him to take down is package, these modders are showing they obviously don't give a shit about the good of the community.

The modders made the work, some of the mods contain new textures created by the modders, which is most likely what they're pissed about. Plus, chances are the guy didn't ask to use their stuff. All this could have been avoided if the guy simply asked to use the stuff first, and chances are most, if not all, would have said yes.

Yes the modders are being harsher then they should be, and they should be stoked that someone considered their mods important enough to be included in this compilation, but that still doesn't change the fact that the up-loader used their stuff without asking.

In short, uploader wrong for not asking for permission, and modders wrong for being such dicks about it.

Also, as a side note referring to your download speed...

Only 1.1gb? That would take me 3 damn hours to download!

And you can get to speeds of 11 megabytes per second?! I'm lucky if I can get 60 kilobytes a second!

God I wish they'd bring DSL to my area >:|
...

Sorry... just jealous is all.

 

[stone0042]

So since the site is finally down, does that mean instructions are gone as well? I have the file, but would feel much better installing with his instructions, they looked quite detailed. Any ideas?

 

[Danpascooch]

I'm not so sure it is illegal if he wasn't making money off of it.

Modding is supposed to be something that is done for the good of the community, but forcing him to take down is package, these modders are showing they obviously don't give a shit about the good of the community.

The modders made the work, some of the mods contain new textures created by the modders, which is most likely what they're pissed about. Plus, chances are the guy didn't ask to use their stuff. All this could have been avoided if the guy simply asked to use the stuff first, and chances are most, if not all, would have said yes.

Yes the modders are being harsher then they should be, and they should be stoked that someone considered their mods important enough to be included in this compilation, but that still doesn't change the fact that the up-loader used their stuff without asking.

In short, uploader wrong for not asking for permission, and modders wrong for being such dicks about it.

Also, as a side note referring to your download speed...

Only 1.1gb? That would take me 3 damn hours to download!

And you can get to speeds of 11 megabytes per second?! I'm lucky if I can get 60 kilobytes a second!

God I wish they'd bring DSL to my area >:|
...

Sorry... just jealous is all.

I was surprised it was 1.1gb because I heard it was 4gb, and as for the 11mbps, I am currently on a pretty newly built University that specializes in computer programming and other tech related fields. I don't know how they achieve the speeds, I knew I had that much DL speed, I was just surprised the free file host had that much speed.

 

[Jymm]

The instructions can be found here... http://morrowind2011.ultimaaiera.com/

 

[Drahadis]

I'm going to explain why this happened. I've been a modder and member of modding communities for 12 years, and one thing is always constant. Modding communities are always full of immature children who throw temper tantrums, can't use any team work, don't listen to others ideas, lover to bicker and fight, and cannot take any criticism. Sure there are always a few older more experienced modders that are far more mature and act like adults... but many of those members are elitist pigs who love use their popularity and influence to cast out and ban members they don't like usually for ridiculous personal reasons, I've seen them many times influence the actions and decisions of community administrators and moderators.... sometimes communities actually give these douches administrator power. This is why I quit modding, and told them where they could all go but using much harsher language.

This guy cared enough about the game and its players to put everyone's work together into one download and explain how it all works TOGETHER, and like the trolls they are, the community as expected threw a temper tantrum and crucified him like the jerks they are. They have no legal rights to any of that material, the publisher owns the rights to the game and all related materials, NOT the modding community. As long as you give them credit (WHICH HE DID!!! Okay, not originally he didn't but he fixed that by a long mile, there's credit given in several different files now.), they have no legitimate complaints... other than maybe loosing a few fans. I don't see the modding community working together to accomplish what he did... oh wait, thats right they're incapable of working together!

For 12 years I put up with the drama of communities like this one until I couldn't take it anymore. Because of how awful and childish every modding community is, I had to give up something I really love... and I'll never forgive them for that. Modders rely on these communities for the experience of each member, so they can learn how to mod and pick up new techniques and tools, and mods need teamwork to get anywhere, but all that falls apart when the community is a bunch of dramatic insufferable children. A lot of mods die for this reason. Personally I hope all these douche bags burn alive. There's a lot of people who feel the same way I do about how horrible modding communities are. I've met a lot of them who have quit for the same reasons and moved on with their lives, but they didn't love modding as much as I did.

More people need to stick it to these childish modding communities, and create a community who does what this guy did. Take the work from immature communities who won't all work together, and marge all of it into large condensed mods everyone can enjoy for the benefit of the community instead of their own individual pride. I might get back into modding if someone did that, would depend on the maturity level and friendliness of the community members.

I have actually seen another mod like this, which I HIGHLY recommend. The Super Mod Pack for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl, but even that modder doesn't like to listen to other people's ideas.... but still, he condensed a list of different mods into one giant mod with everything you could possibly want, which makes the game worth digging back up and reinstalling. But unlike this guy, he somehow got their permission I guess, cause no one seems to be angry with that mod.