Conversion Rules

JayGreen · Jul 29, 2014

Hi,

I saw staff members deleted some post of rF2 and AC conversions but since few months i saw some unauthorized conversions on the GSC forum.

Just some exemple :
http://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/suzuka.2714/ from Shift Version
and some AlredoR tracks from Simraceway and Simbin too.
http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/sebring.90136/ from Patrick Giranthon (AlfredoR / quality tracks are too similar) without Virtua_LM authorization.
http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/vfr-f1-2014-formula-1-2014.86205/ without authorization.
http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/clio-cup-2013.89257/ without authorization posted by a staff member.
BES Mod with Models from NFSShift and some other.

It's easy to clear itself of any rules because GSC and rFactor use the same engine.
Now GSC is in my opinion different from rfactor seen any adjustments made by Reiza studio. This is not the same game to me.

Bram Hengeveld said "Modding is creating, not taking other peoples work." I completely agree with him.

But your vision is different from a simulation to another ? Can you explain me ?

I love GSC but it has now become the simulation where there are the greatest anarchic conversion and it's really a shame.

It doesn't bother you ? Staff members and other guys ?

Dave Stephenson · Jul 29, 2014

Our TOS regarding content posted is similar to that in use by many services around the web. The content is deleted if a request/complaint is made by the original creator and/or copyright holder.

Full info is detailed here in the intellectual property section.

JayGreen · Jul 30, 2014

As someone said nothing everything is ok. It's a way of seeing things.

So you approve of the fact of filing copyrighted files as we can see today. You also agree to the fact to upload conversion of Forza or PCARS models as the publisher said nothing. Why not?

But don't say "Modding is Creating, not taking other peoples work" if you give an environment to promote unauthorized conversions.

Why in the AC forum, mods from Forza were deleted? The editor has requested that it be removed? SimBin must request these various conversions are removed?
I agree that you can not check everything but there are tracks or mods where you notice immediately that it's from another game.

You do not think that term publishers will lock a little more their licenses and be more aggressive. So the real modders will no longer release new mods from scratch?

I'm the only one thinking this? Guys... come on !!

Dave Stephenson · Jul 30, 2014

I didn't say we approve, and we do discourage it, but the staff is just a small bunch of volunteers who have lives to live as well. It takes an incredible amount of time to try and police everything that gets uploaded. We tried to do that in the past and we still got messages about stuff we missed.

Where we get wind of something we do where possible forward that information onto the copyright holders, but ultimately only they can outright confirm that it is indeed their content, and that they do not wish for it to be published. In the past it was much easier to pro-actively remove content for some titles as we had people in the staff who were active within the given mod community and had access to the tools and skills required to confirm it either way, but that just isn't the case at the moment.

In reference to your specific examples, there have been multiple occasions where guys have uploaded their conversion then been made aware of the rules at which point, yes, they have requested their own content removed. As for SimBin, we are in contact with them and they do let us know when their content has been ripped and it gets removed in short order.

With regards to publishers/developers they face a dilemma either way with regards to how open they wish their platform to be. The ground is as rocky for them as it is for us, probably more so for them if truth be told. Some like the AC guys as posted on their forums actively encourage modding but fully try to distance themselves from the content produced due to licensing concerns, others present no public front on the matter and do their dealings in private. As for how open their system is, it's as much a business decision as a philosophical one and everyone reads it differently. We try our best to support their decision either way.

It doesn't take much work in Google to find real hotbeds of illegally converted content where it's openly embraced for all to see. I think we do a reasonable job compared to many but we can't do more than our resources allow and all we're really asking is that the content publishers give us a helping hand, and that modders be honest about the source of their work so we can take appropriate action where required.