Newfoundking

Caps lock is not cruise control for cool. The mod creator, Mentor1159 attempted to create a LA County mod, by changing the logo on the doors of itchyboy's models, and when he was told no, he cannot do that, he got upset. So we explained that he had no real grounds to be upset, and he eventually got himself suspended so when he came back, he took his mods and ran off with them, obviously upset that he got punished for breaking the rules.

The problem isn't that a few people are abusing it, but the major problem is that many mods are using others' content without permission and not only do not credit, but refuse credit until absolute proof isn't presented. And because everyone else is pussyfooting around the words, I'll say it. Yes, Manhattan/Brooklyn mods were a major player for THIS particular mod, but they're not the only ones ever guilty. About once or twice a month the staff has to deal with mods using improperly credited models and scripts. The largest issue that worries a lot of content creators (not just this team) is that the forum has a significant population who are totally opposed to any member who complains about copyright violations, and victimizes the offender time after time, instead of the original content creator. The easiest way to see all these major creators of ORIGINAL content here continue to release content here is to make it clear that you're not okay with copyright violations. If members rallied against the people who were stealing content, and those who were releasing someone else's content that was edited complied with copyright rules, it would be a more friendly community for content creators. Yeah we all want what we want right away, but no one wants to make it if they're not gonna be thanked for it. Acknowledged for it. Yes there is an expectation that people will take your content and abuse it. But there is also the expectation that you'll be supported when you cry foul. If the masses shoot towards crucifying YOU for saying your things are stolen, then why would you continue making things for them? Saying thank you gets you some. Showing you support the content creators gets you much much more

Here, I'm curious about something. It's an interesting idea to have that much nature on the freeplay map, and given the assortment of events that the game gives, what do you intend to do?I want to know how you plan on making the events work? Aside from things like forest fires, etc. What are you planning? Injured campers, missing persons? What sort of thing? Not dissing by any means, I'm just curious where it's going. It's definitely a different idea.

That just means changing the prototypes placed in different events. There's many that do this, almost every mod has a different set up of usually car(something else possibly) crashes. As far as making different events all together, you need to implement a script that runs when something happens, or you need to make a mission script. The most popular event type script now is the fire alarm script seen in mods like Mayberry, Manhattan, etc. To adjust the event frequency, search frequency in the forums, and look at this post http://forum.emergency-planet.com/topic/19811-one-missionevent-on-freeplay-at-the-time/#entry286053

Under the members tab, you can sort by group, including moderators, administrators and webmasters. This is a search feature under the members tab.

The problem isn't the fights between members or even that content is used in other mods, but it's that the content consistently has been used without permission or credit and claimed as one's own. That's why several authors are nervous about continuing releases when they're likely to have their work re-branded as someone else's. And the fact the community keeps saying this is a non-issue and they are over reacting isn't helping the issue either. If members made it clear they supported an author's right to be credited, the authors would be more inclined to cooperate

Let me fill in some blanks here. Yes, the NYCERU seemed to be a large takedown, and it was, because the majority of these problems we have are using someone else's content from this site, which is easily found. When using stuff from another site, it's not as easily found. That's hwy it got by for so many months and months. We've always enforced credit, it's just now that people are noticing because we told a certain mod that they have to follow the rules the same. We have this rule because while the content here is generally free, using someone else's content, particularly from pay sites, which I've seen mods do, could mean that the original author could have real grounds for a real civil case against the mod author, but more importantly against the site for copyright violations, and loss of income. Many models on sites like Turbosquid and similar pay sites are upwards of $35 each and have strict requirements on how you use them. That's why we have the permission and credit rule. It covers us if we follow and enforce it to protect from litigation. Many sites lose their full servers for violations, and in the sites I've ran, I've had to sign contracts (or digitally agree) I would not host copyrighted material without permission to do so. So copyright isn't decided by us, we're just enforcing it so you can keep coming to this site to enjoy it. I know I'd hate to sign in one day only to be met by a SERVICE SUSPENDED page because we violated our host contract. Yeah, it sucks we're cracking down, and I hate doing it as much as you hate watching it, but it's really simple to follow the rules, and then we both will live happily ever after. IF you've got a mod that's all reskins, that's totally cool to release it, just as long as you give credit where it's due. Don't say you did it all, just thank those who did for their contribution and leave it at that. Place it in a small readme (no one ever opens those and reads em anyways) and you're set. Means I don't have to enforce the rules because you're following them. Feel free to rebel against us, but know the reason you're doing it is to support people to use whatever they want without permission or credit. FYI To date, under the new rules, I've personally suspended and warned 0 people (means I've spoken with at most) and as a staff we've issued only 2 warnings in the past year for copyright violations. It generally is just a notice they have to adjust their content to properly credit and get permissions they don't have.

Guys, let's please keep things civil. There's a topic we're discussing plagiarism and all that in, why don't we only talk about this problem in that one?

Basically, the thing is, we're totally cool with you reskinning mods. Now personally, and I speak for the staff too, we'd rather see original content, but if you want to do a reskin mod, that's absolutely okay. SO LONG AS YOU OBTAIN PERMISSION and credit the people that you use their work. It's not hard, and it is appreciated. Even if they're not an author here, like if they do GTA work, or other games, still give them credit where it's due. It's not hard, and it means the community gets to continue enjoying things, even if they are just new lights and skins. Unfortunately, even the big names use stuff without credit sometimes, and when it's pointed out, it can be easily rectified most times with just a simple message to the author and a line in your readmes. It's not difficult and doesn't need to be a big issue, but it seems many would rather continuously shout off the hard work of others as their own instead of show off the work they did on someone else's work. We don't diss Mechanics because they only upgrade(or fix) cars, but we'd be pretty upset if the mechanic said the car is completely their handiwork.

The problem isn't so much as people holding things in, as people using them without credits and permission. The big problem that I've heard from many content creators, is that other people will take a model, which takes many hours of work to do, slap a skin and a new flashier light job on it (just a reskin, not a new UV) and call it their work, while only spending an hour or two tops. It's disheartening to see someone else take your work as their own and show it off as such. More over than that, people aren't even trying to learn anymore, when they can create a full reskin mod, as has been the case for many many mods currently released. Not a single original work in there, just a new skin on everything. That's where the copyright push came. Content creators said they didn't want their work to be reskinned effortlessly and tagged as a brand new work, and then people kept doing it, that's why the rules are in place, and people seem to be getting strung up for it more often. This mod in particular was a case of several models being reported as not having proper credits, from years ago working into today. It shouldn't be as big an issue as it has been, but no one wants to see it as anything but strict rules victimizing others. Be thankful the content creators haven't gone the route that many other mod communities (like GTA) have that locks nearly all content when releasing it, so that it cannot be stolen, leaving it open for a reskin only. And many sites will only let you release the skins, not the model they go on, meaning you have to apply the skin yourself. The community here has been taking full use of other's work for granted and the content creators are getting fed up with it from what I've seen. Like I tell everyone. Just be sensible. If you worked long and hard on something, you'd want someone to get your go ahead before sharing it. We've always had these content controls in place, it's just lately they've been used a lot more because the behaviour of the community has demanded it.

Check the alpha layer. If I was a betting man, that'd be your problem

The problem is everyone's taking everything here as a personal offense. For god's sake. I don't care what you do with the models, just credit them. Hell, I had to go through an old list of models in my mod, and ask around, because I sure as hell couldn't remember who made what years ago. And if it was released, and they said, wait, that's not right, I'd just ask what is, and fix it. People are getting so concerned over all of this, when it's just credits and permissions is all we want

If you send a staff member a message for Stan, we can forward it to him off site, otherwise, you'll be waiting until he gets the time to pop in and check the site.

We actually did. I messaged him when I received the report. As I do with every report of copyright violation (with the exception of open shut cases) I wanted to resolve this the same as everyone else. He was the active mod head, so I contacted him, as the mod was his. To rectify the issues brought to our attention, we were looking for a credit list of who did what, to see if they were indeed crediting people who created the original models, and if that wasn't the case, then to resolve it by obtaining the appropriate credits and permissions to use the models. I didn't put any of this in public, in fact, it only became public by Dyson's choosing, that's when I started posting everything. There were three initial problems I came forward with, as that was simpler than a list of every reported violation, and I figured I'd be able to work that way, but it appears that there is a lot of one sidedness to all of this. There were reports that many models looked very similar to MikeyPI's models, but also other models available elsewhere online. I simply presented MikeyPI's first, as they were the easiest to discuss, as everyone involved was active on here, so I could ask if Mikey knew about it, or download them and review them easier. That's fine. When the credit list was presented publicly, I received a couple messages from others (note not MikeyPI) about several models that looked similar to XYZ but were not credited as such. At that time I contacted Dyson again, basically saying the credits are not complete, and they need to be fixed, they are obviously these models. I would have been perfectly fine with "We're going to obtain permission for that which we do not have, and provide credits for that which we have not credited." It didn't need to be a big issue. Also: Since several people have messaged me about the onesidedness of this investigation, I would like to clarify: The models in question that were created by a member of this staff, MikeyPI, meant that MikeyPI was excluded from all discussion, other than simple questions about if he provided them, or knew about it. He was not a member of the investigation. The Investigation was run through me because I received the report, and RandomPerson139 and Hoppah were in on it as well. First of all, LOL isn't a word, it's an acronym, secondly, you're new here, so I'll explain how it works. There's rules on this site, that EVERYONE must follow. Then there's a staff that makes them follow these rules. If you don't follow them, we resolve it, and sometimes it's a little investigation to go along with it. I don't think I control the internet, but I do have a major say over the website here, and how the community gets to behave. Finally, I'll have everyone know, because there seems to be a public lynch mob ready for the staff here, we did not issue any warnings or suspensions, because Dyson and his team agreed to comply, and this was a relatively minor issue. If it didn't get publicly posted to rally a cause against us, then it never would've seen the light of day. Everyone needs to step off, and stop trying to villainize the staff. We run a site that you guys enjoy. Maybe ask why we do something before you start a lynch mob next time?

Technically, yes. But not really applicable. What gets taught is if you copy and paste someone else's work into your paper, you'll get a zero, and depending on level of school, expelled. Here people seem to think that only applies to papers. Thing is, it's not yours, credit who's it is. But in school it's never explained in any other context more than papers, and even into Post Secondary, it's still the same context explained, so people never seem to think elsewhere. Given the mean age here of high school or younger, you're expecting teenagers to understand a concept that the schools are barely teaching. That's why we're having so much trouble with it.. The users do not understand the concept, and we have to explain it over and over again, and unfortunately get scary and start punishing some examples before people learn.

As a staff, we don't want to shut this down. In fact, if y'all wanna release it today, just make sure the permissions/credits are in place. This was an unfortunate situation, and the majority of the warning/punishment issued came from the fact of how it was dealt with when we asked. Listen, if you screw up, we'll probably slap you on the wrist, tell you to get the credits, or remove the unallowed product. Simple as that. If you lie to us, and mislead us, then you're gonna get nailed. That's why he got nailed.

Please note this mod was closed and is still under investigation

To clarify, just for the sake of full transparency, this credit list would have had to be done anyways. And the accusations of model theft and copyright violations have been brought to the staff, and we're investigating it fully, as we do with all copyright complaints, because of the seriousness of this. I hope it will be resolved soon, and at that time, we will publicly release any and all results that we deem necessary. Until such a time, as the team is denying all credit accusations and refusing to further discuss, no release of this mod will be made available on this site and we will contact all other sites hosting a release informing them of these accusations of violations. Once the problems have been resolved, we will allow releases here and elsewhere. Serious accusations of theft have occurred, and based on the evidence we have, there is strong reason to believe these accusations. We would like to remind the community that we take such accusations very seriously, and deal with them as such. You wouldn't want your hard work sold as someone else's, why let others do the same?

Similar to in LA, where federal vehicles don't have to have the steady burn light. Federal vehicles are exempted from many state/provincial regulations if they aren't federal too

Everything that's an emergency vehicle HAS to have single red front facing steady burn. Technically that's ALL you need to be an emergency vehicle in Cali. Mikesphotos did a full post on it years ago. The majority of the US (some exceptions) have red white blue for LE, Red for fire and EMS, and almost everything (fire trucks by NFPA regs) has amber rear facing lights.

Basically, the idea of a certain light type is ONLY tradition. There is a lot of research relating to people's visual responses, but some I've noticed are heavily biased towards the locale. If you're in NYC where nothing has front facing blues, you're less likely to respond to blues faster than reds. Yet if you're in say England where everything is blue, the inverse is true. Each type of light has a different benefit though. Red is a traditional emergency, blue is more visible. Yellow is a different type of response visually and otherwise. I'll see if I can find the study, but they broke it down to what people respond to, where they do it best, and of course, the visibility. But yeah, tradition is the number one factor in colouring lights, mostly due to people responding. Reminds me of when FDNY tried yellow trucks. Although yellow is more visible than red, people didn't know what to do with it, they were used to fire engine red, not school bus yellow. People get used to stuff, and that's why it's not changed.

To release the map, you need Wood's permission if it doesn't say you can just release it with edits and credit.

VIOLATION SECTION 16 This mod has been taken down from download pending a copyright violation. There is no readme included with this mod, and it is obvious that at least several of the models are not original. The mod author can provide a full readme, in which he can present it to the staff for review before any more releases are to be made. I reiterate for the umpteenth time, no mods are allowed to be released without a full list of credits provided.

The problem with that is there's that many threads, we'd have a full days work at least. We are all unpaid and have real lives to attend to, so unfinished mods are closed as we are made aware, but we don't remove content that doesn't violate

I remember when we digest cracked down on readmes, people were pissy just the same as now, but now no one dare release a mod without a readme. When they do, there's no group of people fighting is taking it down, nor complaining that we made them credit. It's new yes, and it's a little different but it's not too hard. honestly I'm not reviewing every topic now to watch their old posts, but it is nice to update em anyways