Model Use Policy

[Voodoo_Operator]

In light of recent events, I would like to clarify our policy concerning the use of models made by other people. This includes models that can be found on the Google 3D Warehouse (also known as SketchUp models) *** Google 3D Warehouse policy updated. See here.***.

1- We have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy regarding model theft. Model theft is when you take a model made by someone else and, with or without modifying it, claim it as being entirely your own work. Model theft is also offering for download a model made by someone else without asking permission to the original author first (see point 2). Members who are found guilty of model theft will face the appropriate consequences, including a warning, closure of their mod, or even a ban.

2- Whenever you use someone else's models, you need a) to give credit to the original author and b)permission from the original author.

You are not authorized to make a file available for download if it contains models for which you have not obtained a permission. Doing so will be considered theft, and you face the possibility that the original author will never grant you any permissions in the future.

While giving credit to the original author is ALWAYS REQUIRED, there are a few occasions when obtaining permission is not necessary. Here are the ONLY cases in which you do not require permission:

1- You do not intend to make the models available for download (i.e. "Personal submod"). If however you decide to offer the models at some point in the future, you MUST get permission first.

2- The original model maker indicates in a readme file that his model is free to be used without permission. However, I must stress that this needs to be CLEARLY SPECIFIED in the readme, and that one file being made available does NOT mean that all of that author's files may be used without permission. When in doubt, ask for permission anyway.

Please note that when you contact an author for permission and do not obtain a reply, you should consider that you have NOT obtained permission. We will also not tolerate negative comments on authors who have denied or not answered to a permission request. Should you decide to release the models anyway, our zero tolerance policy against theft will be applied.

Also, pay close attention to the Readme file when using material which is part of a mod. While the mod itself may have been released by a single author, the material contained within may be the work of several authors. You need to give credit and get permissions from the author of the particular material you are using, and not only the author of the mod.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[Grim_Wizard]

Question: If you willingly give the person something to work with, like say IDk some mod team, and you work for them, does it need to be notated somewhere thaat they worked on it?

[MikeyPI]

There are grey areas, such as a team of individuals, in such cases we leave it to the author(s) to decide what to do with it, however as a general rule of respect all author(s) that actually did the majority of the work should be credited always. Because you reskinned a vehicle does not entitle you to "rights" over it for example. In the end the original author who did the mesh and model would get ownership.. In the case of say one guy built the model and the other did the skin(UV map) it would be wise to contact both as both were responsible for the vehicle being completed..

When in doubt, ask about it. Though mod teams, and sub-mod creators should do their homework to figure out who built what and attempt to track them down instead of assuming that a "mod team" was responsible for the creation of everything... There are readmes included with mods for a reason, take the 5 mins to scan them to see who might have done what to figure out who actually owns it.

With the mod team I still suggest strongly that you credit the individuals that create the works that make your mod possible, even though you might be the leader in the end the other guys are the ones that made it possible... But if the author(s) of the models/objects/scripts does not care, I can't enforce it.. Though I feel everyone deserves recognition for their efforts if it was actually something that took some effort to do.

[Grim_Wizard]

Just making sure, I credit my sources, but some of them I forgot.