If someone wanted to port one of my maps over to another game, I would be flattered, but ultimately I would appreciate it if he or she asked my permission first. Although my recent maps are under the GPL, it just seems polite to ask. For maps from large companies, or even small companies, it's generally not so easy as dropping an email to your friendly neighborhood mapper and asking permission. If they reply, they're probably going to say no, regardless of personal perspective. This could be for any number of reasons, not least of which is that whoever you emailed probably does not have sole authority to grant such a request, and trying to get all parties involved to come to an agreement would take too much effort. In short, the cost is greater than the payoff.

It's pretty rare, and it has possibly never happened, for a mapper to receive a cease-and-desist simply for porting a map and a few textures. Since the game developers and publishers have never told anyone to stop, I think many people take that to mean the copyright holders are implicitly giving permission to proceed. (I think this is mostly a subconscious assumption instead of a conscious decision on the part of us the mappers.)

The following is what was once explained to me, and, considering I am not an expert on anything worth caring about, I have no (convenient) way to confirm its validity. If a copyright holder were to know of someone creating an illegal derivative work from their original work, but the copyright holder did not prosecute, then they would not have a sufficiently strong case to prosecute someone else later who was violating their copyright. The ramifications are that a copyright holder is not able to selectively prosecute persons that they know to be violating their copyright--it's all or nothing. This may be why Fox is so zealous that they have their own verb, and why id software tends to be a little more don't-ask-don't-tell. Of course, this is all second- or third-hand information, and mosty speculation...

OTH, TLDR kthxbai. 

This thread needs some levity. Might I suggest a drinking problem? http://www.explosm.net/comics/1695/

My new roommate was polite enough to call me an "alcohol enthusiast" instead of an "alcoholic." I like him already. 

love that strip. here's an old one:

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/3082/kbeer0001tw.jpg 

I think you just ruined this thread for many, many people. 

not one of you said "hey I dont feel like what he did was disrespectful".

I personally don't feel like what he did was disrespectful. To me, that implies some sort of awareness or intent. I have nothing against him personally--I just think it was a bad idea and a dumb thing to do.

...people who are judgemental and who decided that his gift wasn't good enough for them...

I'm going to poop in a box (it will only take five minutes) and mail it to you. I hope you enjoy it; I'm sending it with the best of intentions.

(Also, it's "judgmental", Cap'n Literacy.) 

1. Never once have I claimed to be perfect or incapable of a grammatical or spelling error.

2. If you sent me a box of shit, I wouldn't verbally bash you in front of others and declare it illegal without cause, I'd just look inside, see that its not something I want and continue with my life. perhaps a few around here could try emulating this in the future.

3. It may very well be illegal to send human fecal matter in a box that isn't properly marked thru the US postal system.
It would be a biohazard.


4. Bravo for manning up and not just going with the status quo (aka swinging on willems nutsack and letting text-fish trample some ignorant newbie over a non-issue in the name of the entire community) 

the "defend it or lose it" scenario applies specifically to trademarks, I believe. 

Never once have I claimed to be perfect or incapable of a grammatical or spelling error.

Correct. You haven't. You've only questioned the legitimacy of others' posts based on such things. Hypocrisy much?

If you sent me a box of shit, I wouldn't verbally bash you in front of others...I'd just look inside, see that its not something I want and continue with my life.

Of course. I'm sure that's exactly how you'd react. Even if it were delivered during a party, and unveiled with a flourish in front of all your friends, and someone were saying "Hey, what do you think of this?"

Bottom line: People (newbies, experts, and pros alike) post maps and screens here on a daily basis and get helpful, friendly feedback. This time it didn't happen.

Concluding that we're all judgmental stuck-up assholes is, at best, oversimplification (there are a lot of us who aren't all three, at least...or at least not all the time...or...well...shit), and at worst, is missing the point entirely.

That's all from me--this is cutting into my copious free time.

Oh, and this:
an oiled up set of money tits
is awesome and made me laugh. 

Has mapping really slowed down this much?
If we put this much energy into something like Rune 2 which at last count had over 5000 signatures for making the game,maybe something good would happen ya think? 

Rune 2 you say ... intriguing concept. 

This is a good preassure valve to read after pissing around with archaic editors.

I've stopped drinking, so this is as good as it gets for now.

Ah well:

http://blog.taptu.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/ballmer_peak_cartoon.jpg 

Wouldn't oiled up money tits be kinda scratchy? 

And links to the maps please, not screenshots, that proves nothing.


declare it illegal without cause

No. It's just plain illegal. 

shut up and go map 

And Vondur rules all. 

Well said, V. 

"Wouldn't oiled up money tits be kinda scratchy?"

No, they are smooth and luscious. 

I am mapping. Converter script is running in the background atm... 

Go fuck yourself buddy. :)

I'm not gonna post more links for you, so you can ignore them and continue to be a dickless troll.

Lets see a screenie of something you've made.

Then, maybe, I'll link you to a .bsp 

For the coagula 3 competition, with his start map!

http://www.quaketastic.com/upload/files/screen_shots/coag3_start.jpg

(Hosted on Willems dedicated Quake filebase site) 

"Bottom line: People (newbies, experts, and pros alike) post maps and screens here on a daily basis and get helpful, friendly feedback. This time it didn't happen."


NO, this time the exact opposite happened.

It wasn't that nothing happened as you seem to be implying.

You actually gave him shitty, meanspirited, and worthless feedback and many of you seemingly did so intentionally because he was a newb and you knew you could trash him with impunity and possibly even the support of your fellow stuck up circlejerkers.

One of you even went so far as to act like he treated you all disrespectfully by posting this map, solely because it is a rip.

you don't see the distinction between that and a simple lack of positive helpful feedback? 

"because he was a newb and you knew you could trash him with impunity"

No, he was trashed because he re-compiled an old map for a new game which takes precisely zero talent and creativity. New guys are more than welcome if they want to actually make a map. 

So you're saying that you've decided that what you consider creativity and talent are now preconditions for uploading a map somewhere for people to look at?

Perhaps there should be a disclaimer on the main page that says:

"Make sure you check out with willem so he can decide if you have enough talent and creativity to post something."

because ya know, you're the one who decides that for everyone. 

"So you're saying that you've decided that what you consider creativity and talent are now preconditions for uploading a map somewhere for people to look at? "

Yep. That's exactly what was said. Good job. 

I wanted to make sure I was hearing you correctly thru the money tits that you're undoubtedly blathering into while you work so very hard at being a complete ass.