Home Trending Latest threads New posts Developer diaries

Question regarding copyright on these forums

Jump to latest Follow Reply
  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Sovetskysoyuz

Sovetskysoyuz

Username is not an endorsement of Russia/the USSR
106 Badges
Jun 12, 2010
1.034
781
  • Hearts of Iron IV: No Step Back
  • Hearts of Iron IV: By Blood Alone
  • Victoria 3 Sign Up
  • Stellaris: Nemesis
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Stellaris: Necroids
  • Battle for Bosporus
  • March of the Eagles
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Expansion Pass
  • Crusader Kings III
  • Imperator: Rome - Magna Graecia
  • Stellaris: Federations
  • Stellaris: Lithoids
  • Sengoku
  • Cities: Skylines Deluxe Edition
  • Europa Universalis IV: Pre-order
  • Pillars of Eternity
  • Crusader Kings II: Limited Collectors Edition
  • Cities in Motion
  • Stellaris: Galaxy Edition
  • Tyranny: Archon Edition
  • Knights of Honor
  • Cities in Motion 2
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • Magicka
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Hearts of Iron III
  • Crusader Kings II: Sunset Invasion
  • Steel Division: Normandy 44 Deluxe Edition
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Field Marshal
  • Imperator: Rome Deluxe Edition
  • Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword
  • Victoria 2
  • War of the Roses
  • 500k Club
  • Pride of Nations
  • Mount & Blade: Warband
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Colonel
  • Stellaris Sign-up
  • Paradox Order
  • Cities: Skylines
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Expansion Pass
So I was reading through the Terms of Service and Forum Rules (as is wise, of course), when I noticed the usual disclaimer at the bottom that all content posted here becomes the exclusive property of Paradox. This is AFAIK typical for many forums.

Then I wondered how this relates to mods. Do mods fall under the same rule, or are they considered to be the IP of the modder?

I don't mean to argue against the ToS, and I'm not suggesting anything should be changed; I'm just honestly intrigued as to how this works.
 
I imagine that since mods are created from Paradox's own creations, that Paradox will own the mods, too. If someone decided to start charging for a mod and selling CD's with the mod on, I would think that Paradox would take or threaten with legal action.

Possibly. This is all a guess.
 
Yes, even Mods are affected and Paradox can use the Mod´s Content for their personal use...
e.g The Map from Victoria 2 is based on an unfinished Mod for Victoria 1 but of course Paradox asks for Permission as a matter of Politeness
 
Emperor Leo said:
I imagine that since mods are created from Paradox's own creations, that Paradox will own the mods, too. If someone decided to start charging for a mod and selling CD's with the mod on, I would think that Paradox would take or threaten with legal action.

Possibly. This is all a guess.
Click to expand...

Quoting from the EU3 Complete manual (I couldn't find a EULA anywhere within the EU3 folders on my computer),
Manual said:
The User may not change, adapt, translate, sub-let, lease, sell with profit, or distribute the Software, nor may he store it on a public network or create derivative products based on the Software or any of its parts.
Click to expand...
(emphasis mine)

So at least according to the license, modding is out. Obviously, this isn't how Paradox actually handles it; because modders distributing through these forums consign all rights to Paradox by doing so, everybody stays happy.

When my debating partner comes back from summer training, I'm going to see about writing this up as a potential case; it seems to have a lot of depth.
 
My understanding is that the ToS apply to anything you post to the Forum.
So if you don't post your mod to the forum then it isn't covered the the ToS. Thus if you host the mod elsewhere and only announce it on the forum with a link, then only the announcement would be affected by the ToS.
 
Every Game has a license agreement that would normally cover such cases... i guess.. :confused:
 
Rockingluke said:
By derivative products, I think it means try to sell anything containing EU3 code commercially, without license.
Click to expand...

If you're right on this, which I suspect you are, then this isn't an issue, since no-one is trying to sell mods, right? Paradox are a nice bunch of people, and it's not like modders are running around hawking pirated copies of games, so this is mostly a moot point.

Alexspeed said:
Every Game has a license agreement that would normally cover such cases... i guess..
Click to expand...
The only license agreement I could find is the short blurb in the EU3 manual, which I quoted above.
 
Unfortunately, laws differ from country to country. -couldn't find source-



I'm confident that many plagiarism laws prevent Paradox from "stealing" modders work, as well, (not that I think they ever would) though I'm interested to find out the legal specifics.
 
Last edited:
sagji said:
My understanding is that the ToS apply to anything you post to the Forum.
So if you don't post your mod to the forum then it isn't covered the the ToS. Thus if you host the mod elsewhere and only announce it on the forum with a link, then only the announcement would be affected by the ToS.
Click to expand...
Humm is this true?
 
Derivative Work

The legal status of mods has never been determined in Fedeal court in the US or state court in Louisiana. Since there are cases that can be made on either side I think this is undecided until some precedent is set.

MDY vs Blizzard is the closest case I can think of, but that boiled down to the terms of use agreement, not copyright law.
 
I don't see why one talks about law issues here. Forum rules clearly states that everything on the forums, mods included, are property of Paradox. You don't like the idea ? You don't put your mod on this forum... that's all.

Personnally, i have no problem with Paradox picking stuff in MEIOU... it'd even make me proud ;)
 
gigau said:
I don't see why one talks about law issues here. Forum rules clearly states that everything on the forums, mods included, are property of Paradox. You don't like the idea ? You don't put your mod on this forum... that's all.

Personnally, i have no problem with Paradox picking stuff in MEIOU... it'd even make me proud ;)
Click to expand...

+1, so diplomatic Gigau :D
 
montfort94 said:
I'm confident that many plagiarism laws prevent Paradox from "stealing" modders work, as well, (not that I think they ever would) though I'm interested to find out the legal specifics.
Click to expand...

Nice to see I'm not the only one trying to know more about sensitive issues. In what extend PI is allowed to used unpaid work in their product (and sell it) is an intriguing post. To avoid beeing accused of "trolling" again, I contacted a lawyer about this. Stay on !
 
Copyright notice said:
All content posted on the message boards of Paradox is the exclusive intellectual property of Paradox. Copyright ownership resides in that content by Paradox and the Company is free to use any of the content as they wish. Anyone other than Paradox seeking to reprint, republish, or reproduce content posted on the Paradox message boards must receive the express written permission from the Webmaster of the Paradox forum in which the content was posted. By posting on the Paradox message boards you are agreeing to the above and relinquishing all copyright to the contents of the post(s) to Paradox.
Click to expand...

I think that this is clear : if you post here, you agree that Paradox has copyright on what you post... it includes mods... I don't understand the debate... can someone explain to me what is unclear and what the problem is ? :confused:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back