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UPDATED 14/06/18 - *** Rules for User Made Mods and Edits of PDS games ***

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  • 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.
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MiltonS said:
Can I make a 'mod' that basically replaces all mentions of Paradox Interactive w/ my own name, then sell it? Just kidding.

Seriously though, for a savegame converter, say, Vicky 2 -> HOI3: can I reuse for example the flag files from V2 in a mod for HOI3. IE, the confederate states flag from V2 dropping into an HOI3 mod. Is that okay, or should I go ahead and just rebuild them all?
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Every time I ask about specifics, it all comes down to "If you cannot ensure they own the products the assets are from then you cannot use them."

I think that some times for simple things it is hard to understand why not, but it comes down to the slippery slope. If you allow this guy to use "A", why can I not use "B".
 
MiltonS said:
Can I make a 'mod' that basically replaces all mentions of Paradox Interactive w/ my own name, then sell it? Just kidding.

Seriously though, for a savegame converter, say, Vicky 2 -> HOI3: can I reuse for example the flag files from V2 in a mod for HOI3. IE, the confederate states flag from V2 dropping into an HOI3 mod. Is that okay, or should I go ahead and just rebuild them all?
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From a practical standpoint, it is simple enough to just use the original sources of the flags. 99.9% of the flags in Vic2 and HoI3 are from public domain sources that can be found easily by googling or searching Wikipedia, so recreating them is extremely simple, thus avoiding any chance of any copyright issues.
As an example, the Confederate flag is in the public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CSA_FLAG_28.11.1861-1.5.1863.svg
 
shierholzer said:
Distributing the exe is forbidden - understandable.
Is distributing a script that injects code into a running instance of the game allowed? ((specifically, a script that enables the 'westernize' command on the console, bypassing the 'Command available only for developers.' error non-PI employees usually get))
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Provided I am understanding you correctly they I do not see a problem with it, since it would require them to have the EXE on their system.
 
I already replied to your PM but I will repost the answer here for the benefit of all.

Nope it is your writing do what you wish with it. The rule just means you cannot post a lic or CR info with the mod.

Primarily we have that rule because some people put open source lic in and people get confused with our stuff which is not open source obviously. Inexperience leads to the verbiage being used applying to our stuff as well which we cannot have.
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Part of the difficulty there is the ever changing nature of our games they tend to evolve with large amounts of DLC being released.
The other issue is not just the initial document, and the changes/review of it every time a DLC was released. It would mean we need to review every license of every Mod posted on our site, and possibly have multiple correspondences and discussions ... with each modder related to it, These conversation out of necessity with our legal staff, something we are just not prepared to do.
 
Does Paradox have a position on using ModDB to host mods? Several mods do so currently, so I have to assume it is allowed, but the current wording of the rules seem to put it in a rather grey area.
 
Not currently allowed or supported.
 
Castellon said:
Not currently allowed or supported.
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Guess I'll have to send you a couple reports then.
Note that the report is essentially a protest. I'd much prefer if ModDB was allowed as it is a useful tool, but it is important to me that the rules are applied consistently.
 
Keep in mind some may be grandfathered in.
 
Castellon said:
Keep in mind some may be grandfathered in.
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This is exactly the type of inconsistent enforcement I dislike.
Essentially, mods are rewarded for having broken the rules prior to them being codified in the form are today. External links being banned from this forum (in my opinion a very strange policy, but that's an entirely different topic) has been a rule since long before CKII was even released.

If using ModDB is fine for a few specific mods, it should be fine for all mods.
 
gigau said:
I agree with Meneth… i've been asked to remove the download links from our mod's wiki at the request of a demi-mod to abide by the rules. Now i hear that some can circumvent the rules somehow ? Sounds mighty unfair, how ever you put it.
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Yeah.
To make a comparison, it'd be like a city introducing a ban on littering, but still allowing anyone who was littering before the ban to continue littering.
When rules are introduced it is the norm that they don't have retroactive effect. However, letting someone persist in an action that now breaks the rule is not the norm in any legal system for good reason. There's often some sort of adjustment period of course, but in the context of mods that would simply mean having to move away from ModDB next major release, but being allowed to keep the current link to ModDB up until that time.

My mods would have been on ModDB long ago if I knew that was actually accepted at the time despite Paradox' ban on external links, and especially those to any public forum. Yet now that's banned, while there are still mods on there thanks to having the audacity to venture into that grey area in the past.
 
Not really since they cannot post links to the modDB site.
Also Grandfather exemptions will eventually disapear or become irelevant, since people will move on and new games will be released.
For instance No EU4 mods have exemptions for anything, and neither will an Mod for any future game.
 
Castellon said:
Not really since they cannot post links to the modDB site.
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In my PM to you I showed two CKII mods that both link to ModDB from the OPs of their forum threads. Neither link was a direct download link; instead they both led to ModDB download pages from which the entire ModDB site is readily available.
I have to assume that means their next releases cannot link to ModDB?
 
They should not be linking to pages on that site even now.
Unaproved Third party links violate our terms of service and always have.
I will direct my staff to investigate and contact the mod makers.
 
Well no EUIV mods should be on Moddb and advertised here.
Feel free to notify the moderating staff of any such.
I agree that it is a bit unfair, but that is always the case when things are grandfathered, it would also have been unfair to make them delete external forums and the like once the rules were formally codefied.
 
It may be a week argument for you because you are experienced at it, we have to allow for our members to be at all skill levels.
Not to mention torrents involvement in stealing IP.
 
Sorry you feel that way, We act on complaints. We do not have the staff to actively go out and search every site on the internet for user mods that might be published there. same thing in a retail store if you see someone shoplift an item that you are paying for.
Much like anything you can get away with it right up to the moment you get caught.
 
err, making statements like that is not the way to try and make your point with me.
I already told you the procedure to follow if you see a user mod breaking the rules. Report it to a Moderator of the sub forum here that is involved with the game.
Please give links to where the user mod is being distributed on that site, as already mentioned we do not have the resources to go searching for them.
 
Illanair said:
A sad day for Paradox modding - These downright absurd restrictions are going to hurt not only the modding community but the customers and even Paradox itself.

Where are modders going to host larger mods like AGOT or EK? The Workshop can't even handle mods of that size properly, so the modders have to think up creative ways to get around the limitations while still obeying the rules in spirit.

Does this restrict piracy in any way? No. Anyone who has ever wanted to pirate one of Paradox's games have been able to - DLC? Yep. Heck even mods are hosted and supported on (unmentioned) websites that "you" have no control of. This is just unnecessary restrictions for the sake of no one - DRM comes to mind.

/rant
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You realize you are actually making a point for us here.
 
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