The rules to created content

[daninmky]

Hi all
I have recently began redesigning an old layout that was created for TS2004 by another person. I have tried to ask them by emailing their personal email address as well as a PM on the download station but so far I have had no response. Although I am not even close to releasing the layout I am wondering if I never get a reply is there a rule other than mentioning the original creators effort in the disclaimer. Thanks for any responses.

 

[martinvk]

Ah, the perennial question of copyright and permission. For objects with defined meshes, it's pretty clear. For me, lack of permission is no permission.

For routes, I feel it's a bit fuzzier. Is there a difference between two people each building a route that ends up looking almost the same because they were both based on a prototype route or taking an existing route and making a slight change. The end result is the same, just how you got there is different.

Having released many objects but no routes, by bias is showing. :hehe:

What about substantively modifying and existing route? It probably depends a lot on what is meant by substantive. Just how much and what has to be changed for a new route to be declared different? Or from the other side, how much has to be the same before it is considered a copy?

So many questions and probably as many answers as there are people with opinions.

 

[gfisher]

I would say that if you don't get a reply you don't release the route.

Oops, just beat me to it Martin. You also might want to see what the original creator said in his license statement in the config file. Some are quite restrictive and others, like mine, let you do just about anything.

 

[daninmky]

OK thanks for the replies, the changes I have made are massive ones and only a quarter of the original layout remains as I have only used the baseboard design and rebuilt from there removing all scenic items and replacing track etc. I will continue to try and contact the builder and its also a good point to check out his disclaimer. Again thanks for the replies.