Route Uploading 101
Also titled, how NOT to get the forum members angry at you, or your route removed from the DLS.
I have, in all honesty, been thinking about posting this for some time now. Years in fact. However, I worried that by doing it, I would in doing so anger some of the newer members of the forum, causing them to think I was saying "don't bother uploading..." However that's not the case. Instead, I'm offering something of a better understanding of the pitfalls you face when uploading a route to the DLS. In particular "rebuilds" or routes which were previously unfinished.
Now some of you know what has prompted this, and some don't. Without going into many of the details, allow me to at the very least offer a synopsis.
In 2006 or 2007, I uploaded a bare bones route to the DLS. I did this, not so much because I felt the route was finished, but because I needed a better way to save the route while I was changing to a newer computer. I noted, at the time, on the forums that if anyone wanted to finish the route that they were free to do so, long as I was credited for the work I had completed to that point. Fast forward to 2012-2013, I return to the forums and notice a number of discussions about the route. Thinking it was a popular route by now, I check the DLS and find that another user had uploaded the same route I created (using my original content) with the only changes being adding two or three gradients which I missed. Everything else, including some of the confusing and improper trackwork I created, was left exactly as I had done it. However, as per the usual, no credit was given, and the user in question was passing the route off as entirely his work. I did try to have the second route removed, but ran into some problems due to the time that had passed and my changing computers. Whatever the case, the route remains up, and brings me to the meat of this walkthrough.
When you decide to upload a route, no matter what the type, the DLS says clearly that you must have permission from all content creators involved to do so. That means whoever made the track, structures, and foliage; as well as textures and any other included items. Generally speaking, when it refers to scenery items, the system will find each unique KUID, and list that content creator, thus serving to give them credit. HOWEVER, routes themselves do not do this. It is then left up to you the user to do so, typically adding "based on original route by..." or "Thanks to <so and so> for the base for this route." Leaving this out (as in the example I mentioned) can prompt a situation where the original creator can ask for the content to be removed, due to no credit being given.
So how do you protect yourself in this situation?
Before uploading a route based off of another person's work, you should do the following.
1.) Attempt to contact the creator with a private message.
Now this may take time, and you may even never hear back from the person. However, as their content comes first, it is only with their permission that you are able to upload. Sure, you could do it anyway, as I noted, but as I also said; this could cause the person to request it be taken down.
2.) Attempt to contact the creator with a message here on the forum.
Some people don't always check their private messages, or have inboxes too full to actually receive messages. For this reason, it's usually easier to post a forum post titled "Calling <so and so>" to ask permission. Again, you may not get a response, but in doing this you create a paper trail that shows you DID attempt to contact them. Ideally you should wait about a week or two for the person to have a chance to respond.
3.) If you can not contact the person, then you should place credit in your description that references the original creator.
By placing reference, you are giving the proper credit to the original creator, and presenting a situation where it is not so much impossible (it's not) but improbable that your finished or redesigned route will be removed. Ninety percent of the time, when content is removed from the DLS, it's done simply because no proper credit was given. Placing this credit then, would obviously prevent this situation.
4.) No matter WHAT, always honor the original creator's wishes.
This is sometimes a sticky situation, but it may come about that at a later date the original creator, for whatever reason; requests you to remove the route. This could be because they have finished the route themselves and want to show it as it was supposed to look, or they aren't overly pleased with what you've done. In some cases, this isn't overly damaging to your work, since (especially in complete rebuilds) you can reasonably say that the route is entirely different. However, it's good policy, and etiquette to still respect and honor the original creator's wishes. In most situations, you should be able to remove the content and then change the description to note it was inspired by the other person's work, but does not reflect that. However, in some situations, it may mean that you can't reupload the route. Well, not "can't." More like shoudn't. If for example all you did was add one or two grades, then the question becomes how different the route is. If they are far too similar, then it's possible that the creator would issue a takedown request anyway. Since no one wants this to happen, it's better to err on the side of caution and not re upload, or to remove the content.
5.) If your content has been removed by an original creator, don't take to the forums to start a flame war.
Common sense this one. Just because you felt you were entitled to have it up on the DLS, doesn't mean you are given carte blanche to upload it. Having it taken down means that there was something wrong, or it was far too similar to be considered new work. Instead of going to the forums to complain, try contacting the original creator to see what was wrong. Be civil, and understanding, and pay close attention to rule 4.
6.) Do not ignore attempts to contact you through forum posts or private messages.
In my case, the first thing I did upon discovering the uncredited upload, was to attempt to contact the new creator both through forum posts and private messages. Thanks in large part to the way the forum records when a person last posts, I knew that a day after my attempts to contact that he had read my messages, but had ignored them. Don't be that guy. If you get a message that says "hey, why didn't you credit me for xyz" don't just ignore and hope it goes away. In some cases, yes, it might do just that. However typically when work is found to be uncredited, the original creator will first attempt to contact the new creator through PM's and forum posts long before they decide whether or not to attempt to have the content removed. Ignoring such posts or private messages sends a message to the original creator that you do not care about the work they have done, and are attempting to pass it off as your own original work. Doing so will cement the idea in their mind and possibly drive them to attempt removal.
In the end, it really isn't that hard to get permission to upload something if you really try doing so. Even without permission, by at the very least giving credit where credit is due will both save you headaches, and above all else, preserve your standing with the community as a whole. Let's face it, no one wants to be known as the guy that stole someone else's work and passed it off as their own.
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Originally Posted by rocker12341234
