Protecting your layout

I'm reading some posts about payware and protection.
If I create a route, i.e. maybe rebuild my California dreamin' route, do I want to protect it before uploading it? Should I?

I didn't know this was a thing?

Only way to give it some sort of “protection” would be to get it into the N3V payware program.

Or simply not share your content.

If someone ever decides to upload a copy of your work without your permission, you can get it removed anyway.

I don’t consider it “a thing”. If people want to adjust my content for there personal enjoyment, I don’t see a problem with that.

oknotsen said:

Only way to give it some sort of “protection” would be to get it into the N3V payware program.

Or simply not share your content.

If someone ever decides to upload a copy of your work without your permission, you can get it removed anyway.

I don’t consider it “a thing”. If people want to adjust my content for there personal enjoyment, I don’t see a problem with that.

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don't see any issues with that either. I tried to add some track to the Kickstarter County map and found out it was locked. I wanted to add some track between the mine and the siding next to it so you wouldn't have to back up.
This was for me only except I couldn't do it.

Thanks for the reply.

They locked all the payware routes in TANE. I think the idea was to make it harder for routes to be illegally shared (as TANE had different tiers with different amounts of routes), but the downside was the frustration you are experiencing.

I think N3V had enough negative feedback about that and I think they are reconsidering it for the next version.

oknotsen said:

They locked all the payware routes in TANE. I think the idea was to make it harder for routes to be illegally shared (as TANE had different tiers with different amounts of routes), but the downside was the frustration you are experiencing.

I think N3V had enough negative feedback about that and I think they are reconsidering it for the next version.

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Yes, copy protection only hurts the people that play by the rules. Others can copy anything. I've been in IT and programming for the last 40 years and there's nothing you can't copy.
No program you can't crack.

So I'll have to wait for the next version and pay more just to make a addition. Why can't it be fixed in this version? Money I guess.

I think Phil_C's locos are something you can not "crack"

Just my 2 cents guys --

Payware or freeware I feel N3V should add some kind of protected feature within the game for protecting routs in the future! During so many years here in this forum I have read threads here and there about folks stealing folks' routes in one fashion, or another, and uploading to the DLS or at some 3rd party site! Maybe the some kind of Lock feature that's use with TANE routes can be provide on a widescale to the community!

Ish

I might not be "protection" as one thinks of it, but every route I've uploaded has at least one renamable sign indicating my ownership buried deep UNDER the terrain. It has my name, username, and a date. The date is the important part as it can prove when you created/uploaded it.

Bill

When you upload your route and share it, it is wide open for anyone to modify it for their own use, on their own PC... and quite allot of people will still redistribute it without permission ... having your name on it can always be erased, and if someone ends up hosting it on a 3rd party site, you can never stop them from claiming that it is their own work ... On the DLS you could always ask to have it taken down

HiBaller said:

I might not be "protection" as one thinks of it, but every route I've uploaded has at least one renamable sign indicating my ownership buried deep UNDER the terrain. It has my name, username, and a date. The date is the important part as it can prove when you created/uploaded it.

Bill

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That's a good one there, Bill!!!

Take Care
Ish

cascaderailroad said:

and if someone ends up hosting it on a 3rd party site, you can never stop them from claiming that it is their own work ... On the DLS you could always ask to have it taken down

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Hi Cas,

It's why N3V should really focus on protecting these routes the community create --- I bet there are ways to do this these days!

Take Care
Ish

If you locked your route ... no one could run it, nor add consists, nor save sessions ... It would be worthless

I have never been concerned about someone stealing my work. I do a lot of photography and post my images on line a lot. I only ask for attribution. If they decide not too that is their karma issue. I have never asked for money from any of my art, photography or software. Just not MY thing. I have no issue with others taking a different tact on the subject. Just not worth my time at this stage in my life to worry about it. But then again all that is my hobby, not my living. Philosophically I have always separated my living from my hobbies. Once it stops being a "hobby" and becomes a business the fun for me is gone. After doing software development as a living for 30 years I don't get any pleasure out of programming for me. The job just sucked all the original fun out of it. I don't want that to happen to my other hobbies.

That said, I am respectful of others intellectual property. I just found an outstanding route on DLS (Maine Central Portland Division by MSGSapper) that I want to use as a base for my own 'route bashing". I plan to upgrade the track side trees to higher quality and flesh out some of the towns and do a rename of the towns for my fictional RR. I assume if someone posts it that they have no issue with others downloading to to use. My question is, If at sometime I decide to upload, what is the etiquette of that? is it even proper to do so?

lrjanzen said:

I assume if someone posts it that they have no issue with others downloading to to use. My question is, If at sometime I decide to upload, what is the etiquette of that? is it even proper to do so?

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If it is posted then you are free to download it and use it for your own purposes. But a route is protected intellectual property and what you can do with it is governed by copyright. Essentially that means that you cannot publish it (ie, distribute it or make it available for distribution) unless you have made such significant changes to it that it represents a new original work.

Some routes will include a comment from the creator that modifies this restriction. But unless there is such a comment, or you can obtain some exemption from the original creator, you are bound by the copyright rules.

GaryP said:

If I create a route, i.e. maybe rebuild my California dreamin' route, do I want to protect it before uploading it? Should I?

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Protect it from what? Modification, copying, redistribution, or something else. You have to decide exactly what you are trying to protect before you can consider the options available. For instance, if it's based on a real route then you can hardy stop someone from replicating it from the original. So what is it that really deserves protection?

People can intentionally violate a copyright, and do it all the time, illegally, and rarely if ever ever get prosecuted

So your route and work is never really protected

I used to be fairly cavalier about altering downloaded routes. I have asked for permission to upload a changed route only twice. My Wild Bill II was originally created by Johnda and he gave me permission to upload. I'm currently working on another altered route and have the creator's permission to upload it when I'm done.

As a published author with two books on Amazon, I am now much more aware of copyright issues than I was before. As for my uploaded routes--if I don't expressly say NO, then have at it.

Bill

My 2 cents again on this issue --

It comes down to the person -- There are folks who see their routes, which could be an excellent route a time-consuming-itiring beast that took foreveer from beginning to end; And then someone comes along, takes it, uploads it without your permission -- how would that person feel, the original creator? Take Approach Medium, how would he feel if someone takes his excellent route and post up at some 3rd party site, and then claim it as their own... that's the real question!

@Cas, sir -- from my understanding you can make sessions from a lock route, and upload! That's what I've been told, so, anyone is welcome to set me right if I'm wrong!

Kind regards
Ish

BuilderBob said:

Some routes will include a comment from the creator that modifies this restriction. But unless there is such a comment, or you can obtain some exemption from the original creator, you are bound by the copyright rules.

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Thx Bob. While someone's view on copyright may be different than mine I certainly will respect the original creators right. Mutual respect is the lubricant of a civilized society.

I was just thinking about this. I was wondering if it would be possible to implement something like GIT or TFS for route versioning? For example I could upload a track layout that was absolutely brilliant and beautiful (not likely, but bear with me.) but had not scenery. Lets call it "MyTown". No one would be allowed to modify the original (like now), but could create a linked branch. For example Charlie wanted to scenic MyTown as New England. But Dorthy was more fond of putting MyTown in Kansas. They would each have a branch from the original that could be modified in anyway. Then someone could take Charlie's route and do the same thing. Change his fall scene to winter. DLS sort of allows you to do this but without the history. You could see a market force at work. Good base layouts will produce many branches. It would also produce the capability for organic growth. MyTown could grow and evolve or be merged into a larger route. It would also allow for the route to be updated as versions and assets change.

Just my 2 cents. I have always been a dreamer. Part of the reason I like Trainz is it allows me to create a world I see in my mind, without the intrusion of reality.