A Gentle Suggestion To The Modeling Forum
coil
Amateur pirate. Professional monkey. All pance. Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 424Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Amateur pirate. Professional monkey. All pance. Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 424Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">Or, "Dos and don'ts of this forum".</div> Without a doubt, this forum has the highest flame-to-post ratio of any of the NS boards, and I am quite frankly getting tired of policing it. To quote the <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums.html' target='_blank'>NS Forums rules</a> which you ALL agreed to,
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>- Never, ever, under any circumstance, attack or "flame" anyone. Ever. No behavior is bad enough that warrants retaliation.
- Remain friendly and civil at all times. Be helpful when possible. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
- Use of the NS forums or IRC channel is a privilege, not a right. NS community officials reserve the right to create the community we want to be a part of.
- Swearing, and use of slurs about race or sexual-orientation are prohibited. Words that try to sneak around the swear filter are prohibited.
- Slanderous, defamatory, false, obscene, indecent, lewd, pornographic, abusive, insulting, threatening, harassing or obnoxious comments are not appropriate in the NS community.
- Any form of direct or indirect personal attack or harassment is prohibited.</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What does all this mean?<ul>
<li>Think before you post. For the love of God, think before you post.
<li>The only criticism in this forum should be model-related. That means that you do not attack a person (as stated above). If you feel *they* are breaking forum rules by flaming, use the "report post" button and let a moderator handle it. If you flame them in kind, you are breaking the rules - and contributing to the downward spiral of this forum - even more than they are. Yes, even more.
<li>The only model-related criticism on this forum should be constructive. Telling someone "your model sucks" helps no one. Explaining to them the flaws in their model for the purpose of helping them to improve the model, or their modeling in general.
</ul>Two topics in particular deserve special attention.
The first is regarding model requests. Yes, there are many requests made on these forums - more than the modelers who frequent them could possible handle. Yes some of them are really bad ideas. If you see a model request that you think is stupid, pointless, absurd, or anything -- <b>simply do not reply to it!</b> If you don't think it should be done, don't give it attention. Do *not* flame the poster, do *not* tell him it's a stupid idea, and do *not* tell him to go learn to model himself.
The second topic is that of property rights, especially in the compilation of models into release packs (for example, the recently released <b>Aliens</b> packs). If you have a problem regarding the rights to a particular model, its inclusion in a pack, proper recognition of the creator, etc -- <b>DO NOT air your dirty laundry on the forums!</b> Contact the person in question PRIVATELY and try to sort it out - frequently, things like this are simply a matter of oversight. If there is still a problem, take it to a higher authority. I know very well the perils of internet property rights - my "chibi" style alien and marine drawings have given me many headaches. If there is a post on these forums featuring stolen work, inform a moderator and we will lock the offending post (provided the evidence supports your claim). Again, DO NOT flame the individual responsible! There are more intelligent and effective ways of solving problems.
Please, try and keep these forums an enjoyable place to frequent. Nobody enjoys flamefests.
_________________
<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Property Rights and the Internet</span></b>
I'd like to talk briefly on the matter of property rights on the Internet. I'm writing a paper on it for my "Creativity, Innovation, and Society" class, and also hoping to move into the gaming industry as well, so it's been fairly prominent in my thoughts recently.
There exist methods for protecting intellectual property (IP) rights on the Internet - for instance, Flayra holds a copyright on the name "Natural Selection" as used in a video game context (He actually "foxed" Fox - the AvP2 expansion pack Primal Hunt was originally going to be called Natural Selection!). However, the majority of us don't have the means, time, or money to do that, and therefore we come to the way IP rights *actually* work on the Internet: trust.
Creators of any media published on the Internet really hope and pray that people will respect their work as unique, especially since the "physical" work itself is not at all unique - it can be infinitely copied with no loss of quality. My site includes a disclaimer that all of my artwork is not to be used in a public context without contacting me for permission first, but of course that is only effective if other people choose to abide by it. Most of the people on this forum are creators in their own rights, and probably are already aware of these facts... but for those of you who might be entering the arena, or passing through, please follow these bits of advice:
To creators:
<ul><li>Include a readme.txt in any zip you release. Include your contact information, documentation (date, etc) and anything else that should be known about the included files.
<li>Don't call it "readme.txt." There are 8 million readme.txts on any given computer, and you may overwrite a different one, or later have yours overwritten. If you're releasing a flowerpot replacement for the alien o-chamber, call the file "flowerpot_o-chamber.txt" or something.
<li>In some cases, there are ways to "watermark" your work - for instance, writing your name on an unused area of a skinmap.</ul>
To consumers/compilation creators:
<ul><li>Don't delete txts from zips you install. They're the artist's signature, or as close as we can get to it in a digital medium. If you like, make a separate directory to hold them.
<li>*always* give credit where credit is due. Especially in the matter of compilations, make sure you get as much information as possible about each item you include. Be specific; the artist will appreciate it. Any compilation should include a TXT, as model zips do, that details EVERY contributor and what in the pack is their work.
<li>If you don't know the author of a certain element,
--a) Try and find it. Ask from wherever you got it, ask in communities that might know, etc.
--b) If that fails, note very clearly that "The creator of such-and-such element is unknown." Then include in your TXT <b>your own</b> contact information, so that you can be contacted and can add the missing information.
<li>If you're going to pass something on to a friend, send them to the website where you got it - don't just send them a link to the file, or the file itself. Creators depend on their work being seen as *theirs*.</ul>
Following is a short list of things that should be included in a TXT. Some of them apply more to creators, some to compilers, most to both. IMO, this is the most helpful order to list them in, though how you design your zips is your own call:
<ul><li>Your name, contact information, and website.
<li>If possible, the website from which the zip was downloaded (e.g. if you send a file to Fileplanet for hosting, include "Downloaded from www.fileplanet.com" in the TXT. This is *very* helpful).
<li>Release date and version.
<li>ALL contributors - name, contact information, website, and (optional) manner of contribution
<li>A disclaimer stating that the elements of the zip are the property of their respective creators, and contact information to report any stolen elements.
<li>A list of elements whose contributors are unknown, along with a "contact me if you know who did them" disclaimer.
<li>A list of included elements with contributors identified for each.</ul>
A quick example:
<a href='http://www.princeton.edu/~danj/ns/flowerpot_o-chamber.txt' target='_blank'>http://www.princeton.edu/~danj/ns/flowerpo...t_o-chamber.txt</a>
I realize this seems a little exhaustive, but the creative community on the internet is only as strong as its members and supports. Everyone wants to be recognized for their hard work.
And now if you'll excuse me, I have a flowerpot to model. (:
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>- Never, ever, under any circumstance, attack or "flame" anyone. Ever. No behavior is bad enough that warrants retaliation.
- Remain friendly and civil at all times. Be helpful when possible. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
- Use of the NS forums or IRC channel is a privilege, not a right. NS community officials reserve the right to create the community we want to be a part of.
- Swearing, and use of slurs about race or sexual-orientation are prohibited. Words that try to sneak around the swear filter are prohibited.
- Slanderous, defamatory, false, obscene, indecent, lewd, pornographic, abusive, insulting, threatening, harassing or obnoxious comments are not appropriate in the NS community.
- Any form of direct or indirect personal attack or harassment is prohibited.</span><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What does all this mean?<ul>
<li>Think before you post. For the love of God, think before you post.
<li>The only criticism in this forum should be model-related. That means that you do not attack a person (as stated above). If you feel *they* are breaking forum rules by flaming, use the "report post" button and let a moderator handle it. If you flame them in kind, you are breaking the rules - and contributing to the downward spiral of this forum - even more than they are. Yes, even more.
<li>The only model-related criticism on this forum should be constructive. Telling someone "your model sucks" helps no one. Explaining to them the flaws in their model for the purpose of helping them to improve the model, or their modeling in general.
</ul>Two topics in particular deserve special attention.
The first is regarding model requests. Yes, there are many requests made on these forums - more than the modelers who frequent them could possible handle. Yes some of them are really bad ideas. If you see a model request that you think is stupid, pointless, absurd, or anything -- <b>simply do not reply to it!</b> If you don't think it should be done, don't give it attention. Do *not* flame the poster, do *not* tell him it's a stupid idea, and do *not* tell him to go learn to model himself.
The second topic is that of property rights, especially in the compilation of models into release packs (for example, the recently released <b>Aliens</b> packs). If you have a problem regarding the rights to a particular model, its inclusion in a pack, proper recognition of the creator, etc -- <b>DO NOT air your dirty laundry on the forums!</b> Contact the person in question PRIVATELY and try to sort it out - frequently, things like this are simply a matter of oversight. If there is still a problem, take it to a higher authority. I know very well the perils of internet property rights - my "chibi" style alien and marine drawings have given me many headaches. If there is a post on these forums featuring stolen work, inform a moderator and we will lock the offending post (provided the evidence supports your claim). Again, DO NOT flame the individual responsible! There are more intelligent and effective ways of solving problems.
Please, try and keep these forums an enjoyable place to frequent. Nobody enjoys flamefests.
_________________
<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Property Rights and the Internet</span></b>
I'd like to talk briefly on the matter of property rights on the Internet. I'm writing a paper on it for my "Creativity, Innovation, and Society" class, and also hoping to move into the gaming industry as well, so it's been fairly prominent in my thoughts recently.
There exist methods for protecting intellectual property (IP) rights on the Internet - for instance, Flayra holds a copyright on the name "Natural Selection" as used in a video game context (He actually "foxed" Fox - the AvP2 expansion pack Primal Hunt was originally going to be called Natural Selection!). However, the majority of us don't have the means, time, or money to do that, and therefore we come to the way IP rights *actually* work on the Internet: trust.
Creators of any media published on the Internet really hope and pray that people will respect their work as unique, especially since the "physical" work itself is not at all unique - it can be infinitely copied with no loss of quality. My site includes a disclaimer that all of my artwork is not to be used in a public context without contacting me for permission first, but of course that is only effective if other people choose to abide by it. Most of the people on this forum are creators in their own rights, and probably are already aware of these facts... but for those of you who might be entering the arena, or passing through, please follow these bits of advice:
To creators:
<ul><li>Include a readme.txt in any zip you release. Include your contact information, documentation (date, etc) and anything else that should be known about the included files.
<li>Don't call it "readme.txt." There are 8 million readme.txts on any given computer, and you may overwrite a different one, or later have yours overwritten. If you're releasing a flowerpot replacement for the alien o-chamber, call the file "flowerpot_o-chamber.txt" or something.
<li>In some cases, there are ways to "watermark" your work - for instance, writing your name on an unused area of a skinmap.</ul>
To consumers/compilation creators:
<ul><li>Don't delete txts from zips you install. They're the artist's signature, or as close as we can get to it in a digital medium. If you like, make a separate directory to hold them.
<li>*always* give credit where credit is due. Especially in the matter of compilations, make sure you get as much information as possible about each item you include. Be specific; the artist will appreciate it. Any compilation should include a TXT, as model zips do, that details EVERY contributor and what in the pack is their work.
<li>If you don't know the author of a certain element,
--a) Try and find it. Ask from wherever you got it, ask in communities that might know, etc.
--b) If that fails, note very clearly that "The creator of such-and-such element is unknown." Then include in your TXT <b>your own</b> contact information, so that you can be contacted and can add the missing information.
<li>If you're going to pass something on to a friend, send them to the website where you got it - don't just send them a link to the file, or the file itself. Creators depend on their work being seen as *theirs*.</ul>
Following is a short list of things that should be included in a TXT. Some of them apply more to creators, some to compilers, most to both. IMO, this is the most helpful order to list them in, though how you design your zips is your own call:
<ul><li>Your name, contact information, and website.
<li>If possible, the website from which the zip was downloaded (e.g. if you send a file to Fileplanet for hosting, include "Downloaded from www.fileplanet.com" in the TXT. This is *very* helpful).
<li>Release date and version.
<li>ALL contributors - name, contact information, website, and (optional) manner of contribution
<li>A disclaimer stating that the elements of the zip are the property of their respective creators, and contact information to report any stolen elements.
<li>A list of elements whose contributors are unknown, along with a "contact me if you know who did them" disclaimer.
<li>A list of included elements with contributors identified for each.</ul>
A quick example:
<a href='http://www.princeton.edu/~danj/ns/flowerpot_o-chamber.txt' target='_blank'>http://www.princeton.edu/~danj/ns/flowerpo...t_o-chamber.txt</a>
I realize this seems a little exhaustive, but the creative community on the internet is only as strong as its members and supports. Everyone wants to be recognized for their hard work.
And now if you'll excuse me, I have a flowerpot to model. (:
Comments
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hear hear!
Before you spasmodicially hit that "Post reply" button ask yourself "Am I contributing anything useful to this discussion?" If you answer is anything other than a definate "YES", reconsider posting at all.
--Scythe--
Racism?biggotism?
Racism?biggotism? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
It is not your job to police those bannable offenses. It's why we employ all these moderators; just hit your 'report post' button and let them take care of it.
Just to follow up on Coil's point, I am not not above suspending this forum for a week or two if it continues to be so out of control. Please heed his 'advice', or I will be forced to act.
Thanks for your cooperation.
I thought this might be relevant here too, with regards to copyright and somehow protectiong your work: <a href='http://www.creativecommons.org/' target='_blank'>Creative Commons</a>
To explain what it's about a little, this is from their FAQ: <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><i>What is Creative Commons?</i>
Creative Commons is a non-profit corporation founded on the notion that some people may not want to exercise all of the intellectual property rights the law affords them. We believe there is an unmet demand for an easy yet reliable way to tell the world "Some rights reserved" or even "No rights reserved." Many people have long since concluded that all-out copyright doesn't help them gain the exposure and widespread distribution they want. Many entrepreneurs and artists have come to prefer relying on innovative business models rather than full-fledged copyright to secure a return on their creative investment. Still others get fulfillment from contributing to and participating in an intellectual commons. For whatever reasons, it is clear that many citizens of the Internet want to share their work -- and the power to reuse, modify, and distribute their work -- with others on generous terms. Creative Commons intends to help people express this preference for sharing by offering the world a set of licenses on our Website, at no charge.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's not going to protect your work but hopefully y'all can see the spirit in which the Creative Commons works, as it seems appropriate to a modelling community like this.
It's something I've only come across recently, and next time I update my site there'll be a liberal sprinkling of CC licences around it.
soz coil
- Any form of direct or indirect personal attack or harassment is prohibited <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
do these count when i do it to myself?
You should improve in this or give opinions that can help the modeler design better models?
<b>To everyone: try to chill out a bit, ok? You can tell someone to use the search button or that such-and-such has already been suggested/completed/scrapped/whatever WITHOUT turning the topic into a raging inferno of petty attacks. Please behave... for MY sanity.</b>
Every day
<newbie> "L0lz0r lookz at mi 1 made an aliens pack!! "elite"!!"
*thread turns into flame bucket*
<coil> *in nicer words* SUYF . *locked*
*Next day - rinse and repeat*
Ah, life is just so wonderful to watch <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->