FilePlanet just taking mods and ignoring modders? : V - Skyrim

» Sat May 19, 2012 4:16 am

Holy crap, I got a response already, and my file has been removed!

Guys email Peure @ ign.com. I got a response in literally 4 minutes and action was taken to remove my file. Either he is getting hammered with copyright claims and figures they are screwed if they ignore them all, or there is a good guy out there...

If this works, excellent. Trying it now since they've rebuffed every other attempt I've made.

» Sat May 19, 2012 12:00 am

I could be wrong, but doesn't Planet Elderscrolls actually store the mods we upload on Fileplanet?

I haven't used PES for a long time, but I think I remember that every mod I've uploaded in PES automatically ended up in Fileplanet.

» Sat May 19, 2012 12:27 am

If this works, excellent. Trying it now since they've rebuffed every other attempt I've made.

I just sent one too, so we shall see...

Yes PES uses FilePlanet as IGN hosts PES. IGN almost hosted Oblivion's Real Estate, they offered too, but I chose to go a route that didn't involve having ads that make money for the host...or ads at all. While we only host about 100 files, we are ad free and non profit. Skyrim Real Estate is the same.

That was just a little info while we wait.....la..la..la...do...dee...da *whistle*...hmm, that reminds me, I still have to record that song for 'http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1293973-wip-unique-taverns/page__fromsearch__1'.........*whistle* ...la...dee..la.....okay! four minutes is up and no response!

I will give it until the end of tomorrow though.

» Sat May 19, 2012 6:54 am

I have noticed that FilePlanet seems to be simply taking mods from TesNexus, regardless of what the modder has put regarding usage of the mods on the download page and in the readme. They upload them to FilePlanet, usually getting the name and other information wrong in the process, and although many modders have tried to contact them FilePlanet just ignores any communication from modders.

The reason why I have noticed is because my large Oblivion mod is there, incorrectly named, and they just lifted my short description word for word. I have sent 4 messages to the staff there and filled out a support ticket, asking politely for the file to be removed. However the ticket was deleted and there has been absolutely no response whatsoever, and the file is still there. They are blatently ignoring the people whose work they stole.

I have since found out that this has been the case for many if not all modders who have contacted FilePlanet asking them to remove the mods they stole.

I am in this Skyrim section because I am noticed so many Skyrim mods just lifted off TesNexus, on release, uploaded to FilePlanet. Descriptions, images, files just stolen. I am talking a heck of a lot of mods.

So I am wondering if anyone here has had any success in getting their file removed from FilePlanet? If so, how? Maybe I am sending messages to the wrong people? Is your mod on there? Were you asked? Have you tried to get it removed?

And I thought Curse and Gmod were bad, at least they communicated and removed the files when asked. This whole blatent disregard and attitude of FilePlanet actually has me concerned about releasing mods for Skyrim.

Pay a lawyer to contact them, I bet it will get fixed real quick

» Sat May 19, 2012 11:05 am

Correct. It wouldn't break the mod, since SKSE does have backwards compatibility. But the intent was to script in a version checker, give a few minor upgrade points, and then disable the mod via the script when the installed version of SKSE got too far ahead. Doubtful FilePlanet would have the time or knowledge to bother with fixing every mod that used the method.

So, if you do not update your mod in a long period, it would suddenly stop working just because I update SKSE to a new version? I'm not sure, I like that idea. Please don't punish the rest of us for a few bad eggs.

» Sat May 19, 2012 7:47 am

I am a fan and user of almost every modder's work that has posted in this thread. Just to let you know, I for one won't be downloading any mods from file planet until they respond to your concerns.

It's the very least a guy can do to show you the respect your work so richly deserves.

Your work is free but that does not mean it has little value.
The folks who respect you will listen to your concerns and will be there for you in return.
Try not to let file planet get you down too much...Know that you are loved and valued.

Signed

A 40+ gamer who hates to see his heroes suffer insult and ill will.

» Sat May 19, 2012 2:14 am

Your work is free but that does not mean it has little value.
The folks who respect you will listen to your concerns and will be there for you in return.
Try not to let file planet get you down too much...Know that you are loved and valued.

This is what's so reprehensible about sites like Fileplanet.
Because they are just walking through the front door of the Nexus, taking what mods they want, putting them on their site and generating revenue for themselves.

The people arguing that it's "no big deal" should think of this example.

Say the Nexus and Fileplanet are two shops, set up next to each other,
the Nexus has books on display and they're free,
now the owner of the shop next door (Fileplanet) walks into Nexus,
makes copies of the books that nexus is offering for free, and starts selling them

That's not right.

» Sat May 19, 2012 7:19 am

Your very readme belongs to you. You have grounds for copywrite in that alone. Seriously.

But yes, all files created outside the CS are a very grey area and certainly cannot be claimed under the CS EULA. But that is a debate that has raged on ever since the first CS was released and the only way a conclusion could ever be reached is if the EULA was challenged in court.

Anyway we are getting a wee bit off topic here, one thing for absolutely certain is that FilePlanet has no rights too any mods period.

The difference here is 'Product Identity' vs 'Intellectual Property'.

in the legal area;
Product identity is (and has been) widely defined as something that impacts an actual product, whether physical or electronic.

Intellectual Property is (and has been) widely defined as Ideas, Concepts, implementation methods of said Idea/Concepts and created custom works.

So yes, custom meshes/textures/models, plots, scripts, etc are _IP_ of those who created them, and as such the creators of said _IP_ have the right under _law_ to file a DCMA.

Where Beth could be involved is in the _PI_ area... with the arguments of old mods/game breaking mods, the _PI_ of the Elder Scrolls property could be damaged... This is a 'business legal' issue (or rather could be made to be with the proper arguments).

Yes, I have had to deal with PI vs IP issues in a legal manner... several times actually... So whether you decide to believe me or not, is of course up to each person... Just investigate yourself the differences between PI and IP.... I'd suggest finding a 'initial consultation is free' IP/PI lawyer... Lay the groundwork/get the information as a 'Just in Case'/'Last Resort' method (and depending where in the world you are, I might be able to recommend a few good ones).

» Sat May 19, 2012 3:38 am

My mod "license" is always "do whatever you like with this." Regardless, having to field support requests for outdated mods is not cool.

From now on, my Readmes will include a line in the contact section saying something like, "If you got this from FilePlanet, it was not uploaded by me. FilePlanet has a habit of rehosting out-of-date (and therefore buggy) release, so if it hoses your game you're on your own for support. You might consider downloading this mod from a site that doesn't take content without permission from other sites so you have access to the most up-to-date version, support, and an active community."

This. This is one way to combat the issue... granted they can always edit this bit out of the description when they 're-host' the file... but if every modder added a "This is the proper place(s) to get the latest and greatest and support...." line in their readme's, it would help a lot...

» Sat May 19, 2012 12:53 pm

I'm not sure if this was directed at me, but you should know that I'm neither ignorant, nor rude, and have been in this community forever.
[...]
EDIT - I'm not trying to be defensive either, I suspect your post wasn't directed at me specifically, but since I was the only one to make a comment that was close to that, I figured I might try to clarify what I was trying to say.

It was not directed at you, no.

Does it make it right?

No.

Do I agree with it?

No.

But it's the way things are.

And this is why it wasn't directed at you.

I know very well that this is reality. But that doesn't make it right, and if you're not defending it, and you're not objecting to people attempting to defend their own rights, then I don't have any problem with you. My problem was only with those who attacked modders for attempting to exercise their own rights. People who think that modders owe them and that they deserve the mods and such. Because that is incredible, blinding ingratitude. Plus, and this should be a surprise to no one, a majority (and no, I am explicitly not saying that it is all of them) of the people who have such attitudes, have done absolutely nothing for the community. No mods released, no guides or tutorials written, no Wiki entries improved, hell, most don't even give good or useful feedback. I.e. they are parasites.

As to the more recent discussions, I don't see Bethesda doing anything to shut down one file hosting site, while allowing another to continue.

They can't tell Fileplanet not to host mods, because then they would be endorsing TES/Skyrim/Fallout Nexus, which they can't do.

All they can do is provide THEIR file distribution method, in Steamworks. And they've already said they're not going to stop people from uploading elsewhere (thank god, because I want nothing to do with Steamworks)

Eh, they can tell FilePlanet to stop hosting mods without authors' permission. They don't need to tell Nexus that, because Nexus is already doing that. It's not favoritism or endorsemant, it's merely setting rules. Which, assuming we buy that the EULA is completely valid in every statement, including those that Bethesda has never attempted to enforce (much less those that have actually been tested in court, which none of them have to my knowledge), then Bethesda would have the right to set such a rule.

And if we don't buy that the EULA is completely valid (which is the far more likely scenario), then modders have that sole and exclusive right.

» Sat May 19, 2012 1:37 pm

My file has been removed and I received an apology email. This is great news! Despite the debates raging here over copyrights etc, we have actually made much progress in this thread.

We now know who to email and if you are aiming to get a file removed by emailing and will take a bit of advice, do it politely regardless of how angry you may feel.

» Sat May 19, 2012 4:21 am

My file has been removed and I received an apology email. This is great news! Despite the debates raging here over copywrites etc, we have actually made much progress in this thread.

We now know who to email and if you are aiming to get a file removed by emailing and will take a bit of advice, do it politely.

*copyright

Congratulations! :foodndrink:

Now people should still periodically check to see if they've relocated it or put it back up or whatever.
I'd like to know what their explanations for the edited readme.txts are about.

» Sat May 19, 2012 4:46 am

My file has been removed and I received an apology email. This is great news! Despite the debates raging here over copywrites etc, we have actually made much progress in this thread.

We now know who to email and if you are aiming to get a file removed by emailing and will take a bit of advice, do it politely.

I'm glad that worked.

» Sat May 19, 2012 9:45 am

Well let's not go celebrating just yet

My email went out before yours (I think) and has yet to be dealt with. So while it's good that some progress is being made, it isn't a done deal just yet.

» Sat May 19, 2012 3:15 am

*copyright

Quite right. It is very late here so my brain is a bit fuzzy. :laugh:

We shall have to keep monitoring the situation and making sure the files don't reappear and that everyone who wants it gets their file removed. But at least we have progress.

Hopefully yours will get removed next, Arthmoor.

» Sat May 19, 2012 5:36 am

How badass would that be. Just show up to fileplanet's like headquarters with Todd Howard and a legion of lawyers there. Wouldn't happen but a maybe i nice and demanding letter would suffice.

Bethesda zenimax's legal team clearly doesn't have enough to do judging by how theyr spent months chasing up Mojang for using the word "scroll" in a development title, seems like a fair suggestion

/canned laughter

» Sat May 19, 2012 4:21 am

I have contributed a little to the community over the years. Small mods that do spot fixes here and there, bug testing and hunting for the unofficial patches, and tutorials, etc.

I have done similar things in most gaming communities I have been a part of, including the Wrestling Game, Bite Fight, and some smaller client based MMO sites.

I'd hate to see my words taken verbatim from one of my tutorials or guides and pasted on another site with no credit given to me directly, because if there's a version that I'm unaware of, it is not being updated by me to reflect changes that have come about since the copied version. I understand entirely. I will not download from Fileplanet (not that I was anyway) until they have a policy of not allowing anonymous file uploads (they really shouldn't anyhow, as some files could intentionally break games without failing a virus scan). Anonymous file uploads hurt, because there's no way to update that file, there's no way to do anything with it except add another "unrelated" upload that may or may not get seen in relation to the out of date version. This is a thread I support.

» Sat May 19, 2012 11:17 am

I am re-opening this thread after taking out a few posts.

I get that you guys wish to discuss this stuff, but keep it civil. It's way cooler to get your point across succinctly, without sneering at or talking down to someone.

» Sat May 19, 2012 10:10 am

Not sure you're fully understanding how the timer would work, but that's cool. If the user doesn't upgrade their game, or SKSE, or the mod.. everything keeps running along perfectly. If they upgrade SKSE for whatever reason, they'd need to upgrade the mod. Not a big inconvenience. If they upgrade the mod, naturally they would want to upgrade SKSE (or might simply have to due to new features). It wouldn't simply "timeout" X weeks later arbitrarily. :smile:

Um... not to antagonize anyone here... but how is that any different from the much-reviled Steam for Skyrim?

Seriously. A third-party program I HAVE to use to download/install a mod that will eventually force me to use the most updated version of a mod, because the third-party program is out of date? After all the bitter complaining about how Beth sold out modders and gamers by using Steam and Steam Workshop? All to keep a certain, small, group from downloading the mod and redistributing the mod?

The irony here is both delightful and terrifying.

» Sat May 19, 2012 1:16 am

Um... not to antagonize anyone here... but how is that any different from the much-reviled Steam for Skyrim?

Seriously. A third-party program I HAVE to use to download/install a mod that will eventually force me to use the most updated version of a mod, because the third-party program is out of date? After all the bitter complaining about how Beth sold out modders and gamers by using Steam and Steam Workshop? All to keep a certain, small, group from downloading the mod and redistributing the mod?

The irony here is both delightful and terrifying.

Fileplanet is going on the nexus and taking mods without the modders permission, and posting them on their site in order to generate revenue.
This is a lot different from this whole Steam/Skyrim thing.

» Sat May 19, 2012 1:14 pm

DRM svcks. No matter how you put it, or what kind of DRM you use. The fact that Fileplanet is posting mods isn't the issue, the issue is the ability to anonymously upload there, and people are taking mods and redistributing them without regards. The other issue is Fileplanet's avoidance of mod authors wanting their own works removed. The fact that the mods are on Fileplanet is only PARTIALLY their own fault because they allow anonymous uploads, which is a HORRENDOUS practice from a company that doesn't allow anonymous downloads (or didn't when I last tried to DL from them).

» Sat May 19, 2012 11:25 am

Ooo We are back. :blink:

So I would love to hear from more people who have emailed, have your files been removed?

» Sat May 19, 2012 2:45 am

Um... not to antagonize anyone here... but how is that any different from the much-reviled Steam for Skyrim?

Seriously. A third-party program I HAVE to use to download/install a mod that will eventually force me to use the most updated version of a mod, because the third-party program is out of date? After all the bitter complaining about how Beth sold out modders and gamers by using Steam and Steam Workshop? All to keep a certain, small, group from downloading the mod and redistributing the mod?

The irony here is both delightful and terrifying.

The difference is that SKSE is needed to run the mod in the first place and it will only go out of date if you update your version of SKSE. It will then give you a friendly reminder to check for updates for the mod you downloaded. If you downloaded the mod from a, shall we call it, illegitimate source, then you'll get the real link when you update your SKSE.

This isn't DRM this is just a version check. It's not designed to block FilePlanet users from accessing the file; instead it tells users to download it from the right place when it gets out of sync with their SKSE version.

» Fri May 18, 2012 9:53 pm

The difference is that SKSE is needed to run the mod in the first place and it will only go out of date if you update your version of SKSE. It will then give you a friendly reminder to check for updates for the mod you downloaded. If you downloaded the mod from a, shall we call it, illegitimate source, then you'll get the real link when you update your SKSE.

This isn't DRM this is just a version check. It's not designed to block FilePlanet users from accessing the file; instead it tells users to download it from the right place when it gets out of sync with their SKSE version. :smile:

It's also not like the SKSE team stops hosting old versions, so you can always revert. I think.

» Sat May 19, 2012 4:09 am

The SKSE team does host old versions.

That's still an awful idea. A mod that breaks its own backwards compatibility on purpose? I think that is something no modder should ever do. And I'm one of the staunchest supporters of modders having the right to do whatever they like.

The fact that the mods are on Fileplanet is only PARTIALLY their own fault because they allow anonymous uploads, which is a HORRENDOUS practice from a company that doesn't allow anonymous downloads (or didn't when I last tried to DL from them).

Incorrect; I thought this too. No, this is FilePlanet employees (the writers of their blog thing) taking and uploading people's work without permission.