There are several laws that prevent someone from stealing one another's work, but that requires a copyright, which in turn costs money, which many people do not take the time to do.

Since the models stay in the form that they are modeled in, once models are released they are basically open source, so if you don't want it ripped, then keep it to yourself.

The HK 23 and Glock 20 models belong to me. I also contributed to the Tactical Benelli shotgun that I modeled.

The community has changed a lot since I was first a member here, and I've only been registered a little over a week.

If this is what I can expect from the community, then there is no reason to continue posting here.

This forum has become a pimpled-laden haven for people who rip work from people who worked hard on their models, scripts, and skins.

I recommend getting a DigiMarc account, so you can embed watermarks into your work, so that only you can read them and prove people that your stuff is yours.

I know that we can't stop it all together, but we can stop it gradually, by banning even suspects of ripping without notice, I think that if we work together and form an anti-ripping alliance, we may be able to salvage this community.

eatthis:

[-DOD-DaveMachine]

You got my support, i don't model but i do hackjobs in CS/FA/DOD for HL. I will do my part by listing all the authors when i happen to release something which isnt very often.

[Innoxx]

Count me in. If you want I'll put together a small banner that you can add in your sigs.

[PluginGuy]

right, well i'll just add that sig you might make innox to my signature...

[Innoxx]

Ok. I'll get cracking

[-DOD-DaveMachine]

w3rd

I'm glad that I have your support, thanks guys. biggrin:

[Innoxx]

[img]http://www.dodstudios.net/uploads/uploads/anti-rip.jpg[/img]

[Machette]

nice work, this sounds good

Thanks Innoxx.

[=DD=Wolf Kahler]

PsychoMerc, you're spreading false information about the right that allows you to reproduce your own material. Again, as someone already has, I'll refer to "[url=http://www.whatiscopyright.org:7e7f4]What is Copyright Protection?[/url:7e7f4]". Please update your knowledge base. People are believing what you say, which doesn't help them understand it at all.

That isn't to say I don't encourage the Anti-Rip movement. It's noble and necessary. It's just that piece of information I wanted to clarify.

Carry on.

With that out of the way, death to rippers!

[Dr. Deleto]

If the HK 23 and Glcok 20 belong to you, then what were the original names for the models. It wasnt HK 23 and Glock 20 I can tell you that. oh and what game did they come from? or what site were they on? Seriously doubt you know.

[9mm BeRetTa]

i dont think there should be a problem with ripping off stuff when you allow people to download them for free...i mean what do expect to happen. not everyone has the same opinions on giving others credit, most people are greedy.

i understand you are pissed that your stuff is getting ripped off and i think there is some credit due to the original modders but if you think about it, when you make a new model, skin. etc... you should actually be giving credit to some website from where you go a picture and an idea. the list can go on and on about where the idea came from.

that watermarks idea is real clever. im not supporting hacking and stealing peoples work, im just voicing my opinion on the subject

[Innoxx]

Wolf Kahler said it best:

[quote="=DD=Wolf Kahler":d0d84]It's the principle of the thing, Zoner. I'm sure you wouldn't be happy if you created a great model and someone turned around, went to an other croud and claimed it as their own work without doing anything themselves.

You design a new process to make good paper without using trees, someone sells it to some big company before you can copyright it.

You design a new artificial heart.

A new kind of clean car engine.

A new kind of tire that won't pop.

A new process for packing soups in cans that would save somebody millions of dollars.

A new toothpick.

Someone's taking credit for your work.

While there has been a great deal of misinformation concerning the legal structure of copyrights, you may find the truth [url=http://www.whatiscopyright.org/:d0d84]here[/url:d0d84].

That is besides the emotional impact, which is the basis for the law anyway. You pour your heart and soul in to weeks of hard work creating something you feel is perfect, just to have it stolen by some uncaring prick. You create something, you're attached to it. It's part of you. Part of who you are. It's something you can stand up and tell the world you did. You took the time and care to build something yourself, with your own hands, whether it's a house, a car, a boat or a 3D model. You built it. You paid the price to see it complete.

I'm sure none of you is happy to see the state of these forums so many of you have invested long months of discussion and contribution in. It's the same principle. We made an investment and we don't want to be ripped off, the same as you don't want to lose anything here.

You respect our turf, we'll respect yours, and we generally do. It's a shame this series of heated and hasty debates and rants has been so costly to you guys. I'm sorry for the damage caused, though I only speak for myself.

As someone who's put the time and effort in to learning how to model in 3D, how to mesh those 3D models, how to skin them and how to animate them, I have to say it's not easy. I'm hardly any good. I deeply respect many of our modellers for being able to model at the levels they do, many of the skinners for being just as profficient, the animators... All these people who are always there and willing to give countless hours of their tireless efforts just to make us custom-hounds [yes, it's originally to make themselves happy; the rest of us being happy is secondary] and ask nothing in return but a little respect.

How can you NOT respect someone who put so much of their lives in to something while defending people who take five minutes to convert all that hard work and take all the credit for its creation?

The obvious imbalance in that is what sparked this nearly-ended debate. I'm sure a reasonable mind will be able to see this and understand the honest heartache involved here.[/quote:d0d84]