[Proclone]

I said it once, and I'll keep harping on it until I don't feel like it anymore

This community needs to be innovative AND share the knowledge. The problem is that people who go throught he trouble of learning to do stuff tend to want to keep their super special use of the game secret so that everyone goes "ooo ahhh" when their mod is released...

Of course, no one really gives a damn by the time the mod is released and the knowledge could be used by a lot fo people before then.

Still no one wants to give away their ideas without any thanks right? Well in the real world that's sort of the reason patenting was developed. For anyone unaware of how patents work, they're basically allow an inventor to prevent others from using their research without their permission while at the same time making the knoweldge they gathered 100% public.

Why don't we get together and try to set up something similar for ideas in this modding community? Obviously, preventing people from using the knowledge is out of the question, but a proper database of the knowledge combined with who 'invented' the technique and any further information about them, the mod it was for, how to find that mod , etc etc. would be useful.. Use of the "patent" database might require that any knowledge borrowed require that the user include all the information mentionned above in the credits of their mod under a heading regarding the knowledge used (just an example).

In this way (or something similar) everyone could benefit from ideas while at the same time credit the original 'inventor/researcher' in an enforcable manner. Further such a 'patent database' could be password protected in order to make certain those who access it have agreed to the terms of use of the knowledge. Of course anyone could get access, much like a screened forum.

[Eradicator]

Hmm... interesting idea. I'd like to see it tried although I unfortunately see it being abused quickly and falling apart.

[Proclone]

Instead of just neigh saying how about elaborating on WHY/HOW you envision it being abused.

[Destroyer]

I very much like the idea, yet I also think it could be easily abused.

[Eradicator]

LIke people gaining access and posting ridiculous things. Like first mod with a blue tank.

[Proclone]

Much like real patents, you wouldn't be able to 'patent' just anything. I thought it went without saying that sucha system would need to have a screening process.

[Eradicator]

Like I said I'd like to see it happen, but I forsee people bickering over who did what first and trying to abuse the system, but I suppose with a series of moderators it could work nicely. Although enforcing any sort of abuse of the system would be difficult. It would be cool if you could get the cooperation of major community websites to ban or warn mod authors that try to abuse the system or disobey its guidelines.

[Proclone]

I don't really think 'enforcement' would be effective. Unlike real life patent infrigement in a mod community isn't binding. However we have a fairly small community of modders here, and I think anyone abusing the system and not giving credit where it was due would be found out pretty fast and snubbed.

The whole idea works circularly... as an example, say you come up with a new way of using the super powers that no one's 'patented' yet. You submit the idea and the idea is posted on the "pending" list.

At this point it would still be "secret" as the moderators ( whoever would be trusted with teh job of filtering the 'patents') checked to make sure that the idea was a valid one and that no one else already had claims to it. Once they clear the idea it would be posted and dated for everyone to see.


Now imagine someone came along and used that idea in a mod and posted it claiming that they came up with it themselves. They might be telling the truth, however the 'patent' would have a published date with it as mentionned earlier and it would be pretty obvious which came first. Should the infringer argue that they had the idea for a long time and just kept it secret then the question comes up as to why they didnt submit the idea so THEY would get credited for it.

I don't think any strict enforcement would be desireable, after all the modder in the example could very well have come up with the idea themselves and thus done nothing wrong in not crediting. The thing is that people who rip off others' ideas don't tend to do it just once, so I have a tendancy to think that any 'serious' non-crediter would be plainly obvious.

In the end the cycle encourages people to share their ideas to begin with in order to be given proper credit for their findings.

[Eradicator]

This has happened before. The community has almost already created an unofficial patent system. If you are familiar with the Infusion Mod 4.0 episode (which most DZ form goers are) you'll understand where I'm coming from. In places like the cncmatrix and dz forums the mod was snubbed and in extreme cases people attacked it But in other forums it was praied and the stealing behavior was encouraged. It divided the community although altogether "justice" prevailed and the mod author quit

[smurfbizkit]

The idea won't work. The main reason being there just isn't anything really big or important worth having a big fuss about right now. I havn't seen anything so special in mods that is being kept secret.

As for it lasting long, it won't...the average lifespan of a modder is a couple years, and usually only lasts as long as the current cnc game.

If this was for another modding community, an fps one...yes this would be a good idea.