Ricebug on 1/3/2014 at 11:40
I'm asking this because of another
(http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143320) ongoing thread that deals with loot problems in older FMs.
Should FMs (
Thief 2: The Metal Age only) have mistakes, such as unobtainable loot, repaired? And since we're at it, why not fix broken objectives, bad textures, and other known issues. Then render them out with 32-bit lighting, environmental zones, etc.? I'll host the server space for the "new and improved" versions if the response is favorable.
Some challenges I see:
1. Version conflicts. "Dude! I just D/L'd XXX and it's not the same as the copy on Southquarter."
2. So-called 'copyright' issues. A technical and potentially emotional subject. Necromancer posts exist on it. Personally, I'd be happy to see someone improve my old missions.
3. Mirrors unwilling to host different versions of the same FM.
fibanocci on 1/3/2014 at 11:50
If you want to fix a mission, ask for permission first.
LarryG on 1/3/2014 at 17:07
Exactly. Without permission, no.
zappenduster on 1/3/2014 at 19:21
There are often clauses like p.e. ...
No one may edit and re-distribute this mission without my express permission.
You may distribute this level in any way as long as it remains unmodified and I am credited for it.
... in the readme files. Well if there are typing errors or things like that ... but I'd have a bad feeling about editing my MIS files, changing textures for ND or other modifications made by others. :(
darthsLair on 1/3/2014 at 23:45
Only with the Author's permission! If no permit is given, the fm should not be touched,that is,modified in anyway.
Ricebug on 2/3/2014 at 00:49
You guys are getting the letter of the law confused with the spirit of the what the author intended. Yes, we have a dire warning against modifying a mission. OTOH, we have a group (see OP) who'd like to see loot problems fixed in quite a few FMs. That is not "modifying" an FM without the author's permission, it's fixing something they obviously intended but some life-changing event got in the way. Or they moved on. In all fairness, if the author mandates a particular objective, and then fails to make it possible to complete, any "copyright" warning carries little, if any weight.
We're not discussing drastic and totally bogus changes to anyone's FM; we're only looking at fixing some stuff that was missed for whatever reason.
We could come up with a checklist and include it in the file, listing attempts at contacting the author, websites, email addresses, etc. Include a detailed change log, so on and so forth. That should satisfy the intent. And, if a missing author complains years from now that someone "modified" his or her FM, some tact and diplomacy should soothe any ruffled feathers. If not, and they insist that "the gold coinstack has to remain buried in that solid brush," then yank the thing from the site. Personally, I don't see anyone being that obstinate and arrogant.
LarryG on 2/3/2014 at 01:11
Um, no.
With permission of authors only.
FireMage on 2/3/2014 at 01:14
Time we are talking about it:
I send officially ALL rights about fixing missing loot and bugs on my old fun missions BUT: I WANT TO BE AWARE ABOUT IT!!!
If someone wants to improve the archiecture, he can! If he want to add something: Agreed! But I ask for ALL details!!
And I SHOULD be a betatester in this business to see what have been changed to express if I don't like the modifications or if I want something more/less.
zacharias on 2/3/2014 at 02:12
Yeah i'm with all the others. You MUST get author permission at the very least to modify and host an alternate version. It's cut and dried not only because that's the moral thing to do but because the potential for abuse/slippery slope aspect of any other approach outweighs any potential good that is done by 'fixing' the FM.
Hit Deity on 2/3/2014 at 02:28
For what my opinion is worth, I say get permission if at all possible, but if it's not possible to contact an FM author then ONLY unobtainable loot or broken objectives should be fixed. I don't think there's any FM author who would get upset about that. And as Ricebug said, just yank it IF someone gets upset about it. I just don't think it would be an issue.
If (I can't think of any examples) there are parts of an FM that are deemed impossible to get through or if something is just "broken" about it, then a discussion thread should be opened up about it, the author contacted if possible, and then see about getting it sorted out. With the FM author having the final say, of course.
