Atomic Systems

As people might have seen I was working on something for CR's ECML route (I seem to be one of the only ones who got hold of their route) and just for clarification asked them about whether freeware modifications to the route would be allowed and received this:



And thought I'd just let everyone know as I know there's a couple of other mods being made/have been made for their routes.

But your mods can be.

Not if the mods are to any of the original files, ie bin files, route xml etc.

How I read it you can mod the files for your own use but you cannot distribute them. No mention of bin files etc.

These are the files that are normally modded and dsitributed, which was the point of the post.

Hi
If in doubt whether you are breaking a model makers conditions,always er on the side of caution,it's safer than than having a large writ landing on your door.
Ask the model maker first and if a no no,you will have to keep it for your own use.
Mike

smarty2 wrote:But your mods can be.

Reading it very closely, you are not allowed to distribute files from the route in any way.

So if your own files and mods leave the original files unchanged, you could distribute your own files.

But nothing that came with the route, modified or unmodified.

I guess that makes it not possible to distribute any changes to the route, due to the way route files are structured.

--Tim

I meant in the sense of DPS's Ed Glas route if you are say swapping out kujunk stuff for better assets and adding scenery then that can be distributed as a mod.

Not really because you have to amend the route files referencing the original assets to reference the new assets, and according to CR's statement you wouldn't be able to do that. If you were directly substituting old files with new files of the same name it wouldn't break their policy, but it would cause other problems especially if you tried it with assets outside the route asset folder.

I understand they are protecting their product but it feels a bit over the top if they are saying you can't extend a route. If anything it will result in less sales as I for one look forward to what people can do with an existing route often adding more detail. If this can't happen, I'd be inclined not to buy. DPS have shown what can be done to both a quality route like E-G, and also an older route, Kuju ECML. Also the team that are backdating Liverpool to Manchester are doing sterling work. Steam workshop encourages this behaviour with modding having become more centralised while being easier and safer to get your mods. Just feels a little too much.

Whilst not directly related to CR and their policy, here in the UK when a mod
or repaint is done, the GeoPcDx file is omitted and we need to copy it over
from the original (no big sweat BTW). But I've been downloading a lot of
German/French/Italian repaints recently and noticed that the GeoPcDx file is included!
I'm not going to mention where or what (TBH I cannot remember!) but I've
not heard of any of them getting into a spot of trouble for doing so.

Most route mods involve you changing the scenery tiles, the tracks.bin and stuff like the route properties xml, all which would be undistributable by what CR's wrote.

In reality, CR's policy is pretty much the same as any policy for all commercial routes pre Steam Workshop era.

The workshop has clouded many people's judgement of what you can or cannot do.

The discussion was held on here many times before the Workshop turned up and the general consensus was you could extend a route but if you were to upload it, none of the original files were allowed to be included, be it Track, scenery, terrain... etc. This pretty much put people off editing and extending because how could you extend a route without including the Tracks.bin file, even an edited one?

***Edited extra - Before the Workshop, a commercial route was considered pretty much no go as far as editing with the intend of making it public.****

It is only since the coming of the Workshop three or four years ago that the reality of legally editing and uploading commercial routes took off.

smarty2 wrote:I meant in the sense of DPS's Ed Glas route if you are say swapping out kujunk stuff for better assets and adding scenery then that can be distributed as a mod.

I think the main difference here is that Darren will have the required permission to do so.

pjt1974 wrote:

smarty2 wrote:I meant in the sense of DPS's Ed Glas route if you are say swapping out kujunk stuff for better assets and adding scenery then that can be distributed as a mod.

I think the main difference here is that Darren will have the required permission to do so.

Also his is only distributed via the workshop by Thomsons request.