DLC and MODS Conflict of interests.

It will clearly depend of what kind of modification you are going to create.

If I would change the strength of a axeman to 7 in the xmls, this technically would be a modification. It would not interfere (as I assume) with anything else in Civ5, therefore we may assume that it would be legal to host such a modification whereever you want.

As having pointed out above already, with changed graphics the whole story may look completely different and that question has not been answered yet in the slightest way.
 
I seriously doubt that even if a modder copied all the stats of civilizations, units, buildings, terrain etc. included in a DLC there would ever be a problem ... as long as none of the artwork/sounds/maps used in the mod was copied from the DLC.

Neither do I think that there is going to be a problem with using artwork/sounds/maps from DLCs in mods either ... as long as both modder and moduser have purchased the reused DLCs.


However, what is still unresolved is whether modusers that does NOT have the DLCs that are being reused partly in a mod will be able/allowed to use such mods. I suspect that it may be possible ... as long as the mod doesn't give players without the DLC access to the DLC content anywhere else other than within the mod in question.
 
I seriously doubt that even if a modder copied all the stats of civilizations, units, buildings, terrain etc. included in a DLC there would ever be a problem ... as long as none of the artwork/sounds/maps used in the mod was copied from the DLC.

Neither do I think that there is going to be a problem with using artwork/sounds/maps from DLCs in mods either ... as long as both modder and moduser have purchased the reused DLCs.

Agreed.


However, what is still unresolved is whether modusers that does NOT have the DLCs that are being reused partly in a mod will be able/allowed to use such mods. I suspect that it may be possible ... as long as the mod doesn't give players without the DLC access to the DLC content anywhere else other than within the mod in question.

What I am guessing is that modders will have to make both a Deluxe and non-Deluxe version of their mods. The only difference being that the Deluxe would include Babylonia. Since only the Deluxe users would have access to the art anyway, it's not as though the non-Deluxe users could just download the Deluxe version (because it wouldn't include the art, which I'm sure Firaxis wouldn't allow. Rather, it would just pull the art from the Civ5 folder). This would probably just mean that the modder would upload the regular, non-Deluxe version, and then upload a .zip file with just the files that are changed to add Babylonia (so as not to completely reupload the entire mod again).
 
However, what is still unresolved is whether modusers that does NOT have the DLCs that are being reused partly in a mod will be able/allowed to use such mods. I suspect that it may be possible ... as long as the mod doesn't give players without the DLC access to the DLC content anywhere else other than within the mod in question.

Maybe, as it is done in some others games with DLCs, such content will be encrypted, and thus unmodable.
 
Agreed.




What I am guessing is that modders will have to make both a Deluxe and non-Deluxe version of their mods. The only difference being that the Deluxe would include Babylonia. Since only the Deluxe users would have access to the art anyway, it's not as though the non-Deluxe users could just download the Deluxe version (because it wouldn't include the art, which I'm sure Firaxis wouldn't allow. Rather, it would just pull the art from the Civ5 folder). This would probably just mean that the modder would upload the regular, non-Deluxe version, and then upload a .zip file with just the files that are changed to add Babylonia (so as not to completely reupload the entire mod again).

What if a modder goes through the code for the official Babylon civ, reuses it to 99% by creating his own very similar files and supplies alternate artwork/vo (or just subs) and releases it as "Premium version Babylon mod"?

If that is not ok would a less similar code be acceptable and at what level? 95% similarity? 90? 85?
 
What if a modder goes through the code for the official Babylon civ, reuses it to 99% by creating his own very similar files and supplies alternate artwork/vo (or just subs) and releases it as "Premium version Babylon mod"?

If that is not ok would a less similar code be acceptable and at what level? 95% similarity? 90? 85?

That's a reasonable question.

I have asked 2k Elizabeth exactly this but all we can do now is await an answer (and perhaps poke her if one is not forthcoming)
 
My gut simply tells me that they will be limiting what is capable of being modded in the game so that they have certain features they can mod in themselves and sell as DLC and the game modders will have their own set of moddable features that they can use seperate of waht Firaxis can create to keep the two seperated.
 
My gut simply tells me that they're not planning to create a series of for-price DLC on the order of extra factions or new mechanics. They'll put those in expansions.

If they do create additional for-pay DLC over time, then it will likely be standalone mods and scenarios, that will not have any impact on the main vanilla game, and will not restrict anyone else's ability to make mods and scenarios.

For example; the Warlords expansion pack featured new scenarios, like the Mongols scenario.

They did not ban anyone from creating a vanilla Civ4 scenario that was also about mongol conquests, and used a similar map and had similar feel.

My gut tells me that many people here are working themselves into a paranoid frenzy based on hypotheticals that they invented.

When has Firaxis ever tried to restrict the mods made by players?
 
My gut simply tells me that they're not planning to create a series of for-price DLC on the order of extra factions or new mechanics. They'll put those in expansions.
ideally this is the way it will fall out but my gut says otherwise just given how they are approching the release of the game itself. in the end though, neither of us can say for sure, without official word, and only time will tell.~
 
When has Firaxis ever tried to restrict the mods made by players?
Times are changing, publishers are seeing that DLC sells in the PC gaming world like it has in the Console world. It's just a matter of time. But we must all wait and see what modability V is going to have and see if there are any restrictions on modability or not. None of us know until we have the package in our hands or somebody at Firaxis or 2K tells us for certain.
 
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