Stolen Content

Considering that we've recently had to deal with a few hacks that had blantantly ripped content from other hacks, it would be a good idea to remind everyone of this particular rule:

People who have worked hard on their own hacks do not appreciate their own work (art, layouts, music, code, etc) being stolen for other hacks, regardless if the content has been replaced in a new version of their hack, or if the hack has been discontinued.


Whilst some people do make some content available to the public, not everything is available. For example, the SSRG Splash Screen can only be used by Pro Users and above; some of Selbi's guides are only given by request. You need to realise that not everything can be made freely available, and you should respect that instead of getting stuff off dodgy websites.


Anyone who has a concern of a hack needs to contact the staff about it. There is the report button, and some staff are also available on IRC. The SSRG does not tolerate any productions with stolen content.

 

Well, you can't really stop people from coding, and making their own SSRG art, although yeah we don't wanna see shitty palette hack or fan character with SSRG splash screen. Good idea to remind people though that stealing isn't cool, and that if you don't know the origin of content then you shouldn't be using it. Just my two cents!

 

That's me out then.

 

I think he means bad fan characters.

 

I know, I was messing =P


I'm allowed to use the SSRG screen

 

People don't respect the work of others. Even the new Sonic Megamix version is filtrated over the net and some people are distributing it... It's a shame but the people are like this.

 

Absolutely yes, Ordos. But I must tell you guys that Sonic 1 Harder Levels is using the SSRG screen and I'm not in the staff or the pro-users group, but the screen permission had given to me by QJimbo when he was a administrator, and S1HL is a SSRG's hosted project. So I hope to don't have problem for me to keep using it.

 

Oh you know I'd bend over for you any time.


In any case I think the rule applies only to hacks that are, to be blunt, garbage. I mean we all had garbage hacks when we first started, so.

 

And if the content (in this case, an art) has been found, for example, in Google, and the hack's developer didn't know that he can't be used?

 

You shouldn't be searching things on Google anyway. It's simple. Find out the source before you use something. It's YOUR responsibility. If you don't know the source, then DON'T use it.

 

Honestly, you shouldn't use art you found online, especially now days with hacking content being stolen. :

 

The fact you are going to Google for code is sad enough to begin with. Seriously man, why would you do that? It takes more effort to find the damn code than it is to just do it yourself.

 

They're talkin' about using Google for art, not code.

 

I use google for art searching a lot, I have a look through google images, looking at real life pictures, all for inspiration. I just want to put it out there that the use of google should not be discouraged, but rather "what" you search for should be.


Those whose hacks have stolen art and that have searched for this art, have most probably included key words such as "Sonic" "Mega Drive" "Genesis" "Retro" "hack" or even Sonic specific game names, hence why they end up being led to other hack artwork. These are the people who are less likely to think outside the box, and search for something in a completely different context to Sonic related art (i.e. less eccentric/more common). The main point is, there is a reason, they just don't understand, they lack the maturity, respect and understanding we have, which makes sense considering most of them are very young aged, and often don't care about anything except making their own Sonic game. As minors go, having the chance to change a Sonic game is a dream come true to them, so much so, that the terms respect, quality, professionalism and directability doesn't occur in their minds (too excited to care basically).


Those with the stereotype I have just explained have no business on these forums, call us strict by all means, but that's why these forums and our community flows so well, and why SSRG has improved over the past year or two, we have a culture here, a family, a group, and I don't think we're about to accept stolen content unless what it was stolen for is something so surreal, that it proves the "stolee" (if you will) is mature and can follow the other rules (or hell even improve on them in the future).


To be blunt, if what it was stolen for is a piece of shit, then it is likely they aren't mature enough for these forums yet.

 

Finally I see some of my stuff stolen. Megamix usually gets all the love. :wub:

 

Confession: In a really old hack of mine, in the very early versions. The level select used megamix' font. After tweaker said that i couldnt use it, i modified it so that it looked nothing like the megamix font. The hack is now dead and done for.


Plzdontbanme.

 

Basically the same here. With the difference that I take my inspiration on the work made by other people, but for make my custom content on my way. I pay attention to even the small details on the art that other people post to show us (per example in the art of StephenUK, MarkeyJester and rika_chou that are excellent artists) for improve my skills and technique with my art. It's easy to see this concept being applied on my hack's desertic Marble Zone that's being based on the scrapped desert zone that was reproduced in Sonic 2 Delta, on Spring Yard wich was fully inspired on the beta stuff that Mistergambit reproduced in his hack, among lots of others. But I do the stuff by myself and I look to the way these people does their stuff for just improve the mine. Same goes to music, that is my most strong point on hacking. Steal things show nor only how the people is lazy to do their stuff, but it shows how the people will never feel motivated to do any stuff by themselves. And it doesn't matter if it was obtained from other peoples hands, from Google or other placess. It's very simple for anyone to open up the tutorials, practice them and to do the stuff by themselves instead of grab the work of other people, where people usually takes months or years to finish with a lot of effort in what they does, taking a huge load of time to make it pleasant for the public to enjoy.

 

Hello, dear users of SSRG forum! This text has been translated by Google Translate and if something happens don't notice semantic errors and incidents, but I hope that the basic sense will reach you, and I will try to give further to more time for English studying.


I want to admit that Cool-Spot/SonSon/Dimorphus is I, and a site (link removed) is mine. That who doesn't know: on this site was uploaded disassemblies of a many good hacks and the site kept only on idea of a stolen content. How I have found these disassemblies? By means of Google in which I searched for a various content for the my hack and once has come across on FTP on which has been uploaded some disassemblies. I very much was delighted and began to experiment search values, and also checked and experiment with the various links which have been laid out on a site, in hope to find treasured FTP. At first it was for me something like a collecting: in the my hack I didn't use from anything found almost, but Then in my life have come the worst times, and I has left from romhacking, "at parting" having created this site, in passing spam retrohack and SSRG. In general, I want to ask pardons for all forum users, and personally at what content has been laid out on that site. It is nowadays closed, and my life gradually goes forward, I have returned in romhacking. For long time which I have spent without hacking, at me sights about what should be good hack have definitively exchanged. The main thing in the hack - originality, and using in hack stolen content only does it is more worst. I want to create new, good hack, I want to communicate at this remarkable forum, tightening the knowledge of English.


I ask to forgive me for this ridiculous, children's, and at the same time an awful trick.


I hope, you have understood me, as I know, how can deform the initial text the automatic translator :wub: