I believe strongly in creators' rights, which is one of the reasons why I originally supported FtB with open arms I cannot do so anymore. In addition, it is outright hypocritical for mod creators to expect protection for their work and complain when their content is being redisributed when they do the same exact thing.
Many of the mods in the FtB pack use modified Mojang textures such as ores, crafted blocks, ingots, items, buckets, tools, and mob sprites (such as in Thaumcraft for Zombies.) Indeed, it's difficult to find a mod in the FtB packs that _don't_ use modified Mojang textures.
This is in direct violation of Minecraft's asset usage guidelines, availiable here: https://minecraft.net/brand
Here's the relevant text:
"we have one major rule about Minecraft and that is "Do not distribute anything we've made. This includes, but not limited to, the client or the server software for the game. This also includes modified versions of anything we've made.""
There is no exception made for textures, in fact textures are explicitly mentioned:
"- the Minecraft Assets what we mean is the code, software, graphics, textures, sound and audio from Minecraft."
There is simply no way to justify this, though there's going to be around a hundred replies of people trying to. Let's predict the faulty arguments, shall we?
1) It's only pixel art.
You're trivializing the value of pixel art merely to justify the abuse that other people are doing. Pixel art is demonstrably non-trivial; graphic designers are hired just to make "mere pixel art," and the value of such art in Minecraft is seen by how iconic and immediately recognizable the textures are. Art is art. If it would be infringement if each individual texture were a Super High Definition piece, then it is still infringement if they are low-resolution. Resolution says nothing about the status of a digital piece as art.
2) Fair use!
Unfortunately many arguments merely claim fair use without any knowledge of what fair use is. May I direct you here: http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/copyright.cfm#fairuse_definition
The mod packs in question contain outright copies of textures (Gregtech) as well as versions that are virtually identical save for a hue recolor or other minor graphical addition; in nearly every infringement it's obvious that the Minecraft textures are the source material with few edits. In addition a significant amount of the work is being copied (the units in consideration are the item in question or individual block, not Minecraft as a whole. Most edits contain more than 50% of original content.)
3) Mojang doesn't _really_ care (argument from Internet Telepathy.)
Mojang stated that they care in their rules. End of story.
4) This adds value to Minecraft! Free advertisement! etc etc.
All irrelevant: what matters is the stated rules of Mojang. You have a moral duty to uphold the rights of others. The simple fact is that you are going against what Mojang allows you to do with their work.
Conclusion:
The issue is simple. The infringement is simple. All that is left is to consider what must be done. If you care about creators' rights, pressure modders who infringe to stop using illegally redistributed textures. If you are a modder, apologize for your misdeeds and change the textures in your packs to original content. Slowpoke and the FtB team should put pressure ont he modders whose infringing mods are in their pack in an effort to create a truly ethically and legally sound mod pack.
Many of the mods in the FtB pack use modified Mojang textures such as ores, crafted blocks, ingots, items, buckets, tools, and mob sprites (such as in Thaumcraft for Zombies.) Indeed, it's difficult to find a mod in the FtB packs that _don't_ use modified Mojang textures.
This is in direct violation of Minecraft's asset usage guidelines, availiable here: https://minecraft.net/brand
Here's the relevant text:
"we have one major rule about Minecraft and that is "Do not distribute anything we've made. This includes, but not limited to, the client or the server software for the game. This also includes modified versions of anything we've made.""
There is no exception made for textures, in fact textures are explicitly mentioned:
"- the Minecraft Assets what we mean is the code, software, graphics, textures, sound and audio from Minecraft."
There is simply no way to justify this, though there's going to be around a hundred replies of people trying to. Let's predict the faulty arguments, shall we?
1) It's only pixel art.
You're trivializing the value of pixel art merely to justify the abuse that other people are doing. Pixel art is demonstrably non-trivial; graphic designers are hired just to make "mere pixel art," and the value of such art in Minecraft is seen by how iconic and immediately recognizable the textures are. Art is art. If it would be infringement if each individual texture were a Super High Definition piece, then it is still infringement if they are low-resolution. Resolution says nothing about the status of a digital piece as art.
2) Fair use!
Unfortunately many arguments merely claim fair use without any knowledge of what fair use is. May I direct you here: http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/copyright.cfm#fairuse_definition
The mod packs in question contain outright copies of textures (Gregtech) as well as versions that are virtually identical save for a hue recolor or other minor graphical addition; in nearly every infringement it's obvious that the Minecraft textures are the source material with few edits. In addition a significant amount of the work is being copied (the units in consideration are the item in question or individual block, not Minecraft as a whole. Most edits contain more than 50% of original content.)
3) Mojang doesn't _really_ care (argument from Internet Telepathy.)
Mojang stated that they care in their rules. End of story.
4) This adds value to Minecraft! Free advertisement! etc etc.
All irrelevant: what matters is the stated rules of Mojang. You have a moral duty to uphold the rights of others. The simple fact is that you are going against what Mojang allows you to do with their work.
Conclusion:
The issue is simple. The infringement is simple. All that is left is to consider what must be done. If you care about creators' rights, pressure modders who infringe to stop using illegally redistributed textures. If you are a modder, apologize for your misdeeds and change the textures in your packs to original content. Slowpoke and the FtB team should put pressure ont he modders whose infringing mods are in their pack in an effort to create a truly ethically and legally sound mod pack.
