111 replies to this topic

[kreso]

 in the end the creative plot, dialogues, characters is what make the great mod, not really the area graphics.

Couldn't agree more.

 

 

Back in 2003, an editor of the famous PC game magazine in Germany requested my permission to release the CD with TS (there were TDD, CtB and several small mods on that CD) as an attachment to the issue devoted to the BG2 modding.

In my country, there was PC Gamer magazine which published a CD-verion of TDD, somewhere around 2003 as well. The memories of creating a Drow Battle Monger and constantly dying in Irenicus dungeon are unforgettable. Weidu? Lolz.... 

Lovely times.

Just remember - without mods, BG would die a long time ago (it's great and all, but without mods it's rather dull after you finish it few times), and game developers know this - killing of modding community would kill BG itself. They'd be shooting themselves.

[Sergio]

Vlad, I don't want to sue you, and my intent was not to insult you in any way . I just wanted to understand. I read that they've called your work rip-off, and so I was curious, given the fact that I never played your mod.

And if people like me keep asking, just add what you've written inside a faq. Said this, I go back into the shadows

Happy modding

 

[Almateria]

Question: how is it possible for Vlad to release NEJ? I mean, he took the content from IWD and sort of ripped it to put it into BG. Why wasn't he sued? I'm not exactly into American copyright laws but I've seen people getting sued for way less. How is he able to do something like that? Does he have the ok from the developers? Is it the fact that he gets no money?

Call it curiosity.

Lmao

Of course he isn't able to from legal ground, any lawyer worth their salt would tear him a new one and not even Cochran's Dream Team could help it.

 

Now to Sergio (I really hate these comments, they appear everywhere for years, people haven't played, but have a hutzpah to comment like this). See screenshots for yourself first, I doubt you saw that in IWD:

 

actually the funny thing is that i saw those graphics right there in iwd

 

 

Creepin, back in 2005, I was really surprised to see the CD with the BG2 mods including my TS and NeJ2 sold in one of the underground passages under Nevsky in St. Peterburg. I bought that CD!

Also I think I found the underlying cause to Vlad's problem with intellectual property law.

[The Imp]

actually the funny thing is that i saw those graphics right there in iwd

Interesting question then: Would you let go of this argument if the NeJ would require the IWD install and during it's install, it would use the game to import the data(aka the map backgrounds) ?
Yes, that can be done.. not by me, BUT by one of the senior moders ... Ascension64, DavidW ... or someone new that just needs to recompile the proportion from the IwD-in-BG2's code to do the .tiz files... I would say that would actually be ... hard, but doable, and it would cut down the archive space... considerably perhaps. Looking at the .tiz files: 200-300MBs.

[Senka]

actually the funny thing is that i saw those graphics right there in iwd

 

Only 3 of them. Didn't you read next sentence?

 

 

Yes, there is IWD, but not the same you played.

[micbaldur]

micbaldur - No problems, just send me pm with your email address. The problem is not only the flames here, but also the amount of modifications I have introduced during the past 10 years. So, I want to be sure those who play provide any feedback, and those who don't play, won't post any sh$t in the net, including for example the following statement: "he took the content from IWD and sort of ripped it to put it into BG".

Problem is that feedback issue.

 

I can't provide you any kind of feedback any time soon if ever. I don't have account at Black Wyrm's Lair or any other BG sites and i'm not going to register any other places that this (sometimes i wonder why did i register here at all, maybe i should have continued my site lurking).

 

Besides i play only very big BWP (current one i have played over 16 months) installs and because of continuous RL issues i don't have that much time to play.

 

So i have to respect your wishes (it's your mod and your ruless) and sadly i have to decline your offer.

[GeN1e]

Vlad, I don't want to sue you, and my intent was not to insult you in any way . I just wanted to understand. I read that they've called your work rip-off, and so I was curious, given the fact that I never played your mod.

There is nothing wrong with large mods reusing some of the existing graphics. Because, as Vlad has pointed out, it is a very time consuming effort to add new art. There is also nothing wrong with weaving a part of IWD plot into mod's story - I'll probably be in minority, but it worked out very well for me.

 

It, however, makes it very strange to hear from him that EE are a bunch of "f***g plagiators". Because it really feels as bashing a competitor and nothing more. Vlad is probably the only modder left, whose total volume of produced content can still compete with EE, but I fail to see the need for such behavior.

 

 

PS

Senka, why did you have to come here and see all this crap..? 

Edited by GeN1e, 17 January 2015 - 07:52 AM.

[Senka]

Senka, why did you have to come here and see all this crap..?

Because I strongly support Vlad' position. Why you wonder? 

[Sergio]

Thanks for the insight GeN1e.

Vlad, I hope you didn't take what I said as personal offense.

[Eleima]

Let's try and keep the thread on topic.  Anyone rehashing and trading barbs will force staff members into taking steps.

[Marvin]

So, I'm currently playing BG:EE and plan to play BG2:EEand I cannot understand what all this fighting is about.

 

The Enhanced Editions allow me to play two of my favourite games on my freaggin phone or better yet, my tablet. The touch controls are very intuitive, the zoom function is really handy, the loading times are short and everything is in the BG2 engine.

 

--> THIS is what makes the Enhanced Editions good. The additional content is fine from what I've seen so far, but you are not required to play any of it, if you so choose. Of course it's not a new game and it doesn't look different from the original (BGT) versions, but it doesn't need to be. It's just a port for IOS and Android that is also available for PC, because why not?

 

I don't see how the existence of EE is in any way bad for the modding community. Fans will always play modded BG games. I'm really missing BG1NPCProject in my BG:EE playthrough and it bothers me that the android version is currenty not moddable, so I will play modded games with the original versions on PC and the EE versions (sadly without mods) when I'm sitting in the train/bus/plane. However, if you make your mods available for EE, many many more will get to experience your great work! What's wrong with "housewives" playing your mods? Are they not allowed to play? You've spent years, some over a decade developing mods and now you have the chance to make your work available to a greater audience. I say: take that chance!

 

@Vlad

I played the first NEJ back in the day and I loved the idea and the execution of it. Now you release NEJ3 at the perfect time, when the EE versions are in the top list of google's app store. I think it's your loss if you do not make an EE conversion. You'd reach so many people if you do. That aside, I don't see how your attitude is helpful in any way. We are all BG fans and everyone seems to like your mod, so why the hostility? Just relax man. If you want to boycott EE that's fine, but you don't need to be in everyone's faces about it and namecalling other people brainwashed and so on. Live and let live man...

 

Best wishes

 

 

EDIT: sorry Eleima, I replied before I read the last post.

Edited by Marvin, 03 February 2015 - 12:44 AM.

[micbaldur]

Any update on the mod?

Not much, unfortunately, I need to redo a few bits, and I know how, just got to find the time to...

Sad to see that Imp seem to have abandoned this mod. I would have installed this to my next BWP.

 

Well have to settle my workaround "fix" for NEJ ending problem at Ulcaster.