Using Addon Scenery Objects in Custom Scenery for Upload

I just finished my scenery project for Lynden Municipal Airport/Jansen Field (38W) in Lynden, WA. I used many custom scenery objects such as T-hangars from Jim Dhaenens, KB's Static Aircraft, EZ Terminals, GA-Hangars V2 and V3, and RWY12 Scenery Objects. I would like to upload this scenery for download but first I want to properly credit the authors. I'm not sure if I should contact the authors first for permission or if I should just credit them of the scenery objects used in my scenery. :confused: I just don't want to get into any copyright trouble.

It's always best to check any stipulations that the original author put on but generally if you credit them and state in your upload that it should remain as freeware you are usually fine.

 

Cheers

Stinger

 

Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

Trying to contact them for permission first is always the best choice.

Ok thanks. I'll try to contact the authors first for permission.

Good to ask the creators. But I think that as long as you don't include the actual objects you are fine.

 

When creating in ADE you only add placement locations (placeholders) for the objects.

You can then compile you can do this in two ways.

First way does not include the objects in the .bgl file. In the readme file you then include a list of object libraries that the user needs to install to have the objects appear. Give filenames and site in the readme where the user can download the objects.

 

That way the objects themselves are not included in your download, and as far as I know you are good to go.

 

The second way is to compile and tell ADE to include all objects in the compiled file.

If you do that, the objects are in the file you want to upload. You will need permission from the creators of the objects to do this.

 

When I install scenery from the library I very often come across addon airports that are created using option one.

Fred Z's excellent Florida airports are examples of option one.

 

Jorgen

See this thread as well perhaps.

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?303894-Airport-Scenery-how-do-they-do-it

 

Also, for the libraries you mentioned the "method one" is ok as far as I know.

But there are also exceptions to that. I saw on the OrbX site that their models are not to be used in any way. Read the statement next to the object library download on their site to see how they put it exactly.

 

(Also, unrelated to this, but you can not download those OrbX models unless you buy certain OrbX packages.)

See this thread as well perhaps.

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?303894-Airport-Scenery-how-do-they-do-it

 

Also, for the libraries you mentioned the "method one" is ok as far as I know.

But there are also exceptions to that. I saw on the OrbX site that their models are not to be used in any way. Read the statement next to the object library download on their site to see how they put it exactly.

 

(Also, unrelated to this, but you can not download those OrbX models unless you buy certain OrbX packages.)

 

I don't think I have any OrbX objects used in my scenery, unless I'm wrong. I may have seen KB's static aircraft in Orbx's freeware Vashon Mun airport, Westwind, and Bowerman Airport.

I would also like to include the scenery objects I use for my scenery into a single download for example the airport BGLs, along with the scenery object BGLs in the Scenery folder of the airport, while the Scenery object's textures go into the texture folder. Then all the user has to do is move the airport folder with the scenery+texture folders inside to the addon scenery folder of FSX and add them there, then activate the scenery in FSX.

 

Off course in the readme I'd credit the authors.

If you include their objects, or their object libraries you'll need to get the permission of the people that created those objects.

Not just name the creators. Contact them and ask permission.

 

Combining other peoples objects in another object library is probably not a good idea.

Ok thanks for the advice. I saw some guy who just recently uploaded scenery for some airstrip in Florida and he used similar sceneries like me. But in the Readme he listed the scenery objects that you need to download separately and even included where to download them (Flightsim, AVSIM, etc.). That's probably what I'll do instead of combining the scenery objects I used into one folder. So should I still contact the authors or should I credit them in my Readme along with where to download their scenery objects separately?

I'll bet you 6 beers that "some guy" was Fred Z.

 

Jorgen

Because there are so many object libraries it's hard to give a definite answer.

 

As long as you make sure you use only placeholders and not the Objects or libraries themselves then I think giving credit in the Readme.txt is enough.

At least, for the for the libraries you listed earlier.

(Of course you can always try to let the object-creators know, send them a "thank you" for example.)

 

But, as I said there are many object libraries, from different developers, and each has it's own readme file. With copyright notice.

Read those closely.

 

I'm sorry, but I really can't give a more definite answer.

To include libraries themselves is only ok if you have the designers permission.

But apart from that there is not really a "one size fits all" answer.

 

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Check out some of the threads in the Scenery Design Forum on Flightsim.com.

the question comes up a lot, in all kind of variations.

Check the readme files that may be included with the object libraries you're using. For my part I explicitly give permission for my objects to be used in any freeware scenery...no need to contact me before hand. I do suggest that you make sure to mention in your installation instructions that users should install an object library ONLY if they don't already have it installed on their system. Having mulitple copies of a scenery library installed may cause problems.

I'll bet you 6 beers that "some guy" was Fred Z.

 

Jorgen

 

Yea that's him.

So when I upload my scenery, it will only feature the airport BGL's (usually only 2 BGL files), the readme (info and credits), the GIF airport photos, and the FILE_ID.DIZ. The person downloading will have to install the scenery objects separately. How does that sound?