Legal Concerns With FIFA Modding (Modders Welcome In This Thread)

[idky]

I am a FIFA series fan and want to start making unique mods for the community for we can enjoy it more. But there is a chance that I will have to modify the assembly code (machine code) of the game during runtime. I don't know if this is illegal or not? It is the only thing that stops me now. I made a realistic youth system for FIFA 14 but I was the only one who uses it because I did not publish it. Now I want to share my mods with the community. I want a confirmation about this issue. Thanks guys

 

[CoolerMaster]

You are free to do whatever you want with your game mate. You bought it therefore I don't see anything illegal about it regarding mods

 

[bangus]

You are free to do whatever you want with your game mate. You bought it therefore I don't see anything illegal about it regarding mods

You're obviously not a lawyer, lol.

 

[idky]

You are free to do whatever you want with your game mate. You bought it therefore I don't see anything illegal about it regarding mods

I am aware of that. But I suspect it is a different thing to distribute your modifications to the public, even for free.

 

[Theodorakis]

I think you'll have problems if you are going to sell them.

but free publishing is Ok I guess..

 

[DREAMZZ]

Modding has existed for decades, for all kinds of games and programs. We have been modding FIFA on this website since FIFA 98. If you SELL your mods and EA finds out, you might be in trouble, otherwise you are just being awfully, retardedly, paranoid.

 

[bangus]

otherwise you are just being awfully, retardedly, paranoid.

Yeah, that was really necessary, calling him a retard. You're a real internet hero bud.

 

[DREAMZZ]

Yeah, that was really necessary, calling him a retard. You're a real internet hero bud.

I said his attitude was retardedly paranoid, I didn't call him a retard, don't misinterpret me.

 

[idky]

I said his attitude was retardedly paranoid, I didn't call him a retard, don't misinterpret me.

 

[idky]

I have got my answer. Will begin to make mods now

 

[scottish_carson]

Technically modding the original contents of a gane is, technically, "illegal" in that you are probably beaching one or more of the terms and conditions that are in the user agreement.


That said, I've never read them. Some game developers actively support modding, and even ea must realise this is where the majority of their pc platform sales come from.

There is also another issue when it comes to modding and that is the use of other companies logos. For example, by making a kit with the nike logo we're probably breaching one of their terms of business and image rights. But, as I said previously, they probably don't care and realise it would be too time consuming to go after anyone.

All that said you are absolutely fine, companies don't care about modders and in some ways it's a form of prototype marketing in that b they can see what their customers want directly


Just don't be one of those idiot modders who puts "copyright" on their stuff....that's not how copyright law works and just looks tacky

 

[idky]

Technically modding the original contents of a gane is, technically, "illegal" in that you are probably beaching one or more of the terms and conditions that are in the user agreement.


That said, I've never read them. Some game developers actively support modding, and even ea must realise this is where the majority of their pc platform sales come from.

There is also another issue when it comes to modding and that is the use of other companies logos. For example, by making a kit with the nike logo we're probably breaching one of their terms of business and image rights. But, as I said previously, they probably don't care and realise it would be too time consuming to go after anyone.

All that said you are absolutely fine, companies don't care about modders and in some ways it's a form of prototype marketing in that b they can see what their customers want directly


Just don't be one of those idiot modders who puts "copyright" on their stuff....that's not how copyright law works and just looks tacky

Thanks, your post makes sense

 

[Grimbarian]

I work for Bohemia Interactive and obviously our Operation Flashpoint/ Arma series of games wouldn't exist without the incredible modding community that grew up around them. At the end of the day as an employee of a dev the only time I'm ever concerned about mods is if they are offensive in some way, if they attempt to circumvent copyright protection or something like that. You always put quite broad TOS onto your games to try to cover all eventuality but that's as much about protecting yourselves in case little Jonny decides your game fried his PC and burnt his house down and tries to sue you or someone is circumventing your copyright and costing you money.

 

[idky]

I work for Bohemia Interactive and obviously our Operation Flashpoint/ Arma series of games wouldn't exist without the incredible modding community that grew up around them. At the end of the day as an employee of a dev the only time I'm ever concerned about mods is if they are offensive in some way, if they attempt to circumvent copyright protection or something like that. You always put quite broad TOS onto your games to try to cover all eventuality but that's as much about protecting yourselves in case little Jonny decides your game fried his PC and burnt his house down and tries to sue you or someone is circumventing your copyright and costing you money.

Wow. Great insight, thanks.

 

[Grimbarian]

No problem, hopefully it's eased your mind somewhat, sounds like your mods could be just what we need for career mode!

 

[jschuck12001]

Its not always about the developers, a couple years ago there was a guy who made International team patches and he branded himself all over facebook and other social media. The Asian Football Confederation sent him a cease and desist by e-mail, the AFC owns the rights to licensing for their intellectual property just as CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, and and UEFA do.

 

[idky]

Its not always about the developers, a couple years ago there was a guy who made International team patches and he branded himself all over facebook and other social media. The Asian Football Confederation sent him a cease and desist by e-mail, the AFC owns the rights to licensing for their intellectual property just as CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, and and UEFA do.

Well I think he took it too far and it was coming. Logo's, brand names are a serious matter and it would be the last thing I would mess with.

 

[DizzeeSpellz]

I think the modding community is influencing how Fifa is taking the game forward. If EA didn't want to see mods, they'd make it a lot harder for us.

 

[dissectionalone]

I'm no expert but technically it's not exactly legal to alter someone else's software or assorted intelectual property and those things fall under copyright jurisdiction I believe. Supposedly we bought a product so that would in theory entitle us to do whatever we see fit with it, provided we're not commiting fraudulent or other dubious practises with it... We're simply trying to further improve the investment, since the supplier of that product still lacks in the giving customers what they deserve department. We're not harming the company, but truth be told, when you buy a game you don't simply become the code's owner, so altering it without express permission by the owners/developers isn't exactly legit, albiet harmless to them as we're not pulling the "sample a hit from another genre and throw in some new lyrics" kind of move

 

[krisaju95]

i guess it shouldn't be too bad, since we're not earning from this, nor are we building a whole new game from their engine. just small changes to the game, shouldn't be a dangerous copyright issue imo