Locating Authors of ANCIENT Projects

[Neophyte_Ronin]

Given our submission guidelines (in light of Ion Maiden's debut and the designers' wishes), we must seek permission from authors we wish to borrow/swipe from. For instance, I wish to release a Monsters-Only version of Sirens.wad to the public. Aeons of Death featured them, but God knows how long ago or how long that lasted. Anyway, I need permission from the original author, Wraithchilde, but I tried his apparently outdated Southbell e-mail address and got something saying gmail doesn't even recognize it. Hence, Wraithchilde's .wads (found via the /idgames database) are beyond my reach, even though I assume the author would be fine about it.

Or, is he? (Rather, should he be?) Will I ever know?

In addition to farming for information regarding old authors, either for securing permission to provide a coding update/overhaul or to borrow their assets, I want this post to become a venue for investigating lost contributors' whereabouts--unless someone set up something similar to this (in this case, please disregard but offer a link to the relevant topic).

The rules are simple:

#0 (optional, but helpful): Run a search of the author's name, or "Doom" and the author's name, etc. (assuming said author retained the net handle; it may have been co-opted by someone else, so make no assumptions). This Topic is a last-resort beseeching of community members' help, but put your best face forward by committing to independent research beforehand.

#1: Reply in this Topic about the author in question. Preface your post with "AUTHOR'S NAME; MIA" from the very beginning in boldface so it stands out. Offer pertinent details such as the author's works (and where to find them) in the body text.

#2: Cite the main issue, such as outdated e-mail. Include details of any prior attempts to contact so everyone can refine their search.

#3: Periodically check this Topic to see if anybody has found anything. Anyone investigating should not need to announce this--only post when having/finding new information regarding an existent case. If someone has verifiable information or a true lead, feel free to edit your initial Post regarding the author under an "UPDATE" heading.

#3.5 (optional): If you know something about an MIA author, either PM the puzzled member or Reply with new information in the post. However, as I prefer not to create a repository of email addresses which might lead to abuse from trolls, only send that info via PM to the member asking for the information.

Most of the time, a system like this wouldn't even be needed as some members will continue searching and happen upon new information that way. They're at liberty to report it, although it would be pleasant in case others are investigating on their behalf.

You are in confidence not to harass authors or those looking for them--keep it cordial and professional. We're interested in authors' old works and the shot at borrowing from/updating them. Shouting out love should be okay, too. If you want to see an updated version of the authors' works, it is prudent to volunteer one's services rather than beg them to deliver (their lives might have moved on, see). After all, if wanting to update Sirens.wad got me into writing any sort of code--the first time in my life, in fact--then how hard can it be?

For example (on how this might work)....

I wanted to know what happened to The Crafty Titan in hopes of bringing his (Yukkuri) Doom Hack to modern Decorate code standards instead of having it as a DEHACKED-based IWAD, which troubled any attempt at using modern and even thematically compatible mods like La Tailor Girl with it. So, after running a Google search and coming up dry with the email address given in the game itself, I post here.

Next, someone sees said post and Replies about his deviantArt and tumblr pages, where he is into sharing arts and crafts such as handmade plush dolls. So, I check the latter and discover how he still receives feedback regarding his Hack. From thereon, I can inquire about it and see if I can't make my own set of mods based on his assets and overall design direction.

(Please note: this is true in real life--The Crafty Titan is on tumblr, and I will port Yukkuri Doom once I have his permission).

Hopefully, this post will help someone somewhere down the road, preserve a little bit of the modding scene's history, or even locate some modders who we find fascinating--God willing!

[Dr_Cosmobyte]

Forgive my dumbness, but i recall playing sirens.wad and having fun with it, also, /idgames is not a place i am used to go.

Isn't a standard rule that you "can" use the contents in /idgames as long as you redistribute the document and credit authors properly?

[Enjay]

Stuff being on /idgames doesn not automatically imply permission for secondary use of resources. In fact, the standard text for a idgames file specifically has a section about permissions (although it really only properly refers to the level IIRC) and I'm pretty sure that the default template says "may not". This, unfortunately, has caused problems in the past. People either left it at "may not" (or deliberately chose to leave it at that) then disappeared off the scene. Then a critical bug was found that made the game unplayable, or incompatible with modern ports or whatever, and because of the permissions being "may not" no one is allowed to release a fix.

[ramon.dexter]

People either left it at "may not" (or deliberately chose to leave it at that) then disappeared off the scene. Then a critical bug was found that made the game unplayable, or incompatible with modern ports or whatever, and because of the permissions being "may not" no one is allowed to release a fix.

That means we're stuck and we cannot do anything with it?

Well, honestly, the person who dissappears from the scene doesnt really care if his old creations are used either, so I think we shouldn't be so strict about that. After all, what's it about? No profit from it, so the creator should be honored that any other wants to use his work.

Yeah, this could lead to a big mayhem, but when the author really has dissappeared and the game/mod IS unplayable because of a bug, I really dont see any big problem with releasing a fixed version. And if author has problems with it, we can take it down. But being stuck with a problem, applying some absurdly strict rule, is just irrational. Yeah, it is polite, but irrational. And I think politeness should not stop people from doing nice things.

Also, I have to note that I come from little bit different cultural background, so my point of view could offend anybody. Well, if this is done, I apologise. But that is just my point of view and I wanted to say that.

[Caligari87]

The biggest problem I see is one of entitlement, the belief that someone intrinsically deserves the right to someone else's hard work. The Classic Doom community (at least the one I grew up with and hold dear) has been built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect for others. Using people's work against their wishes is a violation of that trust and respect.

That's one of the biggest complaints the community-at-large has with certain very popular modders and their fanbase: Respect is thrown to the wayside and everything's considered free game because "it's all there and open for the taking." This is a shitty, toxic mindset.

Even though I believe mostly in open standards, open-source, share-and-share-alike, etc, respecting the author's wishes is paramount. If they left usage / permission rules, follow those. If they didn't leave such rules, use best judgement and a thorough paper trail (for example, here is a time when I "reconstructed" Josh771's stance on reuse because he was absent from the forums). That in my opinion is the best practice.

[Apeirogon]

But from other hand, the more "modern" gzdoom becoming the more mods with hiden bugs appears. If some inner gzdoom cvar will no longer exist. Or if bug in code, which work before for some unknown reason, and now appears only because gzdoom now have something different in it. Just something.
And if author of such mod waved his hand to doom and ride on horse into the sunset... what next? Such mod DOOMed for oblivion, because no one have permission to fix it?

[NeuralStunner]

In a word: Yes.

Though if fixes can be reduced to a number of steps, I don't see the issue with sharing those steps.

On that note, I wonder how badly a diff patch would push the line? Not a serious suggestion (yet?), just a thought.

[Neophyte_Ronin]

All of this is exactly why an investigation into an author's whereabouts is worth the time.

Here's the relevant excerpt from SIRENS.txt:

* Copyright / Permissions *

Authors may use these sprites as a base to build additional levels as long as
you ask me first. In fact, I'd love for someone to build some themed levels
to use with these sprites, but like I said, pleas ask me.

Because of the nature of this wad, it really shouldn't be distributed all
over the net. Though this is NOT pornography (it's art, duh), it still
may offend some people. Pass it on to friends, etc, just watch where you
put it. Make sure to always include this text file.

As usual, the author did not anticipate direct modification of the sprites or updating the code. Levels based on Sirens itself (instead of a level that would indirectly complement Sirens) would require an inquiry. Also, Wraithchilde had reservations regarding the free distribution of anything remotely associated with the work in question, but asked that the original text file be retained whenever the original is passed around.

This is all well and good and I am willing to respect the author's wishes in regards to distribution in particular, but again, the chance to do an upgrade to the original is all I ask. Otherwise, the actual project will remain on my hard drive without being disseminated because, quite frankly, I'll respect his wishes, but I need the practice.

The one way I believe we could verify Wraithchilde's whereabouts is by inquiring the mod developers behind Aeons of Death. While perusing the ZDoom Wiki for coding information, instructions, and tutorials, I happened upon a link to Aeons of Death which, according to the long list of details, included Wraithchilde's Sirens as one of the many enemy types you can fight. I don't recall seeing them when I played (although there was so much going on that I probably overlooked their appearance); however, since they had been cited as having existed somewhere in an oft-updated project, it might not hurt to ask them if they had kept tabs on their sources and contributors over the years. It's worth a check.

[Apeirogon]

On that note, I wonder how badly a diff patch would push the line?

Every single person would react differently.
Someone dont give cares if you change entire mod, someone will act like nemesis harbinger.

I think, it is better to fix bug in a mod and then await response from it creator, if he unavailable. Because you can always say "sorry" and rollback all changes.

[Neophyte_Ronin]

While investigating Wraithchilde's whereabouts, I discovered another author who used sirens.wad in another project: female.wad. This one tends to suck--cosmetic changes to weapons but no added power when monsters have doubled health, making for painfully long, Quake-esque battles that hinge on you getting superior firepower IF YOU CAN FIND IT--but it contains redone/recolored versions of sirens as well as big ones ripped from other games. I'm attempting to track down its author, Daniel Lemos, the Brazilian who also engineered NeoDoom (there's a new "Gold" version of it as well if you're interested--look up "NeoDoomGold").

The short version: still trying, but getting nowhere as he too might have dropped off the map. I'm starting to think that releasing modified versions of their wads without permission won't hurt a fly because a tree falling in the forest with nobody to hear it doesn't make a sound that is actually relevant. I want to believe otherwise and not infringe, but this is getting ridiculous.

[NeuralStunner]

I believe Daniel avoids most English Doom forums because, frankly, he has a hard time taking criticism. (NeoDoom always had serious balance problems...)

Anyway, you might have some luck asking some of the active Brazilian members around here.

[Neophyte_Ronin]

NeoDoom was a hoot in my eye--though I haven't played through its entirety; seemed like it was on a stable foundation at any rate, and I'll be sure to say he had improved a lot in the time between that and female.wad. At any rate, can you recommend anybody here (since I'm new and refuse to make assumptions about people's nationalities just by examining their profiles)?

[NeuralStunner]

The only one I know of for sure that's particularly active here is Ravick. As far as Doomworld I can't say.

[jdredalert]

I believe Daniel avoids most English Doom forums because, frankly, he has a hard time taking criticism. (NeoDoom always had serious balance problems...)

Anyway, you might have some luck asking some of the active Brazilian members around here.

Reporting in. Daniel left, he's retired. Even at the Brazilian scene. He left a goodbye message on his own website a few years ago, and vanished. I made contact with him around that same time, iirc, but that's that. Sorry to bring you some bad news. :/

[Neophyte_Ronin]

Thanks for the info. I'll need to locate WraithChilde some other way.