FOREWORD: If you're going to reply to this thread, or even if you're just surfing through S&I, READ IT. Don't give me crap about how it's "too long" or a "wordwall". Just READ IT and stop whining. Life is much harder than a couple paragraphs of persuasive content.
It's no secret that people copy games and models. This is evident by the games on the front page as well as the constant "model theft" that can be found in the clan world. I've been around games like this; most, if not all of them, are broken, ridiculously manipulative, or just plain BORING. And frankly, I've gotten absolutely sick of it. ROBLOX is a site about creativity and making games; not a plagiarism platform. It's about time that ROBLOX promoted the creation of ORIGINAL content as opposed to just plain old content.
I'm bringing back an idea I had a while back that I can't find the link to and would be bad to bump to the front page. This idea is called Model Tracking, and it basically is what the name suggests. When a model is created, it will be paired with a file that gives basic details about the creator, date created, etc. This file cannot be edited and if it is tampered with or deleted, the model will not work. Upon being put into a place, the file will associate with the place. Once again, this file cannot be removed or tampered with without consequence. This is to ensure that even if the person duplicates the model and deletes the original, credit will not be lost. Free models will work as they always do, with a file different to private models. This file is copied to every single component of the model and if a free model is duplicated the files will transfer over to the duplicates. If the original or the duplicates are significantly EDITED (in-game), however, the files are deleted and the model becomes the creator's own.
Underneath the description of the place on the games page would be a new section: Credits. This section would list the names of all the contributors to the game, and if there is (or was) a free model, will also add "Public Domain" to that list.
Now for the most divisive part: what Model Tracking means for popular games. The answer is simple; if a game has a certain percentage of its content ripped from free models, it cannot reach the front page under any circumstances. If a game is about to reach the front page with content made by another person or with credit from another person, a PM will be sent to that person asking whether the game can be allowed on the front page. If not, it stays off the front page. If it's allowed, it goes on the front page. Simple enough.
Please comment with input, criticisms or questions. |