Quote Originally Posted by CJC View Post
Tamamo: It was Nintendo Power. Particularly an issue about the upcoming (then) release of Twilight Princess. They had highlights of various games and they did mention Zelda Classic as a "Fan program that lets you make your own dungeons" (paraphrased). I still have the issue around here somewhere.


ZoriaRPG: There is a difference between plagiarism and fair use. No one here or at the other ZC communities is claiming ownership of the characters or the ripped graphics, and for the most part they aren't making these projects without giving credit to the source material. I mean, the program required to run quest files is called ZELDA Classic; there isn't a dispute that the ideas we share are based off Nintendo's intellectual property.
You are also correct that people can rip graphics, sounds, and music from games relatively easily. However, your jab about music and sound effects isn't entirely warranted: there ARE members of the community who compose original music for their projects and there ARE members of the community who record custom sound effects for their project. Their inclusion in a work that also contains Nintendo intellectual property does not invalidate their creator's ownership.

All that said, the password protection system remains as an effort to be polite. Yes, there are ways around password protection. However, by HAVING password protection you tell others "Hey, I'd rather you didn't take these assets". If they do anyway, well, the only power we have as a community is the power to shun. Some users have come to depend on the expectation that a password will be enough to maintain this social construct, and the AGN staff agreed that password protection should remain for this reason.
In other words, it exists as a sign of community trust (or perhaps distrust) and it will continue to do so.
There is a difference between plagiarism and fair use.
Emphasis on this: Plagiarism here, is implied to the story content. Opening a game with the same story as OoT, or Z3, and the same elements, is plagiarism, not 'fair use'. It's also a violation of moral rights, at least in Europe. Copying graphics would be a similar breach of moral rights.

The point is, that the password system is stymieing development of ZC itself. I won't quote from confidential letters, but believe me, it's a problem. If you don't believe me, ask the developers.

There is no viable solution to making ZC open source, and keeping a password system, and IMO, it's just childish to maintain it.