The question about the courtesy in the case of changing others' script

[NakajimaYusuke]

I made MOD using the script written by others.
I would like to announce this on a forum.
I have a question about the courtesy in this case.

I made Mutator using Mr. CaptainSnarf's script.
http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/627178

I wrote to the Readme file of my Mutator "I made this Mutator from the script written by Mr. CaptainSnarf."
However, then, I thought that it might be insufficient.

Before I announced this Mutator, I thought that I should obtain use permission of a script from him.
Therefore, although I sent a private message and E-mail to Mr. CaptainSnarf, there was no reply.


When there is no reply from Mr. CaptainSnarf, can't I announce this Mutator?

Since I am a beginner, I do not know the courtesy or culture about scripting.
Am I impolite, if I announce Mutator without obtaining his permission?

[NakajimaYusuke]

Now, the reply came from him!
He permitted use of the script.

This problem was solved.

However, I would like to still know the answer of this question.
When a reply does not come from the author, is it impolite if I announce the MOD?

[HKLM]

I'm pretty sure that technically by the EULA, we can use any game content (unrealscript code, materials, models, maps, audio, etc. from any of the Unreal games: Unreal, UT99, UT2k3, UT2k4, UT3 (see section 18 C of the EULA), as long as we do not violate copyrights held by others (see section 18 B iii of the EULA).
http://www.unrealtournament.com/eula/eula_us.php

Copyrighted material is protected under USA and international laws. By getting the permission from the author to use their content is the lawful and community approved method.

But then again. if you change at least 10% of the original copyrighted material (even without permission), it is no longer copyrighted, and it IS considered new and no longer the work of the original author, and you can then place your own copyright on the new material.

[Wormbo]

Get away from the copyright thinking. And that last part is just plain wrong. If you take someone else's work and modify it, it will stay a modification of that person's work and should be treated as such, no matter if you change 10% or 70%. In the latter case you can argue that you didn't take the others complete work, but only excerpts. But still you used his work. Even the remaining 30% or less can be quite a lot, depending on the size of the original mod.

The only sensible way is to get permission, if you use more than just a few lines of code. Unreal modding is not about copyright, it's about treating other's code with due respect. That's now the community always worked since Unreal 1. Everyone copied code to learn, so giving code back is only fair. People who don't want you to use their code probably forgot about that, but them being bullies doesn't mean you can be rude as well and take anything you want.

Personally I like being notified of code reuse (if asked I rarely disallow it), but the only thing I really want is to be mentioned in the readme when that happenes.

[NakajimaYusuke]

I'm sorry for the late reply, but I'm a really slow reader.
Thank you for the detailed explanation.
These advice is very helpful for me.

When I would like to announce MOD using someone's codes, I send e-mail and get permission.
And I write "I copied someone's codes" to a Readme file.
If I cannot get use permission of a code from the original MOD author, I do not announce custom MOD.

However, one question still remains.

The case where there is no reply from the author, or when I cannot contact the author,
Am I able to announce custom MOD? (Of course, I write to Readme file about original MOD and original author. )

If this question does not have a general answer, I would also welcome personal opinion.