Anyone else feeling bad about using mods that use content from other games? I really enjoy a lot of them, but they were made without permissions from original creators + those amazing GT mods (like the Esprit ones), no idea how they even obtained models from a PS4 game... Isn't discussing those against forum's rules? After all, even emulation is considered piracy here. I don't know what to do, Assetto with only scratch made mods (ones that really deserve the most respect to be honest as it takes a long time and a ton of skill to model a car from scratch) seems dull, with mostly race cars and race tracks (I enjoy those, but I also enjoy other kinds of racing like touge) . I considered taking approach of owning the games the models come from. I have GT Sport (but no console, it was my brothers and he has moved out recently, and I can't afford a PS4 now, especially just for a single game + I'm a single player guy and GT Sport AI is not very good), the current gen Forza games etc. while it doesn't change the status of these mods, I think it's a bit better morally. Of course I make exceptions if the game cannot be obtained anymore as a new copy. I don't know, maybe I read some posts by people very opposed to those mods, maybe it's just my Christian scrupulosity kicking in, but I still feel a bit bad about it. What do you guys think? What is your approach?
It's something I debated with myself when I first set out as well, everyone has different standards and morals and it's something you have to decide for yourself based on what you're most comfortable with.
Personally, throughout my life I've purchased GT1/2/4/5/6, Forza 1/3/4/6/7, Forza Horizon 1-4, Dirt Rally, Grid 1/2, Toca 1/2, GTR2, Race 07, NFS 2/3/HP2/Underground 2/Most Wanted/Carbon, Netkar Pro, GPL/GTL, Project Gotham 1-4, Test Drive Unlimited 1/2, The Crew, Total Immersion Racing, Sports Car GT, Project Cars and Assetto Corsa, with probably more to count and with various expansions/DLC. Having bought these games I've supported the various teams and developers of the titles and therefore don't think I'm hurting anyone by using assets from these games in my version of AC.
Exceptions to that rule are anything that is monetised or encrypted. Anyone monetising ripped assets is a con-artist and deserves no money and anyone encrypting ripped assets is a hypocrite.
It gets more complex when looking at content that is ripped from games I haven't purchased. On something like GT Sport then I'm inclined to use it in AC without any guilt, this is simply because even if AC didn't exist at all, I still have no interest in buying a PS4 and GT Sport, so In my mind I'm not depriving the developer of anything. The ground is shakier with games like RF2 and AMS, here I may well have bought these games if a lot of the content from them wasn't already in AC, at the moment this content is installed but untested and unused. When I get around to using it then I'll most likely buy the original games to support the development teams that created that content.
It's also a fairly good policy to look into the way that each developer treats their customer base. Most developers/producers couldn't give the slightest hint of a crap about their average customer, all they want is sales, daily log-ins and DLC purchases. Obviously two wrongs don't make a right but AC modding is a refreshing change that allows me to actually add and customise content to my liking, rather than watching my favourite game get cast aside and replaced with something that adds a few features, but arbitrarily removes a load of content or features because they weren't popular. These companies also don't appear to have tried to stop the AC modding scene in anyway whatsoever in the last 6 years, which would suggest that it's not a concern of theirs, at least at the moment.