[OXC] XCOM Terrain Pack version 1.0.0 - Released January 28th, 2022.

[Hobbes]

Hello!

After a couple years of hiatus due to the crediting and permission issues, and a couple personal issues that I've had to solve during that period, the Terrain Pack will be re-released in the next weeks in a public GitHub repository and with a CC-NC-BY-SA 4.0 open source license that will allow people to irrevocably use, distribute, modify and redistribute version 4.0. of the Terrain Pack if they follow the LICENSE's exact terms to properly credit its AUTHORS (I've attached the draft versions of these files).

To be perfectly clear: you can make and distribute your own version of the XCOM: Terrain Pack, add some of its terrains to the your own map pack or a single, clone the entire terrains for a MegaMod or Total Conversion, etc. With no need to ask for permission, as long as you properly credit and attribute the Terrain Pack or the authors of the terrains. You can also ask for donations when using the Terrain Pack or its individual contents, but non-commercial use (selling) is forbidden.

The new release will be version 4.0 of the Terrain Pack, after the previous version had to be nuked due the permissions and credits abuses. It will also include all the files of versions 1.0 and 2.0 of the Terrain Pack: the first one I made for the UFO2000 multiplayer game, and the other was for the original XCOM using XComUtil and BB's Tools using my original mods made nearly twenty years ago.

Furthermore, this bundle will also include nearly all my original material (.MAP/.RMP) that I never released before, as well as all the terrains made by other UFO2000 authors, that become unavailable when my old web page went offline. It will also include all the editors required to make terrains, as well as documentation. The only terrains I've not included at the terrains I specifically created for my Area 51 mod, which will be also released later when that mod is completed and published with the same CC-NC-BY-SA 4.0 license.

With these three versions included, for the original game and its two open source engines, and the extra materials I've included, the pack will be renamed as the XCOM Terrain Pack because of its enlarged scope.

Once the new version is published on the Github public repository in a couple of weeks, I'm not planning to add more terrains to it soon, but I'll continue to maintain it and provide help to terrain modders. This also means that I might be looking for new contributions and new developers for the community to use and enjoy. But more details on that later because there I'm still looking into the conditions and technical criteria.

And regarding the issue of donations, the XCOM Terrain Pack project won't accept them directly but will always direct them instead towards the OpenXCom project. This is a non-commercial community resource that involved several authors and different projects at different stages, and to ensure a fair distribution, any material gifts of appreciation such as donations should instead be given towards those who made this community and modding possible - OpenXcom and the developers who keep hosting, maintaining, updating and expanding it for both players and modders to use.

As for mods that use and have a Terrain Pack license, you're free to ask donations a gift for your work. Just keep in mind that according to the terms of the CC open source license, any mods that use the Terrain Pack are also required to have a CC-NC-BY-SA license.

Finally, now that the Terrain Pack will have an open source license CC-NC-BY-SA, it will be very clear how modders can use it and its contents on their mods, to avoid situations like in the past three years. Follow the license's terms and your use, distribution and modification work of the pack will be always protected and available for others. Ignore the terms and you'll get an initial warning, followed by a take-down notice if necessary and your open source license being revoked for not respecting the terms under which you're allowed to use the Terrain Pack and its assets.

More details will follow later. For now I'm posting the draft versions of the README, LICENSE and AUTHORS file for discussion, corrections and feedback.

[R1dO]

Hi Hobbes,

Good to see you back into OXC modding, kinda curious what your creative brain comes up with.
Smart move publishing the usage conditions of the map collection before publishing the maps/terrains.

Having said that, there are 2 minor "issues" with the opening post.

1st:
The link to the creative commons page is broken. It starts with a "(".

2nd:
The following quote is a bit unclear:

...
Mods that have a Terrain Pack license will be free to ask donations a gift for their work, but since this is a non-commercial community resource that involved several authors and different projects at different stages, and to ensure a fair distribution, any material gifts of appreciation such as donations should instead be given towards those who made this community and modding possible - OpenXcom and the developers who keep hosting, maintaining, updating and expanding it for both players and modders to use.
...

This can be interpreted in 2 ways.
* Mod authors are free to ask for donations as long as the money is redirected entirely to OpenXcom.
* Mod authors are free to ask for donations and keep them. If people want to donate to the Terrain Pack they should instead consider donating towards OpenXcom.

Which of those 2 messages was the one you were trying to convey?

[Hobbes]

1st:
The link to the creative commons page is broken. It starts with a "(".

Thank you, fixed.

* Mod authors are free to ask for donations and keep them. If people want to donate to the Terrain Pack they should instead consider donating towards OpenXcom.

Which of those 2 messages was the one you were trying to convey?

That one. I've reworked the text to clear up the two cases.

[Hobbes]

Change Log (24/1):
* Updated: mod compatibility, rulesets now use yaml anchors to add new refNode implemented by OXCE's latest release. Check the OXCE changes on the wiki's https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php/Ruleset_Reference_Nightly_(OpenXcom), on the refNode attribute.
* Ported: UFO2000 terrain XBASE+ as Terror Site terrains, originally made by several uncredited authors. Instead of defending, assault an XCOM base overrun by aliens.
* Added: Escape missions to Terror Sites, originally made for Area 51 mod. Instead having to rescue the civilians, survive and retreat through the Mudranger APC placed at the other end of the map. 12 new Escape terrains: AIRFIELD, COLDISLE, DAWNCITY, DOWNTOWN, INDUSTRIAL, MAD CITY, NATIVE, RAILYARD, ISLAND_TFTD, SIBERIA, SLUM and STORM MOUNTAIN.
* Added: NKF's Mudranger APC transport with UFOPaedia entry.
* Changed: missionZones 3 (terror site) updated for new Escape terrains.
* Added: ALIENCOLONY and ALIENHIVE Alien Base Assault terrains, originally made for Area 51 mod.
* Changed: alien base terrains are assigned to specific areas in a region's mission zones.
* Added: Mexico, Pakistan, New Zealand and Argentina countries, originally made by MKSheppard and Gix.
* Added: remaining unconverted original CULTAFARM, MAD CITY, MOONBASE and WAREHOUSE .MAP files from UFO2000.
* Added: FORT testing terrain mod for the original XCOM game,.
* Changed: renamed the Swamp terrains as WETLANDS, renamed all the TFTD terrain conversions, also renamed the JUNGLE modded terrains as new RAINFOREST and RAINMOUNT, and several other renaming to identify simple texture conversions as subterrains.
* Added: DAWN CITYUFO2000 terrain port for the original XCOM game.
* Added: AREA 51, HIVE, MAD CITY, NATIVE, PORT (TFTD conversion) and SKYRANGER FACTORY mods for the original XCOM game.

To Do List:
* To add 12 more countries, looking for suggestions.
* To add 12-18 more cities, also looking for suggestions.

[davide]

welcome back hobbes, I am very happy that you are returning to donate your contributions.

I tried browsing github but the repository is still private

[Hobbes]

welcome back hobbes, I am very happy that you are returning to donate your contributions.

I tried browsing github but the repository is still private

Github repository is becoming public later today

When it happens I'll update the sticky thread on this forum and the mod portal.

[Hobbes]

Terrain Pack now has a open source CC-NC-BI-SA license!

Mod Portal now has the updated version for OXCE. https://openxcom.mod.io/terrain-pack


Official GitHub repository https://github.com/Hobbes74/XCOM-Terrain-Pack.

Discord channel https://discord.com/invite/5f2KRVjqBN

[Hobbes]

Version 1.0.4 released at Github and Nexusmods.

Change log:
* Fixed bug with South Atlantic terror sites
* Fixed bug with Falkland Island incorrect location
* Fixed bug with placing starting base in South America
* Fixed bug with missing STR_TERROR_MISSION_OUTPOST
* Fixed bug with Terror Site Port