Modding computer games has been debated time and time again because of copyrights and IP protections, but modding, when done within reason, is fair use. Hugely popular single-player modding tool OpenIV has been under GTA V parent publisher Take-Two Interactive`s fire for a short while now, but PCGamer reports OpenIV may be in the clear now, and it`s thanks to the modding community.Last week on the GTA V forums, a user claiming to be an OpenIV lead developer shared the team received a cease and desist letter from Take-Two on June 5. This letter came two weeks after a notice from Take-Two asking the team to stop distribution of the tool.OpenIV has made it clear they want to stay within legal boundaries of modding by not distributing games` code and original data, and making sure mods cannot, and do not, work during online play. Because it isn`t just about customizing games to suit player`s wildest dreams--it`s about creativity too.Pictured above, fan-made short film Not Normal by Matt MacDonald, used a huge portion of mods in its production. Without the tools provided by OpenIV, this machinima film couldn`t have come to life, MacDonald shows in a behind the scenes video. He explains that the tool allows you to push the boundaries of the game`s camera angles and lighting.Take-Two`s attempted takedown of OpenIV caused an uproar in the GTA V modding community, sparking some of the lowest review scores of GTA V on Steam and a petition with over 78,000 signatures. The stir has had an effect; Rockstar released a statement on the situation Friday.`Rockstar Games believes in reasonable fan creativity, and, in particular, wants creators to showcase their passion for our games,` the statement reads. `After discussions with Take-Two, Take-Two has agreed that it generally will not take legal action against third-party projects involving Rockstarīs PC games that are single-player, non-commercial, and respect the intellectual property (IP) rights of third parties.`While this do ...
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