8 Using Mapbase Content
Blixibon edited this page 2022-01-15 12:55:10 -06:00

Mapbase is an open-source project and its contents can be distributed and used at the discretion of its users. However, this project contains content from a vast number of different sources which have their own licensing or attribution requirements. Users planning on distributing Mapbase content are expected to comply with the following guidelines:

  • Mods using Mapbase in its entirety must mention that their mod runs on Mapbase. For example, you can mention "This mod uses Mapbase" in your mod's credits. If your mod is on Steam, it can be mentioned on the Store page. Providing a direct link to Mapbase isn't explicitly necessary, but if a link is needed, use Mapbase's ModDB or GitHub pages. More may be added to this in the future in order to greater account for external content.

    • The Mapbase repository's README should be preserved in any fork of the Mapbase repository.
    • The MAPBASE_CONTENT_USAGE.txt file that comes with the ModDB build should be distributed with any full distribution of Mapbase.
  • Mods using substantial content from Mapbase without fully running on it should credit the content's original creators. For example, Mapbase uses Saul Rennison's code for dynamic RTT shadow angles in Source 2013. If you were to borrow this from Mapbase's repository for your own mod without running on the rest of Mapbase, you should credit Saul Rennison instead of Mapbase itself. All external code documented to have been used by Mapbase is listed in both the repository's README and a MAPBASE_CONTENT_USAGE.txt file in the build on ModDB. Anything not listed inside should be credited to Mapbase itself.


Mapbase code

As mentioned above, forks of Mapbase's repository should preserve the README's contents and put any new content at the top, above the Mapbase section.

In order to avoid confusion with code from Valve, code from contributors, and code written by Mapbase's users in forks, all of Mapbase's own files (entire files created specifically for Mapbase by Mapbase's creators or contributors) are using a unique header as of Mapbase v5.0.

//========= Mapbase - https://github.com/mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013 ============//
//
// Purpose: 
//
// $NoKeywords: $
//=============================================================================//

All code files from the original SDK and external code files borrowed from other sources will usually retain their original header.

Users of Mapbase are advised to avoid using this header in their own files unless they plan to contribute them to Mapbase in the future. Please avoid modifying this header in any file which uses it.