Growing Concerns Amongst Japanese MMDers:
The free use and sharing of models, accessories, and other MMD files
The Japanese have been crazy about MMD since 2008… and, as the founders of the “MMD Culture”, they feel some natural
“ownership” of everything MikuMikuDance. They have created a fantastic body of work. They shared their information and their creations amongst themselves with only a minimum of out-of-country intervention … and they created a set of ownership ethics and trading protocols in line with the Japanese respect for such things.
Now …
… starting with the release of MMD 7.39, the English version of MMD, the “lid is off” of Japan’s nearly exclusive control over MikuMikuDance. The Japanese find that their websites and their models are being devoured by a world of hungry MMD enthusiasts … enthusiasts who are seen as barbarians, grabbing and using what they
want without any sense for the proper etiquette of MikuMikuDance.
Some Japanese designers and MMD artists are removing their creations from the web. Many are asking for limitations on the use, sharing, and modifications of their models and accessories. … More importantly: many new users are not aware of or are simply ignoring those limitations with the result being that the intellectual property of MMD creators, across the planet, is being, essentially, stolen from them!
What can you do?
Be a good MMDer …
… Keep the Faith-MMD
Reggie Dentmore of LearnMMD.com, working with the administrator of Mikudance.info created LearnMMD’s “Keep the Faith-MMD” page … spelling out the rules for the proper use of the many things that an MMDer will download as they create their animations.
The most BASIC RULES are these:
- Always give credits for anything you download and use in your animations.
- Do not alter or share or redistribute your models without specific permission to do so. Get that permission from the ReadMe file included in your download.
- Do not share a link directly to the download zip or file. Link, instead, to the webpage that contains that link. Doing this credits the original web author who shared that link.
- Know that if you modify a downloaded model or accessory, you still do not own it. Share it only if the ReadMe gives you permission to do so … and always credit the original creator.
Respect
It all boils down to respecting the gift that each of those model designers and artists has given you. Imagine the tight Japanese society that created the original MMD Community. True: MikuMikuDance is no longer limited to Japan and has become a global phenomenon … and … True: anything on the web is fair-game … is “up for grabs” … … But ALSO True: We MMDers need each other; we need to respect the creative products gifted to us by the many talented artists involved in MikuMikuDance.
Be a good MMDer …
… Keep the Faith-MMD
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