Open Sourcing your Mod
as of May 15 2021, ninjamuffin99 changed the Apache License to ask we open source all our mods. And you may not understand how to open source your mods, which is why this guide is here. This guide works for all versions of FNF (projectfnf, kade engine, original, mic'd up, etc.), so even if you don't use ProjectFNF, this guide should still work. For the sake of time and simplicity, I'm gonna refer to Open Source as just OS.
Now, there are multiple methods to OS your mod.
If you forked the repository, meaning that your repository claims to be directly from the engine, then you should be able to just upload your code to the repository (if you haven't already). Visual Studio Code has a GitHub extension that can allow you to easily do this. If you didn't fork the repository and instead just downloaded the code and went off that, then don't worry. You can still use VSCode to upload it to GitHub like the previous method. If you didn't you can just upload the files to GitHub manually which is a bit more tedious, but it gets the job done.
It is a perfectly valid way to distribute the source by simply copying it next to the binary, preferably in a folder named like src or Source. Since you will distribute it with some sort of compression (like zipping the folder) the size difference should be negligible.
If you don't want to use GitHub, you don't have to worry, because you can simply upload your files to Google Drive. This is not recommended because if I remember correctly, there is a maximum storage space you can have per Google account and the SC is very big in file size. It is also recommended to not leave the export folder in because it just takes up space that isn't needed to be.
Now, this is the ultimate chad move to do because Mediafires free features will not give you enough storage to put it up there, but it also doesn't allow you to view the code without downloading it. This method isn't recommended its the only method listed here that actually costs money to do.
There are a couple tips that you should follow when OS your mods and they can really help you be efficient with your time and just generally be good at OS-ing mods.
- Do not include the export folder in the files, it isn't needed to be in there because a simple compile will bring it back.
- You only need to open source your mod if your modifying the source code. if there isn't a dedicated executable for the mod, it doesn't need to be OS (there literally is no source to make public lmao).
- If your mod was made before this rule you don't have to update it to have source code UNLESS you update the mod after the new license.
- Make sure to credit yourself in your code before OS-ing your files because there is still a chance people will try and steal it and take credit for it. You could even use an important variable thats named after you that upon removing would break the entire mod.
@ninjamuffin99 this doesn't grant any rights, so in effect just bans mods?
mods arent banned nope
Please just use a proper license like GPL v3 lmao
will do something like that eventually, for now just trying to be a funny little prankster and ease the tension a little bit. I sorta added the thing to the readme offhandedly not thinking too much of it, and honestly not thinking people would take it seriously since its kinda in obnoxious all caps. I think there's a lot of weird pusharound regarding the legalities and all that when there doesn't need to be.
Right now it feels like people only take the licensing seriously when they're in the mood. There are a lot of instances where mods don't even comply with the Apache license that would've been applied at the time.
In section 4 of the Apache license
- Redistribution. You may reproduce and distribute copies of the Work or Derivative Works thereof in any medium, with or without modifications, and in Source or Object form, provided that You meet the following conditions: a. You must give any other recipients of the Work or Derivative Works a copy of this License; and b. You must cause any modified files to carry prominent notices stating that You changed the files; and
But download any mod, you will very likely NOT see a copy of the apache license, or prominent notices on any modified file stating what was changed.
Let's look at the files for FNF Beach Brother
No copy of the apache license anywhere, not in any of those folders and not in-game.
This isn't to say "oh hey, everyone comply with every single rule in the licenses from now on please!!!", and this isn't me diverting attention to "hey guys, none of the mods comply with the license anyways", this is me just asking everyone to ease up a bit, and know that we have given everyone a LOT of permissiveness. We let people pretty much do whatever they want with the code, music, art, etc. and when we try to pull the reigns back (not even for personal gain) people start quoting 1984 and shiiiit!!!! It's not the end of the world
A lot of people expect a lot out of me and for us to know every single legality of everything, I'm just a dipshit who wants people to not lock their code away since I think it goes against the spirit of what Funkin is. Simple as that. Not an excuse for the license stuff being a fuss tho, I'm just trying to give my perspective
this is taken from here
